The Sword that Slashes Your Solitude

It was a beautiful day with a perfectly blue sky. However inside that house, there was nothing but sadness.

Sitting alone on the sofa in the living room was Ayumu dressed all in black. The boy who had just started middle school had a truly depressed look in his face. He was fighting against the tears that wanted to fall one more time from his eyes. And at all costs, he tried to not look at the adults who were there, but it was impossible not to hear their words.

“Losing your parents so early in life is a terrible thing.”

“I heard the driver who caused the accident was drunk.”

“Has it been decided who will live with him?”

A tragedy happened, something that shook that child’s life.

Ayumu lost his smile and stopped caring about the world around him. The years he spent in middle school were so empty it was as if nothing had happened. No friends, no precious memories.

Two bamboo swords collided. His opponent quickly tried another attack, but Ayumu successfully blocked it and it was his turn to counter-attack, but his attack was also blocked. For a few moments, the swords continued to cross each other in an even fight, but as soon as his opponent made a slight mistake, Ayumu managed to take the sword from his hands with one blow.

"That’s enough! The winner is Ayumu!”

A third year student member of the kendo club announced it and many who watched were surprised by the result.

"Let's end here today, you all are dismissed!"

And with that announcement, everyone started getting ready to leave school.

“That was impressive, Ayumu! It doesn't even look like you're new in this club!”

Takashi said as Ayumu used a towel to remove the sweat from his face.

“Oh, but my opponent was also new in the club… So it was no big deal.”

"New? Not exactly. He might be a freshman, but he started training at the end of middle school. So you have potential! If you keep training hard, you might even be able to participate in a tournament next year!”

"Really? I can't even imagine that.”

“You can trust your friend! We'll train hard to make that a reality!”

"Well, I'll try."

“That’s the spirit!”

Summer had begun. The summer of the year that Ayumu finally managed to break the invisible barrier he had placed around himself.

Walking towards the train station to return home, he had a big smile on his face.

If I could participate in a tournament… Even if I ended in last place, I would be very happy. No, I can't think like this! If I manage to participate in one, I will fight with everything I have!

Distracted by happy thoughts, once again he didn't notice the demon girl watching him from the top of a building.

The days went by. Ayumu was completely focused on kendo, training every day, even during weekends. The boy who had abandoned the world had found a light that would lead him to a better future.

"You're really dedicated to this."

The fall season had arrived and Ryou was talking with Ayumu before the class started.

“A lot of club members said I had potential, so I just wanted to live up to their expectations.”

It was impossible to not notice the big smile on Ayumu's face as he said those words.

"Well, I hope everything works out for you and Takashi."

Everything was really going well, apparently. Every day that passed was a precious day for Ayumu.

And at the end of that year, he would go to a Christmas party for the first time, a party organized by some classmates. Ayumu was so anxious that he could barely fall asleep the night before the party.

The same dream, the same girl, the same words.

“I hope you’ll find happiness this time.”

Ayumu really wanted to find happiness. Those days of middle school passed and there was no way to remake them. But now he had a chance to start over.

“I hope you’ll find happiness this time.”

Those words would guide him to a new beginning.

“I hope you’ll find happiness this time.”

They would give him the strength to bring changes.

“I hope you’ll find happiness this time.”

But how many times had he heard those words before he'd managed to grab a fragment of happiness?

Spring had arrived once again. It was a new opportunity for Ayumu to create happy memories. But for some reason, he felt incredibly exhausted. He just wanted to sleep. Overcome by fatigue, he ended up not noticing that the traffic light was red for pedestrians and tragedy struck.

Ayumu woke up startled, his body all sweaty.

Was that a nightmare?

He checked the day and time on his cell phone. It was almost time to get ready for school.

Still clearly perturbed by that bad dream, Ayumu got up and went to wash his face.

I hope I’ll never have a dream like that again.

He could stay in bed for a few more minutes, but Ayumu chose to get ready for school.

“Today will be sunny with a few clouds in the sky, a beautiful day of spring!”

The TV show reporter was indeed correct and Ayumu was enveloped in a pleasant atmosphere as he left his home. And as he walked to the station, he saw in the distance a girl in a black dress looking his way, but she disappeared as soon as he blinked his eyes.

“What was that?”

Ayumu had to change himself that year at any cost, and wasting no time he quickly started talking to his classmates to create bonds of friendship.

“Ayumu, aren’t you going to join any club again?”

A teacher asked him in the hallway a few days after school started.

“I haven't decided yet...”

Something was strange. Ayumu was determined to join a club this year, but something inexplicable in his mind kept him from doing so. And in the end, he didn't sign up for any club. Of course, a club wasn't necessary, but it would be a new experience for him.

The days passed and Ayumu's efforts produced results, he now had several friends at school. His days were happier, he was no longer alone. And during summer break, after the end of a festival he went with his friends, Ayumu walked alone on the street.

It was dark, the whole city looked like to be sleeping in their homes with only Ayumu walking outside. And then, he saw a girl in a black dress standing right ahead. She was under a streetlight, making it easy to see that she was looking at him.

It's that girl who suddenly disappeared.

Ayumu fixed his eyes on the girl to make sure he wouldn’t lose sight of her and continued walking towards her.

Slowly, he got closer, the girl still looking at him. And then, a terrible feeling came over Ayumu.

He looked around, finding nothing, but when he turned his eyes towards the girl, something fell in front of her.

What is that!?

Ayumu didn't know the answer. That was not something that should exist in this world. But he had no time to waste, it was as if alarms were going off in his head, so he ran.

That thing, the demon, raised its claw. The girl who wouldn’t move until a moment ago turned around to run, but she was too slow to react. The claw was about to come down, it would be a fatal blow.

“I won’t let that happen!”

Ayumu jumped, grabbing the demon girl's arm.

“Run!”

He shouted with all his might and the girl obeyed him. The demon seeing that became nervous and shook its arm so violently that Ayumu ended up falling in the ground. Freed from him, the demon prepared to attack the girl, but Ayumu grabbed its leg.

“I told I won’t let that happen!”

The girl was disappearing from its sight and that made the demon even more angry, but Ayumu didn't let go of its leg. Tired of that, the demon kicked Ayumu so hard that he went flying, crashing into a wall and everything went dark.

The young Ayumu was alone in the schoolyard, a pretty normal scene for that lonely boy, but something really sad for a kid who just started middle school.

He continued to eat his lunch without paying attention to the other children around him. Not even their laughter reached his ears.

And then someone approached him. He looked at that person he couldn't identify and heard those words.

“I hope you’ll find happiness this time.”

“I’m going now.”

It was the first day of the second year of high school. Ayumu would do anything for this year to be different, a year to make many good memories for the future.

The first step was simple, he needed to interact more with his classmates and make friends. And the second was to join a club for the first time. But which club should he choose?

After school, Ayumu visited some art clubs and then went to visit some sports clubs, starting with the kendo club. For some reason, he felt a strange nostalgia when he saw some students training.

What a strange feeling…

How was it possible to feel nostalgia for something he had never done? Ayumu had never picked up a sword before.

Maybe I should…

Following that feeling, he joined the kendo club.

To everyone's surprise, Ayumu had talent. He easily learned everything he was taught.

“Is this really your first time training kendo?”

“You have a huge potential!”

“You were wasting an enormous talent!”

Everyone in the club praised him and that made Ayumu want to dedicate himself to kendo.

Months passed, under a cloud-covered autumn sky, a bamboo sword was swung in the schoolyard. Everyone from the kendo club had already left, but Ayumu stayed there training alone.

Dry leaves fell from the trees, the wind blew silently and he was still there focused on his training.

A tournament that would take place next year was his great motivation. Something that would certainly become a great memory for the future.

It looked like nothing would break Ayumu's focus, but then, something appeared in his field of vision. Something that was impossible to ignore. The sword stopped and he turned a little to his right. Under a tree, a girl with long black hair and wearing a black gothic dress was watching him.

Ayumu was confused by that girl without a school uniform. And for some reason, he had a feeling he'd seen her before.

"Hello! Are you looking for someone?”

He asked, but there was no answer. The girl was still standing there, watching him.

Didn’t she hear me?

As he took a step towards the girl, something absurd happened.

"A demon!? This is impossible!"

A demon fell from the sky and it was just a few steps away from the girl. The strange being wasted no time, it raised its right arm that had a large claw instead of a hand and moved forward, attacking.

A noise echoed through the schoolyard. The attack had been blocked by a bamboo sword.

"I don't know what you are, but I won't let you touch her!"

Those claws would surely destroy a bamboo sword, but Ayumu perfectly stopped the attack by hitting the monster's arm.

The demon girl backed away, her eyes still fixed on the girl who was now behind Ayumu.

“Run and seek for help! I will hold this thing!”

The girl nodded and ran away. Ignoring Ayumu, the demon tried to go towards the girl, but was forced to stop to dodge the sword that attacked it.

“I'm your opponent!”

Ayumu was trying to look calm and tough, but deep down he was nervous, maybe even scared. But that was to be expected, after all, he was facing something that seemed to have come out of a work of fiction. A being whose strength was completely unknown.

I don't think there's any way I can win… Would holding this thing for a few minutes and running away work? Hopefully help will arrive soon, but I can't count on it.

The demon prepared for a new attack and…

Will it try to ignore me again? I won’t let you do that!

Ayumu moved foward and attacked, the demon barely had time to use its left arm to defend itself.

"I already told you that I'm your opponent!"

Nervous, the demon looked behind Ayumu, but the girl had long since disappeared.

“What do you want so much from that girl?”

There was no answer and it was clear that that being wasn't in the mood to waste time with Ayumu.

"If you want to ignore me so badly, you’ll have to work for it!"

Ayumu swallowed his nervousness and went towards the demon, attacking several times, but it managed to dodge every single attack.

This thing is too fast!

There was no time to think of a complex strategy to counter that, so Ayumu moved forward, the demon was already ready to dodge the attack that would come from the right, but Ayumu quickly turned around and attacked from the left, landing a direct hit.

“I did it!”

The demon drew back slightly, focusing its eyes for the first time on the human before it.

“Oh? Are you interested in me now?”

That thing that resembled a girl couldn’t hide its anger, after all its target was getting further and further away, maybe it wouldn't even be able to find the girl anymore. That boy kept getting in the way, so there was no choice but to attack him.

Realizing his opponent's intent, Ayumu assumed a defensive stance and soon after, the demon attacked.

The left arm and not the claw!?

With the arm with the claw behind its back, the demon tried to hit Ayumu with its left arm. The attacks were extremely fast, but being restricted to one arm, it made them predictable, allowing Ayumu to block every single one.

I have to counter-attack! I won't be able to keep like this for much longer!

But he didn’t get a chance to attack. Annoyed at its attacks being blocked, the demon slashed with its claw. By a miracle, Ayumu managed to place the sword in front of the claw… only for it to be cut into pieces. Blood splattered from Ayumu and he fell to the ground.

Oh… So this is the end…

Only a single attack hit him and it was enough. That was the difference between a human being and that strange thing.

And to think I wouldn't even finish high school... But I saved someone... So my life was worth it…

While his life faded away, Ayumu looked at the demon that was still standing there before him and his eyes widened.

"Why? Why… are you making such a sad face?”

The demon defeated his opponent, but it appeared to be suffering. Ayumu kept looking at it until his consciousness disappeared.

“I hope you’ll find happiness this time.”