'Demon Slayer' Slayer

Chapter 13: Nensho

After I was inducted into the Lower Moons, I spent the next month or so just eating as many humans and unranked demons as I could. I was so much more powerful than before, it was exhilarating. The only caveat was that now Muzan's consciousness was a constant and tangible presence in mine.

I didn't mind this much, because usually he just checked my loyalty and told me to hunt some demon slayers, which I was all too happy to do. I had a vague feeling that maybe it would be nice to have some privacy... but I quickly squashed these thoughts. Who needed privacy when you had power, anyway?

Tonight, though, I was summoned again. The sun was beginning to rise, so I was frantically searching for a hiding place. I'd had to abandon half of my most recent kill- a Kinoe-ranked demon slayer- but that particular human would be so nourishing that I made time to set her on fire before running for a cave. On my way, I heard the twang of a biwa string, and I found myself once again inside the Infinity Castle.

The other five Lower Moons were there as well. Muzan stood in front of us, and the biwa woman watched from a balcony high above. "Lower Moons... you have failed to give me any results. The Upper Moons have killed Hashira after Hashira, yet you are constantly being replaced. Only Lower Moon One has ever killed a Hashira. And only one, mind you. You have one last chance. If another of you gets taken down by anyone below Hashira rank, I will kill you all. Figure that out for yourselves. Have Blood Battles if you want to. Just get it done."

"Blood Battles? Get ready, Rui!" I shouted as soon as Muzan had left, unsheathing my flame-patterned katana. I loved the sound of a sword sliding from its sheath, ready to wreak destruction on the wielder's target of choice. "I challenge you for the position of Lower Rank Five!"

"Challenge accepted." The other Lower Moons cleared a space for us to fight, and Rui prepared his threads while I got into a defensive stance and coated my sword in beautiful white flames. "Begin!"

I leaped forward immediately, slashing apart Rui's initial shield. The threads caught fire, and the flames began to spread as I sliced wildly. Rui turned his threads red and made them spin even faster, twining around my body and cutting deep into my skin.

I twisted around violently, igniting the threads. Weakened by the intense heat, they snapped one by one. Free, I slashed at Rui's neck, but he caught my arm with another web. This one was harder to release, and even my katana couldn't cut the threads. Rui sent another wave at me, planning to slice off my head with them. According to the rules of Blood Battles, that would win him the match.

Can't let that happen. I grabbed the new threads with my free hand, rolling them around my arm. With the few seconds this bought me, I sent a hard front-kick at Rui's chest, managing to pierce his tough flesh. I pinned him to the ground and transferred my sword to my mouth, then swung down.

Rui tried to block the strike with more threads, but I just added more power, and sliced right through the threads. The next thing I knew, blood was splattered all over me, and Rui's head was rolling away from his body. I had won the match, and the position of Lower Rank Five.

Rui stood up and regenerated, reattaching his head. He glared at me, looking like he wanted nothing more than to throw me into the abyss again. The kanji in his left eye shifted to say, "Lower Six". I laughed as I untangled my arms and sheathed my sword, feeling the kanji in my own eye change. I'm Lower Five now. But I won't stop there.

"Mukago, I challenge you for the position of Lower Rank Four." Mukago just stared at me, looking betrayed.

"I don't want to..." She took a few steps back, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white.

"You know the rules. You can't refuse a challenge. You have to beat your challenger, or take the demotion," Rui told her. Mukago nodded reluctantly.

"All right. Begin." She sent two jets of orange acid at me, and I raised my sword and ignited it. The acid evaporated in the heat, rendering Mukago's blood demon art essentially useless. I stepped closer, igniting myself and everything around us. I was glad that the floor we were standing on was stone this time.