As the first rays of dawn started to peek through the horizon, the Novele tribe was already up and about, bustling with the day's activities. While the rest of the tribe continued their morning routine, the girls in the infirmary room were still fast asleep. The room was quiet, and the only sound that could be heard was Pixel's rhythmic breathing. Pixel, one of the girls in the room, was sound asleep, lost in a deep slumber. Just then, the door to the room slid open, and in walked Lee, one of the tribe's caretakers. He was holding a tray of steaming ginger tea and a bowl of rice with an egg. Lee stepped up to Pixel's bed and gently laid the tray on the small table beside the wall. He then drew back the curtains to let the morning sunlight in, filling the room with a warm and inviting glow. Lee turned to Pixel and gently tapped her shoulder, trying to rouse her from her deep slumber. However, Pixel continued to sleep peacefully, oblivious to Lee's attempts at waking her up. Not one to give up easily, Lee tried again, using his gentle voice to coax Pixel out of her slumber.

"Hey, it's time to wake up," whispered Lee. Pixel grumbled as she tiredly opened her eyes and was greeted by Lee and the scent of the egg.

"Morning," yawned Pixel as she carefully sat up. Lee helps her by moving the pillow up and making her comfortable.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Lee, handing her the tray.

"I'm doing okay. I won't be able to sleep from the pain, but I have to get used to this," said Pixel, taking the tray and laying it on her lap. Pixel picked up the bowl of rice and started eating it.

"Very well. Don't forget that some part of your body needs more caution than your bruises, alright?" Pixel bit into her egg and nodded.

"Well then. I will take my leave and come back soon," said Lee as he walked away and left the infirmary. Pixel kept eating her breakfast and savored it as she enjoyed the taste.

After breakfast, Pixel laid the tray on the bed and got up. She immediately began to move slowly and tried to alleviate the discomfort caused by her bruised muscles. However, as she took a step, she was met with a sharp, piercing pain in her right leg, causing her to groan and clench her teeth in agony as she endeavored not to exacerbate the injury.

"Damn, that demon got me fucked up," whispered Pixel as she kept walking. Suddenly, the door slides open to reveal Lee. Lee notices Pixel up and closes the door behind him.

"Careful with yourself. If you do something bad to your body, it will take longer to heal," lectured Lee.

"Got it," said Pixel as she took more steps. Lee looked at her and carefully watched her. While Pixel was walking around, an intense cramp formed on her right calves, and she lost her balance. Lee rapidly runs towards Pixel and catches her.

"You okay?" Asked Lee, making Pixel stretch her leg straight and nod.

"Yeah. Just got a cramp," answered Pixel.

"Take things easy. Your body will get used to this activity within a month," Instructed Lee, taking Pixel to her bed and sitting her down.

"Now, you'll need your energy for today," said Lee, handing her the breakfast. Pixel thanked him and slowly moved her body. The door slides open, and they face the front to see Jean holding an apple. Jean wore a baggy gray currant red jumpsuit, socks, and combat shoes. She ran to her and noticed Pixel sitting near the bed frame.

"Are you feeling better?" Jean asked, posing with her new training uniform. Pixel looked up and down, noticing something new about Jean's clothing.

"Getting better each day," said Pixel. Jean touched her chest and sighed in relief.

"Here, I got you an apple. I know how much you love apples," said Jean as she handed Pixel the apple, and she took it. Pixel took a bite and noticed Jean's unusual clothing.

"What's with the getup?" Asked Pixel, staring at their training uniforms.

"These are our training uniforms! You will be wearing these as well," said Jean, pointing at herself proudly.

"Gotta say, you look cool," complimented Pixel, taking another bite.

"Aww, thanks," smiled Jean.

"Anyway, what truly happened to Dominique?" Asked Pixel. Jean looks away as Pixel starts to get worried. Jean fiddled with her thumbs as she gazed at Pixel.

"Dominique stayed behind. It was her choice," Jean said. Pixel frowned and sighed. She thought something terrible had happened, but thankfully, Dominique stayed behind, safe.

"At least she's safe," said Pixel, staring at her legs and biting her apple. Once Pixel finished eating her apple, she got up and squatted slowly, but the pain still hurt her. She stretched her legs, and they ached. But she needed to get used to it. Pixel got up, and Rose came in. She held a folded, baggy gray-blue training uniform, white socks, and combat shoes. She went up to her and handed her the training uniform.

"Since you girls have your breakfast. Meet me at the training court," said Rose, turning around and leaving the infirmary room. Pixel puts down the combat shoes and checks her training uniform. Pixel got up and asked,

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"Where's the changing room?"

"Let me show it to you," volunteered Jean. Jean led Pixel out of the infirmary to the changing room.

Rose stood with her arms crossed, gazing out into the forest as a cold wind blew around her. She was unfazed by the weather, as she loved the chilly environment. Reaching her hand towards the sky, she caught a snowflake that melted in her palm, eliciting a soft giggle. Just then, Pixel and Jean appeared as the door slid open. Pixel was dressed in her training uniform with mid-pony hair. The girls descended the stairs and approached Rose.

"Alright, listen to me. But listen carefully. To become a Demon Slayer, you have to go through an exam. An entrance exam. All you have to do is survive and reach the end," informed Rose. Pixel and Jean were staring at Rose with unsure looks.

"Don't worry. I will teach you a secret technique that only we Demon Slayers are taught, and it's easier to protect us and attack demons. But first, let's begin your training. Start doing ten burpees," instructed Rose. Pixel and Jean nodded. But deep inside, they were mentally groaning. They went down, did a push-up, stood up, and jumped. They repeated the same procedure for ten minutes. Once they finished, Rose instructed them to do ten curl-ups. The girls got on the floor and worked on their curl-ups. Rose increased the number, and the girls were exhausted and couldn't keep going. While for Pixel was in immense pain as her injuries forced her to stop. But of course, Pixel pushed herself to keep going, as she wouldn't let her injuries stop her. Pixel and Jean could feel their abs sore and couldn't keep going. Rose could tell the girls weren't used to the workout and knew they needed more training. Once their curl-ups were done, Rose demanded them to do push-ups, which the girls hated. Rose wants them to do at least five push-ups, and once they complete their five push-ups, Roses will add five more.

"You girls got this. All that matters is your best, as it's only the beginning," said Rose, folding her arms. The girls heard what Rose said and knew that they were starting. They kept doing their push-ups and learned they wouldn't take the training quickly. Once they reached their ten push-ups, the girls lay on the rough, cold ground and pants as their breathing was visible.

"Breathe through your noses. It's easier for your body not to get tired," instructed Rose, making the girls close their mouths and breathe through their noses.

After Rose made the girls do the same exercise, they sat on the wooden stairs and took a five-minute break. Their hearts were beating rapidly, and they were breathing heavily. Pixel stared at the sky and inhaled and exhaled through her nose. Jean looked at the training court and controlled her breathing.

"Jeez, it hurt so much. But got to improve my body," said Pixel, moving her left shoulder in a circle.

"Let's keep our heads up. We can get through this training," encouraged Jean, giving Pixel an encouraging thumbs-up. Pixel chuckled as she leaned back and stared at the cloudy sky.

"Oh, we do get this," mumbled Pixel, moving her right shoulder.

"Alright, girls. Break time is over. Let's get back," said Rose. The girls sigh and tiredly get up, ready to continue their training. Rose made them run around the training court for one minute. Pixel and Jean were having a difficult time breathing through their noses.

"Control your breathing. Focus on your breathing and speed. Don't force yourself to speed up if you see other participants passing you. Concentrate on yourself," educated Rose. The girls follow her instructions. They started breathing with their nose and concentrating on themselves. As the girls followed Rose's instructions, they began to slow down. They were too tired.

"Don't give up. Take it slow and steady. Start jogging and catch your breath," said Rose.

"I c... can't ke...keep...going," breathed Jean. She stops and catches her breath.

"This is too much for me," breathed Pixel. Pixel slowed down and tried to catch her breath, making it complicated. Jean also stopped and rested her hands on her knees. Pixel and Jean were gasping for air. Rose stood in front of them and checked her time. It was only 1 p.m.

"Once you catch your breath, start running again," Rose said, making the girls glance at her before nodding. Rose motivated the girls to run by giving them clear instructions and encouraging them. After catching their breath, the girls ran again at their comfortable speed while controlling their breathing. Pixel led the way with her nose breathing technique, which she taught Jean. The girls were thankful for the tip as it helped them to run easier and avoid getting tired quickly. Throughout the run, Rose observed the girls and noted areas where they could improve. One minute passed, and the girls stopped. Their hearts were pumping rapidly, and they were breathing heavily. It hurt their chests. Rose has now made the girls run for two minutes. Once they caught their breath, Rose started the timer, and the girl began to run.

As the day went on, the girls reached three minutes. While the girls were proud they had made it to three minutes, Maya called them for dinner.

"You girls did okay on your first training. But you need more training. Come, let's head back and eat," said Rose, turning around and heading back inside. The girls felt disappointed in themselves. They needed to improve more. They went back inside to eat their dinner.

While the others were chatting, the girls were quiet. They started to feel the bruises on their muscles, mostly on their legs. They need to boost themselves to protect their loved ones and save Eduardo. Pixel thought she couldn't move from the bruises and needed to be more careful. Rose has been watching them; deep inside, she knows they'll succeed. They need more training and concentration. She looked down and ate a piece of beef.

In the quiet of the night, the Novele tribe slumbered peacefully, except for a few restless girls plagued with concerns. One such girl was Pixel, who couldn't shake off her fears regarding her family members. Her two older brothers, a cousin, and a close friend were all recuperating at home after being viciously attacked by demons. Meanwhile, Jean is determined to seek revenge for her cousin, Javier, and make sure that the demon responsible for his death will not escape. Both girls were deeply affected by tragedies and were desperate to prevent more innocent lives from being lost.

"You think we survive this?" Asked Pixel. Jean was quiet. Pixel frowns and nervously fidgets with her fingers.

"We're starting this out, and always in the beginning, we would feel like this. But all we have to do is do our best and keep moving forward," Jean answered as she looked at her. As Pixel looked into Jean's eyes, she saw hope. Despite the obstacles they were up against, Jean remained resolute in her commitment to making things better. Pixel's smile began to fade as she gazed up at the ceiling, but deep down, she knew that they could overcome any challenge that came their way. With a soft sigh, Pixel closed her eyes and settled in for the night, comforted by the knowledge that Jean was right there with her. Together, they would face the future with unwavering bravery and resilience.