The moment the words left his mouth, the clearing fell silent.
Si Shu's sharp eyes noticed Yoriichi's body tremble almost imperceptibly. It was obvious that Yoriichi didn't want him to learn a Breathing Style. Or rather, he didn't want him to learn one so soon.
Of course, this wasn't Yoriichi being difficult; on the contrary, it was his way of protecting Si Shu. The path to strength was arduous and painful, and Yoriichi wanted his disciple to grow up as healthy and happy as possible.
Moreover, learning Breathing Styles and swordsmanship meant getting stronger, and getting stronger meant eventually taking part in Final Selection. Once he became an official member of the Demon Slayer Corps, he would have to bear the burden of hunting demons.
Yoriichi knew all too well the fate of most demon slayers. He didn't want his disciple to endure that suffering so early in his life. If it were possible, he would much rather Si Shu live out his days as a normal person, happy and safe.
But it was clear that Si Shu had no intention of living according to Yoriichi's plan.
After experiencing a rare wave of emotion, Yoriichi quickly calmed himself. His lips parted slightly, as if to speak.
"I will pretend I didn't hear—"
"No! I must learn a Breathing Style!" Si Shu interrupted, his expression deadly serious. "This is my life's one request!"
Faced with his disciple's iron will, Yoriichi finally relented.
"Very well," he conceded. "But I have a test."
As he spoke, Yoriichi picked up a wooden sword from a nearby rack.
"I will not use a Breathing Style, and you will engage me in a real combat test. The condition to pass is this: you must cut my clothes."
It sounded simple. But Si Shu knew the difficulty was far greater than one could imagine. Though he had never crossed swords with Yoriichi, he was keenly aware of his master's power. Even without a Breathing Style, his strength was terrifying. His naturally powerful body from the Mark, combined with years of combat experience—all these factors came together to form Yoriichi's immense strength.
One misstep could cost Si Shu his life. This was, in every sense, a test of life and death.
Yet, faced with this trial, Si Shu suddenly smiled.
It's only death. What's there to be afraid of?
Compared to living a quiet life of obscurity, he craved glorious, earth-shaking battles. A real combat test meant he would have to attack Yoriichi. He would be attacking the strongest swordsman in the entire world.
At that thought, he could feel his blood begin to boil.
Gripping his wooden sword tightly, Si Shu settled into a fighting stance. An indescribable tension filled the air, and the very atmosphere seemed to grow heavy. The silence was more telling than any sound.
On a leaf of a nearby tree, a single drop of dew slowly slid down its vibrant green surface.
Drip.
The instant the droplet hit the ground, Si Shu moved.
BANG!
His feet stomped hard on the ground, and his body shot forward like an arrow. Even against Yoriichi, he chose to strike first. Only by giving it his absolute all did he stand a chance of passing.
"Hah!"
A pale white arc of sword qi slashed out, aimed directly at Yoriichi's face.
Facing the attack, Yoriichi's expression remained unchanged. His wooden sword moved, thrusting out in a way that defied comprehension, and tapped the slash at its weakest point.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
The collision of the wooden sword and the energy slash produced the sound of striking metal. After five crisp sounds, the pale white slash instantly shattered and dissipated into the air.
His proudest attack had been effortlessly dismantled, but Si Shu showed no sign of disappointment. He knew this was just the beginning.
SWISH!
With a similar forward rush, Yoriichi closed the distance between them. He always preferred close-quarters combat over long-range attacks. He raised his wooden sword high and brought it crashing down towards Si Shu's right shoulder. The whistling sound of the blade cutting through the air was a testament to the attack's terrifying force. Even against his disciple, he would show no mercy. If this blow landed, it would undoubtedly leave a massive swelling on his shoulder.
With a flick of his eyes, Si Shu understood Yoriichi's intent and turned his own blade sideways to block.
CLANG!
The two wooden swords met with a heavy thud. The moment they made contact, Si Shu knew he could never win in a contest of pure strength. Yoriichi's power was far greater than his own.
He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, steadying his stance. Then, he began to retreat, trying to mitigate the force of the impact.
Thud, thud, thud.
With every step back, Si Shu's feet carved deep gouges into the earth. After retreating several dozen steps, he kicked his foot hard against a tree behind him. With a loud crash, their forward momentum finally stopped.
As soon as the churning blood in his veins settled, Si Shu attacked again. Sliding his blade along Yoriichi's, he aimed a forward slash at his master's right hand. It was better to sever one finger than to injure ten; Si Shu's goal was to make Yoriichi drop his sword. If Yoriichi was unarmed, his chances of passing would skyrocket.
A flash of approval appeared in Yoriichi's eyes as he responded. Tilting his body, he slammed his left elbow directly into Si Shu's abdomen. The immense force traveled through Si Shu's body and completely shattered the tree behind him. The falling tree kicked up a huge cloud of dust, completely engulfing Si Shu as he was sent flying.
It's over.
There was no disappointment on Yoriichi's face; in fact, he was quite satisfied with his disciple's performance. Just as he was about to sheathe his sword to signal the end of the fight, Si Shu's voice cut through the dust cloud.
"It's not over yet!"
The words were followed by a low growl. A moment later, a blood-covered figure charged out from the smoke.
"Another slash!"
Ignoring his body's limits, Si Shu poured every last ounce of his strength into one final, desperate attack. Even from a distance, Yoriichi could hear the sound of Si Shu's muscles tearing under the strain. The slash flew towards him with a piercing whistle, the milky-white energy filled with Si Shu's indomitable will. In that moment, all he wanted was to win.
Slightly moved by his disciple's tenacious spirit, Yoriichi's unshakable heart felt a slight tremor. Despite this, his wooden sword still swung out decisively.
CRACK!
He shattered Si Shu's slash and brought his sword down towards his wrist.
"AAAAAHHHH!" Si Shu roared with all his might. "I HAVE TO WIN!"
He brought his own wooden sword up horizontally, trying to block the blow with his weapon braced against his wrist and shoulder. But his sword was too fragile; it couldn't withstand such a fierce battle. With a sharp SNAP, the wooden sword broke in two.
"Shit!"
Si Shu's face paled. He never expected a mishap at such a critical moment.
Seeing the broken sword, Yoriichi sighed internally. Si Shu's chances had been slim to begin with. Now, without a weapon, they were practically nonexistent. With a trace of regret, his wooden sword still tapped against Si Shu's wrists.
Thump, thump.
After the two quick strikes, Si Shu clutched his hands and stumbled back a few steps. Yoriichi's technique was masterful; he had completely neutralized Si Shu's ability to fight without injuring his bones. Of course, the two large welts on his wrists would take several days to heal.
Seeing that his disciple was incapacitated, Yoriichi tossed his wooden sword aside. Looking at the unconcealed frustration on Si Shu's face, he began to speak. "You lo—"
"No," Si Shu suddenly shouted, cutting him off.
"I won!"
As he spoke, the look of frustration on his face vanished, replaced by a triumphant grin. He pointed to Yoriichi's sleeve. Unnoticed until now, a small, torn gash had appeared on the edge of the fabric.
Si Shu had passed the test.