Shadowed Prelude: A Fateful Encounter [Phantom Troupe x Reader]

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 5

☆                                                                                                                                            ☆

The six others who had heard the blond's words were listening keenly to his uncovering of the puzzle that is their soulmate.

Hunter? New Nen user. A young lady from the L/N family, but it's a family they've never heard of. At all. Just who exactly was Y/N L/N? Was she their soulmate? Or was she a potential threat to them?

—

A shiver ran through the back of Y/N, as she glanced over to Bisky, who was instructing her to read through all the training manuals on Breathing Styles. Y/N picked up the third manual, which was a guide on Total Constant Breathing. As its name suggests, it is a certain technique that is applied constantly. It is a state that should begin in the morning and continue through overnight. Once the user is accustomed, Total Concentration Breathing will come to them naturally and they can keep a maintained state of breathing. This breath control is constantly maintained in the higher ranks of the organisation, such as the Pillars.

The theory states that: Total Concentration Breathing plays a crucial role in enhancing the ability of swordsmen who fight against the supernatural. They allow swordsmen to push their physical capabilities beyond the normal limits, whilst increasing their speed, strength, and agility based on their Breathing Style.

Specific benefits of maintaining this breathing technique included five main factors aside from general increase in physical prowess.

Firstly, the user would experience increased sensory perception. The manual describes this as an 'improved perception of surroundings, enhanced reaction times, and the ability to detect demons or any threats more effectively'. The increased sensory perception basically assists the user in detecting bloodlust or any attacks with malice, which greatly increases the user's survival chance against pacing individuals with supernatural powers.

Secondly, users who have maintained Total Concentration Breathing allows for more precise and powerful breath forms executed. Not only does this include faster and accurate striked, the ability to challenge their Breathing Style increases the potency and fatality of the attack.

Once the two factors have been achieved, the natural steady increase of endurance and stamina builds up in users who perfect the state of total concentration breathing. Increased stamina and endurance allows for the user to endure gruelling fights against formidable opponents.

Paired with the increase of stamina and endurance is the ability to perform the healing and recovering breathing technique. This form can aid in healing wounds and recovering from injuries more quickly, allowing for a faster bounce-back into the fight. By regulating their breathing and maintaining total concentration breathing, users allow for faster recovery and can reduce the impact of physical strain during and after the battles.

What is more uncommon is the spiritual strength obtained. It strengthens a user's resolve, determination, and mental fortitude, enabling them to confront and overcome the psychological challenges posed by demons and their own fears.

Total Concentration Breathing also-

Shutting the manual sharply, a large crowd of ravens flew above the girl's head. The birds were startled by the snapping shut of the heavy book. She was sick of reading the manual, about to fall asleep from the lengthy explanations, and the solution to her problems was to give up on the theory, start with the practical.

Y/N, who was getting goosebumps for no reason when reading the guide, decided that she would start training with her old katana, back when she was surrounded by the comforting presences of her family and friends. After Y/N secured her Hunter Licence and began working as a Hunter, she updated the information on her family, claiming they were all dead, to avoid dragging them into the life fate has written for her, in hopes of keeping them away from the web she was slowly, and unknowingly being pulled into.

The katana case itself did not look that interesting, but once Y/N pulled it out from its white scabbard, did it grab the attention of the rare Stone Hunter, Bisky's attention. The colour of the katana's blade, which was initially a dull grey hue, slowly changed colour. A light amethyst shade quickly overtook the blade replacing its silver tint with an amethyst glow.

"Waaaaaa, Evelyn, that is one amazing sword you have there! Where did you get it from? Can I have one? Wait no Y/N, I can call you that can't I? I'm your master after all, come with me!! Forget training, come with me to find a gemstone that is the same shade as your blade Y/N, quickly!!!" Bisky shouted with glee, ogling the beautiful amethyst katana in your hands and thinking how much money she could sell the amethyst gemstone off for.

Y/N, who just unsheathed her katana deadpanned at her teacher.

"Really Bisky? I thought I made it clear I'm in desperate need to become a stronger person in the shortest amount of time possible so I can stay hidden from the eyes of the Spiders? Why are you getting sidetracked again-?" Y/N exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Oh come on Y/N, just one trip to the York New auction won't kill you! I mean, you are such a strong woman now! You've understood the basics of the 'Breathing Styles' thing, you can handle it!" Bisky countered.

But before she could respond, the temperature around her dropped by several degrees. Both Bisky and Y/N stilled. This feeling, this sudden chill, it was exactly what the manual had stated; it was bloodlust. Specifical, the bloodlust released when a demon was going to hunt a human. Flitting her eyes around nervously, Y/N clenched the katana in her hands, praying to whichever deity out there to give her some luck. She really deserves it, after the shitshow that was already thrown at her.

From the trees behind the girls, a humanoid-figure stumbled out. From your memories and studies, you concluded this entity in front of you was a severely starved man-faced ape. Similar to demons from centuries ago, these beings also devoured humans, but they didn't possess any supernatural hunting prowess, making it an easy target to defeat. Its face was sunken in, and its eyes were bloodshot, craving food.

"Humans.... eat.... hungry... kill...." the ape muttered, before its eyes rolled to the back of its head and it launched at your master and yourself.

—

↬ Author's Note:

So, this chapter is going to delve deep into the lore of Kimetsu No Yaiba, specifically the training of utilising a Breathing Style. (A huge chunk of words I know, sorry!!) It will be sort of like a mini training arc for the main character. This will make more sense as the story progresses and will build up to the development of the main character's Nen ability which will definitely be inspired by Breathing Styles and the flexibility of Nen itself. (Will be published within the next few chapters!) That's all from me, I thank you for your patience. :>

Thank you for reading this chapter and see you in the next chapter fellow reader!

- Signing off yakshaa_ [2024]