"Once someone awakened the so-called markings, were they destined not to live past twenty-five?"
"The flame-like pattern on Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni's face... is that a Marking?"
After hearing Yorii Tsugikuni's words, Ieyasu's expression became hesitant, and so did Sayo's.
At the end of the day, both Ieyasu and Sayo were only fourteen or fifteen years old. Although they had come to the Imperial Capital with great determination to make something of themselves,
neither Ieyasu nor Sayo had ever considered the possibility that they might not live past twenty-five.
The possibility that learning the Breathing Techniques Yorii Tsugikuni taught could lead to awakening markings and dying before twenty-five was something Ieyasu and Sayo were not mentally prepared for.
At the same time, Ieyasu and Sayo's expressions were somewhat complicated.
After all, Yorii Tsugikuni had awakened the so-called markings and gained tremendous power, but the price he had paid was being unable to live past twenty-five. For a moment, neither Ieyasu nor Sayo knew what to say.
Ieyasu and Sayo did not know that Yorii Tsugikuni was the one unique exception.
Even after awakening markings, he could still have the lifespan of an ordinary person—or perhaps an extraordinary one.
During the Warring States period of Fusang, the average lifespan was only around thirty. Many people did not even make it to thirty, while Yorii Tsugikuni had lived into his eighties or nineties back then. He was no different from some ancient monster who lived to be two hundred in modern society.
"That's right."
"This on my forehead is a Marking."
Looking at Sayo and Ieyasu's complicated expressions, Yorii Tsugikuni naturally knew what they were thinking. He smiled faintly and said, "However, I may be somewhat different from others. I was born with markings."
"You could say I was born with strength far beyond that of ordinary people."
"Furthermore, as far as I know, those born with markings are not said to die at twenty-five."
After giving it some thought, Yorii Tsugikuni felt that his own situation might be rather complicated.
So he did not explain his circumstances clearly to Sayo and Ieyasu—for example, that he was already over eighty years old and had died of old age, only to somehow come back to life.
Yorii Tsugikuni had now returned to the appearance of his youth, and he knew no one would believe him if he said it aloud.
"!!!"
"That's completely unfair!"
Ieyasu had originally been looking at Yorii Tsugikuni with deep regret in his eyes.
He had especially envied Yorii Tsugikuni's terrifying strength. Whether in skill or power, Yorii Tsugikuni could completely crush him. Yet he had never expected that the price Yorii Tsugikuni had paid was being unable to live past twenty-five.
The moment he thought of that, Ieyasu became much less interested in gaining Yorii Tsugikuni's kind of power.
Only being able to live to twenty-five was simply too pitiful.
Yet he had barely finished speaking before Yorii Tsugikuni said that he was an exception.
He had been born with markings and was not bound by the rule of dying before twenty-five.
Of course, complaints aside, Ieyasu was still happy that Yorii Tsugikuni could live past twenty-five.
Sayo also breathed a sigh of relief.
Although they had known Yorii Tsugikuni for less than a day, Ieyasu felt certain that he could become very good friends with him.
Tatsumi, his friend who had yet to arrive in the Imperial Capital, would surely be able to become friends with Yorii Tsugikuni as well.
"Yes, compared to others, I am somewhat special."
"That is why I need to make things clear to both you and Sayo."
Looking at Ieyasu and Sayo, Yorii Tsugikuni said with a serious expression, "After learning Breathing Techniques, there is an extremely powerful realm within them: Total Concentration Constant Breathing."
"Once you reach that realm, you can awaken markings within a year at most."
As one of the first swordsmen to use Breathing Techniques in the world of Demon Slayer, Yorii Tsugikuni's understanding of markings was relatively shallow.
He did not know that the awakening of markings was directly and deeply related to him.
Yorii Tsugikuni only knew that every swordsman around him who reached the highest realm of Breathing Techniques, Total Concentration Constant Breathing, would awaken markings within a year at most.
"In other words, Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni,"
"as long as we do not master the highest realm of Breathing Techniques, Total Concentration Constant Breathing, we will not awaken markings?"
Upon hearing Yorii Tsugikuni's words, Sayo's eyes lit up slightly.
Although it was somewhat regrettable that she could not learn the highest realm of Breathing Techniques, Sayo felt that even learning weaker Breathing Techniques could still improve both her and Ieyasu's strength.
That would give them a greater chance of making a name for themselves in the Imperial Capital.
"I'm not entirely sure about that."
"However, no swordsman with markings has appeared so far without mastering Total Concentration Constant Breathing."
Yorii Tsugikuni recalled for a moment, then said hesitantly, "If one does not master Total Concentration Constant Breathing, they probably will not awaken markings. Still, I cannot be completely certain of that."
Back then, because Yorii Tsugikuni had failed to kill Muzan Kibutsuji, he had been expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps.
Yorii Tsugikuni did not know much about what happened in the Demon Slayer Corps afterward.
He also did not know whether any new swordsmen had awakened markings.
"Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni."
"Ieyasu and I want to learn Breathing Techniques from you."
Compared to Yorii Tsugikuni's hesitation, Sayo's expression became firm instead.
Pulling Ieyasu along, whose face was practically screaming confusion, Sayo solemnly walked before Yorii Tsugikuni and knelt down. She performed a formal ceremony to accept him as her master and kowtowed three times.
Then she raised her head, revealed an unprecedented smile to Yorii Tsugikuni, and said, "Master!"
Seeing Sayo bow and acknowledge a master with such determination, Ieyasu also knelt before Yorii Tsugikuni and knocked his head against the ground three times.
Looking at Yorii Tsugikuni, his face slightly red and clearly unaccustomed to this, he said, "M-Master!"
Strange Movements in the Dead of Night
To be honest, Ieyasu himself was somewhat unwilling.
After all, Yorii Tsugikuni currently looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, merely a few years older than him. Sayo had suddenly taken the lead in kneeling and kowtowing, leaving Ieyasu utterly unable to react in time.
Of course, Ieyasu himself did not think there was anything wrong with kneeling and kowtowing to Yorii Tsugikuni.
The Empire in the world of Akame ga Kill was modeled after Yanhuang Country. Whether in territorial layout or traditional customs, it resembled Yanhuang Country, so it placed considerable importance on the saying, "Filial piety comes before all virtues."
And a master was naturally half a father to a disciple.
Aside from one's biological parents, the person who most deserved respect was the master who imparted knowledge, taught skills, and resolved doubts.
Therefore, if Yorii Tsugikuni was truly willing to teach his Breathing Techniques to Sayo and Ieyasu, then it was perfectly natural for them to kowtow three times to him now.
In fact, once they had the means later on, they would need to make up for the proper ceremony of becoming disciples.
"Th-This..."
"Miss Sayo, Mr. Ieyasu, you are being far too formal."
"I appear to be about the same age as Miss Sayo and Mr. Ieyasu. There is absolutely no need to..."
Faced with Sayo and Ieyasu kneeling and kowtowing, Yorii Tsugikuni found himself somewhat unaccustomed to it.
Back when he was in the Demon Slayer Corps, Yorii Tsugikuni had said he wanted to teach everyone the special Breathing Techniques he had mastered. Everyone had been thrilled and excited, but no one had ever paid him such a grand tribute.
Even when meeting the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, one only needed to kneel on one knee.
Only those who had committed grave mistakes would kneel on both knees. Back then, Yorii Tsugikuni had been ordered by his comrades in the Demon Slayer Corps to kneel because he had missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kill Muzan Kibutsuji, the source of all demons.
They had even ordered him to commit seppuku to atone for his crime.
Of course, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps at the time had not made Yorii Tsugikuni do so, merely expelling him from the Demon Slayer Corps.
Compared to those ignorant former comrades of Yorii Tsugikuni's in the Demon Slayer Corps, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps had clearly been much more farsighted.
"No, Master."
"I do not know whether these Breathing Techniques are important to Master."
Looking at Yorii Tsugikuni, who was somewhat flustered as he tried to help her and Ieyasu up, Sayo said earnestly, "But Master's Breathing Techniques are absolutely extremely important to Ieyasu and me."
"If we can truly learn Master's Breathing Techniques, then Ieyasu and I will surely be able to change our fates."
"Ieyasu and I do not have any money right now."
"When Ieyasu and I earn money in the future, we will definitely make up the proper ceremony for Master."
Compared to Yorii Tsugikuni, Sayo had placed herself in a very proper position.
Yorii Tsugikuni might have come from some remote place and might not understand basic matters of conduct and etiquette, but as his disciple, Sayo could not afford not to understand them.
Since she wanted to learn a secret technique like Breathing Techniques from Yorii Tsugikuni, she had to do things properly.
From this day onward, Yorii Tsugikuni would be her and Ieyasu's master, and they had to maintain the right attitude.
Of course, it was certainly fine to chat casually in everyday life. Otherwise, there would not be a saying like "teacher and friend alike."
"Master, Sayo is right."
"Master, no matter how unimportant these Breathing Techniques may be to you, if you teach them to Sayo and me, you will still be our master!"
Seeing Sayo's serious expression, Ieyasu, who had still felt a little awkward, quickly adjusted his attitude as well.
As Sayo's companion, Ieyasu was no fool either.
Ieyasu understood very clearly just how valuable the Breathing Techniques Yorii Tsugikuni intended to teach him and Sayo were.
Ieyasu did not know what special secret techniques Imperial Fists Temple possessed that allowed it to mass-produce relatively ordinary strong fighters like a modern assembly-line factory.
However, Ieyasu felt that even if Yorii Tsugikuni's Breathing Techniques could not compare to Imperial Fists Temple's secret techniques, they probably would not be far inferior.
What followed naturally became much simpler.
Yorii Tsugikuni could not argue against Sayo and Ieyasu, so he could only accept them as his two disciples.
Overall, Yorii Tsugikuni found it somewhat novel as well. Back in the Demon Slayer Corps, he had simply asked others whether they wanted to learn his Breathing Techniques. If they wanted to learn, he was willing to teach.
No one had ever treated him with such solemnity.
Yorii Tsugikuni himself did not care much about such things, but some matters were simply difficult to explain.
For example, Sayo and Ieyasu became slightly more special in Yorii Tsugikuni's heart.
The sky gradually grew dim.
The streets, once filled with people coming and going, also became somewhat empty.
Yorii Tsugikuni, Sayo, and Ieyasu sat quietly on the street, with no one saying much.
As the day ended, Sayo and Ieyasu had not seen Tatsumi arrive. They could only make do with spending the night on the street. Although spring had passed, the nights were still somewhat cool.
Fortunately, Sayo and Ieyasu were both in fairly good physical condition, so sleeping on the streets for a few days temporarily would not be a problem.
Compared with the rather lively atmosphere during the day, the mood between the three of them was now much quieter.
Of course, part of it was also because they had not eaten all day and needed to conserve their strength.
Ieyasu in particular had nearly exhausted all his strength in his spar with Yorii Tsugikuni. He could only rest early and hope that Tatsumi would arrive in time to meet them the next morning.
As time continued to pass, the night slowly deepened.
Watching Sayo and Ieyasu gradually fall asleep, Yorii Tsugikuni smiled.
I'll stay here for a while longer.
After Sayo and Ieyasu learn my Breathing Techniques, I'll go look for that person.
Yorii Tsugikuni made a new decision. Then he slightly closed his eyes and began to rest lightly.
When camping outdoors, even on the streets of a bustling city, someone needed to stand watch. So Yorii Tsugikuni did not intend to sleep too deeply. A light rest and a brief nap would be enough.
At the slightest disturbance, Yorii Tsugikuni could unleash his full strength at any moment.
After an unknown amount of time passed, a somewhat unusual sound reached Yorii Tsugikuni's ears.
Before you continue