Raiden's body felt as if it had been rewoven by an invisible hand, impossibly light and brimming with energy.
He exhaled, sensing the changes brought by the fusion. Every inhale now carried more power than ever before.
Host: Raiden
Race: Human
Realm: Xin (I don't know what this is)
Comprehension: Superior
Aptitude: Superior
Talent: Echoing Ears
Skills: Bandaging (Proficient), Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunderclap and Flash (Proficient), Second Form: Rice Spirit (Mastered), Fifth Form: Heat Lightning (Mastered), Total Concentration Breathing: Constant (Proficient)
Two levels jumped in a single moment? Raiden stared at "Xin" in disbelief. Not only had his realm skipped "Ren," but he also sensed he was close to "Geng," reachable within days.
Shaking off the astonishment, Raiden went inside to eat. He had room for far more than usual, stuffing down over twenty rice balls before finally stopping.
Recharged, he returned to the courtyard, gripping his long sword, ready to learn the remaining forms of Thunder Breathing.
When Jigoro taught Zenitsu, Raiden had observed from the sidelines. His comprehension had been limited, yet he remembered the critical details of each form. Following those mental notes, faint arcs of electricity began to flicker around him.
First came Third Form: Mosquito Thunder. Its key: rotate rapidly around the enemy, leaving ripple-like lightning in the wake. The sound of electricity slicing through the air resembled a swarm of mosquitoes, giving the form its name.
Raiden spun, leaving ripples of electricity trailing behind. The sound of a buzzing swarm accompanied the strike, executed flawlessly.
He froze, staring at his blade. The Third Form—once a nightmare to perform—had been learned on his very first attempt.
Raiden reflected. His understanding of the form was sharper now, aided by his mastery of the First, Second, and Fifth Forms. It seemed the forms were interconnected, breakthroughs in one helping unlock others.
He moved on to Fourth Form: Distant Thunder and Sixth Form: Roaring Thunder. His instincts proved correct—both forms were mastered quickly. The Sixth Form was more taxing, consuming immense energy, yet his enhanced Total Concentration Breathing allowed him to adapt.
By noon, Raiden had achieved mastery of the Third and Fifth Forms. The Sixth Form required stamina, limiting him to brief bursts.
"Raiden!! I'm going to die!"
Zenitsu's wailing echoed from outside the courtyard. Raiden rushed to the door and found him sprawled on the ground, face streaked with tears and dust.
"Waaah, Raiden! I'm really going to die!" Zenitsu shrieked, hugging his knees.
"Got caught again?" Raiden asked, suppressing a sigh.
"Uh-huh! As soon as I ran down the mountain, Grandfather caught me and—look!" Zenitsu lifted his sleeve, revealing a purple-black bruise.
Raiden turned to fetch ointment, but Zenitsu grabbed his leg.
"If I keep training like this… I'm really going to die…"
Raiden groaned. "Let go."
"You have to live well even without me… Don't forget me…"
"Let go, Zenitsu."
"Marry a beautiful girl… have a few kids… and… don't forget me…"
Raiden fought the urge to push him off gently, finally dragging him back inside as he retrieved ointment.
By afternoon, Zenitsu was dragged to the back mountain for solo training, while Raiden followed Jigoro to the main courtyard.
Over the afternoon, Raiden's mastery of the Third, Fourth, and Sixth Forms improved rapidly. The Old Man observed the speed with mild surprise but quickly accepted it.
"The selection begins the day after tomorrow. You and Zenitsu must depart tomorrow," Jigoro said, eyes serious as he watched Raiden stand with his sword.
Raiden nodded as expected.
Before Jigoro could finish, Zenitsu's whiny voice carried from the back mountain.
"Grandfather! Is training over today? I really don't want to train, not even a little!"
Both Raiden and Jigoro twitched simultaneously.
"Remember to look after Zenitsu when you go out," Jigoro reminded Raiden.
Raiden nodded. The years he had lived with Zenitsu and the rewards Zenitsu had given him meant he would take care of him—emotionally and logically—though Zenitsu probably didn't need it in the long run.
Jigoro paused, fixing Raiden with a serious gaze. "You must also be careful."
Raiden's fingers tightened around the sword hilt. Another nod.
When Zenitsu finally noticed Raiden standing nearby, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Raiden? You're here too? Didn't Grandfather say you had no talent?"
The moment of confusion was brief. Immediately, Zenitsu ran forward, clinging to Raiden. No matter how much Raiden protested, the boy refused to let go.
After a while, Zenitsu reluctantly let go, moist eyes glancing at Jigoro.
"Zenitsu," Jigoro said softly.
"Huh?"
"No need to train tomorrow," Jigoro added, voice gentle for once.
Zenitsu's expression cleared instantly. "Really? Grandfather, are you serious?"
"That's great! No more awful training every day!"
"The final selection for you and Raiden is the day after tomorrow. You must leave tomorrow," Jigoro reminded him.
Zenitsu's excited hand froze mid-wave.
"Final selection?!"
The final selection, held on Mount Fujikasane, was where all Demon Slayer Corps candidates were tested and where captured demons were contained.
"Grandfather, Raiden and I can't possibly pass… we'll die…"
"Raiden hasn't even trained fully, so he definitely won't pass the selection," Jigoro remarked, glancing at him.
Yet Raiden stood tall, knowing his mastery of Thunder Breathing and the Friend System had prepared him for what lay ahead.
Even if the odds were slim, survival—and victory—was within reach.
____
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