"Oi, Sakonji, are you home?"
Deep in Sagiri Mountain.
Following Kazami Koyoshi's directions, Natsuo really did find a small wooden cabin.
It just seemed like no one was home.
Not far away, deeper in the mountain forest, he could faintly hear movement.
No wonder this place was called Sagiri Mountain.
Air so damp it felt sticky gathered into a thick fog that refused to disperse, swallowing vast stretches of the woods. In some places, he could even make out rain clouds slowly tilting and sinking, like they were about to spill.
He couldn't help thinking that an elderly man living in a place like this might end up with aching joints.
Just as Natsuo was about to head into the mountain to take a look, the sounds inside the fog stopped.
Only the rustle of leaves remained, along with the steady white noise of a wet seasonal wind passing through the forest.
Almost at the same time, Natsuo's hand settled on his Nichirin Sword's hilt.
Could it be an experience pack?
No, if there were real man eating demons nearby, they would have been dealt with long ago by the master living here.
Then, behind him, he heard an extremely faint sound, fabric brushing against fabric.
His blade flashed out of its sheath.
And was immediately pressed back down by a single hand.
"High alertness. And you are not feeling unwell due to the altitude. Good physical quality."
"Yet you carry a Nichirin Sword, but you are not wearing a uniform."
"Child, which trainer's disciple are you?"
A very old voice sounded right behind Natsuo.
So fast.
Natsuo's instincts tightened, but he quickly noticed the game interface never switched into combat mode.
No hostility.
Ally.
He relaxed.
"My name is Natsuo. I studied under Kazami…"
He turned around.
And a red mask with a huge nose filled his vision.
For a second, Natsuo froze.
"A demon?"
The old man lightly tapped his own mask.
"Tengu."
Natsuo looked up at the status panel.
[Sakonji]
[Energy Level: 274 (Body: 105, Skill: 129, Mind: 40)]
[Water Breathing LV.6]
Nearly a hundred more total than Kazami Koyoshi.
This old man was much stronger.
He used to be a Water Hashira, didn't he?
Sakonji stared at the boy in front of him and frowned slightly.
Was he spacing out?
"Child."
He patted Natsuo's shoulder, and only then did Natsuo fully refocus.
Natsuo handed over the letter of introduction.
Sakonji read it carefully, line by line, then finally understood.
"So you are one of Koyoshi's trainees."
"He even agreed to such a willful request of yours. It seems he values you greatly."
"Come inside, child."
Sakonji patted his shoulder again, then waved toward the distant forest.
"Training ends for now."
"We have a guest."
As soon as he spoke, faint rustling came from within the fog.
Two children emerged from the misty woods.
One had a fox mask and pink hair, walking with a straight backed discipline.
The other was black haired, expression cold, looking like he wanted nothing to do with anyone.
They seemed a few years younger than Natsuo.
Why did this feel like a whirlpool clan kid and an Uchiha kid showing up in the wrong story?
Sakonji spoke calmly. "They are children I took in, and swordsmen I am training."
"Sabito, Giyu. Come here. This is the disciple of an old friend, Natsu…"
Natsuo answered naturally. "Natsuo."
He swept his gaze over the two kids without expression.
The black haired boy flinched and took half a step back.
[Sabito (Energy Level: 27)] Water Breathing LV.2
[Giyu (Energy Level: 13)] Water Breathing LV.1
The fox mask kid was stronger.
From Giyu's perspective, the newcomer's presence was terrifying.
Natsuo stood straight as iron, every muscle carrying a quiet, restrained violence. His eyes held a precise, clear intensity that felt almost unsettling.
Even though, even though Giyu sensed something familiar in him, something similar to Sabito.
A burning will born from a life shattered by demons.
And yet, at the same time, the boy felt frighteningly cold, as if he didn't care about anything at all.
Strong, but contradictory.
Natsuo glanced at Giyu again.
Was he scaring him?
Giyu felt his throat tighten, unable to speak.
Sabito noticed at once. He stepped forward slightly, positioning himself between Natsuo's gaze and Giyu.
Sakonji sighed. "Sabito, he has no hostility."
Then he turned to Natsuo. "Come inside."
He pushed open the wooden door and lit a coal lamp by feel.
The room was small and simple. It looked no different from an ordinary farmer's home.
Was the Corps paying that badly?
Natsuo's eyes swept the room before he could stop himself.
Sakonji spoke as if he had read his thoughts. "It is not that the organization or the leader is stingy. This cabin belonged to my own teacher. I could not bear to leave it."
"And it suits me. I prefer quiet."
Once the room brightened, Sakonji sat by the hearth.
He reread Kazami's letter, slow and deliberate.
Nearby, Sabito and Giyu stood at a distance, curiosity obvious as they studied Natsuo, the unexpected visitor.
Tiny sparks rose from the fire, crackling softly.
Little by little, the chill in the room eased.
"Natsuo," Sakonji said. His voice came through the tengu mask, steady like a deep mountain pool.
"Normally, I would not agree to your teacher's request."
"A swordsman who has just passed selection must stabilize his foundation and focus on one breathing style. To seek broad learning at this stage, or even speak of creating your own breathing style, is close to foolishness in my eyes."
"Breathing styles are refined through daily focus."
"Mind, body, and technique, none can be neglected."
"If the foundation is unstable and you scatter your attention, you are chasing illusions. You will not become great."
Then Sakonji's tone shifted.
"But I know Kazami."
"In his letter, he gave a great guarantee for you. He asked me to teach you the essence of Water Breathing."
"I do not approve of your path, but I will not ignore his sincerity."
Natsuo's mind jumped.
What did Kazami write in that letter?
Did he owe this masked old man a huge favor just to open this door for him?
"I do not recognize your idea of 'learning everything,'" Sakonji continued, "but I recognize Kazami's judgment and responsibility as a trainer."
"If he is willing to stake his name on you, and claims you may be an exception, then I will give you a chance to prove it."
"You may stay here for one month."
His gaze moved to Sabito and Giyu.
"You will train Water Breathing alongside these two."
"One month. If you cannot grasp the basic forms and the most fundamental intent of Water Breathing by then, it will prove you are not an exception, merely a boy who overreaches."
He looked back at Natsuo, and his voice carried weight that allowed no argument.
"At that time, you will leave."
"You will focus on Wind Breathing and refine it to the extreme, as you should."
It was both a response to an old friend's request, and a final warning to a young swordsman standing at the start of his road.
"A genius's time and energy are precious. I will not fail Kazami's favor, but I also will not watch a good blade chip itself by taking the wrong path."
"Whether you are proving talent, or proving arrogance, you will show me within this month."
Natsuo didn't seem intimidated at all.
Instead, he glanced at his system panel.
After becoming an official member at Mount Fujikasane, the main quest had updated from:
[Main Quest: Complete the Final Selection to join the Corps]
To:
[Main Quest: Become a Kanoe ranked swordsman]
At the same time, a new function had been unlocked.
Side Quest System.
And now, for the first time, something appeared there.
[Side Quest: First Encounter! A New Breathing Style!]
[Description: Within one month, master a new breathing style.]
[Reward: 500 Breathing Experience (Adaptive), Proficiency]
Ever since the system unlocked this feature, it had been completely empty. Natsuo had even been wondering how the side quests were supposed to trigger.
He hadn't expected it to pop up just from walking into this cabin and speaking a few sentences.
Natsuo lowered his head slightly.
"Then I will be in your care for a while, Sakonji."
(End of Chapter)
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