CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 57: TOTAL CONCENTRATION AND TRUST

For several consecutive days, Kanae and Shinobu visited Tetsu no Sosuke’s room every night to watch him sleep.

The benefits were immediately apparent. Sosuke gradually grasped the essence of Total Concentration, waking less and less frequently at night. One after another, Shinobu’s specially crafted gourds were blown to pieces.

Moreover, they gradually transitioned from small gourds to larger ones.

It’s worth noting that Shinobu quickly taught this method to Kanao. One day, Sosuke saw Kanao hugging a gourd and blowing into it with all her might, her face flushed and neck strained, yet unable to burst it. Sosuke smugly approached and said, "Let me show you how it’s done." With a pop, he burst the gourd, just as Shinobu happened to witness it... Well, another chaotic scene ensued.

With this, Sosuke’s Total Concentration gradually stabilized.

His first realization after stabilizing... was that not much had actually changed.

Improving his breathing technique brought about subtle, gradual improvements to his body, unlike the explosive growth of a "power-up."

A power-up grants immediate, breakthrough progress, while Total Concentration involves daily refinement of one’s physical attributes, allowing the body to steadily grow stronger.

This steady growth is one of the prerequisites for becoming a Pillar.

Sosuke’s success brought great joy to everyone at the Butterfly Mansion.

That evening, they prepared extra dishes to celebrate. As he ate, Sosuke began to cry... feeling increasingly like a pampered freeloader.

’But I’ll live with the pride and dignity of a pampered freeloader!’

After crying his fill, Sosuke felt strangely proud.

The next day, he began writing letters to request Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand for forging his own Nichirin Blade.

Although Nichirin Blades are standard equipment for the Demon Slayer Corps, regulations typically require one to become a full member before obtaining Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and earning the right to forge their own blade.

But Sosuke had another identity besides being a swordsman in training... he was also a swordsmith!

And to make matters worse, every time he delivered a blade, he inevitably encountered demons.

Even Wisteria amulets couldn’t ward off such misfortune, so Sosuke decided to try requesting some Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand.

His letter was polite, emphasizing that he only needed a small amount.

He reasoned that whether he received a large or small quantity, if it wasn’t enough to forge a full-sized Nichirin Blade, he could still craft a small poisoned dagger.

In a pinch, a quick stab to a demon’s head with such a dagger could prove decisive.

Of course, using a poisoned dagger came with one crucial caveat: never, under any circumstances, lick it!

As he sent his letter, he received one in return.

He initially thought it was a reply from Tomioka, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a response from the village chief.

He unfolded the letter and scanned it rapidly. Halfway through, Sosuke’s eyes began to gleam faintly.

’Success!’

Someone had actually forged a Nichirin Blade capable of suppressing a Demon’s regenerative abilities using the breathing technique he had provided!

Sosuke was instantly thrilled!

The deeper his understanding of this world grew, the more he realized the true extent of the Demons’ devastation upon humanity.

A calamity born from nothing, an unprepared tragedy, that crimson chain of sorrow had stretched unbroken for over a millennium.

Sosuke had never dared to claim he could sever this chain of sorrow—after all, he wasn’t the protagonist.

But if he could provide the sharp weapon to cut through it, he would pour every ounce of his strength into the effort!

And now, the first step toward success had been taken!

He quickly finished reading the remaining content, then fell silent.

The good news was that a Nichirin Blade capable of suppressing a Demon’s regeneration had been successfully forged, though its suppression capabilities couldn’t compare to those of the blades Sosuke himself forged. However, as a weapon for ordinary Demon Slayer Corps members, it was more than sufficient to save countless lives in critical moments.

But there was bad news too.

Firstly, only three individuals in history have successfully forged Nichirin Blades using this unique breathing technique.

Everyone else has undoubtedly failed.

Secondly, each forging requires a significant amount of time, ranging from seven days to half a month.

Moreover, the process is extremely taxing on the body, requiring a recovery period of equal duration after a successful forging—again, from seven days to half a month.

Given these constraints, mass-producing such Nichirin Blades is virtually impossible.

Finally, the Demon-suppressing power of each blade varies depending on the individual who forged it.

Experiments conducted by three Demon Slayer Corps members revealed that identical wounds healed at different rates depending on the blade used.

Sosuke frowned deeply, considering the various possibilities, before finally sighing.

He was still a novice when it came to breathing techniques. How could he possibly understand the challenges currently facing the village’s swordsmiths?

Moreover, Sun Breathing—in this era, perhaps only the Tanjiro still knew it?

Sosuke didn’t even know what it was, and there was a chance he hadn’t learned it completely...

When it came to understanding, he seemed to be far behind his own knowledge.

Most importantly... he still hadn’t found Tanjiro and his family.

Over the past two months, he had tried countless methods—subtle hints, indirect inquiries, and multiple outings, even visiting Iguro Obanai—yet he hadn’t obtained a single clue about Tanjiro’s whereabouts.

Searching for a family in this vast sea of people truly felt like searching for a needle in a haystack to Sosuke.

It was an almost impossible task.

At this moment, all he could do was sigh, pick up his brush, and write a letter to the village chief. He explained that he was unable to break through the current impasse and urged the village’s swordsmiths to persevere.

He also mentioned his recent plans to visit the village and requested the chief’s permission.

After carefully reviewing the letter, he had a Kakushi member deliver it.

Sosuke had long considered visiting his village, but he had never managed to make the trip. He felt he wasn’t ready yet.

However, with his success in mastering Total Concentration, he sensed the time was approaching.

Upon returning to the village, he planned to seek out Kotetsu and ask if his family’s Automaton had any availability.

The day passed uneventfully. The next morning, just as Sosuke was getting up, a Kakushi arrived with a delivery:

Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand!

And quite a substantial amount.

Sosuke was astonished. This was for his personal use, and the quantity was more than enough to forge a Nichirin Blade.

"Do I really have that much influence?"

He slapped his own cheek, causing the Kakushi opposite him to twitch uncontrollably. ’What’s wrong with him? Why is he hitting himself?’