After the two of them arrived at Nobushige’s house, they finished a light meal and sat facing each other.
"Tsunokake-kun. Do you know about Total Concentration Breathing?"
"Going by the flow so far, I’m guessing you mean the breathing used by me and the Demon Slayers."
"That’s right. It’s a breathing technique created by the First Breathing user so that humans could stand against demons with our own strength."
Nobushige affirmed Tatsuo’s answer and continued.
"We trainers teach that breathing to the slayers and train them until they can be sent out."
"Those who learn Total Concentration Breathing then strive to reach the state of Total Concentration Breathing Constant."
"There are quite a few Demon Slayers who can’t maintain that state all the time."
"But Tatsuo-kun, you’ve already reached it."
"Naturally. Unlike us, you must have awakened your own breathing on your own."
"However..."
Nobushige let the words trail off and looked to the corner of the room.
In the corner, a gray blade was propped at an angle beside several chopped logs that looked like firewood.
"Would you mind picking up that sword for a moment? It’s called a Nichirin sword."
At Nobushige’s suggestion, Tatsuo quietly rose from his seat and walked over to the sword.
"Nichirin swords are also known as Color-Changing Swords. They’re called that because the blade’s color changes depending on who wields it."
"Normally, once a color changes, it doesn’t change again, but..."
At that moment, Tatsuo grasped the Nichirin sword.
The blade began to change. The gray steel gradually turned pure white.
"The color is changing... As expected, you really are different."
Seeing the sword become clear and transparent like glass by the end, Nobushige spoke in surprise.
"What an interesting sword."
Tatsuo muttered to himself as he set the sword back down.
The blade immediately returned to its gray color.
"Truly, this is one surprise after another."
"What’s certain is that your breathing is similar to ours, but its essence seems different. What that will lead to, I couldn’t say."
"But I think I can offer this much advice. Tsunokake-kun, your mastery of breathing seems lacking."
"By our standards, you’ve reached Total Concentration Breathing Constant. But the precision and technique of your breathing are nowhere near that level."
Nobushige took a sip of water and went on.
"I realized it during our sparring. You seem to fight using only the physical enhancement gained through breathing. But that alone won’t be enough."
"Refine your breathing. Then you’ll become even stronger."
"I have books on many schools, including the Five Breaths. I’ll lend them to you. Create a new breathing style from them."
"It’ll be difficult... but that may be the only path open to you."
"Create a breathing style... Is it really that difficult?"
Tatsuo, whose expression had rarely changed until now, showed a clear spark of interest.
"Of course it is. The Demon Slayers are an organization that has continued for hundreds of years. Even before the First Breathing user appeared, the Demon Slayers already existed."
"The same was true of the current Five Breaths. More precisely, back then they were passed down as sword styles."
"What became of them after being fused with breathing is the current Five Breaths and their schools. Do you understand what that means?"
"I understand. In other words, I have to do alone what countless people perfected over hundreds of years."
As if he understood Nobushige’s point, Tatsuo nodded and replied.
"Don’t worry about food or lodging. Tsunokake-kun, just focus on creating your breathing."
"Tatsuo is fine. And I have no intention of living here and just eating for free. I lived with an old man for years. I can handle housework on my own."
"Thank you."
Nobushige smiled.
"If you want to move your body, you can use the place where we sparred. If you go a little farther from there, there’s also a mountain of boulders, so you may use that as well."
*
Tatsuo first read and studied the books on the Five Breaths.
"Now I see why Ichihana changed weapons."
"Stone Breathing techniques are offensive, yet highly flexible. It seems like a tremendous advantage, but if you think about it another way, both the offense and flexibility are only halfway there."
"He turned that into even more threatening techniques by changing the weapon. But given the weapon itself, ordinary people probably couldn’t use it."
"Ichihana said Gyomei... right? He must be the current Stone Hashira. He seems pretty sharp. I’d like to fight him."
"No, focus on creating my breathing first."
Tatsuo’s concentration was extraordinary. In less than a month, he had finished every book Nobushige owned, and after that he spent each day out on the rocky mountain.
"Huuuu..."
Exhaling, Tatsuo looked over his shoulder.
Behind him, boulders larger than he was had been chopped into pieces like tofu.
"Ichihana was right. Come to think of it, when I first awakened my breathing in the past, I only researched it a few times and then stopped. I never actually trained."
"Not that I had anyone to train against in the first place."
The reason Tatsuo’s mastery of breathing had been so poor was simple.
There had been no one who could beat him even with their own basic breathing.
It was only natural that he had never felt the need to train.
"But not anymore."
"This is going to be fun."
*
Two months passed after that.
"So tomorrow is the day already. The day the Final Selection begins. You’re ready, I assume, Tatsuo?"
Nobushige said to Tatsuo, who had been sitting with his eyes closed.
"Of course."
Tatsuo opened his eyes and answered.
"To think you’d create a breathing style in just two months... Tatsuo, you really are a more remarkable boy than I expected."
"...By the way, do I really have to fight with this?"
Tatsuo pointed to the Nichirin sword hanging at his waist and asked.
"It can’t be helped. Demons don’t die unless their necks are cut by a Nichirin sword forged from black scarlet ore that has absorbed enough sunlight."
"So at the selection grounds, you’ll have to use that instead of your guandao."
Tatsuo’s brow furrowed. He looked displeased.
"Don’t be like that. Perhaps... if you become a Hashira, you’ll be able to receive a Nichirin sword in the shape you want."
Tatsuo tapped the end of the Nichirin sword’s hilt with his finger.
"Then I’ll be on my way. Thank you for everything. I won’t forget this kindness, Ichihana."
"I’m the one who should thank you, Tatsuo. If you ever become a Hashira in the future, give Gyomei my regards."
"...I will."
With that, Tatsuo started walking toward the Final Selection grounds.
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