I gave them the signal to start. Nezuko bowed her head to Zenitsu.
"Nice to et you."
"Cicada... Ah! Nice to et you too, Nezuko-chan."
Nezuko made the first move. Without using any big techniques, she quickly approached Zenitsu and swung her wooden sword.
"Hah!"
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
"Oh! Oh dear! Huh!"
Caught off guard, Zenitsu barely managed to block Nezuko's swift attacks. Seizing the opportunity, Nezuko attacked faster, pressing Zenitsu.
"Huh! Ugh! Wai…"
Thwack! Thwack! Thump!
"Ow! That hurts!"
Eventually, unable to block Nezuko's relentless attacks, Zenitsu was struck on the head. She had won without even using any major techniques.
"Nezuko wins!"
At my call, the onlookers cheered.
"Waaah~~!! Nezuko~~~!!"
"I knew Nezuko could do it!"
"He's just a cicada!"
"Damn, I lost money…"
Then Zenitsu, rubbing his head, said to Nezuko and , "Wait a mont. I was off guard… Let's do it again."
To that, I coldly replied, "If that spar had been real combat, you would have died with your head split in two. In a life-or-death fight, there's no such thing as being off guard."
After I spoke, Jigoro, standing behind, grabbed Zenitsu's shoulder and said, "The Sword Saint is right. In a duel, being off guard is directly linked to your life. You might as well be dead."
"But I didn't think Nezuko-chan was that skilled…"
"Zenitsu, that's exactly what being off guard ans. Would you make that excuse if your opponent were a demon?"
"..."
In the end, Zenitsu bowed his head and couldn't say anything. Then Jigoro spoke again, "But if it's a new Zenitsu, that would be different, wouldn't it, Sword Saint?"
Jigoro winked at , signaling to play along.
"Hmm... The old Zenitsu is dead, so if it's a new Zenitsu, that would be different. Good! If Nezuko agrees, how about having the new Zenitsu spar with her again in a week?"
I looked at Nezuko as I spoke, and she nodded in agreent.
"Alright. I felt a bit uneasy about winning like that anyway."
I also said to Zenitsu, "You'll have to prove you're a new Zenitsu too."
"Yes…"
From that day, Zenitsu began training under Jigoro. He didn't go and bother Nezuko either. Now that he was properly training with Jigoro, it seed Zenitsu was quite shocked at having lost to Nezuko. Additionally, an interesting phenonon occurred: the people at the clinic also began cheering for Zenitsu.
"He's finally co to his senses, the cicada."
"Go for it, cicada! You can do it!"
"You can't lose to a girl! Fighting, cicada~!"
But even with the cheers, Zenitsu didn't look very happy.
"Cicada, they say…"
Also, Jigoro, who was training Zenitsu, seed to have a very bright expression on his face. I also trained Nezuko hard during that week. Because I knew this would be a real spar.
After another week passed, the two, cheered on by the crowd, stood facing each other in the backyard again. Judging by Zenitsu's expression, he seed determined this ti.
"Cicada, fighting!!"
"Nezuko, don't lose!!"
Then Jigoro, sitting beside , smiled and said, "I think it'll be worth looking forward to this ti."
"Hmm… Indeed, his eyes are much better than before. Maybe you'll lose today?"
Nezuko and Zenitsu also exchanged greetings.
"Nice to et you."
"Nezuko-chan. If I win, go out with ."
This ti, Zenitsu spoke to Nezuko with a serious expression. His eyes had changed, but he was still the sa. A very consistent guy.
"Eh? No! Besides, I already have soone I like."
At Nezuko's bombshell statent, Zenitsu was shocked.
"What??? Who…"
Just then, I gave the signal to start. Zenitsu imdiately crouched low and held his wooden sword in a reverse grip.
"Nezuko-chan, I can't believe you betrayed !"
"What are you talking about? I've never betrayed anyone."
I called out to the flustered Nezuko.
"Focus, Nezuko!"
At my words, Nezuko regained her composure and took her stance. Nezuko was so kind that she took all of Zenitsu's nonsense seriously, which was a problem.
This ti, Zenitsu attacked first. With his trademark technique.
"Shii... Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!!"
CRACK!
"Ugh!"
Zenitsu approached Nezuko incredibly fast, swung his sword, and imdiately returned to his reverse-grip stance. Nezuko barely managed to block Zenitsu's attack by laying her sword flat.
"Wow... did you see that?"
"No, I just saw a flash."
The crowd murmured in admiration at Zenitsu's attack. In my eyes, with that single move, Zenitsu had practically won. If it had been a real sword, Nezuko wouldn't have been able to block it. Jigoro, knowing this too, shed tears and quietly said as he watched Zenitsu's attack, "Zenitsu, you are my pride."
I wondered if it was over, but decided to watch a bit longer. This ti, Nezuko attacked Zenitsu.
"Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!"
Nezuko jumped toward Zenitsu, spun in the air, and swung her sword in a circular motion, attacking Zenitsu. But Zenitsu, holding his sword with both hands, raised it to block. Nezuko's technique, still not long learned, was sowhat lacking in power.
But for so reason, Zenitsu, despite blocking well, blushed and got a nosebleed.
"Pan, pan, panties!"
"Wha, what! Kyaa!!!"
At those words, Nezuko covered her kimono and imdiately struck Zenitsu on the head with her wooden sword. Having seen Nezuko's panties, Zenitsu lost his composure and took the hit.
Thwack!
"Ow!"
Apparently, when Nezuko used Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel, she had spun in the air, and her panties had been exposed. With her current attire being a kimono, it couldn't be helped. I'd have to make her so pants for swordsmanship.
"Nezuko wins!"
When I declared Nezuko's victory, the crowd cheered again.
"Waaah~! We believed in you, Nezuko!"
"As expected, you just can't help it, cicada."
In the end, the sparring that day ended anticlimactically. Zenitsu had to endure Jigoro's nagging until evening. But although he was nagging, Jigoro's expression looked good, so he seed quite pleased with his student's progress.
About three days later, Jigoro taught the Thunder Breathing. Because Jigoro lacked his right leg, he couldn't demonstrate thoroughly, so it took two days to learn.
"As the rumors say, you're a monster."
Again, Jigoro was amazed at my learning speed.
"Hmm... The Thunder Breathing is all good, but the problem is that it lacks counterasures when blocked."
Jigoro agreed with .
"That's right. I tried to create a follow-up, but I gave up and instead focused more on overwhelming speed. If no one can block it, you don't need to worry about what cos after."
I thought for a mont, then said, "Hmm... Even so, nothing is absolute. How about this instead?"
I demonstrated Thunderclap and Flash but moved further forward, creating distance from the opponent.
"Oh~ I see. You're saying it's better to move further forward to reduce your openings."
"Right."
I discussed various things with Jigoro, refining the Thunder Breathing to be even stronger. During this ti, I don't know what Zenitsu talked about with Nezuko, but he gave up on her and started following other nurses around, calling them 'Miss, Miss', only to get slapped.
Honestly, I wasn't going to interfere even if Nezuko fell for Zenitsu. That was how it was in the original story. But in this world, it seed Nezuko had rejected Zenitsu. No, actually, she seed to dislike him.
'Is it because of the panty incident?'
Ti passed, and when a month had gone by, they packed their bags to leave. Zenitsu and Jigoro hadn't particularly done any work, so I didn't need to give them money, but I gave them enough for als on the road.
"Nezuko-chan, even though our ti together ends here, if you ever think of , co find anyti."
"That will never happen!"
Nezuko still didn't seem to like Zenitsu much after the panty incident. Jigoro called out to Zenitsu, who was taking his ti.
"Zenitsu! Co quickly."
"Then, goodbye for now, Sword Saint. My forr love, Nezuko-chan."
At those words, Nezuko looked exasperated but still bid him farewell.
"Goodbye."
"Take care. Stay healthy."
After Zenitsu and Jigoro left, Nezuko said to , "Finally, the clinic will be quiet again."
"I know, right."
Another few days passed, and two more people ca to the clinic: 'Mitsuri Kanroji' and 'Obanai Iguro'.
"Long ti no see, Sword Saint."
"Good to see you, Sword Saint."
They greeted , so I welcod them.
"Good to see you too. But why did both of you co?"
At my question, Mitsuri answered, "Well, it was my turn, but Iguro-san insisted on coming along."
So I looked at Obanai, who, flustered for a mont, made an excuse.
"W-Well, that's right! That's it! The Hashira who visited you all beca stronger. So I couldn't resist coming either!"
This guy told a lie that was completely see-through. Having heard from the other Hashira that I was handso, he was probably worried about Mitsuri and followed her.
"Oh... You, by any chance, with that girl…"
When I pretended to have noticed and pointed at Mitsuri, Obanai cleared his throat and quickly cut off.
"Ahem!! Let's go inside quickly. We're tired from the long journey."
I assigned them rooms. Then I looked closely at Obanai's face.
"Why are you staring like that?"
"Hmm... It's covered by bandages, but you have a large wound on your mouth. I can tell from the way your jaw moves. Was it a demon?"
When I guessed correctly in one go, Obanai seed a little surprised.
"Y-Yes."
"I can treat it. Co to the examination room."
But Obanai imdiately refused.
"I'm fine. This is a burden I must carry."
"If you leave that wound as it is, won won't like it much."
At my words, Mitsuri also agreed.
"That's right! If Iguro-san has a big scar on his face, won won't like him."
"Is... is that so? Alright! Let's go down right now."
Obanai was an easy guy. I went down to the examination room, removed Obanai's bandages, and looked at the scar. It seed difficult to treat as he hadn't received treatnt for a long ti, but with my skill, I thought it possible.
"Hmm... The wound is old, so a slight scar may remain. But it will be much better than now. You won't be able to speak for a while, though."
At those words, Mitsuri seed even happier than Obanai.
"Wow~ Really? I'm so glad, Iguro-san!"
A day passed like that, and the next day, I perford surgery on Obanai. Fortunately, there were no major problems. After the surgery, while Obanai was sitting in his room, I explained the precautions.
"Don't speak for a while. You'll need to refrain from eating for about a day."
Obanai nodded silently. I also said to Mitsuri, "Once a day, remove his bandages and disinfect the surgical site with this dicine. And if you tell the nurse, she'll give you new bandages."
"Okay!"
At alti, when I served the al, Mitsuri ate ravenously.
"It's so delicious! Sword Saint, you're also a great cook."
"There's soone next to you who can't eat, so if you enjoy it too much, you might be tornting him."
"Ah! I was only thinking of myself. I'm sorry, Iguro-san."
When Mitsuri apologized to Obanai, he shook his head as if to say it was fine.
Anyway, a few days passed like that. During that ti, Mitsuri would blow on hot porridge to cool it and feed it directly to Obanai, nursing him by his side. When I thought he had recovered enough, I removed Obanai's bandages and showed him a mirror. Obanai's face had healed quite well, improved enough that he could now go without bandages. But if you looked closely, a slight scar was still visible.
"Wow~ Iguro-san! You don't need bandages anymore."
Mitsuri, beaming brightly, touched Obanai's face and looked closely at the area where the scar had been. Obanai blushed and seed embarrassed, but he simply left his face to Mitsuri's hands.
'This guy is loving it. He's absolutely loving it.'
#Note, we reach 200 chapters, thank you everyone who read, leave comnts or give power stones so far. Appreciate it.
Reviews
All reviews (0)