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Chapter 10

"We're just beginning the test."
He turns toward us.
"We'll be climbing a mountain."

Both Tanjiro and I let out a loud whine, and I can already tell the man seriously won't go easy on us...

He welcomed us inside, and we took Nezuko out of her basket, finding her peacefully asleep as I help Tanjiro lay her down comfortably.

"I'll take care of your sister for you while you're gone."

Tanjiro nodded, thanking the old man for his gesture.

Once we rested for a few moments, I readied my staff and left my coat behind, seeing as it's not exactly the most comfortable to bend in currently.

Mr. Urokodaki took us up a mountain, and night soon fell upon us, a thick fog slowly clouding our way, making it almost impossible to see.

"Uhm... Mr. Urokodaki, sir?"
I asked, and he didn't even glance my way as he hummed as a sign for me to go on.

"Can I clear our path?"

He stopped and turned his head to me, the silence making him seem far more intimidating.

Simply, he just extended his hand as a 'go on', and I nodded before going a little in front of them.

Taking a deep breath and holding my staff securely in front of me, I spun it around as fast as I could, clearing up most of the fog in our way as we started walking again.

It slowly got harder to use my airbending as we kept going, and at one point I even had to stop completely seeing as it became redundant.

He took us a little further up still, asking me to tell him when my bending became nearly impossible.

Strange... But I complied anyway.
Once we reached the point past my airbending abilities, he stopped, Tanjiro struggling to breathe from the cold air.

"Now, you two must find your way back to my house at the foot of the mountain. And this time I won't wait until daybreak."

And just like that, he vanished with a cloud of fog, completely untraceable.

"That's the test?"
I ask, a little dumbfounded.

"I get it. You can't airbend up here, right?"

I nod, curious as to what he was getting to.
"He thinks we'll get lost and won't be able to make it back because of the thick fog, which now you can't clear."

He smiles wide and seems a lot more confident.
"But we have me! I've memorized Mr. Urokodaki's scent, so getting back should be no problem!"

I smile just as wide and follow him down the mountain.
"We make a great duo, huh? You've got a sharp nose, I've got a sharp pair of eyes, what could go wro-!"

Something trips me and I stumble forward, confused until something hard hit my cheek.

"Ow! What the-?!"
I look down and see rocks, Tanjiro inspecting the rope that had made me trip in the first place.

He soon came to help me up, and I thanked him as we kept going, more weary.

His scream made me panic, as he fell through some leaves into a deep pit.
"Tanjiro! Are you alright?! Did you hit your head?"