Why does the world show a health bar? !

The flexibility training continued for over ten days. Just as Li Mo felt he was finally grasping the essence of it, Sakonji Urokodaki unceremoniously increased his training load.

He began practicing sword swings. Having previously fought with an axe, Li Mo had never handled a sword before. In his memory, swords were more like the large ring-pommeled sabers. When he tried a real Japanese sword, it felt light and insubstantial.

Wasn't a heavy axe better?

But that wasn't an option. In the Demon Slayer Corps, only Himejima Gyomei didn't use a Nichirin Blade. His strength was too immense for a regular Nichirin Blade to withstand. Additionally, being blind, he wielded a unique weapon—a combination of a spiked flail and a hand axe connected by a chain, which allowed him to sense his surroundings through the vibrations of the chain.

—Li Mo suspected Himejima Gyomei could probably crush coal into diamonds with his bare hands.

Alongside sword training, there was also physical conditioning and wrestling practice. However, the wrestling training ended after a week. Having mastered the advanced technique of "Force Dissipation," Li Mo found hand-to-hand combat to be almost second nature. Learning the basics after mastering advanced techniques was a breeze.

Li Mo never mentioned that these skills were something he had experienced during his dream training. Now, it was just a matter of systematic learning.

After a month of training, Li Mo began training alongside Makomo. This involved rushing down the mountain while avoiding countless traps.

In this training, Li Mo quickly caught up to Makomo. During his time working for the Kamado family, he had often ventured into the mountains to hunt, making the forest feel like home.

"Junior, you seem quite happy these past few days. Did you receive a letter?"

One day, after training, Makomo noticed Li Mo sitting under the eaves and asked this question.

Li Mo replied, "It's just that two little girls I know have been recommended to a trainer, as they wished."

This was a letter from Kanae Kocho, delivered by a crow. In the letter, she mentioned that after handling their parents' funeral, she and Shinobu had contacted Himejima Gyomei through the Kakushi. Using their knowledge of science, they passed his test and were successfully recommended to a trainer.

The only downside was that they weren't assigned to the same trainer.

"Oh, it's those sisters you mentioned, right?"

"Yes. Why? Makomo, you seem a bit off."

"It's nothing."

Li Mo didn't think much of his little senior sister's reaction and threw himself back into training.

Time passed, and two more months went by. Winter arrived, dressing the land in a new layer of frost.

On this day, Li Mo, as usual, went up the mountain early and rushed down from the summit. He effortlessly avoided all the traps along the way, even identifying and steering clear of unactivated ones.

By the time he finished training, there was barely any dust on him.

"I have nothing left to teach you."

Sakonji Urokodaki said this to Li Mo.

The boy from a foreign land had grown rapidly under his guidance. In his long career as a trainer, Urokodaki had rarely seen such talent.

First Himejima Gyomei, now Li Mo. Leader, I think this era will be a good one.

"Huh? Mr. Urokodaki, am I like Makomo now, no longer able to receive your guidance? But I'm still working on the gourd."

Half a month ago, Urokodaki had declared that he would no longer teach Makomo, instead giving her a task to complete.

As for the gourd, Li Mo was using it to train his Breathing Techniques. He had already mastered Total Concentration Breathing before coming to Urokodaki and was now working on extending its duration.

The gourd training, inspired by the original story, was something Li Mo had requested Urokodaki to prepare for him.

"I'll keep providing you with gourds. Like Makomo, once you pass the test, you can participate in the Final Selection."

Urokodaki's test for Li Mo was the same as Makomo's: to cut through a giant boulder with a sword.

He led Li Mo to the test site—a clearing in the forest where a boulder taller than a person stood.

"Mr. Urokodaki, if I can't cut this boulder, does that mean I can never participate in the Final Selection?"

"If you still can't do it after two years, then you'll have to join the Kakushi."

After this response, Urokodaki left Li Mo alone.

But Li Mo wasn't lonely, as his little senior sister, Makomo, soon joined him. Her test was the same: to cut through a giant boulder. The two boulders were roughly the same size.

"Junior, we'll be training together again."

Makomo's test site was close to Li Mo's. For two swordsmen, the distance was just a few breaths away.

"Senior Sister, how's your progress?"

"None at all."

"I figured. The sword is so fragile, and the boulder is so hard. The real challenge isn't cutting the boulder but doing so without breaking the sword!"

Li Mo complained.

If there were no restrictions on weapons, Li Mo would have just grabbed a sledgehammer and smashed the boulder. But all the training was designed around efficiently killing demons and surviving encounters with them. A sledgehammer wasn't practical.

"True."

"By the way, Senior Sister, isn't this unfair? 'Mr. Urokodaki is so mean. I'm better at speed, but he's testing me on cutting a boulder.'" The latter half was said in a mocking tone.

Makomo shuddered, her face showing clear disgust. "You're disgusting."

"Oops! I forgot you call him 'teacher.'"

The deliberate attempt at cuteness only earned a cold stare from Makomo.

Li Mo thought for a moment and said, "Hey, Makomo, how did Mr. Urokodaki even move these boulders here? He's so old, yet he can still do something like this? But you'd never guess he had such strength from how he usually acts."

"Mr. Urokodaki works very hard."

"That's true. He's always going up the mountain to reset the traps."

The training involved rushing down the mountain while avoiding traps, all of which Urokodaki set up alone.

Makomo nodded. Her junior's words resonated with her.

Mr. Urokodaki worked hard, which was why she took care of the meals to lighten his burden.

"Junior, do you think we can pass Mr. Urokodaki's test and participate in the Final Selection?"

"Of course we can. Why wouldn't we?" Li Mo said. "A genius like me is destined to kill demons. How could a mere boulder stop me?"

Then, he added, "But personally, I think I'll pass Mr. Urokodaki's test before you."

So, you're saying I'm not good enough?

Makomo sat expressionlessly by the boulder, too tired to bother with her foreign junior.