Night had settled over the Hashira training grounds.
Crickets sang beneath the cold breeze while the torches burned quietly, throwing long shadows across the courtyard.
Tanjiro and Jinwoo sat together on the wooden steps, both staring at the moon—one with warmth, the other with silence.
Tanjiro finally spoke first.
Tanjiro (soft, honest):
"Sun-Breathing… Water-Breathing… no matter how strong I become, I still feel small. But when I saw you defeat Tengen while barely trying… it confused me. You look human… but you fight like something beyond."
Jinwoo didn't answer immediately. He simply looked at Tanjiro with those calm, unreadable eyes.
Jinwoo:
"Power isn't everything. If your heart is weak, strength is useless. If your resolve is strong, weakness becomes meaningless."
Tanjiro blinked — the words struck him deeply.
Tanjiro:
"…But how can someone like me ever reach your level?"
Jinwoo summoned kasaka venom fang from his inventory. He placed it in Tanjiro's palm.
Jinwoo:
"Don't think of weapons as tools to cut. Think of them as extensions of your will."
Tanjiro looked confused.
Jinwoo stood and threw his own dagger into the air — spinning once.
Before the dagger even fell, Jinwoo moved — smooth, quiet, effortless.
Not a warrior… not a fighter… but a predator.
He snatched the dagger mid-air and stabbed forward — stopping the blade a hair from Tanjiro's forehead.
Tanjiro didn't flinch — he watched every movement.
Jinwoo smiled faintly.
Jinwoo:
"You saw it. Good. Power doesn't come from muscles. It comes from calculation."
Then he sat down again.
Jinwoo:
"One word to remember: Anticipate.
A real fighter moves before the enemy decides to strike."
Tanjiro's eyes widened with realization.
The missing piece — prediction, not reaction.
The two trained silently in the night — repeating the same throw-catch-strike sequence a hundred times until Tanjiro's movements became perfectly fluid.
---
The Next Morning
The training grounds became restless — word spread quickly:
> A boy who is not a Demon Slayer will fight Tokito Muichiro… without a weapon.
When Muichiro walked in, he looked emotionless as always — sword in hand, eyes unfazed.
Muichiro:
"You don't look excited. Most people tremble before sparring me."
Jinwoo cracked his neck casually.
Jinwoo:
"I've fought things scarier than you."
Gasps from the crowd.
Clash.
Muichiro moved instantly — silent, fast, unpredictable.
His blade slashed through the air like wind.
But Jinwoo didn't block.
He dodged.
Not like a fighter — like someone who already saw the attack before it happened.
Muichiro accelerated — kicks, thrusts, spins, slashes — his blade slicing only air as Jinwoo walked through the strikes like they meant nothing.
The spectators murmured:
"Is he… reading Muichiro?"
"He's not even trying…!"
"H-He's not human…"
Muichiro leaped back, frustrated.
Muichiro:
"What are you…?"
Jinwoo smiled.
Jinwoo:
"Someone who anticipates."
With zero warning, Jinwoo flickered — movement too fast for normal eyes — appearing behind Muichiro with a finger pressed to his neck.
Not a strike. Not violence.
Just proof.
Muichiro froze. He lost.
After Jinwoo defeated Muichiro in one move, the training ground went silent.
Muichiro stared, stunned but not angry — he lowered his blade and accepted defeat without excuses.
Muichiro:
"…I lost. You are stronger. That's all."
The moment those words left Muichiro's mouth—
🔺 DING!
A familiar translucent blue window suddenly appeared in front of Jinwoo's eyes:
[ SYSTEM SCAN COMPLETE ]
Subject Evaluated: Muichiro Tokito
Class: Hashira
Age: 14
Skills: Mist Breathing
Assessing MORAL ATTRIBUTE… ◆◆◆
● Honor : 92 / 100
● Discipline : 88 / 100
● Courage : 90 / 100
● Ego : 7 / 100
● Malice : 0 / 100
Summary: Warrior of Pure Heart. Displays clarity of thought without arrogance.
RECOMMENDATION: Suitable for Shadow Placement — Guardian Category.
Jinwoo's eyes widened slightly.
Jinwoo (thinking):
Even at his age… this level of honor? Tch. This kid has the heart of a true commander.
Then another message appeared:
Would you like to assign a Shadow Guardian to the subject's shadow?
>> YES / NO
Jinwoo didn't hesitate.
He selected YES mentally.
Instantly, the system responded:
Shadow Deployment Activated.
Assigning: [KRAZ — High Orc Elite]
Special Condition: Remain Hidden Until Host Life is Threatened
Deployment Type: Permanent — Secret
A ripple of dark mist crawled across the ground like a living wave, merging quietly with Muichiro's shadow.
No one noticed.
Not Muichiro, not the trainees, not the Hashira.
Only Jinwoo saw the final message:
[ SHADOW GUARDIAN SUCCESSFULLY ASSIGNED ]
Jinwoo looked at Muichiro again — not with superiority, but with respect.
Jinwoo (thinking):
You deserve protection. People like you shouldn't die young.
Muichiro simply smiled at Jinwoo.
Muichiro:
"You're dangerous… but your heart feels calm. I like that."
Jinwoo smirked too — not because of praise…
…but because someone who earned respect now carried a silent protector inside his shadow.
Tanjiro vs. Muichiro
Still panting from the shock of Jinwoo, Muichiro pointed his sword toward Tanjiro.
Muichiro:
"You're next."
Tanjiro stepped forward — calmer than ever.
Muichiro attacked first — fast.
But this time, Tanjiro's eyes were sharp — studying, predicting, anticipating.
He saw where Muichiro's feet landed.
He read the angle of the shoulders.
He predicted the follow-up strike.
It wasn't luck.
It was Jinwoo's teaching.
A perfectly-timed pivot — Tanjiro's blade stopped inches from Muichiro's throat.
The training field exploded with cheers and stunned silence.
Tanjiro defeated a Hashira.
Muichiro lowered his sword and — for the first time — smiled faintly.
Muichiro:
"Impressive. You learned faster than expected. You two are clear to advance."
Gasps echoed again.
Random Demon Slayer Corps Member:
"C-Can I also leave training??"
Muichiro turned toward them with a blank stare that turned terrifying.
Muichiro:
"You? You're three months late."
Everyone shrank in fear.
System Level Up
A digital sound echoed in Jinwoo's ears.
> [Training Complete — Hashira Progress: 2/7]
Reward Granted: 560,000 XP
LEVEL UP!
Current Level: 129→ 132
The glow vanished as quickly as it came — no one noticed except Tanjiro.
Tanjiro (thinking):
His eyes… glowed purple again… just like during Tengen's training…
---
The Departure
Jinwoo and Tanjiro packed their belongings and prepared to leave for the next stage.
Tanjiro:
"I thought we'd stay longer… it's really only been two days."
Muichiro shrugged.
Muichiro:
"Power isn't measured by time. It's measured by growth. Both of you grew — fast."
Tanjiro bowed deeply.
Tanjiro:
"Thank you for training me!"
Muichiro turned to Jinwoo.
Muichiro:
"You… I don't know what you are. But you're not ordinary. The air around you… feels like danger."
Jinwoo didn't deny it.
Jinwoo:
"Maybe you're right."
Muichiro smiled faintly again.
Muichiro:
"Be careful. Strong beings attract stronger enemies."
Tanjiro didn't fully understand.
Jinwoo did.
---
Next Training — Love Hashira
Jinwoo and Tanjiro began walking toward their next destination — Mitsuri Kanroji's Flexibility Training.
(Night — Hashira Training Grounds)
Night settled over the Hashira training grounds.
Crickets whispered in the cold breeze, torches flickering across the courtyard.
Tanjiro and Jinwoo sat together on the wooden steps — the moon reflected in Tanjiro's gentle eyes, and in Jinwoo's silent, unreadable ones.
Tanjiro spoke first.
Tanjiro (soft, honest):
"Sun-Breathing… Water-Breathing… no matter how strong I become, I still feel small. But when I saw you defeat Tengen while barely trying… it confused me. You look human… but you fight like something beyond."
Jinwoo didn't reply right away. His gaze remained calm.
Jinwoo:
"Power isn't everything. If your heart is weak, strength is useless. If your resolve is strong, weakness becomes meaningless."
The words struck Tanjiro like lightning.
Tanjiro:
"…But how can someone like me ever reach your level?"
Jinwoo materialized a throwing dagger and placed it into Tanjiro's palm — not as a weapon, but as a lesson.
Jinwoo:
"Don't think of weapons as tools to cut. Think of them as extensions of your will."
Tanjiro blinked in confusion.
Jinwoo stood and tossed his own dagger into the air — a slow spin.
Before the blade fell, Jinwoo moved — one smooth, silent motion.
He caught the dagger mid-air and stabbed forward, stopping a breath away from Tanjiro's forehead.
Tanjiro didn't flinch — he watched every movement.
Jinwoo smiled faintly.
Jinwoo:
"You saw it. Good. Power doesn't come from muscles. It comes from calculation."
He sat again beside Tanjiro.
Jinwoo:
"One word to remember: Anticipate.
A real fighter moves before the enemy decides to strike."
Tanjiro's eyes widened — the missing piece finally clear.
They trained in silence under the moonlight, repeating the same throw–catch–strike pattern a hundred times.
By the final repetition, Tanjiro's movements flowed like water.
---
(Next Morning — Training Grounds)
Whispers filled the courtyard before training even began.
> A boy who is not a Demon Slayer will fight Tokito Muichiro… without a weapon.
Muichiro entered — sword in hand, eyes empty of emotion.
Muichiro:
"You don't look excited. Most people tremble before sparring me."
Jinwoo cracked his neck casually.
Jinwoo:
"I've fought things scarier than you."
Gasps.
The match began instantly.
Muichiro's blade sliced through the air — fast, merciless.
But Jinwoo didn't block… he anticipated.
Every thrust, kick, slash — dodged before they even reached him.
He walked through attacks like he was reading a script.
Spectators whispered nervously:
"Is he… reading Muichiro?"
"He's not even trying…!"
"H-He's not human…"
Muichiro leaped back, frustrated.
Muichiro:
"What are you…?"
Jinwoo smiled.
Jinwoo:
"Someone who anticipates."
He vanished — then reappeared behind Muichiro with a finger against his neck.
Not an attack.
Just proof.
Muichiro lowered his blade.
Muichiro:
"…I lost. You are stronger. That's all."
A translucent blue window appeared in front of Jinwoo:
> [SYSTEM SCAN COMPLETE]
Subject Evaluated: Muichiro Tokito
Class: Hashira
Age: 14
Skills: Mist Breathing
● Honor: 92
● Discipline: 88
● Courage: 90
● Ego: 7
● Malice: 0
Summary: Warrior of Pure Heart
RECOMMENDATION: Suitable for Shadow Placement — Guardian Category.
Jinwoo's eyes widened slightly.
Jinwoo (thinking):
Even at his age… this level of honor? Tch. This kid has the heart of a true commander.
Another message appeared:
> Would you like to assign a Shadow Guardian to the subject's shadow?
> > YES / NO
Jinwoo selected YES.
Shadow Deployment Activated:
> Assigning: [KRAZ — High Orc Elite]
Condition: Remain Hidden Until Host Life is Threatened
Deployment Type: Permanent — Secret
A wave of shadow slid across the ground and fused with Muichiro's shadow — unseen by everyone except Jinwoo.
> [SHADOW GUARDIAN SUCCESSFULLY ASSIGNED]
Jinwoo looked at Muichiro again — with respect.
Jinwoo (thinking):
You deserve protection. People like you shouldn't die young.
Muichiro smiled faintly.
Muichiro:
"You're dangerous… but your heart feels calm. I like that."
---
(Immediately — Tanjiro vs Muichiro)
Muichiro pointed his sword toward Tanjiro.
Muichiro:
"You're next."
Tanjiro stepped forward — not afraid, not uncertain.
Muichiro struck — fast as lightning.
But Tanjiro anticipated.
He read footwork.
Predicted momentum.
Saw the strike before it existed.
A single pivot — Tanjiro's blade reached Muichiro's neck first.
Silence.
Then the entire field erupted.
Tanjiro defeated a Hashira.
Muichiro sheathed his sword and smiled again.
Muichiro:
"Impressive. You learned faster than expected. You two are clear to advance."
A panicked trainee raised a hand.
Random Demon Slayer Corps Member:
"C-Can I also leave training??"
Muichiro turned — voice icy.
Muichiro:
"You? You're three months late."
Everyone froze.
A digital sound echoed in Jinwoo's ears.
> [Training Complete — Hashira Progress: 2/7]
Reward: 560,000 XP
LEVEL UP!
129 → 132
Only Tanjiro saw his eyes glow purple again.
---
(Departure — End of Chapter)
Jinwoo and Tanjiro packed their belongings.
Tanjiro:
"I thought we'd stay longer… it's really only been two days."
Muichiro shrugged.
Muichiro:
"Power isn't measured by time. It's measured by growth. Both of you grew — fast."
Tanjiro bowed.
Tanjiro:
"Thank you for training me!"
Muichiro turned to Jinwoo.
Muichiro:
"You… I don't know what you are. But you're not ordinary. The air around you… feels like danger."
Jinwoo didn't deny it.
Jinwoo:
"Maybe you're right."
Muichiro smiled faintly.
Muichiro:
"Be careful. Strong beings attract stronger enemies."
Tanjiro didn't understand.
Jinwoo did.
---
(Next Training — Love Hashira)
Jinwoo and Tanjiro walked toward their next destination — Mitsuri Kanroji's Flexibility Training.
Tanjiro:
"M-Mitsuri-san has a very unique flexibility training right? I'm nervous but excited!"
Jinwoo sighed.
Jinwoo:
"I survived red gates and world bosses. Why am I scared of flexibility training…?"
Tanjiro laughed — genuinely — for the first time in days.
The two walked down a firefly-lit path toward their next trial.
To be continued…