"Whew… that was fun."
After the intense training at the dojo, I was now sinking into a bathtub filled with foam, staring at the ceiling as steam filled the air.My father seemed genuinely proud that I had used a real magical attack—even if it had been somewhat improvised.
The breathing techniques in this world… they go far beyond anything I had imagined.Even on their own, with nothing but proper oxygen control, they can already achieve absurd feats: reaching the speed of sound, boosting endurance to near-infinite levels…
But when combined with mana circulation, their power rises to an entirely different tier.Even so, I still can't use their full potential. In fact, I only managed to reproduce the First Form of Water Breathing—which, at least in theory, is the simplest one.
"Hmmm… let's take a closer look. Status."
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[★★★★★★ Progenitor of Breathing Techniques] – Minor Realm of Mastery
Techniques based on focused breathing, capable of elevating human attributes to absurd levels for short periods of time.As the Progenitor of Breathing Techniques, you possess the potential to master all 14 known styles—and perhaps even create your own.The stars indicate the difficulty of mastery for each breathing style, ranging from one to five.
★★★★★ Sun Breathing: The original breathing style, considered the strongest, with 13 known forms. It is the foundation of all others.
★★★★ Moon Breathing: The breathing style with the highest number of forms, totaling 16.
★ Water Breathing: A fundamental breathing style with 11 known forms.
★★★ Beast Breathing: An aggressive, animalistic combat style with 11 forms.
★ Flame Breathing: One of the most basic styles, with 9 forms.
★★ Thunder Breathing: Known for fast, lightning-like attacks, with 7 forms.
★★ Wind Breathing: A combat style that mimics the wind, with 9 forms.
★★★★ Sound Breathing: A vibration-based style with 5 forms.
★★ Mist Breathing: A style that imitates mist, with 7 forms.
★★★ Stone Breathing: A style focused on powerful, solid strikes, similar to stone, with 5 forms.
★ Flower Breathing: An elegant and graceful style, with 7 forms.
★★ Love Breathing: A style with fluid and flexible movements, with 6 forms.
★★★ Serpent Breathing: A style with sinuous, snake-like movements, with 5 forms.
★ Insect Breathing: A breathing style with fast, precise attacks inspired by insects, with 4 forms.
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From what I can tell, the breathing styles aren't ranked by strength, but by complexity.Water, Flower, and Insect confirm that theory… though I didn't expect to see Flame here.Then again, thinking about it, it probably was considered basic at some point.
Anyway—those four are the ones I should master first.Water and Flame, without question.Flower and Insect… more situational, but still useful.
"Ah… this is going to be a pain."
There was something I had long suspected about myself—but now, in Yuto's body, I was certain of it.
I'm a natural-born slacker.
Even with all this exciting stuff going on, just thinking about going to school and dealing with arrogant protagonists already makes me sleepy.Watching the story unfold from behind a computer screen had been far more comfortable…
But there's no avoiding it.Besides wanting to prevent certain events, I now have something to protect.And I'm not losing it again.
Only a few days remain until classes begin—and the gears of the story start turning.Right now, Ren Dover is probably getting lost in the forests of Mount Clayton, near Ashton, searching for the Seed of Limit and the Keiki style.
Come to think of it… who's the real protagonist here?From Ren's point of view, it would be Kevin Voss.But from my perspective… it doesn't really matter.
What matters is not interfering.Everything Ren acquires early on is crucial—especially the skill "Monarch's Indifference."
As for me… there's no worthwhile cheat item available right now.I should focus on breathing techniques and—
"…Wait a second. I'm in Ashton, right?The human capital of a highly advanced technological world… maybe I can take a quick look around."
Knock, knock.
— Dear, dinner's ready! Come before it gets cold!My mother's voice echoed from the other side of the door.
"Well… priorities first."
———
Ashton truly was an incredible city.It resembled classic futuristic metropolises like Night City—only without the pollution and excessive neon.Aerial rails cut through the sky between skyscrapers, and cars floated through the air via magnetism.
Despite the advanced technology, the environment was pleasant, with parks and plazas scattered between avenues.
At the moment, I was waiting at the aerial train station.I'd decided to head to the city center to buy a few things.Before leaving, I'd asked my parents for 1000 U—which was actually quite a lot.
"Tch."
I was lost in thought when the sound of the train stopping in front of me pulled me back to reality.
Being a student at Lock, the largest hero institution in the human domain, came with its perks—free transportation being one of them.
— Hello there, little guy! Where are you headed?The station attendant spoke in a high-pitched voice, as if talking to a child.Honestly, I was far too tired to correct the misunderstanding.
— Central Station, please.
— Got it! Have a nice trip!
Without another word, I handed over my card and boarded the train.
Ashton's aerial trains were silent and incredibly fast, gliding through the air as if they had no weight at all.Thanks to their aerodynamic design, they reached speeds of up to 600 km/h, saving energy and crossing the city in minutes.
Maybe it was special treatment, but the area where I sat had a private table—and even a small snack counter.I stretched my back and leaned into the seat, watching the scenery pass by outside the window.
It was still early—probably around eight in the morning.I had the whole day ahead of me, and a lot to take care of.
Ding.
The arrival alert sounded just a few minutes later.Too fast… but understandable, given the speed.
I only regretted one thing:coming during rush hour.
"…That's a lot of people."