(T/N: eventhough i rested, i made a mistake in my other novel XD)
T/N: Please have a look at my new novel (Minecraft: Transmutation Tablet & Group Chat)
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'He actually mastered the basics so quickly?'
The cypress tree had a hole the size of a bowl smashed through it, big enough to stick a head through without it getting stuck. Sabito and Makomo were somewhat dazed...
Even though they had prepared themselves, knowing that with Eiichiro's talent, he would definitely make rapid progress once he started learning "Breathing Styles."
But... learning the "forms" in just half a day was a bit too exaggerated.
"He truly is a natural-born swordsman." Sabito could only comfort himself this way.
"Not only that... I don't know if you noticed, but Eiichiro's breathing has stabilized..."
Makomo pointed to Roy's chest. The boy's breathing, inhaling and exhaling, was secretly aligning with the rushing waterfall, tensing and relaxing.
It was quite rhythmic, as if he had grasped something...
"It's the rhythm of water." After reuniting with Sabito, Makomo, and his other disciples, Urokodaki Sakonji knew very well that they were right beside him. His deep eyes looked at Roy with satisfaction, and he sighed, "We still started him too late."
'Grasping the form in half a day, understanding the intent in one day.'
The old man clasped his hands behind his back. He had a faint intuition that it might not be long before he could teach Eiichiro the method for "Total Concentration: Constant." His heart was now fully invested in the boy.
Giyu often wrote letters, saying he was not a qualified Water Hashira. If Sabito hadn't saved him back then, he would have died on Mount Fujikasane, failing the test. Therefore, he could not inherit the name of "Water Hashira."
Although he hadn't said anything these past years, Urokodaki Sakonji knew in his heart that the child had always hoped he would find another disciple to train properly.
Now...
'I wonder what he'll think if he comes back and sees Eiichiro?' Urokodaki Sakonji couldn't help but wonder... It was as if there was a telepathic link between master and student, or perhaps their longing for each other was mutual. "Caw— A letter from the Master!" The Kasugai Crow, returning from its delivery, flew over, arriving at Mount Sagiri one step ahead of Giyu Tomioka.
It brought a handwritten letter from Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
Urokodaki Sakonji paused, opened it, and was immediately stunned!
Makomo peeked her little head over to read along. "Huh... Senior Brother Giyu is coming back!"
Beside her, Sabito's mouth curved up slightly. Also excited by the crow's call were Shinsuke, Fukuda, Shimizu, and the others!
"Really? Let me see..." A ghostly wind rolled past, unfolding the letter, which fluttered as it was passed among the spirits... They learned that Giyu Tomioka was coming with the mission of inspecting Eiichiro's progress!
Shinsuke grinned and laughed loudly. "Good news... This is great... Master was just worrying about how to arrange Eiichiro's final test, and now it's here!"
Fukuda, for once, agreed with Shinsuke. He circled the letter, slapping his thigh. "Using a 'Hashira' as Eiichiro's touchstone is perfect... This guy has hidden himself too deeply in the past, always popping up to shock people every so often. This time, we'll get to probe his depths, see him taken down a notch, and properly curb his sharp edges. It'll prevent him from becoming arrogant and underestimating demons when he leaves the mountain, which could lead to a huge disaster."
"Whoosh—" The letter swayed in the wind and slowly fell back into Urokodaki Sakonji's hands.
The old man folded it, tucked it into his sleeve, and looked again at the boy under the waterfall... He was immersed in the world of swordsmanship, deaf to the outside world, focusing only on training his blade. He fluidly linked his short sword into another "Striking Tide," gradually finding his groove.
[Hint: Swordsmanship +50]
[Swordsmanship: Lv3(160/10000)]
[Water Breathing: Introductory (78/100)]
In the evening, the setting sun cast a shimmering light on the waterfall...
Roy executed his final slash... "Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux," linking with the waterfall to form a water dragon that roared as it charged into the pool...
"Boom!" The pool exploded, sending "water arrows" flying in all directions... "Thwack... thwack... thwack..." They pierced through tree after tree on the bank, leaving behind a series of small holes!
At this moment, looking at the boy, he stood tall beneath the waterfall, leaning on his short sword. He was on a large, dark green rock, its surface polished extremely smooth by the waterfall's constant rush. He closed his eyes in deep thought, as if he wasn't finished...
"What's he thinking about?" Makomo had gone back to the house with Urokodaki Sakonji to cook. Shinsuke flew to Sabito's side, looking at Roy suspiciously... He thought to himself, 'This guy, Eiichiro, still seems unsatisfied?'
'He learned all the forms in one day. What is there to be unsatisfied about?'
Shinsuke didn's understand.
Therefore...
"This is where mediocre talents like us can never compare to a genius." Sabito didn't understand either, but that didn't stop him from knowing: "Eiichiro might have sensed something..."
'It was a flaw...' "Water Breathing" was far more than just these ten forms. It should have an eleventh form, a twelfth, and maybe even more... Roy thought of Giyu Tomioka's "Lull," using himself as the center to create a simple "water domain," turning tangible water into nothingness to block the Blood Demon Art "Cutting Thread Rotation" of Lower Rank Five, Rui. It secretly matched his calm and taciturn personality. An understanding dawned in his heart...
Whether it was "Nen" or "Sword Techniques," or even "Blood Demon Arts," they must all ultimately return to the user themselves.
"What" is my personality, "what" do I want? Just as his father, Silva, had said, "Ask the heart" and then "practice," only then could one develop the "Nen ability" best suited to oneself... So, the question was, how does the "Sun" link with "Water"?
Roy had heard Urokodaki Sakonji mention the "rhythm of water." He had actually known all along that his talent for practicing "Water Breathing" wasn't that outstanding; it was all thanks to his "Mastery" level "Sun Breathing" providing the foundation.
Because the "Sun" had given rise to the five basic breathing styles—"Wind," "Thunder," "Water," "Fire (Flame)," and "Rock"—which in turn extended to the more niche styles like "Serpent," "Beast," "Love," and "Mist"... This was also the reason Roy was able to quickly grasp the "First Ten Forms of Water Breathing."
But it stopped there. To develop a unique "Eleventh Form" like Giyu Tomioka, one needed opportunity and time...
"Sun and water..." Roy murmured. When he opened his eyes again to the sunset filling the sky, casting a red haze, he let out a long breath and sheathed his sword.
"Eiichiro... Eiichiro..." His senior brothers and sisters, including Sabito, were waving at him. A gentle smile touched Roy's lips as he leaped from the water, went ashore, and headed home.
That night, he ate sashimi, rice, and sushi wrapped with a few wild vegetables with Urokodaki Sakonji. His mind full of thoughts, he lay down on the kang in his clothes and, not long after, fell into a deep sleep...
It was no joke that time flew by, unnoticed, when one was training.
Exhausted from the day, he felt the familiar sensation of falling arrive as scheduled. When Roy woke up again...
He had left the world of Demon Slayer and returned to the world of Hunter x Hunter. Before his eyes was the blue ocean, but it was ominously covered by a continuous stretch of dark, oppressive clouds...
"Rumble—"
The faint sound of thunder could be heard exploding!
It was so loud it made one's eardrums ache!
"What time is it?"
"Replying to the Young Master, it is six in the morning."
"Six AM?" If Gotoh hadn't said so, Roy would have thought it was six PM.
The sky was far too dark for it to be normal.
"It's a storm!" Kurajing looked at the dark clouds with a solemn gaze and sucked in a breath. "A storm is coming!"