CH. 10: I'll Take Revenge For You!

Seemed his luck was a bit poor...

Rubbing his awkward nose, he continued. "I heard from Miss Shinobu and Aoi that you use coins to decide everything you do, right?"

Kanao paused, then tossed again.

"Plop"

Still reverse side.

"..."

Just twice, no big deal. He continued. "How did the exam feel? Did you meet any interesting people or things?"

Kanao tossed and caught.

Reverse side again...

"..."

Kanao also looked at the coin in her hand astonished. After all, the probability of getting the same side continuously three times wasn't high.

After a pause, Kenshi was still a bit unwilling to give up. "How about tossing again?"

Kanao nodded, but before she had the chance to do what he asked, Shinobu's voice sounded.

"Oh my, I was thinking of having you two get acquainted at the dinner table. Didn't expect you would meet so soon." Shinobu said while approaching. "Kanao, this is Kenshi! My newly accepted student! Kenshi, she's the absent-minded and very cute little sister I mentioned! Now, come greet each other!"

After he greeted Kanao, Shinobu quickly dragged her inside, not even letting him talk to her.

-------------

The next day, the day for official training to begin had finally arrived.

Kenshi looked at the training schedule arranged for him.

Push-ups, running, lifting rocks, swordplay practice, playing gourd flutes etc...

It didn't look too extreme, not the hellish training he had imagined. This also put his heart at ease.

But when the actual training started, he was battered beyond recognition...

Push-ups, he could barely finish one set of fifty...

Running was fine on flat ground, but occasionally he would be made to run on the enclosing walls. One, to train stamina, two, to train balance.

Unfortunately, his balance was terrible. Although the walls were three palms wide, he just couldn't get over the psychological barrier to start running.

Finally it was lifting rocks. Tying two rocks together with rope, looping it over a tree branch overhead, then using his arm strength to pull up the rocks.

But his current arm strength was far from enough. He could only desperately use his body weight to slightly lift up the rocks...

"Oh my, your foundation is really poor!" Shinobu who was standing on the side remarked.

"I'm bad..at...this..really...sorry!" He exerted all his strength, finally lifting up the rocks once more.

Shinobu looked at the time, feeling it was about enough. "Alright, enough physical training for now. Rest for a bit, next I'll be training you in sword techniques."

Kenshi immediately let go of the rope in hand, collapsing on the ground panting heavily.

Shinobu walked over, wiping his sweat with a cloth while saying. "Good, do the insect breathing now. Use your breathing to alleviate your body's soreness and fatigue. Now is the perfect time to improve your breathing technique!"

Hearing this, he started doing insect breathing. But the intense suffocation nearly made him falter several times. Ultimately he managed to suppress it with willpower.

Seeing him gradually calm down, Shinobu nodded slightly. "How do you feel?"

"Phew! I feel like I nearly suffocated to death just now!"

"Normal phenomenon. But for a beginner like you, you've already done very well!" She praised.

She understood very clearly that for someone to complete this long arduous training, aside from relying on their own willpower to persevere, positive feedback from the outside was also indispensable.

Although Kenshi's performance today could be considered terrible, she still gave appropriate feedback.

As expected, hearing this boosted Kenshi's spirit "Really?"

"Of course it's true!"

"I didn't let you down right?"

Shinobu was a bit surprised why he would ask this, but still smilingly answered. "Nope! Or rather, your performance has somewhat exceeded my expectations!"

"Nice!" He instantly felt full of strength again.

"Miss Shinobu, you seemed a bit different from the day we talked, well, and you didn't even mention about that day. Why don't we talk while I rest for a bit. So, why don't you tell me about the reason you joined the demon slayer corps." He asked while slowly inhaling and exhaling.

Shinobu was stunned for bit before she looked at his face.

"The reason I joined the demon slayer corps was to kill demons. My parents are doctors but due to a demon attack they were killed, after that me and my sister joined the Demon Slayer corps." She said with a nonchalant expression.

"Miss Shinobu's...big sister?" He felt this was a good chance to know more about Shinobu, pretending to be puzzled as he asked. "I've never heard Miss Shinobu mention her before!"

Shinobu turned to look at him. She sighed and opened her mouth.

"My big sister is called Kanae Kocho. She was the flower hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps." She said softly while a reminiscent look appeared on her face. "But during a mission, my sister encountered an extremely powerful demon. It had blood-like red marking splashed over it's head, with a false smile always on its face.

"My sister...fought desperately until dawn, but ultimately her injuries were too severe, and she unfortunately passed away..."

Saying this, Shinobu's hands started uncontrollably trembling.

She had imagined countless times, if sunrise was half an hour later, she could've not even gotten to see her sister's last moments?

Perhaps she might have even had to watch as that bastard devoured her sister's corpse with her own eyes?

A butterfly lightly landed on her shoulder, only then did she slowly calm down, resuming her signature smile. "Sorry about that, I lost composure for a bit."

Kenshi retracted his gaze, suddenly asking. "That demon...is it still alive?"

Hearing these words, Shinobu subconsciously clenched her fingers. But still calmly answered. "Based on gathered intel, that demon is definitely still alive!"

He paused for a moment before he opened his mouth. "Then as Miss Shinobu's student, part of Butterfly Mansion, shouldn't I also have the right and duty to take revenge on that demon?"

Shinobu's fingers clenched even tighter! Her eyes suddenly turned to him in shock.

He nodded, very seriously saying. "Please give me a bit more time Miss Shinobu. I will definitely kill that Demon for you."

Hearing this, Shinobu revealed a guilty expression.

If she said that she brought him here just because of his talent, it would be true at the same time would be not. She knows, somewhere in her heart, she was training her students so they can kill that vile Demon. After all, she knows very well that her strength might not be enough to kill that bastard.

Now that he understood her past burdens and hatred, and even said that he would take revenge for her, her guilt actually lessened a bit. She showed a sincere smile once again.

"Are you certain?" Although she felt great, Shinobu still asked more. "The one who could defeat my sister must be at least Upper Moon demon. Their strength is extremely powerful!"

Upper Moon Two, Doma! I know!

He nodded. "As long as you give me time to grow, I can slaughter even the demon King Muzan!"

With the system, as long as it gave him one powerful good draw!

Would Muzan still have a chance to live?

But Shinobu only chuckled, taking it as boasting.

"Then let's go!" She stood up. "Let's start your sword training!"

"Yes, Miss Shinobu!" He also stood up.

Shinobu suddenly turned back, her expression gentle. "We're almost the same age, so from now on just call me Shinobu."