Several days later.
Deep in the night, a campfire crackled beneath a cliff face.
The two had just finished a battle; their bodies were still stained with blood. They were currently seizing the moment to rest and maintain their blades.
After nearly ten encounters with demons, Kuguruma Natsunishi's Breathing Style was nearing the threshold of LV.3.
Coupled with the fact that he still had a significant surplus of Achievement Points, he decided it was time to upgrade his Wind Breathing first. A 30% waste didn't matter anymore.
Ignoring the blank-faced girl roasting fish nearby, Kuguruma Natsunishi summoned his character panel.
System, it's time to show you the fruits of my labor.
Add points!
A single Achievement Point, condensed from the essence of Kuguruma Natsunishi's hard work, was funneled into the Wind Breathing panel. It instantly transformed into an invisible heat current, driving the experience bar upward at lightning speed.
In a mere second, all his efforts crystallized into real growth.
[Wind Breathing: LV.2 → LV.3]
[Proficiency: Entering the Path → Familiar Mastery]
[Progress: 13/2000 (+325)]
[Power Level: 37 → 54]
┣ Body: 17 → 26
┣ Skill: 9 → 15
┗ Spirit: 11 → 13
[Sword Form Mastery increased!]
[Unlocked Character Skill: Total Concentration]
[Total Concentration: Forcefully inhale massive amounts of oxygen into the lungs to instantly and drastically enhance cardiopulmonary function. This allows the blood to carry immense amounts of oxygen in a short time, triggering physical capabilities that exceed human limits.]
Oh?!
The level three skill even came with a derivative ability?
He studied the skill closely and reached an immediate realization.
Is this... Gear Second?!
He instantly recognized it as a classic ability from a certain popular shonen manga, The Great Voyage Empire.
At the same time, he made a projection regarding the experience needed for future upgrades: 500 for level one, 1000 for level two, and now 2000 for level three.
If the pattern held, the next would be 4000, 8000, 16,000... ascending to level ten would require roughly 500,000 experience in total.
If every upgrade reset the count to zero, then...
After some quick scratching on the ground with a wooden stick to do the math, he calculated that reaching level ten would require half a million experience. Based on the conversion rate for Wind Breathing, he would need about 1,600 Achievement Points.
Hmm...
And that was for just one Breathing Style.
If he practiced multiple skills simultaneously, relying solely on daily training, he feared he wouldn't max them out before the beta server shut down.
As expected, the end of all effort required a "top-up."
He calculated the cost-effectiveness: Level 10 needed 1600 points, Level 9 needed 800, and Level 8 needed only 400. God only knew if this game featured four hundred types of life skills. Therefore, practicing a Breathing Style better suited to him was the only logical path. In the late game, every 10% increase in compatibility could save him dozens of Achievement Points.
If possible, it would be best to dabble in other Breathing Styles too. Investing a small number of points to level up other styles would provide some stat feedback. After all, even mosquito legs are still meat.
As for this unlocked character skill, his years of gaming experience told him that more skills would inevitably unlock as the Breathing Style leveled up. He was curious to see what their effects would be...
As Kuguruma Natsunishi was lost in thought, Yukiziri Sashiko silently handed him a roasted fish.
"Kuguruma-kun, I don't know what you're thinking about, but in that last moment, you seemed... different. I mean, probably even more powerful?"
After several days of trials, Yukiziri Sashiko's mindset had stabilized significantly, yet she still hadn't quite shed her air of a fragile young girl.
"Is it because the practical combat of these last few days has further refined your Breathing Style and swordsmanship?"
Kuguruma Natsunishi didn't deny it. "That's right. The combat and training recently allowed me to level up... I mean, allowed my strength to break through."
This NPC's intuition was quite sharp. Could it be that leveling up a skill triggered hidden dialogue?
"Hey, Kuguruma-kun."
"Why did you join the Demon Slayer Corps?"
The girl rested her chin on her hand, tilting her head to look at Kuguruma Natsunishi. The gentle firelight dyed her youthful face with a faint crimson hue.
"Me?"
"Probably to wipe out every demon? Or maybe just to kill the strongest one."
He wasn't sure how the main quest would develop in the later stages, but the plots of action games usually weren't overly complex.
Kuguruma Natsunishi bit off a piece of fish and began to chew. The fish wasn't roasted well; it was too charred and lacked seasoning or marinade. Had he known, he would have done it himself to grind his [Cooking] proficiency.
"Kill... every demon??" A flicker of astonishment crossed the girl's eyes. She lowered her head slightly, her voice tinged with complex emotion. "That's wonderful... A swordsman as talented as you, Kuguruma-kun, might actually be able to do it."
"And you?" Kuguruma Natsunishi asked casually as he felt his hunger bar slowly refilling. "Why did you join the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Seeing how nervous you were before, did you not have the mental preparation before coming here?"
The girl's expression gradually turned somber.
"How could anyone be completely prepared... It's just that even if I'm not ready, I have to do something."
"After all, my family... and my sister, they were all killed by a demon."
"I want revenge."
Hearing the word "sister," Kuguruma Natsunishi fell silent for a moment. He recalled the background settings for his own character template—it seemed they shared the same mold. They were both the "entire family sacrificed for a revenge plot" type.
But he quickly realized that this was likely the most common story within the Demon Slayer Corps. Surviving a demon attack by a stroke of luck, staking one's life on training, and charging at monsters with a human body. It was a cliché, but a story that never grew old.
Kuguruma Natsunishi's gaze softened, and for once, he didn't skip this bit of dialogue.
"Hey, Yukiziri Sashiko, right... You'll do it."
"Kill every demon and get your revenge."
"Even if you can't, it doesn't matter, because wave after wave of swordsmen will follow in your footsteps after you fall, striving toward that goal."
"Even if they all fail..."
Kuguruma Natsunishi smiled. It was a smile full of absolute confidence and conviction.
"I will get it done."
This was Kuguruma Natsunishi's confidence as a player in his ability to clear the game.
"Eh?" Yukiziri Sashiko looked up in surprise, unable to believe that this usually distracted youth would say such a thing.
A wave of emotion washed over her, and her eyes grew warm.
"Th—Thank you for your encouragement, Ku—Kuguruma Natsunishi-kun."
Kuguruma Natsunishi laughed. "Before that, you have to work your heart out. It's best to settle your own grudges with your own hands."
"To challenge the high-and-mighty gods, Buddhas, and demons with a human body—that is the war song of humanity, a hymn of courage."
The girl nodded solemnly. "I will do it."
The boy responded brightly, "I'll be watching, then."
Yukiziri Sashiko also revealed a smile. The confusion and hesitation she had carried for so long finally began to dissipate. Kuguruma Natsunishi-kun truly was a special person.
The campfire burned quietly, illuminating their two young faces. She unconsciously used a wooden stick to poke at the fire, causing sparks to dance upward.
"Once we pass the selection," she said softly, "I want to go eat a steaming bowl of udon."
"Ideally with two soft-boiled eggs."
"Want to come along?"
Thinking about the taste of udon for a moment, Kuguruma Natsunishi shook his head decisively.
"No, let's go for roasted meat instead."
If possible, he wanted to learn various cooking techniques. He had already discovered that the more delicious his meals were, the faster his [Cooking] proficiency increased.
Confronted with Kuguruma Natsunishi's refusal, the girl wasn't disappointed. Instead, she covered her mouth with her fingertips and let out a light giggle.
"Then we'll eat roasted meat first."
"Oh? If it's your treat, I'm in."
"Sure."
Just as the warmth of the campfire was slowly driving away the chill, the distant howl of a demon and the battle cries of swordsmen suddenly echoed through the air.
The two fell silent simultaneously. They gripped their blades, their eyes regaining their sharp edge.
The girl brushed the dust off her skirt and stood up. "It looks like break time is over."
Kuguruma Natsunishi also stood up nimbly, stretching his shoulders and neck.
He said, "Let's go. Time to keep 'grinding experience'."
Though Yukiziri Sashiko didn't understand the last part, she grasped Kuguruma Natsunishi's meaning. She nodded and followed him.
"Don't forget our promise!"
Kuguruma Natsunishi replied, "If I forget, I'll treat you to udon."
Yukiziri Sashiko laughed. "And two soft-boiled eggs!"