Chapter 22: New sensei
[Seiji's POV]
Jigoro Kuwajima.
I totally read that off his haori because there was no way I could've remembered the name of such a vague side character for that long.
"Young man!" Jigoro called out while dodging the attacks of the demon who had somehow turned his arms into long blades.
Was that his blood demon art? Turning parts of his body into blades?
I observed the demon's biology carefully and concluded that he was not a threat. He could turn his body into steel blades which required his blood gathering in parts he wanted blades - so he should not be able to turn any part of his body into a blade much less simultaneously.
But the thing that put him into the harmless category was his simplicity.
You don't want to be simple when facing me.
I took out my sword from my back and with a crack of my neck, I blitzed towards the demon. The enemy immediately took a step back as his instinct screamed at him.
He pulled up his arms which were blades and shielded himself. But I had seen such a reply coming from miles away.
I cut at the exact spot in his arm where steel connected flesh. My blade cleaved through his arm and then his neck. The enemy had no time to react.
My action was resolute and it said...
Disappear.
And so the demon's head hit the ground along with both his arms-turned-blades. By the time I sheathed my sword, his body had disintegrated to disappear from the face of the earth.
One less demon in the world was a step towards a perfect world.
Fuck them.
"Ohhh.. you are quite the swordsman young man!!" Jigoro said, "I totally misjudged you, hahahaha."
"The same goes for you, old man. You might be tiny but you sure can fight." I commented plainly which made the small jab I made more effective. He visibly reeled back.
He might be small but the old man could really fight. Even if I had not intervened, he would've slayed the demon one way or another. I would expect nothing less from the former Thunder Hashira.
"Tiny? I will have you know I used to be average height when I was young!! It's just that old age has shrunk me." he said in defiance.
My eyes see through all lies. Not only that, I could construct how his body would look like in its prime by observing its current state. He was at most two inches taller when he was young.
"Right."
"Why do I get the feeling you don't believe me?" he said.
"I do sir."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"You do then, hahahaha!!" he said with a laugh and twirled his long moustache.
"What's your name kid?" he asked me while he strapped his short sword back to his belt.
"Seiji Shigan." I said.
"Seiji Shigan, what exactly does it mean? Seer of Turth? Ruler of Will?" Jigoro analysed the meaning behind my name but there was no exact meaning. My name could mean many things in kanji.
"I'm not sure what my parents intended as they died before I can ask them what my name means." I said.
" A demon killed them?" he guessed.
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Bah! Whose families aren't killed by demons? You see, it requires a unique kind of hate - that can only come from having lost loved ones - to become a Demon Slayer." he said with a nod.
"I see."
"Enough about that, What I want to know is which one of us old goats managed to create a monster like you?" he said and rubbed his chin. He analysed me up and down.
"I'd say you are already at the strength of a Hashira, how old are you?"
"14. Well, 13 years 11 months to be exact."
"God damn those poor demons, hahahaha!! I am certain you will be their greatest nightmare ten years from now," he said, amused.
"So do tell, who trained you."
"No one." I said, "I used to train kendo under Master Naito Takaharu in Tokyo but that was it. I never had someone to train me in the ways of a demon slayer."
"..."
"..."
"You are not messing with me, young man?"
"Positive."
"Well that puts you in a completely different league again." he said thoughtfully, "And also disprove my speculation that you are as strong as a Hashira. Without a breathing style, you will never cross that threshold."
I wisely decided not to mention how I learned and copied Flame Breathing successfully in the span of a week.
After a long silence, the old man suddenly revealed a wide smile on his face. My eyes also detect greed under his harmless smile.
He wanted to have me all for himself, like a jewellery smith who finds a diamond in the mud, ready to be polished.
"Tell you what kid, my name is Jigoro Kuwajima. A former Hashira, also known as the Lightning Pillar or the Roaring Hashira," he said with no small amount of pride in his tone.
"And if you want, I will be more than happy to become your trainer and pass down the secret art of Thunder Breathing to you." he said and grinned at me.
"So, what do you say?" he asked.
"I would love to." I replied.
It was a no-brainer. In my opinion, Thunder Breathing was one of the strongest breathing styles even in the context of the five original breathing styles.
Not only that, I had already mastered Flame Breathing so Thunder Breathing seemed like the next step since, you know, fire and lightning always have similar affinities in fiction - like in the Avatar.
It will also add more weapons to my arsenal. It meant I would have more varied ways to kill a demon.
The thought of killing a demon so quickly that it had no time to pray and ask for forgiveness put a smile on his face. Without such a chance, it will make sure they go straight to hell.
"But." I said. "I won't be able to do it now."
"Huh? And why not?" he asked.
I stayed silent for a while before I decided to tell him about my plan and my goal of becoming a Hashira in less than two months.
At first, he thought it was ridiculous but when he realized I was serious, he had a change in mind. He said it was always good for someone to challenge themselves and he respected my goal.
"So..can I come back to you in a month or so?" I asked.
"There will be no need of such a thing." he said, "I am actually quite free myself and have no student under me at the moment."
"So I can follow you in your missions. You are already physically more than capable so I will only need to teach you Thunder Breathing. If you spare me three or so hours everyday, it will be enough." he said.
I remained silent and took a look at him again, this time in a new light.
He was a nice old man.
The reason why he wanted to follow me was not because he was desperate to teach me. In fact, it made no sense why he should trouble himself and follow me around just because he could get a few hours of teaching every day with me when I said I will seek him out for training in a month.
The real reason was that he wanted to make sure I lived. The goal I had was a reckless one even though Jigoro decided to respect it.
To go on multiple missions consecutively without allowing myself time to rest or grow just for the sake of reaching a higher rank quickly was not a very wise choice without knowing the whole context. It screamed of the reckless, burning passion of youth.
And Jigoro wanted to make sure I lived by accompanying me. He could help me in fights or advise me aginst my actions if he realized that I was putting myself in too much danger.
In the end, he wanted the new generation to be safe, especially someone with talents like mine.
"Are you sure gramps? Can you even keep up with me?" I said and glanced at his prosthetic leg.
"Nonsense, I was the fastest Hashira and would leave you to dust even today." he waved his hand.
"Well then." I said and bowed, "Thank you, I will be in your care."
"Same to you." Jigoro said with a smile.
..
..
..
Something feels wrong.
Bowing was a sign of respect because you basically put your head lower than the person you are bowing to. It was a sign of humility.
But Jigoro was too short that my head was still higher than his even when I bowed.
So I lay face down on the ground.
"Stop insulting me brat!!"
.
.
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Author : Give me stones and I give you extra chapter today.
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