The night had been as restless as ever for Izuru, the tendrils of his dreams ensnaring him in a relentless grip as strange horrible scenes plagued his mind. From the outside he looked peaceful as any normal person, but on the inside he battled unexplainable demons and the shadows of his past. As the first light of morning filtered through the curtains, Izuru stirred, his consciousness reluctantly returning to the waking world. But before he could fully emerge from the clutches of sleep, a sudden coughing fit seized him, his lungs rebelling against an unexpected intrusion. With a sputtering gasp, Izuru's eyes flew open, only to find himself face-to-face with a billowing cloud of smoke.
What's going on?
Izuru thought, his mind in chaos.
Is there another dungeon beast?
Searching for the cause of the unusual haze, his sleepless eyes burned as gray fumes seeped into their sockets until he saw a small cackling figure sitting in the corner with a metal pipe.
Izuru coughed and wheezed, attempting to protest and curse, but he was drowned out by the cacophony of his own choking.
Granny Kiyoko looked at the boy with amusement watching the scene.
Good morning brat, she said with a mischievous smile.
Looks like you've had your fill of dreams for the night.
Izuru's usually droopy eyes glared at her intently.
No thanks to you, witch.
Meet me in the backyard in 5 minutes. Hohoho.
With a final cough and a resigned sigh, Izuru slowly pushed himself upright, casting a rueful glance at Granny Kiyoko's departing crooked back as he wiped slight tears from his dry eyes.
Just another day in paradise,
he muttered under his breath, the exhaustion etched deep into his weary features.
Just another day.
Standing at the side watching the chaotic scene unfold was Nagisa.
Buttoned down in a turquoise kimono with blue flowers, she shook her head knowingly of her grandmother's antiques.
I hope he doesn't die.
Izuru got ready for his first day of training, putting on his usual training clothes, a white loose-fitting keikogi and black hakama pants, and shoving down a quick bowl of miso soup made for the inn tenants.
Stepping out to the backyard of the inn, Izuru was met with a majestic view. The backyard was an ornate, Eastern-style garden with a beautiful deck, and at the center was a circular wooden platform on a koi pond. The soft rustling of leaves and the occasional splash from the pond blended harmoniously with the scent of freshly bloomed plum blossoms. This tranquil setting stood in stark contrast to the daunting training he anticipated. Granny Kiyoko stood on the platform, her posture rigid and eyes sharp. This was no ordinary training session; Izuru could feel it in the air. The serene beauty of the garden contrasted sharply with the intensity of the training that lay ahead.
Izuru took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenge. He knew this was only the beginning of a grueling journey. With a determined nod, he stepped onto the platform, ready to face whatever Granny Kiyoko had in store for him.
The real training begins now. There is no turning back, she said with a stern look.
Hearing the old woman's warnings, Izuru replied resolutely.
I'm ready.
Granny Kiyoko's eyes glinted with approval as she bounded off the floating platform without a splash gracefully landing, staring at the boy with a crooked look.
Okay, let's start with catching some fish.
What?
You heard me, brat. Go into that koi pond and catch me some fish, Granny said, taking a smoke out of her pipe.
What does catching fish have to do with training?
Brat, how am I supposed to train you on an empty stomach?
Izuru shook his head as he approached the pond.
I know she's not decrepit, but sometimes I can't help but wonder.
Where are the fishing poles?
Why would I have something like that? Kids these days with their weird gadgets. They can't even patiently grab some fish from a pond. They have to rely on it for everything, she critiqued with a cranky smile.
Izuru rolled his eyes listening to the woman's ranting.
It's just some stupid fish, he thought with a glare. Whatever. I just have to catch one, and I can move on to my real training.
Izuru confidently stuck his hand in the pond, attempting to catch a fish, but came out with a searing pain.
Damn, Of course this would happen.
His hand had turned red and pieces of flesh were sliding off him.
Quickly, Izuru's gaze shifted to the old woman puffing out smoke with a crooked smirk
Oh, I forgot to mention those aren't normal fish. They're elemental koi, a special breed of koi only found in dungeons. They're strange little creatures that develop the opposite affinity of whatever they live in.
They don't like being caught much.
Izuru cooled his skin while it was melting, trying to fight the pain, and looked at Granny Kiyoko with a passive-aggressive look.
Then how am I supposed to catch it?
You're a Walpurgis, right? Figure it out.
Once again, Izuru tried to put his hands in the pond, but this time it was boiling hot and the fish swam away before he could reach them.
After cooking his hand tender in the pond, he pulled it out to see the effects of his futility.
Ahhh. It's even worse now.
Izuru's hand inflated like a balloon, and the initial red that was only on his palm took over his entire hand.
Thus began Izuru's futile, hateful relationship with the koi fish. Repeatedly, he attempted to capture the difficult creatures, but repeatedly they'd avoid his grasp or burn his hand beyond recognition. After four hours, Izuru ended up with no koi fish and red scarred hands.
That's enough, Granny Kiyoko said. I'm not hungry anymore. You can thank Nagisa; while you were needlessly throwing time away, she made me a nice warm meal an hour ago.
Then why did you keep making me do that?
It was quite amusing.
Granny Kiyoko started cackling, remembering the sight of Izuru constantly getting hurt by the fish.
Izuru looked at her with a cold look and whispered underneath his breath.
I'm getting tired of this hags antiques. It's too troublesome. Ohh if only I could be a cloud right now and float away.
Oh, is that so, brat?, Granny Kiyoko interjected.
Uh oh, I hope she didn't hear me, he thought his face showing his discomfort.
Because I was thinking you needed a break, but since you want to leave the village, I have a task for you.
Izuru gulped at the thought.
It couldn't be worse than this, right.
I need a rare herb inside the village mountain. Pick one and get it back to me before sundown. It's called a spider rose. It's useful for detoxifying flowers. Head on your way before it gets dark.
Izuru slowly got up, trying to avoid too much contact with the ground, and made his way up the mountain.
Now I'm this old woman's chore boy, are you kidding me? I thought I was going to be training, but instead, I'm doing labor.
Izuru continued pacing up the mountain and eventually found a riverbed with dozens of lilies gliding on its surface. Bees and butterflies buzzed around, and the smell of fresh dew was ever present. On the other side of the river, there were dozens of unique purple roses with white web-like designs.
I think those are the roses that the old hag told me to get. They seem easy enough to procure, but knowing her, there's probably a trap here somewhere.
Carefully, Izuru inspected every nook and cranny of the area, looking for anything suspicious, poking, prodding, and throwing rocks at the shore to make sure there were no hidden features that'd bite him back later. Afterward, he went to the shore, picked up the rose, and made his way down the mountain.
When Izuru made his way a quarter of the way back down, he realized something was amiss.
Why do I hear more growling than I remember? It's like the animals in the forest are eyeing me.
As Izuru kept making his way down the mountain, these subtleties intensified until he heard loud roaring and hisses all around him. Shadows flitted through the underbrush, eyes gleamed from the darkness, and the air seemed charged with an impending threat.
Suddenly, a snake lunged at him from the foliage, its fangs bared. Izuru yelped and narrowly dodged, feeling the rush of air as the snake struck where his leg had been moments before. This set off an unusual chain of attacks from the forest animals.
A boar charged at him from the side, its tusks glinting in the dappled sunlight. Izuru scrambled to the left, stumbling over roots and rocks as he tried to keep his balance. He barely had time to catch his breath before a swarm of hornets descended, their buzzing a menacing drone. He swatted frantically, feeling the sting of several of them on his arms and neck.
Bears roared from the undergrowth, their massive forms crashing through the trees. Izuru's heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted downhill, the bears' heavy footsteps thundering behind him. The ground seemed to tilt under his feet as he slipped and slid on loose rocks and leaves, barely keeping himself upright.
The forest seemed to come alive with hostility. Birds screeched from the treetops, and more snakes slithered across his path. Izuru ducked under low branches, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His legs burned with the effort, but he couldn't stop. Not with the cacophony of growls, hisses, and roars growing louder and closer.
He burst through a thicket, feeling the scratch of branches against his skin, and found himself on a steep incline. He half-ran, half-slid down, dirt and pebbles flying in all directions. Behind him, he could hear the boar crashing through the underbrush and the bears' relentless pursuit.
As he neared the base of the mountain, the attacks became more frenzied. A pair of wolves darted at him from either side, snapping at his heels. Izuru leaped over a fallen log, rolling as he hit the ground on the other side. He scrambled to his feet and kept running, adrenaline the only thing keeping him going.
Finally, as he broke through the last line of trees, the inn came into view, illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns. He staggered into the clearing, breathless and battered, the sounds of the forest's wrath fading behind him.
Granny Kiyoko stood waiting, her arms crossed and a stern look on her face. You're late, she said. How come you can't take care of a simple task like picking a flower? I send Nagisa up there multiple times a day, and she comes down within 30 minutes. Yet I send a 'brave aspiring Walpurgis' like you, and it takes you four hours.
Izuru was too tired to respond, huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath. He shot an incredulous look towards Nagisa, who simply nodded in return. He was bewildered.
Granny Kiyoko's gaze sharpened. Alright, go clean yourself up and get some rest. We'll continue your training tomorrow.
With a nod of displeasure, Izuru stumbled towards the inn, his muscles protesting with every step. As he disappeared inside, Granny Kiyoko watched him go, her gaze thoughtful.
As the door closed behind Izuru, Granny Kiyoko turned back to the garden, her mind looking forward to the events of tomorrow.
With a final puff of her pipe, Granny Kiyoko settled back onto the wooden platform, the tranquil beauty of the garden enveloping her once more. Melancholicolly, she looked at the koi fish while the long shadow of the inn started to morph.
As Granny Kiyoko sat on the platform, watching the koi fish glide gracefully through the pond, her mind drifted to memories of her own youth. She remembered the days when she too had been a young and eager apprentice, filled with dreams of adventure and greatness. But time had a way of tempering such ambitions, replacing them with the cold harsh reality.
Souma, remember when we were just like him, young and naive.
She glanced at the long shadow cast by the inn, the fading light of dusk painting the garden in hues of orange and gold. The silhouette dancing with the gentle sway of the trees stretching over parts of the garden clashing with the lovely orange.
Granny Kiyoko sighed softly, her thoughts returning to Izuru and the challenges that lay ahead for him. She knew that the path of a Walpurgis was not an easy one, filled with many trials and tribulations.