Kanao's big eyes were more lively. She looked at Lock in front of her and said carefully, "Thank you, Lock."
"You're welcome. Now… can you tell me why you left suddenly before?" Lock asked.
Kanao lowered her head. "Because you didn't need to go to the third level."
"Ah?" Lock's eyes widened in surprise.
He understood.
In Kanao's eyes, Lock was already strong. There was no reason for someone so capable to attempt the third level—it would have been a waste of time.
Kanao wasn't good at expressing her feelings, so she left on her own. A small mistake, but understandable.
Seeing Lock's silence, she thought he was upset. "I'm sorry," she said awkwardly.
Lock looked at her, noticing how inexplicably endearing she seemed. He patted his chest and said magnanimously, "It's okay… but you'll need to make it up to me in the future."
"Make it up?" Kanao tilted her head, curious.
She wanted to know what he meant.
Lock smiled. "Talk to me more in the future, or I won't forgive you."
Kanao fell silent.
She had expected "compensation" to mean practicing with him, but Lock's idea was different—he only wanted to encourage her to open up.
A feeling of déjà vu washed over her. Once, someone had cared for her like this: Kocho Kanae, Shinobu's elder sister. She had taught Kanao the Breath of Flowers, nurtured her, and guided her as if she were family.
Lock, in that moment, reminded her of Kanae.
Seeing Kanao's slightly dazed expression, Lock waved his hand lightly.
But Kanao, confused, murmured, "Sister?"
"What?" Lock froze. His hand hung midair. He couldn't change his gender, and yet she mistook him.
Kanao's face flushed. "I'm sorry!"
Lock hesitated but finally patted her shoulder instead. "Do you miss your family?"
Kanao pursed her lips and nodded.
Lock's expression softened with understanding. He knew exactly who she meant—Kocho Kanae, Shinobu's sister, taken by Douma.
That Douma deserved death. Lock realized he still needed to grow stronger; even the Pillars could be vulnerable to the upper demons. He couldn't show his skills recklessly yet.
He offered Kanao advice, and gradually, she became more talkative.
By the afternoon, the girls in the Butterfly House had enjoyed a pleasant conversation with Lock. His presence left a deep impression, strengthening his connection to the Butterfly House.
As dusk fell, insects emerged, and crickets and night creatures echoed in the courtyard.
The Butterfly House at night was quieter, more comforting.
Lock sat alone on the smooth, blue-tiled roof. The triangular structure was slippery, but his posture was stable, as natural as sitting on a chair.
He quietly practiced the breathing method, using his body coordination to adjust his breath while observing the courtyard below, where he and Kanao had dueled earlier.
The scene of the day's duel repeated in his mind.
"Breathing method…" he murmured.
He observed Kanao's movements and breathing rhythm. Time seemed to slow, allowing him to study her frame by frame.
Lock realized his comprehension and observation skills were exceptional. He could analyze an opponent's movements, imitate, improve, and even find openings for counterattacks.
At night, he discovered another ability: his memory was incredible. He could replay battles in his mind to refine his understanding at any time.
He focused on the duel with Kanao, preparing for the upcoming confrontation with Fuzugawa in fourteen days. He had to master a breathing method quickly.
Lock closed his eyes.
[You recalled the day's battle, analyzed Kanao's movements frame by frame, and learned the muscle-force techniques of Flower Breathing.]
[You observed the opponent's lung movement, throat rhythm, and vibration frequency, deducing the principles of Flower Breathing.]
[You combined techniques randomly, discovering a more powerful variation.]
[You realized Flower Breathing favors lighter, more agile bodies, so you modified it to suit your strength.]
[You increased your breathing frequency to accelerate airflow in the lungs.]
[You adjusted leg-muscle force generation to improve movement speed.]
[You developed an advanced version: the Overlord Flower Breathing.]
"Huh!"
Lock exhaled deeply, feeling the mental strain. He remembered fainting once before from overusing his brain.
Flower Breathing was originally designed for women—based on their lighter, weaker physiques—so it wasn't suitable for a man like Lock. Adjustments were necessary.
The modified style was a by-product, and the name felt clumsy. "Forget it… just call it Flower Breathing," he decided.
"Moshi moshi~"
A soft voice reached his ears.
Lock tensed immediately; the auspicious cloud pattern spread across his neck as he entered alert mode.
The visitor? Kocho Shinobu.
Lock opened his eyes to see her standing there, pupils bright, a gentle smile on her face.