Chapter 02: The Selfish Senior.

Zenitsu, in the canon never realised his true potential but this won't happen with Thomas in charge. The year passed and Zenitsu had already mastered the art of Thunder breath to his adoptive father's approval, now it was time to improve.

Kaigaku, the senior pupil had returned on a holiday after a chain of missions, he had now been promoted to the rank of Kanoto. His already inflated pride was even bigger after he had earned three promotions in a span of two years, but he was in a world of shock seeing the weakling Zenitsu changed like he had never expected.

One look into Zenitsu's golden eyes and he knew that the worthless insect was nowhere to be seen, there was a sharp glint in his eyes that was quite well hidden, but still remained.

[A/N: THE RANKINGS GO LIKE MIZUNOTO -> MIZUNOE-> KANOTO-> KANOE-> TSUCHINOTO-> TSUCHINOE-> HINOTO-> HINOE-> KINOTO-> KINOE AND FINALLY THE TSUGUKO AND THE HASHIRA.]

Kaigaku who had already started to practice the Total Concentrated Breathing trained separately from Zenitsu, he would try and blow into gourds to break them.

Zenitsu, seeing his senior pupil's antics asked him about what he was trying to do, but was dismissed by Kaigaku. Finding no answer, he turned to his adoptive father and asked him about this.

Jigoro ruffled his hair and told him to grow up a bit more before he taught him about that. Zenitsu did not leave the matter and secretly observed Kaigaku, his breath sounded different from when he was normally breathing and he was trying to use the breathing technique as his normal breathing pattern.

He decided to train this in hiding, he would practice this each morning when he would do physical exercises and then again when he would go to sleep.

Trying it out was simple, but doing it constantly was a bit of a strain and he failed a lot. But slowly with days passing he would get better, he realised that doing the concentrated breathing around the clock was subtly but surely refining his body, making him stronger from the very cellular level.

His senses were much clear, his perception heightened and he could hear sounds that he never heard. Concentrating, he could hear even the faintest of sounds even to the point of hearing heart beats and he decided to capitalise on this.

Using a blind fold, he covered his eyes and started to perceive the surroundings and, in a few weeks, he could do his normal routine blind folded, Jigoro was ecstatic and Kaigaku, who was slowly getting frustrated because of Zenitsu's talent finally lashed out.

One day, he followed Zenitsu to the mountain in the guise of training and challenged him. Both the pupils fought with wooden katanas and they returned. A frowning Kaigaku was followed by a muttering Zenitsu who had bruises here and there.

Jigoro knew that they were coming back after a spar and decided to let them spar every day, the decision was both good and bad. Zenitsu was growing with each passing day and Kaigaku was having more and more trouble winning and finally one fateful day Kaigaku lost.

Zenitsu had used a self-created stance to catch Kaigaku off-guard and the match was the first victory of Zenitsu and the first defeat of Kaigaku.

Kaigaku could not take the loss and lashed out at Jigoro, calling him out for playing favourites and not teaching him in fear that he might surpass Jigoro.

"Kaigaku, apologize to tou-chan. That move was my own and has nothing to do with your claims, it's the seventh stance I made from the fifth stance NETSU KARAI." Zenitsu spoke coldly.

Jigoro and Kaigaku were shocked, both of them have been practicing the thunder breath for years and they had yet to make notable breakthroughs. Jigoro had already integrated the technique to suit him and personalised it, but Kaigaku was far from it.

Now they were looking at Zenitsu who had not even participated in the final selections, he had created such a spectacular stance.

The stance was derived from the fifth stance where the lightning catches fire, then the variation comes in, a lightning dragon clad in flames form as the sword is drawn, it chases the blade and bites as the blade finds its target. The seventh stance, HONOIKAZUCHI NO KAMI.

Kaigaku stormed off and did not turn back. Zenitsu knew that he could do nothing to stop him from becoming a demon in pursuit of strength.

During the spar, Zenitsu had subconsciously started to do the total concentrated breathing constant, the thunder breath had replaced his normal breathing pattern and Jigoro being the master he is, noticed it and recognised it in a glance. On one hand, he was sad for Kaigaku who was going further astray and on the other hand, he was proud of Zenitsu.

He had seen Zenitsu's growth and how much the spars were polishing his form and executions. He himself took up the bokken and sparred with Zenitsu, the mirror neurons came to show how much of a monster they could make a person.

Another year went by and Zenitsu was now sixteen and was allowed to participate in the final selections.

"Here, take these clothes and wear them for the final selections. I will be waiting for you to return home, go and show the demons that only despair awaits them. Carry my name with pride, tell the world that there is another Kuwajima, another Thunder Hashira is in the making. Let your allies find hope and your enemies feel despair each time your name is spoken. Go my son, the Fuji Kasane Mountain awaits your arrival."