Currently, I'm in hell.
It has been so long, I don't know how long. Constant running, pushups, weight lifting, and many more. I used to be a boxer, but this was on a whole different level, and for a teenage body at that!
"Aww, don't frown, its only been 2 hours into your workout!" Jigoku said with a grin.
Don't listen to her, its has been at least 5 hours.
"Well, its about time i break it to you..."
"What?" I asked, not ready for the bomb that was about to drop on me.
"I'm going to die today..."
"..." I was so shocked I couldn't speak.
"Isn't this the part where you go "What! that's impossible" or just fat out cry." she said in a joking manner, but I wasn't laughing.
"How?" I asked.
"Well, this big boy has now entered my soul." she said as she pointed at the giant scar she had on her chest.
"In around a few hours, I'll die, so I want you to inherit my soul art." she said.
"You can't die, not yet..." I was in turmoil, another loved one, gone, it was too much, why must everyone I love go away. My eyes started to turn red with slits.
Jigoku was shocked, but this surprise was a good one, she smiled.
"What weapon do you use?" she asked.
"I like the daggers..." I replied.
"Well they are too short, and they rely on speed and piercing, lacking in strength." Jigoku pointed out the flaws of the dagger like it was a piece of trash.
"Then... swo-
"Not long enough, its even a one handed weapon, so bland." Jigoku said again.
"What weapon do you use?" I questioned, if this back and forth went on any longer, it would be a waste of time.
"Ok ok, annoyed are you? Fine, I'll show you my big girl." she said as she started to pull something out of the gap in her armour that revealed her hip area. She pulled out a giant dagger, for lack of a better term. It was the size of an axe, but it was shaped like a dagger, with a short handle but long body.
"This is what I call a draxe, its a dagger mixed with an axe! I invented it myself you see..." she said with a smirk.
This weapon was something that the triple my size, how could I wield it!
"Its too big for you, but its you make something around your size, its should work. You see, this weapon had no weaknesses, all you need is a good wielder! Huge reach, good in close combat, great speed, good AOE, the perfect weapon." she said as she admired the blade.
"It seems amazing, but, I don't think there is one of my size." I didn't think my message reached her as she started to pet the draxe as if it was a dog, what sort of relationship to they have!
"Oh yeah, lets just create a pair for you! Bring me that giant trunk of wood." she said as she pointed towards the log.
I handed her the wood and she grabbed her draxe my the handle, then suddenly she threw it in the air and then in a split second, it was carved into a similar shape as a draxe, two of them!
"There we go! There is your weapon!" she said as the pieces of wood fell towards the ground.
It was heavy, but its wasn't unbearable, it was sharp and clean, you could hear it slicing the air.
"For training, come with me..." Jigoku said with a smirk.
"Wait, ho-
WARP!
I was soon warped into an inexplicably beautiful garden. I felt a sudden loss of breath as I stood there blankly, mesmerized by the scene.
Lush green plants vibrantly covered the surroundings of the garden and in the middle of it appeared a large transparent pond where koi fish of multiple different sizes freely swam in it. Birds freely roamed and chirped around the cloudless blue sky, and occasionally you would hear the repetitive yet relaxing sound of the bamboo fountain planted in the garden.
The more I walked around the garden the more I was left mesmerized by the surroundings.
Approaching the pond, I could see different colored fish which ranged from red and black slightly peeking the surface of the water almost as if they were aware of our presence.
In the middle of the pond stood a small island connected by a small wooden bridge.
Walking across the bridge, once again my breath was taken away.
A miniature stylized landscaped through which rocks, water features, and moss was neatly composed and surrounded by gravel which was raked to resemble ripples in water, appeared in my line of sight.
"A zen garden."
"It's nice isn't it?"
Sitting comfortably near the zen garden, Jigoku waved her hand urging me to sit down next to him. She was now around the size of an adult human.
"It truly is..." I replied as I sat down on the ground beside her.
Silence enveloped us as we both calmly stared at the zen garden before us. It was strange but yet relaxing at the same time.
"You know I was really surprised when I first saw you..."
The first to disrupt the silence was Jigoku, who with a smile plastered on her face continued to look at the garden before her.
"No one has entered my soul space before, this is the only place I can really walk, sitting on that throne has been really boring, so this is my hidden paradise for me to live my dreams, Tenki, Jinsei, oh how much I miss them..."
With a smile on her face Jigoku glanced at me, which made me recall the traumatizing experience I had gone through before, losing Asel.
"I know what you mean."
"Kukuku, you're so easy to read kid."
Laughing out loud, Jigoku continued "I now know why I saved you, you are a child with much determination. I also want to save my loved ones, seeing one of my kind go through the same pain I went through is not what I want."
Looking at Jigoku I could faintly see a trace of admiration in her eyes as he looked at me.
"2 years, thats how long you have been doing my training. Even as a demon I was shocked by your sheer determination."
"Two years huh? Kushi, Ane, Akatsu..."
"This gap in your life is very minimal, you still have time to save them."
I kept smiling, I wanted to save my family and Asel, maybe I'll have to leave my family to save Asel, I don't know what will happen in the future, I just hope it will end in a happy ending.
"You will save everyone, don't worry, you won't have to choose, such a choice is not one you want to make, trust me." Jigoku said with a smile, but I could see tears in her eyes.
Jigoku lightly chuckled, "Getting back on the topic, the reason why I trained you was to see if you were worthy of inheriting my soul art. Someone with no determination can never hope of inheriting my [Parting Disaster]."
"The [Parting Disaster] is a soul art that focuses on monotonous but perfect slashes. Training is a must, if you don't have the will to train without the aid of mana, you will never be able to unlock its true potential!"
Standing up Jigoku walked across the bridge and stopped before a tree.
Pulling the draxes from her hips, she held them both in her hands.
Soon after, her figure slowly blended with the surrounding scenery making it seem as if he was one with nature.
"Look at the mountains."
All I heard was a slicing sound before all the mountains around her suddenly got split in half horizontally, their peaks were no more. The shocking think was that there was no sound, and there was so rubble, almost as if all the tops of the mountains seemingly disappeared.
"The [Parting Disaster] is the art of perfection. When you manage to create a disaster that can shake the world, but leave no trace of it ever happening, you have finally mastered the [Parting Disaster]"
Closing my eyes I tried to keep my composure.
My heart was beating like crazy, and my blood boiled. Such power was what I needed to win the Fight After Death!
Looking at my sparkling eyes, Jigoku let out a chuckle.
"Do you wish to learn?"
Disrupting me from my thoughts was Jigoku stern voice.
"Yes!"
Without a second thought, I nodded my head enthusiastically.
I was waiting for this moment!
"Very well"
Seemingly having made her decision, Jigoku peacefully smiled.
Slowly she walked up to me and tapped my forehead
Immediately I felt my mind turn blank as a flood of information rushed into my mind.
Watching me getting overwhelmed by the information Jigoku smiled as her body slowly became more and more transparent.
Regaining my composure, I looked at Jigoku who was starting to disappear.
"I'm starting to die, I hope you can save those who matter to you, and welcome hell to those who threaten your existence." she said with a toothy grin.
"Wait Jigoku, JIGOKU!" I chased her, running at my maximum speed.
"It has been fun, tell Tenki and Jinsei that I love them."
I finally reached her, but by the time I did, she was gone, and the world started to wither.
"Fuck..." I started to cry, she was like a mother to me, seeing a loved one go away, you can never get used to it.
"I'll save everyone, Asel, wait for me...