CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: BLOW IT UP

His sister-in-law’s motives were malicious, but her proposed method actually made sense.

After dinner, he wrote his first letter to Tomioka.

The letter was polite and carefully worded, as he was asking for a significant favor. Moreover, the Pillars were all extremely busy.

If their schedules clashed, Sosuke would naturally prioritize their availability.

After entrusting the letter to Goto for delivery, Sosuke continued practicing his flute.

That evening, after sending out the letter, Goto arrived at Sosuke’s place as agreed...

And Sosuke barely slept a wink all night.

This task was far more complex than he had imagined. Knowing the theory was one thing; putting it into practice was another entirely.

Just as anyone can swing a sword or chop with a knife, only those who delve deeply into the craft can truly appreciate its nuances. Nothing is as simple as it seems.

The next morning, Sosuke’s bleary-eyed appearance at breakfast immediately caught Kanae’s attention.

After a few quick questions, she learned what had happened. Shaking her head, she said, "Goto can’t handle this. Let me take over."

"Huh?" Sosuke blinked in surprise, then quickly shook his head. "No, no, I can’t let you sacrifice your rest."

Kanae simply stared at him without a word.

After a moment, Sosuke relented, sighing in resignation. "Alright, I understand."

Kanae nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I’ll come find you tonight."

"I’m going too!"

Shinobu raised her hand high.

Though she had tacitly accepted the current state of affairs between the two, the thought of a man and a woman alone together in a room—especially at night—was something she couldn’t let go unaddressed.

Sosuke and Kanae both turned to look at Shinobu, but this time, she was as stubborn as a turtle who had swallowed a weight—her mind was made up.

No matter what, she couldn’t let this happen.

Even if something had to happen, it should at least wait until Sosuke became the Iron Pillar!

Now was far too early!

’Absolutely not!’

Shinobu was like a mother hen fiercely guarding her chicks, terrified that a weasel might snatch them away without warning.

Seeing her unwavering resolve, Sosuke had no choice but to agree.

The day’s training passed uneventfully. That evening, Sosuke led the two sisters back to his room.

To be honest, he felt like a beast doing this.

He knew Shinobu’s purpose was to keep an eye on him and prevent him from doing anything to Kanae, while Kanae was there to help him with his training.

Yet, as a former otaku who had spent countless hours immersed in digital worlds, he still found it hard to control his breathing.

Kanae was the first to voice her concern. "What kind of breathing technique is this? It’s so erratic!"

"Your heart is beating so fast and irregularly," Shinobu added, her tone sharp with suspicion. "Are you sure you’re not going to have a problem?" She likely suspected Sosuke was losing control.

Sosuke quickly calmed his turbulent thoughts, feeling even more ashamed.

It was understandable for a human to occasionally lose control of their wild imaginings. But to dwell on them persistently was a matter of character.

Sosuke believed his character should be as unyielding as iron, and he absolutely couldn’t allow himself to falter in this regard.

He nodded solemnly. "Thank you for your concern."

That night, Sosuke struggled to fall asleep.

Yet once he finally drifted off, he was rarely awakened.

This wasn’t due to the Kochō sisters’ reluctance to disturb him frequently. Even if Kanae might have shown such leniency, Shinobu certainly wouldn’t have.

The reason for this was primarily because their abilities differed slightly from Goto’s.

They could more clearly discern whether Sosuke was practicing his breathing technique or simply snoring in his sleep.

This allowed them to wake him at more precise moments.

After a night of practice, Sosuke made a breakthrough the next morning.

He finally managed to blow up the twenty-centimeter gourd.

Shinobu and Kanae watched this scene with curiosity. After inquiring, Sosuke explained his reasoning.

Kanae couldn’t help but laugh. "I can’t believe you thought of such a method, but it actually makes sense!"

"This gourd seems a bit weak, though," Shinobu remarked, picking up a fragment. "These types of gourds should be easy to blow up, right?"

Sosuke immediately protested, having spent days trying to blow it up.

The three of them then went to the kitchen, where Aoi, looking bewildered, retrieved another gourd of the same size from the cellar. Shinobu puffed out her cheeks, and with a crack, the gourd exploded.

Sosuke suddenly felt the world grow significantly darker.

This was the stark reality of the gap between them, leaving no room for further discussion.

"Alright, I’ll make you some special gourds and treat them with medicinal solutions," Shinobu said, offering a sweet reward after her initial blow. "First, this will enhance the gourds’ durability. Second, the medicinal combination will further strengthen your lungs."

Sosuke immediately perked up, his spirits fully restored. "Deal! No backing out!"

"Who would back out?" Shinobu retorted, her anger flaring.

Sosuke scoffed. "Kids always break their promises."

And then... the chase began.

After two hours of chasing Sosuke, Shinobu’s stamina gave out, while Sosuke remained as energetic as ever, continuing his physical training.

"In a way, this guy is actually quite impressive," Shinobu remarked to Kanae, watching Sosuke’s relentless energy.

Kanae smiled gently. "Is this your way of acknowledging him?"

"I’ve acknowledged part of it," Shinobu said, glancing at her sister. "But my recognition comes from witnessing his dedication, effort, and talent firsthand. What about you, Sister? Before all this, you’d only seen one of his forged blades—that one called ’Sun of Genesis.’ Why did you seem to have such unwavering faith in him from the very beginning?"

Kanae considered the question carefully before shaking her head. "I don’t know."

Not every phenomenon in this world can be neatly explained.

Some things happen suddenly, catching us completely off guard.

And these events themselves are often unpredictable, impossible to prepare for in advance.

When you’re fully armed and ready, they might never come. But the moment you let your guard down, believing nothing will happen, they drift in unannounced.

That’s just how irrational some things in this world are.

Shinobu pondered Kanae’s words for a long time, but ultimately found it difficult to accept such a completely illogical explanation.

Looking at her sister now, at the way she gazed at Sosuke, Shinobu suddenly noticed something she had never paid attention to before.

The light in her sister’s eyes was different from how it had been in the beginning...

She remembered how, after facing Upper Moon Two, her sister’s eyes had been filled with melancholy. But now, only light remained—a light brimming with confidence and anticipation.