The day mirrored his mindset: bright and clear, the sky unblemished by clouds or any hint of an approaching storm. An infinite chasm of space lay between him and the sun, a gulf impossible to traverse by ordinary means. Toga's thoughts were similarly unclouded, his usual aversion to muddled thinking replaced by an extraordinary calm. Today, distractions and worldly pleasures held no allure for him, a stark departure from his usual disposition.

Ordinarily, the world was a lake in which he longed to swim, where he could wade to its farthest edges and revel in the feel of water beneath his limbs. But today, he moved with a disciplined focus that was unfamiliar, rarely embraced by the dragon slayer. His life was like a tapestry once immaculate, now marred by the cuts, tears, and stains of his journey. Yet it remained beautiful, each flaw adding to its unique artistry, making it his alone. No one else could fully grasp the path that had brought him to this point. And today, he was ready to add another thread to the weave, another chapter to his story, marked by the acquisition of new skills and weapons.

Nestled deep within the heart of Aina Forest on Luluhawa Island, Toga sat with his left eye concealed, hiding his latest augmentation. Beside him, lying on a bed of verdant grass, was the mighty cleaver blade Zangetsu, resting peacefully in its dark splendor. Legs crossed, the dragon slayer gazed at a sheathed katana in his lap, its ornate hilt adorned with white and crimson-orange accents that shimmered in the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy. It was more than a weapon; it was a symbol of his evolving journey, a tangible representation of the challenges he had faced and those yet to come.

“I have two swords now and can use them fairly well, but no one would mistake me for a true swordsman…” he muttered, sighing deeply as if drained by his own shortcomings. The realization gnawed at him, a reminder of his need to grow beyond the fiery magic that had so often been his salvation.

“I need to change that. I can’t always rely on my magic. Some battles will need more than fire,” Toga continued, his tone low but resolute. He forced himself to confront the truth: he'd been fortunate in past battles, facing adversaries who had natural weaknesses to his fire dragon slayer magic or limitations that played to his advantage. But what would he do when he encountered an opponent who could stand toe-to-toe with him or exploit his vulnerabilities? That's where Zangetsu would need to come into play, along with his latest weapon, Rengoku’s Kimetsu. He knew that to truly master these blades, to weave these new skills into the fabric of his abilities, would require not just practice but a deeper understanding of the swordsmanship that had eluded him until now.

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wc: 490/3500 (END WC Reduction of 30%)