Chapter 74: Sun Breathing Proficiency x Kikyo's Pregnancy
He saw it. The door was still there. Unfortunately, it was locked.
Roy, having entered the Sea of Cognition through 'deep sleep' once more, noticed this and gradually formed a hypothesis.
This door, after all, was an 'import'. Grandpa Zzigg's consciousness was the key; only by connecting could it be opened. Fortunately, as long as the door remained, it wasn't an insurmountable problem. As Maha had said, he just needed to visit more often.
Ultimately, he needed to train his Ren anyway. The image of the sandworm bursting from the earth and churning the clouds flashed through his mind again.
Roy pulled his gaze away and pushed open the gate to the Demon Slayer world to continue his swordsmanship training.
There's an old saying: "A month for the staff, a year for the blade, a lifetime for the spear." The sword, known as the 'commander of a hundred weapons', follows a path of unyielding power. Novices slice stone, the proficient slice iron. To cut through steel with a single stroke is enough to earn the title of 'Swordmaster'. (Note: As this is based on Japanese manga, 'sword' and 'blade' are often used interchangeably.)
Therefore, wanting to achieve mastery in swordsmanship overnight, without accumulating vast amounts of experience, was nothing short of a fool's dream.
"September 17th: Three thousand swings with no stones dropped. Swordsmanship +30, Sun Breathing +1, Physique +0.31. Lasted 17 seconds against the sandworm's Ren."
"September 30th: Four thousand swings with no stones dropped. Swordsmanship +33, Sun Breathing +1.5, Physique +0.4. Lasted 32 seconds against the sandworm's Ren."
...
"November 16th: Completed the 'Ten Thousand Swings' with no stones dropped for the first time. Swordsmanship +50, Sun Breathing +3, reaching the Proficient level. Total Concentration duration extended to one hour. Physique +1. Lasted one minute against the sandworm's Ren. Spoke the first words to Grandpa Zzigg."
"He asked whose kid I was and how I got on the ship."
"I didn't even know how to answer him before I was knocked out by a flying ship's helm."
Time always seems to fly when one is focused and busy.
On November 16th, after visiting Grandpa Zzigg, Roy left the basement and returned to his bedroom. Dragging his exhausted body to the desk, he meditated to recover his mental energy while opening his system panel to review his training progress.
Two months had passed in the blink of an eye, and the improvement was obvious.
[Name: Roy Zoldyck]
[Physique: 71.7 (Note: Average person is 1)]
[Sun Breathing: 1/1000 (Proficient)]
[Aura Output: D- (170/10000) (Note: Rating based on Chimera Ant benchmark)]
[Potential Aura: D (236/10000) (Note: Rating based on Chimera Ant benchmark)]
[Nen Ability Shape Change: 17/100 (Novice), Property Change: Awaiting Activation]
[Four Major Principles: [Ten]: lv1(38/100)... [Zetsu]: lv1(69/100)... [Ren]: lv1(23/100)... [Hatsu]: Awaiting Conjuration...]
[Swordsmanship: lv2 (996/1000)]
[Applied Techniques—Shadow Step: Master (278/1000); Rhythm Echo: Proficient (174/1000); Snake Awakens: Proficient (783/1000)]
[Title: Apple Tree Sapling Ready for Plucking...]
From a mere sprout to a sapling. He had to grasp both Nen and swordsmanship firmly. Roy studied the panel carefully. His Ren needed further strengthening, and his swordsmanship was just one step away from the next breakthrough.
"Young Master, Hall's wife gave birth..."
At eight in the evening, Gotoh arrived punctually with the dinner cart. Tonight's meal was rosemary-seared steak, matsutake mushroom cream soup with buttered toast points, and a large bottle of milk.
"Have they chosen a name?" Roy closed the panel and cut a piece of steak, putting it in his mouth. If he remembered correctly, Hall's child—Tsubone's granddaughter—was named Canary.
"Canary... the Master chose it two months ago. Hall has been absolutely ecstatic, bragging to everyone he meets. Such an insufferable, gloating face, it really gets on one's nerves..." Gotoh seemed to have quite the opinion of his predecessor. Then again, Hall was known for being slick, not Gotoh's preferred type.
Roy recalled the man's smiling face but made no comment, his thoughts drifting. He vaguely remembered that not long after Canary's birth, it was Killua's turn.
Sure enough... "The Madam is pregnant again," Gotoh whispered. "The Master is delighted. Every butler in the household has received a double salary increase."
Not just double. After the birth, it'll be tripled... it's a silver-haired child, after all.
"That's good." Roy finished his steak and drank the soup, his expression unchanged. "Go buy some practical baby supplies and send them to Hall. He served me for two years, after all. We should show some consideration."
Gotoh pushed up his glasses. "You are too kind to us servants, Young Master. That man just got lucky to have served you for a time."
"Don't talk like that. Just go."
"Yes, sir."
After the meal, Gotoh cleared the table and went downstairs to prepare the gift.
Roy sat at the table in a daze for a while, then got up and went to the window. He gazed out at the night view under the moonlight, letting his food digest. His eyes inadvertently caught sight of two or three figures strolling hand-in-hand in the garden. A woman held onto a man's arm. She was newly pregnant, not showing yet, but deliberately puffed out her stomach, enjoying Silva's company. The electronic eyes on her face displayed happy heart shapes.
"This one will definitely have silver hair."
Roy could almost hear the woman's thoughts. He watched silently for a while. At one point, he noticed the man seemed to sense something and turned his head to look up. The boy turned back into the room, closing the door with a bang.
Time rolls ever forward, never backward. Rejecting Silva's prying gaze, Roy silently reminded himself to focus and not let irrelevant matters distract him.
He took a cold shower, changed into his pajamas, lay flat on his bed with his hands folded, closed his eyes, and entered his dream.
The familiar sensation of falling, passing through the multicolored dream tunnel, arriving at the familiar Sea of Cognition... Roy glanced at the locked "Gate to the Dark Continent" and remembered Zzigg's words... "Whose kid are you?" With a sigh, he turned and pushed open the gate to the Demon Slayer world.
As usual, he took his training blade and basket, heading deep into Sagiri Mountain to practice, followed by a troupe of ghosts.
"No need for the gravel today." His master leaned against the doorframe, stopping him. "Don't forget the feeling of swinging unburdened. Try to push past your limits."
"Okay."
The basket filled with gravel was set aside. Roy took his training blade and walked into the forest, his steps deep in the snow. Behind him, Sakonji Urokodaki followed at a steady pace, stepping carefully into his footprints.
Makomo and Sabito circled around them. The little girl looked back and forth between Roy and Sakonji, whispering to Sabito, "Master must think Eiichiro's hands are steady enough now. He wants to see what he can do, so he can adjust the training plan."
Sabito rested his hand on his beloved sword, his eyes fixed on Roy. He gently shook his head. "No, Master isn't adjusting the plan."
"He has always been training Eiichiro at ten times the intensity he used for Giyu."
"It's Eiichiro who has disrupted Master's plan."
Ten times? Makomo mumbled softly, "I always thought it was twenty."
"You're a girl." Sabito didn't elaborate. All he could say was... even among humans, individual limits vary greatly. That Eiichiro fellow couldn't be judged by normal standards. Without the restriction of the gravel, who knew what heights he would reach today?
Could he... already be stronger than Giyu? Sabito narrowed his eyes, filled with anticipation.
☆☆☆
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