(Extra chapter)
Kiyokawa Izumi's figure flew backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming hard into a nearby tree.
The wound on his chest was violently jolted, the pain causing him to lose control over his facial expressions.
He was supposed to be on a routine mission, yet he had somehow encountered such a troublesome Demon.
If he didn't leave this country, would he have to live forever in the shadow of Demons?
Even on a random mission, there was a chance of encountering an overwhelmingly powerful being.
His will wasn't firm enough, his determination not resolute; anyone could probably see that.
'As I thought, at my core, I'm still just an indecisive, ordinary person.'
'If I had left earlier, I wouldn't have encountered Kamanue here.'
'But... I'm just a bit unwilling to give up!'
Sun Breathing doesn't belong to me, and Water Breathing doesn't belong to me either.
There is no blazing fire burning in my heart; Flame Breathing likely has no compatibility with me either.
It's not that I haven't observed Insect Breathing or Flower Breathing.
These are all Breathing Techniques belonging to others.
I had originally thought about visiting the Former Sound Hashira when I had time in the future.
But is there really any hope for Thunder Breathing?
With such a high barrier to entry, is it truly suitable for me?
As Kiyokawa Izumi slowly stood up, he felt a sense of discordance whenever he used Water Breathing; the boost it gave him wasn't that significant.
Being pushed into a corner like this felt as if he had returned to the Final Selection.
Back then, if he couldn't learn a Breathing Technique, he would die.
It was the same now.
If he couldn't achieve a qualitative change in his strength, he would also die!
"Still struggling? You will die here, and after killing you, I will soon become one of the Twelve Kizuki."
"I will eat more and more people, receive more blood from that lord, and become even stronger."
Kamanue looked at Kiyokawa Izumi with a mixture of pity and greed.
Pitying his overestimation of his own strength—struggling even when the outcome was already decided.
As a Demon, it harbored great ambition.
Being a Lower Moon was clearly not its end goal.
It wanted to eat more people and become stronger!
"Is that so? Then let's find out!"
Kiyokawa Izumi charged forward with his blade once more, countless fragments flashing through his mind.
Fragments of the rhythm of Sun Breathing, or perhaps other breathings.
There seemed to be some kind of pattern between them.
Kiyokawa Izumi rashly began to change the rhythm of his Water Breathing.
'I don't like the frequency being too fast. Slower! Perhaps I can slow it down a bit!'
'I need to inhale more air in a smooth and long manner, trying as much as possible not to draw attention.'
'Exhaling is gathering strength; inhaling is the explosion.'
'I've been imitating the Former Water Hashira all along, but there's definitely a major problem.
I only imitated his swordsmanship, the experience accumulated over decades, and the little tricks I hadn't mastered; I never truly imitated his breathing.'
'The breathing rhythm wasn't integrated into the swordsmanship because my mastery of Water Breathing is far inferior to his.'
As he thought, Kiyokawa Izumi felt his combat becoming increasingly fluid, and even the sensation of pain weakened significantly—perhaps due to the adrenaline surge.
Fighting while casting everything aside and leaving himself no way out—perhaps this was the only way to truly achieve a state of singular focus.
Blazing flames erupted from Kamanue's throat, a rolling heatwave surging toward him.
I can see it!
He could see the slight changes in its body when it was about to use its Blood Demon Art.
There were no obvious signs of strength gathering in its limbs; it likely wasn't a feint.
Kiyokawa Izumi, who wouldn't fall into the same trap twice, had already memorized everything, not letting even the smallest detail slip by.
'Retreat!'
'Hold my breath! I can't inhale this scalding air into my lungs!'
'My current state won't allow me to continue a prolonged battle; I need an opening!'
His blood-red Sharingan focused on Kamanue, the black tomoe spinning rapidly as they dismantled and analyzed its movements bit by bit.
Kiyokawa Izumi unbuttoned the Corps uniform restricting him, letting it drape over his shoulders. Lowering his body, his legs suddenly exerted force.
At this moment, all other thoughts had long since vanished from his mind.
Only the attack remained!
Because his path forward was too straight, Kamanue's ice-blue eyes stared intently, its sharp claws swinging out instinctively.
Its throat was visibly bulging, clearly gathering power to deliver a fatal blow to Kiyokawa Izumi.
The moon hanging in the sky was covered by clouds, and the last bit of light vanished.
The sharp claws easily tore through the Corps uniform, but Kamanue's pupils suddenly constricted. At that moment, Kiyokawa Izumi's presence seemed to vanish; beneath the fluttering uniform, there was no sign of him.
At some point, the nichirin blade, which had changed color, swept upward from below. The light yet fierce diagonal slash emitted no presence at all; even the blade itself seemed hidden from view.
The fleeting tip of the blade grazed Kamanue's neck.
"Your..."
Before it could finish its sentence, its ugly, hideous head had already hit the ground.
Its eyes stared fixedly at Kiyokawa Izumi behind it, asking in anger and confusion.
"Why did you suddenly become so fast?"
As its massive body rapidly dissipated like ash, it still had far too many questions left unasked.
Why did your breathing become completely silent?
Why did your nichirin blade seem to turn invisible at that moment?
____________
I told you he wouldn't take water breathing as his primary breathing method, and here we are.
250 Energy Stones - New extra Chapter