Sorry for the late chapter. My semester-end exams are over now, so I can get back to uploading.
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"Namu Amida Butsu"
The history behind this chant was…peculiar.
"Namu" means "I take refuge", and "Amida Butsu" means "in Amida Buddha", translating to "I take refuge in Amida Buddha.
Monks who use this chant believe that if a person simply uses this chant, the benevolent, omnipotent Buddha will grant them refuge in the Pure Land, freeing them from the cycle of rebirth and karma.
And yet, this chant, which is supposed to be used by peaceful monks who are supposed to distance themselves from the world and all that is material, is being used by a former monk in the art of killing.
Still, this chant isn't just for show, there's a reason behind it.
And that reason is exactly why I wished to learn under the Stone Hashira.
Repetitive Action.
Simply put, it's a practice just like Martial Arts, used to complement the Breathing Styles and open up an entirely new path of power.
(Unlike Martial Arts, Repetitive Action is canon and the reason why Gyomei outclasses all the other Hashira)
It works by repeating a set of pre-determined movements, such as chants. Of course, you don't need to physically speak a chant, or even need a chant. As long as you remember a certain memory or a certain phrase, the technique will still work. Granted, the phrase must relate to a personal goal; something like killing all demons won't work.
The technique allows the user to reach a state similar to that of Total Concentration, The user can constantly raise their concentration and thus draw out all the physical powers of the body for a long period of time. Moreover, the five senses of the body are greatly enhanced, which is the reason why Gyomei is not limited by his blindness.
Simply put, all of Gyomei's senses except eyesight rival that of the absurd special senses that the main character trio has, except Gyomei has all his senses to that level as opposed to those three, who only specialize in one sense.
His eyesight also gets fixed later on when he unlocks the See Through World.
Gyomei Himejima does this by constantly chanting the phrase "Namu Amida Butsu".
'It's like using two Total Concentration Constants. The power you gain from them is simply amazing.'
But the main reason I wished to learn this was because..
The strengthening causes increased body temperature and an accelerated heart rate
That's right, practicing Repetitive Action is the easiest way to gain the Demon Slayer Mark, aside from Yoriichi, who was born with it.
The Demon-Slayer Mark is a special technique that can only be achieved by Slayers who have reached the peak of mastery in their breathing arts. The Slayers must undergo a trial where their body temperature reaches 39 °C and their heartbeats increase to over 200 BPM.
If a slayer survives this trial, they achieve power that can easily rival the Upper Moon demons. Simply put, a Slayer who does not have the Mark will never be able to defeat an Upper Moon.
However, any Slayer who opens the mark dies before the age of 25. The only exceptions to this are those who became demons, or Yoriichi, who somehow survived until the age of 80 despite being human.
Which is exactly how Gyomei died.
Gyomei, who was already older than 25 by the time he opened his mark, died immediately after the fight with Muzan. The only reason he held on even that long was only due to his willpower and hatred for Muzan.
'Not this time…' I thought with conviction, 'I won't let a single Hashira die this time'
Of course, that was an impossible goal.
Even if the Hashira didn't miraculously die in the infinity castle, they would still die when they reach the age of 25. The only one who could survive the mark was Yoriichi because, unlike the other slayers, he was born with the mark.
I have no idea how Yoriichi can defy common sense like this; that guy was just built different.
Regardless...
3 days ago, while I was still recovering from my cliff fall, I reached a conclusion.
'I must become stronger'
Perhaps it was finally because I reached a goal, but the moment this thought solidified in my mind, I instantly knew that I had already learned Repetitive Action. Now, as long as I do anything while keeping this goal in mind, my body should passively become stronger.
Not to mention, the guilt and horror I had from killing the Village Chief vanished completely.
"Must you leave so soon? Do you not wish to atleast try learning Stone Breathing first?"
The pink beads on Gyomei's hands rattled as they formed their usual praying stance, as his pupil-less white eyes stared directly into mine. The man, no, the giant towered over my figure as his tall and ridiculously bulky frame blocked all sunlight that should have been falling on me.
'He has no idea how many people blasted TREN and sacrificed their balls for a body like that,' I thought in amusement. 'Hm…should I introduce steroids to the Demon Slayer Corps?'
"Sorry, Himejima-Sensei, but this is the path I have chosen."
My lips curled up just a little as I stood still while bidding goodbye to my teacher, almost unable to control the smile that was threatening to bloom on my face, perhaps it was out of amusement, or out of joy, who knows?
'Seriously, you too?'
If a normal person heard that, they would think of it as nothing more than a suggestion or a blessing that a teacher gives to their disciple to better prepare them on their journey-
Unfortunately, or fortunately in this case, I'm not a normal person.
*thump thump*
My eyes were able to see through his facade as I looked directly at his heart, beating at irregular intervals throughout the conversation. Though I'm not an expert in reading heartbeats, I could atleast understand one small thing.
'He's sad, huh?'
While the offer to learn Stone Breathing was genuine, the intent behind it was surprisingly wholesome.
'He just wants me to stay a bit longer.'
…
'Still, his body never fails to surprise me'
My eyes shifted from his heart as they scanned his body. The perfect muscle composition, the perfect ratio of muscle mass, the tough bones, his ligaments, his tendons—everything was greatly exaggerated, yet it somehow fit perfectly.
It's like he was made for fighting.
'I always forget that he once fought a demon for 8 hours straight until sunrise, even before learning a Breathing Technique'
"I see, then, I wish you the best of luck on your path, Aoyama. If you ever wish to learn Stone Breathing, my doors are always open for you, Namu Amida Butsu."
'That won't happen'
"Of course, I'll be sure to come back."
'After all, I already learned Stone Breathing'
That's right, I learned it all the way before, when we had our first encounter, when he decided to aura farm on me as soon as I entered his mansion.
I simply needed to see the movement of his lungs with my See Through World, and in just under a day, while tirelessly replicating Stone Breathing, I finally learned it.
Which is exactly why I never used it before, and never will.
Stone Breathing makes the person as sturdy as a rock. By enhancing defense and attack power, the user becomes akin to a boulder, smashing through any enemy they encounter.
However, most moves of Stone Breathing require the user to stay still. You're sacrificing Agility for Strength and Dexterity.
And that's just something I cannot do. My entire moveset relies on high Agility and high Strength.
'It's completely incompatible with me'
Still
My eyes traveled downwards to my arm,
'It has its uses'
"Then," I said as I bowed, "I will depart now. May I have your blessings?"
"May you have a safe journey, Namu Amida Butsu."
"Namu Amida Butsu"
~~~~~~~~
"You're taking me?"
"CAW CAW, AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH? CAW CAW"
"No it's just" I sighed as I hung my head down "I thought Hashira Estates were supposed to be all private and shit, and a Kakushi needed to carry you while blindfolding you or something"
"CAW CAW, THERE'S AN EXCEPTION FOR YOU"
"Really," I said, cursing my luck.
'Damn, I really wanted to be carried by a hot Kakushi girl while I rested my head on her neck and inhaled her scent while I held her body between my arms…Now I'll never be able to live that fantasy.'
'Ah, and while running, when the occasional need to jump came, the jolts would make her big breasts rub against my arm-'
*WOOSH*
The air produced a screeching sound. Instinctively, I tilted my head to the side as a black, blurry object whistled past me, missing by just an inch.
"The hell was that?"
"CAW, PERVY THOUGHTS, CAW"
Was this damn crow a psychic?
"Still, your progress is remarkable," I muttered, looking at Kasai who had flown over, back on my shoulder. "Just a bit more, and you could've broken your previous record."
What, did you guys think I was joking when I said I wanted to teach my crow water breathing?
Kasai right here, a normal Kasugai crow is now about as powerful as a mid-ranking demon slayer. A fucking crow has a better chance of killing demons than most Slayer squads made of lower ranked Slayers.
"We should get you a Nichrin beak and some Nichrin claws."
"CAW, I WILL BECOME SLOWER, CAW"
"Yeah, I guess the extra weight would slow you down."
Unconsciously, my hand drifted down to a brand new Nichinr Blade sheathed near my abdomen.
'Until your Nichrin weapons arrive,' Gyomei said while giving me a pure white Nichrin Katana. 'Use this for safety.'
Of course, the blade didn't remain white, it instantly turned red the moment I took it.
"Kasai"
"CAW"
"See if there are any demons around here."
"CAW"
Without asking why, Kasai immediately flew up into the sky as he began scouring for demons.
'The Rengoku Estate can wait for a day, I need to see something first.'
A jolt of excitement traveled through my body.
'I must become stronger'
'I can't keep on having this thought all the time, or I'll go insane'
Taking a deep breath, I calmed my turbulent mind as I looked up at the sky.
'I wonder…where you are'
My fists unconsciously clenched as my mind drifted back to my old world, back to my parents and my sister.
"Did they atleast cry during my funeral?"
'Do you have something on your mind?'
'Huh?' I blinked my eyes in confusion as that sudden question appeared in my mind. 'Oh, it's from that time…'
[A long time before]
"Nothing," I mumbled.
My musings were interrupted by soft snoring sounds. Unconsciously, I looked back to find the source of it.
My sister and my mother were fast asleep in the backseat, with my sister comfortably nestled on my mother's lap, letting out snores.
'Though'
I looked down to see my sister's lipstick stains on my mother's brand-new white shirt.
'She's going to get an earful for that'
"I can tell that's not true."
My gaze shifted back towards my father upon hearing that question.
He had the look of an average Japanese man: small, moonlit eyes, a moderate jawline, and small stubble from his unkempt beard growing on his face. He suffered from short-sightedness, so he constantly wore glasses.
"No, it's just…" I sighed as I searched for a way to frame my question.
We were returning from a small party organized by my father's brother. Apparently, my cousin, who's the same age as me, won an internal Hackathon (a coding competition) and was promised an internship at one of the highest-paying companies in the world when he came of age.
The same age as me, someone who could barely do quadratic equations.
'It would have been fine if it were just a cousin, but…'
My eyes unconsciously drifted to the backseat.
'She's also got a bright future…'
My sister, who was supposed to be 2 years younger than me, had come home a week earlier after winning an International Maths Olympiad. Not to mention, she's also a part of a non-profit organization that does charity work for the underprivileged in third-world countries
'Those recruiters are going to combust just hearing the words 'underprivileged' and 'third-world '
"It's nothing," I murmured leaning my head back on the seat. "I'm going to sleep for now."
And then there was me.
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
No defining talents, no passion, no trace of hard work. I don't even know what I want to be in the future yet.
I was below average in everything. Especially my social skills
'Fucking bullshit'
For some reason, as soon as someone sees me, they get extremely uncomfortable and afraid, calling me a "monster".
'I might as well be one'
It wasn't just the kids at school, but even the adults. The teachers wouldn't talk to me, and the principal immediately dismissed any complaints regarding me, just so he wouldn't have to see me.
When my sister was just a baby, I couldn't even come near her, or she'd start crying out of fear. When I was born, somehow every machine throughout the entire world shut down for a few seconds (That was probably a coincidence), the doctors passed out, and my parents instinctively refused to hold me.
I was almost forgotten at the hospital. No, maybe not forgotten, but "forgotten".
Whenever I went to a temple or one of those fortune-tellers, they would immediately tell me to leave and start praying to their god fervently. One time, the priests of a temple tied me up and started "exorcising" me. Eventually, I was rescued by the police, but even they were deathly afraid of me for some reason.
'Am I just fated to fail?'
My thoughts drifted away as my body drifted to sleep.
'If only I could have another chance'
[Scene end]
'A second chance, huh?'
Thinking about it for a moment, I let out a bitter laugh.
'Even after getting a second chance, I screwed up everything'
The friends of this body's Aoyama are in the hospital, all because of my meddling. The parents of that world have completely abandoned me, and I killed an innocent father who gave up his life trying to protect his village.
No, these "friends" didn't even call me Aoyama, they called me AYD, that accursed nickname. Maybe those guys aren't even my friends…
'The only thing I'm capable of doing is bringing ruin and suffering'
"CAW CAW"
My hands instinctively tightened around my blade. Letting out a deep exhale, I looked towards the direction from where Kasai calling out to me.
'So, the least I can do…'
"DEMON! DEMON! CAWWW"
'Is making the demons suffer'
'And for that…'
'I need to become stronger'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is this where the demon is?"
"CAW CAW"
*swish*
Even though the man stood perfectly still, it was as if the world itself bent to acknowledge his presence. A sudden burst of air, almost like a tide summoned by his mere existence, rushed past him. The dirt clinging to his uniform and his bright white cape peeled away effortlessly, as if unworthy to stain him.
A tall frame filled with muscle, neither too bulky nor too lean, but in perfect composition. His hands were covered in thick calluses and scars, the flesh toughened from swinging a blade countless times in pursuit of perfection.
Bright orange hair, yellow eyes, and an eternal smile carved onto his face with a similar orange coloured Nichrin Blade to complement him. It was no mere coincidence—the blade, the man, and the color seemed to exist in perfect harmony, as if orange itself had taken human form.
His presence was akin to a warm sun providing assurance and comfort to the humans, while at the same time, a cruel sun that brought pain and death to demons. He was both guardian and executioner, saint and slayer.
Kyojuro Rengoku
*GRRRR*
'Hm?' Rengoku's face immediately changed, his smile vanishing as he unsheathed his blade. 'A demon? No, that sounds like… a wolf?'
Indeed
While a normal human could only panic and look around, trying to find the wolf, Rengoku easily spotted the wolf hiding within the dense foliage.
There were no mistakes in the wolf's stealth capabilities. It chose a place devoid of light, aligned itself correctly with the flow of air, and even masked its scent by rolling in the mud. Logically, neither prey nor predator would have been able to find it.
It's just the wolf's luck that it encountered an illogical being.
'How amazing'
Despite seeing this sight a countless numbers of times, Rengoku never ceased to appreciate the instincts of wild animals.
'Even since birth, they are perfect killing machines. Instinctively, they know how to hide, how to hunt. Compare that to us humans who are barely able to formulate a simple plan in a moment of panic, they are simply much superior.'
Sheathing his blade, Rengoku smiled as he disappeared, making the wolf stand up in confusion. It looked around to see where its prey had gone before stiffening in fear as it felt a warm hand resting on its head.
"There, there, good boy," Rengoku smiled. "But you know, if it was another human, then they would have died. It's not correct to take innocent lives."
"DEMON! DEMON! CAWWW"
"Ah" Rengoku smiled as he stood up "You found the demon!"
"CAW! NOT ME! NOT ME! CAWWWW"
"Not you?" Rengoku's brows furrowed in confusion. "Then, it is another Slayer's crow?"
"SPLENDID," Rengoku yelled as he turned around, "LET US MEET THIS FELLOW SLAYER"
Rengoku's laugh echoed throughout the forest as he disappeared in a burst of air.
The wolf that Rengoku was petting stood stiff before falling over as its heart gave up from an immense feeling of fear.
After all, this wolf didn't instinctively know how to run.