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☬Demon Slayers☬
♤Chapter Four♤

♤Chapter Four♤

The sun wakes up for a new day and illuminates the forest—the tribe has already awake since sunrise and has begun doing their activities. Rose stretched her body as she groaned and moved her shoulder in a circular motion. She then turned left and arrived in front of the girl's room. It was 6 in the morning, and Maya, the chief's granddaughter, was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Rose burst through the room and saw the girls sleeping peacefully on their mats. Rose went up to them and rested her left hand on her waist. She glanced at each of them and began to clap her hands loudly. The noise disturbed the girls, and only Pixel woke up with her eyes open. Jean also had her eyes open but went back to sleep, while Pixel closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

"Come on, girls! You have to wake up!" Rose demanded, glaring at them. The girls didn't listen, and Rose was getting irritated. She grabbed their blankets and yanked them. The cold wind hit their bodies, and they started to shiver. The girls tried to move, but their bodies ached.

"Time to get up! Your bodies won't get used to this if you stay like this," asserted Rose, folding their blankets. The girls struggled to sit up and let out frustrated sighs. They attempted to lift themselves off the floor, but their bodies wouldn't cooperate. Pixel was no stranger to this pain, but that didn't make it any easier. She stood up slowly, trying to ease the discomfort, but collapsed. Jean lay on the ground, staring blankly at the ceiling. She knew she needed to be more active, but the task felt daunting. Rose watched them all, her eyes betraying her annoyance.

"You guys can't be serious. These muscle bruises will always be with you, and you must get used to them. Now come on, we can't miss breakfast," stated Rose, making the girls look at her with no expression. Rose grumbled and raised her right hand—vines wrapped around Pixel and Jean's bodies, which shocked the girls. Rose was using her hidden power.

"Eyo! What?!?" Exclaimed Pixel, anxiously looking around.

"Wow!" Gasped Jean, amazed to see Rose using magic. Pixel looks at her friend and back at Rose.

"How are you doing that?" Asked Pixel, startled at what was happening.

"I'll tell you if you can complete your five-minute run," said Rose, putting the girls on their feet. Rose walked away, and the girls followed her to the kitchen. Pixel and Jean looked at each other curiously and couldn't wait to learn new things.

Maya brought breakfast, and Lee followed suit. Xóchitl, Maya's grandmother, was deep in meditation, sensing the energy around her. Despite feeling nothing when Maya and Lee entered, she suddenly detected a shifting atmosphere as Rose. Upon their entrance, Pixel and Jean observed the room and noticed that Maya and Xóchitl had distinct physical features that set them apart. Specifically, they possessed ears on top of their heads and tails, which they recognized to be similar to those of cats. Xóchitl's intuition picked up something unusual in Pixel and Jean's auras, which she hadn't felt in over 44 years since she first learned about them. As everyone sat down to eat breakfast, Xóchitl felt compelled to converse privately with Pixel and Jean. The group began serving themselves, but Xóchitl refrained from taking any food. Maya stopped glaring at Lee as she noticed Xóchitl not eating.

"You're not going to eat, grandmother?" Maya asked. Xóchitl snapped back to reality and picked up her plate.

"Yes, I am. Sorry about that," apologized Xóchitl, pouring her white rice. Everyone started to eat their breakfast.

Everyone ate their breakfast in silence. Xóchitl keeps staring at the girls and wonders why their auras differ. Pixel glanced up, and Xóchitl quickly looked away, taking a massive bite of her rice. Pixel feels uneasy, as if someone is observing her and bothering her. Similarly, Jean senses someone's presence but finds no one when she looks up. Despite feeling watched, Jean dismisses the feeling and resumes her meal. Fifteen minutes passed, and Rose and the girls finished their breakfast. They put their bowls on each other and handed them to Jean, who returned them to the kitchen. Once she came back, Rose and the girls thanked the food, and from there, they headed outside.

The sun was out, and no clouds blocked the sun's warmth. The girls have commenced their running. Rose observes the girls. Rose noticed the girls were more focused than on yesterday's training. Pixel and Jean were running at their comfortable speed. Rose checks her time, and they are in 5 minutes. Rose wouldn't stop them; she would see how long they could go. Their bodies were still aching, but they wouldn't give up. They needed this. Pixel speeds up and goes ahead of Jean. She noticed it, yet she wouldn't catch up to her. The girls kept on running, and Rose checked her time. They were now reaching 6 minutes. Rose looks back at the girls and forms a smile on her face. She knew they had it within them. Pixel and Jean stumble a little and keep their balance. Pixel kept running, and her legs gave up. She falls forward and hits the ground, which makes Jean gasp.

"Pixel!" Yelled Jean, running up to her.

"You okay?" Asked Jean, getting on both knees. Pixel holds onto her right thigh and breathes heavily.

"I'm fine. You keep running," breathes Pixel. Jean shook her head.

"I'm not leaving you behind!" stubbornly denied Jean, trying to pick Pixel up. Rose was impressed by their teamwork. Pixel stood up, and it pained her. So did Jean. The muscle on their thighs and legs was too much, almost giving them cramps. The girls took a deep, sharp breath and began to jog.

As time went on, the girls finished their running in ten minutes. They gave each other high fives and sat on the cold ground. Rose approached them and quickly handed them a water bottle, which the girls accepted. The girls started to drink their water bottles, and they were thankful.

"What next?" Asked Pixel, breathing heavily.

"Next up is dodging," answered Rose, picking up fallen acorns. The girls glanced at each other and back at Rose. The girls closed their water bottles and left them behind. The girls stood in front of Rose, and before they could get ready, Rose moved her right hand back and tossed the acorn at Pixel. Pixel sees it and tries to dodge it—but gets hit in the forehead.

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"Ack!" Shrieked Pixel, shifted back, and held her forehead. Rose picked up more acorns, and Jean nervously glanced at her. Rose smirked and flung two acorns at the girls. Pixel groans and rubs her forehead. But when Pixel and Jean returned to facing Rose, they both got hit by the acorn. Pixel and Jean lowered their heads and held their foreheads.

"You girls don't have quick reflexes. Gotta work on that," said Rose, throwing the acorns up and catching them.

"That's because we're barely starting," told Pixel, now facing Rose. Rose could see two red marks on her forehead.

"Then let's get started," said Rose, smirking. Rose moves her right hand back, and Pixel shakes Jean's shoulder rapidly. Jean glanced up and saw Rose ready to toss the acorns. Rose instantly threw the acorns, and the girls avoided them. Rose was impressed. Rose picked up more acorns and threw them at the girls. The girls got hit by the acorns, which hurt more this time. Rose gave power slightly on her throwing. Rose tossed a lot of acorns at the girls, and they avoided them. The girls mostly dodged all the acorns but still could get around half of them.

"That's not bad. Now, let's take it to the next level," said Rose, grabbing more acorns.

"What do you mean next level?" Jean asked, sounding scared. Rose was already stretching and getting herself ready. Rose gripped the acorn and gave the girls a dangerous smirk, which the girls never liked.

"It's simple, girls. All you have to do is focus on your surroundings and listen."

"What do you mean by focus and listening?" Asked Pixel, raising her left eyebrow. With no explanation, Rose quickly vanishes and leaves the girls by themselves. Pixel and Jean were shocked to see Rose and wondered where she went. The girls checked their surroundings, and Rose tossed two acorns directly behind Pixel and Jean. Of course, the girls got hit, and it hurt like hell. Pixel and Jean hissed at the pain and rubbed their back head.

"Damn! Shit, hurt!" Said Pixel, massaging her back head.

"This woman does not show mercy," grumbled Jean, starting at the ground. The girls wipe the tears and recheck their surroundings. They stayed still and quiet. The girls followed what Rose said and listened. Rose moved to a different spot and flung two acorns. The acorns went straight at the girls, and Jean quickly spotted the two acorns.

"Watch out!" Yelled Jean. Pixel faced toward where Jean was confronting and rapidly avoided the acorn. But they didn't know Rose threw two more acorns, which hit Pixel's lower side and Jean's collarbone. The girls gasped loudly and held the pot in which they got hit. Rose sat on the tree branch, watching the girls rubbing their injuries. Rose hates seeing the girls in pain, but that's how life will treat them. No demon would go easy on anybody, and that's how the girls will learn. Rose tosses the acorns and catches them, waiting until the girls are ready. Once the girls were ready, she threw the acorns to a different spot.

Three hours had passed, and the girls were covered in bruises. The girls were panting and hoping that they would be able to avoid at least five acorns. The girls keep following Rose's instructions, and the more they concentrate, the more they can improve their hearing and senses. Rose threw five acorns in different spots, and the girls swiftly avoided all of them. Rose was proud that the girls would be able to do it and knew that they got this. Rose jumps down and claps her hands.

"Outstanding! You girls did fantastically and improved your hearing and senses, which is important," praised Rose. Pixel and Jean happily jumped up and gave each other a high five.

"Let's move on to the next level of dodging. Dodging can be challenging as it involves swift and occasionally tricky changes in direction to avoid or catch an opponent. By combining running ability with fluid and coordinated movements, dodging enables the learner to change direction quickly," added Rose, getting in her fighting position and showing the girls her movement. The girls watch her, and in their heads, they imagine themselves doing the same movement as Rose.

"Now, let's get started," instructed Rose. Pixel and Jean stopped thinking and stared at Rose with hesitant expressions. But they shook the feeling as they got in their position and glared at Rose. Rose chuckles and runs immediately at the girls, which surprises them with how agile Rose got. Pixel and Jean notice Rose dashing towards them and dodge her attack shortly afterward. The girls move to the side, and we're staring at Rose. They were trembling and weren't sure what to do. Rose stared at them as she motioned them to attack her, to which the girls nodded. The girls gain their courage and glare directly at Rose. Pixel and Jean dashed at Rose and tried to attack her, but she backed away and swiftly dodged them since Rose read their attacks. She grabs their wrists and slams them against the ground—Pixel and Jean gasp and grunt. Rose let them go and waited for them to get up. Pixel turns her body around and groans at the discomfort. Jean pushes herself and rubs her back.

"Quite predictable," huffed Rose. Rose turns around with her arms folded.

"During a fight, keeping your move set a secret from your opponent is vital to avoid defeat. Additionally, paying attention to your opponent's attacks is crucial to anticipate their moves and have the opportunity to dodge their attacks and strike back. Remember that," disclosed Rose. Pixel and Jean stretch themselves as they can't fool around and must improve their senses. They need to learn from their mistakes.

"Again," mandated Rose. Pixel and Jean ran toward Rose, ready to attack her. Jean went first and threw a punch, but Rose avoided the attack and saw Pixel throwing a punch. Rose quickly smacked the attack and flicked her fingers on Pixel's forehead. Pixel backs away and holds her still-red forehead. Jean faced back at Rose and saw her already in front of her. Jean's eyes widened and got flicked by Rose. Rose defeated Pixel and Jean. Rose sighed and folded her arms. Rose made the girls practice more and added new techniques. The girls tried to follow Rose's recent skills. But the bruise on their legs was hurting, and they despised it.

"Get used to the pain. Endure it. It teaches you how much you struggle," encouraged Rose. Pixel started to deliver punches, ignoring all her injuries. Jean got more motivated to do the same thing as Pixel. It hurt them badly, but they wouldn't give up that easily. Rose was about to make them do this exercise for the whole day, but the clouds blocked the sky and became colder.

"Wonderful," said Rose, clenching her jaw as she became annoyed. She turned around, and they went back inside. The girls went to their rooms and lay on the ground, not saying a word. Pixel was in thought.

'Never expected this shit to be difficult. Oh gosh. Doing this to save Eduardo,' thought Pixel.

'But why am I just lying down and doing nothing? Eduardo doesn't depend on such a lazy sister! Well, I mean—wait, no. Knowing him, I know for sure that's true. But whatever! I need to improve myself!' Pixel stood up and started to throw punches. Jean looked at her, stunned that Pixel was dealing with the pain. Pixel starts to punch, goes down, then goes back to hitting, blocking, and kicking. She kept repeating the same movements. Jean could see how determined Pixel was. It gave motivation to Jean.

"How are you dealing with the pain?" Asked Jean.

"I'm ignoring it. If I keep on exercising, then the pain will go away. I dealt with this type of bruise as a freshman," Pixel answered, throwing another powerful kick.

"You should give it a try," insisted Pixel.

Throughout the night, Pixel and Jean were training. They noticed that the pain was slowly going away. Now they got this. Throughout the night, they were outside and sparring with each other. They teach and tell each other what they need to work more on. With that, they improve more of their work.