9. Plan Commencement

[Ding! You have completed Side-Mission: Pass the Final Selection!]

[Ding! You have received Special Skill: Perception!]

[Perception (Active Skill): Sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing will be enhanced three-fold when activated]

Shiro asked the system for his current stats.

[Name: Shiro] [Age: 16] [Level: 15]

[Strength: 70] [Stamina: 75] [Flexibility: 70] [Intellect: 50] [Speed: 70]

[Skills: Hand-to-Hand Combat, Intermediate Martial Arts, Advanced Swordsmanship] [Breathing Style: Breath of the Undying Flame > Four Forms> First Form: Way of the Flame, Second Form: Ashened Road to Harmony, Third Form: Scorching Hell, Fourth Form: Warm Hearth's Embrace || Breath of the Sun > First Form: Enbu]

[Note: All stats increase by 5 during the use of Breathing Techinque]

"My level has increased quite a bit compared to when I first began my training," Shiro mumbled with a smile. He was very pleased with himself and his efforts. "With the way I'm going, I really just might be able to take on that Michael Jackson rip-off soon."

'Then again, I shouldn't speak too soon. If I've learned anything from the countless novels I've read and anime I've watched, anything can happen when you least expect it.'

Shiro was currently on his way to a mountain in the north that was said to be the home of hundreds of low-level demons. They have terrorized the villages in nearby locations forcing the dwellers there to relocate. Over time, more than a hundred people have been attacked by the demons and those who dared take a step outside their homes at night would immediately become demon food.

It was far from an easy job and it actually required two Hashiras to take it on but Shiro, as a person with a golden finger, made a formal request to be sent alone.

For him, those demons were walking rewards that could help him get stronger.

He managed to reach the mountain by the afternoon he headed straight for the peak where he waited for night to fall. As he waited, he surveyed the area and memorized the different pathways just in case things went south and he needed to escape.

The warm sunlight soon disappeared and the dark night sky covered the land. The moon was high in the sky along with many stars. It was a peaceful sight.

Had it not been for the fact he was here to slaughter demons, Shiro would've loved to spend this time star-gazing.

"Hoho, what's this? A brave, or should I say stupid soul has come up the mountain," a crackling voice said.

Shiro had long sensed the demon's presence and was merely waiting for it to show itself. He also knew that there was hundreds more close by, and scattered around the mountain.

"I don't think I'm the stupid one. Just because there's only one of me doesn't mean I'm not a threat," Shiro retorted unsheathing his blade.

His personal nichirin blade that he received turned a bright crimson color in his hands. Anyone that was familiar with that color would assume that he is the inheritor of the sun breathing technique.

While he did know a form of the sun breathing thanks to the system, he was not the inheritor nor descendent of the technique's first user.

"Thank you for offering yourself to me," the demon grinned wickedly. It stuck out its long tongue to lick its lips. The demon's back began shifting and a set of arms came out.

"DIE!!" it shouted.

Shiro didn't bat an eye and calmly sliced off one of its arms that reached out to him before beheading it. All that took less than a second.

From there on out, it was an all-out battle between him and the surrounding demons.

- - - -

"Huff~Huff~"

Shiro knelt on the ground huffing and puffing. His hands rested on the hilt of his sword that was stabbed into the ground in front of him.

His body was covered in dirt, blood, and a couple of wounds. Sweat ran down his face and back making his uniform cling to him.

Compared to the demons on Mt. Fujikasane, the ones on this mountain were stronger and plentiful in number. He admitted that he'd overestimated himself here and almost lost an arm or two a few times but thankfully, he pulled through.

There were no bodies around him as they had all disintegrated after he beheaded them.

After catching his breath, Shiro felt his heart calm down and his breathing stabilized. Continuous use of total concentration breathing and his breathing techniques definitely did a number on his lungs.

Currently, he was in an incredibly weakened state due to having close to no more energy to spare, and his lungs being damaged.

It would take him a while to recover from this but it was worth it.

His level had gone from 15 to 25. All his stats had greatly increased as well and at this point, he was confident that in his peak state, he'd be able to take on at least two lower moons.

The sun was beginning to rise signaling the start of a new day.

Shiro stood up from the ground and felt his ribs ache.

"Shit...Fucking hurts," he muttered.

Looking down at himself, Shiro suddenly had a thought.

"Hmm...don't systems in novels usually have stuff like healing potions? Does this system have that as well? It has a system store, so maybe..." Shiro summoned the system in his mind.

A translucent screen appeared in front of him.

[Ding! How can this SYSTEM help you?]

"Do you sell healing potions?" Shiro got to the point.

[Ding! Opening System Store...]

[Generating items...]

[Ding! Healing Potion available!]

[Healing Potion: 100 System Coins]

"A h-hundred system coins?" Shiro stammered. "I only have five hundred on me..."

[Would you like to purchase one healing potion? Yes / No]

"Dammit! This is a scam I say!" Shiro cried as his finger tapped the 'Yes' button.

[Ding! You have purchased a healing potion for 100 System Coins!]

In his hand appeared a bottle that held a blue-colored liquid. Shiro's eye began twitching as he thought bitterly, 'This better be good for the price I paid.'

Popping off the cap, Shiro raised the bottle to his lips and drank it all in one gulp.

"Gah!"

His body began burning with intense pain. Every inch of his body felt like it was soaking in boiling water and he suddenly knelt on the ground unable to stand it.

A few seconds passed and the pain disappeared.

Shiro heaved a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat that appeared on his head. That's when he realized he no longer felt any of his wounds.

Looking down at himself, the cuts and bruises he had received from his battle were all patched up and his lungs and ribs felt as good as new.

Had it not been for his tattered clothing, no one would believe he'd just been in a life-or-death battle with flesh-eating demons.

Shiro snorted and stared at the bottle in his hands.

"Tsk, no wonder it costs so much."

As dawn arrived, Shiro glanced up at the sky and breathed a satisfied sigh.

'Now, onto the next step.'