The Tenth Pillar. (Kimetsu No Yaiba X OC)

Soft and Sweet

"Come on! This is just the first part of your training!" Hiiro Kojima yelled to his three new students or like he calls them: The three idiots.

Four weeks ran like water and the hellish training the three idiots have been doing is not effortless. Their stamina, strength, reflexes and swordsmanship increased at a phenomenal rate.

Running ten kilometers, swinging a katana a hundred times, a hundred push ups and sit ups and sword training with the night pillar have boosted the abilities of the young slayers.

"Master! Fight me!" Inosuke launched himself in a furious pig assault. With skilled punches and kicks the king of the mountain attacked Hiiro-sensei.

The barrage of attacks was ineffective, the night pillar trained the three of them on martial arts.

Hiiro was a pupil himself from this martial arts, long ago, and he could say that the current training was a walk in the park if you compare it with Kenpachi-sensei training.

There were times when his bones would crack and his fist couldn't stop bleeding and like and furious ogre, Zaraki Kenpachi will always stand tall against any opponent, injured or not.

As Hiiro recalled this memories, the fight continued.

"You've improved, boar." He evaded the next barrage and with a swift punch to Inosuke's core the fight was over. "But you still refuse the teamwork. If yo—."

A tight grip came from the wild teen, Hiiro could tell that behind the mask the boy had his biggest grin. The tenth pillar took the bait.

"Now, Gonpanchiro!" Like a shadow, Kamado Tanjiro came from his right, Hiiro realized he couldn't guard against him, the king of the mountain put more strength to his grip.

The Hashira evaded the attacks and free himself from the grip of the boar, without rest the two of them continued the assault against him. They reached a death point. Inosuke was guarding against a punch while Tanjiro kick was being blocked by Hiiro's right leg.

"Zenitsu!" The water breathing user yelled. The blonde was observing from afar, Hiiro could tell he was trembling and his eyes were teary.

'Come on, you can do it.' The night pillar was praying for the kid. He knew about his personality, but he also knew that he can overcome his fears and become a pillar in the future.

Unfortunately, the thunder breath user didn't move an inch. Such a shame, the teamwork was wonderful this time.

With beast like moves, Hiiro knocked out the two slayers who restrained him. He praised them and let the two of them go to rest inside the butterfly estate.

"Zenitsu! Come here!" The tenth pillar grabbed the blonde and dragged him to the shadows of a tree. In silence and peace both of them were sitting in a lotus position.

Trembling like jelly, Zenitsu's heart was racing and striking his chest like it wants to open a hole on it.

"What happened back there?" He interrogated slowly and calmly.

Without putting any pressure on the blonde boy. The thunder breath user saw a familiar look on the pillars eyes.

"Why didn't you move?"

The blonde shook his head, with teary eyes Zenitsu looked to the ground, ashamed, furious and disappointed. He was clenching his fists tightly.

"I'm too scared to fight, I'm weak, I can't even use the complete thunder breathing." Before he could shed any tear a gentle and warm hand patted his head.

"It's ok. It's ok to be scared. It's ok to be weak." Hiiro smiled to reassure the blonde boy. "But, it's not ok to give up. It's not okay to not overcome all the fears you have. It's not okay to abandon your friends. It's not okay to give up just because you can do just one thing, long ago I was like you, I couldn't use a single breath, the only thing I had was hard work and iron will."