Chapter 217 - Hypnotic Training (1/2)

According to the law of nature that even the demon's existence couldn't obstruct, the sun broke the dawn with its brightness, announcing its recurring arrival as the entire squad stationed in the mansion looked at the scorched ground before looking for the culprit. But the said fiend was nowhere to be found for he had left before everyone's awakening, especially, Zenitsu's.

”Puhahahahaha! Did Brian do this! Farting Fire!”

Practically rolling on the ground, tears leaked through Zenitsu's eyes while cackling in a fit of maddened frenzy while the party boi of the group knelt near the scorched ground and kowtowed. Although his body's posture gave off a reverent aura, his expression remained masked beneath the Boar's fur. Only Tanjiro sniffed around and frowned until his crimson gaze filled with astonishment met with Nik's amused one.

”Breath of Fire... could get so wrong?”

Dressed in a yukata shirt, unlike yesterday, Rei's blue-coloured get-up gave her a fresh feeling. Although her brows remained just as straight and stern-looking as yesterday, the fact remained that her curves were more focused in such clothes, attracting Nik's attention more than one time. Of course, currently, Rei could only question the technique she was practicing.

What if she was cultivating and...

Rei shivered at the thought.

”I am not learning any breathing technique.”

Saya refused flatly.

If fire could leak out of one's anus, thinking of myriad breathing techniques— Mist, War, Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, Insect, Flower...— Saya's bangable body quivered and she took a step back. No, she did not want elements or insects sticking out of her ass.

Thank you, but no.

”Don't worry. It's not what it looks like.”

Tanjiro finally spoke and attracted everyone's attention.

”I smell burnt flesh.”

His words instantly silenced the cackling Zenitsu, whose expression matched the horrifying looks that Rei, Saya and Aoi gave while Inosuke's reverence only grew to greater heights.

”Did... his ass get a burn?”

Zenitsu asked the question lingering within the mind of everyone save for Nik and Tanjiro as the crimson-haired youth shook his head and replied with a somber expression while gazing at Nik with his eyes flashing a questioning glimmer.

”No, it is the smell of a burnt demon.”

As if an invisible hand just choked out every single hint of humour out of Zenitsu, his expression paled while Inosuke's body twitched and he instantly stood up, stomping at the scorched marking while Tanjiro, Rei, Saya and Aoi looked at Nik with a puzzled expression. Finally, Nik, himself, felt that maybe... just maybe, staying back to continue teasing Shinobu wasn't his best move.

Alas, think of the devil and she will appear in all its mystifying beauty.

”Demon?” An amused tone laced with barely concealed threat whispered into the surroundings, ”Ara? Wouldn't that mean that you were lying about Brian? And if you were lying about Brian, does that mean he wasn't unconscious?

And if he wasn't conscious... does that mean...”

Shinobu's whisper closed into Nik's back before she took a bold initiative and extended her toes to softly kiss Nik's left earlobe from behind before unsheathing her blade with her usual serene smile and continuing while Nik slowly and cautiously turned his body.

”... doesn't that mean... that I have to silence all the witnesses?”

Shinobu tilted her head sweetly while instantly, aside from Saya, everyone with a single hint of battle experience took a step back, with a glorious look of fear etched over their face, of course.

”Eh? What happened?”

Saya shook her head, moving her twin tails in a lovable manner with every turn of her head, making Rei sigh as she moved quickly and caught Saya by her wrist and pulled her back, leaving a rather large area to just Nik and Shinobu.

The Pillar of War and Insect.

”Ehm,” Nik coughed softly before looking at the scorched marks, trying his damn best to conceal the dastardly hint of a smile that struggled to break through his control and appear on his face before continuing, ”I am sure I can explain all of this...”

”What? This time you farted fire and accidentally burnt a demon into ashes...”

Nik was momentarily surprised at how close Shinobu was to the truth and finally gave her a warm and encouraging smile.

”Not farted, but yeah... I used Breath of Fire to destroy the demon that got in here.”

Playfulness seized from Shinobu's expression as she slowly disgested Nik's statement and the implications his words held. A wave of concern erupted within her as Nik continued, ”Last night, Cultivator of Hamon finally returned from her mission. Currently, she is within the headquarters.”

Unable to hide her emotions, she looked at the gathered group. She is supposed to teach them. Teach them all. Despite her unruly methods that would give an efficient response, Shinobu took her task seriously. Extremely so.

”But to accurately judge the situation, you have awarded yourself with a day-long spar with me.”

Nik smiled playfully and openly winked at Shinobu, whose expression leaked a frown just for a moment before nodding and quickly jumping away and vanishing into thin air.

”How did she do that?”

Saya yelped with her face filled with astonishment and a hint of greed. Greed for power, Nik reckoned.

”Alright, we can remain in awe to the technique that Shinobu just used, or we can train.

Practice hard enough to achieve that technique ourselves.”

Nik smiled and clapped his hands, attracting everyone with his fluency and the ease of fitting into the role of teaching. Although, Nik still hadn't started teaching, he at the very least, showed enough confidence in teaching the group when he himself may not be as proficient as a few people in the group.

Very seriously, Nik looked at each one of the guys gathered. Starting from Tanjiro, the only one in the group Nik was the most familiar with. It had been months since Nik had seen him and even if he hadn't observed Tanjiro yesterday to the detail, the physical growth of the youth was already eye-catching.