Chereads / Born of the new Monarch / Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Growth

Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Growth

Years passed in the village of Isala, and in that time, I became someone entirely different. The boy I once was — the lost, broken soul who had stumbled into this strange world — was no more. Now, I was something else. Something stronger.

Each day in the village, I trained relentlessly. The elders, wise and patient, taught me everything they knew about my power, though they too were limited in their understanding. My energy, the same fiery blue aura that had once consumed me uncontrollably, was still a mystery, but I was beginning to understand it. Slowly but surely, I learned to harness it.

In the mornings, I trained my body, pushing myself to the limit as I ran through the dense forests, climbed the towering trees, and hunted the smaller monsters that roamed the outskirts of the Great Forest of Eldian. It was through these hunts that I began to truly understand the creatures of this world, their strengths, their weaknesses, and how to fight them. I wasn't the best at first — far from it — but over time, I improved.

By the time the sun set, I focused on training my mind, learning to meditate and control the energy within me. The elders guided me, helping me to understand how this power, this connection to the gods and demons, flowed through me like a river. It was unlike anything I had ever felt, and though I still couldn't fully control it, I was no longer the helpless boy who had nearly been devoured by it.

Years passed like this, and with each passing day, I changed.

My body grew stronger. My once thin and fragile frame had filled out, muscles forming from the countless hours of training. I had let my hair grow long, flowing down past my shoulders in a dark, unruly mane. My features had sharpened, my eyes hardened from the battles I fought both inside and outside. I had become the warrior the elders had always believed I could be — though I still questioned if I was truly ready to live up to their expectations.

One day, the village elders called me to the center of the village for a special ceremony. They had been preparing for this moment for years, waiting until I was ready. As I stood before them, the elder who had first spoken to me so long ago stepped forward, carrying something wrapped in a worn, cloth bundle.

"This, Jashoo, is for you," the elder said, his voice filled with reverence. He unwrapped the cloth to reveal a gleaming sword, unlike any weapon I had ever seen before. The blade was long and curved, similar to a katana, its edge shining in the sunlight. The hilt was engraved with intricate designs, ancient symbols I had come to recognize as those of their tribe.

"This sword," the elder continued, "is the Blade of the Demon Slayer. It has been passed down through the generations, meant for the one who would wield it to rid this world of the demons. We once believed the Demon Slayer would be one of our own, but the prophecy has revealed that it is you, a human, who is destined to carry this burden."

I took the sword into my hands, feeling the weight of it. It was light, but sturdy, the balance perfect. The blade hummed with an energy I could sense, as though it had been waiting for me. As I held it, the markings on the sword seemed to glow faintly, resonating with the energy inside me. I felt a connection to it, as if this sword was an extension of my very soul.

"This sword has a long history," the elder said. "It was forged long ago, during the first war with the demons. It has tasted the blood of many powerful creatures, and now it belongs to you. With it, you will fight the darkness that threatens our world."

I nodded, gripping the sword tightly. This was my weapon, the tool that would help me fulfill my destiny. Yet, the responsibility it carried weighed heavily on me. I knew that with this blade, I was no longer just training. The real fight was coming.

The elder then began to speak of the humans — the ones who lived far from this forest, far from the world I had come to know. He explained that their tribe, the Isalians, had once believed the Demon Slayer would be one of them, but when the prophecy revealed otherwise, they had turned their eyes to the distant lands where humans lived.

"The land of humans, Eldrosia, lies far beyond the Great Forest of Eldian, past the Endless Plains and across the Severin Sea. It is a place untouched by the ancient wars between gods and demons, but still plagued by darkness in other forms. It would take months, perhaps years, to reach it by foot, and the journey is perilous. Few who have attempted it have ever returned."

I listened carefully, trying to picture this far-off land. Eldrosia... It felt like a dream, a distant memory of the life I once knew. But now, it seemed so far away, so disconnected from the person I had become. Still, the elder's words filled me with a strange sense of longing.

"The humans," the elder continued, "are unaware of the demons that stir in the shadows. They live in relative peace, but that peace will not last. The darkness grows stronger, and soon, it will spread to their lands as well. You, Jashoo, must prepare yourself. The time will come when you will need to leave this forest and face the demons not just here, but across the world."

I looked down at the sword in my hand, the blade gleaming in the sunlight. I had trained for years, and yet I still felt like I wasn't ready. But deep down, I knew that time was running out. The monsters in the forest had become more aggressive, more frequent, and the signs of an impending darkness were growing stronger.

The elder placed a hand on my shoulder. "You are no longer the boy who stumbled into this village. You are the Demon Slayer, the one chosen by fate to protect this world. But you must also find your place among the humans once more. They will need you, just as we have."

I nodded, though the weight of his words still pressed heavily on me. I was ready to face whatever came next, but the road ahead was long and uncertain. The power inside me, the sword in my hand, and the training I had undergone had all prepared me for this moment.

But was I truly ready for what lay beyond the forest?

Only time would tell.