Nightfall. Adam was alone.
The past week had been fruitful for him. Not only had he learned all the breathing techniques, but he had also mastered the powerful skill〚Breathing Technique: Total Concentration — Constant〛.
Don't underestimate this achievement! He had nearly failed to learn it!
Strictly speaking,〚Breathing Technique: Total Concentration — Constant〛wasn't considered a skill, but rather a state of maintaining〚Breathing Technique: Total Concentration〛.
The embarrassing part for Adam was that while he understood how to use this skill and had successfully employed it, he struggled to maintain this state for extended periods.
This realization also shed light on the limitations of his cheat skill.
Fortunately, his talent proved substantial. It took five full days — without sleep or rest — relying on his powerful physique to constantly maintain, adapt, and internalize the feeling of the breathing technique's constant operation, forcibly making it a bodily instinct.
Even so, he had barely managed to master it on the final day.
〚Breathing Technique: Total Concentration — Constant〛was undoubtedly challenging to learn. However, the rewards it brought were equally immense!
Adam could feel his physique becoming even more powerful under the enhancement of the constantly operating breathing technique. Surprisingly, he discovered that he was strongest when using Water Breathing — even more so than when using Sun Breathing!
This week, he had learned over a dozen breathing techniques, but only the〚Water Breathing Technique〛felt the most natural. The effortless feeling it provided left him incredibly satisfied.
He found this peculiar until he noticed an inconspicuous skill among the dense list on his adventurer card —〚Advanced Water Element Affinity〛. Suddenly, it all made sense.
It had to be Aqua's doing. As the Goddess of Water, she was the only one he knew capable of bestowing elemental affinities. Of course, there was also the possibility he had unknowingly copied it.
Thoughts of Aqua led him to wonder about Kazuma and the others.
Were they eating well? Had they found better lodging than the stable? How were they getting along with Megumin, Darkness, and the rest of the group?
As these questions surfaced in his mind, he realized he was beginning to miss his team members.
A knock at the door interrupted Adam's thoughts.
As he pondered how his team members might welcome him back, Shinobu's voice carried from outside.
"Suoh-kun, are you resting? The Master requests your presence."
'Kagaya?' Adam's surprise was evident in his voice, "Just a moment."
He wondered what could be so urgent at this late hour.
Hastily tidying his disheveled clothes, he opened the door to find Shinobu waiting.
"Shinobu, do you know why Master Ubuyashiki is looking for me?"
"I'm sorry, Suoh-kun, I don't know why the Master is calling for you either." She replied with a smile. However, her expression suggested she wasn't as clueless as she claimed.
Adam sensed a mystery afoot. Lacking mind-reading abilities, he had no choice but to follow her lead.
The Demon Slayer Corps headquarters was a short distance from the Butterfly Estate. Upon arrival, Adam found the entire house ablaze with light, as if welcoming an honored guest.
Undoubtedly, the reception was for him.
"Such a grand welcome?" Adam furrowed his brows slightly, puzzled by Kagaya's summons. Throughout the week, save for their initial meeting, all instructions had come through the Pillars.
Outside, Shinobu bowed and announced, "Master, Suoh-kun has arrived as requested."
"Thank you for your efforts, Shinobu." Said Kagaya, emerging with the Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!"
"As you wish." She nodded, but not before offering Adam one last smile.
'There's something afoot…' Adam thought, his first instinct. Though Shinobu's smile bore no ill will, he couldn't shake a sense of unease.
"Suoh-kun, please, join me for a chat." Kagaya's noble lineage was evident in his impeccable manners and etiquette. His steady voice carried a warmth and approachability that put one at ease.
"I'd be honored." Adam replied, his own upbringing shining through despite the sightless eyes.
He followed Kagaya's pace into a clean, bright hall. Its layout was simple — a single table where tea was brewing. The aroma was rich, long-lasting, and mellow.
'The tea is slightly aged…' Adam noted mentally, then paused in surprise, 'When did my sense of smell become so acute?'
Before he could dwell on this, Kagaya spoke, "Suoh-kun, please, have a seat."
Adam settled onto the tatami mat. The tea continued to warm, its fragrance intensifying with the heat.
A silence fell between them while he observed Kagaya carefully.
His handsome face bore unsightly scars, with deep purple marks covering the area above his nose bridge. Despite his terrifying appearance, Kagaya's tranquil and peaceful aura made him seem approachable.
This contrast was striking.
'What a unique person.'
Soon, the water boiled. Amane, Kagaya's wife, performed a masterful tea ceremony for the two, and Adam, as expected, copied this ability.
"Please enjoy." She said, placing the brewed tea before him.
"Thank you." Adam took a small sip, "Excellent tea!"
This was no ordinary brew. It had a rich, smooth taste with a lingering flavor. Combined with the first-class tea ceremony, it perfectly showcased the tea's qualities.
Hearing the praise, Amane bowed slightly, showing a touch of modesty.
The two continued drinking tea.
Adam grew impatient. Though it's said that whoever speaks first loses the initiative, he disliked the roundabout ways of prominent families. He decided to speak directly.
"Master Ubuyashiki, continuing will only waste both our time. Shall we speak frankly?"
Kagaya seemed slightly surprised but began to speak, "Suoh-kun, I've called you here to make a request."
"I ask that after my death, you lead the Demon Slayer Corps to slay Muzan Kibutsuji! Let the blood curse of the Ubuyashiki family end with our generation!"
Whoa, hold up! What was going on? Why this sudden talk of matters after death?
Adam didn't believe he possessed a 'kingly aura that makes people bow at first sight'. There had to be a reason behind his determination.
"Suoh-kun, though my eyes cannot see, I possess foresight." Kagaya's usual calmness gave way to excitement, "Every night this past week, I've dreamed of a scene: all the Pillars cheering around you, the Demon Slayer Corps filled with joyous laughter. Nearby lies Muzan Kibutsuji's corpse, gradually turning to dust and scattering in the distance under the scorching sun. I believe this vision is because of you, Suoh-kun!"
He wasn't trying to deceive Adam; he had genuinely experienced these dreams.
Initially, Kagaya had planned to build a relationship with him gradually, allowing the Demon Slayer Corps Pillars to interact with him more until he naturally chose to join their ranks.
However, just an hour ago, his children had informed him, "Takeshi Suoh wants to leave. Please find a way to prevent this."
For a moment, Kagaya felt panic.
In the thousand years since Yoriichi Tsugikuni, this generation of the Demon Slayer Corps was the closest to defeating Muzan Kibutsuji, and held the highest hope of killing him. If they couldn't end the Demon Progenitor in their time, it was unlikely anyone would ever bring him to justice.
Adam's sudden appearance represented the Demon Slayer Corps' greatest hope for eliminating the demons — he was the person most likely to complete this mission!
This was both Kagaya's judgment and his premonition. Thus, he felt compelled to do everything in his power to keep Adam in the Demon Slayer Corps.
However... the young man before him seemed reluctant to stay.
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