Chapter 83: What Exquisite Flavor!
After Natsuya and Shinobu departed the inner chamber, Lady Ruka quickly fell
into a deep, restful sleep.
Shinjuro stood by her futon, watching her. Compared to a few days ago, her
breathing was noticeably steadier and more rhythmic.
Even a mere 'Symptom Relief' protocol has this kind of impact...
This child... he truly is the most talented physician the Butterfly Mansion has
ever produced.
Natsuya, of course, didn't boast about a miracle cure. He remained honest,
stating that his current skill set still had gaps and that the treatment could
only mitigate the symptoms. Lady Ruka would still require regular acupuncture
and oral medicine to prevent the condition from deteriorating again.
But that was enough for Shinjuro.
Before Natsuya arrived, the "famous doctors" and high-level physicians couldn't
even manage the word "mitigate."
Furthermore, Natsuya had been blunt: If my medical skill improves further in the
future, there might be a legitimate chance for a permanent recovery.
Shinjuro slowly looked away from his sleeping wife and stared at his hands. They
were trembling slightly. It wasn't fear; it was the stinging sensation of a
heart that had been numb for too long suddenly being exposed to the heat of
hope.
He walked silently to the corner of the room and picked up his Nichirin Sword—a
blade he hadn't swung with conviction in a long time. The polished steel
reflected his eyes.
Was my gaze truly this clouded until now?
That evening, as Natsuya was in the backyard practicing Flame Breathing with
Kyojuro, Shinjuro's silhouette appeared on the porch.
He didn't waste words. He stepped forward and manually adjusted Natsuya's
posture, shifting the angle of his grip.
"The power of Flame Breathing does not lie in making your swordplay as loud and
chaotic as a wildfire. Nor does it lie in how loud you shout when you swing."
He looked at his eldest son. "Kyojuro! Have you forgotten what I taught you?"
His voice was deep, radiating a quiet, authoritative power. The "Owl Cub" nodded
sheepishly, shouting his reply: "YES! FATHER!"
Shinjuro turned back to Natsuya. "It is about a sustained, burning will. Flame
Breathing is the Breath of Willpower."
"I do not know how your previous Cultivators taught you, but your movements are
cluttered. There is too much noise in your kinetic chain."
"It's as if you've mashed together far too many different Breathing Styles."
Natsuya: "..." (Well, technically, I have. Did you even read the letter my
Master sent?)
The Flame Hashira didn't notice Natsuya's "gamer stare." He drew his own blade
and began a demonstration.
"Watch closely. This is the true form of the Flame."
He caught sight of the timid Senjuro watching from the shadows of the eaves and
allowed the corner of his mouth to lift. "Senjuro. Since you are interested,
come and watch with your brother."
The tiny "Owl Chick" scurried over, standing obediently behind Kyojuro.
Large, medium, and small—three owls in a row. Natsuya briefly wondered if he
should get a perm just so he wouldn't look like the odd man out.
Shinjuro took a deep breath. His Breathing Style circulated naturally. A searing
heat, like embers being blown into a roar, ignited around his body. The "Will of
Fire" swept through the Rengoku courtyard, incinerating the gloom that had
weighed on his heart for years.
For a moment, the fire from his blade seemed to turn the evening sunset a
deeper, more brilliant shade of crimson.
With a Hashira personally guiding him, the effect was far superior to sparring
with Kyojuro or Dojima. On the System HUD, the [Flame Breathing] progress bar
began to climb with a steady, high-multiplier speed.
The final card of his elemental deck was finally beginning to manifest.
Shinjuro had initially assumed Natsuya was just an ordinary swordsman seeking
the essentials of Flame Breathing. Over the next few days, however, the boy
provided him with even greater shocks.
Learning Flame Breathing? No... this kid has already mastered four basic styles.
If you count the Storm Breathing he got from Igarashi, that makes six.
And it wasn't just a surface-level "dabbling." He was proficient in every single
one, capable of maintaining Total Concentration in all of them. His primary
spec, Thunder Breathing, was already knocking on the door of [Constant].
Even with Shinjuro's vast experience, he had to admit: Natsuya was a biological
anomaly.
How can a human separate multiple conflicting breathing rhythms so cleanly? Even
if he can, how did he reach this level of mastery at his age? Did he start
training in the womb?
A generational talent has been born under the Thunder school, it seems... Wait,
Kazami Koichi is a Wind-user. Why did he send me a Thunder specialist?
Actually, not just Shinjuro, but Shinobu and Kyojuro had also asked Natsuya this
question. The boy simply claimed he was "seeking a better path" and begged them
not to tell Master Kazami. It was a lie that made the trio smile with amusement.
But being a triple-threat in swordsmanship, medicine, and training wasn't enough
for Natsuya. He soon revealed another terrifying talent.
He took over the Rengoku family's entire meal plan.
He claimed it was to provide "Medicinal Diet" (Yakuzen) to bolster Lady Ruka's
constitution. Soon, the Rengoku dining table began to feature sights and smells
that defied common logic.
- Dish 1: [Snow Fungus and Lotus Seed Nectar]
- A semi-transparent, amber broth with soft, cloud-like fungus. Under the
light, the soup seemed to hold a faint, starlit shimmer.
- Dish 2: [Four Spirits Vitality Chicken Soup]
- An old hen stuffed with Poria, Yam, Lotus Seeds, and Euryale seeds,
simmered for twelve hours with medicinal cooking wine. It had zero oily
residue but was a brilliant, clear gold.
- Dish 3: [Emerald Poria & Yam Cakes]
- Snacks that looked like polished jade, glowing with the color of fresh
spring leaves.
The strangest part? Whenever a dish was served, the observers felt like they saw
a literal "Loot Flash"—a golden glint of high-tier quality.
It was the combined result of [Medicine LV.3], [Pharmacy LV.1], and [Cooking
LV.3].
The effects were slow but undeniable. Lady Ruka's pale face regained its color,
and her gaunt frame began to fill out.
But Lady Ruka wasn't the only one benefiting. Shinjuro, Kyojuro, Senjuro, and
even the estate servants were living the high life.
Natsuya prepared a centerpiece: [Rengoku Special: Sun-Egg BBQ Donburi]. He
selected prime Wagyu beef, using master-tier knife work to slice it into sheets
as thin as cicada wings before searing them with a custom sauce. Then, amidst
the steam and sizzle, he topped each bowl with a perfectly poached, sterile
soft-boiled egg.
The smell of beef, secret sauce, and egg yolk created a "Flavor Nova" that hit
their taste buds like a truck.
Shinjuro was literally silenced by the taste. Kyojuro could only shout, "UMAI!
Oishii! UMAI!" through a mouthful of rice. Little Senjuro actually shed tears of
joy while eating.
Even Shinobu, remembering her sister's praise, was stunned.
This block of wood... she thought. His 'Crafting' level is world-class.
For the servants, Natsuya didn't forget them either. He took the leftover
chicken frames, kelp, and bonito flakes to make a massive pot of stock. Then he
added red miso and medicinal herbs to enhance the flavor.
Radish, tofu, chikuwa, thick-cut beef tendon, and konjac... when the timer on
his System hit zero and he lifted the lid, the aroma swept through the courtyard
like a wildfire.
[Colossal Medicinal Oden]
The richness of the soup carried a hint of spicy warmth, chasing away the winter
chill.
If this gentleman ever visits again, we must welcome him with a red carpet, more
than one servant thought. The old gatekeeper even decided that next time Natsuya
showed up, he wouldn't even check his credentials.
For several days, the very air of the Rengoku estate smelled like a 5-star
restaurant. It looked less like a swordsman's dojo and more like a gourmet's
garden.
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you