Chapter 217 - Hypnotic Training (2/2)

Next, his gaze fell on Inosuke, his torso bare with his tipped body already garnished by a few scars and soon, Nik's calm gaze observed everyone in the group. And finally, Nik thanked his lucky stars for his vanity remained intact as he was the tallest one of the group present in the backyard.

It was a stupid, childish conclusion. Nik admitted and relished in the fact.

With a pleased smile lingering on his face, Nik finally spoke up.

”Alright, Zenitsu and Inosuke, you two can do whatever you want or spar against me till you get tired.” His words instantly pulled all the blood from Zenitsu's face while steam rushed out of the nose of the boar's mask.

”Rei and Aoi will start jogging around the mansion with their breathing technique activated and finally, Saya will train with me in rotation with Tanjiro.”

”But... I don't know any breathing technique...”

Aoi instantly spoke up while Nik smiled lightly.

”I am the teacher, aren't I? We will start with the breath of water for you.”

***

Aoi could barely maintain her breath and this wasn't even a large percentage of the breathing technique Nik taught her and even as she jogged alongside an equally huffing and tired Rei, Aoi simply couldn't understand how could she so easily get accustomed to the breath of water without having learnt it even once.

Meanwhile, as she passed by the familiar backyard with scorched marks, she observed Nik patiently tutoring Saya with her sword stance. Even to her eyes, Nik's technique wasn't special. There was simply nothing redeemable to his techniques. Each of his strikes was measured, yes, but to Aoi, and even Rei, who observed Nik and Saya, his style looked a little incomplete.

If Nik wasn't an actual Pillar, in her assumptiouos nature, Aoi would have title Nik as a con artist. Which wasn't far from the truth.

Nik particularly excelled in the breathing techniques. But his sword felt a bit lacking. Experience.

But never did this fact bug Nik at all. Experience takes time to accumulate and what better way to gain even more experience while teaching someone else and observing the similar patters as an outsider's point of view.

Even though Zenitsu and Inosuke pulled Tanjiro out when they learnt that the Crimson-haired youth was already halfway through to accomplish the Continuous Focus Breathing Technique, Nik kept focusing on Saya, slowly lacing his words with his skill to evoke the desire for power that the bespectacled pinkette had been hiding.

The greed for power was merely a flicker in Nik's eyes that seemed to be hiding a torrent of emotions, particularly, grief.

”Slow down. The shift of the blade could have injured your own wrist from the recoil.”

Nik whispered and observed Saya's disgruntled expression as the pinkette gazed at the passing Rei and Aoi.

With a shift of his waist, Nik tapped his wooden sword against her waist and continued whispering.

”Do you want to learn a breathing technique?”

Nik whispered a question as his voice seemed to be one with nature himself. This was a little trick he picked after his battle last night. Well, it wasn't as much of a battle as a slaughter, but it the idea that counts.

Yesterday, his opponent was clearly below him when it came to mind manipulation. But strictly manipulating the mind can be exposed and countered one way or the other. Through mind control, memories can be altered, forgotten and even create emotions for the target. But it is a method described as forced control.

Hypnosis, on the other hand, presents simple and effective suggestions to one's conscious and subconscious. Through a makeshift hypnosis of using his Pheromones as the trigger, Nik easily passed on the first half of the breathing technique to Aoi and now, he did the same with Saya.

Each of her moves was subconsciously guided by Nik. Even her errors. After all, if Nik simply guided all the correct moves, it wouldn't have helped Saya's control. But, if he kept on rotating his guidance to her subconscious and conscious whenever he pointed out a few, nondescript errors, her body could also get accustomed to the technique rather easily.

Of course, this was merely a kickstart.

And a probe. Her greed from power stemmed from the sad ending Saya thought her family faced, suppressing all her emotions besides greed itself. Greed for power and vengeance.

And Nik was perfectly insensitive to trigger those emotions to bring an even greater drive from within Saya.

”I wish to learn it...” Saya nodded as her pupils remained a bit dazed. A look of longing gradually submerged once again as she snapped out of her stupor and looked back at Nik.

”Ah, I am sorry. I can't just focus—”

”Strike left.”

Nik cut her in between and instantly, his sword slithered to the left of her body. And well, Saya will be damned if she had thought she could stop it. But that was what truly happened.

Nik struck and Saya's arms moved unconsciously, blocking the move with a resounding sound of success as the noise of the block filled the empty hall.

”You are progressing well. For a beginner, of course. But we will start for real after you grow a bit stronger.

You should join Aoi and please, send Rei into the hall.”

Nik smiled and casually sat on the floor, waiting for the dazed and excited Saya to leave the hall and join Aoi.

'Instead of fussing over gravity, maybe, I should truly start investing my time in Mind Control...'

Nik mused internally. His training had been a progressive one but that was it. It wasn't at the level where he could use both, Mind Control and Gravity, as his trump cards. A decision was needed to be made. While Breathing Techniques were a good source of strength, these weren't what Nik sought. Had he not gained the ambition to complete his Breath of Gravity, he would have never committed himself to learn all the techniques he could.

Right now, Nik continuously scourged for answers and methods to integrate his training of Mind Control with his gravity manipulation and while there was a way, Nik reckoned that he did not have the required proficiency in the two techniques to truly achieve that ambition.

***

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