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Chapter 12

"The original waterbenders observed the moon, watching it push and pull the tides, and that's how they learned to do it themselves."

She looks directly into my eyes.

"To be a good waterbender, you have to be like water yourself. Fluid, willing to learn and graceful."

"Why are you so willing to teach me? I'm just a stranger to you, aren't I?"

She giggles softly.
"Tanjiro praises you so much that I couldn't help but get curious. And seeing you fail waterbending so often made me want to help you. But it seems all you needed was just a small push."

She stopped her movements and looked at me, only now making me aware of the fact I had moved all the water from the barrel and into the air as an uneven blob, but even so, I was impressed.

"I expected no less from the Avatar."

I drop the water over me, gasping, but ignoring the wetness of my skin.
"You didn't tell him, right?!"

"It isn't my place to tell him. I can see you don't want him to know."

You look down and sigh, gently airbending yourself dry.
"You should keep practicing. No matter how hard it is, or how much it hurts. Keep training until it kills you."

With that, she just turned around and left without a word, leaving me a little confused, but determined.

"The push and pull of the moon..."
I mumbled, continuing the movements I've learned from her.

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《•|•-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-•|•》
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I cried,  holding my hand tightly as it bled. Somehow, I got reckless enough and cut my hand with my own sword, rushing to dip it in some water to relieve the pain.

"Stop crying. You're a swordsman, not an infant. Now get up!"
A male voice suddenly called out, making me panic for a moment as he hit my side with his wooden sword, making me throw him far with my airbending.

"Tch. A demon slayer without a sword is like a bucket with a hole in it. Useless. Now grab your sword and fight!"

I waste not a second more to grab my sword, and even with his being of wood, he was really powerful!

"Who are you?!"
I ask as I try my best not to get hit again, having to manage with the burning pain in my hand.

"Someone who isn't a weakling like you!"
He kicked me hard, sending me flying against the boulder, and down from the fight.

"Look at you. You couldn't beat me, and I had a wooden sword. Do you think you're fit to become a demon slayer? Do you think you have what it takes to kill a demon if you can't even cut a single rock? I know I've already cut my boulder."

He yelled in my face, and I slowly regain my strength, gripping my sword again as I strike him back.

"I'm not a weakling! I didn't work and train every day of my life just to be called pathetic!"

He doesn't have time to attack again as I hit his sword over and over, forcing him to defend himself.

"I worked to keep my brother alive!"