章 15: Chapter 15 Battle Against Garou
"Have you heard? Senior Brother Garou is going to spar with Senior Brother Aomori again."
"Really? Let's go and watch."
Disciples who had heard the news gathered in a circle. Garou and Aomori faced each other, their gazes locked, determination in their eyes.
They didn't want to lose!
"Cough, you all should watch carefully. Don't just spectate. I'll have you analyze this battle later," Instructor Bang warned the onlookers. He then turned to Garou and Aomori, saying, "The focus of this battle is to identify your own weaknesses. Winning or losing is secondary. Also, stop when I say so."
The first sentence was mainly directed at Aomori, while the second was for Garou.
"Instructor Bang, I'll make good use of this opportunity," Aomori replied.
"Don't worry, old man. I'll teach him well," Garou said with a grin, showing his fangs.
Instructor Bang glanced around and nodded, saying, "Alright, let the battle begin!"
Garou and Aomori assumed the same stances, facing off for a few seconds before Garou initiated the attack.
Like a ferocious wolf, he leaped towards Aomori, turning his fists into wolf fangs, aiming straight for Aomori's neck. Aomori, too, threw a punch, adopting a crane-like stance and pecking at Garou's waist.
Garou frowned as his wolf fangs redirected toward Aomori's crane-like attack. Aomori adjusted his movement to counter the attack.
In a short moment, the two clashed multiple times without any significant gains.
Having sparred with Aomori multiple times before, Garou knew that this wouldn't be enough to defeat him. He snorted and added his other hand to the fight, launching a relentless barrage of punches from various angles.
"It's here! Flowing Rock Fist!" one of the disciples exclaimed.
In their previous sparring sessions, Aomori had always been defeated by Garou's Flowing Rock Fist.
But today was different.
"I can see it!" Aomori took a deep breath and used his own Flowing Rock Fist, expertly deflecting Garou's attacks with his technique.
The onlooking disciples were amazed.
"So fast! So strong!"
"Garou Senior Brother truly is the best. I can't block any of his attacks."
"But Senior Brother Aomori isn't bad either. He managed to block all the attacks."
"Hey, didn't Senior Brother Aomori join us less than three months ago, while Senior Brother Garou has been practicing for several years?"
"Senior Brother Aomori might be a rare martial arts genius. He'll probably surpass Senior Brother Garou soon."
"Idiot, don't say that. you might get killed..."
Instructor Bang, with his arms crossed, nodded in satisfaction. He hadn't expected Aomori to make such progress in just over two months. Aomori was turning out to be an extraordinary talent.
"Destiny must be favoring me to have two geniuses cross my path. I hope they can get along," Instructor Bang thought to himself.
Garou's hostility towards Aomori was evident, and Instructor Bang had hoped that this sparring match would help Garou understand Aomori better.
As for whether there would be any trouble, Instructor Bang was confident that he could handle it.
"Damn it!" Garou was frustrated. He hadn't anticipated Aomori's significant improvement. Every time their punches clashed, the force from Aomori's side was making his hands numb. It was a far cry from their previous sparring sessions when Aomori had been like a punching bag.
The comments from the onlookers only aggravated Garou's irritation. He launched a whip-like kick that sent Aomori flying, his arms trembling slightly.
"Interesting, very interesting. This is how it should be." Garou crouched down, his expression becoming even more sinister. "I'm going to get serious now, Aomori Junior Brother. Just don't die on me."
"In that case, I'll give it my all too." Feeling the danger, Aomori quickly adjusted his breathing rhythm and activated Thunder Breathing. Visible electric currents surrounded his body.
This was Aomori's first time using Thunder Breathing in the Flowing Rock Fist Dojo.
"What's that? Electricity? Psychic power?" Garou was wary and stopped his attack preparations.
Instructor Bang was equally surprised. "Could it be..."
Someone in the crowd exclaimed with excitement, "It's finally here! Senior Brother Aomori's signature lightning!"
"What? Lightning?" Most people had puzzled expressions.
"Don't you know? Senior Brother Aomori, just like Instructor Bang, always fights against evil monsters. He's a respected hero. He can not only control lightning but also possesses angelic healing powers. That's why people call him the 'Thunder Angel.'"
"Oh..."
"Evil monsters? Respected hero? Are you kidding me?" Garou thought to himself. He hadn't expected Aomori's progress to be this remarkable. Aomori was blocking all his attacks effortlessly.
However, the pressure on Aomori was increasing.
"Faster." Garou's movements became increasingly swift. Aomori felt that he couldn't keep up and thought, "This guy seems completely unaffected by the paralysis caused by the electric currents. He must have some kind of protagonist plot armor."
Releasing tension, blocking, and flowing attacks—Garou had mastered the Flowing Rock Fist to its fullest.
If Instructor Bang's mastery was a 10, Aomori's was around 3, and Garou's was now about 5, which was quite a gap.
"At this rate, I'll lose." Aomori clenched his teeth and separated from Garou, focusing all his strength on a single strike.
"Full Concentration! Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap Flash!"
Body as a blade, fist as a point!
"Damn it, don't underestimate me!" Realizing the power behind Aomori's strike, Garou roared, using all his strength to throw a punch diagonally at Aomori.
At the moment of collision, two hands inserted themselves between the two combatants. The hands appeared gentle, but they held an unstoppable force, effortlessly neutralizing their attacks.
"Instructor Bang."
"Old man!"
Instructor Bang released his grip, his hands returning to his sides. "That's enough. Let's call it a draw."
"Alright." Aomori readily agreed.
"Hmph!" Garou was dissatisfied, but he knew it was futile to continue. He accepted the result.
"Both of you, go to the rest area and apply some ointment," Instructor Bang said.
Though neither had inflicted serious damage on the other, there were some bDomases from their clashes.
"I actually know some healing techniques. Garou Senior Brother, would you like me to help you with your injuries?" Aomori offered generously.
"No need. These minor injuries are nothing," Garou replied indifferently before leaving to tend to his wounds in his room.
Once in his room and alone, Garou's expression changed. He clenched his teeth and started bandaging his hands and feet.
"Aomori, damn it! You can fool others, but not me. One day, I'll tear off your hypocritical mask," Garou muttered, his gaze dark. "A hero?"
On the other side, Aomori returned with Instructor Bang to the rest area.
Seeing Aomori's healing technique, Instructor Bang marveled at its effectiveness.
After the treatment, Instructor Bang's expression turned serious. "Aomori, during the battle with Garou, what you used wasn't psychic power, was it? It was a breathing technique, right?"
"Breathing technique?" Aomori replied, partially genuine and partially feigned. "I'm not sure. I stumbled upon this training method by chance. Instructor Bang, what's a breathing technique?"
"A breathing technique involves using a unique method of breathing to intake a large amount of oxygen in a short time, unleashing the body's full potential in martial arts. However, it can also cause harm to the body. Your breathing technique seems somewhat different from what I know, emphasizing something else and minimizing the physical enhancement, resulting in less harm," Instructor Bang explained.
Aomori guessed that the breathing technique in the Demon Slayer world was weaker due to the fragility of human bodies there. If Aomori were to adopt Instructor Bang's breathing technique, it would likely cause his body to collapse.
"Ah, well, I see." Aomori pretended not to understand. "Instructor Bang, what is your breathing technique?"
"Ahem, that." Bang was a little embarrassed, "As a martial artist, I am always curious about different martial arts. I wonder if you, Aomori, would like to show me your breathing technique? Of course, as a In return, I will pass on my lifelong martial arts experience to you."
Instructor Bang had a robust physique, and his control over his body was exceptional. He could easily stop bleeding and mend bones. The Demon Slayer breathing technique had minimal effect on him, serving mainly as inspiration.
So, Instructor Bang had already planned to accept Aomori as his true disciple and impart his lifelong martial arts knowledge to him. This offer was just an opportunity to put it into words.
"Of course, I'm willing," Aomori agreed readily. Instructor Bang was indeed an excellent teacher, and knowing Aomori's character and values, he had no reason to refuse.
"Hahaha, excellent, excellent!" Instructor Bang laughed heartily.
Afterward, the two discussed the breathing technique and Flowing Rock Fist in more detail.
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