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English
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Part 1 of The Water Hashira
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Published:
2025-04-28
Updated:
2025-10-06
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25/?
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Urokodaki's Training

Chapter 23: Day 4 - Mid-day: Understanding each other

Notes:

Sorry that it's in a weird format, I don't even know how that happened 😬

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Obanai could hear Kaburamaru hiss a sigh of relief at not being paired up with Shinjuro, he wasn't sure he could handle a talk about how Mitsuri could die on the battlefield. Deep down, he already knew that and considered the possibilities yet in the end, when he imagined his future, he could only see her face. If she was going to die, he was going to make sure that she didn't die alone. 

 

He wasn't sure whether to feel insulted at the fact that he was doing strength training and for a moment, began to feel slightly embarrassed at his lack of physical strength in comparison to Mitsuri before quickly remembering that her strength was one of the reasons he loved her so much. 

 

Sanemi, however, did not have the same positive attitude about the day's training. He couldn't believe he had to do speed training. It was just insulting that Urokodaki had the audacity to try and point out everyone's weaknesses when he barely knew anything about them. Sure, they had trained together for a few days but he was plenty fast enough and there was nothing that old man could teach him that he didn't already know. Besides, with only one leg, how could a former Hashira beat any of them, let alone teach them anything new? 

 

Shinobu was practically buzzing with excitement for the day's training. It wasn't often that she had a real chance at getting stronger and from the training on Day 1, it might just work. Eventually, she might even be able to cut a demon's head off though she would likely still have her poisons on her, just as a precaution. Regardless, it was obvious that she would be the first to rush off to that day's training. Though, very begrudgingly, the others followed not too far behind before splitting up into their respective groups and heading onwards to their mentors. 

 

Urokodaki was quietly pleased to see the enthusiasm radiating off one of his students which usually meant they would try harder and be more motivated to succeed. He was less pleased to see the other two staring off into space, looking as uninterested as humanely possible but no matter, he would soon get them as motivated as Shinobu.

 

Jigoro, however, was considerably more pleased about his group. There was a bright pink girl who seemed ready to conquer the world, a tall, strong looking man who was quietly powerful and one other man whose scars spoke for themselves, showing off his perseverance.

 

To say that Shinjuro was nervous about his group was an understatement. While he was pleased about being able to see and train Giyuu again, Kyojuro was a completely different case. Shinjuro's mind was filled with doubt at the idea of training his son again after so many years. He had avoided training the boy after Runs had died, after all, if he had then it would've made it far easier for Rengoku to become a Hashira and then he could have a similar fate to so many others in the corps: death. But in the end, none of that mattered as Kyojuro just did what he thought was right with no regard to his safety and in this case, he had thought it was right to become a Hashira and try to save as many lives as possible. 

 

Whilst he was sober, he had a real chance to think about his sons, about how proud he truly was of Kyojuro (though he wouldn't dare show it for fear that he would be motivated to do more dangerous things and risk his life to save others again) and about how much stronger both of them were than him. Kyojuro and Senjuro were able to push their own mourning and pain aside to take care of him. He fell to alcohol the moment Ruka died but they had yet to even touch it. Perhaps they feared becoming like him. 

 

Maybe one day he could tell them.

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading. I was slightly concerned when the Google docs told me that there were 666 words in this chapter tho... Hopefully it was wrong...
<3