Chapter 84: Aniki!
Kyojuro Rengoku was filled with nothing but pure admiration for the teenage
swordsman who had recently made his home in their estate.
Not only had Natsuya mitigated his mother's suffering and reignited the fire in
his father's eyes, but his culinary skills were divine. And his strength as a
swordsman? It was far beyond anything Kyojuro had ever seen.
However, none of those things were what Kyojuro respected most. What truly awed
him was Natsuya's near-inhuman self-discipline and focus.
Every morning, long before anyone else stirred, Natsuya was already in the yard.
Draped in heavy weighted gear, he would complete a thousand practice swings.
When finished, he would drop into a horse stance and execute a thousand straight
punches. His movements weren't fast, but every angle, every ounce of force, and
every breath was perfectly identical.
To an observer, it didn't look like he was merely completing a training task. It
looked like he was performing a ritual of "Gratitude" toward Cultivation itself.
By the time Kyojuro woke up, eager to join him, Natsuya had already finished his
morning "Grind" and was in the kitchen preparing medicinal meals and
high-protein breakfasts.
After breakfast, Natsuya would work with Shinobu to treat Lady Ruka. Then, after
a lunch prepared by the servants, he would spend his "digestion time" reading
pharmacological tomes while performing low-intensity cardio.
As the afternoon sun dipped low, he would fully immerse himself in Flame
Breathing under Lord Shinjuro's guidance. If he had a spare window, he'd run
drills to bridge the gaps between his multiple Breathing Styles. Then came the
evening meal prep and medicinal brewing.
At night, he would occasionally follow Shiro out for a mission. If not, he'd
return to his sword drills until exactly 11:00 PM.
He would then head to his room and "log out" instantly.
In the morning, he'd "spawn" exactly on time, not wasting a single second under
the covers. His precision was so absolute that it was actually shifting
Shinobu's biological clock—she was forced to wake up early every day to assist
with the medicine.
Even for the naturally diligent Kyojuro, this level of focus was
incomprehensible.
How can one person treat cooking, brewing, multi-classing, and kendo
fundamentals with the same tier of mastery?
And to do it day after day, like a loop? It went beyond "hard work." Kyojuro
felt that even the most bitter ascetic would eventually need a day off or a
minor distraction. Natsuya lived as if every second was a resource to be spent
with maximum efficiency.
Kyojuro felt his greatest frustration during their sparring sessions. Even when
Natsuya used the recently acquired Storm Breathing and intentionally nerfed his
strength and speed, Kyojuro couldn't touch him.
Natsuya moved like a literal breeze; his wooden sword was like a leaf fluttering
in a storm, striking from impossible angles. Even unarmed, Natsuya would flow
through his strikes and pin him effortlessly. Kyojuro's pride—his Flame
Breathing—was constantly parried and its momentum dissipated.
Facing Natsuya felt exactly like facing his father.
Is he already as strong as a Hashira?
After being floored by a leg-sweep for the tenth time, Kyojuro lay on his back,
staring at the sky and gasping for air. Then, he leaped back up.
Despite the sweat and bruises, his eyes were burning embers. "Thank you for the
guidance, Kokonoe-senior!"
On the porch, Shinjuro watched them with his arms crossed. His gaze wasn't on
his son's bruised face, but on Natsuya. After a long silence, the Flame Hashira
finally spoke.
"Natsuya. What is the purpose of your sword?"
He had watched Natsuya's obsessive discipline and soul-crushing training regimen
for days. A normal person couldn't sustain that level of output. He was curious
about the boy's "Fuel."
Natsuya answered without a heartbeat of hesitation: "To get stronger."
"And once you are strong?"
"To kill demons."
"And what is the point of killing demons?"
"To get even stronger."
Shinjuro: "..."
It's a closed-loop logic.
Beyond his surprise, Shinjuro felt a trace of unease. This answer stripped away
the standard concepts of "Protection," "Justice," or even "Hatred." It was
hollow... yet incredibly pure.
Was this boy born solely as a weapon to destroy demons?
"Do you hate them?" Shinjuro asked.
The boy paused, his voice dropping into a somber tone. "My family... my little
sister... they were slaughtered by a demon."
Shinjuro went silent. He felt he had asked the wrong question.
Even with that discipline, he's still just a child, Shinjuro thought. He looked
at Natsuya, reminded of Obanai Iguro—that young boy who looked cold on the
outside but carried a fragile soul within.
Shinjuro stepped forward and patted Natsuya's shoulder. "Hatred can be a
powerful engine, but everything needs a limit. Do not let the fire of vengeance
blind you, or it will eventually consume you as well."
Natsuya stood with his head bowed, saying nothing.
Shinjuro sighed and walked away.
A moment later, Natsuya looked up from the HUD only he could see.
[Mentorship LV.2 Obtained] [Achievement Points +1 (Total: 14)]
Wait, why did Owl Uncle leave? What was his final bit of dialogue? Whatever.
Time to test the new skill buffs.
"Oh, Kyojuro! Take Senjuro for five warm-up laps. Standard protocol."
"Today we're training Flame Breathing together. After dinner, join me for
another set of Suburi."
Natsuya glanced at the tiny Senjuro, who had just reached the age where he could
hold a sword. "Senjuro is exempt from the weighted vests for now."
His tone was natural and familiar, like an older brother assigning homework to
his siblings.
Kyojuro froze. Then, a smile as bright as the sun broke across his face. He took
a deep breath and shouted so loudly the neighbors probably heard him.
"YES! I UNDERSTAND, NATSUYA-ANIKI!"
That "Aniki" was the ultimate acknowledgment from Kyojuro—a title of both
respect for a senior and the trust a brother has in his kin.
That evening, after everyone had finished another 5-star meal prepared by
Natsuya, the Kasugai Crow arrived.
It was Shiro.
"CAW!! POTENTIAL DEMON ATTACK REPORTED IN ARAKAWA DISTRICT! CAW! NATSUYA!
MISSION START! GO! GO! CAW!"
Natsuya sighed, put down his chopsticks, and began packing his bag.
"Save some leftovers for me. Maybe I'll make it back before they get cold."
Senjuro offered a shy smile. "Natsuya-aniki, Kyojuro-aniki and I will make sure
they're hot when you get back."
Kyojuro nodded seriously. "Be safe on the road!"
Natsuya looked at the crow. "Lead the way, Little Black."
"I AM SHIRO! WHITE! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU! CAW!"
"Wait, Natsuya—"
Shinjuro looked at his eldest son, whose eyes were practically glowing with
battle-lust, and then at Natsuya, who was calmly checking his gear. He made a
decision.
"Take Kyojuro with you on this mission. It is time... for him to see a real
battlefield with his own eyes."
Kyojuro's eyebrows shot up. He was vibrating with excitement.
Natsuya looked from the Rengoku family to Shinobu. The girl just shrugged,
leaving the choice to him.
Natsuya looked at the crow. "Is it okay if he tags along?"
Crow: "NO PROBLEM! GO! GO! CAW!"
Natsuya lowered his voice, whispering to the bird: "I mean... if he tags along,
my mission payout and 'Loot-XP' won't be split, right?"
He whispered, but aside from the child Senjuro, everyone in the room had
superhuman hearing. They heard him perfectly.
This kid... just when I thought he was becoming a noble hero, he returns to his
'Gamer' roots, Shinjuro thought, the corner of his mouth twitching with
amusement.
Shinobu facepalmed. This block of wood is consistent, I'll give him that.
Only Kyojuro didn't care. He laughed out loud.
"Natsuya-aniki! I am not an official member yet, so you don't have to worry
about splitting the rewards!"
☆☆☆
-> 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