DS Chapter 99: A Confession?
Ren shook his head.
Then, pointing at the diary still clutched in Shinobu's hands, he put on an innocent expression.
"Wasn't you the one who confessed to me first?"
"Pfft~!"
Shinobu snorted disdainfully.
"As if! You're obviously the one who's been chasing after me, Ren~!"
She bared her tiny fangs and glared at him fiercely.
"Say it."
"Say that you're the one who fell for me first!"
Ren calmly shook his head again.
"No."
"Hmph!"
Turning away with a pout, Shinobu folded her arms.
"Then I'm not going either."
With that, she began organizing the documents scattered across her desk.
Watching her, Ren asked,
"Where are you going?"
"To see the Master. There are still a few details about relocating the Butterfly Mansion that I haven't finished discussing with him."
Carefully, she tore off the final section of the last diary page and slipped it into her pocket before taking a few steps toward the door.
Just before leaving, she glanced back.
"...Ren."
"I missed your match yesterday."
"You're... not still angry, are you?"
Ren nodded without hesitation.
"I am."
"Hmph~!"
She rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Wait until I get back."
"Oh, and I left a new Nichirin Blade in your room."
"Use it for now."
"I'm broke."
A gust of wind swept through the room.
In the blink of an eye, Shinobu disappeared from sight.
Ren finally let out a long breath.
Looks like my kidneys survived today.
Otherwise, judging by Shinobu's personality, secretly reading her diary might've cost me my life.
---
"Caw! Caw! Short-lived ghost! You got scared! You got scared!"
Seeing Ren's defeated expression, his Kasugai Crow bounced around excitedly.
Naturally...
The next second, it found itself firmly trapped in Ren's hand.
---
After parting ways with Shinobu, Ren climbed the stairs out of the underground laboratory.
Night had already fallen.
The Butterfly Mansion was illuminated only by a few dim yellow lanterns.
Silence blanketed the estate.
Returning to his room, Ren lit the lamp and sat down.
It was time to organize everything he had learned during his battle with Sanemi.
Dragon Breathing possessed tremendous potential, but at the moment he had only created five Forms. There was still plenty of room for improvement.
Crossing his legs atop the bed, Ren closed his eyes.
During the day, the Butterfly Mansion was bustling with patients from dawn until dusk.
Now...
Only silence remained.
He entered a state of complete concentration.
---
Bullet Domain activated.
Reviewing acquired abilities...
Breathing Styles mastered:
- Flower Breathing
- Solitary Flower Breathing
- Insect Breathing
- Bee Breathing
- Flame Breathing
- Blazing Flame Breathing
- Wind Breathing
- Beast Breathing
- Dragon Breathing
Breathing Technique:
Total Concentration – Hundredfold Refinement
A breathing method that stimulates every cell in the body, enhances physical performance, accelerates healing, and greatly improves recovery.
Combat Enhancement Skills:
- Bullet Domain
- Hypermnestic State
Combat Support Skills:
- Shadowless Hand
- Carefree Movement Technique
- Keen Hearing
Talent Skills:
- Medical Expertise
- Massage Techniques
- Personnel Management
- Swordsmithing
- Scouting
- Idol Aura
- Voice Acting
- Ventriloquism
Demon Slayer Mark:
Black Auspicious Cloud Dragon Pattern.
---
You begin reorganizing every Breathing Style you've mastered.
Dragon Breathing currently possesses only five Forms.
It still feels incomplete.
You begin incorporating the principles of Solitary Flower Breathing, Bee Breathing, Blazing Flame Breathing, and the other styles into Dragon Breathing.
You enter the Hypermnestic State.
Drawing inspiration from Flame Breathing and Blazing Flame Breathing...
You create:
Dragon Breathing – Second Form: Dragon's Flame Breath
Inspired by Flower Breathing and Solitary Flower Breathing...
You create:
Dragon Breathing – Third Form: One Thought, A Hundred Flowers Bloom
Inspired by Insect Breathing and Bee Breathing...
You create:
Dragon Breathing – Fourth Form: Divine Dragon Tail Dance
Inspired by Wind Breathing and Beast Breathing...
You create:
Dragon Breathing – Fifth Form: Gathering Storms
---
Ren slowly opened his eyes.
Meditation had yielded remarkable results.
Every Breathing Style he had mastered was now fully integrated into Dragon Breathing.
The style now consisted of five distinct Forms.
First Form – Dragon Soars Across the Heavens
An offensive movement technique similar to Wind Breathing's First Form. It combines explosive acceleration with a devastating strike, allowing Ren to close distances instantly.
Second Form – Dragon's Flame Breath
A form focused on overwhelming flame attacks, blending swordsmanship with blazing heat to unleash destructive firepower.
Third Form – One Thought, A Hundred Flowers Bloom
The ultimate evolution of Flower Breathing.
A descending slash delivered from above with terrifying precision.
At present, it was Ren's strongest single-target technique.
Fourth Form – Divine Dragon Tail Dance
Created by combining the venomous precision of bees with the agility of insects.
Like a dragon's tail sweeping across the battlefield, it delivers crushing force while secretly carrying deadly toxins capable of changing the tide of battle.
Fifth Form – Gathering Storms
A battlefield-control technique.
Inspired by Wind Breathing's Sixth Form and Mist Breathing's deceptive style, it stirs violent winds and dense clouds to obscure the enemy's vision before chaining seamlessly into other Dragon Breathing attacks.
Dragon Breathing had truly become Ren's own original Breathing Style.
It combined every discipline he had mastered into a single unified system.
And no creature embodied elemental power and primal ferocity better than a dragon.
Fire.
Wind.
Overwhelming strength.
All were symbols of dragons.
Dragon Breathing inherited not only their appearance...
But their spirit as well.
"...Dragon Hashira."
Ren lowered his head with a faint smile.
"Looks like that title really does suit me."
---
He emptied his thoughts and returned to meditation.
His battle against Sanemi had pushed his mind far beyond its limits.
Even something as simple as refining techniques now caused splitting headaches.
Some time later...
Ren slowly opened his eyes again.
A strange feeling crept over him.
Normally...
Shinobu would stop by his room around this time.
Why hadn't she come tonight?
He narrowed his eyes and looked toward the window.
Dark clouds drifted across the moon, shrouding the Butterfly Mansion in mist.
The night was unnaturally quiet.
...Too quiet.
"Caw! Caw!"
"Short-lived ghost! Short-lived ghost!"
His Kasugai Crow suddenly took flight, crying out in alarm toward the courtyard.
Ren immediately stood up and pressed himself against the wall.
Following the crow's gaze, he peered through the window.
His room was located near the main entrance to the Butterfly Mansion.
If anyone attempted to sneak into the estate at night...
He would be the first to notice.
Ren reached for the new Nichirin Blade, gripping it tightly.
Through the drifting mist in the courtyard...
A slender figure slowly emerged.