Chapter 21: System! Show Me Your Limits!
The hearth fire burned quietly. The gentle, hazy light softened everyone's expression.
Their conversation gradually drifted from the technical aspects of demon slaying to lighter, everyday topics. They talked about the strange sights outside the mountains, rumors within the Demon Slayer Corps, and even some interesting stories from Natsuya's "life outside the game."
Although Sabito and Giyu often only half-understood what he was talking about, they listened with great interest.
They gained a new appreciation for him: Senior is really knowledgeable.
Eventually, the topic somehow shifted to Giyu. specifically, his excessive introversion and poor communication skills.
Natsuya, ever the eager mentor, claimed he wanted to give Giyu a few "Social Skills Classes" personally.
But after hearing Natsuya list a few examples of his proposed lessons (which sounded more like how to start a fight than make friends), Sabito smiled, then politely but firmly shook his head.
Pink-Haired Boy's Inner Monologue: In a way, Senior Natsuya and Giyu share a similar talent for saying shocking things. Please don't lead Giyu further astray.
It was only today that Natsuya learned that Giyu used to be even more closed off. It had gotten to the point where even Urokodaki found him difficult to handle.
If not for Sabito's patience—and that one slap he delivered when he couldn't take it anymore—Giyu might have been completely unreachable by now.
Yes, Sabito had used the "Correction Slap Method."
Because Giyu was too depressed back then, constantly muttering about how he should have died instead. Finally, one day, Sabito slapped him awake.
At the time, the pink-haired boy had stared into Giyu's eyes and said seriously, word by word: "Your life was saved by your sister risking hers."
"You have no right to give up so easily. If you keep this up, I'm cutting ties with you."
Hearing his embarrassing past being aired out, Giyu silently turned his head away. He muttered softly, "Sabito... I hate you."
Natsuya, as the listener, was very interested.
The Correction Slap Method.
I know this one.
One slap: Giyu Tomioka, are you awake?!
Two slaps: What's with that face? What are those tears for?!
It feels right.
Natsuya's gaze involuntarily drifted to Giyu's slightly chubby cheeks. His fingers twitched, as if calculating the optimal angle for a "pedagogical strike."
Realizing the danger, Sabito quickly stepped in between them, stiffly and rapidly changing the subject.
Both Sabito and Giyu had lost everything they cherished to the fangs of fate. They both knew immense pain.
But Sabito had been taken in by Urokodaki early on and found a sanctuary. Giyu, however, had suffered two major traumas in succession before meeting the old man in the Tengu mask.
Giyu's closest relative, his older sister who raised him, was killed the night before her wedding—a moment that should have been the turning point toward happiness. She died protecting him from a demon.
Natsuya had already noticed the red Haori Giyu wore. It was obviously the wrong size.
"That Haori..." Natsuya asked softly. "It was his sister's, right?"
It was at least half a size too small. He'd need to splice in another piece of fabric for it to fit properly as he grew.
Sabito nodded heavily. Giyu didn't answer, only clutching the crimson keepsake tighter to his chest.
Then, Sabito turned his head, looking at Natsuya with eyes full of sorrow and understanding.
"Senior... you are the same as us, aren't you?"
"Training so recklessly like that..."
"The wound in your heart... it's still bleeding, isn't it?"
Losing family. Having a peaceful life torn apart by demons.
They knew that pain and confusion better than anyone.
Seeing the two kids looking at him with expressions overflowing with "It's okay, we understand, we feel your pain," Natsuya slowly typed a question mark in his brain.
[?]
Beside him, Giyu hugged the Haori and curled up by the fire, whispering a single phrase: "Your sister..."
He was immediately stopped by a look from Sabito. That's a scar Senior can never heal from! How can you touch it so casually?
Sabito hurriedly apologized to Natsuya for Giyu's rudeness.
Natsuya: "..."
Crap. Should I play along with the tragic atmosphere?
Sister?
Right, my character backstory has a sister.
Sorry, 'Sister Natsuya' whom I've never met. I'll remember to avenge you.
"It doesn't matter."
Natsuya lowered his eyelids, letting his expression sink into an appropriately gloomy shadow. It looked as if he were caressing a scar that transcended time.
"Giyu isn't wrong."
"But I am not someone who will be crushed by the past."
"As for the demon that killed my sister..."
He raised his eyes. Deep within them, the flames of vengeance (gamer rage) burned quietly.
"I will make it understand the meaning of 'Eye for an Eye'—paid back a thousand times over."
Silence fell over the room. The air, which had been warm a moment ago, suddenly felt thin and heavy.
Just then, footsteps approached from outside the hut. Urokodaki had finally returned from his shopping trip down the mountain.
The wooden door was gently pushed open. The old man in the Tengu mask quietly scanned the three in the room, taking in all the unspoken words and emotions.
"It's late. Get some rest."
"Tomorrow's training will not be easy."
The pink-haired boy and the Uchiha responded in unison. Natsuya nodded too.
This old man Urokodaki... he was definitely listening outside for a while. He chose this exact moment to come in.
Should I call that considerate or cunning?
The next day.
Except for Natsuya, both Sabito and Giyu stood in the training ground with bruised faces.
It was the superficial damage from yesterday's sparring. It had been too dark to see clearly last night, but under the bright morning sun, the bruises were obvious.
Natsuya felt a little embarrassed. Facing two strong-willed young swordsmen, he had indeed lost control and indulged in the thrill of combat a bit too much.
It was PVP. Smurfing in a low-level lobby.
The gameplay experience was 10/10.
But seeing them like this, even he felt bad about asking for another spar immediately.
He silently returned to the hut and brought out the ointments Seiko had sent. Relying on his memories of military first-aid training, he massaged their bruises to disperse the blood clots, applied the ointment, and bandaged them up until both boys were blushing from the attention.
[Medicine LV.0 (10/250)] (NEW)
Oh?!
The guilt in his heart instantly vanished.
"Giyu, Sabito! Extra training tonight! We continue with live combat drills!"
Sabito perked up. "Yes, Senior!"
Giyu, however, felt a flash of ill intent in Natsuya's eyes. He had a bad feeling about this.
Natsuya was already calculating which area of Mt. Sagiri had the most abundant herbs.
Wait. If I want to grind [Medicine] proficiency, I can't just farm XP off these two kids.
If I overdo it, Master Urokodaki and Master Kazami will twist my head off.
But come to think of it... no one said 'Medicine' only applies to humans, right?
His gaze drifted toward the figure of a wild boar flashing through the distant woods.
Medicine... is it truly such an inconvenient thing?
Over the next few days, the Water Breathing Trio noticed that Natsuya's enthusiasm for cooking and running had suddenly cooled. Instead, during breaks in training, he would often disappear into the depths of Mt. Sagiri.
Before dinner, he would occasionally return with strange herbs and pastes.
Giyu noticed that the animals in the mountain seemed to be migrating more frequently than usual. But seeing no other anomalies, he didn't say anything.
And so.
Thanks to the "selfless dedication" of the many creatures of Mt. Sagiri to the cause of medical science, Natsuya successfully unlocked four new Life Skills.
[Anatomy LV.0 (79/250)] (NEW)
[Medicine LV.1 (141/500)] (NEW)
[Poison Crafting LV.1 (23/500)] (NEW)
[Pharmacy LV.0 (130/250)] (NEW)
Achievement Points: 10
Because his "Treatment Success Rate" was tragic, he often had to "Heal" the same animal repeatedly to get it back on its feet. As a result, his Medicine skill actually leveled up faster than Anatomy.
He also discovered that crafting poison from herbs and minerals was much easier than making medicine.
The reason he paused his Cooking and Physical Conditioning grind was simple: he realized that high-level Life Skills hit a steep XP curve. Instead of spending months grinding a single skill to Level 4 or 5, it was much more efficient to unlock multiple new skills and rush them to Level 1 for the easy Achievement Points.
But today, he decided to pause all Life Skill training.
Because...
[Water Breathing (Unlearned) 99/100]
[Practice: Water Breathing Forms / Techniques]
[You have studied the complete Water Breathing style.]
[Insight gained. Learning Progress +3]
[Combat Skill Activated: Water Breathing]
At the same time, the text in another panel changed. The Side Quest was complete.
[Side Quest Complete: First Encounter! A New Breath!]
[Reward: 500 Breathing Style XP (Adaptive Proficiency - Automatically applied to new style)]
Almost the instant Water Breathing hit LV.0, a massive amount of XP flooded in.
In a flash, it pushed his Water Breathing to the next stage.
The sensation of the breakthrough flowed like a clear stream through his limbs, branding itself into Natsuya's body as raw stats.
[Power Level: 59 -> 63]
Body: 28 -> 29
Tech: 17 -> 19
Mind: 14 -> 15
Compared to Wind Breathing, Water Breathing seemed to focus more on boosting the [Tech] stat.
Natsuya looked at his Skill List. The second combat skill icon was now lit. Unlike the emerald vortex of Wind Breathing, the new icon was a deep, crystalline blue, like a pool of still water.
[Water Breathing]
LV.1 Novice
Proficiency: 252/500
Forms Mastered (4/10):
First Form: Water Surface Slash
Third Form: Flowing Dance
Seventh Form...
Because his training time was short, he had only mastered four forms. But that didn't matter. He could grind the rest later or just use points to boost his mastery.
Time to check the Compatibility.
He clicked the [+] sign next to Water Breathing.
Achievement Points instantly turned into a bright preview bar on the progress meter.
[XP +285]
[Note: Current Breathing Style Compatibility: 57%]
[Achievement Point Conversion Loss: 43%]
Huh?
This is even lower than my Wind Breathing!
Trash Water Breathing! Not worth learning!
[Natsuya_Rage_Quit.jpg]