Chapter 130

A Place to Be is the one hundred and thirtieth chapter of Koyoharu Gotoge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
The chapter begins with a narration detailing the events which are occuring within the story. A large group of demon slayers are seen heavily sweating as the run down a mountain pass, the narrator explains that a session known as 'Hashira training' had begun in order to strengthen the demon slayers. The narrator goes on to explain that this training session was special, since Hashira generally would only train their successors and were constantly busy doing other things such as protecting their regions, gathering information on demons, and improving their swordsmanship.

The narrator explains that since the incident involving Nezuko conquering the sun, the demons have dwindled in activity, referring the time as 'the calm before the storm' and the Pillars only had to focus on night patrol and training during the day.

Tanjiro, in bed still recovering, and Zenitsu are discussing the new training. Zenitsu complains how hellish it is all the while Tanjiro gets to lay in bed and snore the day away. Tanjiro comments how partnering with people stronger than you will make you stronger. He then thanks Zenitsu for the lightning breath technique he taught him before as it was the reason why he was able to behead the Upper Rank Four and that is an example of how connecting with other people can help. He then exclaims that he believes the training will help Zenitsu make a great future and Zenitsu leaves the room appreciative and blushing. As Zenitsu leaves, a crow and its beak smacks into Tanjiro's forehead delivering a letter from Kagaya Ubuyashiki.

Tengen Uzui is shown yelling, chewing out slayers exhausted from running. The narrator then explains the different stages of the Hashira training that begins with Uzui doing the initial hazing of basic stamina training, then Mitsuri handling hellish flexibility training, Muichiro deals with quick movement training, Obanai (Serpent Hashira) handles sword skill revision, Sanemi (Wind Hashira) deals with infinite pounding training to toughen the body up, and Gyomei (Stone Hashira) trains muscle reinforcement. Both Hashira and normal slayers will improve with each other that even Hashira would improve facing waves and waves of swordsmen. The goal is to make anyone to get a high enough temperature and heart rate to cause the mark to appear, making it beneficial to everyone. Those who already have the mark train to continue to stay in the "marked state". This news motivated and inspired everyone to prepare for the upcoming fight. The only person who did not participate is Giyu.

Tanjiro visits Giyu unexpectedly and describes the training, in which Giyu is already aware of. Tanjiro states he will be healed enough to train in 7 days and requests Giyu train him, which Giyu refuses. Tanjiro senses anger from Giyu and asks why. Giyu states that he is angry Tanjiro hadn't mastered Water Breathing Style and become the Water Pillar. Tanjiro exclaims that there is so much other aspects about other breath styles that he hadn't been able to. Giyu says that wasn't the point and that he meant that someone has to be the Water Pillar because that "seat" is vacant. When Tanjiro asserts that Giyu is the Water Pillar, Giyu declares that he is not. Giyu then walks away telling Tanjiro to go away.

The letter from Kagaya is then shown with scenes of him being attended to lying in bed with wraps covering most of his face expressing he has concern over Giyu's isolation and desires for him to join working with everyone together as one in facing forward towards the future and that, because he cannot physically visit him, requests Tanjiro to speak with him instead. Tanjiro is shown accepting the request and follows Giyu. He keeps talking nonstop about dull things to him, day and night, and after 4 days, forces Giyu to relent and talk back in effort to stop Tanjiro from talking more.

Giyu states that he never actually passed the Final Selection. He explained how he met and befriended another boy there, who was Sabito. He described how they had a lot in common with each other and he was a great person, but he was the only one to die in the selection that year because Sabito pretty much single-handedly defeated every demon there allowing everyone else to be accepted. Giyu then states that he was injured and fading early on and was saved by Sabito, who then leaves him in the care of another boy and takes off to aid another after hearing their cries for help. When Giyu comes to, he finds out that the selection is over and he passed for surviving the 7 days. He is despondent that if he was rescued and could not even defeat a single demon, he doubts it should really be considered as passing. He then declares that he is unworthy and unqualified to be the Water Pillar. He then laments that he is not equal to the other Pillars, that he is not like any of the slayers, and should not even have a place as a Demon Slayer. He states that he will never get the mark, as Sabito would probably have. He dismisses Tanjiro to do the Hashira Training without him and to no longer concern himself about him.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Murata
 * Giyu Tomioka
 * Nezuko Kamado
 * Akaza
 * Kokushibo
 * Doma
 * Zenitsu Agatsuma
 * Tanjiro Kamado
 * Tengen Uzui
 * Muichiro Tokito
 * Mitsuri Kanroji
 * Obanai Iguro
 * Sanemi Shinazugawa
 * Gyomei Himejima
 * Amane Ubuyashiki
 * Kagaya Ubuyashiki
 * Sabito
 * Kyojuro Rengoku
 * Shinobu Kocho

Trivia

 * Giyu may not be aware that he is mistaken in this, as he may have perceived and understood things differently (Sabito probably died from injuries after defeating every demon ). Sabito died at the hands of the Hand Demon and was swallowed by him ; meaning Sabito obviously could not have defeated EVERY demon on the mountain as he failed to defeat the Hand Demon who remained there until it ended up encountering Tanjiro.

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