The Good Demon [KNY]

Part 70: Tenacity

"RAH!!!" A recruit rushed towards Righty and swung his sword down with all his might. Righty dodged the blow and planted his palm in the guy's face, sending him flying. 

"Like the attitude, but you put way too much energy into that strike." Righty gave his criticism. "Alright, number ninety-eight." Righty turned to the crowds and called another recruit up as the recruit he struck limped back to the others and began to jog. He and Lefty had every trainee jogging around the area, calling up people to spar one by one.

"I want seventy, four hundred, and eighty-eight." Lefty called them up. Three slayers slowed down and split off from the joggers. They caught their breath as they approached Lefty, drawing their swords once they came close enough. "Show me what you got." Lefty ordered them.

"They're not letting up at all." Tanjiro muttered as he saw Lefty rocket his fist into a recruit's diaphragm.

"Save your breath. It's only a matter of time until we're up." Zenitsu said.

"Grrr... I can't wait to pummel those cheating cheaters!" Inosuke growled.

"They're calling us up randomly... So everyone's on edge." Tanjiro noted.

"Must be part of the exercise." said Zenitsu. "Cardio, combat training, and stress training all in one." Zenitsu suddenly dodged a recruit that was sent flying his way by Lefty.

"Sorry Zenitsu! Okay, number two-hundred-fifty nine." Lefty called another recruit up to spar.

After an hour of this, Tanjiro noticed.

He was never brought up.

Inosuke had had gouged open Lefty's chest.

Zenitsu had nearly taken Righty's head.

Genya had blasted a chunk out of Lefty's side.

And Kanao severed two of Righty's limbs.

But he still hadn't been called.

He was the last one left.

"Alrighty. Come on up Tanjiro." Lefty and Righty said in unison. 

"Huh?" Tanjiro was surprised. "You want me to fight both of you?" 

"Wrong. I want you to fight me." Lefty and Righty said, before walking toward one another, extending a hand to the other as they did. At the moment their hands touched, the area they were lit up with orange light. Tanjiro winced as a pulse of heat hit him, and the air around him warmed. When the light faded, a single person stood. Akai Suisei stared Tanjiro in the eye.

"Stop jogging and sit down, folks. You'll want to see this." Akai barked to the crowd. They welcomed the order and collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Dozens gasped to catch their breath and dozens more groaned in pain and clutched their wounds.

"Akai, you're back?" Tanjiro asked him.

"Shut up and draw your sword." Akai took a fighting pose and ordered.

"Oh-okay." Tanjiro nodded and drew his sword, its black blade glinting in the afternoon sun.

"Alright, folks! This here is how powerful you can get with enough effort. Keep a close eye and try to learn something." He ordered the crowd. Tanjiro blushed slightly at all the praise he was getting from the Red Comet. "You should try not to get wiped, cuz it'll get really embarrassing if you do." Akai whispered to Tanjiro.

"Okay!" Tanjiro gripped his blade's handle and began to take in deep breaths of air.

"Genya. Gimma a countdown." Akai ordered. Genya nodded and began: