283 A Plan

A big shout-out to John for joining the patron! Thank you!!

***

"Huff! Man! Why do we have to dig the graves?!"

A middle-aged demon slayer grumbled as he pushed the shovel deeper into the ground before overturning the dirt.

"Just think of it as saving ourselves the trouble of fighting them at night."

A well-mannered youth replied with a cheerful smile. If he could avoid unnecessary fighting, he would do anything to make that true.

As the youth threw up another pound of dirt, his vision focused on skeletal construct as a rotten stench filled the entire graveyard.

Right before the youth's eyes, the skeletal construct burst into flames while a muffled screech rang throughout the graveyard, attracting every worker's attention as the optimistic youth fell back on his butt in a stupor.

***

"Why are we even training today?"

Rei inquired with her expression painting her confusion. She gazed at the topless Nik with his upper body covered in sweat as he stood in the same position for half-an-hour while the veins of his body popped all over his arms and chest with a scant few tracing up from the hidden crotch.

"You guys are to spar from today onwards," Nik's breathing grew heavier as the fisty percent increase of gravitational force over his body was already a challenge that his body could barely endure, "The Zombies at the beginning will be weak and slow, presumably, they will steadily grow stronger, so it would be better that you start sparring with each other and then apply the lessons learned here in an actual battle until we all can afford to keep you safe."

Unlike the previous few days, instead of exploring the [Tome of Battle], Nik decided to pick up his old project once again— The Breath of Gravity.

His insights in the breathing forms were as scarce as his insights on the working of gravity, but he felt that it would be a nice change of pace for his mentality to pick up one of the old projects and gaze upon the problem with a different angle. Of course, no amount of tilts in angles could provide Nik with answers as to how he could utilize the element of Gravity to enhance his physique.

[Name: Nik Faran

Age: 20

Affiliation: None

Bloodline: Lust Apostle

Talent: Exotic Escort

STR: 19--> 20

AGL: 19--> 20

VIT: 20--> 22

ENG: 26

CHM: 10

LUK: 2]

The improvement to Nik's physique de to his evolution had finally slowed down, but it was far from over. Instead of the obvious changs to his body, Nik could easily perceive minute changes to his organs and as slow as he progress was, Nik presumed that this particular phase was far more important than the changes to his muscles and skeletal structure.

"Fuaa~ I really cannot handle more than moves from you, Kanao!" Even though Aoi was pushed back completely, her expression only grew more determined, "Once more!" She cheered while parrying Kanao's sword before pulling some distance. Seeing the difference in the demeanor of the twin-tailed girl, Saya narrowed her eyes before looking at Nik.

"Who am I supposed to spar with?" Saya adjusted her glasses and inquired while sitting next to Nik with a sigh.

"Me, Rei, Aoi, Kanao... We all are here, just take your pick," Nik grinned as he continued revolving the gravity infused Hamon within his body.

"I have been thinking," Saya sighed, "Isn't there a better way to live?"

Her soft question attracted Nik's and Rei's attention as the orange-haired voluptuous warrior continued to spare her attention on the continuous focus breathing.

"What do you mean by that?"

Nik looked over his shoulders as Saya stretched her arms and lied down with a pout, "If it had been before, I could understand that we need to keep on training...

But why now? Didn't you already say that your homeworld is a peaceful place? And even if you shift again, isn't it sensible to find another peaceful location to settle down.

Why must we always bring the possibility of fights breaking out?"

The pinkette sighed deeply as the sound of the clashes of Kanao's and Aoi's sword rang in the surroundings.

"Then don't fight," Nik shrugged. Wasn't this the answer? If you wish to fight then train and fight to win; If you did not wish to fight then live a life worthy to be called peaceful.

"I loved studying, you know... binging on years of worth of knowledge, finding out the ways and theories in which the world and its people originated..."

Saya let out a soft grunt that extended out to a yawn, "And I feel so foolish, thinking that we won't have to fight. Where there is a difference of interest, there will always be a fight; Where humans populate, there will always be different opinions. The first breath user quoted that."

Saya turned her body sideways to look at Nik as short weed stuck over the back of her head, "If even the first breath user implied that fights cannot be avoided, how can you say that I don't have to fight any longer?"

By now, Saya's words had already attracted Rei's entire attention, as she too, sat cross-legged in front of Nik and waited for his answer. Either way, she had nothing else to do, so she might as well try and learn something from the seemingly philosophical conversation.

"Haa? Well, you don't need to fight because I am here for you. And who said that we cannot live without battles and differences of opinions.

We just haven't found such a location," Nik matched Saya's gaze and grinned broadly, "Don't worry about finding such a place, just focus on getting back at your passion for studies. I am sure Yuriko would be happy, too."

"Aah~ Whatever. And to think that you aren't dense... Really, all men are the same!"

Saya stood up and looked at Rei, "I am done grumbling excuses, training in the way of the sword is just a practical experience of the multiple books on swordsmanship. Let's spar."

She wielded her wooden sword and gazed at Rei with flaring indignation as her voice echoed within Nik's consciousness.

[Don't act like my dad... Idiot. We slept together after all.]

***

With the sun almost setting, Elizabeth had mobilized all the demon slayers in the village to deliver a speech to boost their morale. This was a war of attrition and morale of the troops was far more important to be maintained at an optimum level. Once again, without Shizuka at the scene, Elizabeth deployed the pillars, including Nik and Ray, towards the corner of the villages while she also made sure to appoint a small troop to patrol the village and take out any stray zombie that emerged from within the village.

The remaining dozens of demon slayers were made to stick to the perimeter of the village and not to leave their station until ordered to.

[Well, good luck. Remember to call for each other if you find yourself in any trouble.]

Nik bump-fisted his own fists as the clanking sound of his War Gauntlets rang out. He was satisfied and happy. After all, he had made a breakthrough in the Breath of Gravity and even if the breathing technique was less than practical, this particular breakthrough also refreshed his insights on Breathing techniques as a whole, making him focus on the breathing technique that could very well change the entire game when utilized alongside his recently gained talent— Balance.