Chapter 1: Tokan's Past

Tokan was a regular cheerful girl, she was born into a happy family with 2 younger brothers, her being the older sister makes her more responsible. Her mother was kind and gentle, she would never get mad at all but when we got in trouble, that was all just a facade, that innocent smile was a lie and whenever they did something bad, her mother would punish them severely which matured her younger brothers a little bit. Her father was a demon slayer, she knew what breath he used since there was a book that was tied to the hilt of a katana that never seemed to be used. She didn't care about the katana, she would read the book countless times, memorizing it, and was even able to develop photographic memory from it. It was the Breath Of Frost, a unique breath style only the Furoku family could use, her father, Furoku Akihito, was the only user left. She would watch her father train, she didn't mind the cold and even was used to it. She was happy. Until that day came.

I was walking back home after buying groceries to help my mother cook. Our home was decent sized, it was an average sized house for a family of 5. My father often trained in the backyard and I would always be fascinated, though I couldn't understand why he wouldn't use the Nichirin Sword that the book was always tied to. Father told me what a Nichirin Sword was, the blade was forged with a unique core that absorbed sunlight which was a demon's biggest weakness.

I was a smart child for a 9 year old, some people called me a genius due to my capability of understanding complex things. I always had a good memory, a keen eyesight, and good instinct for sensing danger. And that instinct was buzzing really loudly right now.

Following my instinct, I rushed home, dropping everything since it would slow me down, and sprinted toward the direction of my house. When I made it home, there were my family's bodies lying on the wooden floor, motionless, with blood spreading across the floor. Two figures stood over the bodies. I could make out one of them, my father, standing next to him was a figure with long black hair, red eyes, with his hand through my father's chest where his heart was.

"You must be his daughter", he said, dropping my father on the ground. He was slowly walking towards me, I was scared, I couldn't move, a look in his eyes could send shivers down my spine.

"R-run Tokan, b-burn the b-b-book and t-take the blade", my father said before slowly closing his eyes.

I sprinted toward the direction, ignoring everything, and told me what my dad told me to do. The book was very important, a book held with secrets of the Breath of Frost, a breath style only the Furoku family could use. I untied the book, tossing the book I read for 7 years in the fireplace, before sprinting with the katana in hand.

I ran, abandoning my family, the family who raised me.

"Run child, one day I will hunt you down, kill you, just like I did to your family.", he said before chuckling.

I was too focused on running to care what he said. I felt my collar wet, my vision blurred, I was crying. I sobbed, blaming myself for being weak, dropping to my knees and cried. I cried with sadness, hatred, and anger before blacking out.

I woke up in a unfamiliar place, wooden ceiling, walls, and a soft futon. I looked around and saw a man with a really weird long-nosed mask.

"Excuse me, I don't know who you are but thank you for saving me. My name is Furoku Tokan, may you tell me yours?", I said.

"Ah so you woke up, I was worried for a second there, your body could not warm up no matter how hard I tried. I am Sakonji Urokodaki and what were you doing laying on the cold snow like that? You were lucky there were no demons near." he said with concern in his voice.

"A demon attacked my family and I was the only one to make it out. I was trying to escape but passed out." I said.

"Sorry to hear that but do you remember anything before you passed out?" He said.

"Before I passed out? My lungs were hurting quite a bit and my katana and my book!." I was rapidly looking around then,

"You mean this katana and book?" He said before pulling out the katana and book.

"AH! That's my katana and book. Those were the last things my family had."

"I see. Sorry but I looked through the contents of the book. I must say I've never seen this breathing before but it is quite similar to my Water Breathing. Earlier when you said your lungs started to hurt, you must've been using your breathing unconsciously."

"I don't really mind and using my breath unconsciously? I don't remember training for it but I memorized all the contents of the book."

"Memorized all of it?" He said giving my back my katana and book.

"Un. I read it almost everyday for the past 5 years. I think that's why I was able to breath unconsciously."

"I see but this breath is not someone normal can use."

"Yep that's right. The Frost Breathing is only something the Furoku Clan can do since we had always lived near cold areas for decades."

"I see, that was something that was written in the book after all. What about the sword? I can tell it has a Nichirin Blade because of the aura it gave off. What color did you get from your blade?"

"Color? I haven't checked it, my parents never allowed me to touch it when I was little."

"That makes sense since you were a child, keep the book hidden or burn it so nobody could find it. I don't know how many dangers or troublesome things it would bring. As for the Nichirin Blade, let's see your color, I'll train you for the next 5 years until you can take the final selection test."

"Really you would? Thank you so much!" I said jumping happily.

"Before I forget, how old are you?"

"I am 9 years old!"

"Alright, I'll train you until you are 14."

"Please take care of me Urokodaki-Sensei!"

"Whatever, now let's see what color is your Nichirin Blade." 'Being called sensei doesn't feel that bad.'

Tokan took the blade and unsheathed it. She gripped it tightly so she could connect the blade to her. In the book, it has said the Nichirin Blade's color represents one's breath, personality, and skill. They waited for a few seconds before the blade started to change color, but what they didn't expect was for the blade to become transparent. It was as if the blade was there but not there at the same time, if you looked closely, the edge of the blade sticks out only a bit. A transparent see-through blade, a blade that has never been seen.

"W-what does this mean?", I asked. I really did not know what to make of this, I never learned anything about a transparent blade. I was feeling excited and confused at the same time. There was more things to find out that I didn't know, but confusion once again surfaced over me since Urokodaki-Sensei seemed like he didn't know what to do either.

"Urokodaki-Sensei, do you know anything about a transparent blade? This was not something I know and it wasn't written in the book." I said.

"I have not seen anything about a transparent blade either, this is the first time in my life seeing something like this. This is quite interesting. The transparent blade probably has something to do with your breath. Why not let go of the katana, your hand is bleeding a bit from gripping it too hard." He said.

I looked down at my hand and saw a few drips of blood dropping from my hand. I let go of the katana and the blade turns back to it's original

"Color?" I said

The original blade's color was black, but due to the change, the blade's color changed from black to white.

"A series of odd phenomenons. Well, again, I think it has something to do with your Frost Breath. We start training tomorrow. Clean up, eat, then get some rest, you wouldn't want to strain your body especially" He said.

"Yes Sensei!" I said.

After doing all that, it turned dark before I realized it. The stars are pretty tonight, mother, father, and my siblings. Watch over me, I'll become strong and avenge you but don't worry. I won't live a life of revenge, I know you guys would never want that for me so instead, this journey will be for you. Watch me from the skies as I begin a life full of danger, fun, and new things.

That night I went to sleep with tears rolling down my cheek.

That night, somewhere in heaven, a group of family cried and smiled with joy watching their last member sleep.

"Dear, she really has grown up has she?"

"One day she will even surpass me. haha."

"Sister is going to be strong!~"

Thus, it has been 7 years.