1st person Pov
Thoughts = ()
Talking = " "
The sun shines upon me and I heard the birds chirping after I woke up under a tree. I slowly opened my eyes and rubbed my head.
(Ugh, the sun...too bright...)
My eyes slowly adjusted to the light, and I saw that I was in the middle of a field.
(So, this is the Demon Slayer world...not bad. Reminds me of the countryside I used to go to.)
I looked around after getting up from the ground and saw a road near me. I dusted off my clothes and let out a yawn.
(Well, let's get ready to improve myself in this new world and not die in a ditch somewhere.) I pump myself up.
(Onward, toward Urokodaki's house!)
I begin to walk toward the direction I'm facing and looked at the scenery alongside the road.
(I feel a cool breeze with the birds chirping in the distance and a beautiful sunny sky. Nature's beauty is truly the best.) And I got in the mood to sing.
"Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River....
Take me home, country roads..."
After walking for a while, I saw a house in the distance. When I reached in front of the door, I got my hand up for a knock when I felt chills on my back.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" I heard a man's voice behind me.
I tense up and without turning around answered, "My name is Reily, I heard that a Demon Slayer trainer is here, and I want to become a Demon Slayer."
I heard the man took back the blade pointed against my back and put it back in its sheath.
"Reily, that an uncommon name."
"Yeah, if it's hard, you can call me Ren Kosuke."
"I see..."
"And how did you find out about me?"
"I'm a traveler from a different country. My group got attack by Demons."
"If it weren't for a passing by Demon Slayer, I would've died. I don't want to experience that feeling again." I lowered my head and grip my fists.
"That fear of not being able to do anything when death is coming at you."
"I learned about Demons and Demon Slayers, and I want to become one. I asked the Demon Slayer how to become one and he told me to go in this direction."
"I know it's not a game. I'm willing to try hard so, Please Train Me!"
I turned toward him and bowed my head.
Sakonji Urokodaki Pov
(Hum, so he is a foreigner. His story has some holes, but he has a faint scent of potential, and his intentions seems pure, and my sense of smell hasn't failed me yet so far.)
(Let's test him to see if he can qualify to be a Demon Slayer.)
"Follow me." I said as I took off to the mountains without waiting.
After getting to enough height, I waited for him to catch up.
(Slow. It seems that he has never been trained before. He's already out of breath. If he can't handle this much, he's not fit to be a Demon Slayer.)
(I may have to reject training him. It's better than sending him to his death.)
"If you can go back down from the mountain in before dark then, I will consider training you."
After I said that, I retreated to a place he couldn't see me to observe his potential.
1st person Pov
"I will consider training you." Urokodaki said before disappearing into the trees.
I scratched my head as I look around the mountain. The sun piercing through the trees and birds chipping. I recall what Tanjiro had to go through and let out a sigh.
"I know I ask for this, but I hope I don't die."
I turned back to the way I came up the mountain. I then slowly run back, eyeing the ground for trip wires. I jump over a couple of them.
(Heh, I'm lucky it's daytime and I can see the traps. At this rate, this will be a breeze.)
I started picking up speed as I went down the mountain when I slip on a few leaves.
(What the!-)
I fell into a pitfall trap.
"Ouch!"
My body ache as I slowly got up and tries to climb out. It took me a while, but I made it out. I then noticed that the sunlight seems to be dimmer.
(Shit, at this rate, I might fail. I have to pick up the pace but then I might get hurt...Fuck it, Injuries can be healed later. Let's just power through.) He would regret this decision tomorrow.
Some time later...
(Dodge!!). I rolled over and narrowly avoided some rock that come for my face before slowly getting up.
Huff
Huff
"That was close!"
I then accidently stepped on another trap and bamboo strike me in the back.
"Shit, that hurt." I crouched down and touched my back that was in pain.
Huff
Huff
(I'm over halfway there. I'm not giving up now!)
"Ahhh!" I let out a battle cry as I descended the mountain.
After a while,
BAM
"I made it back!" I said as I forcefully opened the front door with my bleeding arms, my numb legs and barely conscious.
My blurry vision saw him sitting near a fire, drinking something. I then hear his voice.
"Very well Ren, I will accept you as my student."
I blurted out, "You better, after making me like this." before felling unconscious from the pain and exhaustion.
The Next Day
After bandaging me up, he asked me what I knew about Demon Slayers and Demons.
"The Demon Slayer Corps is an organization that has existed since ancient times, dedicating its existence to protecting humanity from demons."
"Demons, their normal food is human flesh. They kill and hunt human. Their body have immense strength, and their wounds heal in no time."
"The only way to kill them is the sun and beheading by a special sword called the Nichirin blade."
"That's what that Demon Slayer I met told me."
"Hmm...that's all the basic covered but there's more."
"To join the Demon Slayers, you have to survive the final selection at mount Fujikasane."
"The exam requires the examinee to survive seven nights on the mountain top, without any outside aid. Candidates who successfully survive the seven nights are then permitted to become official members of the Demon Slayer Corps."
"I'm a trainer, I teach people in swordsmanship. There are as many students as there are many stars in the sky and it's a trainer's job to train them into fine Demon Slayers."
"Each of them teaches in their own style. So, I don't want to hear any complaints on how I train you, got it!"
"Yes!" I optimistically yell out.
(Starting from today, I'm going to be train by Urokodaki so that I don't die in the final selection as well as to survive in this world. I going to do my best!)
"Ahhh! Are you trying to kill ME!!" I yell out as I dodged swords that came flying at me.
It's been over a week since I started training under Urokodaki. My injuries became more and more yet somehow, they heal faster than a regular human. That only made Urokodaki Increased my training.
Day after day I climb up and down the mountain, which is full of traps, I learned how to avoid most traps which just involve running really fast after tripping, trigging a trap or falling.
Thank to that, my strength, endurance and agility, as well as my sense of sound and instincts started improving leap by bound. And I had to improve because the traps are becoming more and more dangerous.
I know that the danger I'm facing now doesn't compare to the ones I'll be facing against Demons.
BUT does he seriously have to use real knives!!
I would've thought that he was trying to kill me if I didn't know his personality.
So, I try to train my body senses as much as I could to avoid surprise attacks and injuries. It didn't work. The traps just became more restless than before.
After another month, I swing my sword a thousand time a day. I've been doing it basically every day for a while now. Sometime my arms feels like it going to fall off.
But when it seems like I'm about to let go of my katana, He always shows up and throw rocks at me at which I think are at supersonic speed. It might just be my tired eyes talking.
He usually targets my katana's flat sides, so I had to shift my stances multiple times.
He explained that Katanas breaks easily and that is why you must apply the force alongside the blade.
He also said that if the blade breaks, then he'll break my bones, which I don't know is a motivation or a threat. But it got the job done.
After a while, he gave me a katana to use while climbing and going down the mountain. I learned to use my katana to deflect.
The first time I tried that I nearly poked my ribs out when I fell on my katana. Thank god it was sheathed.
One time it almost broke because I used it against a log, he chased to hit me with the hilt all day long.
When I got the hang of things, he just strapped a pouch full of water on my back and told me to not let out a single drop.
Apparently, it's supposed to help me rescue civilians. That took longer to get used to. I would accidently cut or squash the water pouch multiple time while dodging traps or deflecting.
I thought the most problem I would have was with the killing part. The largest living thing I've killed before was a snake. So I asked Urokodaki to take me out hunting.
Not Demons, mind you. But a bear. It wasn't easy. I stab and slash the bear multiple times, yet it fought me with all it had. I finished by stabbing through the eye.
I didn't feel sad for it. I don't know why But I just didn't. I should, right? It was a living being. Without me it would've live longer yet I limited his time on this earth.
Urokodaki let me rest for a rare two days after that.
-----------------------------------
Today, he said that I'm going to face him bare handed.
"As a Demon Slayer you must be able to survive no matter what. Even if your blade breaks, you have to know how to fight with other things. And if you fall, you have to be able to get back up quickly".
I charged to tackle him, but he flips me over before I know it. And then he beat me up until I can't get back up anymore saying that it's for training.
I learned how to takes hits and keep getting back up or react on time. I can't recall how many times I've passed out doing this.
I once tried to do a spinning kick, but his fist came dangerously close to my crouch and since then, I never played around when I spared with him.
Next came the breath training. Urokodaki started teaching me the basic of breathing.
"Take a deep long breath into your body and feel the blood flowing into every part of your body. This will enhance your body capability as well as stabilize your mind and body."
"Relax your upper body and widen your stance. All right, breathe."
Fuuuu~
Bam!
*Cough* x 2
"Wrong!"
"Again."
Fuuuu~
Bam!
*Cough* x 2
"Again."
"Ugh, Urokodaki-san. *cough* if you want to hit me, can't you try another way."
"Again."
Fuuu~
Bam!
I started doing breathing exercise and he continued to hit my stomach when I get it wrong. He hit me so hard that one time I puked my lunch out.
My whole body hurts. It yearns for the sweet relief of fatigue but the only time I rest is when I sleep. Part of it has to do with myself but can you blame me when I'll have to fight literally monsters who can kill me before I can blink.
One day Urokodaki and I went to a nearby village. It was to get some supplies for the house, and I tasted Ramen for the first time.
It was good. Not my favourite food but it was good. I also learned what regular life looked like in this era.
Most of them are farmers or merchants and the living standards are shabby by modern standard yet the people here are each living their lives. They won't even be a footnote on history books yet, looking at them smiling and going on about...It's strange.
I try not to fill my head with random thoughts and focus back on training with Urokodaki.
Next, he told me to become one with water and kicked me into a lake from a cliff.
"Wait!! Wait!! I don't know how to swim!! Ahhh~ "
Splash
"Uelp! I...ca.."
"Sigh...I'm going to have to teach him how to swim too." Urokodaki shakes his head before jumping after his student.
Splash
Sometime later...
*Cough* *Cough*
"I almost died!" I yelled on realization.
"*Ahem* My apologizes. I should've checks."
"Heck yeah you should've! Tonight's dinner better be good."
"I see."
After dinner, which was a feast compared to what I would regularly get, I headed off to the tree that I'd regularly talk to on the mountain. Don't know why I picked this tree in particular, but I think I made a tree friend, or I might be slowly losing my mind.
Today Urokodaki is going to start teaching me about total concentration breathing.
"Today, I'm going to teach you water breathing."
"Water Breathing is a Breathing Style that mimics water, specifically the flow, flexibility and adaptability of the liquid and replicates it with the user's movements and sword."
*Nod* Nod*
I train Water Breathing with Urokodaki in the morning near the waterfall, hand to hand combat after that and swordsman ship until evening. At night, I usually try to take on the mountain before going to sleep.
Just like that, over 1 and a half years have already passed since I arrived in this world.
The descend from the mountain became more dangerous and the air is really thin, but I think I'm getting the hang of it.
Time and time again I thought about giving up, but I have to endure so that I can survive in this world. The only thing that kept me motivated is that reason.
I 'm running down the mountain and triggered a trap. A bamboo shoot flung at me from behind with short knives coming from the front and sides.
Swif
Swif
Clash
Clash
But I cut and deflected them with my katana. I took in a deep breath of air and look at the rising sun. I than look down at my hands and katana and it shows that time really has pass. What I used to think were impossible were daily routine now.
I think back to all those times I've spent training. I had some bad times, some good times and some great times. Like the first time I almost cut my arm off with the katana, the time I learned how to swim and the time I finally landed a punch on Urokodaki.
He tripled my training the very next day.
I've learned to hold my breath for a long time underwater, and my flexibility and agility improved so now I can move like a monkey on the trees and in the mountains.
One morning after breakfast he suddenly said, "I have nothing more to teach you, the rest is up to you whether you have a true understanding of what I have taught you or not."
I put down my chopsticks. "I see."
"...Come with me."
.
.
We arrived at a part of the mountain that's snowing. There was a large boulder in the middle of a clearing deep in the mountain.
"If you can slice through this boulder then, I'll allow you to attend the Final Selection." I recognized the iconic boulder.
(It's the boulder that Tanjiro cut through, but I don't know if I can do it. *Sigh* I'll give it my all as usual.)
"Yes!"
Clang
Clang!
And over the months, I have tried to cut the boulder again and again but nothing but a few sparks. I trained again and again of the things that Urokodaki taught me, but it didn't help in cutting the boulder.
After over 2 months have pass and my hands is full of calluses and bruises. But the boulder doesn't have a cut whatsoever.
(Think Ren think! What are you missing. DARM IT!!) I throw away the katana and punched the boulder again and again, enough for my knuckles to start bleeding.
I then shake off the pain and lean against the rock to rest as I look up into the sky, thinking about things related to swordsmanship.
(Unlike Tanjiro in the anime, I've already focused on my breathing technique. I also tried to stay in a constant breathing state even when sleeping but Urokodaki said to stick to my level for now.)
(I don't get it. I can see my veins bulging from the blood flow when I use my breathing technique. What am I missing...)
I softly hit the back of my head with the rock before closing my eye. Then a random thought hit me like a train moving like a 180 mph.
(Of course! Why didn't I think of this sooner, this world with Demons and Samurais, this is just like Shinkenger.)
(Time limit from water from the Sanzu river is replaced with the sun and there's even Kakushi and Kuroko. I can't believe it took me this long to make the connections...)
(Wait, don't think about it now! What does that have to do with me cutting this boulder!) I hit myself in the head.
(Maybe I should cut back on rewatching my memories and focus back on here. I can watch memories anytime, but I can only be alive now. There's no telling if I'll get killed tomorrow.)
(Alright, it's decided. Unless it's for reviewing the plot or helping me think of new ideas, I won't rewatch my memories again.)
(*Sigh* I asked for photographic memory, but I got a variation. It's like the Gaia Library from W. I have to enter key words to revisit the memory I want. If I know the name, I can directly access it, but if I only know it's content, I have to search with one key word a time.)
(Plus, I've timed it, and it takes a brief moment to enter, view and exit my mental library. For normal it wouldn't be long but, in a fight, I'm dead.)
(Now let's see, sword style, Water Breathing...) I try out numerous techniques that I found based on water style and let's just say things didn't work out as easily as I hoped.
"I have to be formless while trying to use water breathing. I must read the flow around my opponent"
Fuuu~
"Except, How the Heck Am I supposed to read the Flow of a rock!"
I scratch my head in frustration.
(Ahh, I don't know anymore. Let's move on, next is...Drifters? Hmm...I see...His sword style seems promising, and he's really cool but can I bring this mentality to the fights? He did get killed after all.)
(It can't hurt to try, right? I'll just clear my mind, remember what he shown me, focus and strike it with all I've got.)
Fuuu~
(Breathe...Empty my mind...Focus on nothing but the enemy in front of me. My goal is to cut him down. Breathe.)
Fuuuu~
I readied my blade for this one strike, breathe, calm my thoughts, clear my mind and take my stance. I then push myself against the ground and dashed toward the rock.
But before my blade touched the boulder, as I move my body, my blood pumping through every part of me, I felt my mind clear as I forget everything around me.
I hear the faint sound of my sword swing even before it was swung. I didn't care about death, life or anything. I just focused on committing this one action, this one cut.
Shing
I regain my senses and saw that the boulder in front of me was clearly split into two parts. I look back to see that I left a small dent on the ground where I push against and the speed to cross the distance, it was faster than normal.
(I..I can't believe that worked. Holy shit!)
"I DID IT!!" I jump up with both my fists in the air.
As I ran back to Urokodaki' s house I got to the front door, slam it opened and shouted "Urokodaki-san! I DID IT!! I CUT THE BOULDER!" as if I won the lottery.
---
He walked in front of me as we walk to the boulder and said, "I had no intention of sending you to the final selection because I thought that the Demon Slayer lifestyle was not for you."
I silently follow behind him.
"I didn't want to see children dying anymore. At first, I planned to make you go away making your training harder than most. But you didn't quit."
"When we first went to the village, I saw and smelled your confusion. A normal life, I suspected that you wanted it, but you proved me wrong again."
"I wondered what motivated you. You aren't used to seeing blood. You have no hatred in your eyes like most who has lost their loved ones to demons. So, one day you went out to the mountain, I followed you."
"I heard your reason. I thought it was naive of you, hoping that demon could be better people if given the chance. I even made your training harder again. Just to make you quit. But against all odds you preserved."
We reached the boulder. Urokodaki turned toward me and pat my head.
"I didn't think you would be able to do it, but you did. You proved me wrong."
"Good job, Ren." He hugged me, and I smile and as some strange feelings filled my chest, I started tearing up.
"*sniff* O-Of course I did, I trained really hard ya know."
*Mhmm* "I know." Urokodaki's hand stroke my back as I try to hold back my tears.
That Night
The aroma of boiling broth filled the room as Urokodaki filled another bowl with soup.
"Eat up, Ren. Tonight, we're celebrating to you completing your training."
"*Slurp* You got it Urokodaki-san! I think this is much better than the time you almost made me drown." I pointed at him with my chopsticks.
"A growing boy like me has to eat a lot ya know."
I think I head a faint laugh came from Urokodaki as he handed me another bowl.
"Yes, yes."
(Ren, from now on, you will be going through hardship after hardship, life or death battles and important decisions that can make you question yourself. So much so that your training with me will pale in comparison.)
(I worry about your state of mind, battling against Demons. A kid like you should be playing without a care in the world, yet you refuse to give up this path.)
"Ren."
I stop eating as Urokodaki call my name.
"Yes, Urokodaki-san?"
"This question has been on my mind for a long time. What is your dream?"
"My dream?"
"Mhm...your dream. What do you wish by joining the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"I mean, to kill Demons?"
"..."
"*Sigh* To be honest, right now, I'm not exactly sure Urokodaki-san. I want to get strong enough to protect myself against Demons. And now that I might have that power, I want something more."
"Something more?"
"Yes. I think I'll use a saying that I like. Urokodaki-san, I don't have a dream, but you know, I can protect other's dreams."
"...I see. That's a good saying, Ren."
"I know, right?" I grinned.
The Next Day
"Urokodaki-san, is it possible for a Demon Slayer to learn two different breathing styles?"
"Yes, but normally the Demon Slayer sticks with one style that suit them best. Sometimes they create new styles on their own. Why do you ask?"
"I want to learn another style, ahh, not because your style is not good, but because I found some weaknesses I wanted to cover."
"And those are?"
"I want to be faster. I feel like my speed is lacking with Water Breathing. I want to be quick on the field and be able to react enemy attacks. Is there a breathing style that focuses on movement?"
"I see. I do have an old friend that used to be a former Thunder Hashira. I can ask him to train you if he's free."
"Really? Thank you very much." I bowed my head at him.
"*Mhmm*, I will message him with my crow. So, wait for a day or two."
The Next Day
CAW
CAW
The crow came back and Urokodaki read the letter.
" It seems that he's free and willing to train you. Are you sure you want to head straight to the Final Selection instead of coming back?"
"Yes. I intend to train there for a while until the Final Selection and head straight there. It's much closer. Don't worry Urokodaki-san, I won't forget your Water Breathing just because I'm trying out another style." I tease him.
"You cheeky brat." I think I can see his eye browns twitching.
"Hehehehe." I simply laugh.
"Anyway, Thank you for everything that you have taught me until now!" I bowed.
*Mhmm* Urokodaki nodded and then he took out a fox mask from his sleeves.
"Take this mask with you. I put a spell on it to protect you from harm." It was different from the one Tanjiro got.
(The mask that attracts the Hand Demon, huh. Don't worry, Urokodaki-san, I have no plans of dying there. I'll proudly wear your mask and kill that Demon.)
I took the mask put it on my head, took the nichirin sword that he gave me and walked away. As I walk away, I thought about not saying anything except a backward waving motion to look cool, but this might be the last time I see him if I fail.
I look down to see the clothes he gifted me after my training. It was the same as his. A gentle blue with clouds on it.
When I thought back to all those nights where he took me back to bed after I passed out from training in the mountain or the time where we would drink tea and he would tell me stories about his younger days.
When I thought back to all of those times, I couldn't control my emotions again and my body moved before I could think. I turned around and shouted.
"Goodbye Grandpa! Thank you, and I will definitely come back alive after passing the Final Selection!! So, you better wait for me! I'll write to you to report my progress!"
I saw Urokodaki head gave a slight nod, and I grin as I turn back and continue on the road.