manynovel Chapter 121 Sparring
Chapter 121 Sparring
"Here it comes, Nezu, get ready!"
Tanjiro gripped the wooden practice sword firmly in his hand, his posture slightly lowered.
He deliberately suppressed the demonic power within him, using only human breathing and muscle strength, fearing that he might accidentally hurt his sister.
The little bean beside him nodded slightly, gripped its own wooden knife tightly, and straightened its back.
The fatigue from days of struggling to integrate breathing techniques on my own vanished completely at this moment.
All that remained was the desire for real combat, for breakthroughs, and for truly standing shoulder to shoulder with his brother.
"Yes, brother, I'm ready!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Tanjiro suddenly exerted force with his feet, his body shooting out like an arrow, his clear and resonant shout echoing throughout the tranquil bamboo forest.
"Hinokami Kagura: Waltz!"
A scorching aura burst forth with each breath. Although the wooden sword contained no real fire, he swung it with the force of a raging inferno, slashing straight at Midouzi.
Facing her brother's onslaught, Midouzi remained calm and focused instantly. With a deep shout, she unleashed a torrent of energy throughout her body.
Complete Collection - Regular Middle School.
Without any conscious effort, breathing has become an instinct, with a long and steady stream of air being deeply inhaled through the nasal cavity.
It instantly filled her limbs and flowed through every meridian, pushing her reaction, speed, and strength to their peak.
She did not immediately employ any established breathing techniques, nor did she replicate the Kagura dance steps from her memory.
It is simply due to the instincts honed through daily practice and the dynamic vision that surpasses that of ordinary people.
With his battle instincts etched into his bones, he suddenly turned to the side, his wooden sword blocking with pinpoint accuracy as he met Tanjiro's blade.
"Zheng—"
Midouzi steadily received the powerful and heavy blow, his foot only sliding back half an inch.
He then regained his footing completely, without the slightest sign of dishevelment or retreat.
Under the shade of a tree not far away, Zenitsu and Inosuke stood side by side, their eyes fixed on the two figures crossing paths in the arena.
They could see perfectly clearly that Mizuki had not used any form of Water Breathing.
It did not copy Tanjiro's Hinokami Kagura, nor did it rely on any fixed moves.
Relying solely on physical instincts, extreme reflexes, and a solid foundation, he managed to withstand Tanjiro's attack.
"Go for it, Ne Douzi!"
Zenitsu's face turned bright red, and he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Inosuke was so excited that he trembled all over, his boar head mask swayed slightly, he cupped his hands to his mouth and roared loudly, his voice rough and full of fighting spirit.
"Hanazuko! Beat Tanjiro! Once you win, you can come and challenge me! Don't lose!"
The noisy shouts echoed through the bamboo forest, but did not disrupt the rhythm of the two people in the arena in the slightest.
Tanjiro looked at Nezuko, who had steadily taken his attack and whose eyes remained bright and determined. A gentle and gratified smile slowly spread across his tense lips, and the warmth in his eyes almost overflowed.
Just a few hours ago, Midouzi, who had just finished her solo training, took the initiative to find him and earnestly asked to spar with him.
He was initially hesitant, as he was already a half-ghost, and his strength, speed, and recovery ability far exceeded those of ordinary people.
Even with all his efforts to control himself, there's no guarantee he won't lose control and hurt his younger sister.
But when he heard Mizuko say that sparring was to better refine one's own breathing technique, in order to face the evil spirits in the future.
Tanjiro had no choice but to agree.
And at this moment, I saw with my own eyes that Mizuko was able to completely abandon the fixed form of Water Breathing and give up the imitation of Kagura dance.
Having withstood his attack solely on instinct and reflexes, Tanjiro felt not only relief but also an overwhelming sense of shock.
However, Mizuko was not basking in the joy of receiving the attack; her mind was rapidly reviewing her reaction at an astonishing pace.
No... Relying solely on instinct is far too strenuous. If the opponent's attack is even a little faster, I'll immediately be on the defensive. Physical instinct alone is far from enough; I must truly integrate breathing techniques into every move, every stance...
With her mind made up, Midouzi suddenly raised her head and looked at her brother who was gazing at her tenderly. Her voice was soft, but unusually firm.
"Brother, let's do it again. This time, I'll use Water Breathing and Hinokami Kagura at the same time."
Tanjiro was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, but then he understood his sister's intention. A look of understanding and anticipation flashed in his eyes, and he nodded gently.
"Okay, I understand. Come on, Midouzi."
The two men simultaneously stepped back, creating several steps of distance between them, and once again locked in a tense standoff.
Zenitsu and Inosuke also instantly stopped their noise, staring wide-eyed at the scene, filled with doubt and curiosity.
The next moment, Tanjiro made the first move.
It was still the starting stance of Hinokami Kagura, with crimson sword light surging like flames, its momentum even stronger than before, and its speed and power also subtly increased, intended to force Nezuko to go all out.
Just as the blade was about to strike, Ni Douzi moved.
She took a deep breath, and the long, deep breath of water was activated first, then she swung the wooden sword.
With the graceful movements of the Water Breathing Third Form: Flowing Dance, she deftly deflected Tanjiro's first attack.
Her movements flowed like a stream, her breath steady and long, a rhythm of water breathing that she had mastered to an extreme degree.
But just as he was about to lose his strength, Mi Douzi suddenly changed his footing.
He instantly transforms into the God of Fire, Kagura, and his breathing rhythm changes in an instant.
The azure aura of water suddenly surged, intertwining, colliding, and flowing around her with the fiery red energy of Kagura.
Two completely different forces coexisted within her, intertwining amidst the flashing blades.
The change happened so fast that even with Tanjiro's keen senses, he had to tense up instantly, quickly adjust his posture and change his defense, and dare not be careless for a moment.
The brother and sister moved faster and faster, their figures constantly intersecting, leaping, wielding their swords, and parrying among the bamboo forest. The crisp sounds of their wooden swords clashing together were like a sudden downpour.
Sunlight filtered through layers of bamboo leaves, casting a dazzling array of light and shadow on the field, where the crimson Kagura sword light clashed and intertwined with the azure energy of the Water Breathing technique.
In Zenitsu and Inosuke's eyes, the two figures were already moving faster than the naked eye could perceive.
All that could be seen was a streak of crimson and azure light intertwining, colliding, and flowing wildly in the air.
Within those distinct two colors of light, layers of fine, fragmented light slowly diffused outwards, the red and blue hues permeating and merging with each other, like a rainbow under a clear sky after rain, so dazzling that it was impossible to look away.
"Snap—!"
Two crisp sounds of wood snapping rang out almost simultaneously, piercing the dense clang of knives.
Tanjiro and Nezuko suddenly separated, each leaping backward and landing steadily.
Tanjiro looked down at the wooden sword that had broken in two in his hand, then looked up at Nezuko, who was kneeling on the ground not far away, panting heavily and covered in sweat. An overwhelming wave of shock surged through his heart.
In the sparring session just now, in order to keep up with Mizuko's rapid pace and deal with her strange attacks that seamlessly switch between water and Kagura.
He had already unknowingly used the explosive power of a demon, but even so, he only managed to fight Mizuko to a draw.
However, Midouzi was only working on, testing, and exploring how to integrate the two breathing methods from beginning to end, without truly unleashing the full power of the new breathing technique.
Tanjiro could hardly imagine how terrifying she would become once Nezuko fully mastered the fusion technique, perfectly combining the gentleness of water with the spirit of Kagura, and perfecting this unique breathing technique of hers.
Amidst the shock, there was an overwhelming sense of pride and satisfaction.
Midouzi knelt on the grass, her hands supporting her knees, her chest heaving as she gasped for breath. Sweat streamed down her face, soaking the stray hairs on her forehead, and even the arm holding the knife trembled slightly.
Switching between the two breathing techniques at high speed in succession, pushing the full concentration of the normal state to its limit, has exhausted her physical strength, mental energy, and meridians to the extreme. Even with her solid foundation, she is already close to her limit.
But she showed no sign of dejection or confusion. She simply lowered her eyes slightly, letting her mind replay the details of every breath exchange, every fusion of sword techniques, and every collision of auras.
The energy consumption is...too high.
The transitions between water and Kagura remained abrupt; there were still slight gaps in the flow of energy, preventing the power from being fully integrated; each transition was a pointless drain on stamina.
[I can now use both breathing techniques simultaneously, allowing them to intertwine and blend amidst the flashing blades, but why... do I always feel like something's missing?]
[Only one crucial step remains to truly unite them into one, making it a complete breath that belongs only to me.]
(Friends, I've almost fully recovered and can update regularly again!)
(Sorry to keep you waiting!)
(Next up is what everyone's been waiting for!)
(Thank you all for your concern. Please take good care of yourselves, wear warm clothes in this cold weather, and eat and sleep well!)