Demon Slayer : LEveLing uP

Ishida opened his inventory and picked up one of the few rice balls left inside. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, savoring the flavor.

"These taste... pretty good, honestly," he said, giving his honest opinion. He wasn't one to overthink food, but the rice ball hit the spot.

After finishing it, he turned his attention to the screen in front of him. The countdown was almost at zero, ticking down the final seconds.

[Time Remaining Before The Quest Begins: 00:00:01]

"Let's go," Ishida muttered to himself, his voice steady but filled with determination. "The plan is simple: fight until I'm almost too tired to move, but this time, I won't pass out. I feel a lot stronger than before... let's test that strength."

The screen flickered, and new text appeared:

[Demons Deployed: Unlimited | Level: 29-30 | EXP: 2,500 per demon defeated]

Ishida smirked slightly, his lips curving upward. In an instant, the floor around him was filled with demons. They surrounded him completely, their larger size taking up more space than the ones he'd faced before. Their glowing eyes and menacing growls filled the air, but Ishida wasn't worried.

In fact, he felt more confident than ever.

Five demons at the front line, the closest to him, swung their attacks at the same time. Each one aimed for a different vital spot on his body—neck, chest, legs. Their movements were fast and precise, but Ishida was faster.

Just as their attacks were about to land, Ishida moved. With a quick push of his feet, he jumped into the air, dodging every strike effortlessly. "This power... it feels..." he said, adjusting his grip on his sword. "Awesome!"

He could feel the energy surging through him, his body moving with a fluid grace that felt almost unreal. A confident smile spread across his face as he reached the peak of his jump.

"Moon Breathing, Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy!" he shouted, his voice ringing out with determination. His sword gleamed under the dim light, catching the attention of every demon below.

In one swift, seamless motion, he swung his blade in a perfect arc. The sword cut through the air with a whisper, as if time itself had slowed down. The demons barely had time to react.

His blade moved with deadly precision. The first demon's head was sliced clean off, dissolving into ash before it even realized what had happened. Ishida's motion flowed perfectly into the next swing, and the second demon met the same fate, its eyes wide with shock before it crumbled away.

The third demon fell next, its neck meeting the edge of Ishida's blade with barely a sound. The fourth demon tried to snarl, but its body disintegrated before it could make a sound. Ishida spun around, facing the fifth demon. Without hesitation, his sword sliced through its neck, ending its existence.

In less than a heartbeat, all five demons were gone, reduced to nothing but ash. Ishida landed lightly on his feet, his sword ready for the next attack. "That was... awesome!" he exclaimed, a smirk tugging at his lips.

[Demons Defeated: 5]

[EXP. Accumulated: 12,500]

[Time Remaining: 00:09:52]

---

*Thud*

The sound of wooden swords clashing echoed through the training ground. Kazuki and Sakura stood face to face, both breathing heavily after a long session of sparring.

"You're... pretty good. I didn't expect that," Kazuki said, wiping sweat from his forehead. His muscles ached, but he wasn't ready to stop yet.

"No... I'm not. I need to get a lot stronger than this," Sakura replied, catching her breath. Her determination was clear in her eyes, even as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Is that so? Then let's keep fighting," Kazuki said, squaring off again. He adjusted his grip on the wooden sword, testing its weight.

"Alright, Sakura. Show me what you've got," he said with a grin, his eyes full of challenge.

Sakura nodded, her expression serious. "Let's not hold back, Kazuki. I want to test my strength," she replied, her voice steady despite the excitement bubbling inside her.

They circled each other slowly, each looking for an opening. Suddenly, Kazuki lunged forward, his sword slashing toward Sakura's shoulder.

She blocked it with a quick parry, the wooden swords clashing with a loud thud. "Nice move, but you'll have to try harder," Sakura teased, pushing back with her own attack.

Kazuki dodged, stepping to the side with swift footwork. "You're getting faster, Sakura," he admitted, his eyes narrowing as he prepared for his next move.

Sakura smirked, her confidence growing. "I've been practicing. Let's see if you can keep up," she said, launching a quick series of strikes, each one more precise than the last.

Kazuki blocked each attack skillfully, the sound of their swords echoing through the training ground. He countered with a sweeping strike aimed at her legs, but Sakura jumped over it gracefully, landing lightly on her feet.

"Impressive!" Kazuki said, genuinely impressed. "But it's not over yet."

Sakura took a deep breath, focusing her energy. She feinted left, drawing Kazuki's guard, then spun right, delivering a swift strike to his side.

Kazuki stumbled back, struggling to regain his balance. "Whoa, Sakura, that was a good one," he admitted, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Sakura didn't waste the opportunity. With a burst of speed, she closed the distance between them, her sword swinging in an upward arc. Kazuki tried to block, but the force of her strike knocked him off balance.

He fell backward onto the ground, laughing in surprise. "Alright, alright, you got me," Kazuki said, lying on his back and looking up at Sakura.

She stood over him, a triumphant smile on her face. "Not bad, right? I told you I've been working hard."

Kazuki grinned, nodding. "You've really improved, Sakura. I guess I need to step up my game if I want to keep up with you."

"Yeah... same for me," Sakura said, dropping her wooden sword and sitting down on the ground. "When Ishida returns, I want to fight alongside him and not be a burden."

Kazuki's expression turned serious. "They keep saying he'll return, but it's already been five months. When is he actually coming back?" he asked.

The Demon Slayer Corps had told them Ishida was on a secret mission. But when they asked for details, they were told it was classified.

Sakura sighed. "We became Demon Slayer Corps members at the same time, but while I'm still at Kanoe rank, he's already been chosen to become the next Hashira—one of the pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps."

"Your situation is still better than mine. I joined the Demon Slayer Corps a whole year before both of you, and yet, I'm only one rank above you and..." Kazuki trailed off, his eyes widening as Sakura's words about Ishida finally sank in. He quickly turned to face her, sitting up straight in surprise. "Wait, what? Ishida's becoming a Hashira?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

Sakura nodded. "I thought you knew. From what I've heard, when he returns from this mission, he'll be promoted directly to Hashira. He'll probably even get his own residence near headquarters."

"How did I not hear about this?" Kazuki wondered, leaning back into his usual relaxed posture.

"I don't know, but that's what I heard," Sakura said.

"He's really amazing, isn't he?" Kazuki said, a hint of awe in his voice. "I wonder if we're even good enough to be his subordinates."

"That's why we need to train and get stronger before he comes back," Sakura said, her voice filled with determination.

"Yeah, we can definitely try," Kazuki agreed, nodding.

The two sat in silence for a while, the training ground quiet except for the sound of their breathing. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the area. Eventually, they got up and headed back to their rooms to prepare for their own mission that night.