Icy Flames- Rengoku Kyojuro-Demon Slayer/ Kimetsu no Yaiba

17

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The sound of screams filled my mind and I shut my eyes tightly out of fear as the cacophony of noise continued ahead.

"Sounds like there's a lot of noise coming from this side of the forest...what is the demon up to?" I thought as I pushed forward ahead of Kyojuro granted I was jumping from tree to tree as he was running on the ground. The forest was still as any other night, the clear dirt path illuminated by the moon. Not a soul in sight.

Running through it made it feel as if the forest was closing in on you, the colossal trees growing so close together that it was impossible to see through the foliage. The entire place was dark and eerily quiet— the leaves only rustling in the wind as I passed it, the only sound in the silent forest being my soft breaths of exhalation as I continued through the forest.

Just as I reached, a low growl reached my ears and I snapped my head and lunged forward to come face to face with the demon that I had followed. It was a rather large human in shape, but its gnarled, razor-sharp teeth, claws, and glowing red eyes struck its victim with such fear that he couldn't move.

The demon grinned, saliva and blood spilling from its mouth as it let out a horrendous chuckle towards its prey.

"To enjoy a marechi is a real treat as you would be the equivalent of 100 humans!"

"Please!" the man yelled as tears spilled down his face as he stared into the ruby glowing eyes of the demon.

I forced my body forward, charging towards the man as the demon raised its claws and deflected the blow from the demon's talon. I glanced down at the person caught in the demon's wrath to see marks littered on his body with blood dripping from the side of his lips.

"A slayer in these parts of the land?!" the demon roared.

I focused my attention back on the problem.

If I had not lowered the temperature, Rengoku and I would have been the next victims. The demon swiftly attempts to land another attack towards me and the victim only to be blocked by my blade and pushed back away from the marechi who was just a small frightened boy.

I rushed forward towards the demon in midair to strike it only to be blocked by the demon and pushed back, using my blade to break my fall as I looked up at the demon. My eyes widen as I noticed Rengoku's head of golden blonde hair launching an attack towards it. He smirked towards her, a vibrant smile on his face. His eyes glowed in the darkness as he focused his attack on the beast.

"Flame Breathing. First Form-"

I moved my eyes slightly to see a dozen flaming symbols in the direction of the attack, charging towards the demon at high speed.

"Unknowing Fire!" Rengoku yelled.

I swiftly cut off the demon's limbs in one slash,  burning its flesh of it instantly. The strike of his attack was practiced, and disciplined. The way he announced his attack had this unwavering pang of justice fueling his motivation making him intimidating. He was very strong and fast-he had to have been Kinoto rank or even a rank of a Hashira. Some of his neural circuitry was more intact than I thought.

"Ice Breathing, Seventh Form. Diamond Dust!" I yelled.

I walked towards the demon as its torso and head slowly began to freeze along with the surrounding landscape. As icy and fog this terrain became, the fate of the demon was more clear. With a direct strike with the intent to end its light, its head rolled off from its torso.

The fresh smell of disintegrating demon flesh floods the air around us. I stood there, half-lidded eyes glaring absentmindedly at Rengoku as the demon's remains were turning into ashes around us. He swung his sword to the side to simmer down the flames on his blade and pulled his sheath upwards. With a swipe of his blade, he slowly sheathed it. His hands followed the hilt upwards, curving when it reached the pinnacle and grasped the hilt. I let out a small breath, my dilated eyes now taking into account the verdure surrounding him as the morning light hit. For someone peculiar like him, there was something about him...something beyond that gold hair with red tips and his eyes that were the color of fire.

Suddenly, Rengoku turned around to face me with those eyes of his and smiled. That same enthusiastic smile he held during the final selection was plastered on his face.

"You are really strong," Rengoku said, his tone soft and gentle.

My amber eyes, brutish with disinterest, meet his vibrant gaze - and turn away.

It amazed me how he could remain so vibrant considering the number of deaths that demon brought about. He surely was something.

"Nuisance," I muttered as I walked away from him and back towards the direction of the wisteria mansion I was staying at.

"Kyojuro Rengoku you are to report to headquarters! Headquarters!" a crow yelled.

I continued walking away from him even when he screamed, "I hope we see each other again Y/N! Let's train together one day!"

I turned my head to look at him with eyes coldly regarding him but filled annoyance as I can see in his own hues, the determination to work with me and that damn smile etched on his face. I turn my head forward and continued onwards...working with him only showed me how much harder I needed to train.