In the bright room, Elder Moriki knelt upright in seiza.
Beside him, Ryukawa Chinatsu, dressed in a beautiful kimono, held a piece of dried meat in her hand, happily teasing the fluffy "meatball" in front of her.
Over the past six months, under Ryukawa Chinatsu unrestrained feeding, the little Shiba Inu had ballooned at an alarming rate, like an inflating balloon.
Now, without a closer look, who would have guessed that the large, furry meatball next to Ryukawa Chinatsu was actually a Shiba Inu?
Elder Moriki wore a serious expression.
Since arriving in the room an hour ago, he hadn't spoken a single word, merely sitting quietly in seiza.
Dawn was approaching.
Shinichi, who had been training all night, pushed open the door with a wooden sword on his shoulder.
As soon as he entered, he saw Elder Moriki, Ryukawa Chinatsu, and Maru-ni kneeling there.
He paused for a moment, then casually set down the wooden sword and plopped onto the floor without a care for appearances.
"Elder, did you come to see me for something?"
But the only response was silence.
Elder Moriki wasn't even looking at Shinichi—his gaze was fixed absently in some direction.
It wasn't until Shinichi asked again that the elder finally snapped out of his daze.
A strange smile appeared on his face.
"Ah, Shinichi, you're back from training?"
"Isn't it obvious? Elder, if you're really getting old, you should rest more. At your age, you shouldn't be fussing over trivial things." Shinichi spoke without much thought, then turned to Maru-ni.
"Maru-ni! Here, boy! Come to me!"
At his master call, the "meatball" Maru-ni hesitated for a moment before reluctantly licking Ryukawa Chinatsu hand one last time and then waddling over to Shinichi.
Seeing this, Shinichi couldn't help but flare up. He flicked Maru-ni hard on the head.
"You gluttonous mutt! All you do is eat, eat, eat! Look at you now—you're more like a Shiba Pig than a Shiba Inu!"
With his tail drooping and ears flopped down, Maru-ni whimpered pitifully.
"Oh, now you're acting all hurt? Asking for another smack!"
Ryukawa Chinatsu quickly intervened. "Lord Shinichi, please don't blame Maru-ni! It's my fault for feeding him too much. If you must scold someone, scold me!"
"What? This is my dog! Why does it sound like I'm the one in the wrong here?" Shinichi was speechless.
"Ahem!"
Elder Moriki light cough interrupted the little commotion and Shinichi turned his attention back to the elder.
After a moment of contemplation, Elder Moriki spoke.
"Shinichi, it has been over eight months since you began training in Forest Breathing. Mastering the first seven forms in such a short time is truly exceptional and now, apart from the ancient texts containing the remaining sword techniques, I have nothing left to teach you. So..."
His gaze sharpened. "So, Shinichi, it is time for you to graduate."
Shinichi froze.
Graduate?
His time at the Moriki estate had been the most peaceful and fulfilling since arriving in this world.
Every day, he trained in Forest Breathing, played with Maru-ni in his free time and occasionally sneaked out to explore the night markets of Takinogawa Village.
Unbeknownst to himself, Shinichi had already come to regard the Moriki estate as his first home in this world. But now, Elder Moriki words about completing his training left Shinichi stunned and he realized what he must do.
He was not just a demon now, but also a swordsman who had mastered the Breathing Style.
His mission and purpose were to slay the demons that plagued this world!
Taking a deep breath, Shinichi raised his head, his peach-colored eyes filled with determination.
"Elder, I understand. Don't worry—I won't forget my promise to you. I'll use Forest Breathing to exterminate demons properly!"
"Good"
Elder Moriki nodded in satisfaction before standing up.
Carefully, he retrieved the emerald-green Nichirin Blade that had always been enshrined in its scabbard behind him. Walking over to Shinichi, he spoke solemnly.
"This sword, Forest Dragon, is the legacy left behind by our ancestor Shunichi. Today, I pass it on to you, Shinichi. From now on, you are the new successor of Forest Breathing. You must ensure its continuation!"
Shinichi accepted the Nichirin Blade named Forest Dragon. It felt slightly heavy in his hand—not just from the sword weight, but because it carried the legacy of Forest Breathing.
"Don't worry, Elder. I will!" Shinichi made his vow with equal solemnity.
Elder Moriki nodded again, pleased and relieved, before returning to his seated position.
"There's one last thing."
At that moment, Shinichi was unsheathing the emerald-green Nichirin Blade, admiring the intricate engravings on its surface.
"What last thing?" he asked casually.
Splash! Splash!
Two strange sounds echoed and an overwhelming metallic scent of blood instantly filled the room. Scarlet liquid—from nowhere—splashed all over Elder Moriki, yet his expression remained unchanged, as if he had expected this.
Meanwhile, Ryukawa Chinatsu face visibly tensed with anxiety.
Shinichi froze.
What was happening?
Before he could react, an intoxicatingly rich scent of blood assaulted his nostrils.
The sensation was euphoric—utterly irresistible.
The aroma was like the finest wine, as alluring as divine nectar from the heavens.
Swish!
Shinichi eyes instantly turned blood-red. Fangs protruded from his mouth, and black claws sprouted from his fingers.
The once-handsome youth had transformed into a ravenous demon in an instant.
A low growl rumbled in his throat as Shinichi crimson eyes locked onto Elder Moriki.
Delicious! So delicious! The scent of blood on the elder was irresistible! Damn it! He couldn't control himself! He wanted to feast right now!
Elder Moriki calmly observed Shinichi sudden demonization.
This was Shinichi final trial.
If he could resist the temptation of this rare blood, then his training would truly be complete. Demons fed on human flesh and blood, but among thousands of humans, only one might possess rare blood—a fatal attraction for demons.
A single rare-blooded human could outweigh a hundred ordinary ones.
In fact, over the centuries, there had been members of the Moriki family who chose to follow their ancestors' path and turn into demons in order to master the complete Forest Breathing!
However, the unwavering resolve they believed they possessed vanished without a trace the moment they became demons.
Without exception, every Moriki Descendant who attempted to learn Forest Breathing after demonization ended up degenerating into true fiends.
Whenever such incidents occurred, the Moriki family would spare no effort to eliminate these fallen kin.
"Shinichi, you're more outstanding than anyone else. You must hold on! Don't let your desires defeat you!" Elder Moriki muttered anxiously, but Shinichi was already on the verge of losing himself to madness.
"Damn it! Why does it smell so irresistible?! No! I swore—I absolutely, absolutely, absolutely! Will never eat humans!"
Shinichi clutched his head in agony, letting out eerie howls as he writhed on the ground.