Sanemi Shinazugawa

"Hey, where's Teacher Tie Xin?"

Upon entering Hayama, Shinazugawa Sanemi grabbed a disciple dressed in a light green kendo uniform and questioned him in a loud, unfriendly voice.

He came to visit his trainer, 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 off from his missions to return to the place where he once honed his skills is a rare opportunity for him to relax.

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

"It's in the back mountain, Brother Sanemi."

"Oh, it's pear blossom."

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

Pear Blossom looked at her frightened disciple with concern. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Please, I wouldn't hurt anyone in my master's dojo," Shinazugawa Sanemi said, scoffing, his tone still rude. "The back mountain? Has my master found another 'stepson'?"

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

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

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

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

The back mountain was originally the place where Arashizaki Tesshin 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 right to take on "stepchildren"—that is, core disciples.

Compared to other Demon Slayer Corps members and trainees, adopted sons 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, a stepson's talent is almost equivalent to the possibility of becoming a "pillar" in the future.

Sanemi Shinazugawa 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 invisible cutting of sword energy.

Soon, he saw the figure.

In the center of the arena, the boy is wielding his sword.

His movements were swift and precise; each swing of his knife tore through the air, stirring up the surrounding fallen leaves into a swirling dance.

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 all the surrounding wind into his lungs, and each exhale with a scorching heat and a buzzing sound like air friction.

Sanemi Shinazugawa could tell at a glance that the body was the result of extreme tempering and training.

"The foundation is quite solid," Sanemi Shinazugawa said, leaning against a thick, ancient tree trunk with his arms crossed, scrutinizing the tree without any attempt to hide his true feelings.

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 was like seeing the shadow of someone of the same kind.

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

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

If I had to describe it, it's like countless invisible, hungry fangs 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 from any user of the Breath of Wind. It didn't belong to the breathing technique, yet the boy seemed to have forcibly incorporated it into his swordplay, creating a unique and destructive style...

"Interesting..." Shinazugawa Sanemi's interest deepened, and a smile unconsciously spread across his face.

He could sense that the young man in the arena was aware of his arrival. The taut lines of his back and the sudden increase in the sharpness of his sword wind indicated that the other party had locked onto him, the uninvited guest, immediately.

The bird did indeed sense it immediately.

Sanemi Shinazugawa's aura was too obvious; it was impossible not to notice him in this secluded back mountain.

During the two years of cultivation, the bird'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 Ms. Arashizaki and Ms. Rika.

However, when he tried to explain this concept to Miss Rika, she could not sense the spirit particles he was talking about. Rika believed that this was what her teacher meant by the natural breathing of Asuka, which others could not experience.

There have been similar examples before. After all, even the Demon Slayer Corps' breathing technique originated from and evolved from a natural breathing technique that no one else could learn, so Rika wasn't surprised.

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 is one of the most basic applications of this power.

The white-haired man standing on the tree with his arms crossed exuded a vast, fierce, and blood-soaked spiritual pressure, completely different from the mountain-like, steady, and heavy aura of Arashiki-sensei.

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-sensei-sensei..."

"Hello!"

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

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

Before the bird could reply, Shinazugawa's figure had already vanished from the treetops with a whoosh!

Almost entirely relying on her perception of spiritual pressure and her body's instinctive reaction, Asuka subconsciously activated her Breath of the Wind and fiercely swung her sword to her side!

clang--!!

A deafening crash resounded! Shinazugawa, already gripping a long, unsheathed sword, clashed fiercely with Asuka's wooden sword!

Seeing Asuka's reaction, Shinazugawa Sanemi was not angry at all; instead, he found it even more interesting.

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

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

"Oh? Not bad..."