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Cold.
The snowy mountain which supposed to be your natural habitat as a Snow Fox Demon, now the cold feels like it punctures your every fibers while you curl up on your now torn futon. The heater already ran out of fuel and your blanket already thinned, due to living completely alone as a child in the middle of a snowy mountain, only relying on the pity of people who lives on the mountain's foot.
"Mama... Papa... Where...are you...? It's been 4 years..." Today is your 10th birthday. Yet it lacks the warmth you should've feel during birthday.
Really... Where's Mom and Dad? No matter how many times you searched for them nor how many times you try to search any clue of their whereabouts, it's all in vain.
"(Y/n), wait for mama and papa, okay? We have an urgent mission from Ubuyashiki Family. Be safe and don't come out from the house or you'll catch a bad fever. Take care, my sweetheart."
What your parents said before they left echoes in your ears. But you don't need that words now. Right now you need to keep yourself warm. You already waited for years, yet they haven't come back. You relied on a child's beliefs and hopes that your beloved parents will come back and hug you. Yet the reality is harsh. Your parents don't come back.
Did they leave you? Are they not loving you anymore? Is it because you're weak? Did you do something wrong?
Negative thoughts are swirling in your head, adding more coldness to your body and your emotion.
"Ah... Seriously. I'm so tired." A small part in your mind speaks up.
"Heck... It's so cold that it feels warm now. Am I about to die? I think dying will be better than living if this continues." But right before your consciousness slips away, you feel a warm hands lift you up and cradle you closely.
Warm.... Who...?
You hear muffled shouts from around you, but you already feel sleepy to even care.
"Hurry! Her heartbeats already slowed! Bring more blanket and heated packs!"
"Yes, Sir! We need to leave the mountain ASAP before the snowstrom comes!"
You open your eyes slightly, realizing that the person holding you is looking at you worriedly.
"Hold on, Yang (Y/n). You're the only suitable successor for my family— for Ubuyashiki Family's protector fox deity." Right after he said that, you lost your consciousness.
After what feels like eternity, you open your eyes, realizing you're in the middle of a big hall. Many people with katana on their waist are surrounding you. One command from a person in the front and all those people step away from you.
The seemingly person with high authority in this room speak up to you, but the words are a blur in your ears as you are thrown into a deep shock.
"What?" Your eyes widened in horror. "What did you say?"
The person in front of you only nods.
"Yes, I said that right. Yang Itsuki and Yang Hanae already died 4 years ago, killed by Kibutsuji Muzan on a mission."
Ah. So... Those 4 years you went through alone in blind hope that your parents will come back is actually all in vain. You feel like crying and throwing tantrum right now, but in front of these many people, you try to hold yourself. You're way too mature for a 10 years old kid, forged by harsh realities.
The person steps down from his chair and walk towards you. Then he caress your chin and immediately you feel a searing pain on your right shoulder blade, spreading slowly to your collarbone. After the pain subsided, a large black mark shaped like a dragon spread from your right shoulder blade to your collarbone while the person in front of you smile subtly.
"Yang (Y/n). We, Ubuyashiki Family, will adopt you and train you until you're suitable to take your father's position as the protector fox deity of Ubuyashiki Family."
Right at that moment, you feel your nape hair standing from the intense and judgemental glare from every person in that room.
Now begin your life as the successor of Ubuyashiki Family's Protector Fox Deity.
And a soon-to-be Hashira.
10 years pass. You spend almost all those years in solitary. Battle training, general knowledge, your family's history, Ubuyashiki Family history, your task as a Fox Protector Deity later on, Fox Demons' capabilities and techniques, etiquette, and many more. But one thing that caught your attention the most is about demons who derived from Kibutsuji Muzan, and the Demon Slayers which is under Ubuyashiki Family's lead.
You're a demon, you aren't supposed to be able to learn Breathing Technique. But as a half demon and half human, you are an exception. Ubuyashiki Family start to give you some options of Breathing Style that might be suitable for you to use.
From many trials and errors, you are in fond of Wind Breathing Style so much, but this Breathing Style spend your stamina too much, unsuitable for your weak body. Then you change to Water Breathing Style. The flowing movement are suitable for your weak body, but you don't like how it lacks damage and destructive capabilities compared to Wind Breathing Style.
Thus, you decided to try to make your own Breathing Style. Combining the flowing movement of Water Breathing Style, destructive capabilities of Wind Breathing Style, and your expertise in controling ice and snow as a snow fox demon, you make your own breathing style, Ice Breathing Style.
You spend almost another 8 years to complete your Ice Breathing Style. This Breathing Style might deal inconsiderable damage from direct attack, but what gives this Breathing Style its strength is how every attack will leave micro ice spikes that spreads like a poison on the target's body, leaving numb sensation. This ice spikes will continue to spread in an incredible speed, then when it reach the organs, the target will die without they realize. The micro ice spikes' size can also be manipulated, where you'll able to change the spikes size to puncture the enemy and make an instant death.
You take advantage of your flexible body and your too-active hands into this Breathing Style, making body movements, swordplay, and the way you grip the katana important in this Breathing Style.
This breathing style consists of 9 forms;
First Form: Snow Fox Dash
Second Form: Arctic Wind
Third Form: Exploding Lotus
Fourth Form: Dancing Snowflakes
Fifth Form: Mute Winter
Sixth Form: Frozen Landmine
Seventh Form: Song of Orca
Eighth Form: Zero Degrees
Ninth Form: Ice Dragon Descend
"Yosh, it's done." You wipe the sweats on your forehead which appears due to your excitement while writing on the parchment for your Breathing Style. You stand up and unsheathe your katana while walking to the training dummy outside your room.
The big fish pond below the elevated terrace of your room is ignored as you walk on the pond, the water immediately freezes, making a safe path for you. The katana on your hand glows light blue as cold mist emits from it. You shift into low stance while holding your katana across your torso, then take a deep breath.
"Ice Breathing Technique, Seventh Form: Song of Orca."
You run forward towards the dummy and make several straight slashes, then you make a horizontal spinning jump and use the momentum to make a powerful upward slash for the finisher. Right after the chain of slashes ended, many ice needles appears on top of the dummy, so many that it makes a projection of an orca. Then the orca let out a wail as the ice needles fall towards the dummy.
When the cold mist clears up, the dummy is stabbed by many ice needles. You snap your fingers, and the dummy is punctured by many big ice spikes that appears from inside the dummy.
"Haha. Sugoi desu ne..."
You sheathe your katana and smile in satisfaction. But your smile quickly disappear when you remember the unfair treatment you received from Ubuyashiki Family due to your half demon blood, but still forced to be the successor as their protector.
"Father... Is this the family you're trying to protect all this time? Why are they so... Or is this because of my half human blood, father?"
You look up at the falling snow and sigh as a smile makes its way back to your face. You still have a long way forward. Most importantly, you have to be a Hashira to prevent a certain tragedy from happening.
"Time to prepare for Final Selection. I can't wait to test my Ice Breathing Style into real battles!"