The Good Demon [KNY]

Part 77: Hunger

Status Report, 2 months and 22 days until Muzan arrives:

Three days prior, Akai Suisei faked going rogue and engaged in combat with Zenitsu Agatsuma, Tanjiro Kamado, and Inosuke Hashibira. Despite breaking through their limits, Akai defeated them with low difficulty. Unexpectedly, Nezuko Kamado managed to consume some of Akai Suisei's blood, and unlocked a new state of power. The ensuing battle wiped out a half-mile-wide section of forest outside of the corp. Akai Suisei is fine, although exhausted. Nezuko Kamado, on the other hand, has undergone a physical change. She now matches Akai Suisei in terms of power and is much more lucid and intelligent than she was before. There have also been rumors about the Flame Pillar taking up a new apprentice.

"Hold on, what?" Akai looked over the shoulder of the Status Reporting Kakushi and asked.

"Yes, you haven't heard?" The Kakushi looked up.

"Interesting..." Akai muttered. An apprentice to Mr. Rengoku would have to be pretty powerful.

"Anyways, shouldn't you be out training the recruits?" The Kakushi asked.

"Yup." Akai immediately disappeared in a haze of red as he raced out of the butterfly estate. 

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Akai flew out of the tree line and skidded to a halt in the training ground. His 'students' all waited patiently for him.

"Sorry guys, I was busy." Akai explained. "Okay, partner up in groups of two." Akai ordered.

The recruits nodded and began to formulate pairs. After a minute of reshuffling, they all turned to him.

"Okay." Akai cleared his throat. "Now fight your partner unarmed. Do not show mercy." Akai ordered them. The recruits all stared at him, confused. "DID I STUTTER!?" Akai roared at them, and they began to fight each other. "Good, I'll be back in five minutes." Akai turned and left immediately.

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Akai stepped into the new clearing that was made when Nezuko went ballistic and saw Genya Shinazugawa gasping for air on the ground, while Nezuko stood above him unphased.

"Akai, this toy's too frail." Nezuko complained. She had become a lot more terrifying after her change.

"Don't talk about Genya like that. Also, come on, dude. How did are you this tired after a minute?" Akai chastised Nezuko, before turning to Genya.

"She's like you but two times meaner and ten times more sadistic..." Genya choked out.

Akai sighed and pulled a blood cup off of his belt. 

"Take two gulps and keep sparring. I'll be back in a bit." Akai tossed the blood cup to Genya and left the two to continue sparring.

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Akai reappeared in the main training ground to see the recruits still pummeling each other. He took a brief moment to chuckle to himself before making his presence known.

"Okay, you can stop now." Akai ordered. The recruits all stopped and crumpled to the ground, all exhausted by having to fight one another without their swords.

"Is there anyone who didn't participate?" Akai asked the crowd.

Tanjiro and Zenitsu raised their hands. Akai guessed that Tanjiro refused to fight Kanao, who he was partnered with, and Zenitsu spent the entire time running from Inosuke.

"Okay, you two get a cookie, come sit with me." Akai bit into two rocks and formed them into cookies, tossing them to the slayers. "And for the rest of you... five hundred pushups." Akai smiled as a hundred yells of protest erupted from the crowd. "You never attack your fellow slayers. This was a test, and you failed." Akai told them as they begrudgingly got into push-up position.