Anime Crossover: My Cheat Code is Myself

Page 19

For a moment, Xia Yan felt that his own prestige had been overshadowed by him.

Thinking of this, Xia Yan also sat down on the threshold, gently placed Kasugai Kikuko on his lap, and began to gently preen her feathers.

Their movements were equally focused and absorbed.

Although he had never owned a pet in either of his two lifetimes, he had watched quite a few videos of people petting birds.

With his superior strength and control over his body, he mastered his strength perfectly and his technique was far from that of a novice. He quickly made Kikuko tremble all over and lie on his lap.

Every now and then, she would make a couple of soft, easily misunderstood humming sounds.

After explaining the Nichirin Blade forging process, Hotaru Haganezuka turned around and saw Natsuhiko intently and seriously petting a bird. His focused attitude reminded him of how he used to sharpen his own blade.

A hint of defiance appeared on his face, hidden behind the mask.

He didn't say anything, but silently took out the knife maintenance tools he always carried with him and carefully began to maintain the brand-new, newly forged greatsword.

Two hours later——

"Oh my, did Natsuhiko-kun's Nichirin Blade arrive? Just now, the members of 'Kakuna' also brought your team uniform."

Why don't you go inside...?

Kanae Kocho, who had just finished work for the day and picked up Natsuhiko's team uniform, was stunned when she reached the door.

Looking at the two men sitting on the threshold, one on each side, one wielding a knife and the other petting a bird, even though the knife was gleaming and the bird was comfortably rolling its eyes, neither of them spoke to the other, a question mark slowly appeared above my head.

……

"Honestly, Natsuhiko-kun, Kasugai-ravens aren't your toys! You need to take care of your Kasugai-ravens! And Mr. Haganezuka, you're already thirty-two and still acting like a child! If you keep going like this, you'll end up alone!"

In the meeting room, looking at the two men sitting face to face as if they were sulking, Kanae Kocho's lips twitched slightly.

"Huh? Kikuko said my technique was very good and that it felt very comfortable."

“That’s right, Crow really enjoys being petted by Lord Natsuhiko.”

Xia Yan raised an eyebrow, and Kikuko, perched on his shoulder, nodded, a blush spreading across her dark face, revealing a rather human-like expression of reminiscence.

"Tch, women will only slow me down when I'm sharpening my knife. I only need my sword."

Hotaru Hagane drew a section of Natsuhiko's Nichirin Blade, its blade gleaming with a chilling light. Just looking at the blade made one feel a sharp, cutting pain in their eyes.

It is clearly very well maintained.

No one took Kanae Butterfly's words to heart.

Their eyes met, and for a moment they felt a sense of mutual appreciation.

"Kid, you're pretty good. I, Steel Tomb, acknowledge you!"

Hotaru Hitsugaya held the large katana, which was no less than five feet long, in both hands and solemnly handed it to Natsuhiko, his attitude just like an old father entrusting his daughter to his son-in-law at a wedding.

"This is the first time I've ever forged such a strange knife, so please don't let my hard work go to waste!"

"You're really lucky!"

Xia Yan solemnly accepted the sword from Hotaru Haganezuka with both hands, his face bearing the same arrogant expression as Madara Uchiha.

"Swords are renowned for the strength of swordsmen, and swordsmiths are renowned for forging powerful swords!"

"Soon you will be the world's number one swordsmith!"

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Nichirin Blade Finally Obtained

"I will become the strongest swordsman, my sword will become the strongest sword, and then—"

"—You will become the world's greatest swordsmith!"

Xia Yan held a five-foot-long greatsword with its hilt and sheath in one hand, and pointed at Hotaru Haganezuka with the other, speaking in an extremely arrogant tone, which made Kanae Kocho, who was standing next to him, look on with a face full of black lines.

However, Hotaru Hideaki, who was also a man, seemed to be infected by him, and he stood up and put one foot on the table.

"Wow! Impressive spirit! Let's pull it out and take a look!"

"Hmph, then witness the legend—"

"—Draw your sword!!!"

Canglang——

The clear, ringing sound of swords being drawn echoed in the spacious reception room of the Butterfly House, the lingering notes refusing to dissipate for a long time.

Xia Yan drew his Ōdachi-style Nichirin katana from its sheath.

A sharp, cold glint flashed, so intense that it brought tears to one's eyes.

"It's a really good knife. It feels very comfortable to hold, and the weight and length are just what I want!"

After casually swinging it a couple of times to test its feel, Xia Yan held the knife sideways in front of his eyes and examined it closely.

This is an extremely cool-looking greatsword, 150 centimeters long, with a blade length of 110 centimeters and a blade width of 4 centimeters. It weighs nearly 6 kilograms, even exceeding many heavy weapons.

Because it is also bladed on the back, it does not have a back edge, and the tip is more like a double-edged sword than a traditional katana.

A blood groove was cut in the very center of the blade. After being heated with clay and carefully polished, the blade has a cool blade pattern that looks like a whirlwind.

The tsuba (guard) resembles a blooming lotus flower, making the entire sword appear both magnificent and cruel.

"The Nichirin Blade is also known as the Color-Changing Blade, as it changes color depending on its owner. I wonder what color this blade will turn in your hands? I can't wait to find out!"

After seeing Natsuhiko fully draw the sword from its sheath, Hotaru Haganezuka stared intently at the long sword he held high, her eyes unblinking.

They were afraid of missing any step.

The next second, a dark blue color, like a cloud, spread from the base of the blade like ink being dripped into water, gradually spreading upwards and quickly covering the entire blade.

Interspersed among them are wisps of blue, whirlwind-like patterns, and white lightning-shaped designs.

The knife itself gives off a terrifying feeling, as if a natural disaster has struck.

"Navy blue? This is the first time I've ever seen this color!"

"Ironclad Hotaru said with a hint of surprise."

The color of the Nichirin sword changes depending on the user's skill level. Based on the different colors, one can generally determine the breathing style that suits the sword's owner.

Just as a person whose constitution is suited to "Water Breathing" will mostly turn the blade blue, a person whose constitution is suited to "Fire Breathing" will mostly turn the Nichirin Blade in their hand red like flames.

Xia Yan's breathing technique was entirely created by him based on his own physique. Although it originated from "Thunder Breathing", it actually has little to do with "Thunder Breathing".

If I had to put it into words, it would be that it possesses the speed of Thunder Breathing, the ferocity of Wind Breathing, and the continuous power of Water Breathing.

It is a breathing technique that is truly like lightning and thunder, a raging storm.

Furthermore, Xia Yan referenced the Ripple Breathing technique when creating it, enabling him to generate and manipulate ripples while using Storm Breathing.

Although it is slightly inferior to the orthodox Ripple Breathing method in terms of the amount of ripples it produces, its effect on strengthening the body is unmatched by the Ripple Breathing method.

Moreover, for some unknown reason, the ripples produced by this breathing method have no therapeutic effect whatsoever, but their destructive power far exceeds that of normal ripples.

"Ah, what an excellent sword! It looks a little too fierce, though. But I really like the design of the tsuba (guard). So—"

"Xia Yanjun, would you like to try out this knife and see how it feels to wield?"

Looking at Xia Yan, who was gripping his long sword with great confidence, Kocho Kanae wore a gentle smile, but her eyes held a hint of restlessness.

Despite being the strongest swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps, she herself is not actually warlike.

She was somewhat curious about Xia Yan's strength, since she had only heard that he had strength exceeding that of a typical Pillar, but she couldn't quite grasp the concept of it.

Moreover, she hoped to learn something from Xia Yan, the genius who created his own breathing method in just one week.

Learning from each other is the simplest way to get to know each other.

Hearing Kanae's words, Natsuhiko looked at her with great interest.

In his memory, Kanae Kocho had always presented a gentle side, and he never expected to have the opportunity to see another side of her today.

"It's rare that you're so interested, Kanae. Well then, let's give it a try. I'd also like to see the strength of a 'Pillar' level Demon Slayer."

"That might disappoint you, I'm ranked last among the four pillars."

Despite saying that, Kanae Kocho's expression became even more serious than before.

After all, the experiment just now was just a playful one, but now it's about representing the Pillars' reputation, even though it won't be long before Xia Yan becomes a Pillar himself.

Chapter Forty: Petals Dance in the Raging Storm

Although the Butterfly Mansion is the medical facility of the Demon Slayer Corps, as the residence of the "Pillars," it naturally also has a place for practicing swordsmanship.

While it might not be enough for the two to fully unleash their full potential, it's certainly sufficient for a friendly exchange.

As witnesses to this clash between the Demon Slayer Corps' top fighters, Hotaru Haganezuka, Shinobu Kocho, and Kanao Tsuyuri all stared intently at the two, afraid that they might miss the crucial moment of the match if they were not careful.

"Xia Yanjun, don't we need to set up a framework?"

In the middle of the arena, looking at Xia Yan who was holding a knife in one hand and acting casually, Kocho Kanae kindly reminded him.

Xia Yan simply waved his hand dismissively.

"No need. So-called structures will only reveal your intentions. A true swordsman can wield his sword in any posture. Just attack with confidence."

"Is that so? Then I won't stand on ceremony. Please watch out, Xia Yan-kun!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Kanae Butterfly vanished from her spot and rushed towards Xia Yan at a speed that surpassed human limits.

Her dazzling haori fluttered in the air as she ran, making her look like a butterfly in flight.

Since it was just a friendly sparring match, Kanae Kocho did not start with a sword-style move.

After all, using the sword technique with breathing requires a lot of stamina, much like a powerful move in a game, which is usually used to decide the outcome of a battle.

As the representative of the strongest swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kanae Kocho, who is the Flower Pillar, can unleash the power of a deadly technique that surpasses the life-long skills of an ordinary person simply by using ordinary sword techniques, thanks to the powerful physique brought by her breathing techniques.

laugh--

The sound of a sharp blade slicing through the air rang out.

The blade traced an elegant and graceful curve in mid-air, like a flower petal, and the dazzling slash, swirling with a rain of pink petals, went straight for Xia Yan's neck.

It wasn't that Kanae Butterfly was prepared to kill Natsuhiko.

This is just a habitual way of attacking; after all, to kill a demon, you have to use a Nichirin Blade to cut off its head.