That night, Oboro didn't sleep at all.
When dawn's light filtered through the window, Tanjuro Kamado was the first to rise.
He quietly dressed, gathered a few items, and stepped outside.
Moments later, a bonfire blazed to life in the yard, its light dancing with the gentle music of wind chimes. Oboro followed, a black haori draped over his shoulders as he stepped out into the crisp morning air.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Tanjuro, already prepared, standing beside the fire with a mask covering his face, watching him intently.
Obviously, Tanjuro had been waiting for Oboro.
He knows I'm still awake.
The two exchanged silent glances before Tanjuro Kamado began the opening posture of the Kagura dance, the ceremonial bell held delicately in his hand.
Pleasant sounds rang continuously as he moved, and the bonfire's flames pulsed in rhythm with his motions.
A simple hemp rope encircled the makeshift sacred ground.
Oboro approached, tightening his coat as he observed Tanjuro's breathing the rhythm of his Aura movement and how it affected various parts of his body as it flowed through him.
Despite Tanjuro's clothing, Oboro could still determine the flow of his energy through subtle changes in his skin.
"Left foot" Oboro watched quietly, then spoke softly just before Tanjuro transitioned to a new move.
Sure enough, a second later, Tanjuro raised his left foot, balancing his weight on his right.
"Bend down," Oboro murmured again.
Tanjuro leaned forward, twisting his waist and abdomen in perfect response.
After all, I'm not Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Although I've learned the Sun Breathing, my flesh and blood can't bear it I must rely on movements to delay the harm breathing causes my body. With this thought, Oboro shifted his focus from Tanjuro's breathing to appreciate the beauty of his 'dance.'
By now, Tanjuro had completely immersed himself in prayer, reaching a state of selflessness absolute concentration.
His agile figure moved with artistic grace against the snow-covered landscape.
Time passed gradually, and soon several people in the house awoke one after another.
No one disturbed Tanjuro. Tanjiro stood beside his mother, silently watching his father perform the Kagura dance.
His father had instructed him more than once to learn the Kagura dance and memorize every movement, especially the breathing techniques.
The two maids who had awakened approached Oboro without a word.
In their eyes, this dance performed by men held no special significance they couldn't understand why their master would observe it personally.
Many priests and shrine maidens performed similar rituals when worshipping and praying for blessings.
Eventually, the morning sun rose over the mountain, casting golden light across the scene as Tanjuro's Kagura dance concluded.
He removed his mask, revealing beads of sweat on his face, and offered Oboro a slight smile.
Everything was understood without words.
"Tanjuro Kamado and Akemiko were your ancestors," Oboro suddenly stated. "The Kagura dance you performed is actually a formalized movement that inherited Sun Breathing. Though some inheritance is deeply embedded in memory, a set of specific movements creates memory anchors to effectively prevent omissions."
"Your ancestors kept their promise."
""
Tanjuro was momentarily stunned by these words.
He quickly recovered and replied with a smile, "I can barely remember anything about my ancestors but this Kagura dance was passed down by my father, who asked me to keep it in mind. I am merely practicing it."
"You are proficient in Sun Breathing. Although you cannot reach the ultimate level, you must have 'seen' him the man I mentioned, Yoriichi Tsugikuni. The soul carries inherited memories Whether in dreams or moments of trance, you've glimpsed him."
Oboro strolled forward, bent down, stepped over the hemp rope, and entered the sacred space.
He extended his hand. "Your intuition is remarkably accurate. Although I came seeking the Breath of the Sun I harbor no ill intentions, otherwise you wouldn't have demonstrated it."
"I simply wish to confirm one thing through your breathing."
Oboro smiled and said, "Let me confirm Yoriichi Tsugikuni's level"
"Do you mind?"
He gestured invitingly.
After brief consideration, Tanjuro removed his mask and placed it in Oboro's hand.
"Master " Seeing this, the two maids hurried to intervene.
They already knew what Oboro intended
Crash!
Oboro removed his haori and cast it aside, wearing only thin undergarments as he donned the mask.
All of Tanjuro's dance movements emerged in his mind not as postures, but as a flowing map of air circulating through the body with each movement and breath.
"Sun Breathing is the origin of all breathing techniques," Oboro explained. "The fundamental purpose of breathing techniques is to strengthen the heart, lungs, and tissues while increasing blood oxygen levels, allowing physical energy to surge explosively in brief moments. But Sun Breathing is too powerful unsuitable for everyone. Like your Kagura dance, you must perform specific movements to mitigate the side effects when using it."
As he spoke, Oboro suddenly assumed a starting stance completely different from Tanjuro's.
"Relying on external movements to diminish breathing's energy is too passive."
"You're catering to your breath, not letting your breath cater to you Remember, you are the master who controls your breath. Breath should never control you That's the error."
"It's precisely because many fail to understand breathing's true essence that, like your ancestors, they passively accommodate it, relying on external movements and specialized training methods, spawning numerous derivative breathing styles"
"It's like forcing two pieces of wood together one must be ground down or altered and you chose to grind yourself down."
"All breathing techniques derive from Sun Breathing"
"What we truly need is upward growth Sun Breathing should be a seed growing vigorously skyward, not roots digging deeply into the earth."
Every word Oboro spoke resonated like thunder in Tanjuro's ears.
As Oboro spoke, his movements remained unaffected. Tanjuro noticed that Oboro's dance was spontaneous dictated by his own Aura circulation rather than rigid form.
He moved with complete freedom.
Though Oboro's body was visibly weaker than his own, he showed no signs of strain or injury.
Under the sunlight, Oboro resembled a bird bathing in golden light as agile and graceful as Tanjuro had been, yet with an unmistakable fiery strength!
Snap!
Oboro's waist flexed like a fully drawn bow. When he stretched and tumbled, his spine crackled. Each step carried tremendous power, raising three feet of snow with every impact. Had Tanjuro not witnessed it himself, he could hardly have imagined such vital "energy" bursting from Oboro's slender frame.
Even the nearby bonfire seemed affected, its flames surging higher
His breath his energy can influence external objects.
The thought flashed through Tanjuro's mind.
"Breathing is fertile soil. What we need is addition not subtraction," Oboro continued.
After a while, Oboro concluded his demonstration.
Everyone noticed that within a ten-meter radius around him, the thick snow had melted into water that seeped into the frozen ground.
His breathing had amplified and dispersed the campfire's heat.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
If he entered the world of Hunter x Hunter, he would undoubtedly become a top Nen user, Oboro thought to himself as he removed the mask. In his world, he's a prodigy beyond comprehension. There's no way to advance beyond his level We can only adapt to his approach.
But if he attempted to establish himself in the Dark Continent, at his current level it would be nearly impossible.
Sun Breathing while relatively complex among breathing techniques, was still limited.
That said, using Yoriichi Tsugikuni's power as a foundation, developing breathing methods from the ground up could derive various powers. Then Demon Slayer would transcend its low-level world classification, potentially reaching mid-level status.
The weakness in the strength system stemmed from most breathing methods being simplified variants.
As these thoughts formed, Oboro seemed to sense something and suddenly looked toward the rising sun.
"You want me to help you?" he said softly as a breeze caressed his face, making his eyelids twitch.
He saw a tree.
A small tree growing in a greenhouse.
The greenhouse was spacious enough to allow the tree to grow over five meters tall and flourish.
Yet the tree stood less than three meters high, its branches sparse and foliage withered.
Following its natural trajectory, it still had considerable potential for growth.
"Now I understand why I traveled through time and space to this place."
Finally, Oboro comprehended.
"Let's make a deal. Accept my inherited will and I'll serve as nutrients for your secondary growth. How much you grow depends entirely on your fate."
"I will cause this world's power system to explode with new potential in the form of 'seeds'."
Oboro calmly responded to what his heart perceived.
Hearing this, the small tree swayed gently in gratitude.
"I originally intended to use Yoriichi Tsugikuni as a foundation to create brilliant possibilities but against my expectations"
"The seeds were well-chosen, but unfortunately whether they flourish depends on countless factors."