Water Breathing
===- Mount Sagiri -===- Giyuu POV -===
Like the previous days, they start with the practice strokes as usual. Only instead of 1500 there are only 750. So only half.
Giyuu keeps falling. His job is to get into a defensive position from any position and be able to get up again quickly.
Giyuu and Sabito have a katana while their sensei fights with his bare hands. Urokodaki repeatedly throws his students to the ground.
“Completely concentrated breathing?” asks Giyuu. Urokodaki just answers. “That’s right, starting today I’m going to teach you all 10 forms of water breathing.”
“The breathing technique gives your body the opportunity to heal faster. Sharpens your senses and invigorates your mind. In order for oxygen to reach every single cell in your body, you have to take breaths that are as long as possible. Your upper body must be relaxed. While your lower body is tense,” his sensei explains to him. “Try it out.”
Giyuu takes a long breath and
“Ehhhhh..” Urokodaki hits him on his stomach. “Not like that,” he says. Sabito on the sidelines is laughing his head off.
“Sabito, show him the first form.” Sabito goes over and demonstrates it. Giyuu tries to imitate it. But fails miserably. He gets in trouble because his stomach isn't tense. So Urokodaki hits it several times.
Now they are standing at the waterfall that Giyuu found yesterday.
Become one with the water? He doesn't expect to, Giyuu's thoughts are ended when Urokodaki says. “Hop little frog” and kick him off the waterfall.
Giyuu tries to stay in the air and not fall, but is then pulled down by Sabito running towards him. Urokodaki just stands unimpressed on the cliff and looks down.
“I told you not to defend yourself,” Sabito laughed at him after they got out of the river. "I don't think that counts as fighting back," Giyuu explains, still dazed by the situation.
Now they both stand under the waterfall with their hands folded and try to withstand it. “I am the water,” they both speak under the pressure of the waterfall.
========- 6 months later -========
Sabito and Giyuu have been training together for almost half a year now. Giyuu no longer had any contact with the god due to the less interesting events. He didn't have any further questions either.
Sabito can now do seven forms, while Giyuu has mastered five forms. Giyuu even managed to secretly activate his Sharingan every now and then to learn a bit from Sabito and his sensei.
====- Two more months later -====
Both students have now mastered all ten forms of water breathing. While Giyuu has a better command of the forms, Sabito is a strong fighter with sword power alone.
“Your training is over. I have nothing left to teach you,” Urokodaki says.
“But before I can send you to the final selection process on Mount Fujikasane. You two have to cut one of these rocks.” He continues as he points to two large, thick rocks.
He's kidding us, thinks Giyuu and looks at the rocks in disbelief. And without saying another word, his sensei simply leaves.
“Have you ever had to cut through a stone like that?” Giyuu asks his friend. “No,” he answers simply.
“I’ll just hit it,” says Sabito hopelessly. He hits the stone deliberately. And nothing happens. They both just sigh. “It will take a long time,” says Sabito.
“How about we give each other some tips to improve our fighting techniques,” Giyuu suggests.
“Good idea,” replies Sabito and gets two practice swords from their actual training place.
===========- Hours later -==========
Giyuu falls to the ground for the umpteenth time. “I won again,” says Sabito.
Good thing I've learned how to lose now. Otherwise I would probably already be a demon, Gyiuu thought frustratedly. “I won a few times too,” he argues.
“Just not that often,” Sabito grins at him. “Let’s call it a day. We still have 3 months until the final selection process.”
=- House at the foot of the mountain -=- Urokodaki POV -=
The final selection process is in three months. They still have a lot of time, but to be honest I don't want to send any more children there. But these two are strong. I have faith in them, thinks Sakonji. I should prepare dinner.
And just as the food was ready, his students come in. It's really great that they've become friends, Urokodaki reflects.
After eating, his students say goodbye and lie down. They want to get up extra early tomorrow to train more.
==- Two months later -=- Sabito POV -==
"First Form: Water Surface Slash." Sabito says with concentration and swings his sword against the stone.
He closes his eyes, in disbelief that he's done it, until he hears "Ohh great Sabito, you did it." from Giyuu.
He opens his eyes and sees the thick boulder, perfectly cut through, lying in front of him.
Sabito's eyes shine with joy. "Yes, I did it," says relieved.
He looks over at Giyuu who is trying it out himself.
“First Form: Water Surface Slash.” he speaks. The stone doesn't divide. They look at each other for a moment before Sabito starts to grin.
“Don’t grin so stupidly and help me instead. Give me tips or something,” he pouts.
Sabito goes over to him. “All right. Try it like this….”
======- again a while later -======
"First Form: Water Surface Slash." Giyuu tries again. And he did it.
“I did it.” Giyuu literally jumps for joy. “Great.” Sabito runs over and puts his hand on his shoulder.
"Let's sign Urokodaki-sensei immediately." Giyuu says. “You don’t need to,” comes a voice from the forest.
"Sensei." Sabito says and runs over to his sensei with Giyuu. "I'm very proud of you two." Urokodaki says and puts his hands on their heads and ruffles their hair.
“You two will take part in the final selection process in 1 month,” Urokodaki says calmly with a joyful undertone.
“Let’s go back to the house. Tonight we’re having salmon daikon,” he says and the children’s eyes light up.
==- House at the foot of the mountain -==
Giyuu and Sabito sat down in the main room next to Urokodaki. Urokodaki cooks while his students talk about their success.
It's only in the afternoon but salmon daikon takes time. And the students rest until dinner.
==========- Giyuu POV -==========
I've finally finished my training, Giyuu thinks with relief. Now I have to pass the final selection process. After that I belong to the demon slayer corps and have to find Muzan Kibutsuji first.
I mean the guy survived 1.000 years. He has to be a survivalist and hiding expert. And probably pale as a corpse, he thinks.
I still have one month until selection. I'll train a bit again with the kunai and my chakra. Just to make sure.
It is now evening and they eat the salmon daikon that Urokodaki cooked for them. It's the second time he's eaten it and it's still delicious.
=========- Urokodaki POV -=========
Giyuu and Sabito fall asleep sitting up. Giyuu's head is rested against Sabito's shoulder.
Urokodaki looks at his students. He gets up and puts a blanket over them. “Sleep well,” he says before he goes to sleep in his room.