The stove fire burned quietly.
Its gentle, hazy glow softened everyone's expressions little by little.
The topic drifted away from demon slaying tips and toward lighter daily chatter. Things from outside the mountain, amusing stories from inside the Demon Slayer Corps, and even some funny bits Natsuo mentioned from his own life beyond this "game."
Sabito and Giyu often only understood half of it, but they still listened with bright interest.
And they gained a new impression of Natsuo.
Senpai was really knowledgeable.
At some point, the conversation somehow turned to Giyu.
His extreme introversion, his clumsy way of speaking, all those bad habits.
Natsuo even got eager and claimed he would personally teach Giyu a few "social lessons."
But after hearing a couple examples that were basically perfect anti lessons, Sabito smiled and shook his head in a polite but firm refusal.
In a certain sense, Natsuo and Giyu had the same "say something shocking" effect when they talked.
Please do not lead Giyu further off track.
It was only today that Natsuo learned Giyu used to be even more closed off.
Closed off to the point even Sakonji found it troublesome.
If not for Sabito's patient guidance, and that one slap when he could not take it anymore, the current Giyu would probably be even harder to reach.
Yes, Sabito had used the "slap teaching method" on Giyu before.
Back then, Giyu was so sunk in despair that he kept saying things like "Maybe I should have died instead."
One day, Sabito finally slapped him awake.
He stared straight into Giyu's eyes and said each word seriously.
"Your life was bought with your sister's life."
"You don't have the right to throw it away."
"If you keep talking like that, I'll cut ties with you."
Now that his old story had been dragged out, Giyu quietly turned his face away.
He even mumbled under his breath.
"Sabito, you're annoying…"
Natsuo, as the listener, got strangely fired up.
The slap method.
He knew that one.
One slap: Giyu, get a grip.
Two slaps: What's with that face. What's with those tears.
The vibe was way too perfect.
Natsuo's gaze drifted to Giyu's cheeks, still carrying a bit of baby fat, and his fingers twitched, like he was considering where a "proper lesson" should land.
Realizing what was happening, Sabito quickly stepped between them and forcefully changed the subject.
Sabito and Giyu had both lost everything precious to the claws of fate, both had tasted huge pain.
The difference was that Sabito was taken in by Sakonji early, given a place to belong.
Giyu only met that old man in the tengu mask after suffering two heavy blows in a row.
Giyu's closest person, the sister who had depended on him and been depended on by him, died protecting him on the eve of her wedding, right at the turning point where her life should have shifted toward happiness.
Natsuo had noticed the red haori on Giyu a long time ago.
It was clearly too small.
It needed extra cloth sewn in just to count as wearable.
Natsuo asked softly, "That haori is from his sister, right?"
Sabito nodded, his expression heavy.
Giyu did not answer. He only hugged that bright red keepsake tighter.
Then Sabito turned, looking at Natsuo with the same gaze soaked in sorrow and understanding.
"Senpai… you're like us too, right."
"You train like you don't care about your life."
"So the wound in your heart… must still be bleeding, right?"
Losing family, having your peaceful life torn apart by demons.
That kind of pain and confusion, they understood too well.
Natsuo watched the two kids wearing faces that practically overflowed with "It's okay, we get it, we feel for you."
In his head, a single symbol appeared.
?
Beside him, Giyu curled in slightly by the fire, clutching the haori, and whispered a word.
"Your little sister…"
He was instantly stopped by Sabito's sharp look.
That was a scar Natsuo senpai would never get over. How could you touch it so casually.
Sabito hurriedly apologized for Giyu's bluntness.
Natsuo went silent.
This was bad.
Was he supposed to match the tragic mood right now?
Little sister?
Right, his settings did include a little sister.
Sorry, "Natsuo's sister" that he had never actually met.
He would remember to avenge you.
"It's fine."
Natsuo lowered his eyes, letting his expression sink into a carefully measured darkness, like he was reaching back through time to touch a wound that would never fully heal.
"It's not your fault, Giyu."
"And I'm not someone who gets crushed by the past anymore."
"As for the demon that killed my sister…"
He lifted his gaze. Something like a quiet flame burned in his eyes.
"I'll make it understand what payback really means."
No one spoke.
The warmth in the room seemed to thin, the air turning heavy.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside.
Sakonji must have finally returned from his trip down the mountain.
The wooden door opened softly. The old man in the tengu mask swept his gaze across the three of them, taking in every unspoken emotion.
"It's late. Sleep."
"Tomorrow's training won't be easy."
Sabito and Giyu answered at once.
Natsuo also nodded.
That old man had clearly been listening outside for a while, and only chose this moment to come in.
Was it kindness, or was it sly?
…
The next day.
Other than Natsuo, both Sabito and Giyu showed up at the training ground with bruises on their faces.
They were only surface injuries from yesterday's spar.
Last night it was already dark, so it had not been obvious.
Under the bright sunlight today, it looked much worse.
Even Natsuo felt a little awkward.
Facing two stubborn young swordsmen, he had gotten carried away and enjoyed the fight too much.
It was player versus player, and it was definitely punching down.
The experience was great for him.
But leaving them like this, even he could not shamelessly ask for more sparring right away.
He silently went back to the cabin and took out the ointment Seiko had sent.
Using the basic emergency method he remembered from hard training camps, he massaged their sore spots, applied the medicine, and wrapped them up. He did not stop until both kids looked embarrassed.
[Medicine LV.0 (10/250)] NEW
Oh?
The tiny guilt in his heart vanished instantly.
"Giyu, Sabito, extra training tonight. More combat drills."
Sabito's spirit flared. "Yes, senpai!"
Giyu, however, sensed a flash of something not quite wholesome in Natsuo's eyes.
A very bad feeling.
Meanwhile, Natsuo was already calculating which part of Sagiri Mountain had the richest herbs.
Then another thought struck him.
If he wanted to grind Medicine proficiency, he could not keep farming only two kids for "experience."
If he overdid it, Sakonji and Kazami would probably twist his head off.
Also, no one said Medicine could only be used on people, right?
His gaze drifted toward a wild boar shape that darted through the distant trees.
Medicine was truly convenient.
…
Over the next few days, the "Water Breathing trio" clearly felt Natsuo's enthusiasm for cooking and running drop sharply.
Instead, he often vanished into the mountain for no obvious reason, then sometimes returned before dinner with strange herbs and homemade salves.
Giyu did notice the animals in the mountain seemed to be moving around more than usual lately.
But there was nothing else obviously wrong, so he did not say anything.
And so, thanks to the many living creatures of Sagiri Mountain making "selfless contributions" to the cause of medical science…
Natsuo successfully gained four new life skills.
[Dissection LV.0 (79/250)] NEW
[Medicine LV.1 (141/500)] NEW
[Poison Crafting LV.1 (23/500)] NEW
[Pharmacy LV.0 (130/250)] NEW
Remaining Achievement Points: 10
Because his "treatment" success rate was honestly painful, every "experiment" often required repeated "care" before the animal could run around again.
As a result, Medicine actually leveled faster than Dissection.
At the same time, Natsuo discovered that making poison from herbs and minerals was much easier than making proper medicine.
That was why he had temporarily paused cooking, stamina training, and other life skills.
He had already realized that life skills also hit a slow grind slope at higher levels.
Rather than spending months pushing one skill to level four or five, it was more efficient to unlock several skills quickly and rush them to level one.
But today, he decided to stop all life skill practice.
Because…
[Water Breathing (Not Mastered) 99/100]
[Practiced: Water Breathing method, Water Breathing forms]
[You have learned the complete Water Breathing]
[Insight gained, learning progress +3]
[Combat Skill Activated: Water Breathing]
At the same time, another panel also changed.
The side quest was complete.
[Side Quest Completed: First Encounter! A New Breathing Style!]
[Reward: 500 Breathing Experience, adaptive proficiency (automatically applied to the newly mastered breathing style)]
Almost the instant Water Breathing reached LV.0, a large wave of experience poured in.
It shoved the skill straight into the next stage.
The breakthrough sensation flowed through his entire body like clear water, then settled into the most honest thing of all.
Numbers.
[Power Level: 59 to 63]
Body: 28 to 29
Skill: 17 to 19
Mind: 14 to 15
Compared to the increase from Wind Breathing, Water Breathing seemed to emphasize Skill more.
Natsuo looked at his skill list.
A second combat skill icon was now lit.
Unlike the green whirl of Wind Breathing, the new icon looked like a deep, crystalline blue, like still water frozen into a gem.
[Water Breathing]
LV.1, basic mastery
Progress: 252/500
Forms learned: 4/10
[First Form: Water Surface Slash]
[Third Form: Flowing Dance]
[Seventh Form: ...]
[...]
(The remaining forms were still locked.)
Because he had trained it for a shorter time, he had only learned four forms so far.
But that did not matter.
He could keep practicing later, or just use effort and points, and everything would rise eventually.
Now it was time to check compatibility.
He tapped the plus sign next to Water Breathing.
Achievement points instantly converted into a bright preview on the progress bar.
[Experience +285]
[Warning: Current breathing compatibility is 57%]
[Achievement point conversion loss: 43%]
"Huh?"
Natsuo's face stiffened.
"This is even lower than my Wind Breathing."
This trash Water Breathing, he could skip it.
Natsuo instantly felt offended.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]