Ch 6: Two Years

Early next morning, Sakonji woke up, as usual, went for a series of stretching. This was his usual morning routine to maintain his physical health. After, he went out of the room and headed for the living room.

He had instructed his students last night to gather early in the living room so that they could start the practice as timely as possible. A figure suddenly flashed his mind and he could not help but sigh.

'I should talk to him after.'

Sakonji had long been aware of the problem of one his student, Giyu. He had been waiting for the boy to find his resolve but it seemed that did not work. When his new student arrived, especially one with overwhelming talent, the problem had even escalated. Even though he was silent, he knew what Giyu was feeling right now.

And if this keeps up, the boy would never grow up.

Entering the living room, his brows knitted. Aside from Nakashima and Sabito, Giyu, his second student, could not be seen. Is he still asleep?

"Where's Giyu"

He asked, slightly calming his emotions. Still, he could not suppress his disappointment. Was the setback that worse for him to give up? If so, the boy wasn't fit to be a demon slayer.

But he did not expect the answer to surprise him. He could not help not to ask again, "Could you repeat?"

"In the field. Training." Nakashima expected the reaction.

He too had the same emotions when he arrived here. He had woken up even before the sun rose and Giyu was already in the field swinging his sword. He doubted if he was this hard-working or his advice last night just transformed him whole. When Sabito had arrived, however, he found that it was indeed due to him.

According to Sabito, Giyu was not this early when it comes to practice. Only today.

"That's a surprise." Sakonji tried to conceal his shock but his expression says it all. Although he was unsure what brought this sudden turn of events, Sakonji knew that it was for the better. At the very least, he could now see Giyu had thoroughly woken up from his previous state.

"Break time."

Sakonji's words were like light to his hellish day. Nakashima instantly collapsed to the ground, forehead dripping with sweat. He was tired as a dead dog after suffering a period of continuous training. He swore this was even harsher compared to the drills in his previous life.

Well, it could not be helped. Sakonji had told him to train his breath. The instruction was a great aid, at the same time, flustered him. He had completely forgotten that to a certain extent breathing methods have something to do with how a demon slayer breathes. Fortunately, Sakonji had reminded him. If not, he would have a bottleneck on the water breathing manual.

But breathing in the gourd for consecutive hours... he was completely dehydrated!

He turned his head to his side and took the bottle of water. After drinking it, he scanned his surroundings. Then his eyes widened.

"Amazing."

A boy could be seen under the scorching sun, swinging his sword, back drenched entirely with sweat. Yet his eyes were firm and resolute, even tumbling once won't defeat him, as if the temperature was not bothering him!

Nakashima breathed a relief. It seemed his words yesterday weren't wasted. The kid now appeared to have found himself and no longer bother with inferiority. That was a good thing, fortunately.

"Thank you."

A soft voice sounded beside him. He turned, only to see a boy standing next to him.

"...Pardon?"

He wondered what helped he did towards Sabito. His only conversation with him was during the duel. And in the living room, too.

"You helped him. So, thank you."

"Giyu?"

"Yes." Sabito sat beside him. "Master told me you're very mature compared to your peers. I thought he was praising you. It seemed he wasn't."

"That's...overcompliment." Nakashima laughed awkwardly.

"Don't be too modest, Nakashima-kun. Your words impacted him, that's the thing."

"It was him that found resolution on my words. It has nothing to do with me."

Earlier in the living room, he had told Sabito about the conversation last night. Probably, the boy had taken him as the person who had brought Giyu's changes, which was to him, in his opinion, was untrue. True that he contributed a portion of it, but not whole.

Sabito looked at Giyu who was in the center. "He had been downtrodden and discouraged for a long time which I had no idea why. I don't know how to consult a person, so I can only helplessly let it be. Thankfully, you came."

At the end of his sentence, there was a sigh. Nakashima took that sigh as a relief. He nodded, also sighing a relief. Giyu was one of the characters he was very fond of, so he shared a similar sentiment with Sabito.

"But in any way, that's a good thing."

Nakashima stood up and pat the dust on his lap.

"Indeed."

As Sabito also stood up, he suddenly had a thought. "I'm very curious, Nakashima-kun. What makes you determined to be a demon slayer?"

Why do I want to be a demon slayer?

Nakashima looked at Sabito, inadvertently, splitting images of his death flashed into his mind. As he looked at Giyu, too, the scenes of his suffering came pouring in.

I want to save you guys. No. I want to fulfill my selfish desires. That is a better term, I guess so?

Nakashima knew that he did not want to be that demon slayer who saved innocent people. He did not consider himself a saint or a hero. If he did so, he wouldn't agree to be dispatched into a foreign country to kill people in his previous life. But he understood that all of this bitter training, the reason to be a demon slayer, was to fulfill his selfish desires; prevent the tragedies of the characters that he felt pity for. People had desires, be it selfless or selfish. Nakashima too had it.

"To prevent tragedies."

Nakashima's ambiguous answer surprised Sabito.

"I see."

He muttered in understanding. But what Sabito did not know was that Nakashima did not mean tragedies of civilians but rather some selected people...

"Break over!"

Sakonji's voice rang once more. Sabito excuse himself and went to the center of the field. Nakashima took a deep breath and composed himself. Then he clasped the gourd bottle and continued breathing on it.

Autumn and Spring went one after another. As days passed, Sakonji's students kept practicing; honing the sword, increasing their breathing, and improving their combat skills.

Inadvertently, two years had passed.

The stars twinkle in the darkness of the night. At this moment, a candle brightly illuminated a small room. The light reflected two shadows sitting on a mat.

Nakashima took a deep breath as he stared at Sakonji. He clenched his fist, feeling quite nervous. Will master agree with my request?

He had no idea, but trying did not hurt.

Sakonji was puzzled as to what his third student wanted to be so urgent to tell him in the middle of the night. He cannot help but be curious.

"What's the matter?"

"Master, the day of the visit to the <> mountain is tomorrow, isn't it?"

Few weeks ago, Sakonji had told him that he would be visiting the <> mountain which also where the young Shinobu lived. Naturally, he could not miss this chance.

"Yes, if nothing happens." He gazed at him, "Do you have something to say?"

Nakashima did not beat around the bush as he said, "I want to tag along."

Sakonji was silent. A short while, he asked, "Reason?"

"To meet other demon slayers."

Nakashima had already expected the question so he had prepared a reason.

He pondered. His third student had not encountered some demon slayers other than them so it was not a bad idea to bring him along. Let it be considered as an experience for the boy. Eventually, he would meet them, anyway.

"Alright."

Sakonji agreed after some thought. "Prepare for tomorrow, then."

Nakashima celebrated inwardly. Since his master had already agreed, he did not need to worry about this problem anymore. He immediately stood up, bowed, and departed.