Chapter 2: The Pre-Game Grind
Kokonoe Natsuya [The Scepter] [The Chariot] [The Star]
[Power Level: 29]
Body: 12
Tech: 7
Mind: 10
Combat Skill — Wind Breathing
[Wind Breathing]
LV.1 Novice
Proficiency: 271/500
Forms Mastered (9/9):
First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter
Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind
Third Form...
Abandoning the cluttered, overly complex UI found in most MMOs, the interface before Natsuya's eyes was refreshingly clean and minimalist.
"Kokonoe Natsuya" was the name automatically generated by the System based on his initial inputs during character creation.
This was a special mechanic designed to preserve immersion. It prevented players from using weird custom names that would ruin the vibe.
After all, imagine a dramatic cutscene where an NPC is weeping over a dying comrade, screaming: "No! Don't leave me, xX_DemonSlayer69_Xx!" or "Hold on, SkibidiToilet_Rizzler!"
It would completely shatter the immersion.
The keywords following his name were the random background traits Natsuya had rolled during character creation.
[Reverse · The Scepter]
Thou art a torch of vengeance. Both parents murdered by villains; your only sister devoured by a demon.
Effect: Slightly increases sympathy from others. In combat, Willpower slightly increases.
[Upright · The Chariot]
Scars are your medals. For you, fighting and killing are as natural as eating and Breathing.
Effect: Slightly increases damage dealt in combat. Slightly improves training efficiency.
[Reverse · The Star]
Spine like a sword, swimming against the tide. Your unyielding will and rebellious backbone ensure you never bow your head.
Effect: Reduces debuffs caused by physical injury in combat. Slightly increases stats when fighting stronger enemies.
Hmm...
Natsuya stared at these traits, falling into deep thought.
When he played games, he was usually a "Human Supremacist." In strategy games, he'd always choose the Human Faction—loyalty to the Emperor, purge the xenos, that sort of thing.
So when he started this game, he picked Human without hesitation. He hadn't really paid attention to the randomly generated backstory at the time.
Looking at it now, he had rolled a purely combat-focused build.
So, I started as an orphan...
No wonder his Master always looked at him with that mix of pity and understanding.
As for his stats, they were simple:
Body (Physique/Constitution), Tech (Technique/Skill), and Mind (Spirit/Willpower).
His total was barely 29 points. That wasn't even one-fifth of Master Kazami Koichi's stats.
If he remembered correctly, this character started with a total of only about 10 points.
It was only through a year of rigorous exercise and Breathing Style training that he had gradually raised them to this level.
As for Breathing Styles...
That was the game's core combat system.
By leveling this technique, one could temper their body to surpass human limits and refine their combat skills.
It was the foundation required to fight man-eating demons that far outclassed normal humans in strength.
Victory of the weak over the strong.
Visceral combat.
Parry and counter.
Natsuya was very familiar with traditional action games.
After grinding his physical stats for over six months, it had only taken him three or four months to master the essentials and all the forms of Wind Breathing...
Even by Kazami Koichi's standards—based on his years of experience as a teacher—Natsuya's progression speed was considered fast.
"But if I have to participate in a 'high mortality rate' selection just as I'm getting started..."
Is the Demon Slayer Corps so flush with manpower that they can afford to throw away rookie lives like this?
The setting was ancient Japan, and the genre was "Action/Monster Hunting." Was the game really going to pull that old cliché of "If you aren't prepared to die, you might as well die here"?
While his mind wandered, his hands didn't stop.
Assuming a standard stance, Natsuya began to swing the wooden sword in his hand, over and over again.
Two hours of Suburi (swinging practice).
Two hours of Breathing training.
Two hours of Kata (form) practice.
Between each set, he added thirty minutes of meditation or stood on a windy hill to "sense the aura of the wind."
This was the training regimen Master Kazami had set for him.
Originally, there was more basic physical conditioning and sparring, but once Natsuya's Strength broke past 10 and he mastered Total Concentration Breathing, those basics were gradually phased out.
He had three days left.
Natsuya decided to seize the time and see if he could grind his Breathing Style up another level.
Soon, Natsuya felt his consciousness gradually detaching from his physical body.
He had entered [System Assist Mode].
Modern games, to avoid boring repetitive content and ensure a smooth player experience, often allowed players to "fast forward" through grinding or long travel sequences.
For Natsuya, it felt like he started exercising, and then his body went on auto-pilot. He was basically watching a montage of his character training while the game time accelerated.
EXP +1
EXP +1
...
It was hard work, watching the stat panel and visually harvesting the fruits of his labor.
While Natsuya was fully focused on sweating it out in "AFK mode," inside the house, Kazami Koichi watched the boy silently from the window.
In his eyes, Natsuya had always been a quiet and extremely disciplined child.
He never played around or slacked off like other kids.
He never complained that the training was too hard.
As long as it didn't kill him, Natsuya would train himself to death.
He never gave himself a moment of rest.
Kazami knew the reason, of course.
The death of his sister.
She had been eaten alive, bit by bit, by a Lower Moon demon amidst a raging fire, screaming for help.
The sheer impact of that scene—let alone on a teenager—was something even Kazami couldn't bear to recall.
It had affected Natsuya too deeply.
Kazami didn't know if the flames of vengeance would one day consume the boy, or if they would become the fuel that kept him moving forward.
The old man unconsciously gripped the window frame.
The wood creaked under his palm.
"I hope your hard work and anger... are enough to get you through the Final Selection."
Night turned to day.
Two days passed quietly amidst the boy's sweat and swings.
[Wind Breathing]
LV.1 Novice
Proficiency: 316/500 (+45)
Success take a thousand days of effort; they cannot be achieved in a single leap.
Despite "AFK farming" overnight for two days, the effort and sweat only gave Natsuya a [Fatigue] debuff. It was far from enough to push his Breathing Style to Level 2.
Although, this visible rate of progress was already considered prodigiously talented compared to other swordsmen.
"I'm not gonna make it... Hmm? Did I unlock a new feature?"
Seeing that he was running out of time, Natsuya had to end his bitter cultivation.
As he wiped the sweat from his brow, he noticed a new notification on the System Interface.
In the new [Life Skills] panel, two skill icons had lit up.
[Suburi (Sword Swinging) LV.1 (17/500)] (NEW)
[Physical Conditioning LV.1 (89/500)] (NEW)
He subconsciously clicked to view the details.
[Suburi LV.1]
Summary: The foundation of Kendo. The tempering of Mind, Spirit, and Body. The essence of cultivation.
Effect: Slightly increases the speed of Swordsmanship training.
[Physical Conditioning LV.1]
Summary: Forging a robust body to lay a solid foundation for cultivation.
Effect: Slightly increases the growth rate of Strength and Agility.
At the same time, a prompt Natsuya hadn't expected popped up on the panel.
[Achievement Points Obtained: 2]
[These points can be used to increase Combat Skill Levels.]
Huh?
Natsuya was stunned. Wait... is THIS the core gameplay loop?
Unlocking Life Skills can level up Breathing Styles?
So, as long as I frantically grind Life Skills, I can infinitely pump points into my main Breathing Style?!
Am I about to exploit the system?!
He quickly switched to the Breathing Style interface.
Sure enough.
Next to [Wind Breathing], a [+] sign had appeared.
With a thought, a translucent preview bar appeared over the experience bar, showing the effect of investing the Achievement Points.
[EXP +325]
[Note: Current Breathing Style Compatibility: 65%]
[Achievement Point Conversion Loss: 35%]
Ah, crap.
Natsuya froze.
This stat-allocation mechanic actually had a penalty for incompatibility.
He suddenly remembered Master Kazami saying that there were many Breathing Styles in the world.
While there was no absolute "strongest" style, everyone had different constitutions, personalities, and spiritual rhythms, which affected their training results.
Even the power of the sword forms would be affected.
Translated into gamer terms: Every character has a BiS (Best in Slot) Breathing Style.
The higher the compatibility, the smoother the leveling, and the stronger the skills.
Conversely, low compatibility meant half the results for twice the effort.
It seemed that Wind Breathing wasn't the best match for him.
Do I have to switch to another Breathing Style?
But if I do that, will my Cheap Master accuse me of "betraying Him" or something?
Damn devs! Come out here so I can hit you!
He cursed internally, but his body honestly chose to allocate the points anyway.
After all, right now, Wind Breathing was the only thing he knew.
A "Ding" sound that only Natsuya could hear rang out.
[Wind Breathing LV.1 → LV.2]
[Novice→Adept]
[Proficiency: 141/1000 (+325)]
[Power Level: 29→35]
Body: 12→16
Tech: 7→ 8
Mind: 10→ 11
[Your mastery of Sword Forms has increased!]
"These rank names... why do they smell like that Wuxia game next door..."
Before he could finish grumbling, a warm current, gentle as a spring breeze, swept through his entire body.
Kokonoe Natsuya was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and his cheeks flushed with excitement.
Oh! Oh! Oh!
Here it comes... that long-lost feeling of a Level Up!
He could feel it clearly—Power! UNLIMITED POWER!