Under the Cherry Tree

Chapter 1: The Cruel Teacher and her Students

You sat there in shock, wondering why this woman would want to train you. After all, you were just a random girl she had saved.

"Why?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

The woman, whose name you still didn't know, looked away from you, her gaze fixed on the cherry blossoms drifting down from the tree. She reached out a hand and snagged one of the petals.

"Y/n, I sense potential in you," she said quietly.

You flinched at the sound of your name, not expecting her to know it. "How do you know my name?" you asked, fear creeping into your voice.

The woman fixed you with an unamused stare before replying. "You're as confused as they were when I first met them, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that I tell you my name. I'm Sakura."

You stood there, stunned. "You mean the village protector from twenty years ago?" Sakura was famous in the village. You had seen kids looking up to her, but you had never believed that demons or monsters really existed.

Before you knew it, exhaustion overtook you and you passed out.

--Timeskip/3rd Person--

Four figures stood around the exhausted girl who was lying on a futon, her breaths shallow and ragged, "Will she be okay?" Yuri asked, fidgeting with a strand of her purple hair that had fallen in front of her face.

Sakura, the master of the group, placed a gentle hand on the girl's forehead and looked at the others reassuringly. "She passed out from exhaustion, but she'll wake up soon."

Haruka, the black-haired girl with piercing red eyes, sneered in a snarky tone. "Are you really going to teach her the Sakura breathing techniques? She looks weak."

Sora, the girl with her silver hair tied in an intricate bun, smacked Haruka on the back of her head. "Haruka, be quiet!" she hissed. "We didn't think you were weak when you first came here."

Haruka rubbed the back of her head and growled in retaliation. "Shut up, Sora! Just because you were the first student of sensei doesn't mean you're stronger than the rest of us!"

Feeling irritated with the girls' bickering, Sakura gave them both a fierce glare. "Stay quiet, you two," she commanded sternly. "Let's give Y/n some space to rest. Talking and screaming will only disturb her. Let her body bloom on its own time."

Ashamed at their behavior, Haruka and Sora both bowed deeply to their master. "Sorry, master," they apologized in unison, their faces flushing with embarrassment.

--Timeskip/3rd Person--

The girl with h/c hair slowly fluttered her expressive e/c eyes open, but her vision remained blurry. She sat up and rubbed her eyes to make her vision clearer. Y/n realized that she was in an unfamiliar room. She removed the blanket and saw that her legs, which used to have scratches, were now bandaged. She slid off her kimono to assess the extent of her injuries and discovered that her stomach was covered in bandages as well.

Through the small window, Y/n saw that she was on a mountain based on the view. She immediately got up, despite her sore and aching body. Y/n carefully opened the door, trying to avoid alarming her kidnappers.

Y/n gingerly stepped on the wooden floor, and with every step, the floorboards emitted small creaking noises. Her senses felt heightened and disoriented as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.

Suddenly, she heard a voice that startled her. "Ah! You're awake."

Y/n quickly turned around to see a girl standing behind her who looked about her age. The girl had short purple hair and purple eyes, looking at her intently. Y/n tried to speak, but her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.