Chapter 15: Mt. Sagiri and Water Breathing
"OI—! Is Master Urokodaki home?"
Following his master's directions, Natsuya eventually found a small wooden hut deep within the mountains of Sagiri. However, no one seemed to be home. From the dense woods nearby, he could hear the faint, muffled sounds of movement.
The name "Mt. Sagiri" was well-deserved. The air was so humid it felt sticky, coalescing into a fog so thick it refused to dissipate, swallowing the forest whole. In some directions, he could even see patches of low-hanging rain clouds.
Living in a place like this... I wonder if an old man like him suffers from chronic rheumatism, Natsuya mused.
Just as he was about to head into the woods to investigate, the sounds in the fog abruptly stopped. The mountain fell silent, save for the rustle of wet leaves and the white noise of the damp monsoon breeze.
Almost instinctively, Natsuya's hand dropped to the hilt of his Nichirin Sword.
Is a mob spawning?
No, wait. If there were demons around here, a master like Urokodaki would have farmed them for loot long ago.
Suddenly, the minute sound of fabric brushing against fabric came from directly behind him.
Natsuya began to draw his blade, but a hand clamped down on his hilt, forcing it back into the scabbard.
"High alertness... and you aren't showing any signs of altitude sickness? Excellent constitution."
"You carry a Nichirin Sword, yet you wear no uniform."
"Child... whose disciple are you?"
A raspy, ancient voice spoke from behind his shoulder.
So fast! Natsuya thought, his pulse spiking.
He quickly checked his interface. The game hadn't entered "Combat Mode."
Okay. No aggro. He's a friendly.
Natsuya relaxed his posture. "My name is Kokonoe Natsuya. I was trained by Kazami—"
He turned around and came face-to-face with a massive, scarlet monster head with a giant nose.
Natsuya: "Wait, what? Σ(°Д°;)"
"A yokai?"
Urokodaki Sakonji gave a small, amused huff behind his mask. "It's a Tengu."
Natsuya looked up at the floating tag above the mask.
[Urokodaki Sakonji]
[Power Level: 274 (Body: 105, Tech: 129, Mind: 40)]
[Water Breathing: LV.6]
His stats are nearly a hundred points higher than my Cheap Master's...
This guy is cracked. Was he the Water Hashira back in the day?
Urokodaki watched the boy, his brow furrowing beneath the mask. Is he... spacing out?
"Child."
He patted the boy's shoulder, finally snapping him back to reality. Natsuya handed over the recommendation letter.
After reading it line by line, Urokodaki's posture softened. "So, you are the swordsman Koichi trained."
"For him to agree to such a reckless request... it seems he thinks very highly of you."
"Come inside, child."
Urokodaki patted Natsuya's shoulder again, then turned toward the trees and gave a short wave.
"Take a break from the training for today. We have a guest."
With a rustle of leaves, two children emerged from the thick mist.
One was a pink-haired boy with a fox mask on the side of his head, walking with a disciplined, upright gait. The other was a black-haired boy who looked like he'd been permanently banned from smiling, radiating a "do-not-disturb" aura. They both looked a few years younger than Natsuya.
Wait... where did these Leaf Village rejects come from? Is that an Uzumaki and an Uchiha?
"These are the children I have taken in. They are swordsmen-in-training," Urokodaki explained. "Sabito, Giyu. Come here. This is the disciple of an old friend... Kokonoe..."
"Kokonoe Natsuya," Natsuya finished.
He gave the two kids an expressionless scan. He noticed the black-haired boy immediately took a half-step back, looking slightly intimidated.
[Kaji Sabito (Power Level: 27)] — Water Breathing LV.2
[Tomioka Giyu (Power Level: 13)] — Water Breathing LV.1
The fox boy is definitely stronger than the emo one.
In the eyes of young Giyu Tomioka, Natsuya's presence was overwhelming. The older boy stood as rigid as steel, and every muscle in his body seemed to hum with a quiet, explosive violence. His eyes held a look of cold, clinical madness.
Giyu felt a strange resonance coming from him—the same "Vengeance Flame" that he and Sabito carried—the smell of a destiny shattered by demons. But Natsuya also felt terrifyingly cold, as if he didn't care about anything in the world.
Strong, yet contradictory.
Natsuya glanced at Giyu again. Did I scare him?
Giyu: (°△°||) A little bit...
Sabito noticed Giyu's discomfort and stepped forward slightly, blocking Natsuya's gaze.
"Sabito, he has no ill intent," Urokodaki sighed, gesturing toward the hut. "Come in, Natsuya."
Pushing open the wooden door, Urokodaki lit a coal lamp. The room was small and humble—hardly different from a regular farmer's house.
Does the Demon Slayer Corps pay that badly? Natsuya wondered, scanning the interior.
"It is not because the Master or the organization is stingy," Urokodaki said, as if reading Natsuya's mind. "This hut belonged to my own master. I find it hard to leave. Besides, I prefer the peace of solitude."
Once the room was brightened, the old man sat by the hearth. He took out the letter and began reading it again, focusing on every word.
Sabito and Giyu stood nearby, watching Natsuya—the uninvited guest—with curiosity. The embers in the hearth popped softly, and the chill of the mountain air began to fade.
"Young Kokonoe, I am inclined to disagree with your master's request," Urokodaki began, his voice through the Tengu mask as deep and steady as a mountain pool.
"By all rights, a swordsman who has just passed the Selection should be focusing on stabilizing their foundation and mastering their primary style. To think of 'broadening your horizons' or 'creating a custom style' at this stage... to me, it borders on nonsense."
"Progress in a Breathing Style comes from years of singular focus. Mind, body, and technique must be forged as one. Splitting your attention before the foundation is set is the height of arrogance. It is how talent is wasted."
Urokodaki's tone shifted. "However, I know Koichi's temperament."
"Your master has put his reputation on the line for you in this letter. He begs me to teach you the essentials of Water Breathing, claiming you might be an 'exceptional case.' I do not agree with your path, but I do not wish to dismiss his sincerity."
Wait, really? Natsuya thought. What did the old man write in that letter? Did he trade a massive favor to this mask-guy just for me?
"I will give you one month," Urokodaki said, his gaze shifting to Sabito and Giyu. "You will train in Water Breathing alongside these two."
"One month. If, by the end of it, you have not mastered the 'Forms' and the fundamental 'Intent' of Water Breathing, it will prove you are not an exception—simply another arrogant youth. In that case, you will leave."
He looked Natsuya in the eye, his voice brookng no argument. "You will go back and focus on Wind Breathing until you reach its limit. A genius's time is precious. I will not disrespect Koichi's friendship, but I refuse to watch a fine blade blunt itself on the wrong path. Prove to me this month whether you are a true talent or just a fool."
Natsuya wasn't intimidated by the gravity of the speech. Instead, he was busy looking at his System Panel.
After becoming a member at Lake Ashi, the Main Quest had updated from [Chapter 1: Final Selection] to [Chapter 2: Become a Kinoe-Rank Slayer].
And now, a new feature had unlocked.
[Side-Quest System]
[Sub-Quest: First Encounter! A New Breath!]
Objective: Master a new Breathing Style within one month.
Reward: 500 Breathing Style XP (Adaptive) and 500 Proficiency.
The panel had been empty since he unlocked it, and he'd been wondering how to trigger a side-quest. It turned out all it took was a little bit of dialogue.
"Then I'll be in your care for a while, Master Urokodaki," Natsuya said.