Chapter 6: Tenma's Abnormalities...
--- Chapter 6 ---
Kanae was a young, fair woman, tall for her age. She had an innocently beautiful face, a small yet sharp nose, and noticeably pink lips.
She had long, dark black hair cascading to her hips and large, pale violet eyes. As a Flower Hashira, she wore two green-pink butterfly accessories on the rear of her head, accentuating her looks. She was known for her famous beauty in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Kanae wore the standard black Demon Slayer uniform, tattsuke hakama pants, a piece of black fabric around her calves, and straw sandals with pale purple straps. She also wore the white butterfly-patterned Haori that faded to pale turquoise and then pink toward the cuff and hem.
In short, Kocho Kanae is a young beauty with a big heart.
As Tamako and Tenma invited Kanae inside their home, Tenma assessed this young lady's character and inwardly nodded because she showed the aura of someone who had seen blood and gory.
Kanae's step is gentle yet confident, giving off a sense of control.
Although her hands didn't reach for Nichirin Blade on her waist, they were close enough for any possible ambush.
Kanae looked free-spirited outside, but it was clear she was always cautious.
'Nichirin Blade, huh? I also can make one if I can get Akamusi Mountain and use Dragon Veins to forge a new spear.' Tenma sometimes stole a glance at Kanae's katana.
Kanae noticed this and asked with a soft laugh, "Are you curious about my katana, Tenma-kun?"
"Mm." Tenma deliberately wanted to get caught.
"Ma-kun, that's impolite!" Tamako was worried for Tenma.
"It's fine, Tamako-san." Kanae waved her hand gently.
"Well, this is Nichirin Blade. We, the Demon Slayer Corps, are usually given one when passing through a test." Kanae gently answered Tenma's curiosity.
"Maybe one day you will get your own Nichirin Blade, Tenma-kun." She winked at him.
Tenma smiled widely, "Wow!"
"Ma-kun, did you cook something?" asked the puzzled Tamako, who smelled a pleasant scent in the living room.
Taking a few steps ahead, she saw a big pot with a wooden lid waiting for them.
Tenma lifted his nose proudly, "I hunted some wild boars and made hotpot for you, Kaa-chan. Kanae nee-chan, you can also eat with us."
"I made enough for us."
"Heh, then I wouldn't be polite." Kanae giggled, entering the living room with a curious look. Although Nakiri Household is shabby and somewhat poor, everything inside is neat and clean.
She nodded inside, praising Tamako for her cleanliness. Of course, she wasn't being judgemental of others.
She also didn't look down on Tamako's living conditions.
Kanae only found Tamako and Tenma more endearing than they used to be.
Sitting around the hotpot, the three ate with ease.
However, Tamako and Kanae were shocked when they tasted Tenma's hotpot.
Delicious couldn't describe how tasty it was.
"D-Delicious... No, it's heavenly~!" Kanae covered her mouth in awe.
"How can such a common hotpot taste this good?"
Tamako glanced at Tenma, "Ma-kun. Are you really the one who made this hotpot?"
Of course, they would doubt a barely six-year-old boy. Even master chefs in the big city can't compare to this child's miraculous skills.
Tenma rubbed his nose helplessly and made an excuse, "Ah, I only throw things that taste delicious into the pot..."
"I don't know how to explain it, but I can taste more than others."
Tamako was confused by his answer. She never knew this.
Meanwhile, Kanae pondered deeply and mumbled, "His taste buds are sensitive... There might be a problem with his tongue, but to be able to make this delicious hotpot with it."
"Tenma-kun, you have a talent in cooking." She uttered with a smile.
Hearing this, Tenma laughed inside. He has no such thing as talent in cooking.
He learned this from his simulation of the world of Food Wars, studying how raw ingredients react to each other and honing his culinary skills to the top.
He admitted God's Tongue helped a lot. But he can still make delicious food without it.
After savoring the hotpot to the last bit, the three sighed in satisfaction.
Tamako brought three cups, giving one each to Kanae and Tenma.
"Tenma-kun, what is your dream? Is it going to be a great chef?" Kanae said, putting her cup on the small table.
Tenma shook his head gently, "No. I only want to help Kaa-chan."
Tamako's heart warmed when she heard this. Some tears couldn't help but escape the edge of her eyes.
Kanae nodded as she understood Tenma's answer and asked again, "Is that why you're so brave when fighting a demon?"
"Even though demon monkey is a low-level demon, it is still more powerful than humans and as dangerous as other demons."
"I guess..." Tenma awkwardly scratched his head. "My body moved by itself when I saw Kaa-chan in danger."
"I have been training in martial arts. I feel like I can take on that monkey."
"Oh, who taught you martial arts?" Kanae found her interest stirred by this white-haired boy.
Tamako sat beside Tenma and rubbed his head, "Ma-kun has been running around the house and village since 3."
"He made me worried sick, but every day I watch him swinging bamboo sticks and throwing pebbles to trees in our backyard."
"He's learning on his own?" Kanae's eyes widened.
Tamako nodded bitterly, "Our family is poor. I can't pay Ronin or Samurai to teach him. Not to mention, Kawami Village is a small, rural village that outsiders barely know about..."
"Ah, sorry. I don't mean to." Kanae felt bad. She forgets that Tamako is a farmer.
And Tamako's words reminded Kanae once again of Kawami Village's situation.
This village is too far from other settlements.
Fortunately, Kawami Village is 'naturally' protected by the surrounding forest and mountains.
In fact, Kanae stumbled upon Kawami Village by accident.
She was chasing after a stray demon on her way back from a mission and found it fighting Tenma a week ago.
If she hadn't pursued after the monkey demon, she might never have known Kawami Village existed.
The only group of people who ever go out of the Kawami Village are the merchants.
"It's fine." Tamako smiled warmly at Kanae. "As long as I can watch Ma-kun grow, I'm the happiest."
Kanae smiled forcibly. She felt even worse now.
She stared at the calm Tenma and thought, 'Is this boy a genius? He practiced martial arts on his own.'
Tenma didn't learn from anyone, so the Breathing Technique he used against the demon monkey was self-created.
To Kanae, this was such a shocker.
A Breathing Technique that didn't branch out from the Sun Breathing is bound to fail. Even Kanae's Flower Breathing is 'actually' branched from Water Breathing, which branched from Sun Breathing.
'A Genius. I found a Genius by accident.' Kanae unknowingly clenched her hand.
Tamako didn't realize Kanae's sudden change in body language, but Tenma did.
'Hehe, this is just a fraction of my true awesomeness!' Tenma could read Kanae's shocked body language like a book.
Kanae pondered this matter seriously. She sighed and looked at Tamako and Tenma, "What about this... I can teach Tenma-kun Martial Arts."
She wanted to see if Demon Slayer's Breathing Technique was compatible with Tenma.
"But I can't stay too long, so I can only teach Tenma-kun for two to three weeks at most."
"Really?" Tamako's face lit up.
"Ma-kun, Kanae-san said she could teach you."
"Thank her."
"..." Tanma's mouth twitched slightly.
"Thank you, Kanae nee-chan."
"Please teach me Martial Arts!"
"Mm." Kanae nodded in acknowledgment.
"Before that, let me see your basics."
"Tamako-san, we can use the backyard, right?"
"Yes, you can!" Tamako was excited for Tenma.
Then, Tamako dragged Tenma to the backyard and made Kanae giggle amusingly.
Upon entering the backyard, Kanae and Tenma stood five meters apart with weapons of choice in their hands.
Kanae held a wooden branch, and Tenma held a bamboo spear.
Kanae observed the backyard with great interest, finding a row of bamboo spears and piles of pebbles.
Not far away, she also saw many broken woods and frowned. These broken woods weren't like that due to sharp objects but blunt force.
Kanae didn't find any axe in the area, which means Tenma did it with his pebbles or spear.
Noticing these abnormalities makes Kanae's curiosity burn even more.
Kanae seized her wooden branch and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Anytime, Kanae nee-chan…" Tenma replied calmly, gaining silent praise from Kanae.
Kanae smiled and vanished from her position, leaving trails of dust.
She appeared behind Tenma and gently swung her wooden branch.
However, Kanae was shocked to find Tenma glancing back as fast as her and saying, "Back at the start, Kanae nee-chan? Do you want to bully me that badly?"
'This boy!!!' Kanae's pale violet eyes shone brightly, and a big smile bloomed on her beautiful face.
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