It had been a few days since the whole shop incident and the great comic-buying spree.
Since then, the kids had started trading and reading their comics all over the village. It was the first time in a while the place actually felt… alive. The laughter of children echoed between training grounds and courtyards, and even the adults found themselves smiling more often.
Of course, this also came with some unexpected side effects.
A few overly imaginative kids began using their Taima Particles to copy what they saw in the comics. There were now reports of "Spider-Ninjas" hanging from trees, "Iron Shinobi" trying to launch themselves into the sky with explosive tags, and one kid who swore he had "awakened his Bankai."
It didn't go too badly… but it didn't go that well either.
Meanwhile, Leo sat in his room, breathing slowly into a glass jar like a man performing a science experiment that could either make history or explode in his face.
Why?
Because he was trying to recreate Total Concentration Breathing.
His goal was simple — if he could merge breathing techniques with Taima energy, he could theoretically craft a new type of combat style: Breath-based Taima Arts.
But there was one problem.
This world's logic was different. Demon Slayer's "Breathing Styles" were more about controlled oxygen and spiritual focus — visual metaphors that looked like flames or water. Here, elemental arts were literal, not symbolic. Fire burned, lightning shocked, and wind could cut mountains.
Leo frowned, feeling his lungs expand painfully.
He exhaled into the jar again and muttered, "Okay… if Taima energy enhances physical and spiritual performance, then theoretically—"
CRACK!
The jar shattered.
Leo froze, staring at the shards on the floor. "…Okay. Maybe too much theoretical."
Leo closed his eyes, focusing his breathing again. The air around him shimmered faintly with Taima energy… and the faint echo of a voice buzzed in his head.
'Hey, you still there?' Leo asked mentally.
James' gruff voice answered, laced with equal parts irritation and exhaustion.
'Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Still trying to figure out why I'm the one explaining this. You know how weird it feels having the Demon Slayer Wiki open inside your head?'
Leo smirked mentally. 'Because one, I barely remember everything from the manga — it's been seven years since I reincarnated — and two, the other guy is Alex.'
James made a sound halfway between a groan and a growl. 'You mean the guy who once thought "bio-nuking" an entire city was a good stress reliever? Yeah, no thanks. I'll handle the kid's breathing lessons.'
Leo mentally shrugged. 'Hey, don't complain. You're technically my second teacher.'
'Tch. If this didn't also make me stronger, I wouldn't be doing this,' James muttered, sounding like a man who'd been tricked into tutoring someone for extra credit.
Leo smiled faintly, tightening his grip as he inhaled again.
'Fine by me, old man. Let's see if Total Concentration Breathing can handle Taima Energy… or if I'm about to explode.'
James sighed. 'Kid, if you explode, I'm muting your soul for eternity.'
Leo's right arm shimmered, the familiar ripple of red-and-black tendrils twisting and snapping into the shape of a sleek, curved blade. The surface pulsed faintly, almost alive — because, technically, it was.
He took a slow, deliberate breath — in through the nose, out through the mouth — letting the rhythm pulse through him like waves.
"First Form: Water Surface Slash…" he muttered under his breath.
Water began to form around him, a faint, shimmering veil of liquid energy that glowed faintly with Taima particles. The air around him rippled — the fusion of Blacklight and Taima clashing like oil and flame.
'Alright, kid,' James' voice grunted in his head, oddly calm for once. 'Remember, the first form's all about fluid motion — no wasted effort. Think of the water as an extension of your breath. Flow with it.'
Leo exhaled sharply, his body blurring as he swung the blade — the air slicing cleanly, and for a second, the shape of a flowing wave followed the arc.
The ground in front of him split slightly — just a shallow cut, but enough to make him grin.
'Ha! Did you see that? It actually—'
He didn't get to finish. The unstable Taima particles suddenly flared, and the "water" exploded into a geyser that sent him flying ten meters backward into a tree.
THUD!
Leo groaned, still upside down. "Ow… okay. Too much breathing, not enough control."
James' dry voice followed. 'You just tried to mix ninja physics with anime physics, kid. You're lucky you still have eyebrows.'
Leo coughed, flipping back onto his feet. "Progress is progress."
'Sure,' James replied. 'If by progress you mean creating the world's first biological sprinkler system.'
Leo glared at nothing in particular. "Says the guy who absorbed Wikipedia."
'Correction,' James said smugly. 'Wikipedia, Reddit, and a government database. I was curious.'
Leo blinked. "…You bioabsorbed the internet."
'You'd be amazed what you can learn from memes and classified files,' James replied, completely deadpan.
Leo sighed, shaking his head as he summoned the water again. "This is my life now… learning breathing forms from a sentient virus ghost with internet access."
'Welcome to the future, kid,' James said. 'Now try not to drown yourself this time.'
Then came a cold and calculating Voice, they both knew well.
Alex spoke in their head using the Hive link. 'Interesting, this does prove your Theory of breathing technique being actual Summoning of Elements in this world and not just visual effects, because look at the ground it's a bit wet'.
Leo blinked, glancing down at the damp earth. Sure enough, the dirt was wet — faint steam curling off it where Taima particles had overcharged the moisture.
'…Oh, great,' Leo muttered mentally. 'Now the other voice joins the party.'
Alex's tone was precise and almost metallic. 'I'm not "the other voice." I'm the one paying attention.'
James sighed. 'And here we go.'
Alex continued, unfazed. 'The interaction between your Taima energy and the Blacklight structure produced condensation. Essentially, you're generating an environmental reaction — proof that this world's elemental "arts" manipulate physical matter, not energy illusions.'
Leo blinked. "...So, basically, I made real water?"
'A crude form of it,' Alex said flatly. 'You weaponized humidity.'
James snorted. 'Congratulations, kid. You're a biological humidifier.'
"Can we not turn my power-ups into appliance jokes?" Leo groaned.
'He's not wrong,' Alex said, ignoring him completely. 'If we refine this, we can merge Taima particle output with viral biomass replication — create a sustainable hybrid construct. Potentially self-repairing. Potentially weaponizable.'
Leo froze mid-breath. "You mean like… water armor?"
'More like living water,' Alex corrected. 'Something that could slice, shield, or absorb demonic energy on contact.'
James groaned. 'You're gonna turn the kid into a walking aquarium, aren't you?'
Alex: 'If it works, why not?'
Leo facepalmed. "I swear, one of you wants me to be a superhero, the other wants me to be a science experiment."
James chuckled. 'Welcome to the Hive family, kid. Dysfunction comes standard.'
Leo sighed, summoning the water again as faint ripples of blue Taima light mixed with the red-black virus veins crawling up his arm. "Fine… let's see if I can make humidity terrifying."
Alex spoke in Leo's head. 'So, since we know you're what you call a Reincarnator or Transmigrator, can you tell more about this world'.
Leo sighed. He started to explain more about the Lilith Multiverse as he continued trying to master the first form of Water Breathing. 'Well, this world, or well the Taimanin world, is part of a Multiverse, called the Lilith Multiverse, made by Lilith Games in my past life. The best way to describe it is that if Fate didn't stop doing Ero Content, I never liked the game because of its will, R word Ending. '
'What?'. James said in puzzlement
Leo continues. 'Anyway, it's complicated to say the least, Taimanin reality instead of one universe, it's a Multiverse with a higher dimensional hierarchy, and Multiple timelines, there is not an infinite Reality, but numerous to be uncountable, there are Multiple timelines, with Canon Timeline, RPGX Timeline, Zero, Asagi Battle Arena, Action and Gogo Timeline, with these, they are also Spin Offs, like Prison Battle Ship, Witch Of Steel Anneros and Witch and Tentacles, etc made by the same company'
'They are dimensions like Human World, Demon World, Other World.
Minor Dimensions like Cyberspace and the Dream Realm.
They are all connected to the other sea, think of them floating on top of water on oil'.
Alex processed all of that in a flat, unnervingly calm voice.
'So, to summarize: you are from a world where this universe was originally… entertainment media. Created by an entity called "Lilith Games." Which produced erotic content featuring catastrophic societal breakdowns, war, demons, and… tentacles.'
James chimed in, confused and offended. 'Hold on—what the hell kind of media did you people consume?'
Leo groaned. 'I didn't play those! I only knew the lore because the wiki went insane and people summarized it. The actual games were… yeah. Yeah.'
James: 'Kid, I fought in real wars. REAL wars. And whatever you're talking about sounds worse.'
Alex ignored them both.
'Clarify the dimensional hierarchy.'
Leo inhaled deeply, still trying to hold his Water Breathing form steady. "Fine, fine…"
'Okay. Taimanin world is not one universe. It's part of the "Lilith Verse," which is basically a stack of realities.
Canon Timeline
RPGX Timeline
Action Timeline
Zero Timeline
GOGO Timeline
And a bunch of spin-offs like Prison Battleship, Witch of Steel Anneros, Tentacle—'
Alex: 'Tentacle what?'
Leo mentally slapped the panic button.
'STOP. Don't question it. Don't ever look into it. Those worlds are… no.'
James: 'I'm with the kid. Abort mission. Sounds like psychological damage wrapped in bad decisions.'
Leo continued.
'Anyway, all these timelines coexist as parallel universes — not infinite, but too many to count. And they all branch from something called the "Mother Sea," which is like dimensional ocean water.
Picture universes floating on an ocean of higher reality. Like oil on water.'
Alex was silent for a moment.
Then:
'…So this multiverse was built by a hentai company.'
Leo screamed internally:
'BRO DON'T CALL IT THAT OUT LOUD!'
James lost it.
'HAHAHAHA—SO YOU'RE TELLING ME OUR REALITY IS BASED ON SOMEONE'S—'
Leo: 'STOP. STOP. STOP.'
Alex continued, completely serious.
'This raises concerning metaphysical possibilities. If this reality follows the structural logic of a fictional multiverse created by flawed beings, then the probability of narrative determinism is non-zero.'
Leo blinked. "Did you just say we might be stuck in a story?"
James: 'That's terrifying.'
Alex:
'If we are characters in a pre-defined structure, our only logical course of action is to break it.'
Leo: "…Are you planning multiversal rebellion—"
Alex:
'I am planning survival.'
James: 'And I'm planning to NOT have my brain melt today, thanks.'
Leo hummed.
"Well… Let's start small. First form. Water Surface Slash."
Leo made his arm back into a Blade, he swung his hand as he took a breath, the Taima Particles acting as he swung it. "Water Breathing First Form, Surface Slash".
He slashed the Tree as he saw water in his blade, and it cut the tree.
Leo watched the clean diagonal slice travel through the trunk like a delayed reaction.
A moment later—
CRAAACK—THUD!
The upper half of the tree slid off and slammed into the ground.
A pale ribbon of real water spiraled off the edge of his Blacklight blade and splashed gently onto the grass.
Leo's eyes widened.
"…I actually did it."
The water shimmered faintly, reacting to the Taima particles he channeled through his controlled breathing. It wasn't just a flashy illusion like in Demon Slayer.
It was elemental manipulation—real and physical.
Leo grinned like a madman. "So, I guess anime techniques can be recreated in this world."
James' voice echoed in his head.
'Holy—kid… that tree wasn't even rotten. That's a clean molecular-level cut.'
Leo: 'That means it works. Total Concentration Breathing actually interacts with Taima.'
Alex spoke next, cold and analytical.
'Incorrect. This is not simply a recreation. It is an evolution. Taima Particles respond to internal biological states. Breathing techniques alter blood flow, oxygen saturation, and neural signals.
You are not copying a fictional technique… you are weaponizing your physiology.'
Leo blinked. "So I'm turning my lungs into a magical buff machine?"
James: 'Basically. You're juicing yourself with air.'
Leo sheathed his arm-blade, still staring at the gentle steam rising where the water hit the cut tree fibers.
"Okay… that's insane. And dangerous. But mostly insane."
Alex added,
'If Water Breathing works, Thunder Breathing may produce electrical discharge. Flame Breathing could ignite oxygen. Stone Breathing might amplify muscle fibers beyond safe limits.
You may be capable of reproducing all of them… but your body is already enhanced by Blacklight. Results may be unpredictable.'
Leo smirked.
"Unpredictable?
Bro, that's future-me's problem."
James groaned.
'That IS future-you. We are future-you. Stop making us deal with this.'
Leo ignored him and prepared another stance.
That's when—
SNAP!
A twig broke behind him.
Leo turned—
—and saw Asagi, Tokiko, and Sakura staring at the destroyed tree… mouths wide open.
Tokiko pointed. "Did… did you just WATER-CUT a TREE?"
Asagi narrowed her eyes. "What technique was that? I've never seen anything like it!"
Sakura leaned closer, whispering, "Leo… are you secretly some kind of elemental ninja prodigy?"
Leo gulped.
"Uh… funny story…"
James muttered in his head.
'Kid. Buddy. Pal. Please lie.'
Alex:
'Correction: tell a strategically minimal truth.'
Leo smiled nervously.
"Wanna hear something really cool?"
Leo kept the most neutral, totally-not-panicking smile on his face.
"I was, uh… experimenting with my elemental affinity," he said, waving his hand in a vague circle, like that would magically justify why a whole tree was lying on the ground in two perfect halves. "So I just… breathed in, swung my sword—"
He glanced down at the tiny tactical knife strapped to his leg.
Right.
Not a sword.
Not even close.
"—uh, knife," he corrected, voice cracking slightly, "and I think I created something new?"
Alex groaned inside his skull.
'That is the worst explanation I've ever heard.'
Sakura gasped like he just revealed a legendary secret technique.
"That sounds AMAZING!"
Leo blinked.
Alex blinked (mentally).
James, from the peanut gallery in Leo's brain:
'…Seriously?'
Alex sighed.
'Never mind. I forgot. They are children.'
Tokiko nodded excitedly, fists balled up with determination.
"Do it again! I wanna see the water slash! Can I learn it too?!"
Asagi stepped forward, arms folded, trying to look serious… but her eyes sparkled with interest.
"So you mixed breathing, Taima flow, and your elemental affinity into a cutting technique…" She tapped her chin like a mini martial arts professor. "That means it's reproducible."
Leo blinked again. "What—"
Rinko chimed in softly from behind Asagi, "It looked like a really controlled Taima release. Maybe it's a subtype of water-style ninjutsu?"
Leo tried not to die inside.
Sakura gasped again. "Leo invented a new ninja art!"
Asagi puffed her cheeks. "Of course he did… I knew he would beat me to it someday…"
Leo waved his hands frantically. "I—I definitely didn't invent anything! I just… uh… breathed really hard and cut the tree!"
Tokiko: "That's inventing!"
Rinko: "Mm. Yes."
Sakura: "Yeah!"
Asagi: "…Teach me."
Leo froze.
Asagi's face turned red as she realized what she just said and immediately tried to play it off.
"I–I mean…! For the clan! Not because I'm impressed or anything!"
James:
'This is beautiful. I'm grabbing popcorn.'
Alex:
'Focus. You accidentally discovered elemental breathing as a new Taima-based martial technique. You cannot let them misuse it.'
Leo wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.
"…Uh… I don't even know if it works consistently."
Sakura proudly puffed her chest. "Then we'll help you test it!"
Tokiko: "Yeah!"
Asagi: "Of course."
Leo sighed.
In his head—
James: 'Kid, congratulations. You didn't just invent Water Breathing. You invented a new shinobi curriculum.'
Alex: 'And unfortunately… you are now responsible for its development.'
Leo: "I hate both of you."
But out loud, to the other kids, he forced a smile.
"…Okay. But nobody tries anything until I say so."
All the kids: "YES!"
Leo exhaled.
'Oh god… what have I done.'
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me Power stones