Chapter 103: Thunder-User LV.5
A few days after slaying the shadow-using demon, Hairo.
Under the guidance of Lord Shinjuro, Natsuya's Thunder Breathing finally
achieved a breakthrough.
It reached LV.5.
The moment the rank-up completed, all the lingering obscurities and mechanical
"lag" in his breathing rhythm vanished like mist before a rising sun. He felt
like a student who had walked into an exam with a cheat sheet, only to realize
he already had the entire textbook memorized.
The formula of the lungs is now clear!
Along with this realization, the distilled essence of his long months of
training was funneled into his body by the System. His cells were jubilant. His
muscles were dancing. Even his brain felt like it was humming with
high-frequency electricity.
"Is this it? The feeling of 'Fullness' when every drop of sweat is converted
into a tangible stat-boost?"
Natsuya's tone was flat, but the corners of his mouth were twitching upward
uncontrollably. The grin was so wide it almost rivaled the width of Obanai's
facial scars.
"As expected. My 'Supreme Intelligence' was right—the ROI (Return on Investment)
for hitting Level 5 is exponentially higher than any previous stage."
Previous level-ups? Psh. Those were just petty chump change. +5 here, +10 there.
Even the jump from LV.3 to LV.4 only granted about twenty points.
But now...
[Thunder Breathing] LV.4 \rightarrow LV.5 (1/8000) [Active Skill Unlocked:
Constant] [Detection: Skill contains unique attributes \rightarrow Upgraded to
"Constant: Overdrive"]
[Power Level Increase: 46 (Body +16, Tech +24, Mind +6)]
Not only did he gain a high-tier passive with a lower stamina-drain than the
standard version, but his total attributes had hit a staggering [288].
Natsuya felt a surge of pure, unadulterated "Gamer Confidence."
"At my current level, I could probably solo 'Old Fossil' Kazami with one hand
behind my back and still have time to brew coffee..."
His soft muttering drew confused stares from the three juniors training nearby.
Senior is having another one of his 'episodes', they thought in unison.
Noticing their looks, Natsuya stood up. He felt the itch for a test drive. He
wanted to "warm up" using them, but as his eyes scanned their HUDs—where their
total stats weren't even equal to his "spare change"—he let out a disappointed
click of the tongue.
- [Kyojuro Rengoku (Power: 54)] — Flame Breathing LV.2 (?)
- [Shinobu Kocho (Power: 50)] — Insect Breathing LV.2 (?), etc.
- [Obanai Iguro (Power: 47)] — Water Breathing LV.2 (?)
Flavorless. Too bland.
Then, he shifted his gaze to the porch, where Shinjuro was talking softly to his
wife. Since Natsuya's Medicine hit LV.4, the System's "Healing Success Rate" had
spiked. The [Symptom Relief] was now permanent, and he was even triggering
occasional [Recovery] procs.
Because of this, Shinjuro had been working himself to the bone during their
training. He had even started scouting out local real estate for Natsuya—luxury
villas that Natsuya wouldn't even have to pay for.
The Flame Hashira sensed Natsuya's aggressive "Target Lock" and looked up.
"Kokonoe?"
Natsuya picked up his wooden sword, the tip pointing directly at the Big Owl.
"Oi~ Shinjuro-ojisan. You look bored. Why don't you come down here and trade a
few frames with me?"
Shinjuro: "?" What kind of madness is the brat on today?
"I'm currently vibrating with the 'Will to Fight'!" Natsuya declared.
My base stats are lower than his, sure. But my Total Concentration multiplier is
cracked, and I just unlocked the Overdrive passive. This is the classic
'High-Skill Underdog' build.
Even against a 'Legacy Boss' like Shinjuro, I might actually be able to
humiliate him!
The raw battle-lust was palpable. Shinjuro felt it immediately.
"Ruka, wait here. I'm going to go stretch my legs with Natsuya for a bit."
The Flame Hashira stood up and stepped into the yard. Kyojuro, Obanai, and
Shinobu immediately cleared the area, eager to witness the "Raid Boss" clash.
Kyojuro, infected by Natsuya's energy, shouted, "GO FOR IT, ANIKI!"
Shinobu just sighed, used to Natsuya's sudden whims. Obanai remained silent,
wearing the custom mask Natsuya had made for him, his eyes fixed on the two
monsters in the center of the yard.
Shinjuro is my savior. Natsuya is the Senior I actually respect. Who's the
top-tier unit here?
"You seem confident, Kokonoe," Shinjuro said, looming over him. A heat haze
began to distort the air around his muscular frame. Flame Breathing hummed under
his skin. "Do I still need to hold back?"
Natsuya assumed a high-aggression, top-tier offensive stance.
He let out a sharp laugh. "Don't look down on me, Ojisan!"
Gold-and-blue electric arcs began to crackle across Natsuya's uniform. For a
moment, the atmospheric pressure around the boy rivaled that of the Hashira.
Shinjuro: 💢 (Ojisan? Do I really look that old to him?!)
"I guess it's time to teach you some manners, brat."
Two wooden swords rose simultaneously.
"OH! IT'S STARTING!" Kyojuro yelled, his eyes wide.
CLACK!
The swords collided. The impact detonated in the courtyard, the displacement of
air creating a localized shockwave that flattened the grass!
This kid... how did he get this strong overnight?! Shinjuro's eyes widened in
shock.
Natsuya leaned into the clash, putting his entire weight into the bind, actually
forcing the Flame Hashira back several paces.
"SHINJURO! CAN YOU FEEL THE SCALE OF MY DPS?!"
YES! Suppressing a high-level master feels so much better than smurfing on these
kids!
Natsuya's grin turned manic.
Ten minutes later.
Shinjuro stood with beads of sweat on his forehead, his breathing still
perfectly rhythmic.
Natsuya, meanwhile, was sitting flat on his ass in the dirt, using his wooden
sword as a kickstand. His expression was one of extreme, professional gravity.
"As expected of a Rengoku. Today's spar was more enlightening than a decade of
books. I have gained much from this exchange."
(This was ignoring the fresh bruises purple-ing his face.)
"Forgive my earlier... impulsiveness."
Okay, so the 'Legacy Hashira' build is still broken, Natsuya thought. He's not
just a stat-stick; his 'Martial Logic' is peak. This isn't someone like Kazami
or the retired Kinoe units. This is a real Wall.
My grind is far from over.
While Natsuya was "humbled," Shinjuro's heart was racing.
This child... he's completely different from when he arrived. He only just
mastered Flame Breathing, yet that jump in power... it was a qualitative
metamorphosis. Is there a 'Hidden Mechanic' in our family's style that we
missed? Or is his talent just that terrifying?
Shinjuro calculated the encounter. Natsuya's base stats were "High-Kinoe" at
best, but the moment he triggered his Breathing Style... even Shinjuro had to
get serious.
In a real fight, he's already in the Hashira bracket. He's somewhere between
Fudo Hino and Igarashi Uzen. No... he might actually be more lethal than Uzen in
a direct trade.
"In any case, Lord Rengoku," Natsuya said, standing up and expertly applying an
ointment to his own face. His tone returned to its usual casualness.
"Now that my 'hidden technique' is complete, it's time for me to log out. I
mean—depart."
"Lady Ruka's condition is stable. Just follow the daily patch notes I left for
her. Once my medical skill hits the next tier, I'll be back to set up a new
treatment protocol."
He planned to leave tomorrow. Aside from reporting back to Master Kazami, he had
a "Map-Clearing" quest to do.
I have the Master's Jade Crest now. It'd be a waste of a VIP pass if I didn't go
'Spring Cleaning' in the Final Selection dungeons.
"Thank you for the hospitality, and give my regards to Lady Ruka."
Shinjuro's expression softened. The kid is a weirdo, but at least he's polite
most of the time.
He opened his mouth to offer a few parting words of advice, but a sudden shriek
from the side interrupted him.
"BIG DUMMY! YOU'RE LEAVING?!" Shinobu yelled, her face full of shock.
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you