The Good Demon [KNY]

Part 14: Mount Natagumo

Akai walked back to the butterfly estate, he slowly trudged up to the front door. He went inside and down the hall to his room. He saw Aoi come out of another room.

"Oh, hey Aoi!" Akai smiled and walked up to her. She ignored him and walked past him. "...Aoi?"

"Don't talk to me." Aoi said angrily. "I heard about you and Obanai." She looked away in disgust.

"What? Who told you that!?" Akai asked. Aoi continued walking while Akai tried to talk to her. "I was fixing a scar on his face! It's not what you think!"

"Really?" Aoi turned around suddenly.

"Yea!" Akai said.

"Oh." Aoi looked away and bit her lip, partially surprised and embarrassed upon realizing she may have jumped to conclusions. "Well, I'm still not talking to you." She turned around and said grumpily.

"That... That doesn't make any sense." Akai said.

"Just... Shut up!" Aoi stormed off angrily.

...

...

...

"Girls are wierd..."

Akai continued down the hall and finally got to the room. He sighed and placed his knife on a nightstand. It was a long, annoying day. The Obanai situation, the talk with Mr. Rengoku. And then Aoi is mad at him. But he'd finally get to sit down and chill. He'd finally get to rest...

For a whole eight seconds.

"Red Comet!!!" A Kakushi sprinted into the room.

"What? What!?" Akai fell out of his bed and got up.

"Mr. Ubuyashiki! It's urgent!" The Kakushi yelled.

"On it!" Akai ran out into the hall and jumped out a window to the outside. "What does he need now?" Akai growled and sprinted down to Master Ubuyashiki's home. Akai lept through a window and landed with the silence of a feather. Shinobu taught him that.

He saw Shinobu and Tomioka sitting together, so he snuck over and sat with them. Ubuyashiki was holding a small messenger crow, Akai remembered not getting one of those but that's beside the point. Ubuyashiki stroked the feathers on the little crow's head. It was tired and hurt by the looks of it.

"You did well to return..." Ubuyashiki muttered as the bird took in long, exhausted breaths. "It seems my children have been killed. There may very well be a demon moon there."

"Children? Does Mr. Ubuyashiki have other- oh he calls the other slayers that." Akai thought. "I don't think he's ever called me that before, but- oh wait he's talking again." Akai cleared his thoughts as Ubuyashiki began speaking.

"It seems I will have to send in some Hashira." Ubuyashiki decided. "Giyu, and Shinobu." Ubuyashiki said. "And you as well, Akai."

"Fuck he noticed me?"

"Understood." Tomioka, Shinobu and Akai said in unison.

"Of only, we could get along with demons. Eh, Tomioka?" Shinobu asked Giyu.

"Uh, Shinobu?" Akai pointed at himself.

"That's a pipe dream." Tomioka responded to Shinobu.

"Wow, you guys suck." Akai frowned.

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The forest was calm and dark. All creatures had settled into sleep as the night breeze flowed through the trees. The calmness of the wilderness was shattered when three swordsmen flew through the underbrush.

"So what's the plan again?" Akai asked Tomioka, keeping pace with him as they sprinted through the forest.

"We continue though here and up into Mount Natagumo. You will accompany me while Shinobu and Kanao go another way." Tomioka explained.

"Wait, Kanao's here?" Akai turned to his left and saw her running a little ways away, she was shadowing Shinobu on the ground as the Insect Pillar flew through the trees by jumping on tree branches.

"She is here..." Akai had just noticed Kanao. She could be so silent sometimes.

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The four slayers had eventually reached Mount Natagumo and began running up it. The low-hanging woods soon transformed into a labyrinth of tall trees. It meant an enemy could attack from anywhere to their sides as well as above with ease.

"What kind of demons will we be facing?" Akai asked.

"You tell me. What do you smell?" Giyu said.

"Oh, okay." Akai closed his mouth and took in a deep breath through his nose. He nearly gagged when it hit him.

"It's pungent demon and insect smell. Most likely a group of insectoid demons." Akai said. But they quickly realized what they were up against when they saw countless bodies hung up in the trees. All of which wrapped in spiderwebs. "Scratch that. Spider demons." Akai said with a hint of disgust in his tone.

"Any Twelve Kizuki?" Tomioka asked.

"One really strong scent. I'm not sure if it's a Demon Moon, But it's powerful." Akai said after sniffing the air again.

"Do you smell anything else?" Tomioka asked.

"Human grief, sorrow, and anger." Akai said with a scowl. "And death." He finished.

"We cut down any demon we find. We aid survivors the best we can and then move on." Tomioka ordered.

"Alright. I'll have your back." Akai nodded. He turned and noticed that Shinobu and Kanao had gone their own way.

"Hold on. I see something." Giyu and Akai skidded to a halt.

"What do you see?" Akai asked quietly.

Giyu paused and observed what he was looking at to make sure it wasn't a trap. He then went back to a sprint and Akai followed.

"What did you see, Tomioka?" Akai said, Tomioka slowed down and Akai saw what Tomioka had seen. A dozen young slayers. All with their necks snapped.

"What... happened?" Akai said with disbelief.

"I don't know. Keep moving." Giyu ordered and they continued running through the forest.

"Dammit!" Akai growled, furious at the fact he had no way to help them. He focused on all of his scents, trying to pick something up. Akai heard splashing and yelling about a half-mile away. "Mr. Tomioka, I think I hear two slayers fighting a demon in a stream not too far from here." Akai said, cupping a hand around his ear to pick up the commotion better.

*WHACK!!!*

"KENTAROOOOOO!!!!!!"

"One of the slayers just got sent flying. The one left with the demon will be fighting alone." Akai said and uncupped his ear.

"Not if we can get there in time." Tomioka said and picked up speed.