Back in his room.
"Would you like to fuse immediately?"
"Yes."
The moment Luochuan confirmed it in his mind, a gentle and warm energy began to flow through his body. Gradually, this energy grew more intense, like an electric current surging through his entire being.
First was the fusion of Comprehension.
Luochuan felt as though his brain had been washed by a beam of light. His entire mind became much clearer. The doubts and confusions he previously held regarding Thunder Breathing instantly vanished. It felt like stepping out of a dense fog into a world that was suddenly bright and sharp.
Next was the fusion of Aptitude.
During the fusion process, Luochuan could feel his body becoming more flexible and powerful. With every breath, he seemed to sense the energy contained within the air itself. It was a marvelous sensation; his limbs felt more responsive to his commands, and his body felt significantly lighter.
As he moved his body slightly, faint popping sounds echoed from within. Luochuan felt as if he had consumed some sort of marrow-cleansing pill. If he had possessed this level of aptitude before, let alone mastering all of Thunder Breathing, he certainly would have had no problem learning one or two forms.
Then came the fusion of Talent.
Talents were rare even in the world of Demon Slayer. Luochuan knew that currently, only Zenitsu and Tanjiro Kamado possessed such innate gifts.
As he fused with Zenitsu's talent, Resonant Ears, Luochuan first felt his ears grow hot, followed by a wave of slight dizziness. When the sensation faded, he could suddenly hear faint sounds from far away, clearer than ever before.
Luochuan closed his eyes and concentrated. At this moment, he could actually hear the rustling of the breeze blowing through the courtyard. This novel experience made his eyes sparkle. Resonant Ears gave him more than just powerful hearing; it provided him with keen insight and heightened alertness.
Finally, there was the fusion of the skill: Thunder Breathing, First Form—Thunderclap and Flash.
At the start of the fusion, Luochuan felt a sharp sting. It was as if countless bolts of lightning were darting through his body, immediately followed by a brand-new sense of power. This strength made him feel as though he had established a connection with the element of lightning itself.
Luochuan tried to commune with the lightning element, and golden arcs of electricity instantly appeared on his hand. The arcs danced between his fingers. He picked up the practice sword by his bed, and the electricity spread along his arm to the blade. Just by holding it, he felt a surging power that seemed ready to burst out of his body.
If he wasn't afraid of making too much noise, Luochuan would have loved to test the true power of the First Form.
With the four rewards fused, Luochuan checked his attributes.
> [Host: Luochuan]
> [Race: Human]
> [Rank: Mizunoto]
> [Comprehension: High]
> [Aptitude: High]
> [Talent: Resonant Ears]
> [Skills: Bandaging (Proficient), Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash (Proficient)]
> [...]
>
"No wonder they could reach Hashira-level strength within two years," Luochuan marveled, feeling the changes in himself. This was a world of difference compared to his previous body; there was simply no comparison.
And this was only with "High" level aptitude and comprehension. Luochuan couldn't even imagine how powerful "Super" level attributes would be. In the Demon Slayer Corps, the one with the strongest aptitude and comprehension was likely Muichiro Tokito, who reached Hashira status just two months after becoming a member.
If he could befriend Muichiro and obtain his attributes, Luochuan's cultivation speed would surely be doubled—no, quadrupled.
Speaking of which, Luochuan suddenly remembered the system's rules for making friends. The higher the intimacy level, the more rewards he could get. What rank was his "Best Buds" relationship with Zenitsu?
As soon as the question arose, the system responded:
[Friendship Levels: Acquaintance, Friend, Close Friend, Best Buds, Soulmate]
[Each level corresponds to one random reward.]
That meant he could obtain a maximum of five rewards from a single person. Having cleared up the rules, Luochuan took off his outer clothes and sat cross-legged on the bed to adapt to his new changes.
The next day.
The old man's familiar, gruff voice rang out, followed immediately by Zenitsu's wailing and howling.
Initially, the old man had also pressured Luochuan, but after discovering that Luochuan had zero talent for cultivation, he had left him to his own devices. Usually, the old man would ignore Zenitsu's cries and lead him to the back of the mountain to train.
But today seemed different. The old man sent Zenitsu to the back of the mountain to train alone, then walked toward Luochuan's room.
Hearing that he was to go alone, Zenitsu's wailing stopped abruptly. Him, alone? Wasn't this the perfect chance to escape? Zenitsu's eyes darted around; he agreed quickly and, the moment he stepped out the door, began a hundred-meter sprint toward the bottom of the mountain.
Inside his room, Luochuan's ears twitched. It sounded like the old man had stopped in front of his door. Luochuan stood up and opened the door.
The old man tapped his cane and said, "Come out. I have something to say to you."
Luochuan nodded. He had a guess about what the old man wanted to discuss. It was likely about the Final Selection.
The old man walked to the center of the courtyard and said without looking back, "Do you know why I brought you and Zenitsu up this mountain?"
"Yes. To train us and provide fresh blood for the Demon Slayer Corps."
"The selection is about to begin. Zenitsu is going to participate tomorrow, and you..."
The old man didn't finish his sentence, but Luochuan knew what he meant. Based on his past performance, the old man was discouraging him for his own good. In this year's selection, over twenty people participated, but only five—including Zenitsu—passed. Everyone else perished.
But the current Luochuan was different. As long as he made enough friends, his growth wouldn't be slower than Muichiro Tokito's—it might even be faster. With such an opportunity, he absolutely had to participate in the selection.
"Gramps, I want to try."
The old man turned around, looking at Luochuan with surprise. Although Luochuan lacked talent, he was far more mature than Zenitsu or Kaigaku and had always been very sensible. Logically, after hearing those words, Luochuan should have understood the implication. So why this?
"The selection is not a game. With your strength, going to the Final Selection is just seeking death," the old man said bluntly, staring straight at Luochuan.
Luochuan didn't explain. He picked up the long sword nearby and closed his eyes. Suddenly, a surging power erupted from his body. Crackling golden arcs of electricity appeared all around him.
Luochuan knew that suddenly learning Thunder Breathing was suspicious, but to participate in the Final Selection, he needed a cultivator's recommendation. Therefore, exposing some of his strength was necessary.
The old man froze, his eyes widening involuntarily as his grip on his cane tightened. As a former Thunder Hashira who had practiced Thunder Breathing for decades, he was naturally familiar with this sight.
But why was this happening to Luochuan? Didn't he have zero talent for Thunder Breathing?