Chapter 113: Little Brother, Senior's Got a Big Surprise for You
After the duel with Master Kazami, Natsuya didn't spend much time basking in the
glory of victory. Instead, he turned his gaze toward his Junior Brother,
Masachika Kumeno.
The "bean-browed" boy was still standing there, frozen in a state of absolute
shock.
Master... lost?
Kazami Koichi noticed his younger disciple's expression. As a teacher, his
"Dignity Bar" was taking a massive hit. He cleared his throat, trying to salvage
some authority. "Ahem. Masachika, your Senior Natsuya is already a peer to the
Hashira."
"For him to best me by a hair's breadth... it is only natural."
A hair's breadth? Masachika thought. One guy used his ultimate trump card and
the other used one basic attack. That's a canyon, not a hair.
But Masachika was a good kid. He nodded obediently, choosing not to call out the
old man's bluff.
"Anyway," Kazami continued, turning back to Natsuya, "Masachika's progress has
stalled recently. Since you're back and haven't accepted a new mission yet, I
want you to give him some guidance."
"I'll write to the Master and inform him that your new Breathing Style is
complete. Until further orders arrive, you're in charge of your Junior."
Natsuya remembered how Igarashi had looked after him, so he had no reason to
refuse. Besides, he planned to use this downtime to farm more Life Skills for
Achievement Points. Guiding the kid was just a bonus efficiency play.
Natsuya looked at Masachika, his tone flat. "Kumeno. Can you handle a grind?"
Masachika: "?" Why do I suddenly feel like a 'Game Over' screen is approaching?
As it turned out, Masachika's "bad omen" was spot on. That afternoon, Natsuya
initiated what he called "Special Training."
It was a far cry from Kazami's methodical, foundation-first approach. Natsuya's
"guidance" was simple, brutal, and visceral.
The rules: A 1v1 duel. If Masachika could grab the bell tied to Natsuya's waist,
he passed Phase One.
It sounded like a standard shonen trope.
However, before Masachika could even circulate his Breathing or focus his
vision, Natsuya moved. No starting stance. No elemental VFX. Just a raw,
high-velocity lunge.
Masachika saw a blur, and then a heavy impact hit his solar plexus. He doubled
over, his body flying backward into the dojo fence.
"Let's review the patch notes," Natsuya said, standing over him and tapping the
bell.
"You touch the bell, you win." "I touch you, you hit the dirt."
Wait... he can use his hands too?
Masachika scrambled up, eyes burning with a mix of fear and excitement. He
triggered his unrefined Wind Breathing. Even if he's my Senior, I won't let him
look down on me!
Thirty minutes later.
Natsuya had nerfed his own stats by 90%, yet Masachika hadn't even come within
an inch of the bell. Instead, the boy had been floored, pinned, and suppressed
in dozens of different "Death Animations."
"Forget the Breathing Style for a second," Natsuya noted. "You need to fix your
base mechanics and your combat IQ."
Compared to the "Tokyo Trio," Masachika was still a total rookie. His Breathing
mastery was low, his base stats were mid, and his combat experience was
effectively zero. His movements were so broadcasted they might as well have had
subtitles.
Natsuya reached down and pulled the groaning Masachika up. He pressed his palms
into the boy's abdomen and ribs, applying specific pressure points.
Miraculously, the suffocating pain and nausea from the impacts began to drain
away instantly.
"Again."
Masachika nodded heavily, took a breath, and reset. He tried to use the data
he'd gathered from the last few "deaths" to predict Natsuya's patterns.
But Natsuya's "AI" had already switched logic.
"Don't rely on fixed scripts. Combat isn't about memorizing formulas; every
demon has a different move-set."
Natsuya slipped past Masachika's desperate grab and used a grappling move to pin
him face-down in the sand.
"Right now, you're just spamming raw effort and momentum. You'll never clear
Phase One like that."
"You have to read the frames. Think while you fight."
Natsuya let him go. The boy gritted his teeth and pushed himself up. This time,
he learned. The moment he rose, he performed a tactical roll, narrowly avoiding
Natsuya's follow-up light punch.
Natsuya: "Better."
Senior Natsuya is... terrifying. The pressure of standing opposite him was
suffocating. Even with Natsuya's relaxed posture, he felt like he was facing a
mountain.
"Senior!" Masachika panted, wiping sweat and grit from his forehead. "How... how
high is the requirement to touch that bell?"
Natsuya thought for a second. He gave an answer that left the boy baffled.
"Be as serene as the sky, and as fast as the lightning."
Masachika: "?" That's... way too poetic. I don't get it.
But out of respect for his "Pro-tier" Senior, he nodded anyway. "I'll do my
best!"
He charged again.
"Too slow—" "Don't hesitate, you're over-calculating—" "Telegraphing your
hitbox—"
Fall down. Get up. Fall down. Get up.
Masachika's talent was lower than Natsuya's other students, but his tenacity was
S-tier. He wouldn't quit. By his forty-seventh "respawn," his nose was bleeding,
his left eye was swollen shut, and he was covered in dirt.
Even Natsuya began to wonder if he was being a bit too much of a "Hardcore Dev."
Under the eaves, Kazami watched with his arms crossed. He looked stoic, but his
sleeves were wrinkled from how hard he was clutching his own arms in silent
anxiety.
"Want to take a break?" Natsuya asked.
Masachika's body was shaking with fatigue, but he shook his head, his lungs
laboring through his Breathing Style. "I think... I'm finally starting to feel
it. That rhythm you talked about."
No clutter in the mind. No lag in the movement.
Masachika wiped blood from his face. He grinned. "One more time. Within five
tries, I'm touching that bell!"
Natsuya stared at him for two seconds. Nice. He just proc'd a 'Spirit' buff.
Natsuya floored him five more times.
But this time, his movements were gentle. He didn't use striking techniques; he
just controlled the boy's momentum until Masachika couldn't physically stand up
anymore.
As the "bean-browed" boy lay on the ground, a cold metallic touch pressed
against his forehead.
The bell.
"I never said you had to finish Phase One today," Natsuya said, offering a rare
smile. "You passed today's session."
Natsuya pulled him up with one hand and brought out the high-tier medkit.
"Rest up. Recover your HP."
"Starting tomorrow, we do systematic physical conditioning. Five hundred swings,
two hours of Horse Stance, and then you're joining me for chores: wood-cutting,
water-carrying, and fishing."
"Fishing?"
Natsuya pressed down on a deep bruise. Masachika hissed in pain.
"Don't question the curriculum. Just follow the guide."
"Your base is lower than the other kids I've trained. We need to raise your
Stamina, your Breathing cap, and your Game Sense simultaneously."
"Yes, Senior!"
A few days later.
The two sat on a grassy hill behind the dojo at sunset. The smoke from the
village rose in the distance. Masachika's face was still bruised, looking a bit
comical, but the swelling had gone down.
He watched Natsuya, who was meticulously sorting and grinding a massive pile of
wild herbs he'd gathered from the mountain.
"Senior... what are you doing?"
Natsuya didn't look up, his hands moving with rhythmic precision as he worked
the stone mortar.
"Senior?"
Finally, Natsuya checked a pop-up in his vision and looked at Masachika.
"Farming skill proficiency. Be quiet."
Seiko and Shinobu's supplies are running low. I need to grind [Gathering] and
[Pharmacy] to see if I can squeeze out another Achievement Point before the next
mission.
The boy nodded vaguely, then spoke up again, his voice hesitant.
"Senior... why did you... join the Corps?"
Natsuya looked at his Junior. Is he having a 'Mental Health' event? Does he need
a pep talk?
He closed his menu and asked, "What about you? What's your 'Origin' story?"
Masachika went silent for a long time. When he finally spoke, his voice was very
soft.
"Because of my brother."
☆☆☆
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