In a room that felt both familiar and unfamiliar, James finally returned after many years.
He immediately noticed something odd—his body felt weak, almost frail. His muscles had become soft and slack, and more importantly, there was no trace of the breathing technique in his body at all.
Wasn't this the same body?
"System settlement in progress…"
"Ding! Settlement successful!"
"Loading World: Demon Slayer!"
"Main quest: None!"
"Settlement rating: S!"
"Panels are merging!"
"Fusion successful!"
Suddenly, a tremendous force surged through his body, flooding the eight extraordinary meridians and internal organs, transforming him in real-time. His physical form began to reshape into that of someone from the Demon Slayer world.
What does it feel like to be launched from the ground into the sky?
James would describe it like this: it felt like he could blow up the earth with a single punch.
Taking a deep breath, he quickly adapted to the sudden rise and fall of power. After all, this was a skill he had developed himself. Regaining control didn't take long.
"Settlement completed!"
As expected, there were no optional rewards. At the moment, he couldn't even summon his sword.
It was a bit disappointing—but when you have a cheat system, there's no point in being picky.
He began making subtle adjustments, trying to adapt to the new world and its rules. Breathing techniques here were indeed powered by breath, but unlike in the Demon Slayer world, he couldn't directly conjure fire or lightning through breathing alone.
Still, the increase in physical strength was significant.
Once spiritual energy was integrated, the breathing technique became just as powerful as it was in the Demon Slayer world—possibly even stronger.
After experimenting once, James stretched his body. Finally, he could take a break. Since entering the Demon Slayer world, he had been practicing breathing techniques non-stop. If readers didn't believe him, they could flip back a few chapters—he trained during every break.
Now? Time to finally get some sleep.
In a daze, James felt someone gently kneading his face.
He opened his eyes instantly, alert and ready.
A pair of small, pale hands were squishing his cheeks.
Looking closely, he saw that it was his younger sister—Mochizuki James.
Mochizuki quickly pulled her hands away, looking shy, and then placed them on her hips with mock seriousness.
"Good morning, brother! Breakfast is ready. Come down and eat."
Then she fled the room, embarrassed.
"What is this girl up to now…?" James muttered.
He got up, washed his face, and dried it with a towel. His reflection stared back at him—still handsome, with ice-blue eyes and smooth, black hair falling loosely now that it was wet. Handsome enough to rival the most good-looking celebrity in the universe. Well, almost.
"Is it really that squishy?" he asked himself as he pinched his own cheek.
But he didn't feel anything.
Downstairs, he saw Mochizuki wearing an apron, busy frying eggs. She looked back and gave a small smile.
Even at her age, Mochizuki was already a natural beauty. Her figure had started to develop, her fair skin was as smooth as a baby's, and her delicate little face was framed by soft hair. Her pink lips were pressed together as she concentrated, and her large sky-blue eyes mirrored James' former eye color—clear as a mountain lake.
She carefully slid the egg onto a plate and drew a heart on it with ketchup.
Mochizuki James was a Class B student at the No. 1 Private Junior High School in Tenshui County.
She had entered just last year as a freshman.
Because she was beautiful—and because her older brother was the mysterious third-year student James—her popularity on campus forums had always been high.
As for how Mochizuki got accepted into the prestigious private school, it was thanks to her own hard work, combined with the financial support of James.
Top A-class students at the school received generous scholarships, and James used his reward money entirely to fund Mochizuki's education. As for himself, he was a special student—his tuition was fully waived.
Of course, the hottest topic on the school forums wasn't Mochizuki's achievements.
It was James.
Specifically, how strong he really was.
This topic had been hotly debated for three years, with countless "experts" analyzing his rumored feats in excruciating detail.
Many believed that James would finally show his full strength in the upcoming college competition.
And for once... they were right.
"Today's the weekend," James said while eating the fried egg Mochizuki made. "Anywhere you want to go?"
Mochizuki glanced up, her expression soft.
"I don't have anywhere I want to go. Brother's matters are more important."
She was worried about him.
Though she had complete faith in James' strength, the college competition had drawn tons of public attention. And after that, there was the God Sakura Unified Examination.
James knew the importance of the competition. Even though he'd seen the fight between the top two contenders and found no threat, it wouldn't hurt to be cautious.
He planned to train quietly for a month to better integrate his newly enhanced breathing techniques and other powers.
"After this competition is over, I'll take you out for a day," he promised.
Mochizuki's eyes lit up and she nodded quickly, though something seemed to be on her mind.
"What's wrong, Mochizuki?"
She hesitated, then said, "Your eyes, Brother…"
The change in James' eye color—from sky blue to ice blue—was obvious to anyone who spent time with him daily. His skin's texture had also changed: it was smoother, more resilient. That's why Mochizuki had been poking his face earlier.
"It's because I made a breakthrough in my training," James explained.
It was easier to just frame it as cultivation. Going into technical details would only confuse her.
"That's amazing!"
As expected, Mochizuki was easy to reassure.
James finished his breakfast, helped wash the dishes, changed into casual clothes, and got ready to head out.
"Take care and come back soon," Mochizuki said as he left.
The city of Tenshui was a large county with many districts. The county hall was located in the central area, which was quite far from where James lived.
His home was in the Zaoqu New District, situated in the southwest part of the county.
It was a recently developed area that had attracted many people from rural regions seeking a better life. A perfect transitional place for newcomers to the city.
James lived in a modern three-story house with a small front yard.
After leaving the entrance hall, he took a leisurely stroll. He occasionally stopped to admire the passing cars and the not-so-tall buildings lining the streets. The area had a distinctly Japanese feel to it.
Technology here was similar to what he remembered from 2024 in his previous life, though certain aspects were more advanced—like the tram systems.
He walked toward the local tram station and selected Route No. 1. This tram line went directly to Ministry Station No. 3, the location of the First Junior High School, right in the city center.
Magnetic levitation trains!
Thanks to the integration of supernatural abilities, the cost of infrastructure had decreased significantly. That meant fantasy tech like maglev city trams had become a reality.
The afternoon sun blazed above, but James didn't sweat at all. In fact, the air around his body remained refreshingly cool.
A commotion ahead caught his attention.
Curious, James moved closer.
It turned out to be the opening ceremony of a new convenience store. Large signs displayed grand-opening discounts, and a person in a giant teddy bear costume danced in the middle of a small crowd to lively music.
James paused to admire the scene with interest, his eyes narrowing slightly.
That teddy bear costume… it looks kind of familiar.
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
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