After helping Muichiro Tokito back to his room to rest, Raiden swept his gaze across the Swordsmith Village.
Something felt off.
Where was Inosuke?
He should have returned together with everyone else, yet Raiden had not seen him anywhere.
Raiden found Kotetsu and asked him about it.
"The swordsman with the wild boar head?" Kotetsu said while scratching his head. "He walked toward the south side of the back mountain."
"I tried calling him to come back with me, but he didn't seem to hear anything. He just kept walking south without turning around."
"South side?" Raiden asked.
Kotetsu nodded. "Yes."
Raiden's eyes flickered.
Was Inosuke affected by what Doma had said earlier?
Inosuke was reckless, but he was not foolish. Still, Raiden could not ignore the possibility that the boy might do something impulsive.
Feeling uneasy, Raiden headed toward the back mountain.
A short while later, he spotted Inosuke sitting beside a small stream at the foot of the southern hill.
Inosuke's boar mask sat crookedly on his head. He stared blankly at the water while picking up stones and tossing them into the stream one by one.
Seeing that Inosuke had not done anything extreme, Raiden quietly let out a breath.
He walked over and sat beside him.
Inosuke did not react. He continued throwing stones into the flowing water.
Raiden said nothing. He simply watched.
Inosuke had grown up alone in the mountains. The concept of family meant almost nothing to him.
Because of that, Raiden had no idea how Inosuke would process the truth about his mother.
After a while, Inosuke stopped picking up stones. Perhaps he was bored, or perhaps he was simply tired.
His voice came out low and uncertain.
"Raiden… that woman he mentioned… was she really my mother?"
Raiden answered calmly.
"Most likely."
Inosuke lowered his head.
"Then why do I only feel a little sad after hearing that he killed her? I thought it would feel different."
His voice sounded muffled, almost confused.
Raiden reached out and pressed down lightly on Inosuke's boar mask.
"Maybe it's because she wasn't there when you needed her."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"But that doesn't mean she didn't love you. If she stayed behind to face Doma alone so you could escape, then she definitely cared about you."
"It's normal to feel confused. If a relative suddenly appeared in my life out of nowhere, I would probably feel awkward too."
Raiden was not particularly skilled at comforting people. Still, he tried his best to keep Inosuke from sinking too deeply into the matter.
Inosuke looked at him for a moment but said nothing.
He turned his attention back to the stream, staring blankly at the water.
Raiden stayed beside him in silence.
If he had simply killed Doma immediately back then, that demon would never have had the chance to reveal so many troublesome things.
As Raiden sighed quietly, a notification suddenly appeared before him.
[Ding]
[Detected that Inosuke Hashibira's intimacy with the host has reached Close Friend]
[Random reward obtained]
[Reward acquired: Comprehension, Superior]
[Do you choose to fuse Comprehension, Superior now?]
Raiden looked at Inosuke in surprise.
So this was what people meant when they said that deliberately planting flowers might fail, yet willows grow where you never intended.
Before this, Raiden had tried several ways to improve his relationship with Inosuke. None of them worked.
Yet a simple conversation had suddenly raised their intimacy.
Then again, maybe mocking Inosuke earlier had already increased their bond, which made Raiden mistakenly think the boy had some strange personality traits.
Superior Comprehension was exactly the reward Raiden had been waiting for.
Five Superior Comprehensions could combine into Super Comprehension.
Once he obtained that, his level of insight would surpass even that of Muichiro Tokito.
Ironically, the final piece had come from Inosuke.
Thinking about it, Raiden rubbed the boar mask on Inosuke's head a little harder.
Why had he never noticed before that the texture of this mask felt strangely satisfying?
---
That night, the villagers of the Swordsmith Village were relocated to another hidden village that had been prepared in advance.
Even Raiden did not know its location.
As for Inosuke, he had spent most of the afternoon by the stream. His mood gradually improved, and Raiden later brought him back to the temporary base in the Swordsmith Village to rest.
After the aftermath of the battle was handled, Raiden finally had some time alone.
His body was exhausted, but his mind remained sharp.
Now was the moment he had been waiting for.
It was time to review and absorb the rewards from the Swordsmith Village battle.
Moments like this were when his strength increased the fastest.
After witnessing the intensity of the battle in the village, Raiden understood something clearly.
Only strength could give him true confidence.
The new individuals he had encountered during this battle were Gyokko, Hantengu, and Muichiro Tokito.
From them, Raiden had obtained several rewards.
Blood Demon Art, Blood Prison Pot.
Blood Demon Art, Interdimensional Evil Tree.
Mist Breathing Seventh Form, Obscuring Clouds.
And from Inosuke, he had gained Superior Comprehension.
"Let's absorb them one at a time," Raiden murmured.
[Do you choose to fuse Blood Demon Art, Blood Prison Pot (Mastered)?]
"Yes."
The moment Raiden confirmed, a mysterious power surged into his body.
It felt like a raging river rushing through his veins, washing over his blood and soul.
He sensed the movement of water as if he were standing in the middle of a powerful current. The roar of flowing water echoed in his ears while waves crashed endlessly against unseen banks.
This sensation felt different from when he fused Water Breathing.
Compared to Water Breathing, the Blood Prison Pot granted him a far more direct connection with water.
It allowed him to manipulate water itself, without relying on a sword technique as a medium.
Gradually, a faint blue glow spread across Raiden's skin, shimmering like ripples across a clear lake.
His body trembled slightly.
It was not pain.
Rather, it felt like being submerged underwater for too long, creating a strange discomfort.
As Raiden continued sensing the mysteries within the flowing current, the vitality of water, and the overwhelming strength hidden inside it, the fusion slowly reached completion.
He opened his eyes.
Raising one hand, Raiden extended his palm and focused his thoughts.
Water gathered instantly from the air around his fingertips.
Within seconds, it condensed into a floating water pot.
The surface swayed gently, appearing fragile.
Yet Raiden clearly understood its true stability.
If Gyokko had been able to trap Muichiro Tokito with this technique, then Raiden's version would be far more powerful.
After observing the water pot for a moment, Raiden waved his hand and it dissolved into droplets before vanishing.
Blood Prison Pot gave him another offensive ability, though the direct increase to his strength was limited.
However, Raiden could feel something clearly.
He was already close to breaking through to the next level of strength among the Hashira.
The fusion of Blood Prison Pot had pushed him right to the edge.
Once he absorbed Hantengu's Blood Demon Art, Interdimensional Evil Tree, the breakthrough should finally happen.
A new notification appeared.
[Do you choose to fuse Blood Demon Art, Interdimensional Evil Tree (Mastered)?]
"Yes."
===
Powerstones?? (´ε｀ )
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Patreon = _Zeph