Su Chen had left a deep impression on him today.
Although he had disliked Su Chen at first.
There was no denying that Su Chen's talent was dazzling. Even a child like him could see Su Chen's worth.
Let alone Kyojuro, the Flame Hashira.
Kyojuro smiled and stroked Senjuro's head as he spoke.
"Mr. Su Chen reminds me of how Father used to be."
"Father used to teach me just as patiently. The way he ran away just now really brought back memories."
Kyojuro looked in the direction Su Chen had left.
A small trace of regret actually rose in his heart.
If I'd snatched Su Chen up at the Hashira Meeting back then, what would Shinobu Kocho have had to do with any of this?
I really want to take Su Chen as my Tsuguko.
Then I could ask Su Chen all the questions about my own problems without holding back!
Unfortunately, it was already too late to say any of that.
"Let's go, Senjuro. Father will be unhappy if we don't head back soon."
Kyojuro grabbed his younger brother and hoisted him onto his shoulder.
The two brothers headed home through the night.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
In the quiet night, two small figures ran among the shadows of the trees.
Su Chen led the way, feeling indescribably exhilarated.
Seeing Kyojuro Rengoku from the original story in person had put him in a very good mood.
Especially since he had even fought the Flame Hashira. Even now, Su Chen could still recall the Flame Hashira's terrifying explosive power.
This was the first time Su Chen had encountered an opponent so difficult for him to defeat.
But his gains had been considerable, too.
Not only had he learned Total Concentration: Constant, he had also used it as a foundation to learn the breathing technique Total Concentration: Focus.
Compared with ordinary Constant, Focus allowed Su Chen to enter the state better and faster.
And its effects were more comprehensive!
Su Chen deduced that if he refined his Focus technique further, every cell in his body would maintain the Constant state at all times.
This could greatly improve Su Chen's physical abilities.
Combined with activating the Demon Slayer Mark, the amplification could even bring Su Chen's physical abilities straight up to Hashira level!
Bullet Time had also leveled up.
First, its range had doubled. Then his powers of observation, learning ability, and reflexes had all improved.
There was nothing much to say about that.
Today's main highlight was still the Flame Breathing Su Chen had learned from the Flame Hashira!
A Breathing Style with overwhelmingly powerful attacks and attack range!
Su Chen had even created a new Breathing Style based on it.
Blazing Breathing!
This Breathing Style had thoroughly gotten the better of the current Flame Hashira.
Even now, Su Chen had not forgotten Kyojuro's shocked expression at the time.
It had clearly been his home ground, yet Su Chen had turned the tables and taken charge.
A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Su Chen's eyes.
He wondered what effect teaching the Flame Hashira a new Breathing Style would have on the subsequent plot.
The Flame Hashira becoming the Blazing Hashira?
Even thinking about it was rather interesting.
But Kyojuro probably won't come looking for me again, right?
Su Chen had already explained so much he was practically sick of it. He really could not take going through it a few more times.
"Su Chen."
Suddenly, Kanao Tsuyuri slowly stopped.
Her fair hand tugged at his sleeve, and the two stopped there in a grove.
Su Chen could not help turning to look at her.
In the night, bright moonlight fell across Kanao Tsuyuri's small face, illuminating the girl's eyes.
The girl took a deep breath and said, her breath as fragrant as orchids, "I want to learn."
After saying this, she abruptly lowered her head.
She was afraid Su Chen would refuse her.
But Su Chen had not understood what Kanao Tsuyuri meant at all.
He glanced at the grove around them, then checked his own body, which was probably only fourteen years old.
Then he said bluntly, "No, you're not old enough to learn that yet."
Kanao Tsuyuri blinked, not understanding what Su Chen meant.
Does this have something to do with my age, too?
The girl drew the Nichirin Blade at her waist and stared straight at Su Chen. "I want it."
Su Chen immediately understood.
He had misunderstood.
Kanao Tsuyuri probably wanted to learn the powerful Breathing Style Su Chen had just demonstrated.
It seemed this girl was eager for it, too!
Very well. With the night around them, Su Chen decided to teach Kanao Tsuyuri right here in this grove.
Su Chen took her small, fair hand in his palm.
A blush immediately swept across the girl's cheeks.
But the night was deep, and Su Chen did not see it.
Su Chen chose a spot and was just about to begin teaching when he suddenly noticed the blade in Kanao Tsuyuri's hand.
"Kanao Tsuyuri, where did the blade in your hand come from?" Su Chen asked in confusion.
He remembered that he had ruined Kanao Tsuyuri's blade.
Could this one be Kyojuro's blade?
Kanao Tsuyuri froze, too.
As she looked at the Nichirin Blade in her hand, a trace of confusion appeared in her eyes.
Then a bead of fragrant sweat suddenly trickled down her fair forehead.
"I... forgot to return it." The girl's voice was full of nervousness.
"S-sorry."
Looking at Kanao Tsuyuri as she admitted her mistake, Su Chen suddenly smiled.
"Why apologize? Would the blade fly back right now just because I found out?"
As he spoke, Su Chen could not resist tapping Kanao Tsuyuri's forehead.
"Be more careful next time."
Kanao Tsuyuri's face instantly reddened. "Okay."
"Now I'll teach you the techniques of Total Concentration."
Su Chen stepped back two paces and began demonstrating some of the principles of Total Concentration: Focus.
But Kanao Tsuyuri did not understand.
She plucked up her courage and asked, "Su Chen."
Su Chen immediately looked at her. "What is it?"
"I know this."
"No, you don't."
Su Chen smiled as he said, "The breathing technique you know is called Constant, while what I'm teaching you now is Focus. There's a fundamental difference between the two."
Kanao Tsuyuri blinked.
She clearly had not understood.
She pointed at the Nichirin Blade in Su Chen's hand.
In a soft voice, she said, "I want to learn the Breathing Style."
Su Chen walked over and stroked Kanao Tsuyuri's head.
"No, this Breathing Style doesn't really suit you. But I promise you, Kanao Tsuyuri, next time I'll create a Breathing Style specifically suited to you. All right?"
Kanao Tsuyuri enjoyed Su Chen's touch very much and nodded instinctively. "Mm."
What followed was Su Chen's teaching time.
Kanao Tsuyuri's talent was even better than he had imagined.
On just her first attempt, Kanao Tsuyuri had already grasped the key techniques!
She inhaled very well and controlled the oxygen level excellently.
Su Chen guessed that Kanao Tsuyuri might be the first person besides himself to learn the Focus technique!
But Su Chen had not been happy for long before Kanao Tsuyuri encountered a problem.
She was a little too impatient.
Before one breath had gone down, she inhaled fresh oxygen again.
This would injure her lungs!
Kanao Tsuyuri's delicate brows knitted slightly, and she looked somewhat pained.
Seeing this, Su Chen intervened.
Before you continue