The Ripples of All Things

Sarutobi Hiruzen understood Tsugikuni Yoriichi's abilities, so he asked him outright.

"Can you develop a Breathing Style suited to my body?"

"One that's uniquely mine?"

That was what Sarutobi Hiruzen cared about most. To him, it was far more valuable than the so-called immortality of demons.

The Breathing Style was not only universally applicable, but also came with various elemental powers that greatly improved the body.

If it could be perfectly integrated into the Chakra system, it would be tremendously useful to Sarutobi Hiruzen, whose path as a Ninja had reached its end.

"Fortunately, your body still has the ability to breathe, and your lungs are still functional..."

Tsugikuni Yoriichi smiled with humility and warmth.

"That's the foundation of a Breathing Style..."

"So it shouldn't be a problem..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen naturally trusted Tsugikuni Yoriichi's abilities. He had personally trained most of the Demon Slayer Corps' original practitioners of the Breathing Styles.

With the Transparent World, Tsugikuni Yoriichi could see nearly every secret of the human body.

But compared with an ordinary swordsman, Sarutobi Hiruzen had more on his mind.

"I understand what a Breathing Style does."

"It can greatly improve lung capacity and let you briefly unleash greater speed and strength..."

"Besides that, there's the power of the sun you mentioned..."

"That extremely high temperature..."

"Where does it come from?"

After Sarutobi Hiruzen had demonstrated his own strength, Tsugikuni Yoriichi had shown him Sun Breathing.

He had easily sliced through a boulder ten meters tall.

If that were all, Sarutobi Hiruzen wouldn't have been curious. But the flat surface of the severed boulder bore marks like those left by flames.

The heat was comparable to the effects of Sarutobi Hiruzen's Fire Release nature transformation. It wasn't simply heat generated by friction with the air.

Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't understand how a Breathing Style that acted solely on the lungs could produce elemental power.

It wasn't just extreme heat, either. There were also lightning, wind, water, and more.

Tsugikuni Yoriichi replied,

"That's right. The foundation of a Breathing Style is indeed to improve the body's abilities."

"But Breathing Styles have another property as well."

Tsugikuni Yoriichi paused.

"Through human breathing, you imitate the breathing of all things..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. With the wisdom of the Professor of Ninjutsu, he immediately grasped what that meant.

"'The breathing of all things' is a little vague..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen corrected him.

"It would be more accurate to call it the vibrations of all things..."

Tsugikuni Yoriichi nodded, impressed.

"Your wisdom is truly remarkable, Mr. Sarutobi..."

"Vibrations..."

"That is indeed a more accurate description..."

There was nothing mystical about it. As Sarutobi Hiruzen understood it, the so-called Breath of All Things, the vibrations of all things, could be explained by modern science: everything in the world had a particular frequency.

Whether it was a rock, a human body, lightning, or flowing water, each had its own unique frequency of motion.

And Tsugikuni Yoriichi could imitate the sun's frequency through breathing, thereby producing the sun's energy.

"Truly remarkable..."

"This Breathing Style..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen praised it without reservation. Its demonstrated combat power was limited, but given the nature of how it developed, it had great potential even in many high-level worlds.

"But Yoriichi, you know I'm not suited to your Breathing Style."

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke to Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

"I have my own system of power, and I can achieve the same effects as a Breathing Style."

"Unleashing my lung capacity would actually be a burden for me..."

In some ways, Breathing Styles were not very different from Chakra. Both drew on one's life force, and neither had any restorative effect.

If anything, Breathing Styles were even more taxing, their costs approaching those of the Eight Inner Gates.

And after awakening the Demon Slayer Mark, one wouldn't live past twenty-five.

Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't imagine his old, frail body using Breathing Styles while also exhausting itself with Chakra.

He might as well just open the Eight Inner Gates. At least that would be quick.

"You may not think much of it..."

"But I really do need to cling to life a little longer..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stated his need without concealing anything.

"I need a Breathing Style that can nourish my body and extend my life."

He needed a Breathing Style that would prolong his life, not shorten it.

If there was any way to achieve immortality in this world besides becoming a demon, then only the man before him could find it.

Tsugikuni Yoriichi was the only one who had awakened the Demon Slayer Mark and still lived to the age of eighty. Surely that wasn't simply due to exceptional physical talent.

As if he sensed how serious Sarutobi Hiruzen was, Tsugikuni Yoriichi grew solemn as well.

"Since it's your request, Mr. Sarutobi, I'll do everything I can..."

Tsugikuni Yoriichi had always been a man who followed his heart without overstepping. He had never cared about things like lifespan.

For someone like him, how one lived mattered far more than how long.

But Tsugikuni Yoriichi was also willing to respect other people's wishes, so long as no one was harmed.

In his eyes, it would be easy for the powerful Mr. Sarutobi to become a demon.

The fact that he hadn't pursued the demons' immortality already proved he was a man of great principle.

Looking into Tsugikuni Yoriichi's utterly pure gaze, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help feeling a little ashamed.

Not everyone can see through life and death the way Tsugikuni Yoriichi does.

Not everyone has such a calm and steadfast will.

But Sarutobi Hiruzen soon cast that shame aside and faced his own desires.

But then again...

Not everyone is born with everything Tsugikuni Yoriichi has.

Strength, glory, willpower, courage—he lacks nothing.

That's what it means to be born divine.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu later fell into the abyss of demons because, compared to Tsugikuni Yoriichi, he was like a star beside the blazing sun. The disparity was simply too great.

As for me, I'm just an ordinary man with more choices.

If we traded places, I wouldn't be much better than Tsugikuni Michikatsu...

With the wisdom of two lifetimes, Sarutobi Hiruzen understood himself quite well.

Wanting to live longer is only human nature.

In a secret Demon Slayer Corps base,

a chilly basement was brightly lit by candlelight. Its wooden shelves were lined with an assortment of finely crafted knives and instruments.

A table made of welded iron stood nearby.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood to one side, calmly watching how the test subject on the table reacted.

"Ah!!!"

The test subject was none other than the old acquaintance Sarutobi Hiruzen had seen at the very beginning: the Four-Armed Demon.

The Four-Armed Demon was groaning in unbearable pain, its voice so shrill it filled anyone who heard it with fear.

Fortunately, the chamber had been built several meters underground, so the sound couldn't reach the surface.

The Four-Armed Demon's body was also covered in marks resembling burns from sunlight.

Like a viral infection, the marks kept spreading across its body, covering most of its skin in an instant.

Keep reading! The one with the huge—yes, you!