A Double Edged Sword (Discontinued)

Chapter VI

After months of training with Urokodaki, Tanjiro and I have improved our senses greatly. We even learned how to wield swords and water breathing.

Then came the day when Urokodaki came to talk with us.

"To become an official Demon Slayer, you have to pass the Final Selection. Before you can go, you both have a boulder you have to cut through," Urokodaki tells us as he shows us two gigantic boulders in the middle of an opening. "Now, I have nothing left to teach you. You have to cut the boulder in half on your own," he says leaving us in the clearing.

Tanjiro and I both go to our borders and try to cut it in half how Urokodaki taught us. The vibrations rattle through my body making my arms sore. I hear a clank and look over towards Tanjiro. He's on his knees, sword beside him. I rush over to him seeing that he's okay but there's not even a chip in the rock. I go back over to my rock and see that there's not even a chip in my rock. We go back to trying to slice the rock in half with no success, but we keep trying.

•••

After six months with no luck, we start to give up. As we're starting to give a kid with a fox mask appear.

"Don't give up," the boy with pink hair says. "Let's fight."

Even though it's two against one, Tanjiro and I are at a disadvantage. The boy in the fox mask also has a wooden sword while we have real swords.

"You forgot your lessons," the boy scolds. "You need to work harder," was all he said before he knocked us out.

•••

When we awake there's a girl with a fox mask and the boy's gone.

"Oh! You're awake. I'm Makomo and the one you just fought was Sabito. Let's hone your skills," the girl with the fox mask says.

Mako teaches us Total Concentration Breathing, explaining to us that it increases the wielder's physical strength.

"Sabito and I have been watching you for a while now," Makomo says to us. "We're orphans raised by Urokodaki."

"Oh, that makes sense," I say.

"Then how come this is the first time seeing you guys?" Tanjiro asks.

"We don't live here. That's why."

•••

After months of training and occasional fights with Sabito, a day came when Sabito challenged us with a real sword. When we start, I use Total Concentration Breathing and spot the opening thread. I charge and slice his mask in half, showing a soft, kind face, and then he disappears. In his place is the boulder cut in half. I hadn't even realized I'd sliced through it. When I look back over to Tanjiro, I see he's also sliced his boulder in half.

A special thanks to:
ShiroKagura60 and GachaMayUwu

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