An epiphany!
Ryousuke felt a jolt run through his entire body. Urokodaki's words were like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through the stagnant fog in his mind. He had been obsessed with maintaining the state of breathing—treating it like a skill that required constant, conscious steering. This caused a rift between his mind and body during sleep, leading to instinctual rejection.
What he needed was total integration. He had to make this breathing the fundamental rhythm of his life force.
"Instinct... instinct!" Ryousuke muttered to himself. The confusion in his eyes vanished, replaced by a sudden, brilliant clarity.
Urokodaki nodded slightly, saying no more as his figure melted back into the shadows of the shack.
Ryousuke closed his eyes again. This time, he didn't try to "control" the rhythm. He let go of all obsession and relaxed completely, simply feeling the primal, natural flow of air between his nose, chest, and dantian.
The breath was silent, like a breeze through a mountain pass or a spring flowing underground—unconstrained and eternal. His consciousness blurred as he sank into the dark. This time, there was no struggle, no gasping awake. The steady, long cycles of breath rose and fell in the silent room, circulating through his limbs.
A night without dreams.
When the first light of dawn pierced through the window, Ryousuke opened his eyes. There was no grogginess, no heaviness. Instead, an unprecedented sense of clarity and power filled his being. His body felt weightless, vibrating with a vitality that felt like a deep ocean—calm on the surface, but with surging currents beneath.
He reflexively clenched his fist. The massive energy stored in his body responded instantly, surging through his system without a millisecond of lag. No conscious effort required. The power of the breath had become part of his muscle memory, the very foundation of his life.
I did it! After months of grueling practice and Urokodaki's guidance, Total Concentration: Constant was finally complete.
In the courtyard, Urokodaki stood in the morning mist. Without turning around, he murmured, "Breath as deep as an abyss, flowing roundly without end..." He paused, his tone approving. "Clever boy."
Ryousuke stepped outside. Sabito was training Giyu in sword swings, the sound of breaking wind echoing through the trees.
"Ryousuke-niisan!" Sabito was the first to notice. He caught the shift in Ryousuke's aura immediately, his eyes widening with shock. "You... you mastered Constant?!"
"Mm." Ryousuke nodded, genuine gratitude in his voice. "Thanks to Master Urokodaki's pointer."
Sabito's excitement deflated slightly into a sigh. "Tsk. It looks like catching up to you anytime soon is a lost cause."
"Don't say that." Ryousuke patted his shoulder. "Your talent is better than mine. It's just a matter of time. Once you find that 'click,' you'll improve faster than I did."
Just then, Makomo came running over. "Ryousuke-niisan, a letter for you!"
A letter? Ryousuke's heart skipped a beat. Please don't tell me Shinjuro Rengoku is still chasing me for a 'talk.'
However, when he saw the familiar Momoyama stamp on the corner, he let out a sigh of relief. He opened it to find Rika's elegant handwriting, rambling about life back home. Gramps' new medicinal tea is so bitter... Shota-niisan sprained his wrist fighting a wooden post again... the peaches on the back mountain are almost ripe... Between the lines was a young girl's carefully guarded longing.
At the very bottom, a line had been crossed out several times, written in Shota's clumsy scrawl: "The medicine is in the second drawer of Rika's cabinet. Don't go dying out there."
Haji-Shota! You little tsundere! Ryousuke gripped the paper, almost feeling the warmth of home. He had been away for months. Between the Yamagata mission and his training at Mt. Sagiri, time had flown. Most of the demons he'd hunted recently were low-to-mid rank—barely a challenge, just "experience snacks."
The "Grandma Scandal" should have blown over by now. A strong urge to return home washed over him. He had mastered Constant; it was time to go back.
As he said his goodbyes to Urokodaki, he ran into Murata sitting by the stream on his way down the mountain. Murata looked as depressed as a wilted cabbage.
"Murata?" Ryousuke called out.
Murata jumped, turning back with a face like a sour plum. "Ah, Ryousuke-san. Training is... well, I feel like I'm making zero progress."
"What's wrong?" Ryousuke wanted to laugh. What could possibly bother the legendary 'God of Survival' this much? This guy makes it to the final battle of the series with barely a scratch!
"Final Selection is in a few months," Murata sighed, pulling at a blade of grass. "With my level, can I really come out alive?"
Ryousuke couldn't help himself. "Hey, Murata. Trust me. You are going to become a legend of the Demon Slayer Corps—the man with the cleanest uniform in history. Final Selection? That's just a light drizzle for you. Keep it up. I'm rooting for your 'slightly dusty' future!"
Leaving a bewildered Murata behind, Ryousuke set off. He integrated Thunder Breathing into his sprint, turning into a golden blur.
As night fell and Momoyama finally appeared on the horizon, a thick, metallic scent hit his nose.
"A demon!"
Ryousuke's eyes sharpened. He suppressed his aura and sped toward the scent. Well, well. It seems I've been gone too long. These snacks are getting bold enough to show up on Momoyama's doorstep!
In a forest clearing ahead, the scene was grim. Three women and one man were being backed into a corner by a demon that looked like a monstrous gray wolf. Saliva and blood dripped from its fangs. It swiped a massive arm, easily swatting away a flurry of throwing knives (kunai).
BOOM! Small explosions went off, but as the smoke cleared, the demon's wounds healed instantly. The three women behind were terrified but remained composed. The man standing in front of them was impossible to miss.
He looked about sixteen or seventeen, but he was massive and muscular. He had long, silver-white hair tied in a high ponytail, a gemstone-encrusted headband, and strange red eye-makeup.
"Hinatsuru! Makio! Suma! Get back! This thing isn't normal!"