章 176: Final Selection

Yami and Eri trained everyday with Tanjiro. They went through the same training he did and Sakonji taught all three of them Water Breathing style, Yami picked it up quite fast, after him was Tanjiro, and last was Eri. Sakonji even gave them all swords to keep with them as they trained, so that they could get used to the extra weight that a sword brought.

The trio trained for an entire year, Hiro had stealthily given Yami and Eri the only think he would give them and it was the Limit Breaker. It wasn't so much a power as it was allowing them to have limitless potential really, the ability to get stronger infinitely.

He had given it to them at the beginning of the training and Zerotwo and Hiro watched as they trained. Hiro was hands off the entire time, only interfering with the Limit Breaker, then he never touched anything else.

The trio continued training and Sakonji said that he had taught them everything he could, it was time for them to improve on their own. He tasked them with cutting a giant boulder in half and each gave them one, saying that if they couldn't do it, he wouldn't allow them to participate in the Final Selection.

Yami continued training by himself, not talking as much. Hiro's words kept ringing in his head, it had been a year and he hadn't forgotten them. He knew what it meant to be independent but he missed his dad. He wanted to be strong and he wanted to protect his family instead of Hiro. So he trained hard, harder than anyone else, everyday.

He used the sword Sakonji gave him and trained with it, slept with it, ate with it, it never left his side. He knew this wasn't his sword, but he couldn't help it. He wanted it to stay with him all the time.

He was getting used to the sword and he never forgot about Yachiru, who was waiting for him. He had people he wanted to protect and he had the means to get the strength to protect them.

Eri, however, was just enjoying life. She made friends with Tanjiro and they sparred with each other every once in a while until 6 months passed and a kid with a fox mask appeared and introduced herself as Yumitake, she and Eri became friends and they sparred everyday.

Tanjiro told Eri and Yami that he met 2 kids named Sabito and Makomo, Eri said that she met Yumitake, but Yami didn't meet anyone. He didn't know why but he felt a little left out.

The next day

Yami went to the boulder and there was a kid sitting on top of it. Yami looked up and said nothing, the kid looked at him and didn't say a word. He just took out a sword and jumped at Yami, slashing at him.

Yami took out his sword and blocked as they started sparring. Yami's plan for today was to cut the boulder and then continue training alone but now he got a sparring partner and he had a feeling that he would disappear if he cut the boulder.

Yami could actually cut the boulder 3 months ago, he lightly slashed on it and made a cut in it. He nodded and continued training by himself, so that Sakonji wouldn't send him away or something. He wasn't sure but he left it for later.

Now he got a sparring partner of his own and they sparred every day, for 6 more months.

At the end

Yami finally cut the boulder and the kid took off his mask, revealing a boy's face. The boy said "Hikari." before fizzling away. Yami looked at the empty spot and bowed before sheathing his sword and walking away.

Coincidentally, Tanjiro and Eri both cut the boulder on the same day as well. They celebrated with a feast. The next day, the three were off. Eri and Yami both got fox masks and left with Tanjiro, going to the Final Selection place.

Hiro and Zerotwo followed them.

A while later

Yami, Tanjiro, and Eri made it to the place and looked around at the Wisteria flowers hanging around. Two girls with black and white hair respectively, introduced themselves and explained the Final Selection process.

Yami looked at Eri and Tanjiro before saying "Don't die." and walking into the forest. Tanjiro watched him go and Eri smiled "He doesn't talk much. Don't be upset." Tanjiro chuckled and replied "I won't, thanks Eri." Eri smiled kindly and skipped into the forest.

Yami walked through the forest and held the hilt of his sword. His scarf blew in the wind behind him as it covered the lower half if his face. The fox mask was nestled on the right side of his head and he looked ahead, feeling everything around him.

He couldn't smell like Tanjiro, but he developed something on his own. He could hear. He could hear the sounds of his surroundings. Everything made a sound. The dirt, the grass, the trees, and the demons.

They weren't audible sounds, but they sounded like songs to Yami. The grass, dirt, trees, rocks, and flowers were all different variations of calming songs that Yami labeled as the sound of nature. People, their breathing, their movements were all different ranges of songs. Some were happy, some were sad, some were excited, etc.

But the Demons... The Demons' songs were evil, they sounded evil and the rhythm was all over the place. Yami turned his head and slashed upwards, a demon jumped at him and jumped right into the path of the sword, getting his own body cut in half.

Yami sheathed his sword and continued walking, listening to the songs of the world. He could tune it out most of the time but when he was hyper focused he heard everything. He spent 9 months training this ability. He could use it as he liked now, listening to different songs, skimming through the songs around him, or just tuning everything out.

Nothing would stop his path to strength, not any Demons.

He continued to walk and kill Demons for a few days.

He came across Eri, who was happily skipping around, humming to herself. She stopped and said "Yami!" Yami nodded and said "How is it, are you hurt?" Eri shook her head and hugged him saying "You don't talk much anymore." Yami replied "Dad said we have to be independent..." Eri hugged his arm and they walked together.

She pouted and said "That doesn't mean you have to be quiet all the time!" Yami said "I like being quiet..." Eri replied "You also like candy, Yachiru, Swords..." Yami's eyes rolled around in his skull as she went on and on, he said "Alright, I get it." Eri giggled and said "You're so serious now, you're like a lone wolf swordsman."

She jumped back and said seriously in a deep voice "Get out of my way or die." Yami couldn't help but chuckle and Eri smiled happily saying "You can still laugh! Yay!" Yami smiled and said "Let's go." Eri smiled happily and skipped next to him as they went deeper into the forest, killing Demons left and right.

A few more days passed

Yami and Eri joined Tanjiro at a square with the rest of the survivors. There was only 3 more other than Tanjiro. Yami was silent and looked at the two girls that appeared again. They introduced the ranks and gave them each a crow.

The crow landed on Yami's head and Yami didn't move, Eri scratched the crow's neck feathers and giggled. Then the group was told to pick a metal, they all looked the same but Hiro blurred for a second.

Yami closed his eyes and listened to the songs of the ores. He walked forward and picked up an ore piece. Hiro smiled from hiding and Zerotwo said "He really chose it." Hiro smiled "That's my boy."

Yami picked the Super Scarlet Crimson Ore that Hiro had gotten as a quest reward. Hiro didn't know the properties at all, he didn't even look at it. He just replaced one of the ores at random and that's the one Yami picked.

The group had their measurements taken and they were given uniforms. The ores were collected and the group went back to their homes.

Hiro flashed back to Sakonji's house and left the Breathing Style Creation booklet in Yami's room. It was completely blank. Hiro didn't touch it at all, just like the ore. He even held both of them with gloves so that his skin wouldn't touch them.

He wanted everything to be for Yami, special to him and only him. He didn't want to help whatsoever.

Yami and the other two returned and Yami went to his room with his uniform, returning the sword to Sakonji. He looked at the empty booklet and touched it, it glowed and Yami was presented with a style creation screen.

He was startled but smiled to himself, he didn't expect this but he was happy that Hiro was still watching him. He was grateful that Hiro gave him this and said "Thank you, dad." before starting to create his very own Breathing Style all by himself.

The days passed slowly as Yami refined his Breathing Style and created it from the ground up, training by himself in the woods around Sakonji's house.