Chapter 3 — Breathing Steel
The world bent, twisted, and then—
Fresh air.
Not the thin, dusty air of Floating Cloud City, but crisp, clean air that smelled of pine and rain. I blinked and found myself standing in the courtyard of the Butterfly Estate. White walls, blooming flowers, and the distant rustle of the forest.
Standing in front of me was a petite girl with violet eyes and an expression so flat it almost felt annoyed.
Kanao Tsuyuri.
A true prodigy. And, apparently, my teacher for the next three simulated years.
> [Simulation Begin: Breathing Foundations — Butterfly Estate.]
---
Year 1: Pain
"Breathe in. Breathe out. Control. Flow."
Those were the only words Kanao said to me during the first month.
At first, I thought it would be easy. Just… breathe, right?
I was wrong.
Breathing with intent, filling every inch of my lungs, forcing my diaphragm to stretch until it burned… it was torture. My vision swam, my chest ached, and every inhale felt like swallowing knives.
By the third month, my daily routine was a nightmare:
Run until my legs gave out.
Hold stances until my muscles trembled.
Breathing drills until my lungs screamed.
Kanao never said much, but I could tell when she was satisfied — her faint nods were the closest thing to praise I got.
By the end of the first simulated year, my body was stronger. My breathing deeper. My focus sharper.
---
Year 2: Flow
The second year was when things changed.
With every breath, I could feel my body drawing in oxygen more efficiently. My muscles recovered faster. My swings were sharper.
More importantly, I started to feel my energy syncing with my breath. Not chakra. Not profound strength. Something deeper.
And then came the endurance tests.
Hours of non-stop movement while keeping perfect breathing patterns. Balance drills while controlling every inhale and exhale.
Every failure ended in punishment: push-ups until my arms gave out, running until my vision blurred.
But by the end of the second year, I could maintain total concentration breathing for over an hour without slipping once.
---
Year 3: Steel
The final year was where hell truly began.
Weighted training. Sword drills with bamboo shinai until my palms bled. Endurance runs that felt like marathons.
And through it all, Kanao's voice — calm, steady, relentless:
"Again."
"Faster."
"Stronger."
By the time the simulation ended, my body felt like tempered steel. Not just in the simulation — but when I opened my eyes in my tiny Floating Cloud City room, I could feel the difference.
---
> [Simulation Complete.]
[Reward: Breathing Technique (Intermediate) Integrated.]
[Reward: Endurance and Stamina Boost +40%.]
[Cooldown: 7 days.]
---
The first inhale in the real world nearly knocked me over.
The stale air of my room tasted sharp and rich, like it had been filtered through the cleanest spring in existence. My lungs filled so deeply I felt like I'd doubled my capacity overnight.
When I exhaled, it came out slow, controlled, steady.
I stood, stretching experimentally, and nearly laughed when my movements felt more balanced, more precise.
Even my chakra control felt steadier, the threads of energy easier to guide.
---
The next morning, chopping wood wasn't just easier — it was natural. Every swing sharp. Every breath measured. My uncle noticed too, though he just grunted and muttered something about "finally pulling your weight."
I didn't care.
Because now, with the breathing technique, my training in the real world doubled in efficiency. My runs were longer, my recovery faster, my strikes sharper.
And that was just the start.
---
That night, lying in bed, I pulled up the glowing interface in my mind again.
> [Cooldown: 6 days remaining.]
Six more days before the next simulation. Six more days to adapt, to push my body to catch up with my skillset.
I clenched my fists, feeling the steady rhythm of my breathing syncing with the faint pulse of chakra deep within me.
Two years.
Two years before the storm.
And when it came, I wasn't planning to be a forgotten side character in someone else's story.
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