Anime/Manga: Bankai Starting with Demon Slayer

In Asuka's eyes, the four seasons of Hayama are reduced to the different winds blowing from the training ground each season:

The gentle breeze of spring carrying the scent of new buds, the scorching, dry winds of summer;

The bleak autumn wind carrying fallen leaves, the biting winter wind that cuts to the bone.

The bird's body was already covered in wounds.

There are bruises from sparring with wooden swords, cuts from sharp rocks while climbing mountains, scratches from branches while traversing dense forests, and bandages from countless times of pushing their limits, resulting in tendon and even bone damage.

Before the old wounds have completely faded, new wounds have already covered them.

These marks all over his body are proof of his desperate pursuit of power.

Time flies, and the seasons change.

In total, the Seventy-Eight Birds have spent two full years in Hayama, the place where the breath of the wind is passed down.

Under Arashizaki Teshin's rigorous and almost cruel guidance, Asuka's physical abilities were pushed to the limits of ordinary people. Her once slender frame was now covered by tough muscles, with smooth lines and explosive power. Every inch of her muscles contained the power of the wind.

His breathing became more and more steady, maintaining the rhythm even while he slept, never slacking off.

More importantly, he finally began to study the sword techniques of the Breath of the Wind in depth.

From the first form to the ninth form, Arashizaki Teshin demonstrated the usage and insights to Asuka.

Asuka learned quickly. His body seemed to be naturally in sync with the wildness and unpredictability of the wind. Although his power was insufficient, he had already mastered the basic momentum and key points. All that was left was to practice.

His swordplay lacked the flawless mastery of Arashiyama, but it was full of primal wildness and untamed vitality, as unreasonable as a hurricane suddenly rising in the wilderness.

In addition, Arashi noticed that when Asuka was fully immersed in the sword form of Wind Breathing, there was always a faint, almost imperceptible power about to burst forth from him...

"Is it the Natural Breathing technique used when exorcising demons...?" Arasaki wasn't quite sure.

Furthermore, no matter how strong his body became or how skilled his swordsmanship became, the light in his eyes never changed.

Although his gaze softens and carries an almost clumsy sense of trust when facing Arashizaki Teshin, who taught him his skills, and Rika, who has always taken good care of him, his gaze is cold and distant at all other times.

Like a wild beast that has been temporarily taken in, even after being well-fed and fed and having its claws and teeth sharpened, it has never truly let down its guard against its surroundings.

Arashizaki Teshin saw all of this.

Having experienced countless life-or-death battles and taught all sorts of disciples, he knew that great power, without a matching state of mind to guide it, could easily lead to a dangerous abyss.

Arashi often sat alone in a secluded spot on the back mountain, silently watching Asuka's solitary figure wielding her sword.

He admitted that he was not good at subtle guidance and emotional comfort; all he could give Fei Niao was the strictest training, the most solid skills, and almost demanding requirements.

They believe that strict teachers produce outstanding students, and that only through rigorous training can one become truly exceptional.

Moreover, the child's demeanor reminded him of a student.

Compared to that child, Asuka has no last protection or bond, making her a worrying character.

"Was my choice wrong...?" Arashizaki Tesshin would sometimes ask himself. "Did I focus too much on tempering his body and neglect the emptiness in his heart? Will he lose his way after gaining greater power...?"

This thought was like a thorn stuck in the old man's heart, lingering there for a long time.

Not long after, Hayama's tranquility was shattered by a series of familiar yet somewhat rough footsteps.

The newcomer was tall and muscular, dressed in the Demon Slayer Corps' dark green uniform, with a white haori casually draped over it. On the haori was a huge and ferocious character for "kill" written in thick ink, as if it wanted to crush all evil spirits under its murderous intent.

He had a head of unruly, silver-white short hair, and several deep scars ran across his face, especially the one that ran diagonally from his forehead to his cheek, which added to his fierce appearance.

What is most striking are his eyes, sharp as a raptor, flashing with an almost frenzied fighting spirit and undisguised sharpness, as if he were about to devour someone at any moment.

An invisible, suffocating sense of oppression emanated from him.

That was a terrifying aura forged through countless battles on the brink of life and death, bathed in the blood of demons.

The current Wind Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps—Sanemi Shinazugawa.

Chapter 9 Shinazugawa Sanemi

"Hey, where's Teacher Tie Xin?"

Upon entering Hayama, Shinazugawa Saneya grabbed a disciple wearing a dark brown kendo uniform and questioned him in a loud, unfriendly voice.

He came to visit his mentor, Arashizaki Teshin.

Since becoming a Pillar-level swordsman, he has been busy with many affairs and constantly on the edge of his sword. Now, being able to take time out of his missions to return to this place that once honed him is a rare opportunity for him to relax.

However, the ordinary disciples did not recognize Shinazugawa Saneya at all. Seeing his fierce and menacing appearance, they were so frightened that they trembled and could not even speak properly, let alone answer questions.

"It's in the back mountain, Shiya-nii-san."

"Oh, it's pear blossoms."

A gentle breeze swept by, and Shinazugawa loosened his grip slightly. Then, Rika's figure flashed by, supporting the terrified disciple to the side.

Pear Blossom looked at her frightened disciple with concern: "Are you alright? Are you injured?"

"Please, I wouldn't just hurt someone in Master's dojo," Shinazugawa Saneya said, pursing his lips, his tone still rude. "The back mountain? Master, have you found another 'stepson'?"

After seeing off the anxious young disciple, Rika smiled and looked at Shinazugawa Sanemi:

"Not really, he's an interesting kid. The teacher has been teaching him in the back mountains for the past two years."

Two years? Shinazugawa Saneya raised his fierce eyebrows, grinned to reveal a set of white teeth, and his smile carried a beastly interest.

"Looks like a promising talent? I'd like to see what he's really made of!"

The back mountain was originally the place where Arashizaki Teshin conducted the most intense and core training, usually only for those disciples he believed were truly qualified to inherit the essence of the Breath of the Wind.

As a former pillar of the wind, Arashizaki Tesshin also has the power to take on "stepchildren"—that is, core disciples.

Compared to other Demon Slayer Corps members and trainees, stepsons usually receive more resources and support, such as better weapons, equipment, and training conditions, and are also required to have better talents.

In other words, the stepson's talent is almost equivalent to his potential to become a "pillar" in the future.

Shinazugawa Saneya had also shed countless drops of sweat and blood in the same place, so when he heard that a new chosen one had entered the back mountain, his competitive spirit was instantly ignited.

He didn't disturb anyone else and walked alone along the path into the depths of the back mountain.

The closer you get to that secluded training ground surrounded by ancient trees, the more restless the air seems to become.

That was the wind howling, and the sword energy cutting invisibly.

Soon, he saw the figure.

In the center of the field, the boy was swinging his sword.

His movements were swift and precise; each swing of his knife tore through the air, causing the surrounding fallen leaves to swirl and dance in the air.

The boy's bare upper body was muscular and bulging, and sweat glistened in the sunlight, dripping onto the ground beneath his feet with each movement, leaving dark marks.

His breathing was deep and long, each inhale as if drawing in all the surrounding wind into his lungs, and each exhale with a scorching heat and a buzzing sound like air friction.

At a glance, Shinazugawa Saneya could tell that the body was the result of extreme training and physique.

“The foundation is quite solid,” Shinazugawa Saneya said, leaning against a thick, ancient tree trunk with his arms crossed, scrutinizing the situation without any attempt to conceal his true intentions.

He could see the rudiments of the Wind Breathing technique contained in the boy's swordplay. Although it hadn't reached the full form yet, the fierceness and reckless impact were surprisingly... somewhat pleasing to his eye.

It's like seeing a shadow of something similar.

At the same time, he sensed the aura emanating from the boy even more keenly than Arashizaki Teshin.

It wasn't the airflow generated by the Breath of Wind; it was something extremely subtle yet exceptionally sharp and violent.

If I had to describe it, it's like countless invisible fangs of hunger opening and closing in the air, carrying a primal desire to tear apart and devour everything.

This kind of fluctuation was something Shinazugawa had never felt in any other user of the Breath of the Wind. It didn't belong to any breathing technique, yet the boy seemed to have forcibly incorporated it into his swordplay, forming a unique and destructive style...

“Interesting…” Shinazugawa Saneya’s interest deepened, and a smile unconsciously spread across his face.

He could sense that the boy in the arena was not unaware of his arrival. The taut lines of his back and the suddenly sharper sword wind indicated that the other party had locked onto him, the uninvited guest, immediately.

The bird definitely sensed it immediately.

The aura emanating from Shinazugawa Saneya was so obvious that it was impossible not to notice him in this secluded back mountain.

During the two years of cultivation, Asuka's fragmented and chaotic memories slowly began to recover.

He began to realize that although he had become a flesh-and-blood human being in this world, he was ultimately different from others.

Asuka can sense a kind of soul energy called "spirit particles" within her body, and she can also sense the spirit particle power from Arashisaki-sensei and Rika-san.

However, when he tried to explain this concept to Miss Rika, she could not perceive the spirit particles he mentioned. Rika believed that this was what her teacher meant by the natural breath of a bird, which others could not experience.

There have been similar examples before. After all, even the Demon Slayer Corps' breathing technique originated from a natural breathing technique that no human could use, and evolved from it. So Rika didn't find it strange.

So, in addition to practicing the Breath of the Wind, Asuka also tried to learn to control this spiritual power in her spare time and integrate it into her swordsmanship.

The perception of spiritual pressure—this is the most subtle manifestation of this power.

The white-haired man standing on the tree with his arms crossed exuded a massive, fierce spiritual pressure, carrying a strong smell of blood, completely different from Arashi-sensei's calm and heavy aura, which was like a mountain.

But this was, after all, the back mountain of the breeding center. Asuka believed that if it were really some kind of terrifying evil spirit, it would be impossible for it to come here in broad daylight without making a sound.

He forcibly suppressed the surging fear in his heart and did not immediately stop training, but instead raised his vigilance to the highest level.

"Very strong...extremely strong! Stronger than Rika-san! Even...it feels like she's stronger than Arashi-saki-sensei..."

"Hey!"

Shinazugawa Miya finally spoke, his voice loud and impatient, carrying his usual commanding tone:

"Kid! You've practiced enough, haven't you? Stop showing off and let me see what you're really made of!"

Before Asuka could answer, Shinazugawa's figure had already vanished from the treetops in a flash!

Almost entirely relying on her perception of spiritual pressure and her body's instinctive reaction, Asuka unconsciously took a deep breath and fiercely swung her sword toward her side!

Clang!

A deafening crash resounded! Shinazugawa, already gripping a long sword that was still sheathed, clashed fiercely with Asuka's wooden sword!

Shinazugawa Saneya, far from being angry at Asuka's reaction, found it even more amusing.

Those stubborn, wary, and wild eyes were like a mirror.

He chuckled, cracked his neck, and made a soft snapping sound.

"Oh? Not bad..."

Chapter 10 Wind VS Wind

In the Demon Slayer Corps, it is strictly forbidden for members to attack each other without reason.

However, Asuka is not a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, and Miya Shinazugawa is not a Pillar who strictly adheres to this rule.

The force transmitted from the scabbard was so strong that it almost caused the wooden sword in Asuka's hand to fly out!

He gritted his teeth, the veins on his arms bulging, and struggled with all his might against this inhuman force.

"Hiss..." A suppressed gasp came from Asuka's mouth and nose. He used the Total Concentration Breathing technique that Arashizaki Tesshin had taught him, trying to use the physical enhancement brought about by the breathing technique to suppress the white-haired man in front of him.

"Oh..."

Shinazugawa Saneya chuckled and flicked his wrist casually.

hum-

A turquoise vortex suddenly emanated from the scabbard!

Asuka felt a numbness in her arm and could barely hold onto the heavy wooden sword. She even lost her balance and stumbled to the ground.

Almost instantly, the end of Shinazugawa's scabbard slammed heavily towards his shoulder!

With a muffled thud, the bird was struck squarely by its opponent, its body flipped over by the ruthless force and crashed heavily onto the cold, muddy ground.

Shinazugawa Saneya strolled forward leisurely, his tall figure blocking out the sunlight, casting a shadow that framed Asuka's image.

"What's wrong? Does Hayama's training only produce cowards like you? If you encountered a ghost, you would already be dead!"

Harsh words carry the cruelest truth. In a real sword duel, no one will slowly wait for you to get into position; everything happens in the blink of an eye.

However, Asuka did not lie quietly on the ground, waiting for Shinazugawa's vile laughter to continue echoing.

In the instant he fell to the ground, he instinctively activated the Breath of the Wind, wrapping the faint green vortex that had gathered around his wrist. Using the momentum of falling, he braced himself on the spot and actually rose up, heading straight for the Shinazugawa!

Boom! !

Asuka crashed heavily into Shinazugawa's chin, sending the Wind Pillar sprawling backward!

Without waiting for Shinazugawa's reaction, he quickly gripped the wooden sword and, using the momentum, slashed down fiercely at Shinazugawa's falling body!

"This kid..."