As usual, Kanao woke up very early in the morning.
After washing up, she picked up her Nichirin Sword and stepped outside while the sky was still dim with the first signs of dawn.
She had just prepared to begin training when she suddenly sensed sothing and unconsciously lifted her head.
Another delicate and lovely girl was walking toward her.
The mont Nezuko saw Kanao, she slightly raised her chin, proudly revealing the bamboo gag clenched between her teeth as though showing off so treasured prize.
Kanao's pinkish-purple eyes rested quietly on Nezuko.
She naturally noticed the bamboo gag imdiately, but she did not pay much attention to it. Instead, what truly puzzled her was sothing else entirely.
Normally, Nezuko was not particularly enthusiastic about training. If there was a chance to slack off a little, she usually would not mind taking it.
She was completely different from Kanao, who spent almost every spare mont pushing herself to improve.
Ever since eting Akaza, Kanao had unconsciously taken him as her standard.
One day, she hoped she could reach the sa level of relentless training that demon possessed.
But humans and demons were fundantally different.
Humans beca thirsty.
They beca tired.
Their bodies eventually reached their limits.
And on top of that, Uncle Soma never allowed her to overtrain herself excessively.
So no matter what, she could never truly reach Akaza's level.
Even so, Kanao still trained with everything she had.
As long as she had free ti, she devoted herself to practice, just like now, waking up before dawn every single day.
Fortunately, her effort and sweat had not gone unrewarded.
Kanao could clearly feel herself growing stronger day by day. As for exactly how strong she had beco, even she did not know, because she had never truly fought seriously before.
Kanao quietly glanced at Nezuko, curious about why she had suddenly started waking up early to train.
But more than curiosity, she felt a growing sense of pressure.
Nezuko possessed extraordinary talent. Even without training as obsessively as Kanao, her strength still improved very quickly. And now that she had begun working just as hard…
Kanao could not help worrying that one day Nezuko might surpass her.
So without wasting another mont, Kanao imdiately began her usual morning training.
Her blade flashed through the air, producing sharp whistling sounds. The girl's movents were light and graceful as she darted across the open ground, so fast that only faint afterimages remained behind her.
anwhile, Nezuko stood there proudly with her chin raised high, waiting for Kanao to ask about the bamboo gag so she could properly show it off.
But after waiting for quite a while, the question she expected never ca.
All she saw was Kanao quietly beginning her training.
"What a silly goose…"
Nezuko muttered softly to herself.
Still biting the bamboo gag, she eventually walked over to an open area nearby and began training as well.
Training was never easy.
In fact, it was exhausting.
If it had been the old Nezuko, she probably would have started looking for excuses to slack off long ago.
But perhaps because a certain sense of crisis lingered deep in her heart, even when her body begged her to stop, she still gritted her teeth around the bamboo gag and continued enduring it.
Tap. Tap.
Footsteps sounded nearby as Tanjiro also ca outside early in the morning.
Seeing Kanao already training before him did not surprise him at all. This quiet girl who stayed close to Soma had always been known for her discipline and hard work. Aside from the ti she spent beside Soma, she used almost every spare mont to train herself relentlessly.
Tanjiro admired her greatly because of that.
But seeing his own sister out here this early genuinely caught him off guard.
He knew Nezuko was not lazy by nature, but she had never been particularly passionate about training before. Yet now she was working even harder than he was. From the scent of her emotions alone, Tanjiro could clearly sense the determination filling her heart.
More than surprise, what he felt was pressure.
If even his younger sister was training this seriously, then how could he, as her older brother, allow himself to fall behind?
…
Humans could not move endlessly like demons.
After about half an hour, Kanao finally stopped, breathing heavily as she tried to steady her restless breathing.
Nezuko had already paused to rest before Kanao did, and the mont she saw Kanao stop, she imdiately walked over toward her.
Kanao lifted her pinkish-purple eyes toward Nezuko but did not react much. She simply continued breathing quietly, calming the chaotic rhythm inside her body.
Nezuko deliberately lifted her chin higher, making sure the bamboo gag between her teeth was clearly visible to Kanao.
But Kanao did not even seem to notice.
That instantly made Nezuko feel strangely disappointed, so she could only move closer herself.
"Hey, Kanao, what do you think about my bamboo gag?"
Kanao finally lifted her eyes and noticed the bamboo gag resting between Nezuko's lips.
"Sir gave it to as a gift. Isn't it cute?"
Nezuko spoke proudly, her voice full of satisfaction.
Kanao's expression remained completely calm.
"You probably have one too, right?"
Nezuko blinked at her curiously.
"Sir definitely gave you a bamboo gag too, didn't he?"
Kanao simply stared at Nezuko without expression.
"Hehe…"
Nezuko leaned even closer.
"Kanao, you work so hard because you want to protect him, right? I know. From now on, I'm going to be just as hardworking as you..."
Not only am I going to work as hard as you to protect him, but I'm also going to steal your place in his heart, Nezuko thought, though she didn't say it out loud.
But the reaction she expected never ca.
Kanao rely stood up quietly like usual before, for once, stepping closer to Nezuko herself. She leaned toward Nezuko's ear and whispered softly:
"You're not even in my league."
Nezuko's eyes widened instantly.
Her cheeks puffed up in anger as she bit down hard on the bamboo gag. She wanted to fire back with sothing sharp and defiant, but the mont her eyes t Kanao's calm pinkish-purple gaze, she lost the courage to say anything at all.
In the end, she could only glare at Kanao resentfully.
Kanao calmly glanced at her once before continuing her training again after resting enough.
On the surface, Nezuko's words seed to have had no effect on her.
But in truth, Kanao's training that morning was no longer as perfectly focused and composed as usual.
As the morning sunlight slowly rose, Kanao finally stopped training and returned to where she was staying. After washing up again and changing into clean clothes, she headed toward Soma's room.
…
Gentle sunlight stread through the window and fell across Soma's eyes.
Slowly, he opened them.
After getting dressed and stretching his body slightly, he pushed open the door.
Kanao, whose figure had beco more and more graceful as she matured, was quietly waiting outside.
She was not standing directly in front of the door but instead sat on the stone steps with her back facing him. Hearing the sound of the door opening, the girl turned her head slightly and glanced back.
"Good morning, Kanao."
As always, Soma greeted her imdiately.
But Kanao did not answer.
She rely pursed her lips before turning her head away again, not saying the usual "Good morning, Uncle" she always greeted him with.
Clearly, the girl was in a bad mood.
And apparently, that mood was directed at him.
Soma scratched his head helplessly, feeling confused, but he still walked over and gently placed his hand atop Kanao's head, softly rubbing her hair.
Kanao did not resist him touching her.
What's wrong? Who's gone and upset our Kanao?" Soma lowered his voice gently.
Kanao lifted her eyes to look at him before quietly burying her face against his chest.
Soma reached out and gently patted the girl's soft back.
"Nezuko is quite nice, isn't she?" the girl murmured, her voice muffled against him.
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