Redemption: Giyushino Story

Awkward Tension

(11,500+ word chapter)

Giyuu POV:

"298...."

"299..."

"300..." I count as I finish my sword swing.

I am currently practicing swinging the sword with my right arm as it has fully healed from being broken. From the practices so far, I need to build up the muscle in my arm again as the size of my right arm was half the size of my left arm, but that makes sense since I haven't done any remote activity with my arm.

My legs have returned to top condition. It hasn't felt this free since before my fight with Akaza. There was a stingy pain or some chronic pain in my leg, after the fight even though it was "recovered". But I am finally able to tell my body is fully starting to heal. The process could have gone smoother if I rested more during early recovery, but the timing of my injuries made that an impossibility.

I jump up and grab a branch of one of the nearby trees with my right arm as I hang off it. I slowly start to do one-handed pulls up with my right arm, moving my face up and down the branch. There's still some slight pain if I put excessive force onto the arm, but it's no longer broken anymore and that's all that matters.

"15...16...17..." I count as I continue to do more pull-ups.

I've returned to Urokodaki's place to continue my recovery from my injuries and return to the form I was in prior. This was the place Afterall where I did my intensive training for two years that made me strong enough to give myself a chance against these upper moons.

Based on my performance against upper moon six, I felt a lot less powerful than before. Granted, I was injured, but in that battle, only my arm remained injured. My leg had recovered, yet my movements were sloppy, and I wasn't as agile as I was during my fight with Akaza. It was partly due to the fact I just healed my leg.

I need to find that form again, the form I held against my fight with Akaza, I have to get back to it and continue to push my limits and I can't do that until I fully recover myself. The only way I can get back to my form is through the intensive training I've done here. I couldn't recover the way I liked back at the Butterfly mansion because Kocho believes it's important to take recovery slowly.

It's a valid point, but given my circumstances, I can't afford a slow recovery. I need to get back to form as quickly as possible so I can continue my upward protectory in strength.

Speaking of Kocho... it's been a week since the last time I talked with her. It was back at the festival Uzui-san set up. I had only planned to use the festival to convince Kocho to change her plans, but I ended up confessing during the intense moment. I felt my face slowly get red thinking about the moment, but I shrug it off.

I never got an answer back for my confession, which was fine. I did tell her not to answer my confession, and that she should go look after her sister first. I'm okay with my one-sided confession, as long as it worked to keep Kocho alive that's all that matters.

Her smile at the end of that festival was beautiful. The prettiest smile I've seen since my sister. I couldn't help but be drawn in by her Aura. Kocho when she's at her happiest is always I sight I've loved to see. Something about her real expressions and attitude, I'm just drawn into.

I can't deny my feelings for Kocho. I do like her, I've known this for a long time now, years in fact. Despite that, I still can't get used to the thumping of my heart when I think about this topic. It's a feeling I only feel whenever I'm around Kocho.