Chapter 66: Sayonara, Everyone
Over the following days, Natsuya began to consciously fine-tune his control.
He reallocated his focus toward [Precision Control] and [Mental Equilibrium], attempting to perform repetitive tasks with total immersion.
He ground coffee beans without proceeding to brew.
He felt the vibration of a fish biting the line without striking.
He stared at a single line of text on a page without turning it.
Just as he predicted, the game's "Fast-Forward Animation" function eventually unlocked for these tasks. He was able to dive head-first into the "Constant-Life Balance" grind.
Progress was slow because the Breathing Style would occasionally drop, breaking his flow. But it was working.
Coffee grounds stopped flying everywhere. The surface of the river remained undisturbed by his presence. He could actually process the words in the dense books he was reading.
When he finally managed to brew a perfectly balanced cup of coffee while in a [Constant] state—and even had the dexterity to pour a somewhat lopsided tulip into the foam—the Storm Hashira smiled and acknowledged his progress.
At the same time, it was time for his three "disciples" to depart.
Kojiro was the first to leave.
Members of the Demon Slayer Corps rarely stayed in one place for long. Orders from a Kasugai Crow directed the Kanoe-rank swordsman further south. Before leaving, he bowed deeply to Natsuya multiple times.
After repeating that he could "never repay Natsuya's kindness in a lifetime," he wiped his reddening eyes, gripped his Nichirin Sword, and walked away.
[Kondo Kojiro (Power Level: 61)] — Water Breathing LV.3
Two days after the Kanoe-rank Slayer left, Dojima was ready to move out as well.
He gave a solemn salute to both Natsuya and the Arashibashira, his words brief and disciplined.
"I thank you both for your guidance. I shall repay this debt in battle."
True to his personality—efficient, stoic, and sincere. Although his raw stat growth wasn't as explosive as Kojiro's or Seiko's, that was simply because his starting floor was much higher. Diminishing returns were a part of the grind. Still, compared to when he first arrived in Yokohama, his progress was undeniable.
[Dojima Kazuma (Power Level: 97)] — Flame Breathing LV.4
Once they were gone, the training grounds felt much quieter. Only Seiko and Natsuya remained.
Between Natsuya's "hellish coaching" and her own determination, her stats and Breathing proficiency had seen a massive jump.
[Yukibashiri Seiko (Power Level: 83)] — Water Breathing LV.3 (?)
A few weeks wouldn't normally cause a physical or spiritual leap, but the "Tech" sub-stat in the [Mind/Body/Tech] triangle had carried her total value upward. Under Natsuya's guidance—which felt more like a series of boss fights—all three had drastically improved their combat mechanics and kinetic efficiency.
Seiko, however, was special. A "question mark" icon had quietly appeared next to her Breathing Style. It had manifested after she broke through a certain plateau, as her swordplay became sharper and more resilient. It was a sign that she was shedding the standard Water Breathing framework and walking her own path.
Finally, the crow brought Seiko's new orders. Her destination: a distant town in the north.
On the morning of her departure, a light snow began to fall. Winter in Yokohama had arrived early this year.
Natsuya met her at the train station. She was in a clean uniform, her travel pack secured. Her hair was perfectly groomed, not a single strand out of place.
As Natsuya debated whether to offer some generic "Safe Travels" dialogue, the girl stepped toward him.
"Natsuya-kun."
She looked up at him with a bright smile, though her eyes held an unnameable shimmer. Puffs of white mist rose from her lips in the cold air. Her cheeks were pink from the frost.
"This past month... truly, thank you so much."
The training had been grueling. She had been beaten black and blue daily. But she was stronger now. Exactly as she had hoped.
But now... she didn't want to leave.
She suddenly took a step forward and gave Natsuya an extremely light, extremely fast hug. It felt like a snowflake landing on his shoulder.
She pulled away instantly.
"That was a comrade's hug!" she declared, stepping back with her hands behind her back and a radiant grin, emphasizing the word "comrade."
"Well then... goodbye! Natsuya... Sensei."
She waved, turned, and disappeared into the surging crowd of the station. The flash of her dark red hair and black uniform flickered in Natsuya's vision for a moment before vanishing into the gray background.
Natsuya watched her go. For some reason, he felt a faint pang of melancholy. He wondered when the three of them would ever be in one place again.
I hope they level up fast and stay alive, he thought.
To cheer himself up, Natsuya decided to look at something happy: his own stats.
Between the bitter training and the rewards from Seiko's side quest, he had hit a new milestone.
[Kokonoe Natsuya (Power Level: 201)]
Body: 89
Tech: 59
Mind: 53
Combat Skills:
[Wind Breathing] LV.3 (1265/2000)
[Water Breathing] LV.3 (899/2000)
[Stone Breathing] LV.3 (936/2000)
[Thunder Breathing] LV.4 (1291/4000)
[Storm Breathing] LV.0 (139/250)
Remaining Achievement Points: 11
Life Skills: Cooking, Suburi, and Medicine have all reached LV.3.
"Hmph. What a touching farewell scene."
While Natsuya was browsing his menu, a sweet but icy voice drifted from a nearby alleyway.
"That girl is already out of sight, yet Mr. Kokonoe is still standing here staring like a lost puppy?"
Natsuya turned around.
A petite figure was standing a few paces away. She looked barely ten or eleven years old, with short, wavy purple hair pinned back by a dark purple butterfly ornament. Most notably, she was wearing a custom-tailored, small-sized Demon Slayer uniform.
"Kanae-nee-san said that Mr. Kokonoe was a man of pure heart, dedicated entirely to his training, and that I should learn from him if I had the chance."
Her voice was sugary-sweet, but every word felt like a needle dipped in frost.
"It seems even my sister can misjudge people. That girl looked quite heartbroken when she turned away just now."
Her wisteria-purple eyes stared unblinkingly at Natsuya. They swirled with undisguised disdain and a hint of childish, petulant annoyance.
She had been sent from the Butterfly Mansion to deliver medicinal supplies to the Storm Hashira and fulfill a minor mission. She had also agreed to carry a letter from her sister to Natsuya. She definitely didn't take the mission just because she was curious about the "prodigy" her sister kept praising.
Well... maybe a little curious.
But the moment she stepped off the train, she witnessed that "heartfelt" hug.
She couldn't have mistaken the description. Three swords... the "Lady-Killer" of the Corps!
Natsuya was genuinely confused. He had just seen Seiko off, and now a "sassy brat" NPC had spawned to insult him?
He scanned her.
[Kocho Shinobu]
[Power Level: 57 (Body: 17, Tech: 22, Mind: 18)]
Water Breathing: LV.0
Flower Breathing: LV.1
Insect Breathing: LV.2
Tsk. A 'mesugaki' (sassy brat) with a very messy multi-class build, Natsuya thought.
"Mr. Kokonoe seems quite... busy," Shinobu said, emphasizing the word busy.
Natsuya looked at her. Her face, her ornament, even her voice... they felt vaguely familiar. And the name...
Natsuya spoke.
"Who the hell are you?"
He couldn't remember, so he figured asking directly was the most efficient route.
The air around them instantly froze.
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