Among those who excelled in practicing the Breathing Techniques, there was a chance they would awaken the Demon Slayer Mark.
Other than himself, not a single swordsman who awakened the mark had ever lived past the age of twenty-five.
Every one of them died on the day before their twenty-fifth birthday.
But once the mark appeared, it brought a complete, all-around enhancement to the user's abilities. Whether it was refined swordsmanship or raw physical prowess, everything underwent a qualitative transformation.
Yoriichi explained all of this to Sayo and Ieyasu without hiding anything, including the possible consequences of learning the Breathing Techniques, and left the choice entirely to them.
"So once this 'mark' appears, you definitely won't live past twenty-five?"
"The pattern on your face that looks like flames, Mr. Yoriichi… that's the mark?"
After hearing Yoriichi's explanation, hesitation appeared on Ieyasu's face. Sayo looked much the same.
At the end of the day, both Ieyasu and Sayo were only fourteen or fifteen years old.
Even though they had come to the Imperial Capital with great resolve, neither of them had ever imagined facing the possibility that they might not live to see twenty-five.
The idea that learning the Breathing Techniques Yoriichi was offering might one day lead to awakening the mark—and dying before twenty-five, was not something either of them had been mentally prepared for.
At the same time, their expressions turned complicated.
After all, Yoriichi had gained overwhelming power through this mark, but the price was a life cut short before twenty-five. For a moment, neither Ieyasu nor Sayo knew what to say.
What they did not know was that Yoriichi was the sole exception.
Even though he bore the mark, he still possessed a lifespan as long as an ordinary person's—or rather, something far beyond ordinary.
In Japan's Sengoku period, the average lifespan of a normal person was only a little over thirty. Many didn't even live that long. But Yoriichi had lived into his eighties or nineties. In that era, that was no different from a monstrous old man living to 100's in modern times.
"That's right."
"The one on my forehead is the mark."
Looking at Sayo and Ieyasu's conflicted expressions, Yoriichi naturally understood what they were thinking. He smiled faintly and said,
"It's just that I may be different from everyone else. I was born with the mark."
"You could say I was born with power far beyond that of ordinary people."
"And as far as I know, those who are born with the mark are not subject to the rule of dying at twenty-five."
After thinking for a moment, Yoriichi felt that his own situation was too complicated to explain fully.
So he didn't tell Sayo and Ieyasu the whole truth, for example, that he was actually already in his eighties, had died of old age, and then somehow come back to life.
Now that he had returned to the appearance of his youth, Yoriichi knew no one would believe him anyway.
"...!!!"
"That's completely unfair!"
Just moments ago, Ieyasu had been looking at Yoriichi with deep sympathy.
At first, he had envied Yoriichi's overwhelming power—his techniques and strength completely outclassed his own. But then he learned that the price Yoriichi had supposedly paid was never being able to live past twenty-five.
The moment he thought of that, Ieyasu no longer wanted that kind of strength nearly as much.
Only living to twenty-five was just too pitiful.
And then, not long after saying all that, Yoriichi suddenly revealed that he was the exception.
He had been born with the mark, so the rule about dying before twenty-five did not apply to him.
Of course, complaint aside, Ieyasu was still genuinely glad that Yoriichi could live past twenty-five.
Sayo likewise let out a sigh of relief.
Although they had known Yoriichi for less than a day, Ieyasu felt certain that he could become very good friends with him.
And his friend Tatsumi, who still hadn't reached the Imperial Capital yet—would definitely get along with Yoriichi too.
"Yes, compared to others, I am somewhat special."
"That's why I need to make things clear to the two of you."
Looking at Ieyasu and Sayo, Yoriichi's expression became serious.
"After learning the Breathing Techniques, there is a very powerful state within them: Total Concentration Breathing: Constant."
"Once that level is reached, the mark will appear within at most a year."
As one of the first generation of swordsmen to use Breathing Techniques, Yoriichi's understanding of the mark was still rather limited.
He did not know that the awakening of the mark was directly tied to his own existence to a great degree.
He only knew that every swordsman around him who had reached the highest realm of breathing, Total Concentration Breathing: Constant, had awakened the mark within at most a year.
"So in other words, Mr. Yoriichi…"
"If we don't master the highest level of breathing, Total Concentration Breathing: Constant, then the mark won't appear?"
Sayo's eyes lit up slightly when she heard that.
Although it was a little disappointing that they might not be able to learn the highest form of the Breathing Techniques, she felt that even learning a weaker version would still improve both her and Ieyasu's strength.
And if that happened, their chances of making something of themselves in the Imperial Capital would become even greater.
"I'm not entirely certain about that."
"But so far, there haven't been any marked swordsmen who failed to master Total Concentration Breathing: Constant."
Yoriichi searched his memory and answered with some hesitation,
"If one does not master Total Concentration Breathing: Constant, then the mark likely will not appear. But on that point, I cannot say for sure."
Back then, Yoriichi had failed to kill Muzan and was kicked out of the Demon Slayer Corps.
After that, he no longer knew much about what happened within the Corps.
Whether any new marked swordsmen had appeared afterward was something Yoriichi did not know.
"Mr. Yoriichi."
"Ieyasu and I want to learn the Breathing Techniques from you."
Compared to Yoriichi's hesitation, Sayo's expression instead became firm.
She grabbed Ieyasu, whose face practically had the word confused written all over it—and solemnly walked in front of Yoriichi.
Then she knelt down on one knee and tilted his head down.
When she looked up again, she showed Yoriichi the brightest smile she had worn yet.
"Teacher!"
At the side, seeing Sayo's absolute determination as she smiles and accepted Yoriichi as her teacher, Ieyasu also dropped to one knee before Yoriichi and tilted his head down.
Looking at Yoriichi, his face flushed red, clearly unaccustomed to this, he stammered,
"T-Teacher!"
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