Chapter 17: Ice Breathing

Through Seigen Ryoubei's systematic training, Hatsune has gained a deeper understanding of the breathing technique and used his spare time to organize his sword skills into seven forms.

Ice Breathing · First Form · Cold Tide

As the name suggests, Cold Tide involves releasing a large amount of cold air from the body to expand the perception of the enemy's attack positions.

In addition, the resulting mist and ice crystals can interfere with the enemy's vision, and the low-temperature environment can reduce the enemy's body temperature and blood flow, affecting their attack speed and strength.

Ice Breathing · Second Form · Snow Drift

Condense the cold air onto the blade, and with regular sword techniques, it can freeze the wounds inflicted on the enemy.

This move is particularly effective against demons, as it not only prevents the wounds from healing quickly but also allows the cold air to penetrate the body through the wounds, causing localized frostbite. Especially if the wounds are on joints, it can reduce mobility and restrict movement.

Ice Breathing · Third Form · Shattered Shower

By condensing ice spikes in the air and combining them with regular sword techniques, the ice spikes shoot towards the enemy when the sword is swung, making it a long-range attack technique.

Similar to the Second Form, "Snow Drift," once the ice spikes hit the enemy, they instantly freeze together with the wounds.

Ice Breathing · Fourth Form · Snowfall

Rapidly falling from a high altitude, condense the cold air onto the blade and utilize the inertia of the fall to create a crushing force. If the enemy takes the hit, the blade releases a large amount of cold air to freeze their body.

If the enemy dodges, ice spikes will form on the ground at the moment of landing, extending the attack and forcing the enemy to retreat.

Ice Breathing · Fifth Form · Swift Ice Pierce

This move was learned by Hatsune during his fight with Aoi and is the fastest and sharpest among all the forms.

By twisting his waist to drive his entire body, Hatsune concentrates all his strength and cold air on the blade's tip for a rapid thrust, effective in emergency situations.

Previously, when encountering a demon in the mountains, Hatsune used this move to pierce a wooden stick into the demon's throat, causing it to scream in agony and buying time for his escape.

Ice Breathing · Sixth Form · Phantom

This breathing technique can fill the gaps in muscles with air, making the body light.

This form condenses a layer of cold air under the feet to reduce friction with the ground, allowing for increased movement speed, appearing like a phantom.

Though not highly offensive on its own, it can be combined with other techniques. For example, the derivative technique "Phantom · Snow Drift" from the previous battle with the demon is a fusion of "Sixth Form · Phantom" and "Second Form · Snow Drift."

This technique helped Hatsune simultaneously insert seven or eight wooden ice spikes into the demon's joints.

Ice Breathing · Seventh Form · Frost Dragon Dance

By rapidly twisting his body and swinging the Nichirin blade multiple times, each rotation increases the power of the move. The trajectory of the blade turns into an ice dragon, making it Hatsune's strongest move so far.

Ice Breathing is derived from Water Breathing, so many sword techniques can find similarities in Water Breathing.

For instance, "Fourth Form · Snowfall" is similar to Water Breathing's "Eighth Form · Waterfall Basin," and "Seventh Form · Ice Dragon" is similar to "Tenth Form · Constant Flux."

Hatsune actually has an eighth form, "Ice Breathing · Eighth Form · Thousand Mile Ice Seal · True Storm."

This move releases a large amount of cold air in an instant, freezing everything around, followed by using "Sixth Form · Phantom" to rapidly close the distance and decapitate the enemy.

It is highly effective against both single and multiple enemies. However, with Hatsune's current strength, he cannot release such a large amount of cold air instantly, so he keeps this move as a concept in his mind, waiting for a deeper understanding of the breathing technique to bring it to fruition.

There are two days left until the Fujikasane Mountain selection. Near dusk today, Shinobu Kocho, dressed in a butterfly-patterned haori, passed through the forest and along a secluded path on the back mountain.

The snow-white waterfall, falling from a height of over ten meters, resembled a white dragon crashing into the pool, making a "rumbling" sound.

Shinobu Kocho saw a neatly folded coarse cloth robe on a stone slab by the shore and guessed that this was where Hatsune usually went into and came out of the water.

According to the information provided by Seigen Ryoubei, Hatsune should be about to come out of the water to eat.

Shinobu Kocho carefully stepped on the round stones by the shore, came to the stone slab, crouched down, and smiled at the water surface.

She wanted to see Hatsune's reaction when he suddenly saw her as he emerged from the water.

After a while, a dark figure swam towards her from underwater.

Shinobu Kocho thought, "Finally."

Hatsune, as usual, emerged from the water, but as soon as he raised his head, he saw a blurry figure crouching on the shore.

The water blocked his perception, and he never expected anyone to come here at this time, so he was startled and instinctively retreated to the center of the pool. At the same time, the cold air spread out, and in the blink of an eye, a layer of ice formed on the water surface, extending towards Shinobu Kocho's feet.

"Ah, after two months, you're still so rude, not making any progress at all. Truly not cute."

Seeing it was Shinobu Kocho, Hatsune's vigilant heart gradually relaxed, and the ice on the water's surface receded like a tide back into his body.

Shinobu Kocho's sudden appearance both annoyed and pleased Hatsune, and besides that, he felt a bit shy since he was currently bare-chested.

Hatsune dove back underwater and returned to the shore, hoping Shinobu Kocho might avoid looking at him since he was undressed.

But to his surprise, Shinobu Kocho squatted by the shore, smiling and staring at him without any intention of averting her gaze.

Helplessly, Hatsune had to muster the courage to come out from the water, trying to maintain a cool demeanor despite his happiness, and said indifferently, "Why are you here?"

Shinobu Kocho, with her hands behind her back, bent down to get closer to Hatsune's face, boldly gazing at his handsome, water-dappled visage.

"Do you have to be so cold? Weren't we getting along well before? Or are you mad at me for not personally seeing you up the mountain that day, almost causing your death?"

Compared to the sickly and desperate Hatsune in the Butterfly Mansion before, his face was now rosy, his eyes determined, and he exuded a vigorous life force.

Combined with his handsome face and snow-white hair, he looked like he had stepped out of a painting.