Chapter 3: I've Actually Seen a Demon
Sword drawn. Wind rising.
As Natsuya continuously swung his Nichirin Sword, massive whirlwinds of inky-green air began to coil around the blade. The wind was as thick and twisted as the roots of an ancient pine, clinging tightly to the cold light of his slashes.
It was violent wind. It was an omnipresent pressure.
A wind erupted within the training grounds as sand and stones were swept into the air.
"Wind Breathing, Fifth Form: Cold Mountain Wind!"
Merging his body with the sword form, Natsuya felt like he had thrown himself into the heart of a massive cyclone. His silhouette blurred, and the already sharp wind pressure condensed into physical blades.
CRACK!
As the massive air-scythes swept across the training area, the sturdy wooden practice dummies were instantly shredded into splinters. The ground was left crisscrossed with deep, jagged gouges.
Holy crap. This feels way more than just a little stronger than Level 1.
Natsuya stood still, staring at the destruction he'd caused, his jaw dropping slightly.
Is this the difference between a [Novice] and an [Adept]?
The damage was higher, the special effects were flashier, and his strength and reaction time had clearly spiked. Even the System's assisted "strike-lines" felt more powerful.
For a moment, Natsuya felt a surge of confidence. This Final Selection is going to be a breeze.
"Not bad for two days of hellish grinding," he muttered, satisfied.
Without looking back, Natsuya headed straight for his room. He didn't have enough Achievement Points to level up again anyway.
Time for some shut-eye!
Since his skill level had increased, it was common gamer sense to recover his status and clear the [Fatigue] debuff before starting a quest. Besides, the game's realism was so high that once the adrenaline wore off, he felt a genuine, bone-deep urge to sleep.
As for spending extra time to "adjust" to his newly boosted physical stats?
Natsuya's philosophy was simple: I worked hard to earn these stats. Why the hell should I have to 'adjust' to them?
It wasn't like he'd unlocked a new active skill that required combo practice or mechanical mastery. It was just a stat dump.
While Natsuya slept, oblivious to the world, a different scene was unfolding far away.
In a certain estate in Nara, Kansai.
Wisteria flowers decorated the gates of a quiet Japanese manor. The gentle sound of birds and the rhythmic clack of a bamboo water fountain hitting stone echoed through the hallways.
It was peaceful, solemn... and filled with an atmosphere of profound sadness.
"Oyakata-sama... I am deeply sorry to bring this news. The Mountain Hashira, Lord Fudo... has fallen in battle."
Several men dressed in black uniforms with face masks—the Kakushi—knelt on the floor. Their voices trembled with suppressed sobs as they addressed the young man before them.
The young man didn't look like a haughty noble or a fierce Shogun. On the contrary, he radiated nothing but gentleness. He looked somewhat frail, even sickly.
But the swordsmen and intelligence officers present looked at him with nothing but absolute reverence.
Because he was an Ubuyashiki.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
The 97th leader of the Ubuyashiki family and the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps. A man of immense capability and resolve, cursed by fate to die young.
"So... Fudo-san has left us as well?"
After a brief silence, sadness filled Kagaya's eyes.
However, he did not let his emotions overwhelm those around him. "We have lost another member of our family... This pain is a debt that the Ubuyashiki bloodline shall repay with our very destiny."
"Everyone... please, do not blame yourselves."
Seeing the Kakushi still hanging their heads, Kagaya suppressed the dull ache in his forehead caused by his illness. He straightened his back and continued to comfort them in a steady, soothing voice.
"When you grieve for a fallen comrade and feel that your own survival is a sin—that is exactly what Kibutsuji Muzan wants to see."
"Fudo-san's sacrifice was not in vain. He used his life to secure a future for us. It is the proof that he fought until the very end."
"So, I ask of you..."
"Lift your heads."
The voice was soft, yet it carried an incredible weight. It was as if the sorrow in the courtyard froze for a moment.
The men finally regained control of their emotions and continued reporting the recent events of the Corps.
"The Final Selections at the six locations across Honshu are prepared..."
"We have a letter from Lady Nikaido. She mentions that the shinobi you introduced is a promising talent..."
"Regarding the Butterfly Mansion, two children have shown exceptional potential..."
The long briefing was an immense physical trial for Kagaya. Because of his curse, every breath and every movement felt like a burden. Moreover, the news of the Mountain Hashira, Fudo Hino, weighed heavily on his heart.
Yet, he remained unfailingly gentle and attentive, listening to every word.
The Hashira have lost another member. The burden on Rengoku-san, Fujinomiya-san, and Igarashi-san has grown heavier. And Gyomei... that child has only just become a Hashira...
I hope the new generation grows quickly. It is my own incompetence that forces me to place our hopes on the shoulders of children...
After bidding farewell to Master Kazami, Natsuya set off for the Final Selection.
The location: Lake Ashi in Hakone.
A few days ago, he probably would have taken a train. Getting there early would have given him more time to grind his Breathing Style proficiency.
The game world did have trains; he'd seen them before. While he couldn't use them to leave the "game zone," those vintage steam engines were definitely faster than walking.
But now, he had a different plan.
Huff... puff...
Carrying his gear, Natsuya had been jogging for three or four days.
As expected, several new entries appeared in his Life Skills panel:
[Suburi LV.1 (97/500)]
[Physical Conditioning LV.1 (273/500)]
[Running LV.1 (160/500)] (NEW)
[Camping LV.1 (88/500)] (NEW)
[Cooking LV.1 (120/500)] (NEW)
[Fishing LV.0 (117/250)] (NEW)
Remaining Achievement Points: 4
Does Level 0 not grant stat points? Natsuya wondered.
While he couldn't gain experience just by breathing or sleeping, the System seemed to categorize almost any productive activity as a Life Skill.
Over the past few days, he discovered that many actions contributed to multiple skills. For instance, his cross-country travel rapidly increased his [Running] proficiency while also giving a small boost to [Physical Conditioning].
During his breaks, he performed basic [Suburi] drills, which also caused his [Wind Breathing] proficiency to tick upward.
Currently, his Breathing Style was at (LV.2 173/1000).
Master Kazami called him a genius, but Natsuya had no idea where he ranked compared to the other examinees. It was called the "Final Selection," after all. Even if not everyone was a "hidden dragon," surely they weren't all just nameless fodder?
If things get dicey, I'll just dump these 4 Achievement Points into Wind Breathing. I can always hoard more later.
He had originally wanted to save them for a potential second Breathing Style, but survival came first.
After sunset.
Natsuya checked his progress while chewing on a roasted river fish. Perhaps because of his Level 1 Cooking skill, the fish tasted surprisingly tender.
Wait... it smells a bit iron-like.
Blood?
Natsuya suddenly realized that the faint metallic scent wasn't coming from his undercooked fish. It was drifting from the surrounding woods.
Oh?!
Is this my first real combat after the tutorial?
Instead of fear, Natsuya felt a surge of excitement as he scanned his surroundings.
Soon, he spotted something irregular.
Deep within the shadows where the campfire's light couldn't reach, a glowing status panel was floating in the dark.
[Blood-Fang ???]
[Race: Demon]
[Power Level: 39 (Body: 28, Tech: 5, Mind: 6)]
[Threat Level: Low]
Is this one of those 'demons' the old man was talking about?
Natsuya casually rested his hand on the hilt of his Nichirin Sword.
Then, as if remembering something, he opened the System Menu and manually lowered the UI brightness.
It's pitch black out here. This game UI is a total flashbang.