Chapter 3

In his round eyes, his vision was spoiled in a splotch of red.

A field lay before him, covered in a layer of near-to-bloom flowers.

Kobayashi stood there, and he felt this overwhelming sense of anger, of frustration coursing through his body. He ought to believe that this is what was keeping him energized.

In his right hand, it gripped the handle of a katana, and his left hand was below it.

Soon, his movement shot up within a snap, as if flying towards something.

That something appeared in front of him.

The man had his back turn, he never knew Kobayabi was behind him.

Without thinking, the blade was raised and then swung.

Before Kobayabi's feet touched the ground, the man was already dead.

What was going on inside his head would not be known, but what Kobayabi did just then made him feel as if he quenched an unknown thirst.

Two more people appeared a few feet away from him.

They were screaming.

Kobayabi only replied with a dash and two slices from his sword. Two heads fell.

He thought nothing of this, it felt like he was doing something right, even if it meant killing these people.

Just as before, more appeared, and they were cut down.

This cycle continued, with Kobayabi making a few weird snarling sounds that he could not even comprehend.

Every shunk and splatter of blood did not faze Kobayabi. The people's screams occupied the air.

Only until a strong force connected with his unprotected chest and sent him flying backwards in agonising confusion.

Kobayabi's eyes gazed at the thing that attacked him.

He could not make out what it was, but its outline made it seem like a normal human.

Then, like a strike of lightning, the figure was closer, its fist almost colliding with Kobayabi's face.

However, before he could react, Kobayabi was next staring at a roof.

Now, he realised it was only a dream.

The warm bed relaxed his body, and the blanket covering him up to his neck was helping that even better.

He noticed a window with the sun's rays looking into the house.

Another thing that got his attention was a pain coming from his head.

'Ow,' He thought, raising his right arm to touch his forehead.

Kobayabi would soon be confused as to why his hand was not touching his head.

As he looked down, a dam broke out within his head.

What was before him, was a bandaged-up arm.

Seeing some part of it missing reminded Kobayabi of the events that unfolded not too long ago.

It in fact caused him to straighten up, and touch the stump part with his left hand.

The dam coursed in memories. Those of his father, his mother and the demon.

Soon, tears began to slowly crawl down his face as if not to be seen.

'My arm...' He thought, holding in the urge to release everything, 'My family...'

A few sobs escaped his mouth, and this alerted a certain someone.

"You're lucky,"

Kobayabi locked his attention on the rest of the room. Specifically by a desk to the left of the bed. There sat the same woman who saved his life.

"Your wound is not infected. I don't know how that is possible, since you were most likely running at a constant pace," She spoke.

He noticed her right hand on the desk, her fingers tapping it in rhythmic succession. Her eyes had a serious expression, which went well with her tied-up bun of brown hair.

However, he noticed her other hand resting by her side.

"Thirst is a given," She said, picking up a cup that was next to her right hand, and reaching it out to Kobayabi, "you have no other choice but to drink,"

This Kobayabi had to agree with, his throat now parched.

"Thank you," Was what he was able to splutter out as he reached for the cup.

Another pause occurred as it was his right arm that he used, wanting to take the cup. He was embarrassed.

"Uh..." He muttered, using his left hand to take the cup filled with water, "Yeah,"

He kept his eyes low, and raised his left arm, placing the cup against his mouth and tasting the relief and satisfaction of water.

If only he could have noticed the woman's expression soften a little upon seeing Kobayabi's awkward mistake.

"What's your name?" The woman interrupted and pierced his defence of blocking out conversation.

'I already made it awkward with that stunt,' Kobayabi thought, shifting himself on the bed a little, 'remember what you said, you have to talk!'

A breath was sucked into his mouth, reading to be unleashed as a name.

"Kobayabi Hirisho," He said, so quickly that it sounded like the two words were his first name, but the person opposite him nodded.

"I knew it," She said to herself, "I'm Maiwaku Junoka,"

Weirdly enough, that name rang a bell deep within Kobayabi's conscience.

He wanted to ask, but he couldn't.

"Please, Kobayabi, explain to me how you encountered that demon," Maiwaku demanded, resting her left arm on the sheath of her sword by her side.

Just then, the thoughts came flooding back. As well as the tears that left just for a moment when back rolling down Kobayabi's cheeks.

"I, um," He began, rubbing his face with his arm but the tears kept coming.

Maiwaku took in a deep breath.

"It's still fresh," She said, turning to face the desk, "get some rest, I'll ask you later,"

A nod came from Kobayabi, and he looked down onto the blanket that covered his lower half.

Now focusing on his right arm, he remembered his parent's smiles, his mother's warm tea, and his father's comforting words. These swelled up inside his head like his eyes.

He sobbed quietly, that is just how it was whenever he was sad.

The only difference was the affection and warmth that he received from his parents.

It felt like ages until Kobayabi realised his posture was in a shape of a hunched hill.

So he straightened up again, feeling a bone crunch back into place.

For some reason, he felt a little better.

He looked up around the room again, and Maiwaku was not there.

'Where did she go?' He thought, shifting to the end of the bed and standing up.

He placed the cup on the desk and stepped to the door.

Instinctively, he reached for the door handle, only to be reminded again that he was not all right.

After opening the door with his left hand, Kobayabi saw a room on the other end.

A table sat in the middle, and a door was beyond it, leading to the outside.

As Kobayabi walked in, he heard a shout.

"Damn it!"

It sounded out of frustration, and it came from another door to the left.

There was no doubt that it was Maiwaku.

Kobayabi reached for the door, remembering to use his left arm, and slid it open.

He saw Maiwaku sitting near a bigger desk, staring at whatever she was working on with anger.

"Some day I gonna..." She spoke, before turning her head to look at Kobayabi, which he got shocked from,

"I apologize for my outrage," Maiwaku spoke, turning her head back on the desk, "I tend to do that,"

Kobayabi nodded and walked closer. He was able to see what she was so interested in.

The sight confused him.

Laying on the desk, was a makeshift arm.

It was a mixture of wood and some type of metal, so out of place, yet it looked so intricate and meaningful.

This prompted Kobayabi to finally speak.

"What is that?"

"It's a prosthetic arm," She answered, "it's something I made,"

Maiwaku pulled up the left sleeve of her haori and the kimono under it, revealing a stump on her arm.

This took Kobayabi by surprise, but Maiwaku picked up the prosthetic arm and placed it on the stump, effectively attaching it.

"It was used for battle against demons, although it still has some use for me," Maiwaku explained, clipping in the straps that went over what was left of her arm.

"Were you, um, a Hashira?" Kobayabi asked, eager to know, and trying not to let the conversation become awkward.

"Yes, I was, formerly," Maiwaku responded with a smile.

"I knew it," Kobayabi spoke, "because, um, my grandfather mentioned you, I think,"

"Heh," Maiwaku laughed, "I knew Nayoki would,"

Kobayashi raised his eyebrows at this.

"You knew my grandfather?" He asked.

"We were both Hashira back then, I only knew him as a work colleague," Maiwaku answered, folding her arms, "not much more than that,"

Kobayashi was glad about that answer. Now he could ask.

"Uh, could you... You know," He began, looking away, "train me?"

Maiwaku narrowed her eyes, "As a demon slayer? Let me think about it,"

And she did, by humming loudly while staring at the floor. Kobayabi waited anxiously.

"Okay, I'll train you," She said, as if she was being nagged to do it, "we can start tomorrow, for now, rest,"

Kobayabi only nodded and bowed, before walking out of the room.

'That was easy,' Kobayabi thought, opening the door to the bedroom and entering, 'she seemed hesitant at first, but I'm glad she agreed,'

He sat back on the bed and laid on his back.

'That prosthetic arm looks useful, but it looks like she made one only for herself,' He thought, raising his left hand above his face, 'I'm going to have to get used to using one hand, knowing it's my non-dominant one,'

As he shifted onto his right side, Kobayabi pulled the blanket over himself with his left hand.

'Now that I think about it, I was able to survive a conversation with her,' Kobayabi thought, inwardly congratulating himself, 'however, I think it was because it wasn't small talk and actually something important,'

So, as the night passed, the day came quickly after.

Maiwaku was at the door, ready to open it and wake him up.

With a pull, the bedroom was revealed to be empty.

"Where the hell did he go?" She asked herself, frowning.

As before, she sensed footsteps. Outside.

At that point, she understood.

She walked to the front door and walked outside. Just as predicted, Maiwaku saw Kobayabi running towards the house.

With a heave, Kobayabi stopped in front of her, with his eyes widened.

"Is this something you do a lot?" She asked.

He nodded, "I needed to clear my head, yeah,"

'Though, it did take some time trying to find my clothes,' Kobayabi thought after.

"Either way, your training starts now," Maiwaku said, "follow me,"

Kobayabi followed, and they walked to an area behind the house. He only noticed the extra sword Maiwaku was carrying just then.

They stopped.

"Have you ever swung a sword before," She asked, turning around to face him.

"No,"

"You will, now," She said, handing him the extra sheath with a sword in it, "knowing it's your non-dominant hand, this will be harder,"

Kobayabi grabbed the handle of the katana with his left hand and then Maiwaku pulled the sheath away, revealing a gleaming blade.

"Know what a Nichirin sword is?"

"Yeah, I think?" Kobayabi answered, "It's used against demons, right?"

"At least you know that," Maiwaku spoke, placing the sheath against a tree, "I want you to swing the sword a hundred times,"

A gasp came from Kobayabi, 'A hundred?! No, that's expected,"

"Get an overall feel for the sword," She explained, "so begin,"

Kobayabi looked down at the handle and his left hand.

'This feels... Weird,' He thought, looking at his right arm, 'If only it was my right...'

The katana was raised, then fell with lacklustre speed.

This continued, with Kobayabi swinging the sword from different angles, mentally counting to one hundred.

'My arm feels sore,' He thought, swinging it diagonally, 'I never knew it was this weak,'

"Hmm," He remembered Maiwaku was observing him, "as expected,"

"Do four hundred more," She said, walking away, "I'll be right back,"

This shattered Kobayabi in an instant.

'How the hell can I do four hundred?' He was begging to fume.

Until a thought shot into his mind.

If he did four hundred, maybe he could have saved his parents.

If he was not so scared, he would have been able to face the demon.

If he was not weak, none of this would have occurred.

He felt a few tears, yet he raised the sword again.

'If I do this,' He thought, his arm burning, 'maybe I can save a life,'

Kobayabi swung it down, 'Maybe... No, I can do this!'

So despite the burning and his body wanting to take a rest, Kobayabi kept on swinging, however, he was now shouting out the numbers like an idiot.

"Two hundred and seventeen! Two hundred and eighteen! Two hundred and nineteen!..."

"Three hundred and fifty-two! Three hundred and fifty-three! Three hundred and fifty-four!.."

"Three hundred and ninety-seven! Three hundred and ninety-eight! Three hundred and ninety-nine!..."

"Four hundred!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

At this point, he was engulfed in a burning sensation, feeling it everywhere. He had a hard time moving his body.

However, he was far from done.