Stone Breathing

**Stone Breathing** (岩の呼吸, *Iwa no Kokyū*?) is one of the five main Breathing Styles directly derived from Sun Breathing.

## Overview

Stone Breathing is a Breathing Style that mimics earth and stone and replicates it with the user's movements, techniques and abilities. Most, if not all, known techniques and forms utilize the ground beneath the user and the vast surroundings to generate powerful and sturdy attacks that specialize in both offense and defense.

The Breathing Style was originally created by Kazuyoshi Iwamoto, a student Yoriichi Tsugikuni who attempted to learn Sun Breathing, but, due him to not being as innately powerful as Yoriichi, so Yoriichi taught him a modified style that focused on utilizing the ground beneath him and the vast surroundings to generate powerful and sturdy attacks that specialize in both offense and defense. Daichi found it to be very suiting with his giant kusarigama. Thus, Stone Breathing was born.

Based on the only user known in the Taisho Era Gyomei Himejima, it can be assumed that Stone Breathing can only be used with a flail and/or axe. However, in Kokushibo's flashback, the progenitor of Stone Breathing (Kazuyoshi) is seen wielding a giant Kusarigama-like weapon.

After the death of Muzan Kibutsuji, Stone Breathing, like Sun Breathing and the other Breathing Styles, became a ritual dance known as the **Iwanokami Kagura** (岩の神 神楽, *Iwanokami Kagura*?, lit. "Dance of the Stone God) offered to the Mountain gods (山神, *Yamagami*?). It was done by an individual in the Demon Slayer Corps.

## Weaponry used with this Breathing Style

As stated in the overview, all Stone Breathers wielded a Nichirin weapon that needed the user to utilize Kusarigamajutsu whose blade of the bladed weapon and flail were gray in color.

## Techniques

Stone Breathing has 5 known techniques and forms at minimum with three newer forms created by different users of the Breathing Style.

* **First Form: Serpentinite Bipolar** (壱ノ型: 蛇紋岩・双極, *Ichi no kata: Jamongan - Sōkyoku*?) - The user throws both the flail and axe towards their intended target and manipulates the chain by rotating it thus causing the axe and flail to also rotate in order to drill and grind right through his target.
* **Second Form: Upper Smash** (弐ノ型: 天面砕き, *Ni no kata: Tenmen Kudaki*?) - The user throws both his axe and spiked flail for a pincer move before smashing down on the chain to cause the flail to then rebound and smash his target from afar.
* **Third Form: Stone Skin** (参ノ型: 岩軀の膚, *San no kata: Ganku no Hadae*?) - The user unleashes a series of slashes with their bladed weapon deflecting nearby attacks.
* **Fourth Form: Volcanic Rock, Rapid Conquest** (肆ノ型: 流紋岩・速征, *Shi no kata: Ryūmongan - Sokusei*?) - The user manipulates both the flail and axe weapons at both ends of the chain by swinging the chain on both sides in order to strike his opponents using a two pronged wide ranged attack.
* **Fifth Form: Arcs of Justice** (伍ノ型: 瓦輪刑ぎ部, *Go no kata: Garin Gyōbu*?) -The user utilizes a powerful barrage with his flail and axe, doing a great amount of damage. The axe is destined to hit first with the trajectory of the flail following from the opposite side and slamming into the opponent.
* **Sixth Form: Earth's Might** (陸ノ型: 地球の力, *Roku no kata: Chikyū no Chikara*?) - The user quickly goes to strike the opponent with the flail in their solar plexus usually stunning the opponent as the user now swings their axe or other bladed weapon at the opponent's legs slicing them off normally the user then ends the combo by slamming both of their weapons onto the opponent's head crushing it.
* **Seventh Form: Magma Subjugation** (漆ノ型: 溶岩討伐, *Shichi no kata: Yōgan Tōbatsu*?) - The user spins their flail at blinding speeds then launching it at the opponent's head trying to destroy it completely. If the opponent were to try dodging and attempt to attack the user. The user would quickly tug the chain of their flail and have the chain wrap around the opponent. Abusing the footing that they have when they use this form [its a ground only form] to outright keep the enemy in place if they attempt to get away and escape. With the flail rebounding back it bashes through the opponent's lower head and neck, thereby decapitating them.
* **Eighth Form: Explosive Basalt** (捌ノ型: 爆裂玄武岩, *Hachi no kata: Bakuretsu Genbugan*?) - The user throws their axe and flail at the opponent. If the opponent attempts to dodge the user will furiously tug and pull the chains on their axe and flail. Redirecting them both to attempt to trap the opponent in the chains. If the axe and flail chains wrap around the opponent successfully the user will use their peak human physical strength to keep the opponent in place as the axe and flail come from the left and right of the opponent's neck. With the flail decimating the opponent's head and face and the axe slicing through the base of the opponent's neck. Killing them 100% if they aren't an Upper Moon 3 and above (since Upper Moons 3 and up of the Twelve Kizuki plus the Seven Onitsumi can regenerate their head.)

## Trivia

* All Stone Breathers are extremely skilled in Kusarigamajutsu.