"What does Kokushibo want with me?"
Filled with confusion, Si Shu wondered why he would choose to meet him at this particular time. From a human perspective, Kokushibo was the mastermind who had just orchestrated a large-scale demonization event. If Si Shu hadn't intervened, the entire town would have been reduced to ruins overnight, with almost no survivors. Under such tense circumstances, Kokushibo still wanted to meet him.
Not knowing what kind of trick he was up to, Si Shu still walked toward the outskirts of the town. He was very familiar with the large crater that was the meeting place; it was the one he had created with his Solar Flare Thrust when he had eliminated the Water Hashira's clone. Soon, he arrived at the edge of the crater. And in the center of the sunken pit, a figure stood with his back to him.
The moment he saw that figure, Si Shu understood why he had the confidence to meet him.
"That body of yours... it's a clone, isn't it?"
Although the form before him looked no different from Kokushibo, Si Shu could sense that it was just a clone with very little combat ability. To be precise, it was a projection.
"It is merely another application of Moon Breathing," Kokushibo said, turning around. "In places like deserts, one can sometimes see a strange phenomenon: a mirage. This phenomenon is essentially a virtual image created by the refraction of light from an object through the atmosphere; it is an optical phenomenon. And the projection I am using now is similar to a mirage. By using my mastery of Moon Breathing, I can project myself from a distance to this location to speak with you. Of course, this ability is a bit more advanced than a mirage, otherwise you wouldn't be able to hear my voice."
"So, what do you want with me?"
Realizing that his opponent was just a projection, Si Shu knew that Kokushibo had no intention of fighting him. Otherwise, given his personality, he wouldn't have resorted to such a meaningless little trick.
Raising his head, Kokushibo looked at the moon and said slowly, "Yoriichi... has been dead for a long time. One hundred and fifty-six years, three months, and seven days."
A cold smile appeared on Si Shu's face. He seemed to have already guessed his opponent's intention. Kokushibo certainly hadn't come to reminisce about the past. There had to be a reason why he had chosen this time and method. As a samurai born in the Warring States period, the things Kokushibo valued most when he was human were his dignity and his strength. Now, having become a demon, he had long since abandoned everything related to being a samurai. All that remained was a craving for greater strength.
Or rather, a craving to surpass Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Although Yoriichi had told him that all who master their path will arrive at the same destination, Kokushibo knew that he might never reach his brother's level. To surpass Yoriichi, he had to consider it from another angle. Besides, he had seen a similar expression on Si Shu's face a long time ago.
"If you think I will agree to your proposal, you should give up now."
"As expected of you. You've already figured it out," Kokushibo said, a hint of faint appreciation flashing in his six eyes. On that day many years ago, in the swordsmith village, he had had a similar thought. Yes, now, he was once again entertaining that same idea.
To take Si Shu as his disciple.
But it was clear that Si Shu, having guessed his intention, had refused him without hesitation. With a flick of his sleeve, Si Shu prepared to leave. He had refused Kokushibo's invitation a hundred years ago when he was still known as Michikatsu Tsugikuni. Today, a hundred years later, would be no different.
"Wait."
Seeing Si Shu about to leave, Kokushibo quickly stopped him. "Even if you insist on leaving, I hope you will look at that before you go."
With that, Kokushibo extended a finger and pointed in a certain direction. Following his finger, Si Shu saw a flattened stone. And on top of the stone, there was a small booklet.
Glancing at Kokushibo, Si Shu seemed to be assessing something. In the end, he couldn't get any useful information from his opponent. Walking closer to the stone, Si Shu found that the booklet before him was somewhat familiar. The material, the size, even the handwriting, gave him a sense of strange familiarity. It looked almost identical to the one Yoriichi had given him all those years ago.
Looking at the cover of the booklet, five characters were written on it: Breathing Style.
After a quick scan to make sure there were no tricks, Si Shu picked up the booklet. He opened the first page. Written on it was the author's insights and understanding of Breathing Styles. Although for the current Si Shu, these things were child's play, for someone who was just starting to learn Breathing Styles, or even for a veteran who had been practicing for several years, this knowledge was an invaluable treasure. The further he read, the stronger that sense of strange familiarity became.
When he turned to the next page and saw the four large characters written on it, he instantly understood. On this entire page, only four characters were written: Moon Breathing.
This meant that this booklet had been written by Kokushibo in imitation of Yoriichi's. Flipping further, from Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace, all the way to the Clear Moon Projection that Kokushibo had just used, everything was marked with detailed annotations.
After reading the entire booklet, Si Shu's expression did not change in the slightest.
"Do you think I would covet the Moon Breathing?" he asked, shaking the booklet in his hand as he looked at Kokushibo, his calm words laced with a hint of anger. "Or do you think that this booklet alone can atone for all your sins?!"
"I have no intention of atoning," Kokushibo replied, shaking his head. "And if you were to be swayed by such a small trinket, you would not be the Si Shu I know." With that, a small smile suddenly appeared on Kokushibo's lips. "Did you know, in my family, there is such an unwritten rule. After viewing the entirety of a master's life's work, the viewer, whether they are willing or not, will be considered that master's disciple by others."
The moment he finished speaking, a fiery red slash of sword qi erupted, slicing the projection in half at the waist. A vein bulged on Si Shu's forehead. He knew he had fallen into Kokushibo's trap. Although the trap had no real downside for him, and even had considerable benefits, Kokushibo had obtained the one thing he had always dreamed of.
He had forcibly made Si Shu his disciple.
From now on, the Moon Breathing had another, albeit unwilling, inheritor in the world.
"Haha... hahaha! Yoriichi, I can finally stand on the same level as you!"
"Si Shu, we will meet again in three years!"
For the first time in his life, Kokushibo laughed so freely. The excitement and exhilaration in his six eyes were impossible to conceal. He had finally matched Yoriichi in some small way.
Amidst his relieved laughter, the projection dissipated.
-------
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