Horitake's intensive, day-long crash course for Kanao officially commenced.
There was little need to describe the grueling specifics of the curriculum or the sheer level of exhaustion it induced; the young trio—Tanjiro and the others—had already suffered through it and could testify to its rigors.
When the day finally drew to a close, the young Kanao was utterly spent.
Just how exhausted was she?
Once the training ended, Kanao devoured a meal three times larger than her usual portion. The moment she finished, she could no longer fend off the waves of fatigue. She collapsed into bed and fell into a sleep so deep it was as if she had left the world behind.
She slept for twenty hours straight.
As the hours ticked by and Kanao showed no signs of waking, Horitake actually began to panic. He found himself pacing, reflecting on whether he had been far too ruthless with her training.
'But the plan was tailored specifically to her actual strength,' he mused. 'It was designed to squeeze out her physical limits, but it shouldn't have caused genuine damage.'
Still, Horitake couldn't help but wonder if his strictness had backfired.
Unlike Tanjiro and the others, Kanao suffered from a psychological block. She lacked autonomy and rarely made choices for herself, which also meant she didn't know how to refuse an order. When the boys reached their limits during their crash courses, they would complain, whine, or beg for mercy.
Kanao, however, would simply endure in silence.
'Is that it?' Horitake worried. 'Did my judgment fail because she didn't speak up? Did I push her past the point of no return?'
His concern wasn't unfounded. During the previous three intensive sessions with the others, none of them had ever slept for nearly a day straight without waking. Nervous, he kept a constant watch over her, relaxing only when he confirmed her breathing was steady and she showed no ill symptoms other than deep lethality.
When she finally did wake after twenty hours, Kanao looked surprisingly refreshed and full of spirit.
Horitake and Shinobu immediately swarmed her, asking if she felt any discomfort. Kanao simply shook her head, indicating she felt fine. To be safe, Shinobu performed a thorough medical examination, confirming there were no hidden injuries or lasting strain.
Once Kanao was back on her feet, Horitake and Shinobu took her out to hunt a few more demons, wanting to see how her training translated into real-world performance.
The results were undeniable: Horitake's "crash course" worked wonders.
Before the training, it took Kanao roughly twenty exchanges to slay an average demon. Now, with her latent potential unlocked, she could finish the job in a dozen moves.
Kanao herself was delighted by the progress. She finally understood the secret of the intensive training: it wasn't about a temporary boost in raw power, but about optimizing how she used that power. Her forms were now fluid and interconnected; her strikes felt spontaneous, as if she were acting on pure, honed instinct.
In terms of effective combat strength, she was roughly forty percent stronger than before.
With that success, the two primary objectives of their journey were complete. Shinobu had successfully tested her new wisteria poison, and Kanao had gained invaluable combat experience and a significant power-up.
It was time to head back to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters—back to the Butterfly Mansion.
"We've been out for quite a while now," Shinobu remarked. "We've culled a good number of demons and achieved everything we set out to do. It's time to head home. There's a mountain of work waiting for us at the estate; this month's quota for vitality potions isn't going to finish itself. We can't afford to be slack."
Shinobu's professional work ethic was admirable, but Horitake clearly had a different perspective. He believed in the importance of balancing work and rest.
"It is about time to head back," Horitake agreed. "But before we do, don't you think we should visit a major city? Just to have a bit of fun and relax? We'll work much better if we clear our heads first. Shinobu-nee, we've killed so many demons lately; what's the harm in a short break?"
He glanced at the younger girl. "Forget about us for a second—this is Little Kanao's first time out in the world. Do you really have the heart to make your sister train that hard and then drag her straight back to work without letting her see the sights?"
Horitake's argument hit the mark.
Initially, Shinobu was ready to protest, but her resolve wavered the moment Kanao was mentioned. She worried about her sister constantly due to her personality, which was why she had kept her sheltered at the mansion for so long. Now that they were finally out, shouldn't she let Kanao experience some joy? Who knew when they would have another chance to travel like this?
The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached for her sister. Finally, Shinobu nodded. "Fine. Let's take a break."
Beside them, Kanao remained outwardly calm, maintaining her usual "anything is fine" expression.
In reality, however, she was desperate for some recreation. She wanted to see new things and explore—it was the natural curiosity of a young girl, a flame that couldn't be fully extinguished. While Horitake had been persuading Shinobu, Kanao had been watching with wide, innocent eyes, her heart pounding with anticipation.
Shinobu-nee agreed!
Kanao was so overjoyed that, despite her usually stoic "emotionless" demeanor, she actually clenched her fists in a small, excited gesture of celebration.
She didn't make a sound, but the movement was clear. Seeing her sister—usually as still as a wooden doll—react with such visible excitement, Shinobu felt a pang of surprise and guilt.
Was Kanao really that happy? Have I been ignoring her feelings all this time? Is keeping her cooped up in the Butterfly Mansion really what's best for her?
Horitake didn't give Shinobu time for a mid-life crisis. He grabbed both the elder and younger Kocho sisters—one beautiful woman and one lovely girl—and led them toward the nearest major city.
Cities of this era were bustling hubs of activity, filled with novelty and entertainment—more than enough to keep them occupied. In the heart of the thriving metropolis, the sisters finally set down their heavy burdens and the weight of their responsibilities, immersing themselves in the joy of the moment.
Horitake stayed with them the entire time.
Of course, "staying with them" mostly meant acting as the walking wallet. Whether the sisters were window shopping, trying street food, or engaging in other festivities, Horitake was the one picking up the tab.
Fortunately, with his generous salary, he didn't care about the expense. Besides, spending money on his "wife" and "sister-in-law"—could you even call that spending? It was simply his duty!
They spent the entire day wandering the city, and the sisters looked truly satisfied.
As evening fell, however, Kanao suddenly stopped in front of a grand theater. She stood there, rooted to the spot, unable to move another inch.
There, posted at the entrance of the theater, was a magnificent, colorful poster. On it, several large characters were written with elegant flair:
Presented by the Takarazuka Revue: The Tale of Genji.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"