22 Leg day

"So, why do you want to spar with me again?" Tengen asked, folding his arms across his chest, his sharp eyes watching Giyu with a mix of curiosity and amusement. Behind them, three heads peeked from the doorway, their eyes wide and ears perked up, eager to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Some time had passed since Giyu parted ways with his friends. Since then, he had completed several missions before returning to the core, only to find some good news: Tengen was present and taking a brake for a few days. Giyu saw this as the perfect opportunity to ask for a help, hoping to improve with the help of the flashy Sound Hashira.

"So cute! That quiet little kid came all this way to ask for help from our Tengen!" one of the girls whispered excitedly, though both Tengen and Giyu could hear her clearly.

Giyu stood firm, his expression calm as he nodded. "I want to improve, and I believe I can learn a lot from you," he said, his tone flat yet sincere.

Tengen smirked, feeling a swell of pride rise within him. Inside, he secretly screamed for Giyu to praise him more openly, craving recognition for his flashiness.

"I could help with that," Tengen answered after a moment of thought. "But I'm pretty busy these days. Why not ask someone else instead?"

"Himejima-san is still on a mission, and I don't want to bother Kocho-san since she's busy treating patients," Giyu replied quietly. "As for Rengoku... he doesn't seem to like me."

Tengen raised an eyebrow, about to dismiss Giyu's request, when the door suddenly burst open. Suma rushed into the room, her eyes brimming with tears. "You can't reject him, husband!" she cried dramatically. "He's so quiet and sad—he must have no friends!" Hina and Makio trailed behind her, trying to hold her back. "Lord Tengen…" Hina murmured softly not sure how lord Tengen would react.

Tengen sighed deeply, knowing there was no winning in this situation. He waved a hand in mock defeat. "Fine, fine! I'll spar with him," he relented, still trying to maintain some semblance of authority and not make himself look bad. "But only for an hour a day! I've got other flashy things to do, after all," he added with a wink at his wives, who giggled in response.

Giyu bowed his head in gratitude. "Thank you. An hour is more than enough."

***

The clashing of metal rang out through the training grounds as Giyu and Tengen exchanged blows. Their movements were swift and precise, each strike calculated. Giyu's breathing remained steady and controlled, while Tengen's wild and powerful swings created shockwaves with each clash of their blades. Despite the intensity of the match, neither combatant relented.

"As expected, kid," Tengen said, his chest rising and falling heavily as beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. He gripped his two massive blades firmly in his hands, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of pride and admiration. "That fight with Rengoku wasn't a fluke. You're definitely strong."

Giyu sheathed his blade and shook his head. "I'm still lacking," he admitted quietly, though his voice carried a sense of determination. He could tell that Tengen wasn't yet as strong as he had been in his's past life, still lacking in both strength and experience. Nonetheless, in Giyu's eyes, Tengen was still worthy of the title of Sound Hashira.

Tengen wiped the sweat from his brow and grinned. "Well, that's enough for today. Same time tomorrow, yeah?" He turned to leave, but Giyu's voice stopped him.

"From the fight just now… Can you point out where I'm lacking?" Giyu asked earnestly. There was no hesitation in his voice, only a deep desire to improve.

Tengen paused, considering the request. After a few moments, he turned back to face Giyu, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… It's tough to say. Your swordsmanship is flawless, honestly. I can't find any glaring weakness in your breathing technique either. If I had to pick something… it's not directly related to combat."

Giyu blinked, a look of slight confusion crossing his usually stoic face. "Not related to combat?"

Tengen nodded. "Yeah. It's about movement speed—your sprinting. Don't get me wrong, Tomioka, you're fast. But in a straight race, I could beat you every time." His grin widened, a flash of his signature confidence shining through. "And in a death battle, that extra bit of speed could make the difference."

Giyu absorbed the words, reflecting on his own abilities. In the past, Tanjiro's family had died because he hadn't arrived in time. Tengen was right—sometimes, that extra bit of speed can make all the difference. He had already learned about Tengen's shinobi running techniques, but mastering it was another matter entirely. Tengen, with his imposing figure and unique background, had always moved on a different level when it came to sheer running speed.

Noticing Giyu's thoughtful expression, Tengen continued. "If you want to run faster, you'll need to strengthen your legs first. Your body's in great shape for your age, but your legs are still a bit lacking compared to someone like a shinobi." Tengen grinned. "If you want to match my level of flashiness, Tomioka, you'll need to put in some seriously unflashy work first!"

The days that followed blurred into rigorous training sessions. Giyu took Tengen's advice to heart, incorporating squats, ruining and other leg-strengthening exercises into his daily routine. After each sparring session, he'd strap on the weights and climb up and down the mountain, pushing his legs to their absolute limit.

The exercises were grueling, but Giyu's resolve never faltered. Fortunately, when Tengen explained his shinobi technique and the way he was ruining, Giyu picked it up instantly—likely because Tengen had explained it once before in his past life. Giyu was determined to grow stronger, to prevent the loss of any more comrades. Each step, each squat, each painful strain on his muscles reminded him of what was at stake. He needed to be faster, sharper, He believed this was the reason he had been given a second chance.

Tengen, the watchful mentor, would occasionally offer words of encouragement, though more often than not, they were intended to praise himself. "Don't sweat it, Tomioka. Although I can still beat you in a race, you're getting there. Your body's still growing, those legs of yours are just a little short. Give it a few more years, and you'll be able to give me a real challenge!"

Giyu appreciated Tengen's words, even if they were delivered with a touch of teasing. His training continued relentlessly, and with each passing day, he could feel his steps becoming more explosive, his sprints quicker, his body adapting to the rigorous demands. The burn in his legs, once a source of pain, had now become a small discomfort

Now, after days of training, Giyu stood in a sunlit clearing, his legs burning from the intensity of his last movement. His expression was one of surprise, and his body drenched in sweat. He was shocked by his own actions.

Tengen stood beside him, arms crossed, a glint of admiration in his eyes. "I never expected to see a shinobi technique adapted like this." Tengen immediately shook his head and corrected himself, "No, it's been transformed so thoroughly that it's become something entirely new."

Watching Giyu with newfound respect, Tengen thought to himself, 'I'm genuinely impressed, Tomioka. Even I can't pull off such a sudden movement without losing my balance, but to think you can use it like this.'