07. Yuuto's Adventure

"Hyaahh! Huf, huf !!"

A young man with curly hair was seen practicing with a tree trunk that stood upright in front of him. Every time he moved to attack the tree, his long hair would sway with his body movements. His black mane looked soft and bushy.

On the tree trunk there are several sticks that function as tools for practicing punches. As if the sticks were the enemy's hand to face. The young man continued to beat the sticks periodically using both of his hands, as if he was sparring with someone.

He is Yuuto, a young man who, eleven years ago, disappeared from the face of the earth and entered another world because he was carried by a demon with an ugly face. He is a son of the Akibara temple family who is known to be very kind and affectionate towards others. It's been a long time since that young man left the house, more precisely kidnapped from his real world.

Sweat was seen dripping from the temples and down the neck of the young man. It seemed that Yuuto was trying hard to hit 1000 hits in one day of training, it was clear that he had been hitting his training tool for several dozen minutes. The tempo was getting faster and faster.

Yuuto was determined like that in front of the teacher, he would reach 1000 hits in just one day. Even though Hiroshi had said there was no need to force himself, Yuuto still wanted to be like that. For him, forcing one's own strength to a certain extent was like a pleasant challenge.

Yuuto now ... has grown up, he is no longer a timid little child who likes to hide from terrible creatures like him before. The change in the young man was marked by a significant change in his height and an increasingly ideal body shape. His black hair grew long, and because of his daily activities, Yuuto would tie his hair up so that it resembled a ponytail.

Not too many changes on his handsome face, other than his skin which is a little darker than his skin when he was little. However, Yuuto was proud of his physical condition now. She's not even bothered by her long hair that looks like a girl's, but maybe one day she will still cut it short.

Yuuto starts to run out of breath. His weariness appeared as he neared the final count — around 900, but his smile didn't fade at all. He was really tired, but he shouldn't loosen up one bit of his training. There is still an unyielding spirit in the Akibara youth.

Yuuto has been struggling all this time, he won't just skip all his training. For him procrastinating was a mistake, and he hated procrastinating on things. He had to finish his training quickly.

So big is the obstacle he got. Now, he must not be careless about his practice. Out there, there are many wild creatures lurking and ready to eat him alive.

"989 ... 990 ... 991." His smile is getting bigger. A little more, a little more he will reach 1000 hits. "998 ... 999 ...." Yuuto chuckled before saying, "1000 ... at last!"

The youth's body collapsed, more precisely he was lying on the wide expanse of grass. A moment later he chuckled, laughing merrily. As if there had never been a burden clinging to his mind.

In the midst of his exhaustion, the young man remembered his past. He is weak ... cowardly and likes to hide. It felt like just yesterday he was being chased by some terrifying creature.

For example like eleven years ago, Yuuto still remembered it clearly. How it was difficult for him to escape from the grip of a giant cat-shaped demon who could stand on its two hind legs. He could feel how weak he was at that time, but he wasn't afraid at all, Yuuto continued to struggle to get away from him.

"Uhh, get off me, Youkai *!"

Little Yuuto revolted in the confines of a large hand which took him to a place he had never been to before. A very foreign place. This is not the place. This is not a forbidden forest close to his home temple.

This place is strange and out of place. This was the first time for Yuuto to come to a place filled with ugly-faced creatures scattered all over the place. Seriously. There can't be a Halloween celebration in May, right? However, why does it all feel real? Is Yuuto currently dreaming?

Ah, if this was a dream, Yuuto would wake up as soon as possible. What a strange dream, but it didn't turn out the way he had expected.

The big demon that kidnapped Yuuto, just stared at him blankly, while growling with a mouth that kept shedding saliva. Yuuto frowned in disgust when the sulfur-smelling liquid nearly hit his hands. Don't let the demon's saliva!

"Let go!" she screamed loudly. "You heard me, right? Let go of me Ugly Demon!"

The boy with an oval face then hit the wrist of the demon who kept growling at him repeatedly. Yuuto didn't understand what the demon meant and intended to do like that.

However, Yuuto didn't care at all. Not knowing fear like before, Yuuto was still trying to get away from the hands that were gripping his body tightly. "ARGH! RELEASE ME!"

"I have to go home and see Rin!" he shouted once again in a voice that was no less loud than his screams when he was taken to that strange place. "I promised him to always be with her! My sister is sick there and I have to go home! Let me go !!"

The ugly-faced demon's grip weakened, making Yuuto who was in his grip darted down to the ground. There was no time to whine in pain, Yuuto quickly entered the bushes. Hiding there hoping that stupid demon couldn't find him there.

"Nyaa, nyaaa."

The demon with large canines again let out a cat-like voice that was sounded like "nyaa" by the Japanese. As if he were luring the boy who was hiding in the bushes to come out of his hiding place.

"Duh, hurry up and go," whispered Yuuto irritably. Hoping that the terrible demon gets away from there soon so Yuuto can escape from there.

Yuuto then peeked through the gaps in the leaves, then he hugged his knee. The long wait made Yuuto feel sleepy, he wanted to take a nap.

Yuuto then lay down on the ground, still in the thicket. He can feel itching because he lies between the tree branches and dry leaves. He was sure the ants were biting his body now. However, he should be able to restrain himself for a little longer.

Until the big tall creature that brought him to that place went as far away from him as possible.

Yuuto's wish came true, that terrible creature slowly started to move away from there. The drowsiness that still attacked him made Yuuto slowly start to close his eyes. Hope that when he wakes up from sleep later, the demon has gone far and he can return to his home in peace.

Yes, I wish the plan would be that easy.

***

When he woke up from his sleep, Yuuto immediately crept out of the bush without waiting for his sleepiness to completely disappear. Previously he had checked the situation, in case the kidnapping creature was around the place.

After feeling safe, little Yuuto was finally able to get out of the bush and walk slowly through the wide path. Yuuto took a deep breath. "Thank God I can still survive that demon," he said, giving thanks.

Yuuto then turned his gaze around. His eyes stopped as he stared at the wide expanse of land filled with weeds on the right side of the road he was traveling on. Then Yuuto turned to the left, the trees were thick and dark.

Obviously Yuuto only chose a safe path, he couldn't possibly choose a path that was dangerous for him.

"Let's go to the left," he whispered to himself.

Based on the understanding of this 14 year old boy, if he chose to pass through the grass, I don't know what he would encounter while walking while parting the tall grass.

Whereas if he chose the left which meant it was a forest, it was unlikely that he would be attacked by a creature from under his feet.

Yuuto was pleased with his own thoughts.

While Yuuto was walking calmly in the strange forest, he who didn't pay attention to his surroundings accidentally stepped on something.

As soon as he looked down, something long and wet was right under his sandals. Like a tail of a creature. "Looks like this ... snake tail," muttered Yuuto as he stared and stepped on the foreign object.

"You stepped on my tail, you idiot."

Yuuto gasped. It was clearly a human voice, but ... where did it come from?

"I'm up here, boy."

Yuuto looked up slowly, his eyes suddenly opened wide when he saw a creature hanging from a tree branch. A drop of clear liquid dripped down Yuuto's face, Yuuto rubbed it slowly. It was ... the saliva of a creature with the body of a snake and a human head.

Yuuto's breath caught, he had to get out of here!

The eleven year old boy then ran fast, trying to save himself from the large snake with the human head.

It was impossible for a child his age to defeat that terrible demon. The knowledge he got from his grandmother only served to drive out small and weak demons.

How could he use it against a snake the size of a coconut tree trunk?

The snake was huge, so terrifying. His head was bald and his tongue stuck out very long. His eyes were yellow and his mouth was so wide, ready to pounce on the human child who was running away from him.

Yuuto continues to run, occasionally he will run to the right then to the left. His action was intended to outwit the snake demon. However, his breath was now at the end of his throat, e was now completely exhausted.

T-THIS ... CLEARLY NOT HIS WORLD! Yuuto was sure of this!

Yuuto bit his lower lip, fear began to engulf him since he was being chased by the demon. His breathing was tight from being forced to run too long for a child his age. Yuuto must be hiding!

He finally chose to hide behind a large rock. Even if later he was caught by the snake demon, then Yuuto couldn't do much other than lamenting his fate in that place; died in a miserable state and far from his family.

Why did he end up in such a terrible and strange place? Yuuto is scared.

The black haired boy waited a long time with anxious feeling in his chest. Yuuto was so afraid that a snake with a terrible and strange shape suddenly appeared in front of him and came to see him. Then his life will end right then and there.

Feeling safe, Yuuto sneaked out of his hiding place.

"Need help, young man?"

Yuuto was taken aback when he heard a human voice in the middle of his reverie. Quickly, he was looking for the source of the sound. Yuuto rolled his eyes around. When he saw a shadow of someone near a tree not far from there, Yuuto then glared at the figure behind him.

Is it true that human? Yuuto asked himself.

Slowly, Yuuto stepped his foot closer to the tree he had referred to earlier, his curiosity still dominated, but he was still afraid.

Yuuto looked at the figure who had previously offered to help him. "Sorry, who are you?" she asked after gathering courage. Yuuto was sure that what he saw was a human just like him, but Yuuto still hesitated.

When that figure began to shift to the side, Yuuto immediately jumped. It turned out that the deep voice he had heard earlier belonged to an old man with a long white beard that was as small as a stomach.

Yuuto tried to create distance from the creepy-looking grandpa, he was afraid that the old man standing in front of him was a snake demon in disguise.

As if knowing the mind of the boy in front of him, the wise-faced older brother then said, "Calm down. This grandfather is not a snake demon who was chasing you, Grandfather is not incarnate. Grandfather is a hermit."

Yuuto was still looking at her fearfully. Grandpa, dressed in dark brown like a Buddhist monk, said, "Come here, Grandpa will help you to be strong."

"Not only in this world, but you will survive whatever world you are in. Be a great monk."