LightReader

Chapter 96 - Chapter 98: Now I Finally Understand Why the Wind Hashira Said That About You

"Breathing techniques originated four hundred years ago. What the very first breathing technique was like, no one can say for sure. But regardless, Wind, Thunder, Water, Flame, and Stone are the five fundamental breathing techniques, closest to the original. All subsequent derived breathing forms were born from these foundations."

Morioka Nen put down the bamboo sword and continued:

"The principle of breathing techniques is to absorb large amounts of oxygen from the air through a specific breathing method, allowing the lungs to rapidly deliver this oxygen throughout the body in a short time. This grants physical abilities and explosive power beyond normal humans, and also improves reaction speed and recovery. Only with this can we fight demons with mere flesh and blood."

Hardy made no comment on Morioka Nen's explanation.

If just absorbing a lot of oxygen in a short time could do all that, wouldn't I be invincible with an oxygen mask?

Wouldn't I just get oxygen poisoning from too high a concentration?

According to Hardy's guess, the Demon Slayer Corps' breathing techniques should be a way of harnessing some kind of energy free-floating in the air, using it to gain power when performing the breathing forms. The heavy oxygen intake is just to help the body better cooperate with this energy.

The Demon Slayer Corps probably detected that the oxygen consumption during breathing techniques was far higher than after normal exercise, and thus came to their conclusion.

And that free-floating energy in the air can't be detected by conventional means.

In this relatively technologically backward era, it's understandable that the Demon Slayer Corps would reach such a conclusion.

"There are nine forms in Wind Breathing. These were summarized by the first Wind Swordsman based on his own breathing method and swordsmanship. Over four hundred years, each move of the five basic breathing techniques has been refined by generations of Wind Hashira."

Morioka Nen took a booklet from the house and handed it to Hardy.

This was the textbook.

"For those with a weak foundation in swordsmanship, the forms can be difficult. But with your flexibility and skill, Hardy-kun, as long as you put in the effort, it shouldn't be hard to master them. The real challenge lies in the breathing technique itself, and in combining it with the sword forms."

After Hardy finished reading the breathing technique tips, Morioka Nen explained them in detail again, then picked up the bamboo sword and demonstrated in front of Hardy.

"Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!"

Morioka Nen deliberately slowed down some of his movements. With his uninjured leg, he stomped on the ground, swung the bamboo sword, and in an instant, his figure flashed from one end of the courtyard to the other, leaving a long spiral wind blade behind him.

Hardy watched intently, sharing the memory with his main body.

Skills related to wind should be easy for his main body and the Hardy in the DC world to pick up quickly.

Since the Hardy in the Naruto world couldn't leave at the moment, he synchronized this memory with the DC world's Hardy as well.

Morioka Nen moved on to the next forms.

"Wind Breathing, Second Form: Claw-Purifying Wind!"

"Wind Breathing, Third Form: Clean Storm Tree!"

After demonstrating two more forms, Morioka Nen paused, catching his breath before continuing with the fourth form.

"Wind Breathing, Fourth Form: Rising Dust Storm!"

A tornado made of countless wind blades shot up into the sky. Morioka Nen stopped, sat down heavily on a nearby chair, and patted his leg.

"Hardy-kun, I'm truly sorry. My legs aren't what they used to be. To avoid aggravating old injuries, I can only demonstrate the first four forms for now."

Morioka Nen apologized sincerely.

"No problem. Thank you, Senior Morioka. May I try practicing them myself?"

Morioka Nen nodded slightly.

So Hardy picked up a new bamboo sword and began to practice, following Morioka Nen's earlier movements and explanations of the breathing method.

"Wind…"

Breath of the Wind, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Slash!

Hardy also stepped forward, thrusting ahead, but behind him, only a few wisps of breeze, not yet condensed into wind blades, swirled and lifted a bit of dust from the ground.

His technique was off; the wind blades forming along the bamboo sword were not solid enough.

Undeterred, Hardy continued to practice the subsequent sword forms.

As expected, none of them were successfully executed.

The second and third forms at least produced some effect, similar to the first, but the more difficult fourth form was even more off the mark.

The old monk sat on a chair beneath the tree, sipping tea and watching Hardy.

In fact, achieving this level of effect on the first attempt was already quite good. Just as he was about to stand up and point out Hardy's mistakes, Hardy suddenly closed his eyes and froze in place.

At the same time—

In the DC world, another incarnation of Hardy stood in a temporarily cleared open space in the laboratory, holding a steel pipe and practicing the techniques of Breath of the Wind.

On the first try, he managed to perform all four forms with little difference. On the second try, he increased his speed and automatically corrected some of the flaws from the first attempt.

Now, as long as he understood the principles and had seen a demonstration, he could master any wind-related skill in a single go.

After receiving the memories, the main body immediately packaged and sent them out.

Hardy in the Demon Slayer world opened his eyes and let out a long breath. After adjusting his breathing, he gripped the bamboo sword once more.

Morioka Nen, watching Hardy's stance, keenly sensed the difference from before.

"Breath of the Wind, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Slash!"

A spiral of emerald wind blades trailed behind Hardy, and in an instant, claw-shaped wind blades shot forward.

"Breath of the Wind, Second Form: Claw, Claw, Cat Wind!"

"Breath of the Wind, Third Form: Clear Sky Wind Tree!"

Crescent-shaped wind blades spread out around Hardy, and in the next moment, a tornado formed by swirling wind blades twisted up into the sky.

The old monk Morioka Nen was dumbfounded.

He had taught at least dozens, if not a hundred, swordsmen to use Breath of the Wind, but this was the first time he had seen such a genius.

Yet Hardy himself was not particularly satisfied.

This incarnation lacked the superpowers of the DC world version. Although he had fully absorbed the relevant memories, he did not possess the same innate affinity with wind, so his execution was still a notch below the DC version.

However, Hardy was not about to synchronize the talents of his DC incarnation with the one in the Demon Slayer world.

That would be far too extravagant.

While Hardy was dissatisfied with himself, the old monk could not have been more pleased.

"Now I finally understand why the Wind Hashira believes you have the potential to become a Hashira!"

More Chapters