The First Lesson I Taught You

Bang! The man and the sword exploded. The moment they approached Oboro, the four Demon Slayer Corps Pillars were thrown back by a force as if they had hit a trampoline.

It is a wooden staff.

Oboro gripped the cane that Kamado Tanpei had made for him, and like a blade, he broke through the Pillar's breathing techniques and sword skills one after another!

The Sayuri in the sky, with its beam of light, had its pupils dilated.

A pretty face showed disbelief.

Because she saw it... the men were also using sword techniques to counterattack, easily finding the weaknesses in their swordplay! Breathing techniques merely enhance attributes and strength, elevating sword skills and unleashing their power... For swordsmen, the skill of using the sword is equally crucial in combat. Different Nichirin Sword have different methods of use; similarly, the sword techniques that can be employed are also different.

For example, with her Nichirin Sword driven by her breathing, she mainly uses techniques such as slashing, thrusting, and parrying... Iron Pillar's Nichirin Sword skills are average, but his strength lies in the combination and variation of the weapon, making it impossible to defend against.

Tanjuro and Shiwei each have their own unique swordsmanship.

But even so, in an instant, Oboro defeated Oboro's technique with his own, not by relying on powerful breathing or physical strength, but purely by overwhelming skill.

This man... possesses unpredictable combat experience.

Oboro knocked all four of their Nichirin Sword from their hands...

As Shiwei was thrown forward and about to fall to the ground, he braced himself with one hand, flipped himself over, and landed on his back. He then quickly rushed forward and caught the falling Sayuri. On the other side, Iron Pillar slid along the ground for more than ten meters in an even more disheveled manner, getting covered in mud.

Because his injuries had not fully healed, Tanjuro collapsed to the ground, his face pale.

However, after the four were defeated, the Rock Pillar and the Wind Pillar were already prepared and filled in with amazing reaction and coordination... As Sayuri fell and was caught by the Water Pillar, a figure darted out and headed straight for the target to prevent Oboro from making any further moves.

The wind pillars and rock pillars flashed in front of and behind Oboro.

The sharp, dense blade light, like a sloping torrent, immediately swept over Long's body.

Long stood there, holding the wooden staff in one hand and swinging it left and right... In the eyes of others, the attacks from the wind pillar and the rock pillar had completely formed a chilling phantom that enveloped his entire body, and the number of attacks could reach dozens in just a few seconds.

Even more bizarrely, the weapon that Oboro was holding was just a piece of wood, which should have been easily cut by the blade, but at this moment it was able to withstand the sharp Nichirin Sword.

For a while, it jingled and clanged incessantly.

"Amazing!"

The wind was more concentrated than ever before, and the gaze followed the man's movements. The more one observed, the more restless one's heart became.

He realized... Oboro didn't know any swordsmanship at all! The wooden staff hadn't actually made any real contact with the blade.

However, upon colliding with the Nichirin Sword, the angle of the wooden staff was altered, ensuring that the actual impact occurred only with the blade itself, not the tip. Furthermore, with each parry, block, or counter-attack, the man could easily observe the force and angle applied to the blade, discerning his movements and finding the weakest point on the entire blade. With a mere touch or flick, he could neutralize the force of the blade and alter its angle...

It's always the same! Without exception.

Even if the wind pillar realized the problem and changed its move or dodged in advance, it was useless.

This man... never made a single mistake.

This made the Wind Pillar's breathing techniques and sword skills seem like a joke in front of Oboro.

I don't understand! The Wind Pillar doesn't understand... His breathing technique and sword skills are all passed down from generation to generation and summarized from the 'experience' of slaying countless demons. Unless a man has an extremely thorough understanding of the Wind Breathing, how could he possibly have such expressive power?

Furthermore, it wasn't just him; the Stone Pillar was in the same predicament.

They were attacking the man from two sides, not fighting alone! Even if he understood the Wind Breathing, did he also understand the Stone Breathing? "Stone Breathing, Eighth Form: Heaven-Opening!"

Just as the Wind Pillar was losing his composure, the Stone Pillar suddenly leaped up and used a 'self-created technique', a 'skill' created by combining the breathing technique of Stone Breathing with his own fighting style.

This self-created technique has been mastered by almost every generation of Pillars.

Breathing techniques are something that swordsmen have studied and passed down through generations, each with their own insights.

The basics of breathing techniques are the same. However, variations derived from breathing techniques are not suitable for everyone and depend on the individual practitioner's circumstances.

"Yes!"

Hope shone in Fengzhu's eyes.

The best way to break the disharmony caused by the enemy is to seek innovation and change.

Even if this person is very familiar with the Stone Breathing, the technique used by the Rock Pillar is unique to him and has never been seen before... This way, he can definitely catch the opponent off guard.

Clearly, the rock pillar sensed this as well.

Just as he was thinking this, a ripple immediately appeared in the light in his eyes.

The Stone Pillar's Nichirin Sword is a giant axe-shaped weapon with an extremely large blade... its sole purpose is destructive power. Furthermore, the Stone Pillar possesses the best physical attributes among his group. Despite its large size and considerable weight, which might hinder attack speed, the Stone Pillar wields it as if it were weightless... Driven by his current breathing technique, it possesses Heaven-Opening power.

Cut the man in half from above.

However, when the axe blade came down, Oboro simply raised his wooden staff and struck the axe blade from the side with the tip of the staff. This caused the Stone Pillar's hand movements to become distorted, and the awe-inspiring power of the sword vanished without a trace in an instant.

With a loud bang.

Before the rock pillar's body even touched the ground, the person was already a straight black shadow, kicked away by Oboro.

Then, Fengzhu's vision blurred.

Long turned One-Punch Man and punched him in the cheek.

This caused his facial features to become dislocated, and he spat out saliva and blood, disappearing into the distance along with the rock pillar.

All of this may seem like a long process, but it actually happens in the blink of an eye.

The rock pillar and the wind pillar also failed to achieve any offensive results, but this did not dampen the spirits of the others; on the contrary, it made them more aware of their own limitations.

The six people worked together, frantically maneuvering around Oboro.

For a moment, swords flashed and blood splattered, and the air was thick with murderous intent.

However, despite their strong will and perfect teamwork, hard work alone does not guarantee a good result.

Faced with overwhelming power, they had to accept reality.

The reality is... compared to their fierce fighting spirit, the men seem so 'leisurely strolling'... with a natural ease.

Of the six Pillars, some clearly harbored the idea of sacrificing themselves first, hoping to create an advantage for their teammates with their lives... But the problem was, Oboro didn't even give them the chance to die. Especially Rengoku Tenjuro, several times, this guy tried to deliberately get hit by Oboro's wooden staff, so that he could restrain Oboro's 'makeshift weapon' with his hands, or simply hug him and make him unable to move.

But... in the end, Tanjuro's self-sacrifice did not succeed.

Long seemed to see into the thoughts in each of their minds.

In front of this man, they were like people who were naked... completely exposed.

The six breathing techniques created different sword auras: firelight, flowing water, dazzling light, and powerful axe strikes... but they were powerless against the man in the black haori on this small battlefield.

Even now, during the battle, Oboro's haori is still draped over her shoulders.

His footwork was agile, sometimes light and graceful, sometimes bursting with considerable power... He moved across the ground, weaving through the gaps between the swirling blades without any pressure.

He swung the wooden staff in his hand from side to side, deflecting deadly attacks.

As time went on, all the pillars felt increasingly desperate, as if a giant hand was pushing them into an abyss...

Despite not knowing any sword skills, he used the wood with sword techniques. His movements were clumsy and awkward, not smooth at all, but he was still able to deal with them effectively.

They were completely suppressed.

Moreover, the man's physical strength doesn't seem to be at a 'ghost' level; he's just a little stronger than an ordinary person, with a temporary boost through breathing... It's not as unattainable as some people think.

But... why? Why can't we win?

The same thought flashed through the minds of all six people.

Because of the advantage brought by skill, Oboro could easily achieve "using four ounces to move a thousand pounds," and even with minimal effort, he could match the six people who fought with all their might in every attack. Under this differentiated battle, as time went by, fatigue began to appear on the faces of Tanjuro and the others.

Sayuri, who was in the worst physical condition, was even at the point of exhaustion.

However, they still did not give up!

Never give up!

"Very nice."

He smiled faintly.

His original plan was to kill one or two more pillars after killing Lei Zhu, in order to create immense psychological pressure on the survivors and test whether their will would waver under such circumstances. But the reactions of the survivors after Lei Zhu's death had already given him the answer.

Therefore, he no longer needed to kill him.

The result was clear: no matter how many people he killed, even if he took down six out of seven, the last one would not back down.

This is truly commendable.

A collective bond, a shining example of passing on the will.

It is a 'power' that Oboro has never fully experienced in the Hunter x Hunter World.

Considering the hatching of the seeds and the need to pit the Demon Slayer Corps against the demons, Oboro is now trying his best to avoid causing casualties among the top combatants of both factions.

Another point that slightly shocked Oboro was that the more disheveled and physically exhausted these six people were, the more powerful their fighting strength became. This was because when physical strength could no longer serve as a source of energy, what remained was their spirit and will.

That's what truly deserves their praise.

Such an illogical scenario is almost impossible to occur in Hunter x Hunter... because it doesn't fit the tone of the Hunter x Hunter world.

It's not quite the same as the Vows and Restrictions Post-Mortem Nen, or the kind that come with a dark turn like Gon's.

For one night, Oboro fought fiercely with six people all night long.

The six men's intentions were quite clear: to delay...

Delay it as much as possible.

They believed the man was a ghost, so they thought they would win as long as the sun rose.

Actually, by the latter half of the night, they were already exhausted... They were simply relying on their willpower to keep going, determined to make Oboro die here today! Even if it meant mutual destruction.

Moreover, they could see that Long still had the strength to break through their encirclement and leave directly.

But they didn't do that...

They didn't know the reasons behind it, nor did they care.

So, when a layer of golden light finally emerges on the distant horizon, revealing the rising sun...

Even though Rengoku Tenjuro's face was disfigured and bleeding profusely from the heavy blow from Oboro's wooden staff, he still couldn't help but shout, "It's a success!"

"We did it!"

The man wants to leave now, but it's too late.

There was absolutely no cover around to conceal their position.

The other pillars also lowered their blades and looked in that direction.

His eyes were full of anticipation...

I long for the sight of the sun scorching everything away.

There was one exception.

Water column, Kawai Ichie.

His eyes were calm, devoid of excitement or joy, as if he already knew what was going on...

Streaks of golden light stretched across the distant horizon, illuminating Oboro's body... The morning breeze stirred Oboro's black haori and hair.

He stretched his shoulders, a half-smile on his face, "Even with this much exercise, I still feel soreness... Sure enough, even if the root cause of the disease is removed, it's still an unpolished body, still inadequate."

The sunlight fell on me, releasing warmth.

Long's somewhat tired expression had also cleared up a bit.

"..."

The people nearby were completely dumbfounded.

He didn't die...

He's not a ghost!

Rengoku Tenjuro, who was kneeling on the ground, opened his eyes wide.

His expression was blank.

Everyone had different injuries, all left by Oboro... The ones who looked the worst were the Flame Pillar and the Stone Pillar.

The Stone Pillar was covered in blood, holding the axe-shaped Nichirin Sword in his hand. Even though he was standing, his legs were trembling and he seemed about to collapse at any moment.

They've reached the point where they can't even stand still.

Sayuri's Nichirin Sword was stuck dozens of meters away; she had already passed out a few minutes earlier.

With his back to the sun and several pillars in front of him, from the perspective of Shiwei and the others, his body looked as if it were covered with a layer of golden rosy clouds, which was beautiful and magnificent.

It echoes the rising sun behind it.

Since they are human, the Demon Slayer Corps can't control them!

If Oboro killed Raiju, they could have reported it to the Magistrate's Office and asked them to arrest the criminal. The problem was that Oboro was the local head of the Magistrate's Office and a high-ranking Shogunate.

No solution!

It seems the only way to get revenge is to kill someone!

"Impossible... How could he... possibly be human?!"

Iron Pillar refused to believe it.

It's possible that he made a mistake in his perception on his own.

But almost everyone else also accepted the fact that the man was a ghost.

Oboro tightened her haori, glanced at the expressions of the six people, and smiled, "I hope you all remember today's lesson. After a night of fighting, you will all have some understanding." After speaking, she turned and strode towards the intersection.

"Please take my two maids to Ueno or to the Entertainment District where I live."

The Entertainment District actually refers to the entertainment district, not a specific area... Edo also had Entertainment District Yoshiwara Pleasure District.

Following the division of the two major regions, North and South, Oboro is the head of the North region. He lives far from Edo Castle, and he has already determined that the Entertainment District he lives in is most likely the birthplace of Gyutaro and Ume.

In this day and age, there are only a handful of famous Entertainment District areas.

Most of them are in the south.

There's only one in the North.

He had been to Yoshiwara Pleasure District of Edo Castle. The scene was completely different from the Entertainment District he lived in; it was very formal and there were no slums.

The northern area is bitterly cold and snowy year-round.

Both the environment and the compilation of various information are quite consistent with the original work.

Swish.

Seeing that Oboro had left, Kazehachi instinctively raised his Nichirin Sword and held it horizontally in front of Oboro.

"You can't leave!"

"You killed someone!"

Fengzhu's forehead was bulging with veins as he stared at Long.

"Yes, I killed people... not just your partner, but also so many villagers."

"What... are you taking me to the magistrate's office?"

He said in a low voice.

"..."

The wind pillar fell silent.