{THE EMPTINESS YOU LEFT} Tengen Uzui x Fem!Reader

20. Смрт

UZUI'S P.O.V.

Suma runs towards Hinatsuru and me with Y/N by her side, dragging behind with a blank expression on her face.

"Shit, what did I tell you, Hina? She's a liability," I whisper before stepping forward. "What's going on?!"

"We saw a demon," Suma tells me, a bit out of breath. I look over at Y/N who refuses to meet my gaze and instead glares down at the ground as if she's silently cursing it. Suma then nudges Y/N in the arm and I look her over to make sure she's not hurt. Thankfully, she isn't.

"Yeah, and?" Hinatsuru replies as I try to get a reading off Y/N's face.

"Y/N did... nothing," Suma gulps. Hinatsuru and I are both taken aback by this statement. I knew she wasn't ready for this and knew it was a possibility to happen, but I am surprised to know she really did freeze in front of a demon.

"What?" I say, trying to stay calm.

"The demon was coming straight at her," Suma says nervously, afraid of getting Y/N in trouble. "She- she didn't do anything at all. She didn't fight."

Still, Y/N doesn't say anything. Hinatsuru rushes to Y/N's side and puts her hands on Y/N's face. She attempts to force Y/N's gaze to meet hers, but she still looks off into the distance. However, now we can see her red eyes are filled with water.

"Are you okay?" Hinatsuru whispers softly to Y/N.

"Yeah," she finally replies as she pulls out of Hinatsuru's grasp. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for not helping, Suma."

"It's okay, Y/N," Hinatsuru tries to say empathetically. "Everyone reacts differently to seeing a demon. Have you seen a demon since Master Tengen started training you?"

Y/N shakes her head and I can nearly feel the rage burning through Hinatsuru's veins.

"Well, it's okay, Y/N. You'll be okay," Hinatsuru tries to encourage her, and I watch the way she clings onto Hinatsuru's words as if they were a lifeline.

"Lord Tengen," Hinatsuru then grumbles as she turns around to face me. "How is she supposed to know what to do in the face of a demon if you don't show her a real one? She's been training for months, and you haven't once exposed her to an actual demon?"

"She hasn't been ready," I defend myself. "She's barely able to handle my techniques."

"I see," Hinatsuru replies. "Then we'll just have to do it like this from now on. Y/N, when we come across another demon, you are to attack immediately. No hesitation."

Y/N's head perks up at this, and she finally meets Hinatsuru's gaze.

"I disagree," I shake my head. "I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe we should take her home."

"What's a good idea?" I hear Makio's voice call out. She's approaching us from right behind Y/N and I hadn't noticed her making her way over until just now.

"We're going to take Y/N into a real battle. With demons," Suma tells her.

"That's a good idea! I'll join in on the action," Makio smiles. "She needs the practice!"

Y/N ignores them and flashes me a look. She can instantly tell I'm still not on board and takes a step away from the girls. "I don't want to go home," she addresses me. "I have to try again."

"Not today," I shake my head.

"But Lord Tengen-" Hinatsuru says before he cuts her off.

"That's enough. I don't have time for your insubordination," I snap at them, causing Y/N's eyes to widen.

After that, the four of us begin to walk back in silence. The four women follow behind me, refusing to stand at my side. As we leave the village, I can hear them whisper comforting words to Y/N, but my mind is too busy racing to listen in on what they're saying. I can't stop thinking about what happened. Was it a mistake to accept Y/N as my student? She's not ready. But, the last thing I want is for her to get killed. I just wish she wasn't so...

I sigh and try my best to shake the thoughts out of my head, but it seems rather impossible. However, thankfully Makio eventually comes up on my side after awhile. "You know," she hums, and I can already see where this is going. "Y/N stood her ground back there. She only froze because she didn't know what to do."

I scoff. If that was some kind of dig on my teaching style, Makio really needs to rethink her words. "She doesn't know what to do because she hasn't been training properly," I grumble.

"You should have told her what to do," she says, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "She needs to get used to being in combat situations."

"I shouldn't have to," I shake my head. "She should apply what I've taught her. I already told you, she isn't training properly."

Makio rolls her eyes. "That's not true, she's constantly fighting and she has the resolve. She was doing well. She just froze when the demon showed up. If she would have attacked, she would have been fine."

I don't know what to tell her. I don't want to argue with her, but "This is going to become a big problem for us."

"You're damn right," she scoffs. "If Y/N freezes up again, then she could be killed. So we have no other choice," Makio continues. "Y/N needs to be trained more so she can get used to it. In combat situations, Master Tengen."

"Makio-"

"I mean it," she growls. "If Y/N freezes like that again, there might not be anyone around to save her."

"What about me?" I say defensively.

"Do you think you'll be able to save her every time? You weren't even around this time. If Suma and I hadn't been there, she would have been dead."

"So, you want me to expose her to the demons again," I state. "Is that it? Even though she could freeze up?"

"Yes," she nods her head. "As long as she has someone with her."

I shake my head. Why can't Y/N just wish to not fight demons? Why can't she just stay where she's safe and allow me to get her brother and bring him back? I could do it in the blink of an eye, but instead, she has to insist on training and fighting the demons herself.

"We'll figure it out, okay?" Makio places a hand on my shoulder, causing me to relax.

"I don't think this is a good idea," I shake my head. "But, if you think that's what Y/N needs to survive, then fine. But, I'm going to be there with her every step of the way, got it?"

"Yeah," Makio sighs. "That's kind of the point."