"Mr. Makoto, are you free right now?"
Suzuki Makoto looked at the boy before him and reluctantly put down his book.
"Have you come up with a new idea today?"
"Yes, I thought about it for a long time after I went back yesterday. I realized that this move must have been specifically created by Mr. Tomioka to counter Mr. Shinazugawa. After all, it's even named 'Lull'—calm winds. Therefore, it has an overwhelming advantage against fast-attack techniques. Mist Breathing is derived from Wind Breathing, and although my sword swings are faster than Mr. Shinazugawa's, Wind Breathing's sword slashes are more numerous and dense."
Muichiro Tokito was very seriously explaining his idea to Suzuki Makoto.
This was something Suzuki Makoto had requested. After all, he was staying at the Ubuyashiki Estate to study and read, and Muichiro Tokito's frequent challenges were interfering with his plans.
So they established a rule: only one challenge per day. Before fighting, he had to explain his problem-solving approach. If he was immediately countered by the principle of the technique, he had to go back and rethink it.
"Therefore, instead of pursuing faster attacks, I should further leverage Mist Breathing's advantage of moving with the wind, using changes in attack rhythm to dictate your moves."
Although the boy's speculation about Giyu Tomioka was a bit too dark, his idea was quite good.
Suzuki Makoto's interest was piqued. The ethereal attacks of Mist Breathing were quite interesting, and Muichiro Tokito himself was a genius. He never stuck rigidly to the textbook forms of his techniques, so he always brought a new surprise for Suzuki Makoto.
"Then let's give it a try."
The two picked up their swords and walked outside the estate—because the dojo inside the estate took too long to maintain after their fights.
"This is my own original form, Mist Breathing, Seventh Form: Obscuring Clouds!"
Suzuki Makoto raised his sword out of habit, only to find that his opponent's offense was completely different from before.
Why is it so slow?
Puzzled, Suzuki Makoto blocked the first slash, then instantly dodged a second slash that came with a sudden burst of speed.
Seriously—you thought all night just to come up with a fast-and-slow sword technique?
It had to be admitted that being able to maintain an offensive while executing fast-and-slow slashes in a real fight posed a huge threat. After all, human actions have inertia; fast is fast, and slow is slow. Especially on the defensive, facing such an exaggeratedly fast-and-slow technique could easily cause one's breathing and blood flow to fall into disarray during the speed changes, leading to a broken defense.
However, in Suzuki Makoto's view, this move was still a bit immature, probably because Muichiro had just come up with it. Therefore, he couldn't maintain the offensive coherently. Humans aren't computer data, after all, and such variations in rhythm also put a strong strain on one's own body.
Once an opening for a counterattack is left during the offense, the fast-and-slow technique can more easily disrupt one's own rhythm.
Suzuki Makoto timed one of his opponent's transitions perfectly, instantly breaking through his form with the swift slashes of Wind Breathing, forcing Muichiro Tokito to revert to a conventional fast-attack exchange.
He had once again been dragged into Suzuki Makoto's pace and defeated by superior experience.
After sheathing his sword, Suzuki Makoto didn't rush to help Muichiro up from the ground. Instead, he asked a question.
"Did you learn anything from that exchange of offense and defense just now?"
"Rhythm—Obscuring Clouds is a technique with a constantly changing rhythm. But if I can't grasp that rhythm myself, I'll be broken by your rhythm instead."
Muichiro picked up his sword from the ground, his eyes shining.
"I shouldn't have responded to your rhythm out of habit. Instead, I should have used another characteristic of Mist Breathing—concealing my movements to use Obscuring Clouds again and draw you into my rhythm!"
A true genius, just as expected from the youngest Hashira.
Muichiro Tokito bowed respectfully to Suzuki Makoto.
"After I get back, I will bid farewell to the Master. I'm going to continue hunting Demons to refine my techniques—thank you for your guidance these past few days."
"Don't mention it. I've also learned a lot from you."
Suzuki Makoto always spoke the truth; he had already mastered Mist Breathing over these last few days.
"But there is something I'd like to ask of you."
"Please, say the word. I will do everything in my power to accomplish it!"
"Whatever you do, don't take on a disciple with the surname Miyazaki."
"Huh?"
When the two returned to the estate, Muichiro went to bid farewell to the Master, while Suzuki Makoto sought out the Stone Hashira, who had just returned.
"Mr. Gyomei Himejima, pardon the interruption."
"Mr. Suzuki, have you come to learn Stone Breathing?"
"Yes."
"Then please, come to my usual training ground."
Suzuki Makoto followed the Stone Hashira to a more remote location. There, he looked at the training equipment, which seemed completely unsuited for human use, with a strange expression.
"Stone Breathing is unlike the other Breathing Styles. It is, in fact, a breathing method purely for training the physical body. The techniques vary from person to person depending on their weapon. That's also why Stone Breathing is the only style that doesn't require a sword, as its forms are all self-developed."
Gyomei Himejima explained it in detail to Suzuki Makoto.
"For example, the Stone Breathing, Third Form that I use, and your Water Breathing, Eleventh Form, have similarities."
With that, the Stone Hashira demonstrated the Third Form, swinging a flail with a spiked ball the size of a human head with such force that Suzuki Makoto couldn't find a good opening to attack—it wasn't that there were no openings, but getting in would mean taking a blow from his axe.
The best way would probably be to find an opportunity to shatter the chain of his weapon, and then consider other options.
This was also why Suzuki Makoto didn't spar with him. Their weapons were worlds apart, and even if Suzuki Makoto could analyze the movements of the technique, he couldn't possibly imitate them.
And for two people of their skill level, a normal sparring match where they had to hold back was meaningless.
Therefore, Suzuki Makoto was only learning the breathing method of Stone Breathing from the Stone Hashira.
Now that Muichiro Tokito had left, Suzuki Makoto had even more time each day to continue studying the secret books of the Ubuyashiki family.
He could only say it was a good thing that only the world had changed, not the culture. Otherwise, reading these records in ancient Japanese would have been enough to make him break down.
"Just as I thought. All existing Breathing Styles are derived from this one: Sun Breathing. It's a shame Muzan Kibutsuji systematically destroyed it, not even leaving behind vague descriptions of its forms."
Suzuki Makoto said this, but his face showed no hint of regret.
After all, he just needed to learn the five basic Breathing Styles first, then work his way backward.
_____
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