SWDnovel Chapter 26 Water Breathing
Chapter 26 Water Breathing
As Urokodaki finished speaking, the first form of Water Breathing appeared before Nezuko's eyes.
A wave of air, like ripples on a calm surface of water, swept out from the blade, carrying a sharp edge and drawing an extremely smooth slash through the air.
Mizuko held her breath, her eyes fixed on Urokodaki's movements.
Her exceptional senses allowed her to clearly perceive the changes in airflow as the blade sliced through the air, as well as the trajectory of Urokodaki's breath as it circulated within his body.
"Is this the sword technique of Water Breathing?!"
Midouzi murmured to herself, her eyes filled with awe and longing. She gripped the wooden knife tightly, her heart already brimming with anticipation.
Next, Urokodaki demonstrated the rest of the sword techniques to Mizuko.
Every move and every stance is so exquisite, sometimes like gentle flowing water, sometimes like surging waves, perfectly showcasing the essence of water breathing.
Midouzi stood there, stunned and bewildered for a long time, her eyes filled with shock and fascination.
Then, Urokodaki, holding a wooden sword in both hands, spoke to Mizuko.
"Next up is the most difficult move in Water Breathing."
His voice came through the Tengu mask, carrying an unprecedented solemnity.
"This move requires mobilizing the strength of every muscle in the body, using extreme breathing as a guide, and constantly accumulating power with the inertia of each rotation, so that the power of the strike rises layer by layer, continuously until it reaches its peak."
Mizuko held her breath, her eyes fixed on Urokodaki's figure, not daring to even breathe loudly.
She could clearly feel that the energy within Urokodaki's body was rapidly condensing.
"This move is the final form of Water Breathing, named—Tenth Form: Flow of Life!"
The moment he finished speaking, Urokodaki suddenly exerted his strength, and his body spun rapidly like a top.
The wooden sword in his hand rose with the spinning trajectory, the blade slicing through the air with a piercing whistling sound.
The originally dispersed energy gradually converged and compressed as it spun.
Ultimately, it transformed into a powerful, azure-blue wave of energy that tightly coiled around the blade.
One circle, two circles, three circles... The speed of rotation increases and the force increases.
The air blast, like a boiling giant wave, continued to roll and grow, completely engulfing Urokodaki's figure.
Immediately afterwards, the giant wave transformed into a massive water dragon.
The water dragon stirred up waves, submerging the figure of the scale dragon, which coiled around it like a giant dragon.
"This...this is..."
Midouzi gasped in shock, instinctively taking a half-step back, her eyes filled with disbelief and disbelief.
Urokodaki's figure was hidden beneath the water dragon, his hands holding the sword as steady as a rock, and his breathing maintained a precise rhythm.
Each rotation infuses the water dragon with new power.
He suddenly let out a low shout.
"Water Breathing - Tenth Form - Flowing Life!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Urokodaki abruptly stopped spinning, gripped the wooden sword tightly with both hands, and swung it fiercely at the boulder in front of him.
The water dragon, imbued with boundless power, charged towards the boulder and crashed into it.
"Boom—!"
A deafening roar exploded through the mountains and forests, and the boulder was instantly torn apart by the power of the water dragon. Fragments flew everywhere, and dust filled the entire training ground.
After the water dragon smashed the boulder, its power did not dissipate and it continued to sweep forward.
It cut several large trees in the distance in half before slowly dissipating into the air.
As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, a deep trench was left on the ground, with broken tree trunks and rubble scattered everywhere, demonstrating the terrifying power of this move.
Urokodaki slowly sheathed his sword, his chest heaving violently, sweat pouring down beneath his tengu mask.
Clearly, this move had almost exhausted most of his strength.
He stood there, slowly calming his breathing, and turned to look at Mizuko, who was still in shock. His tone was weary, but still serious.
"The ultimate expression of the flow of life is to condense the flowing power into a form, transforming it into an endless stream of attacks. Rotation is the foundation of power, and breathing is the vein of power. Only when the two are perfectly aligned can the power flow like a river, endlessly regenerating."
Midouzi stood there, unable to come to her senses for a long time, the image of the roaring water dragon replaying in her mind.
Her palms were already soaked with sweat.
The impact of what just happened was far more profound than any explanation.
She finally understood why Mr. Urokodaki said this move would be the most difficult one.
"Neezu, the Breath of Water, is the easiest to learn, the most widespread, and the most defensive and enduring of all breathing techniques. Although its attack power is not as high as other breathing techniques, the Breath of Water allows you to maintain the most stable combat power in the fight against demons."
Linlong also explained the characteristics and functions of water breathing to Mizuko.
Nezuko nodded. "Understood, Mr. Urokodaki!"
Then she looked at the wooden sword in her hand and, relying on her memory, began practicing the sword techniques of Water Breathing.
Urokodaki always patiently explained to Mizuko where she might make mistakes.
However, to Urokodaki's surprise, Mizuko's talent and hard work were still too amazing.
For the next two months, Nezuko did almost nothing but eat, sleep, and observe the comatose Tanjiro.
The rest of the time was spent practicing sword techniques.
In just two short months, Mizuko has completely mastered the art of water breathing...
"Water Breathing, Fourth Form, Rising Tide!"
"Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!"
The training ground was unusually quiet that day. Linlong decided to have a sparring match with Mizuko to test the results of her training over the past two months.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Mizuko launched the first attack, flashing forward to slash at Urokodaki.
This move is the fourth form of Water Breathing: Tide Striker. The move is swift and powerful, with layers of force stacked up, precisely targeting Urokodaki's weakness.
A hint of approval flashed in Urokodaki's eyes. He raised his hand and swung his sword without reservation, responding with the Water Breathing First Form: Water Surface Slash.
The two wooden knives collided, producing a crisp "crack" sound.
To Urokodaki's surprise, Nezuko's attacks were far more precise and fierce than he had imagined.
The force and angle of that single strike were enough to sever the wooden sword in his hand.
The broken pieces of the wooden knife fell to the ground with a soft sound.
The two simultaneously created distance between themselves. Urokodaki looked down at the wooden sword in his hand, now only half intact, his eyes wide open beneath the mask, his heart filled with uncontrollable shock.
[In just two months, he not only mastered Water Breathing, but also applied the techniques with such effectiveness and precision! Such talent goes beyond being merely outstanding; he can truly be called a genius!]
"Mr. Urokodaki, are you alright? Did I... did I use too much force?"
Mizuko looked at the broken sword in Urokodaki's hand, and seeing that he hadn't moved for a long time, she thought that she had accidentally hurt him.
He immediately put away his wooden knife, and with some worry, quickly stepped forward to ask, his tone full of tension.
Urokodaki slowly waved his hand to indicate that he was alright, but his gaze fell on Mizuko's tall figure, and the shock in his heart was gradually replaced by a trace of worry.
[Should we really send her to Fujikasane Mountain for the final test? The demons of Fujikasane Mountain are incredibly ferocious; even Sabito, who was equally talented back then, didn't survive. Now, are we really sending a child even more outstanding than Sabito to face such a life-or-death ordeal?]
His resolve began to waver; he wanted Mizuko to become a true swordsman, yet he feared she would fail the assessment.
Seeing that the beans were indeed unharmed by the fish scales, my anxiety gradually subsided.
His gaze then returned to the wooden knife in his hand, and an excited smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
"Am I finally... finally able to become a qualified swordsman? Brother, if you were awake right now and saw me like this, you'd be shocked, wouldn't you? But don't worry, this time, I finally have the ability to protect you!"
She thought excitedly to herself, her eyes sparkling.
"Nie Douzi, come with me."
Suppressing the complex emotions in his heart, Urokodaki waved to Nezuko and turned to walk towards the back mountain.
Mizuko was full of doubts, not understanding where Mr. Urokodaki suddenly wanted to take her, but she still obediently followed along.
The two walked through the dense forest and soon came to a huge rock.
This boulder is as tall as three people, with a hard texture and a surface covered with the marks of time, making it clearly exceptionally sturdy.
Urokodaki stopped and turned to look at Mizuko, speaking solemnly.
"Nezuko, the time you can cut this boulder in half, I'll recommend you for the Demon Slayer Corps' entrance exam...!"
(Friends, tomorrow is the day the real demons from Demon Slayer make their appearance! Aren't you excited?)