Tale of the Last Demon Slayer

Chapter 18

HATORI’S POINT OF VIEW

I followed Ushio-san outside of the house. He went to the backyard and started to walk towards the forest behind his house. Akuma is did not com along since he doesn’t need to train with me. I wonder what we going to do outside if Ushio-san has a training facility inside of his house. It’s already night time and the cricket are starting to make noises. I did not ask him any question even though I’m curious but instead follow his towards the top off the mountain. We reach the peak of the mountain where in there is one huge tree with markings of beads and rope around the bark. Ushio-san pull out a dagger and hand it to me. I stared at the dagger for a second and I shifted my gaze to Ushio-san. The blade reflects the light of the moon.

“You need to carve you’re name here.” He said. I nodded but when I was about to get the dagger from him he suddenly tossed it and spin at the highest branch of the tree. “If you get that on one single jump.”

“Whaaattt?!” I said in the very surprised state I could. My eyes is bigger than my head and my jaw dropped when I heard him say that.

“You need to control your breathing and energy.” He disappeared for a moment and a strong wind bush through my body upwards and when I looked up he’s already standing the handle of the dagger!! What the hell?! “This is the very first step you need to accomplish before I teach you everything, Hatori. If you can do this before dawn I will acknowledge you as my student.” He said and jumped beside me. Just how the hell did he do tat? I can’t even jump as high as my height and now he’s telling to jump ten times my height.

I gulped as he stared at me. My knees started to tremble once again. I remember how fast Soma-niisan yesterday, he’s moves are unpredictable and he is faster than a normal human even faster than a demon. I know, I a the one who insisted to learn on how to be a demon slayer and now I don’t the right to question Ushio-san’s way of teaching and I am not in the right position to complaint. He is helping and I need to receive all the help in order to become a demon slayer.

“I understand, Ushio sensei.” I said and bowed.

“Remember this, Hatori. If you can’t overcome your own fear you will not become fearless, If you will not set aside your doubts you will never trust your self and if you will think of revenge, you will not succeed.” He put his both hands on my shoulders. “Hatori, why are you dong this? Is it because you want revenge for your family?” that’s the last thing he said before he turn around and left me in the middle of the night, the top of the mountain and alone in a clueless situation.

I can’t even imagine how to start. How can I possibly jump at this high? Do I need to find it out my self? Damn it! The tree is slippery ad it’s size is really unusual. I can’t even climb it hug it with my both arms. I walked around the tree and starting to where I’m standing towards the right side. There’s few names carved into the tree in Japanese characters, all the names carved in here might be the names of his students. I was able to see Soma-niisan’s name on it and the year he carved it. When I almost reach the exact same place I was standing earlier I heard an unusual noise around me. I immediately hold on to the ropes around the tree and I accidentally touch the beads. The ropes are bigger than the normal ropes and the beads around it are starting make a noise. I tried to pull one rope but I immediately smelled danger around the place. It’s not a smell of danger but metals and sharp edge woods. I can’t see it but I know the figure of a certain object by its smell.

I run towards the back of the tree because something is coming in my current direction and if I wasn’t able to hide behind the tree i might have been stab by the wooden sphere from above. I’m in the west side of the tree and the sphere fall in to the east. I even heard the loud sound of it when it reach the hard surface of the tree. I sighed in relief because I was able to avoid the sphere. I leaned on the tree and wiped my sweat when suddenly a bunch of knife are coming to my direction. I gasped and rolled over the grass to avoid it but I think I am really unlucky. Unfortunately I rolled down the hill and continuously falling towards the cliff of the mountain. I can’t think of anything but I tried to grab on anything around my me even if I can’t see my surrounding because of the bushes and leaves that blocks my sight. It’s too dark to see the way but all I can sense is the cliff that is getting closer. I took a deep breath and I tried to calm myself as possible as I can.

“Calm down, Hatori.” I whispered to myself and repeatedly taking deep breaths. I can smell a rope underneath the soil and I am getting close to it, it’s connected to the huge tree and it will save me somehow. I remove the bushes and leaves in front of and the leaves which stick to my face. I was able see some moonlight but my keen sense of smell saved me. I can see the soil and I’m almost on the reach so I tried to dive downwards the hill instead. I almost reach it when my coat was stuck on to something. When I looked back I saw my coat stocked on a roots of a small tree. I sighed in relief again, at least It stopped me from falling down. I tried pulling it as slow as I can and as careful as possible so I will not fall nin again but unfortunately the root snapped and I lost my balance. My other foot sipped in the muddy soil and my body slammed on to the ground. I started to slide downwards but thankfully that my foot that slips was tangled in the rope I was aiming a while ago.

“I am now upside-down! Great! Damn it!” I shouted. The birds around the area flew away when I shouted. I am one unfortunate kid, I can say.