A clearing in the forest.
A gentle breeze occasionally carried a few fallen leaves across the open ground.
"Come on then. Fight me."
Sabito gripped his wooden sword tightly and pointed it straight at Shuya's nose. His voice rang out cheerfully from beneath the scarred fox mask. "If you can beat me, I'll acknowledge you. Whether it's as a shikigami or a Nen Beast, I don't care!"
Shuya couldn't help but feel a little doubtful. Had he said something wrong earlier?
He didn't remember ever saying he wanted Sabito to become his Nen Beast, did he?
Still, after a moment's thought, he realized it didn't really matter what he had said. Shuya knew exactly what the Water Breathing trainees' greatest regret was—killing the Hand Demon on Mount Fujikasane.
Even if he explained everything clearly, he would still have to fight the strongest member of the group, Sabito, and prove he had the power to defeat that monster.
In that case…
Shuya raised his hand and conjured a white oak wooden sword, then looked at Sabito and said calmly, "Fine. I'll play with you for a bit."
"Play?"
That single casual word instantly ignited the fighting spirit in the light-orange-haired boy.
If he could say something so nonchalant, then his strength must be decent, right?
He'd better not disappoint me.
Sabito stomped hard on the ground and shot forward like an arrow.
"Water Breathing, Fourth Form—Striking Tide!"
He swung the fourth form of Water Breathing with full force. Pale blue water aura surged along the wooden blade, carrying the overwhelming momentum of a crashing wave as it rushed straight toward his opponent.
Whether it was because Breathing Techniques were originally created to slay demons, or because Sabito was deliberately testing Shuya's strength, his target was Shuya's neck—and he held nothing back.
As the blade light drew closer, Shuya could almost hear the sound of rushing tides in his ears.
Yet he remained completely calm. With a light flick of his wrist, he raised his wooden sword and held it vertically in front of him.
Clang!
That simple block felt like an immovable mountain had suddenly appeared before him.
No matter how hard Sabito pushed with both hands, his wooden sword couldn't advance an inch.
Instead, the force that rebounded through the blade made his palms go numb.
Sabito shook out his hands and couldn't help but exclaim, "What insane power!"
If he had this kind of strength combined with Breathing Techniques, maybe he really could cut through the Hand Demon's neck after all.
But this wasn't enough.
He had power, but he still hadn't seen Shuya's actual combat technique.
"Water Breathing, Third Form—Flowing Dance!"
Sabito took a deep breath, filling his lungs with sharp, cold air.
His body was instantly wrapped in pale blue water aura, becoming as fluid as flowing water. He danced around Shuya, leaving trails of blue afterimages in the air.
His wooden sword drew one blue arc after another.
"Not bad."
Although Shuya had never fought Giyu Tomioka directly, he had seen the Water Hashira use Water Breathing against Saeko.
He noticed that while both used the same style, Sabito's Water Breathing felt completely different from Giyu's.
If Giyu's style was like a calm lake hiding unimaginable power beneath the surface…
Then Sabito's Water Breathing was like relentless waves crashing endlessly against the rocks—fierce, continuous, and unstoppable.
"Sun Breathing, Eleventh Form—Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance!"
Facing Sabito's fierce assault, Shuya finally grew a little more serious.
Golden-red flames coiled around the tip of his wooden sword, wrapping the blade like the blazing sun itself, as if a golden fire dragon was spiraling around it.
He unleashed a continuous series of arcing slashes, their trajectories forming the shape of a flaming dragon's head.
Every strike landed precisely on Sabito's constantly swinging wooden sword.
The scorching flames melted through Sabito's offensive like the sun melting spring snow, dispersing every attack into nothingness.
"An onmyoji who uses Breathing Techniques?"
A flash of surprise crossed Sabito's eyes.
He couldn't tell which style Shuya was using, but from the sword forms and breathing rhythm, it was definitely a Breathing Technique.
The surprise didn't last long. Sabito shouted in frustration, "If you're using a Breathing Technique too, then why aren't you attacking? Are you looking down on me?!"
"Water Breathing, Seventh Form—Drop Ripple Thrust!"
Sabito's heart tightened as he unleashed the fastest form in Water Breathing.
No slashes, no cuts—just pure speed, thrusting straight through with pinpoint precision.
Shinobu's Insect Breathing was a derivative of a derivative of Water Breathing, and its core essence came directly from this Seventh Form.
So this technique had only one strength—speed.
The afterimages created by the thrusts looked like countless threads raining down, completely enveloping Shuya.
"Since you insist, I'll end this as you wish."
Watching the boy's serious expression, Shuya finally set aside his casual attitude.
Without using any Nen, he swung the Sun Breathing form he was most comfortable with.
"Sun Breathing, Twelfth Form—Flame Dance!"
In an instant, blazing golden-red flames erupted from the tip of his sword.
The white oak blade looked as if it had been wrapped in the sun itself. Even the surrounding air seemed to dry out.
Shuya brought the wooden sword down in a clean arc, striking Sabito's blade with perfect precision.
Crack!
Sabito's wooden sword snapped cleanly in two.
The surging blade light continued forward without mercy, slicing straight through the fox mask on Sabito's face and splitting it in half.
Revealing the young face beneath—a face that, just like the fox mask he wore, carried a jagged scar running across it.
"How… how is this possible?!"
Shock was written all over Sabito's face.
He had used every ounce of his strength, yet he had still been defeated so easily.
This kind of power… maybe it had already reached Hashira level?
Sabito couldn't help but ask, "Who the hell are you?"
"Just a passing Nen user. Remember that," Shuya replied calmly.
"Hahaha… A Nen user, huh?"
Sabito laughed loudly, as if he had just heard something incredibly amusing. Then he looked at Shuya with genuine respect. "Very well. I acknowledge your strength. Tell me your name."
"As long as you can kill the Hand Demon on Mount Fujikasane for us, I don't care whether I become a shikigami or a Nen Beast. I accept it."
"But————"
Shuya scratched his head, looking slightly awkward. "Actually… the only one I wanted to make a Nen Beast was Miss Makomo————"