As they reached the training ground, Kanae was dumbfounded by all the cracks, fissures, and small craters scattered across the area.
"What happened here?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.
Ryou replied with a sheepish grin. "I might have gone a bit overboard with my training yesterday. I was testing out my new moves and didn't expect them to be so powerful!"
Kanae's mind raced. 'What is he saying? Can testing new moves cause such damage? Even if I used all my strength, I don't think I could cause this much damage.'
'Has his strength reached such a level?' Kanae's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "I want to see your strength. Can you show me?"
"Of course," Ryou nodded. "But first, let's address your concerns. Please demonstrate your Flower Breathing style."
"Okay," Kanae agreed.
Ryou opened his Sharingan, which caught Kanae by surprise. It was the first time she had seen his eyes change into three-tomoe sharingan.
'Such beautiful eyes...' Kanae thought but she didn't ask any questions,
She drew her Nichirin blade, its pink hue reflecting the sunlight. She took a deep breath as she activated her breathing technique.
With graceful movements, she began executing her Flower Breathing techniques. Her form was flawless, and her speed was impressive. Each slash of her blade was like a blooming flower, precise and beautiful.
"First Form: Withering Rose," she called out, making multiple slashes that curved upon hitting the air, creating a beautiful yet deadly pattern.
Ryou watched intently, his Sharingan copying and analyzing every detail.
"Second Form: Honorable Shadow Plum," Kanae continued, releasing several rotating sword slashes that seemed to deflect imaginary incoming attacks.
She moved on to the next form, "Third Form: Deadly Nightshade," she dashed forward with incredible speed and thrust her sword, creating mirage images that confused the eye.
"Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo," Kanae continued, unleashing a single sword slash that curved and twisted gracefully.
Kanae demonstrated the other forms with the same level of skill and grace, each one more impressive than the last.
"Tenth Form: Dance of the Lotus," she called out, beginning an endless sword dance. Her body moved with enhanced flexibility, and each slash of her sword became faster and stronger, creating a mesmerizing display. It was as if a flower goddess was dancing before him.
"Final Form: Equinoctial Vermilion Eye," Her eyes sharpened as if she could see every detail in slow motion. After a moment, she paused.
"This final form raises my kinetic vision to its extreme, allowing me to perceive the world in slow motion. However, it's highly dangerous, putting tremendous strain on my eyes. I can use it occasionally without causing too much strain, but it's risky."
"What you showed is more than enough. Give me a moment," Ryou said.
Closing his eyes, he let the memory of Kanae's movements replay in his mind. His Sharingan had captured every detail, allowing him to analyze, understand, and enhance the techniques to the next level.
With the Sharingan's ability, Ryou was able to find the flaws in the Flower Breathing forms. Given his mastery over his own Nature Breathing style, it was not a problem for him to correct some of the shortcomings in Flower Breathing.
After a few moments, he opened his eyes and stated, "The Flower Breathing style primarily focuses on agility, but you can make use of your flexibility and softness to increase your offensive power!"
Kanae listened attentively but found herself struggling to grasp what he was saying and how to integrate it into her breathing form.
Ryou noticed her difficulty and shook his head gently. "Let me show you," he said, stepping forward.
He began to breathe in a rhythm similar to the Flower Breathing style, and then, with precise and elegant movements, he executed the forms. Each slash, each movement, was more refined and powerful than what Kanae had demonstrated.
Kanae's eyes widened in surprise. "His forms are... even better than mine," she whispered, unable to hide her astonishment.
In no time, he completed all the forms she showed.
Kanae was speechless. 'Am I the Flower Hashira, or is he?' she thought. He had not only mastered the Flower Breathing style but had elevated it to a new level, making the movements more skillful and increasing the attack power significantly.
"You are truly a wonderful person. Is this the ability of your eyes?" Kanae asked, looking at his crimson Sharingan.
"You can say that... But forget about my eyes for now. Go through the forms I showed you. Let me correct any mistakes," Ryou replied, calmly diverting the topic.
He didn't know how to explain his Sharingan, as he had already given some explanation for Tekkai. Some things were better left unexplained than covered with lies.
"Good!" Kanae agreed, she didn't ask further. She then began to practice under Ryou's guidance.
Each time she performed a form, Ryou would provide advice and make adjustments, helping her improve her technique. As she practiced, she could feel her breathing style becoming faster and stronger.
After two hours of practice, Kanae was exhausted and drenched in sweat, but she could feel the improvements in her skills and was grateful for Ryou's guidance. "Thank you, Ryou," she said, panting slightly.
But, she noticed Ryou's gaze wasn't on her face. When she followed his line of sight, looking down. She froze.
The sash that held her kimono together had come undone at some point during the intense training, revealing a glimpse of her cleavage. Though not entirely exposed, it's definitely a feast for Ryou.
A blush spread across Kanae's cheeks as she quickly moved to fix her kimono. "Ryou-san, please look away. I think you have seen enough."
Ryou turned his head away with difficulty and reluctance, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to stare," though he said that his eyes wandered around, betraying his words.
His actions and reluctant look made Kanae laugh, and she began to enjoy his attention. In fact, she didn't even feel embarrassed in his presence. If it had been someone else, her sword would poked their eyes by now.
After making sure she was properly covered, Ryou turned around with a gentlemanly posture and said, "I didn't see anything clearly..."
Kanae laughed by covering her mouth, "You're a terrible liar, Ryou-san."
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