Training

Weeks later, we ascended to a mountain. My ability is to observe properly and try to predict what will going to happen without master saying it for me. I looked closely behind the trees and the ground. I finally realized, there were traps. The land seemed different and the trees became less. Not all the details I knew but some sort of training for stunts and styles and to support the breathing control.

This is a very risky exercise but I will gladly take the challenge. I don't care if I'm having bruises again as long as I can memorize these techniques then I'll be fine. I also noticed, I somehow figured out that the air is thin when ascending further to the mountain. I breathed heavily before we climbed up the mountain but since I still haven't mastered it well, my breathing became unstable for a moment as I was breathing heavily when Yasashi stopped walking.

"The first training is to know your movements and try to avoid any danger coming to your way. Try to descend the mountain, I'll wait until you come back then we'll proceed to the next level." He said and held my shoulder. I looked at him and saw his eyes with a lot of hope.

"Try to anticipate and dodge every traps I prepared for you. I will be watching you since you're still young. I'm not underestimating you but this is for your own safety. If any young children gets injuries, they wouldn't be able to endure it all because of their weak body. But I think that you seem to have suffered enough and had a little trauma about tour past and I don't want to see you injured once again so I'll be around. Good luck, young man." With that he disappeared, but I can see him standing on a tree branch which was far away.

He's incredibly fast despite being a normal human being, I am underestimating him and it made me idolise him.

I breathed heavily and proceeded descending the mountain. As I predicted, large logs rolled from both side of the road and covered my way. I leaped through each of them and landed to a space between them. My breathing became heavy as I accidentally fell on a pit. It wasn't deep so I climbed out the hole and proceeded again. I see the rolling logs once again and leaped through as fast as I can since they rolled pretty fast.

I landed on a rolling log and fell to the ground. I quickly got up as other objects was thrown at my way. I looked closely at their direction which they will be hitting and found some gaps at avoiding them. Though I was hit a couple of times but it only made small bruise, it wasn't painful. I continued to run and faced the same traps over and over again.

After quite sometime, I finally made to the bottom of the mountain and panted breathing for air. Master Yasashi patted my head as a sign of accomplishment.

"I'm quite surprised that you were able to avoid some difficult traps that I planted. Good job. Now, take some rest and later on, I will teach you a technique that I currently use. But for now, rest your body and predict more." Master said as I nodded. I will try to keep my guard. From now on as well, I will constantly ascending the mountain on my own and try to perfectly avoid the traps so that I can improve my abilities.

After quite some time, I finally recovered and started to breathe normally. I also knew that running can increase my stamina and having great amount of stamina helps people in facing physical problems, like the demon slayers. Stamina is needed by the demon slayers in order to kill demons easily.

I approached master Yasashi as he nodded. We went to a spacious place on top of a mountain. It was quite weird that no one named these mountains yet.

We went in the center of the place.

"This is where I was trained breathing. In combat, breathing properly is required because it increases the rate of energy in your body. Proper breathing mostly helps fighters in order to move their body constantly without any interruptions."

"Now, what I'm going to train you, is a breathing technique that mostly demon slayers commonly use. It is also known as breath styles to produce powerful forms to kill demons in terms of hardships. The common breathing technique is the full focus breathing or total concentration. It is the ability to inhale maximum amount of oxygen through various breathing patterns to increase their stamina and strength. It is to fully reach every individual's limits."

I listened quietly trying to understand every statement. Since I am not properly educated, I might not fully understand every detail. I already knew proper breathing, but I don't know about full focus breathing. But since it will help during battles then I must train for it.

"Since I'm going to teach you my breathing style, I want you to breathe heavily and feel a shocking wave of energy to your body. Since I observed that you run very fast despite of your leg injuries, you can easily transport enough energy to your legs. This breathing style is the Breath of Thunder or Breath of Lightning. This breath style mainly focuses on your legs since you'll move incredibly fast while activating all various forms. This breath only has a total of 6 forms but all of them were incredibly powerful. If you manage to drive enough amount of energy to your legs, then I will proceed in teaching you all the forms."

I nodded. What I didn't understand is, why do we exactly need to use breath styles? I think it is to advance our attacks in defeating various demons to fully knock them out of the world. Are demons really that powerful that demon slayers have to be skillful to defeat them? If that's the case then I'll work hard. I will increase my determination.

"Oh yes, one thing. Breath of Thunder or Breath of Lightning is one of the strongest breath styles derived from the original breath which is the Breath of the Sun. Though it mainly focuses on the user's legs, but its speed supports the user to increase their force that will enable them to quickly cut the demon's neck in a short period of time. You see, the demon's weak point is its neck. But some demons do not usually serve their neck as their weak point but other parts, it is. You need to figure it out to pinpoint their weakest spot and you might encounter them in the future. But for now, let's focus on your breathing style." Master Yasashi said once again.

Being a demon slayer is actually risky and difficult since you have to make decisions very quickly. Not just that, you have to learn every forms of breath styles and master them to fully advantage any circumstances. Sometimes, you have to risk your life for the sake of all people, especially for the weak. Oh how I wish I could learn this breath style very quick so that I could train myself even more.

I learned something while I was breathing. In containing energy for this breath style, I need to gain bioenergy. Which requires a lot of concentration and time before it gets produced. It helps the user to maintain stamina and support its growth.

What concerned me the most was that, if having too much bioenergy will that make me stronger? Or maybe make me weaker? Since it takes a lot of time then I'll have to figure it out.

Everyday, I would always run to Mt. Takameru — which I named it myself — it is the mountain that master planted a lot of traps. Then I would start creating bioenergy but I failed.

2 months later, I started to memorize every direction the traps were targeting just by looking at it. My sense of sight improved a lot for the past weeks. I also maintained my breathing as master Yasashi trained me every forms of Thunder Breathing.

"I will now explain the 6 forms or styles of Thunder Breathing." Yasashi said.

"First Style: Thunder Clap and Flash, the user dashes forward and slashes at their opponent with incredible speed. It also has God Speed, which further augments the speed of Thunderclap and Flash."

"Second Style: Lightning Ball, the swordsman is able to generate five straight attacks around the user in a single moment."

"Third Style: Buzzing Mosquito Thunder, generates a spinning wave of lightning in all directions."

"Fourth Style: Distant Thunder, the user releases multiple ranged strikes towards a target."

"Fifth Style: Heat Lightning, it is a single, focused, slashing attack."

"Lastly, Sixth Style: Electric Lightning Shower, it is a series of strong ranged attacks released around the user."

After 5 months of training, master Yasashi declared that he has no more to teach me. I was confused, then he challenged me to have a duel with him. Me having his sword while he is unarmed.

"If you're able to defeat me, then I will allow you to enter the final selection." Master Yasashi said and ready a stance.

"What is the-?" I asked but he cut me off.

"The final selection is an event where individuals are left to fend off Demons for seven nights. Most participants were young children, if you're able to defeat me, you will be the first participant being the youngest. The event will be held at Fujikasane Mountain were demons held captive by demon slayers. I am overwhelmed to spoil you a little because I want you to prepare something. I know you have the potential, and I believe you could do more." He said.

He started attacking me. I didn't even breathe properly and I'm still mastering my own focus breathing. But his attacks are incredibly fast. Months ago, I learned that he used to be a Soryu contender which was actually surprising. It made advantage with his speed as well so it was quite hard to dodge most of his repetitive attacks. Even though I used my sight carefully, I couldn't anticipate nor predict his movements.

"This is the first time I became a master and as long as I live, I will continue in fulfilling my dreams. Someday, when I'll be gone, I would like to entrust my dream to you. My dream is to become a strong demon slayer and avenge people from the demons. The day since my father died of illness and the day since mother took suicide from losing father, my life became miserable. I have also suffered, but I don't want to stop dreaming just because of that. Now that I've become a demon slayer, the only thing I could do is to avenge and help people. No matter what if that cost my life." 

The moment he finished, he already sent me flying backwards. That was embarrassing. I didn't even land a single attack at him yet he defeated me. He offered me a hand as I accepted it.

"You still haven't mastered the techniques yet. I will wait for you until you are ready. For now, I have a mission in South. Until then, I hope you could improve more. Also, try to surpass my ability. I'm quite aged so I don't think I can keep up anymore. But I believe in you, young Tsuyoi." He said and smiled.

We walked down to the town. I kept thinking on how I will manage to defeat him in order to enter the final selection. 

Every night, I would come out of the house to train, despite the dark area and feeling demons everywhere. Actually, I would wield with two swords, but I am more comfortable with only a sword since I am right handed. But I will try to wield with my left hand so that I could be more powerful. What I thought everytime is to keep being powerful and become more stronger.

After a few months, I was ready to face master. Now, he's wielding with his nichirin sword. I am wielding his spare one. I breathed heavily before master can even react faster than me. I properly used my sight and predicted his movements. After quite a while, I was exhausted. He was incredibly strong and fast. How do I really defeat him?

"Continue fighting, until a line of interval will be visible. It signifies an opening which connects your sword."

That was what master told me months ago. I didn't understand. But this moment, I started to get its meaning. It meant that when there is an available opening, a line of interval will show with the eyes and at that very moment, it is when you struck your sword with it.

I did as I remembered, I found an opening at master's shoulder. I looked carefully, it had a coin which was tied around his armpit. Then, that must be his weakpoint.

Master had a hard time wielding his sword with bruises on his shoulders, that's why demons can easily knock him back targeting his shoulders. That's why, he tried to hint me his weakpoint by hiding a coin above it.

I dodged his final attack as I hit the coin on his right shoulder. He stopped, I stopped as well. I looked at him as I saw him smile genuinely, with sadness in it. He hugged me warmly as I hugged him back. I cried the tears of joy and pulled off the hug. 

He now said that... I did it. I finally did it!