The Trainers Of Demon Slayers
Hello everyone and welcome to chapter two of Winds, Waves, And Chains! Our family of three takes their first steps on the path to becoming Demon Slayers in this chapter so come and check it out! Speaking of checking stuff out, swing by my Pat reon and see about becoming a member for news, scene samples, and commissions! Now with that out of the way, and no guest review questions this week, on to the story!
Daytime: On the Route to Mt. Sagiri
"Excuse me sir," John waved to a nearby farmer working his rice field, "sorry to trouble you, but would it be possible for me to purchase that basket from you?" He pointed over towards the man's apparent house where an old, round straw basket was sitting out.
"Oh, a foreigner," the farmer observed, "you're a long way from home. Where'd you learn to speak such fluent Japanese?"
"The other half of my family is Japanese," the hunter explained, "but you're not wrong when you say I'm a long way from home. Anyway, about that basket?"
"That old thing," the farming man glanced over at the container, "go right ahead. It's not doing me much good because it's full of holes. You'll actually be doing me a favor by taking it off my hands."
"I appreciate the generosity," John bowed, "and good luck with your harvest."
"It's another year of backbreaking work," the farmer shrugged, "but the land's still giving so I can't complain too much. Hope that basket does you more good than it's been doing me."
"I've got a pretty good use for it in mind," the traveler remarked before picking the basket up and taking it with him. He ventured back to a nearby cave then, picking up some bamboo strips and a large white blanket on the way. "Honey, I'm back!"
"Oh, John," Mary got up and walked out of the cave, having to stoop a bit on the way due to how low it was, "Looks like you made a good find."
"The basket needs a little reinforcement, but that's what the bamboo is for," he held up the strips, "by the way, where's Jonathan?"
"Doing his best to hide from the sun," his wife pointed to a spot at the back of the cave, "he dug that hole and hunkered down. I imagine he thinks he needs to wait until nighttime before going out."
"I guess that transformation gave him other instincts besides devouring people," John mused, "anyway, want to help me get some extra wrapping done on this basket?"
"You go back and keep Jonathan company," Mary urged while grabbing the bamboo strips, "I've been sitting around here with nothing to do while you were out." Her husband could've argued that the two of them working together might take less time, but he knew how stubborn she could be when she set her mind on something. So instead, John simply left the basket and other tools with her as she got to work weaving an outer frame around it. In the meantime, the hunter approached the hole his son had dug in the back of the cave.
"So, is my little one trying to be a mole or a badger," he joked while sitting down. The demon boy poked his head out and gave a muffled response. "I know, the sun's not good for you. But we need to get to Mt. Sagiri as fast as possible and we can only do that by traveling day and night. Good news is, I managed to pick up a little something from a farm nearby, so we'll be able to carry you around without worrying about the sun, at least as soon as your mother's done reinforcing it."
Jonathan grunted a little at that while lowering himself further into the hole where only half his face was exposed. "I wish it was closer too," his father agreed, "then we would only have to move at night and not go through with all this nonsense, but it is what it is. With luck, once we get there we won't have to travel for a while and you won't have to worry about hiding in a basket all day."
Another curt grunt was the response he received to that, but at the very least Jonathan didn't seem resistant to the idea. A few minutes later, his mother came over with the basket now sporting a green bamboo frame around it. "Alright, Jonathan," she laid the container down sideways, "try and climb into the basket here. We'll cover it to make sure no sunlight gets in any of the holes." Their son hummed in thought for a moment before climbing out of the hole and leaping like a cat into the basket.
Mary yelped slightly as it was thrown back up from the force of Jonathan's leap, leaving the demon boy buried halfway in the basket while his feet waved about in the air. "I was gonna suggest you shrink first before doing that, Jonathan," his father sighed while rubbing his head. Fortunately, their child seemed to get the message and shrank down to the size of a child before reorienting himself in the basket and sticking his head out.
"How did you know he could do that," his wife gave him a questioning look.
"I saw him do it really early this morning when you were still asleep," John recalled while patting his son's head, "apparently now that he's a demon, he can change his size to some degree."
"Aw, this makes me miss the days when he was this size," Mary cooed while hugging Jonathan, "I still remember when he started getting too big for me to carry around."
"Well now you get to relive it," John remarked, "you want to carry him around in the basket first?"
"I might as well," Mary sighed, "we'll have to swap out carrying him at one point or another anyway." She smiled then as another thought occurred to her.
"What's got you so happy," her husband raised an eyebrow.
"Oh I just realized something is all," her smile grew wider as she flashed her teeth, "even as a demon our son is still the most adorable boy I've ever seen."
"Maybe that'll come in handy someday," John quipped good-naturedly, "alright, let's get moving."
A Few Hours Later: On the Road
"You're heading to Mt. Sagiri," a woman tilted her head in confusion. She was currently tidying up out in front of her house, "if you want to get there as fast as possible, you'll need to head over that mountain." She pointed towards a trail that led uphill. "But I'd recommend you stop for now. The sun's going to set soon and you're hauling a good amount of luggage there."
"We want to make as much distance as possible today," John explained while shifting the load on his back, "we'll stop after we get at least a little further."
"While I'd ordinarily agree with something like that, the mountain's become dangerous lately," the woman revealed, "A lot of people have gone missing and it's usually when they're out after dark."
"We brought some protection," Mary assured, "but thank you for the warning."
"Just try not to get lost then," the woman sighed as her son ran to her and clung to her leg, "and good luck on your journey."
"Thank you," the two parents bowed before heading up the trail. The pair walked for a few minutes until they were well out of earshot of the woman and her son. "People disappearing at night," she glanced at her husband, "you don't think?"
"A demon," John set his mouth in a grim line, "we can't rule out the possibility anymore. Is that revolver of yours in good order?"
"You know I keep it spotless," Mary pulled out the gun so that it's handle was visible, "and I checked it while you were out getting the basket, it works. What I hate is that you had to leave your rifle back home."
"Carrying around that rifle could get us into trouble with the authorities," the hunter reminded, "sure I could've wrapped it up in something, but I figured it was best not to take the chance. But I do hate the fact that my revolver got broken by the demon that attacked Jonathan. Now all I've got is my tanto, but at least it's plenty sharp."
"I hope so, you sharpened that thing for a good while yesterday," his wife remarked, "but if we're lucky we won't need either of our weapons. Then again, how does one even define our luck the way it's been lately?"
"We got a basket from a relatively friendly farmer," John pointed out, "for the moment, I'd say our luck is good."
Nighttime: Mountain Trail
As expected it didn't take too long for the sun to set. Thankfully, it was a clear night with a bright crescent moon and stars lighting the way. Adding on to that, the parents were able to let their son out of the basket and walk along with them, relieving the burden of the weight on their shoulders for the time being. Despite that, Mary had begun looking troubled the further they went.
"Is something the matter, dear," John finally decided to speak up about it, "you've been awfully quiet the last few minutes. I know we need to have our guard up but we can still talk from time to time."
"It's hard to explain," she sighed, "you know how I get the occasional feeling? I know it comes and goes but-."
"Are you having that feeling right now," her husband asked in a businesslike manner.
"I am," Mary nodded while looking up ahead, "we need to stay on our guard right now. Whoever or whatever's causing trouble on this mountain might be close by."
"Keep a hand on your gun until the feeling fades then," John agreed, "we've been walking for a while now, so morning should be coming shortly."
"That means back in the basket for you when that happens, Jonathan," she gave her son's hand a squeeze while glancing in his direction. The demon boy simply nodded as they continued walking along. After another couple of minutes, they came upon some stone stairs that led up to a small building with a pointed roof.
"Guess our luck is still holding out," John observed optimistically, "and look, the light appears to still be on in there. Wanna stop for a bit?"
"We may as well, considering how close to morning it's getting," Mary decided, "but keep your hand on your knife."
"You also think it might be a little suspicious that someone's still got their candle lit at this hour," her husband glanced back at her.
"I think that feeling I told you about earlier hasn't gone away," she clarified, "like we agreed to do earlier, keep your guard up until it goes away."
"Up we go then," the hunter nodded before ascending the flight of stairs with his wife and son close behind him. The family of three advanced along the short stone path until they reached the door. "Good evening, is anyone awake right now?" They received no answer save for a strange noise.
It was a noise that made John's eyes widen. He recognized that noise, it was the sound of something feasting on meat. The man turned his head to his wife while drawing his weapon, the meaning clear. Mary drew her revolver while nudging Jonathan behind her. The hunter moved forward and slowly slid one of the two doors open then.
His eyes widened when he saw what was inside; a scene of carnage. Three bodies were present, two of which were up against the wall in a heap, their corpses covered in blood from large wounds that looked like someone tore out their hearts. The third body, meanwhile, was in the middle of the room and being feasted on by the culprit responsible for the slaughter: a demon. "Who the fuck are you," he spoke up in a deep voice once he realized they were there, "this is my territory, and anyone who sets foot in it, is gonna pay!"
He lifted his head when saying the last part, revealing his gray-skinned face, long greenish-black hair and razor-sharp teeth that were currently stained with blood. Had they the time to notice, the group would've also observed the blue, sleeveless kimono top he was wearing. "Hold on," the demon licked some of the blood off of his hands, "there's something not right here, are you humans?" He stood up to his full height then, getting a better look at the family.
John readied his weapon behind his back as discreetly as he could while Mary moved Jonathan out of the way. A gust of wind blew the candle lighting the temple out then, the sudden darkness acting as a form of unspoken signal for the violence to begin. The demon made the first move, launching himself across the room and into the hunter with enough force to send them both out of the doorway. But John hadn't survived his years as a hunter for nothing and quickly swung his tanto in midair, slicing open the demon's throat.
The surprised monster leapt back as John landed on the ground and slid a couple of feet. "Not bad," he felt the cut on his throat, "you seem to know what you're doing with that knife. But you'll have to do better than that, a wound like this will heal up in no time." In fact, it was closing up even as he spoke. "See, the bleedings already stopped."
"We can fix that," John smirked while staying on the ground. The demon was about to make a snide remark before the front of his face exploded outward, the result of a bullet being fired from Mary into the back of his head.
"Ah, FUCK!" He grabbed his now very damaged face, "you shot my nose off you bi-BAM! BAM! BAM!" The demon felt several more rounds go into his back with a couple going out the front of his stomach. Thankfully, John had rolled out of the way after the first shot rang out so any that hit lower weren't in any danger of hitting him.
"Jonathan, hide somewhere," Mary ordered while reloading the revolver. But he wasn't responding. "Jonathan!" She noticed then that something was sliding down his chin. It was drool, and the reason being was because he was staring at the bloody bodies within the temple.
'Oh no, don't tell me he wants to eat them,' the woman thought nervously before the sound of John yelling in pain was heard. She turned back to see what had happened. Her husband had apparently tried charging the injured demon but was knocked back on to the ground. "John!" Mary pointed the reloaded revolver at the demon but he moved so fast that she didn't even see him until he was in her face.
The monster's hand closed around her throat and shoved her against the temple wall, causing her to cry out in pain. Mary tried to raise the revolver but an iron grip on her wrist prevented her from doing so. "Nice noisemaker you got there, but you won't get so lucky twice," he grinned maliciously, "I'm gonna snap both your necks and then I'm gonna-CRACK!" A sickening snap rang out as a foot swung around and tore the demon's head clear off his shoulders, sending it rolling several feet away.
Mary stared openmouthed at her son as he lowered his leg. Their attacker's body collapsed to the floor then, allowing her to take in some much-needed oxygen. "You…..you kicked his head off," her gaze shifted back and forth between her son and the body. She'd get another surprise as he kicked the body off the porch of the temple and onto the ground.
"Jonathan," his father moved up and stopped him from advancing, "that's enough, the demon is." His words died in his throat as he turned to see the headless body getting back to its feet.
"You damn bastards!" The decapitated head yelled, "so that kid was a demon after all! I knew something was weird, why are you working with humans?!"
"Why are you still talking?!" Mary shot back, understandably confused, "your head's off!"
"Don't think that's gonna stop me from tearing you all to shreds!" The demon's body leapt back up and charged the family. Jonathan moved past his father and leapt off the porch, dropkicking the body away. His father made to follow after him but the demon's head grew a short extra pair of arms and ran forward, leaping at him before he could help his son.
He reacted in time to raise his blade as the now armed head grabbed a hold of his sleeves. "Mary," the hunter called to his wife, "go help Jonathan!" Naturally she looked conflicted for a moment but ran over, firing more bullets into the demon's headless body once it separated from grappling with their son.
As for John, he continued trying to pull the head off of him and his knife but to no avail. "I'm gonna enjoy eating your hearts," the demon snarled while still holding onto the blade.
"You want to eat something," he stumbled around to the side of the temple, "try eating this!" He slammed the demon's head into the wall of the building, pushing with everything he had. The blade went all the way into the monster's mouth and out the back of his head, impaling the wooden boards behind him.
"Ah, the fug," the demon flailed about, finding it difficult to talk with a blade in his mouth while trying to push back off the building, "you bastard, whu the fug did you do?!"
"Got you out of the way," John remarked before turning to where his wife and son were still fighting. Mary had been knocked to the ground at some point and was working to get up while reloading the revolver. Jonathan had managed to topple over the demon and was currently trying to cave in its chest with one punch after another. But there was still plenty of fight left in the headless creature and it showed when he kicked Jonathan in the stomach so hard it sent him flying into a nearby tree.
The living corpse quickly got up and stalked towards the downed demon boy. "I don't think so!" John ran forward and tackled the body's legs with as much strength as he could muster. It was only enough for the headless monster to collapse to its hands and knees, but that was all the chance Mary needed to move in front of it and jam the revolver right into the bloody stump where the demon's head used to be. She let out a war cry and fired all six shots in rapid succession before shoving the gun barrel as far into the newly made hole as she could.
Whether it was that or the shooting, the headless body convulsed and fell over, its movements now reduced to twitching and shaking. This condition was reflected in the head of the demon as he let out a gasp of pain in response to his body's injury. "Is everyone okay," John asked breathlessly while getting to his feet.
"I'm alright," Mary assured, "Oh no, Jonathan!" She rushed over to her son who was also getting to his feet, "are you hurt?" He shook his head in the negative, giving a muffled response through the metallic muzzle.
"You surprised us back there," John also came over to check on his son, "I guess becoming a demon made you stronger. I've never seen anything like that." Jonathan's answer to that was simply to point at the demon's coughing head. "You're right, we need to do something about him."
The trio cautiously approached the head then. "You fuggers won't get uway with thish," he growled, "I'll kill ull of ya, ull of ya!"
"Answer a question before you do," John narrowed his eyes, "you didn't recognize our son, so I take it that means you weren't the one who turned him into a demon?"
"U've never seen thut little shut in mu life," the head mumbled, "Uh just gut here a few days ugo."
"Thought not," the hunter remarked.
"Then maybe you can tell us how to change our son back," Mary interrogated, "demon blood turned him into this, so can it be removed, or reversed?"
"Du I look like a fuggin' doctor to yu," the demon attempted to snarl but failed, "U've never turned anyone into uh demon, I just ate them!"
"Damn," John clenched his fist, "I was hoping we'd gotten lucky. I guess it was too much to expect that we could avoid this demon slayer business altogether."
"Why's that," the two parents jumped as they turned to see an older man in a blue kimono with wave patterns on it and a red Tengu mask hiding his face, "is it because the thought of fighting such creatures frightens you?"
"Who are you," Mary tried to keep her voice even. She didn't know why, but she had an odd feeling about this man. Even if he hadn't had a mask on, her gut would've told her this was no ordinary person.
"That should not be your main concern right now," the masked man tilted his head towards the demon, "you need to finish what you've started. That knife will keep the demon in place but you'll need something else to finish it off."
"Do you have a suggestion," John decided to ask.
"Can you not figure out a solution on your own," the stranger shot back, "think for yourself and think quickly." The two parents glanced at each other before looking around, eventually spotting a large stone. The hunter went over and picked it up, noting that it was nearly the size of a human head. The newcomer watched all of this unfold, observing their attitudes.
'Kindness flows from the both of them,' he noted by their scent, 'but resolve is also there. The man has killed before and the woman is willing to kill, but the question is how willing?' It would be a question that would go unanswered for now as the first glimpse of sunlight began to peak over the mountains. "Mary," John called, "get Jonathan inside!" Naturally the boy's mother needed no encouragement as she rushed their son into the temple while the hunter resumed his previous task of ending the demon's life.
By this point, the head was struggling and growling incoherently as the father raised the large stone over his own head. Before he could strike the first of what might've been several final blows, however, the sunlight hit the demon. He shrieked and tried to cover his face with his small arms but it did nothing to slow his body burning and turning into ash. In practically no time at all, there was nothing left of the demon, save for the small embers that blew away with a slight breeze.
"The sun really kills them that quickly," John observed in amazement, "no wonder Jonathan was so insistent on hiding from it."
"The sun is the natural enemy of all demons," the old man confirmed, "now, am I to assume you are John, along with Mary and Jonathan?"
"We are," the hunter nodded, "am I to take it that you're the man known as Urokodaki?"
"Sakonji Urokodaki is my full name," he introduced, "now that introductions are out of the way, gather your things. We'll be traveling very shortly." The slayer turned and walked away while a slightly confused John simply shrugged and pulled his knife out of the wall. He met his wife at the entrance to the temple and informed her to get Jonathan ready in the basket while also picking up anything else she might've dropped.
After that, the blond man found Urokodaki kneeling around the back of the temple in front of three fresh, albeit shallow graves. 'He dug those so quickly,' John realized, 'how many graves has he made up to this point to be able to do that?' "I have given you my full name," the man stood up from his prayers, "what is the name your family goes by?"
"We're the Keller family," the hunter answered, "we were both born in America before moving here so-."
"Tell me, John Keller," Sakonji turned to him, "what will you do when your son devours a human?"
"What kind of question is that," he narrowed his eyes, "my son isn't going to devour any h-SMACK!" The old man moved impossibly quick, smacking John on the cheek and silencing him.
"You do not know that!" Urokodaki scolded, "in a thousand years, do you think you are the first to make such a claim?! It is not a matter of whether or not it will happen, your son devouring an innocent cannot happen under any circumstances! If it does, that means the lives lost will be on your head for allowing a demon to live, therefore the responsibility you must bear is to kill your own son and then cut open your own belly to atone!"
The sound of a hammer cocking a few feet behind the hunter caused them to turn towards Mary who currently had her revolver pointed at the old man. "You think we can just kill our son like that," she growled, "what sort of parents want to kill their own child!"
"What sort of parents want to watch their child get devoured by a demon," he responded calmly, albeit firmly, "you don't seem to realize you've been given a chance that no one else has ever been given. Should you succeed and become demon slayers, your prey will be former humans. Sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers will all fall under your blades. The possibility exists that you will kill a family's son right in front of them in order to protect them. If and when that moment arrives, your resolve must be strong, otherwise you and all those you're charged with protecting will die!"
"Mary, lower the gun," John held up his hand after a moment, "he's right." The armed woman's eyes moved back and forth between the two men, clearly processing everything that had been said. Eventually, she let out an annoyed sigh and put the gun back in its hidden holster. "We're honestly being quite unfair to many people by even asking for our son to be spared, aren't we?"
"At your age you both should already know the world is not a fair place," Urokodaki stepped towards the stone path leading away from the temple, "even now I intend to test the both of you and see if you're fit to be members of the Demon Slayer Corps. Should you fail, I cannot guarantee the decision won't be made to kill your son. So, follow me and do not fall behind!"
Evening: Mt. Sagiri
Few words were spoken once it began. As soon as they were ready Urokodaki began running. The man's movements suggested he was going at a leisurely pace, but his speed was incredible, and his footsteps never seemed to make a sound. John and Mary ran, doing their best to keep up while somehow managing to swap Jonathan's basket back and forth between them.
By the time they arrived at a small white house with a black roof, the sun had begun to descend. "My heart feels like, it's going to leap out of my chest," Mary breathed heavily as both she and John collapsed on all fours.
"Guess there's a reason all the slayers we've met so far can move so fast," John panted, "but at least that test is out of the way."
"The test is just beginning," Urokodaki revealed as he slid open the door to his apparent home and pulled off the white cloth that he'd been wearing around his head, "we'll be climbing a mountain."
"Are you serious," Mary breathed out. Thankfully, their potential sensei was not a totally heartless man and allowed them a little time to rest as they got Jonathan situated in his house. The teenage boy had fallen asleep at some point and so far seemed content to stay that way.
"I promise to look after your son while you're gone," Sakonji declared.
"We greatly appreciate that," John nodded as he and his wife stood up, "now, take us to the test."
Nighttime: Atop Mt. Sagiri
Mercifully, they didn't have to run up the mountain as the demon slayer seemed content to walk this time. Still, it was a very long walk and the increasing altitude was making it difficult to breathe. Both John and Mary found themselves out of breath before the trio finally stopped at a seemingly arbitrary location. "Now, the test shall begin," he turned to them, "find your way back to my house at the foot of the mountain. Know that this time I won't wait until daybreak."
With those words he seemed to disappear into the mist, leaving the two parents alone. "That's it, go back down the mountain," Mary glanced at her husband, "I guess he was hoping we'd have a harder time because we're exhausted."
"Not quite," John moved forward and knelt down, examining something, "come take a look at this." His wife bent down and looked over his shoulder at a rope that was stretched taut across the path down. "Get down on the ground, now." Mary didn't ask questions and ducked low while her husband pulled on the rope.
Several rocks suddenly came flying out of nowhere and right over their heads. "Oh no, this whole trail is rigged with traps," Mary groaned.
"Looks like it," John got up and started walking, "but don't worry. This hunter will lead the way and-WHOA!" The ground collapsed underneath his left foot and he was only stopped from falling into a pit by his wife grabbing his sleeve and pulling him backwards.
"You were saying," his wife gave him a deadpan look.
"A tiger pit," the hunter examined the trap, "I haven't seen one of these in ages. I take it back, we'll both have to keep our eyes open. No doubt there are traps here specifically designed for people."
"It's going to be a long night," Mary sighed. But they hurried on as quickly as they could, certain they'd already wasted too much time. Thanks to John's experience as a hunter, they were able to spot many of the tripwire traps as he'd utilized some himself at one point or another. It was still slower going than they would've liked, however.
Their pace was reduced while avoiding the traps and the ones they did set off always risked slowing them down more. Adding on to that, the couple realized the air was even thinner on Mt. Sagiri than back on the mountain they'd been living at for years. Both of them had to actively work to control their breathing to avoid becoming dizzy and potentially passing out. The couple wound up alternating between running and walking, never stopping completely.
It was without doubt the hardest trek they'd ever taken in their lives up to this point and only by remembering that their son depended on them were they able to keep going, pushing as far past their limits as possible. Eventually, the passage of time hardly seemed to matter, so it came as a surprise when they found themselves once again at Urokodaki's door. The duo looked behind them then, noting the first light of day had not come. With this in mind, they slid open the door to find the old man tending to the still sleeping Jonathan.
"We're back, you old bastard," Mary managed to get out between heavy breaths, "you gonna train us now?" The old man looked up towards the sky, confirming that the sun had indeed not risen yet.
"John and Mary Keller," he spoke with a softer voice than before, "as of today, you are both my students."
One Day Later: Mt. Sagiri
The Demon Slayer Corps is an organization that numbers in the hundreds. It has existed since ancient times, but the refusal of the current government to acknowledge the existence of demons has led to the organization itself also being denied acknowledgement. The Corps is led by an enigmatic individual that most refer to as Oyakata, who remains hidden in order to keep from being found by the demons. Naturally, their primary mission which would now become the mission of the Keller family, was to hunt down and destroy demons.
As for what demons are, they are creatures who feast on humans. Their exact origin is unknown, but what is known is that they possess great physical prowess and incredible regenerative abilities, making them capable of healing from wounds that would easily be fatal for a normal human being. Demons are even capable of regrowing severed limbs. Adding on to the difficulty of dealing with them, some possessed shapeshifting abilities and others wielded strange powers that seemed straight out of a different world.
Only three ways were known for killing demons: sunlight, wisteria, or decapitation by a sword forged from a special type of steel. The most common method used was the third, and to that end multiple styles of swordsmanship were developed. John and Mary Keller would be learning one of these styles under Sakonji Urokodaki, the Breath of Water or Water Breathing. "Mary," John opened the door to the room the three were sharing, "sensei says it's time to begin."
"Alright," she finished up the sentence she was writing and closed the book.
"You really think we'll need to document all of this," her husband asked good-naturedly.
"I think if all goes well, it'll be hard to look back and believe this all happened without a little bit of documentation," Mary smiled before looking at their still sleeping son, "while we were resting and finally had some time to think, I realized just how much we'd been through in only a few days. On top of all that, we're about to learn to wield swords. If nothing else, I want to remember how this all started." 'And to let Jonathan know what happened while he was sleeping,' she didn't add out loud.
"Hopefully you'll have the energy to write by the time we're done with training," John mused, "for now, let's get going." His wife nodded and stood up, bidding farewell to their son for the time being. Once outside, their training began in earnest. Urokodaki quickly explained to them that in order to be officially recognized as demon slayers, they'd need to pass a test known as Final Selection which is held at Mt. Fujikasane.
He also explained that he was a Cultivator or Trainer, one of a number of people who forged demon slayers through intensive training. Naturally, he'd be the one to determine whether or not they were ready for Final Selection. And as one might expect, each trainer had their own unique regimen. In this particular instance, Urokodaki had them begin by descending the mountain over and over again.
As before, the trail was littered with traps they had to avoid. Thankfully, they knew to expect them now and each time they descended the mountain trail it would get less exhausting, in a manner of speaking. Their sensei would add in and rearrange the traps every day, meaning they had to remain vigilant and never expect the same course twice. Then, there was training with the sword.
For John, it was like trying to use an overgrown tanto with its long blade and requirement of two hands to wield. For Mary, it was unfamiliar territory. She'd learned a little bit about swinging a stick or a piece of gardening equipment to defend herself if need be, but using an actual melee weapon was a new experience for her. They started with basic sword swings and Urokodaki had them perform said swings every time they finished descending the mountain.
Typically it would be one thousand sword swings, though if they did well he'd make them do more, at one point as many as five hundred more. Eventually he incorporated the sword into their exercise descending the mountain as they'd be carrying the weapon at all times as slayers. This threw another obstacle in their way as quickly descending the mountain became more difficult while trying to figure out an efficient way to carry the unfamiliar weight. Even with experience spotting traps, the couple still fell into a few due to misjudging how the sword affected movement.
Once Sakonji was certain the duo had grasped the basic movements of carrying and swinging a sword, he brought out rolled up tatami mats for them to practice cutting through. He was quick to warn them that katanas, while strong vertically, were weak along the side, meaning if they didn't apply force along the blade the sword would break. And while the Demon Slayer Corps had a budget for replacing broken swords, their sensei warned them that if they damaged theirs, he'd damage their bones. Naturally under such a threat, the couple took great care in making sure to use proper technique before even attempting a cut.
After that came fall training. It was here the two parents realized just how powerful the old Cultivator was. He demanded the two come at him with the intention of striking killing blows with their swords. Meanwhile, he fought them both off barehanded, flipping one parent or the other over his shoulder with seemingly little to no effort. The purpose of this training was to adjust themselves to land correctly or at least in a way to minimize injury and get back up quickly.
Naturally this meant the couple was beyond exhausted at the end of each day of training and pretty much went straight to bed after eating dinner. John even caught Mary nodding off a couple times when she was trying to write down the events of the day. Then the time came when Urokodaki introduced them to the technique which had allowed the Demon Slayer Corps to compete with the demons physically: Total Concentration Breathing. "In simple terms," he explained, "it is a specialized form of breathing that brings oxygen to every cell in your body, enhancing your body's natural healing ability along with providing more energy. With practice it will also greatly enhance your strength and speed, allowing you to operate at a level far beyond an ordinary human."
John and Mary were curious why such a useful technique wasn't more widely known, but that question was answered rather quickly when training began. Part of the requirement for doing it was keeping one's lower body braced and should Urokodaki spot them failing at this at any point he'd smack them in the stomach. Considering this was a learned technique, it meant they got smacked pretty regularly and he did not hold back much.
But even that wasn't a huge problem after a while. It wasn't until six months into their training when they finally hit a wall, or to be more precise, Mary hit a wall. "Wrong again," Urokodaki declared as the couple moved through one of the ten Water Breathing Forms, "you're too tense, Mary, and you're whipping the blade too stiffly."
"It would still make a cut!" She argued back with a clenched fist, "I'm not learning how to dance I'm learning how to fight!"
"Dancing and fighting are more related than you might think," Urokodaki held up a finger, "both require balance, proper movement, and an awareness of one's surroundings. Two of the best fighters in the Corps move about like dancers. Relax more and flow from one form into the next. Being fluid is the essence of Water Breathing."
"How can I relax," Mary went into another form while continuing to speak, "my son has been asleep for months now and no one, not even the doctor you brought in seem to know why. Every morning I wake up wondering if he's going to be dead and that everything we're doing right now will wind up being pointless!" She ended her sentence with a powerful swing that kicked up dust around her from the wind force it produced.
"Hmm," Urokodaki put a hand to his chin in thought for a moment, "if you find your son's presence distracting then I have a proposal."
"What is it," John stopped in mid form to ask.
"I believe I'll need to send Mary to another trainer," the masked man stated with his arms crossed.
"Another trainer?!" She stepped forward, "what about John?"
"John will remain here and continue to learn under me," Urokodaki indicated his other pupil, "since your temperament is being affected by seeing your son in his current state, it would be best that he and I watch over him for the time being."
"But if the problem is just me remaining calm then I promise I can-." She was cut off by the trainer raising his hand.
"There is another reason," he revealed, "I've come to believe that, despite its flexibility, the Breath of Water does not suit you. But a colleague of mine might be able to teach you her form. You should at least meet them and allow her to gauge your potential herself. If she believes you are incapable of using the form, then you can remain here and continue training under me."
"But if Mary's capable you plan on sending her away," John also stepped forward, "how does that make any sense?"
"It will not be a permanent separation," Urokodaki assured, "whether you two complete your training or not, you will eventually see each other again and I won't cut off contact, so you'll be able to send messages back and forth." Mary and John exchanged a look, wondering what they should do. It was true she wouldn't be able to see Jonathan for a while if this trainer believed she was capable, but Mary also couldn't deny the possibility that it would be detrimental for her to continue learning a style that didn't suit her. If there was one thing sensei had made clear it was that demons were strong and that the two of them needed to be as strong as possible if they were going to face such creatures.
"Do it," Mary sighed, "I'll meet the trainer at least."
"Mary," John put a hand on her shoulder, "are you sure about this?"
"Honestly I don't want to," she shook her head, "I don't want to leave Jonathan and be gone for who knows how long. But I can tell, these last several days, you've gotten better while I'm stuck in the same place I was. But if sensei is right, if I can get better using another style, then I've got to take this chance. Things aren't like before where I can sit around at home and wait for you to get back, I want to help and if that means I have to sacrifice a little time then that's what I've got to do."
"Even at her fastest she won't be here for a couple days," Urokodaki decided to add, "So during that time, work on the basics and continue improving in Total Concentration Breathing. Cherish what time you have left under the assumption that you will be accepted."
"Alright, if you're both sure about this," John nodded, "just know, Mary, I'll miss you while you're gone."
"Then we'll have to learn fast so we can meet up again as soon as possible," Mary smiled as the two leaned in and kissed each other passionately.
A Couple Days Later
It was when the two were in the middle of cutting tatami mats that she arrived. Much like Urokodaki, her footsteps were silent and the woman seemed to appear in a gust of wind next to him. "Hey, old man," she glanced at him from beneath the shade hat she was wearing, "you didn't mention the woman I'd be training was basically middle-aged." She had the same black uniform on as Giyu but unlike him it was sleeveless, revealing white coverings on her upper arms and she had a white haori with wind patterns hanging around her shoulders.
Beneath her hat was wild, black, windswept looking hair tied into a wolf's tail. An eyepatch covered her left eye but didn't completely hide the large scar on her face. "You say that like you're not already middle-aged yourself," Urokodaki remarked, "it won't be long before your pupils start calling you old."
"I don't have a single gray hair on my head, smart ass," the cultivator gave an annoyed smirk, "I've got another couple of decades at least before I need to worry about that."
"Then I have good news," the masked man indicated Mary, "as you can see, I've already instilled the basics in her, including Total Concentration Breathing. You might have to test her a little but you should be able to jump right into teaching her your form." A more neutral expression crossed the scarred woman's face. She watched as Mary cut through tatami mat after tatami mat, her moves sharp, fast, direct.
It was a contrast to her husband who moved in a more relaxed manner, smoothly following through from one slash to the other. "How long have you been training them," the female cultivator asked.
"Six months," Sakonji answered, "despite their age, they've kept up so far. It's possible Giyu's judgement was right about them."
"I'll be the judge of that," she grabbed the sheath of her sword and began walking forward. By this point, the two parents noticed her approach.
"Good morning," John and Mary stopped their sword swings and bowed, "I take it you're the cultivator here to evaluate Mary?"
"My name is Izumo Kaze," she spit out the reed she'd been chewing on, "and my time is valuable. So stand aside, water boy, and we'll get this over with quick." The two parents glanced at each other before Mary nodded and John moved to stand over by Urokodaki.
"So, what do you want me to do," Mary asked, "Do I need to run a course or something?"
"What you have to do is simple," Izumo drew her sword as a wicked grin spread across her face, "don't die." She raised her blade then. "Breath of Wind Second Form: Claws Purifying Wind!" Her weapon was a blur as four slashes were unleashed all at once. Mary instinctively jumped to the side to avoid the attack as the ground where she'd just been was torn up as if a beast had raked its claws across the ground. "Breath of Wind Seventh Form: Gale!"
Izumo leapt into the air and sent several more slashes from her blade down at Mary. The trainee ran, dodged and rolled out of the way of the strikes. As she came back up on one knee, the Breath of Wind user was right above her, bringing her blade down on her head. Mary knew she didn't have time to dodge and swung her sword upwards.
The sound of steel clashing against steel rang out in the woods as a gust of wind was released from the force of the two blades impacting. Izumo's gaze bared down on Mary who glared back defiantly, pushing with all her might against the cultivator. Then suddenly, Kaze smiled. "Alright," she removed her blade, allowing a confused Mary to stand back up, "I suppose Giyu wasn't totally off with the two of you."
"What does that mean," Mary asked while taking a calming breath. She'd grown quite good at recovering via breathing for obvious reasons.
"It means you really do have some potential," Izumo explained, "I held back on my blows but being able to move like that and even block a strike of that level after only six months is more impressive than you think. So congratulations, Little Breeze, you're going to be my new pupil." Mary would come to learn then that while Trainers had different regimes there was one thing they all had in common: pain.
Introducing Wind Cultivator Izumo Kaze! That's right, the wind has come and will soon accompany the waves. At the current rate that could be next chapter, but in the meantime let me know in your comments and reviews what you liked/disliked, if you think my pacing is a little fast, or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters! For updates on this and other stories along with a few other tidbits check out my Pat reon! Last thing, stop in next time as the couple attempts to complete their training with one final test! 'Til then.