Kuguruma Natsunishi [Wands] [Chariot] [Star]
[Power Level: 29]
┣ Body: 12
┣ Skill: 7
┗ Spirit: 10
Combat Skill — Wind Breathing Technique
[Wind Breathing Technique]
┣ LV.1 Novice
┣ Progress: 271/500
┗ Sword Forms Mastered 9/9: [First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter], [Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind], [Third Form:...]
Discarding the complex and flamboyant UI designs found in most games, the interface displayed before Natsunishi's eyes was exceptionally clean and clear.
"Kuguruma Natsunishi" was the in-game name automatically generated by the system based on his input during character creation. This was a special mechanic designed to prevent players from entering bizarre names and ruining the experience. After all, when an NPC is pouring their heart out during a poignant scene of life and death, having them scream names like [Mr. Fried Potato] or [Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon] would truly shatter the immersion.
The tags following his name represented the character background randomly rolled during character creation.
[Reversed · Wands]
Thou hast become a torch of venomous hatred: Your parents were killed by villains, and your younger sister, with whom you shared your life, was devoured by a demon.
Effect: Increases sympathy from others to a certain extent; during combat, willpower increases slightly.
[Upright · Chariot]
Clad in scars as if they were medals: To you, fighting? Killing? It is as simple as breathing or drinking water.
Effect: During combat, slightly increases damage dealt; slightly increases training effectiveness.
[Reversed · Star]
A soul walking against the world's mediocrity with a spine for a sword: Your unyielding will and rebellious backbone ensure you never bow your head.
Effect: During combat, reduces the debuffs caused by physical injuries; when facing powerful enemies, stats increase slightly.
Emmm...
Natsunishi stared at these tags, sinking into a brief moment of thought.
He played games with a purely human-centric mindset. In other games, he was always the one swearing fealty to the Emperor or exterminating all aliens. This time, he had simply chosen the human race and entered the game. He had never looked closely at the background settings he had randomly rolled. Looking at them now, they were almost entirely combat-oriented tags.
An orphan start...
No wonder his master always looked at him with eyes full of sympathy and understanding.
As for his stats, they were a simple trio: Body (Physique), Skill (Technique), and Mind (Mind/Will). Combined, they barely reached 29 points, not even one-fifth of his master Kazami Sarayoshi's total. If he remembered correctly, this character started with a total of only about 10 points? It was through a year of rigorous exercise and breathing technique cultivation that they had gradually increased.
As for the breathing technique itself—that was the primary combat system of the game. By practicing this art, one could forge a stronger physique and superior combat techniques. This served as the foundation for fighting man-eating demons that far exceeded human limits. Winning by being weaker. Cutting through flesh. Countering move for move. Natsunishi was well-versed in traditional action games.
Thus, after over half a year of physical conditioning, his character had mastered all the essentials and sword forms of this breathing technique in just three or four months. Natsunishi's cultivation speed was considered fast, even by Kazami Sarayoshi's standards of training disciples over the years.
"However, if I have to participate in a high-mortality selection right after starting..."
Has the Demon Slayer Corps become so well-staffed that they can afford to squander the lives of rookies? The story was set in the ancient Far East and featured an action theme of humans fighting monsters; surely it wasn't going to pull that old Far East cliché of "if you aren't prepared to die, you might as well perish here," right?
Despite his thoughts, his hands did not stop. Taking a standard stance, Natsunishi began to swing his wooden sword over and over again. Two hours of suburi training, two hours of breathing technique practice, and two hours of sword form drills. Between each set, he added half an hour of meditation or went up the hills to sense the breath of the wind. This was the training regimen the Cultivator, Kazami, had previously established for him.
Of course, in the beginning, there was also physical conditioning and wooden sword sparring, but after Natsunishi's strength broke 10 and he mastered the breathing technique, these basic drills occupied a smaller percentage of his time.
There were only three days left. Natsunishi decided to seize the time and see if he could raise the level of his breathing technique a bit more.
Soon, Natsunishi felt his consciousness gradually detach from his physical body. He had entered [System Assisted Mode]. To avoid tedious repetitive content and ensure a good player experience, modern games often accelerated the speed of repetitive training or boring travel. For Natsunishi, this essentially meant that as he trained, the computer took over and played the training animations, constantly accelerating the game's time progression.
EXP +1
EXP +1
...
In short, it involved staring intently at the status panel and harvesting every bit of progress earned through his hard work.
While Natsunishi was fully focused on his sweat-drenched training, Kazami Sarayoshi watched the boy's efforts silently from a nearby house. In his eyes, Natsunishi had always been a silent and extremely self-disciplined child. He didn't play or slack off like other children, nor did he ever complain that the assigned training tasks were too difficult. As long as the training didn't kill him, he would drive himself to the brink, never allowing himself a moment's rest.
Kazami, of course, knew the reason.
The death of his sister. In the middle of a great fire, she had been devoured alive, piece by piece, by a Lower Moon demon as she screamed. Such a traumatic visual impact was hard enough for an adult to bear, let alone a teenager. Even Kazami found it difficult to recall. It had clearly left a profound scar on Natsunishi. He didn't know if this flame of revenge against all demons would one day consume the boy or turn into the strength that sustained his journey.
The old man unconsciously gripped the window frame. The wooden frame let out a faint creak in his palm.
"I hope your hard work and anger will help you pass the Final Selection."
Dawn gave way to dusk. Two days passed silently amidst the boy's sweat.
[Wind Breathing Technique]
┣ LV.1 Novice
┗ Progress: 316/500 (+45)
Martial arts was, after all, the work of a thousand days; it could not be accomplished overnight. The effort and sweat poured into two days of overnight grinding were far from enough to push the breathing technique to Level 2, though it did leave Natsunishi with the [Fatigue] status. Even so, this visible speed of progress was considered extraordinarily gifted compared to other swordsmen.
"I won't make it in time... Hm? Is this a new function unlocked?"
Seeing that he wouldn't make the deadline, Natsunishi had no choice but to end his grueling cultivation. Wiping away his sweat, he noticed a new notification on the system panel. In the new [Life Skills] panel, two skill icons had suddenly lit up.
[Suburi LV.1 (17/500)] (NEW)
[Physical Training LV.1 (89/500)] (NEW)
He instinctively expanded them to check the details.
[Suburi LV.1 (17/500)]
Overview: The foundation of swordsmanship is the tempering of mind, spirit, and body; it is also the profound meaning of cultivation.
Effect: Swordsmanship training speed increases slightly.
[Physical Training LV.1 (89/500)]
Overview: Shaping a strong body to lay a solid foundation for cultivation.
Effect: Growth speed of Strength and Agility increases slightly.
At the same time, a prompt Natsunishi hadn't expected popped up on the panel.
[Obtained Achievement Points * 2]
[Points can be used to increase Combat Skill levels]
Eh?
Natsunishi was stunned for a moment. Could this... be the core gameplay of this game? Unlocking life skills allows you to raise breathing technique levels? So, as long as I grind life skills like a madman, I can infinitely add points to the core breathing technique?! Isn't this just a shortcut to becoming insanely overpowered?!
He hurriedly switched to the breathing technique interface. Sure enough, a [+] sign had appeared after [Wind Breathing]. With a thought, a faint progress bar appeared over the experience bar—a preview of the experience conversion after investing Achievement Points.
[EXP +325]
[Please note: Current Breathing Technique compatibility is 65%]
[Achievement Point conversion loss: 35%]
Wait, what?
Natsunishi was dumbfounded. This point-allocation mechanic for breathing techniques actually had a loss penalty? He suddenly remembered Master Kazami saying that there were many schools of breathing techniques in the world. While there was no absolute ranking of superiority, every individual's results varied due to differences in physique, temperament, and even spiritual rhythm. Even the power of the sword forms associated with these breathing techniques would be affected.
Translated: everyone had their own compatible breathing technique. The higher the compatibility, the smoother the cultivation and the more powerful the moves. Conversely, one would get half the result with twice the effort.
Only now did Natsunishi realize that Wind Breathing didn't seem to be his best fit. Did he have to switch to another breathing technique? Would his cheap master charge him with "betraying the sect" because of it?
Damn developers, come out here and take your medicine!
He cursed inwardly, but in the end, his body honestly chose to add the points. After all, Wind Breathing was the only technique he was currently practicing. A "ding" that only Natsunishi could hear rang out.
[Wind Breathing LV.1 → LV.2]
[Novice → Slightly Proficient]
[Progress: 141/1000 (+325)]
[Power Level: 29 → 35]
┣ Body: 12 → 16
┣ Skill: 7 → 8
┗ Spirit: 10 → 11
[Your mastery of sword forms has increased!]
"This rank evaluation... why does it feel so much like those wuxia games next door..."
Halfway through his grumbling, a warm flow, as gentle as a spring breeze, swept through his entire body. Kuguruma Natsunishi froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and his cheeks flushed slightly with excitement.
Ohhh! It's here... that long-awaited feeling of a breakthrough! He could clearly feel it—strength, strength was surging up!