Chapter 52 – Creating a Breathing Style, Unlocking Sun Breathing!
Ding... ding...
The school bell echoed through the hallways, signaling the end of the day.
Inside the Service Club room, Yukinoshita Akira slowly opened his eyes.
"Haaah…"
A thin puff of white vapor escaped his lips.
Thanks to Yukinoshita Yukino's sudden shift in demeanor earlier, Akira had spent the entire afternoon in the clubroom.
He used the time to begin developing his own Breathing Style—a power system originating from the world of Demon Slayer—based purely on memory and instinct.
Breathing Styles were unique martial techniques invented by humans to combat demons. At their core, they enhanced lung and heart capacity, allowing the user to absorb large volumes of oxygen in a short time. This drastically increased their physical abilities.
At their peak, humans could even match the power of demons.
With that in mind, Akira began crafting his own style from scratch. Blending personal experience, raw talent, and a touch of intuition, he started forming something from nothing.
He never once thought of himself as inferior to anyone. As someone carrying the template of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Akira believed he could reach, if not surpass, the power of the original.
What mattered most was this—Breathing Styles weren't like chakra, magic, or spiritual energy systems.
They were purely physical techniques, the art of controlling the body through breath, drawing out its full potential.
After an entire afternoon of refinement, combined with the days of practice leading up to now, Akira finally completed the basic form of his original Breathing Style.
"First Form of Breath—"
Huuuuh…
He inhaled deeply.
A faint mist escaped his mouth as oxygen surged into his lungs. His heart pounded fiercely, and blood pumped through his body at high velocity. It felt as if his body ignited from within, power coursing through every fiber.
In that instant, Akira felt a tremendous spike in speed and strength.
And beyond that—by adjusting his breathing patterns, he could accelerate his healing, sharpen his reflexes, and amplify his combat efficiency for brief periods.
Though this was merely the foundational layer of a Breathing Style, to Akira, it was a monumental leap forward.
[Ding!]
[Template Inheritance Increased by 3%!]
[Ding!]
[Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Sun Breathing!]
A surge of data flooded his mind. Akira froze for a brief moment, stunned.
Just crafting a basic breathing technique had given him 3% inheritance boost—far more than what he got by simply entering deep comprehension states.
And to top it off, he had gained Sun Breathing.
It was as if he'd worked hard to create a humble, original fried rice recipe—only to suddenly be handed a divine imperial banquet recipe out of nowhere. The contrast was surreal.
Sun Breathing was the first and oldest of all Breathing Styles.
Created by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, it served as the origin point of every other style. It radiated solar energy capable of vaporizing demons entirely.
Its energy could be infused into a blade, producing a scorching combustion effect—Bright Red Nichirin Sword.
When this crimson blade pierced a demon's body, it incinerated them from the inside, unleashing searing pain as if they were being consumed by flames. The regenerative power of demons would fail to keep up—their destruction inevitable.
Styles like Water Breathing, Thunder Breathing, Flame Breathing, Stone Breathing, and Wind Breathing were all simplified, diluted derivatives of Sun Breathing—crafted because no ordinary human could withstand the raw power of the original.
Not everyone was born like Yoriichi—blessed with the Demon Slayer Mark or the natural gift to use Transparent World as if it were second nature.
Akira reached for his katana case, unzipping it, and pulled out his Nichirin Blade.
Nichirin Blades were forged uniquely—their color would change depending on the user's Breathing Style.
Before, when his technique was still incomplete, the blade had only shown a faint reddish-black hue.
But now that he had unlocked Sun Breathing…
Shing—
As soon as his hand gripped the sword, the blade reacted.
Like ink spilling across white parchment, jet-black spread rapidly across the metal.
But then—its edge shimmered with a fiery crimson glow.
It blazed like the morning sun.
SLAM!
The clubroom door burst open, and a familiar figure stepped in.
"Hm? Your katana… why does it look like that?"
Yukinoshita Yukino stared at the sword in confusion. Its black body and glowing red tip looked nothing like an ordinary blade.
Did he get a new sword again?
Didn't he already have a different one just yesterday?
"That's a Nichirin Blade. Forged from Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore. It's the only weapon capable of killing demons."
"The only one?"
"Yes. You have to decapitate a demon with one of these. Otherwise, they won't truly die."
"Then why didn't you use it from the start?"
"I just got it yesterday. Why do you think I went out so late last night to hunt demons? Without this blade, I could defeat them—but I couldn't kill them."
Click.
Akira sheathed the sword again and spoke in a calm tone.
In the world of Demon Slayer, demons were monstrous anomalies. Even after having their heads severed, they could simply reattach them.
Only a Nichirin Blade could sever that regenerative power and bring them a final death.
Yukino stared at the sword, her gaze unreadable—but undeniably intense.
To someone who had been attacked by a demon, this was no ordinary weapon.
It was hope.
And in that moment, Akira realized something.
He had acquired Sun Breathing—yet he didn't possess even a single sword form from it.
What did it mean?
Did the twelve sword forms of Sun Breathing only unlock later, one by one?
But he didn't dwell on it. With his current strength, even without forms, he was confident.
Unless he encountered someone like Muzan or an Upper Moon, no demon could match him.
"Umm… do you have another sword like that?"
Yukino finally gathered the courage to ask. Curiosity over the Nichirin Blade had clearly taken hold of her.
"Not yet. I only have this one. But I'll have more in the future."
"Then… would you be willing to sell one to me? Just one is fine. I'm willing to pay."
"No need. I'll give you one when the time comes."
"…Thank you."
Those words came from the heart.
Because she understood—this wasn't just a sword.
It was survival.
Ordinary weapons couldn't kill demons.
But this katana—this was different.
This katana could.
Its value wasn't something you could put a price on.
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