Under the blazing sun, three young men clashed back and forth in the training grounds—this match pitted Tendo against two opponents.
"Tendo, don't hold back!"
"Let's burn with passion!"
"Hahaha!Kyojuro, like the protagonist of a hot-blooded manga, roared like a lion. At the peak of the battle, he initiated his sword technique.
Flame Breathing · First Form: Unknowing fire.
With a single step forward, his aura surged explosively. His body transformed into a blazing train, charging toward Tendo wreathed in roaring flames.
Tendo, equally fired up, ignited his Flame Breathing, his golden eyes burning like fire.
In an instant, two torrents of flame collided, the fierce Blade Wind forcing Obanai to retreat.
Gripping his wooden sword, Obanai's heterochromatic eyes gleamed like a hunting serpent, ready to strike unpredictably at any moment.
Over the past year, Obanai had developed his own Breathing Technique, derived from Water Breathing.
He was the first among his peers to create an original Breathing Technique—his talent was nothing to scoff at.
Finally, he spotted the opening—right between the two raging flames.
His body coiled abruptly before darting toward Tendo's flank with viper-like speed.His agile movements stirred the surrounding air with his speed, creating streams of airflow that resembled a hunting white venomous serpent.
Serpent Breathing: Second Form - Venom Fangs of the Narrow Head.
Obanai's wooden sword slipped past the two locked in combat, aiming straight for Tendo's head.
Got him!
Beneath his bandages, Obanai's lips curled into a smirk. Everything was under control—though nothing was more satisfying than beating the crap out of that bastard Tendo.
Just thinking about how this guy had stuffed wasabi into his rice balls made his blood boil.
When there was no danger, Tendo was the greatest danger of all.
Just as the two were about to overwhelm him, Tendo's blade suddenly twisted. In an instant, dozens of crimson blade winds swirled around him, forming a vortex.
Flame Breathing: Fourth Form - Blooming Flame Undulation.
The overwhelming force sent Obanai and Kyojuro flying back, but neither hesitated. Two razor-sharp sword techniques lunged at Tendo simultaneously from the front.
Before the spar began, Tendo had told them not to hold back—after all, he could take a beating.
These half-grown boys took him at his word, throwing caution to the wind the moment the fight started.
Kyojuro unleashed Flame Breathing: Fifth Form - Flame Tiger, pouring nearly all his strength into a forward thrust. A blazing tiger silently awakened, its maw gaping wide as it lunged at Tendo.
Obanai, too, charged forward with everything he had, his wooden sword nearly splintering from the force.
When he said he'd go all out, he meant it—no holding back.
Serpent Breathing: Fifth Form - Slithering Serpent activated, sending an involuntary shiver down Tendo's spine.
His senses were already sharp, but the moment he locked eyes with Obanai, it felt as though a massive python had coiled around his body.
On one side, scorching flames. On the other, a serpent striking from the shadows.
Only when their techniques were about to engulf Tendo did the two realize they'd gone too far.
"Shit, we can't stop now!"
"Then let's just trust Tendo!"
Their sword techniques surged forth like a raging storm, an unstoppable force crashing toward Tendo.
Let me answer you both properly!
Tendo's deep-red short hair fluttered as his eyes curved into a smile, his blood boiling with excitement.
His blade rose with his body, and in the blink of an eye, he unleashed dozens of slashes. A massive, crimson-gold blade wind took shape—from a distance, it looked like a roaring kirin.
Crimson-gold arcs of electricity crackled to life, spreading from his wooden sword to envelop his entire body.
Tendo had mastered the essence of Breath of Thunder, condensing its speed and explosive power into a single sword technique—his own creation.
Way of Breathing.
Tendo Kazama's self-developed breathing style differed from the five core Breathing Techniques and their derivatives.
It had no fixed forms or strikes.
This technique, derived from Breath of Thunder, was called Kirin.
Way of Breathing: Thunder Form - Kirin.
With the release of Kirin, Tendo shattered Kyojuro and Obanai's combined assault with overwhelming force.
A powerful gale howled past, accompanied by rolling thunder.
The next moment, Kyojuro and Obanai were sent flying, their wooden swords shattered into pieces.
"Incredible! You're ridiculously strong, Tendo!"
Far from angry, Kyojuro laughed heartily. This was how real progress was made.
"Monster!"
Obanai sighed. He'd once entertained the idea of catching up to this guy, but now? Forget it.
Yet instead of envy, he felt genuine happiness for Tendo—though who knew how many lung sacs the guy had blown up to get this strong.His swordsmanship was absolutely impossible for anyone to replicate, as it required both monstrous regenerative abilities and the will to self-harm.
The two lay sprawled in the grass, thoroughly convinced of their defeat.
Tendo's wooden sword was in an even worse state, slightly charred and broken into several pieces. His hands were still trembling, and his lungs tingled with a numbing sensation.
As expected, it was still quite draining on his stamina.
Tendo walked over to the two and casually lay down between them.
"Tendo, this must be the Breathing Technique you created yourself!"
"It's absolutely incredible!" Kyojuro didn't hold back his praise, his voice booming—of course, this was a phrase he'd picked up from Tendo.
"Of course it is, hahaha!" Tendo shamelessly agreed.
"Give you an inch and you'll take a mile, completely shameless!" Obanai retorted with his usual sharp tongue, shooting Tendo a glare.
"And you hit way too hard!"
That was just the kind of person he was—unable to keep things bottled up. If he had an issue with someone, he'd say it to their face without hesitation, never resorting to gossip behind their backs.
Though most of the time, words that came out of Obanai's mouth turned into biting sarcasm.
"You're one to talk—did you hold back?" Tendo rolled his eyes and grumbled indignantly.
"Of course I didn't hold back—I gave it my all, hahaha!"
"Otherwise, how could we have fought so fiercely? I feel like I've gained a deeper understanding of Flame Breathing. Given time, I'll definitely get stronger!"
"Hahahaha!"
Kyojuro raised his clenched right fist high, still the radiant sun he always was, exuding warmth that infected everyone around him.
Soon, Tendo and Obanai joined in, laughing along with their big brother. The three youths roared with laughter.
After a while, Kyojuro suddenly asked, "By the way, are you two going to this year's Final Selection?"
"Of course I am! I can't wait to slaughter those Demons!"
"I'm joining too!" Tendo gazed at the leisurely drifting clouds in the sky. If he remembered correctly, those two fox-masked boys would also be participating.
Even if he didn't run into them, he'd still kill the Hand Demon first—to eliminate any future threats.
"I remember Kanae and Shinobu Kocho aren't planning to join this year's selection," Kyojuro glanced at Tendo and mentioned offhandedly.
"And that skinny girl hasn't shown up in ages—did she poison herself to death?" Obanai quipped. "I think she even asked me for Kaburamaru's venom once."
Their words made Tendo realize something—he hadn't seen Shinobu in a long time.
A pang of worry struck him. After all, Shinobu was someone who pushed herself relentlessly.
With a sudden flip, he sprang to his feet, dusted off his pants, and walked away without looking back.