Way Breathing

The sun shone brightly as the three boys traded blows on the training grounds. This match was Hiruma against two.

"True, don't hold back!"

"Let's set our hearts ablaze!"

"Ha ha ha!"

Kyojuro was like the protagonist of a hot-blooded manga, his voice roaring like a lion's. At the height of the battle, he unleashed his sword technique.

Flame Breathing First Form: Unknown Fire.

With a single step forward, his aura surged explosively. Then his body became like a speeding train, wreathed in blazing flames as he charged fiercely at Hiruma.

Hiruma's fighting spirit was equally high. His brilliant golden eyes burned like fire as he activated Flame Breathing.

In an instant, two streams of flame collided, and the fierce blade winds forced Obanai back.

He gripped his wooden sword tightly, his mismatched eyes like those of a hunting python, ready to strike unexpectedly at any moment.

Over the past year, Obanai had developed a Breathing Style of his own from Water Breathing.

He had also been the first among his peers to create his own Breathing Style. His talent was no less impressive.

At last, he found an opening between the two blazing flames.

His body suddenly contracted, then he slid swiftly toward Hiruma's side like a venomous snake.

His nimble movements stirred the surrounding air with his speed, forming currents that resembled a white venomous snake on the hunt.

Snake Breathing Second Form: Narrow-Headed Venomous Fangs.

The wooden sword in Obanai's hand passed through the two clashing fighters and went straight for Hiruma's head.

Got him!

The corner of Obanai's mouth curled beneath his bandages. Everything was under control. Of course, nothing would be more satisfying than beating the crap out of that bastard True.

Just thinking about how that guy had stuffed wasabi into his rice ball made his anger flare.

When there was no danger, True was the greatest danger.

Just as he was about to be attacked from both sides, Hiruma's blade suddenly turned. In an instant, dozens of crimson blade winds formed a vortex around him.

Flame Breathing: Fourth Form - Blooming Flame Undulation.

The overwhelming force knocked Obanai and Kyojuro away, but neither of them left any opening. Two fierce sword techniques attacked Hiruma head-on at once.

Before the match, Hiruma had told them not to hold back. After all, he could take a beating.

These half-grown boys were honest like that. Once they started fighting, they stopped caring about anything else.

Kyojuro used Flame Breathing: Fifth Form - Flame Tiger, thrusting forward with nearly all his strength. A flaming tiger silently awoke and lunged at Hiruma with its jaws wide open.

Obanai charged forward with all his might as well, to the point that the wooden sword in his hand was nearly cracking. When he fought, he truly fought—no hesitation whatsoever.

Snake Breathing Fifth Form: Coiling Serpent activated, and Hiruma could not help but shudder. His senses were already exceptionally sharp, and the instant he met Obanai's gaze, it felt as though a python had wrapped around his body.

On one side was scorching fire; on the other, an unpredictable snake.

As their sword techniques were about to swallow Hiruma whole, the two of them realized they had gone too far.

"Damn it, I can't stop!"

"Then trust True!"

Their sword techniques came crashing toward Hiruma like a raging storm, with the force of mountains collapsing and seas overturning.

Let me properly answer you two!

Hiruma's short, dark-red hair fluttered around his face. His eyes curved into a smile as his blood boiled.

His blade moved with his body. In the blink of an eye, he unleashed nearly dozens of slashes. Massive scarlet-gold blade winds condensed into form, and from afar, they looked like a Qilin opening its jaws.

Scarlet-gold arcs of lightning flared up, spreading from his wooden sword across his entire body.

Hiruma had fully mastered Thunder Breath, condensing its secret of speed and explosive power into a single sword technique. This was the Breathing Style he had created—

Way Breathing.

The Breathing Style created by Tendo Hiruma differed from the five major Breathing Styles and those derived from them. It did not have fixed, targeted forms.

This move, born from Thunder Breath, was called Qilin.

Way Breathing Thunder Form: Qilin.

As the Qilin struck, Hiruma shattered Kyojuro and Obanai's combined sword techniques with crushing force.

Powerful winds howled past, accompanied by rolling thunder.

Then Kyojuro and Obanai were sent flying backward, their wooden swords breaking into several pieces.

"That was incredible! You're absurdly strong, True!"

Rather than getting angry, Kyojuro laughed happily. This was how they could improve the fastest.

"Freak!"

Obanai sighed. He had once thought about catching up to this guy, but now he had given up.

Yet instead of feeling jealous, he was genuinely happy for Hiruma. Who knew how many alveoli that guy had blown out?

No one could ever replicate that sword technique, because no one else had such freakish recovery abilities or the will to mutilate himself.

The two lay spread-eagled on the grass, utterly convinced by their defeat.

Hiruma's wooden sword was in even worse shape. It was slightly charred and had broken into several pieces as well. His hand was still trembling, and his lungs tingled.

As expected, it consumed a lot of stamina.

Hiruma walked over to them and lay down between them without a word.

"True, this is the Breathing Style you created, right?"

"That was absolutely awesome!" Kyojuro praised him without reservation, his voice ringing loud and clear. Naturally, he had learned that phrase from Hiruma.

"Of course it was, ha ha ha!" Hiruma shamelessly accepted the praise.

"Give you an inch and you take a mile. Have you no shame?" Obanai snapped as usual, shooting Hiruma a glare.

"Also, you hit way too hard!"

That was simply the kind of person he was. He could not hide what was on his mind. If he had a problem with someone, he would say it to their face. He would never gossip behind their back or badmouth them.

Most of the time, though, anything that passed through Obanai's mouth turned into a cutting remark.

"And you're blaming me? Did you hold back?" Hiruma rolled his eyes and complained indignantly.

"Of course I didn't hold back! I even put in twelve times the effort, ha ha ha!"

"Otherwise, how could that fight have been so satisfying? I feel like I understand Flame Breathing more deeply now. Given time, I'll definitely become stronger!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Kyojuro raised his clenched right fist high. He was still that little sun, radiating a warmth like sunlight that infected everyone around him.

Before long, Hiruma and Obanai joined their big brother in laughter, and the three boys laughed together.

After a while, Kyojuro suddenly asked, "By the way, are you two going to this year's Final Selection?"

"Of course I am. I've been dying to kill those Demons!"

"I'm joining too." Hiruma gazed at the leisurely drifting clouds in the sky. If he remembered correctly, those two boys in Fox Masks would be participating as well.

Even if he did not run into them, he would kill the Hand Demon first and eliminate any future trouble.

"I remember Kanae and Shinobu Kocho aren't planning to take part in this year's selection." Big Brother looked at Hiruma and mentioned it casually.

"Also, that skinny little girl hasn't shown her face in a long time. She didn't poison herself to death, did she?" Obanai mocked. "I think she even asked me for Kaburamaru's snake venom before."

Their words made Hiruma realize something: he had not seen Shinobu in a long time.

He could not help feeling worried. Shinobu was someone who refused to admit defeat.

He sprang to his feet, patted his butt, and walked away without looking back.

PS: I went out for a meal and watched a movie today, so this came out a little late. But I won't leave anything owed. See you next chapter.

—Lingyou's ramblings, kisses! (*￣3￣)╭?