"That's right. It was that kind of high-speed movement technique Brother Ren used in his previous battle.
"I don't really know why, but when I was fighting that long-haired demon… I suddenly used it."
Tanjiro said this with a bright, genuinely delighted expression.
Ren Kuroda, meanwhile, stood there completely speechless.
That technique was an A-rank movement art—the Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain sequence—and Tanjiro had imitated it after seeing it only a few times?
Was Tanjiro's talent simply that monstrous… or was the will of the world itself openly handing him cheat codes?
Yet the person who found it hardest to accept the fact that Tanjiro had learned Ren's technique wasn't Ren at all.
It was Kanao.
Kanao's former personality had been extremely quiet and withdrawn. Because of her childhood experiences, she had long been seen as emotionless, dull, even simple-minded. When faced with decisions, she would flip a coin—letting heads or tails decide her answer.
By chance, it was Ren who had once awakened her, guiding her out of that emotional void.
From that moment on, Kanao regarded Ren Kuroda as her idol—someone she longed to become like.
Kanao practiced Flower Breathing, the same style used by her adoptive mother, Kanae. She understood clearly that if she wished to avenge Kanae, she had to grow stronger.
But she also knew the truth.
With her current strength, she was no match for the demon who had killed Kanae.
After learning that Ren possessed a powerful swordsmanship completely separate from Breathing Techniques—one that could be combined with them—Kanao had repeatedly asked Ren to accept her as his disciple.
The result had been exactly what one would expect.
Ren rejected her outright.
To Ren, how long he would remain in this world was uncertain, and he had never intended to take on disciples.
At first, Kanao had believed his refusal was simply due to disinterest.
But now—
Tanjiro stood before her, using Ren's techniques.
Swordsmanship of that level couldn't possibly be learned just by watching.
Combined with the Flame Pillar's earlier questions about their accomplishments, Kanao arrived at a conclusion entirely on her own.
She now firmly believed that Ren had refused to take her as a disciple because she wasn't as talented as Tanjiro.
Moreover, the battle results spoke for themselves.
Ren had been able to capture and suppress the long-haired demon—one she could only escape from.
And Tanjiro had gone on to kill it.
That alone proved Ren's strength surpassed her own.
"Even if you were acknowledged first…" Kanao said flatly, her expression unreadable,"I won't admit defeat."
With those words, she turned and left.
Tanjiro, still in a daze, had absolutely no idea that he had just been designated a rival.
Kanao wasn't the only one reacting this way.
Genya Shinazugawa, who was also present, became visibly agitated the moment he noticed Ren. His gaze toward Tanjiro brimmed with undisguised jealousy.
Genya had always wanted to surpass his older brother—the Wind Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps—and because of that, he had deliberately studied the current Pillars in detail.
When he learned that the newly appointed Demon Pillar was someone with circumstances similar to his own, Genya was ecstatic.
If Kanao wanted to learn Ren's swordsmanship to become stronger, then for Genya, learning it was practically a necessity.
Genya Shinazugawa's body was abnormal.
Though physically weak, he was completely incapable of using Breathing Techniques.
However, his unique constitution granted him an ability no one else possessed.
He could eat demons.
That's right—demons, feared by others like deadly beasts, were nourishment to Genya.
With his powerful bite and specialized digestive organs, Genya could consume demons and temporarily gain a demon-like transformation. The stronger the demon he devoured, the more his power increased.
As far as he knew, the current Demon Pillar possessed the same ability—to partially transform his body into that of a demon.
More importantly, that same Pillar had mastered an entirely different swordsmanship, independent of Breathing Techniques.
Even if Genya's frail body prevented him from learning breathing styles, there was still a path forward.
Other sword techniques.
The moment Genya learned of Ren Kuroda's existence, he instinctively understood—
If he were ever to find a mentor, Ren would be the most suitable person in the world.
That was why Genya's gaze toward Tanjiro burned with jealousy.
Like Kanao, he had already labeled Tanjiro as Ren's disciple.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro was happily basking in Ren's praise, completely unaware that he had somehow acquired two imaginary rivals.
It had been a long time since Tanjiro last saw Ren.
The good-natured boy was overjoyed to receive recognition from his idol.
When Ren asked him how he had grasped the meaning of "swift as the wind," Tanjiro's answer left him utterly speechless.
According to Tanjiro, at the moment of greatest danger, Ren's back had suddenly appeared before his eyes.
He kept chasing it.
Trying to catch up.
And before he knew it… he had become as fast as the wind.
Ren had no words.
The so-called Child of the World aura was truly unreasonable.
Why didn't this kind of absurd fortune ever fall on him?
After the Demon Slayer Corps entrance assessment ended, Tanjiro did not choose to stay at Ren's current residence. Instead, he departed immediately, citing concern for his sister, Nezuko.
After Tanjiro left, Ren spoke privately with the Demon Slayer Corps' intelligence division, instructing them to inform him whenever Tanjiro was assigned a demon-extermination mission.
As a Pillar, Ren possessed that authority.
When Kyojuro learned of Ren's request, he frowned.
"I admit I misjudged that kid before," Kyojuro said seriously."Being able to kill the long-haired demon at such a young age is impressive—both in talent and strength.
"But Ren, you need to understand something. Overprotection doesn't help someone grow. You're practically suppressing his potential."
Clearly, Kyojuro believed Ren was deliberately shielding Tanjiro.
"No," Ren replied calmly."I understand the consequences of excessive protection.
"The reason I'm doing this is simple—because I believe Tanjiro will run into the ones I've been searching for."
Ren might not be able to find the Twelve Demon Moons directly.
But that didn't mean he couldn't find Tanjiro.
As the protagonist of a world, it was common sense that enemies—from weakest to strongest—would inevitably appear before him, serving as stepping stones.
And when the Twelve Demon Moons finally revealed themselves—
Ren Kuroda wouldn't mind stepping in and intercepting the battle.