The air went silent for a heartbeat.
"Hahahaha!"
Sabito couldn't contain himself, howling with laughter as he slapped Giyu's shoulder. "Giyu! If you keep talking like that, people are going to hate you!"
Giyu Tomioka tilted his head, his expression void of emotion. He looked Sabito directly in the eye, his gaze intensely sincere.
"I am not hated."
Holy crap... Ryousuke bit his lip, trying to maintain his composure.
"Hahahahaha!" Sabito laughed even harder at the deadpan explanation. Moriyama Akira's lip was twitching so hard he looked like he was having a stroke; he desperately wanted to reach out and cover Giyu's mouth. He nudged Ryousuke's shoulder, whispering frantically.
"Ryousuke-san, please don't take it personally. My junior here... he's just... bad with words."
"I understand," Ryousuke nodded, a small smirk playing on his lips.
In the original series, Giyu was the ultimate "Natural Airhead" with zero social IQ. Ironically, it was this very unshakable, calm personality that allowed him to master Water Breathing to its absolute peak.
Ryousuke looked at Giyu and decided to offer a translation. "What you meant was: 'It's impressive that I've killed so many demons and survived,' right?"
Giyu's eyes suddenly sparkled.
He can understand me!
See? I'm not hated!
Imaginary little stars seemed to float around Giyu as he nodded vigorously. "Mm!"
"Hahaha, Ryousuke-san, you're amazing!" Sabito wiped a tear from his eye. It was a rarity to find anyone other than himself who could actually decipher "Giyu-speak."
Suddenly, Sabito's gaze shifted to the Nichirin sword at Ryousuke's waist. His eyes grew hot with competitive fire.
"Ryousuke-san! As fellow disciples of great masters and comrades on the path of demon slaying, since fate has brought us together... please, spar with me! I want to feel the Thunder Breathing techniques that cleared the Final Selection for myself!"
The invitation was blunt and honest, carrying the raw edge and hunger of a talented youth.
"Sabito!" Moriyama frowned. "Who invites a guest to a fight the moment they arrive?"
"It's fine." Ryousuke didn't mind. He unbuckled his Nichirin blade and tossed it to Moriyama, picking up a wooden training sword from the rack. "We'll keep it to first contact."
"Of course!"
Sabito's eyes sharpened. He immediately dropped into the opening stance of Water Breathing. His aura became as deep and still as an abyss, and the surrounding mountain mist seemed to swirl toward him, drawn in by his focus.
"Watch out!"
With a low shout, Sabito launched himself forward like an arrow from a bow!
"Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!"
The wooden sword whistled, tracing a fierce vertical arc through the air like a high-speed grinding wheel!
Ryousuke's eyes narrowed. He didn't retreat; he lunged!
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
Ryousuke turned into a streak of golden light, aiming with surgical precision at Sabito's wrist!
So fast! Sabito was startled. He flicked his wrist, changing his horizontal sweep into a parry.
CLANG!
The wooden swords collided with a dull, heavy thud. A numbing vibration traveled up Sabito's arm. He used the momentum to spin, his technique shifting instantly.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
His silhouette became a blur, moving like a fish in a stream. Multiple images of his blade—some real, some feints—stabbed toward Ryousuke from every angle.
Ryousuke's feet sparked with electricity. His footwork was a blur as he dodged the flurry.
"Thunder Breathing, Third Form: Thunder Swarm!"
Rumble—!
A series of violent, crackling strikes erupted, intercepting Sabito's flowing offensive with pinpoint accuracy. The two figures blurred as they crossed paths, blue ripples of water and flashes of gold lightning clashing and canceling each other out.
Water Breathing was continuous and versatile. Thunder Breathing was explosive and direct. The contrast was stark and beautiful.
"Incredible!" Sabito grew more excited the more they fought. Even though he was currently weaker, he could tell Ryousuke was holding back. But the sheer pressure of that speed and precision was more intense than anything he felt even sparring with Urokodaki!
Sabito leaped back, the moisture in the air condensing around him.
"Water Breathing, Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin!"
A massive weight of "water" seemed to crash down from above. Suddenly, a silent figure moved!
Giyu didn't say a word, his focus terrifyingly sharp.
"Water Breathing, Sixth Form: Twisting Whirlpool!"
His blade spiraled at a lethal angle, thrusting directly into the fleeting gap in Ryousuke's defense!
"Hey! Giyu! We said a 1-on-1!" Sabito yelled, but it was too late to stop his own move. The two of them had accidentally formed a perfect pincer attack.
Ryousuke's eyes glowed. He adjusted his grip, and the roar of a storm filled the clearing.
"Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rice Spirit!"
Five blinding streaks of white light exploded outward!
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—!
The thunderous sound tore through the combined attack of the two Water Breathers. Sabito and Giyu were forced back several steps, their arms vibrating with numbness.
Ryousuke rested the wooden sword on his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at them.
"Cough... ugh!" Sabito coughed twice, his face full of genuine admiration. "You're too strong, Ryousuke-san!"
Giyu nodded in agreement. His sudden intervention had been instinctive—the spar's outcome was decided the moment Ryousuke unleashed that last move. If no one had helped Sabito, that strike likely would have caused a real injury.
Ryousuke sheathed his "sword" and chuckled. "It's nothing. I just started my training earlier than you two."
Though he played it off, Ryousuke was secretly sweating. Geniuses really are monsters. Even with a System and years of grueling training, these two were already catching up in terms of pure potential. If he hadn't healed his liver, they might have actually overwhelmed him.
At that moment, a petite girl approached from the mist. She had short, ink-black hair, a bright, sunny smile, and wore a haori as vibrant as a field of flowers.
It was Makomo.
She jogged up, her voice carrying a playful scolding tone. "Sabito! Giyu! Who are you two bullying now?"
Sabito: o_0?
Giyu: ヾ(￣□￣;)ﾉ
Sabito rubbed his aching wrist, looking deeply wounded. "Makomo, don't talk nonsense! It's Ryousuke-niisan who is bullying us!"
"Is that so? I saw everything!" Makomo blinked, her lip curling into a teasing pout. "The two of you together couldn't even land a hit on him!"
"Hey! Makomo! Whose side are you on?!" Sabito's face turned red. "My heart is cold! Betrayed by my own sister!"
The silent Giyu frowned, seemingly deep in thought about a very serious problem. He looked at the wounded Sabito, then at Makomo, and finally settled his gaze on the smirking Ryousuke. He spoke with absolute, crushing sincerity.
"Yes. You could have hit me just now, but you swung wide. You missed."
The air froze.
Pffft—!
Ryousuke was the first to break, burying his face in his fist as his shoulders shook uncontrollably. He knew what Giyu meant: You're so good that you were able to control your power perfectly so I wouldn't get hurt. But the way it came out...
Moriyama was right behind him, clutching his stomach. Good lord... his talking... it's just too funny!
"Giyu!" Makomo stood on her tiptoes and delivered a sharp thwack to his arm. "Idiot! Can you think before you speak? You're going to make people misunderstand!"
Giyu tilted his head. Giyu was confused. Giyu was perplexed.
He lowered his head, thinking very hard. A few seconds later, he opened his mouth again, his face still maintaining that "Natural Airhead" deadpan expression. In a tone even more certain than before, he added:
"Ryousuke's technique is so fast even I couldn't see through it. He is very lucky."