I had been in the courtyard of the Butterfly Mansion since before dawn once again.
My three crows had left, excited and eager, saying they would get a mission for me "as soon as possible."
Hotaru flew off repeating "Mission, mission, mission," heading in a completely different direction from the other two.
'I hope she found the right way…'
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
The cold air filled my lungs, flowing through the channels of my breathing.
My hands rested on the sheathed wooden katana at my waist. I remained still, focusing with my eyes closed.
When I exhaled, shadowy smoke left my lips, much more smoothly than with the first form.
"…Shadow Breathing, Second Form: Anshi," I murmured.
The world opened up to me.
The presence of every living being within the mansion lit up in my mind.
I felt the vibrant energy of the girls still asleep, the calm presence of resting patients, small points representing insects scattered throughout the garden.
And then… a gentle presence approaching through the corridor.
Kanae.
When I opened my eyes, the shadowy mist slowly dissipated.
I turned with a smile already forming just as Kanae stepped into the courtyard.
She returned the smile.
"Whenever I wake up early, I end up finding you here," she commented.
"I'm waiting for my first mission," I replied, adjusting the haori on my shoulders.
"And training a bit in the meantime," I added.
Kanae observed me for a moment, touching her lips thoughtfully, then smiled again.
"Since you're already awake… how about we fulfill that promise? Our spar."
My smile widened immediately.
"Of course."
─── ◆ ───
Third Person POV
Kanae and Usan positioned themselves at the center of the courtyard.
The sun was just beginning to rise behind the treetops, casting golden tones across the grass and rooftops.
Kanae held a wooden katana, her posture as flawless as ever.
Usan gripped his own wooden sword while leaving a simple wooden kusarigama at his waist.
They both took a deep breath at the same time.
Usan attacked first.
He moved in from the side, Kanae raised her wooden blade and blocked, sliding back a few centimeters from the impact.
"Strong as always," she murmured.
Kanae counterattacked immediately, putting full force into her strike.
"Flower Breathing… Fifth Form: Ade no Shakuyaku."
Nine swift strikes followed one after another, painting the air with white and pink arcs.
But Usan disappeared.
Or rather, he switched places with his shadow clone.
He reappeared behind her, his left hand forming a shuriken of pure darkness.
The shadow in front of Kanae mirrored the motion perfectly.
Kanae reacted instantly.
"Flower Breathing… Second Form: Mikage Ume!"
She spun her wooden blade in multiple arcs, pink petals blooming around her.
The movement deflected the shadow shurikens, which dissolved into black clouds in the air.
Usan inhaled deeply.
Then lowered his body.
The stance resembled the First Form of Thunder Breathing, feet grounded, torso leaning forward, muscles ready to release all accumulated force.
Kanae raised her blade in a defensive stance, watching him closely with her usual smile.
Dark clouds, tinged with purple, escaped from Usan's mouth.
"Shadow Breathing… Fifth Form: Ane no Ketsui!"
The ground trembled.
Usan launched forward with overwhelming speed. Like a bolt of darkness.
Kanae tried to use her second form, but abandoned it instantly.
There wasn't enough time.
The strikes came like relentless hammer blows.
Toc... Toc! Toc–toc–toc–toc!
The sound of wooden blades echoed across the courtyard.
Kanae retreated, defending with flawless precision, but was clearly being pushed back by the storm of attacks.
The courtyard filled with color.
The white and pink arcs of Flower Breathing blended with the black and purple clouds of Shadow Breathing.
When the technique ended, Usan nearly slid out of stance, breathing heavily.
Kanae made a short leap back, regaining her balance, also out of breath.
And then she saw it.
The dark clouds behind Usan gathered briefly, vaguely forming a feminine silhouette holding a katana in the same stance as him.
The only parts not completely dark were the tips of the hair, the eyes, and the mouth, glowing with an ethereal purple.
The figure vanished seconds later, bursting into mist and drifting upward.
"It's still not ready," Usan muttered, irritated.
Kanae laughed softly, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"If that isn't ready, I can only imagine what it will be like when it is."
They resumed their stances.
The spar continued.
─── ◆ ───
POV Usan
I ended up sitting down on the ground, exhausted. Kanae did the same beside me.
Both of us breathing heavily.
Shinobu appeared with a glass of water for each of us, she had been watching for a while.
"Good work, you two," she said, handing a glass to her sister.
"Thank you, Shinobu," Kanae replied.
I just took my glass, gave a quick nod, and drank it all in one go.
"The score ended up… three to two," I muttered, running a hand over my face.
I won.
I lost twice for overusing incomplete forms of my breathing technique, but I'd say it was worth it.
Kanae let out a gentle laugh.
"It was a great training session."
"My new forms… I think they're almost complete. Thanks to you," I said, looking at her and then at the sky.
She tilted her head, smiling with that unshakable calm.
"Anytime. You can count on me."
Shinobu crossed her arms.
"With that... you're already at the level of a Hashira," she commented seriously.
"Even before your first mission."
"I agree," Kanae added.
"You're quite ridiculous, Usan..." Shinobu continued.
"…"
'Hashira…'
To officially become one, I needed to reach the Kinoe rank and kill fifty demons, or defeat a Lower Moon.
And then I thought about Tokito's record, something that would only happen in the future.
Two months to become a Hashira.
For a moment, I considered trying to break that record.
But then I let the idea go with a tired sigh.
"I'll think about that later…" I murmured, standing up.
"Right now, I just want a bath."
─── ◆ ───
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