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❛𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧❜
AMONGST THE DEAFENING SILENCE OF ADRENALINE, the young boy charged towards the demon with carelessness.
No... it wasn't carelessness.
You observed the boy's eyes when he charged with his attack and chills went up to your spine. It held strong resolution and determination. Eyes filled with absolute conviction and unwavering bravery. It was so passionate that you were surprised that such a gaze was possible.
Rui held his hand out again, "Blood Demon Arts: Cutting Thread Cage" He dragged both of his hands, and blood-red threads formed around the boy, "I have no use for you anymore. I found a stronger candidate," he pulled his hands closer to his face in one swift motion, "Goodbye."
You were about to cut the threads with your breathing, but the sight before you caught your attention halting you from doing anything else.
The water dragon slowly formed to one of blazing fire, "Hinokami Kagura..." He flipped his body around and the broken blade he held formed into one of fire, smoothly cutting away the threads that were around him, "...Dance!"
You couldn't help but watch as the boy charged forward, again and again, cutting away all of the threads that were strung all over him. Even though some were cutting through him, he held a confident stance that never once wavered.
Suddenly, the threads that the girl was being held burned with pinkish flames. They burned with strange heat and that put you off. Your head began to ring, then the voice spoke again.
Jump away.
Following the voice in your head, you jumped away and onto a nearby tree as the flames exploded, making Rui lose his stance. The boy took this opportunity and brought his flaming blade up to the demon's head and―
The demon's head flew off and the boy collapsed, the girl falling also. You quickly dashed towards the falling girl and caught her in your arms, grabbing the young boy also. Something felt off.
He hurt those kids. Kill him.
You softly placed them both next to a tree, the young boy holding the girl close to him, "W-Who are you?" He finally spoke to you. You merely stared at him before turning away to kill the demon. You have to make this quick or the effort that the boy made would be useless.
When you looked back, you see that the demon has his head back on. You scoffed, "Cutting your own head? How noble."
"E-Eh?" The boy stuttered, his eyes widening when he saw that the head of the demon was not detached.
Rui chuckled, "So you noticed? Well, there is no use since we will be ending this quickly," He held his hands together and moved them in a circular motion, "Blood Demon Arts: Cutting Thread Rotation"
Red threads strung up from behind him and formed into a circle. He then pushed it forward, launching the millions of threads towards you.
"Indeed," In and out...
"Frost Breathing, Tenth Form: Dancer on the Ice"
You entered a state of tranquility. Your vision from the dark gloomy forest that you were into an ice-covered valley, the cold frigid air breezing through the both of you. As soon as the threads reached you, they all snapped instantly. You held your blade in front of you in a straight posture, akin to a statue guarding a palace.
From the calm and arrogant face that Rui held, turned to one of confusion and anger, "This can't be happening..." He held his hand out, prepared to perform another move, "One more time!"
Before Rui could even blink, you had moved past him and sliced his neck, successfully splitting it from his body. The sound of him being beheaded resonated through the quiet, empty forest.
Thud. His head fell to the ground.
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His body kept on moving, waving around as of he wanted to reach something, someone.
You continued to watch it move towards the young boy, limping in agony and lost. It fell to the ground when it tripped but it continued to reach out to hold on to the boy.
Something deep within you hurt, but you dismissed it as overuse of your breathing.
The boy noticed the body trying to grab him and began to tear up. He lent out his hand and placed it on the demon's back, comforting the demon as it began to disintegrate. Sighing, you walked towards the three of them and knelt, and began to pray. The small kimono Rui wore slowly sank as his body disintegrated slowly.
You didn't see, but Rui saw and felt the warmth he had always wished to have. Reminded of the past, the young demon teared up and accepted death.
The boy was surprised by your actions, "You... don't hate demons?"
"My only duty is to kill any malicious demons," You jerked your head towards the young girl that he was holding, "Your sister?"
"Y-Yes... But―!"
"She's a demon, I know."
The boy's eyes widened, "But you didn't hesitate to save us... Why?" He gripped the cloth that the demon wore tighter.
You looked at him with your dull eyes, "Your sister protected you." You merely said. You were about to say something else, but felt a powerful presence and pulled your blade out while covering the boy and his sister.
Two different people ran towards you, a man with black hair and a mismatched haori and a woman with black hair fading to purple wearing a butterfly patterned haori. They were coming towards you, and fast.
They both pulled out their katanas and swung at you, but you moved faster. You slashed your blade in a straight line and deflected both of their attacks, both flipping backward and landed behind you.
"Oh my~ Protecting a demon? That's against corps rules, you know~" She declared as if it was unknown knowledge. While she was smiling, the man seemed to recognize who the two behind you are.
"Y-You're wrong!" The boy shouted, "No, you're right—well, she's my sister! So..."
The woman covered her mouth with her hand as if she was sympathizing, "I see... You're so pitiful. Well..."
That smile again, "I won't let her suffer any pain. I'll help you kill her with a gentle poison."
The boy faltered and cowered. You didn't like seeing the boy being afraid, and that was when you decided to help these two out, "You, boy,"
"E-Eh?"
"If you can move, then run. Run as fast as you can. I will hold them off."
"I—" He was about to protest but when he saw your strict gaze, he went along with it, "Okay. Thank you!" He shouted before he ran away carrying his sister in his arms.
The two demon slayers were shocked by your decision, but didn't hesitate to question you for it, "My~ You know you were protecting a demon, right?" The woman stated.
You nodded and clutched your blade. You wanted to move one from this situation and continue with your journey. You bowed towards the two of them, "I must ask for your names."
"Hm~? Why?"
"Manners."
The woman chuckled before replying, "My name is Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Pillar,"
The man looked reluctant to answer but did so nonetheless, "Tomioka Giyuu. Water Pillar."
You bowed once again, "Tsukiko _____, Rank Kinoe and user of Frost Breathing and Water Breathing."
Shinobu and Giyuu couldn't help but be surprised when they heard, not only your rank but the fact that you use two Breathing styles. The more they looked at you, the more unsettled they felt.
You held such emotionless eyes that it looked worse than Giyuu's, Shinobu kept note of. Even with a battle with a demon, you had little to no injuries. And, assuming that you are young, you exuded a powerful aura.
You were not normal.
Giyuu looked around the area you were all in. He then noticed a white kimono on the ground. He pointed at it, "Did you kill that demon?"
You nodded, "I did. Though there was this weird feature about him," You pointed to your eyes, "He had kanji letters on his eyes. It read something like... Lower Moon Rank 5. Do you have any knowledge of such?"
Both Hashiras' widened their eyes. A young demon slayer killing one of the Twelve Kizuki?
Such an incredible feat... they both thought. Shinobu was the one that answered you, "That demon was one of the Twelve Kizuki; demons who are under the direct command of Muzan Kibutsuji."
"Muzan... huh," You muttered, "My apologies, but I must hold this talking short." You jumped high and before they could register where you went, you were standing behind them and had already captured Shinobu, carrying her by the waist. You had your hand in a knife-like gesture positioned underneath Giyuu's chin.
That was too quick. They both thought.
"I wouldn't wish to harm a fellow demon slayer. But I would like to stop you guys from capturing the boy and his sister."
Shinobu chuckled, though there was an irk on her forehead, "Then why am I the only one captured~"
"Tomioka," You referred to the Water Hashira, "I am not oblivious. You recognized the two siblings. I don't expect you to do anything to them, so please stay put."
The Insect Hashira let out an amused oh~
"Then until when?" He finally spoke up on his own obligation. You nodded to the sky, "Until that."
"CAW! CAW! CAPTURE TANJIRO AND NEZUKO AND RETURN THEM TO HEADQUARTERS IMMEDIATELY! CAW! CAW!"
Another crow in the distance also announced, "TANJIRO WEARS A CHECKERED HAORI WITH A BURN MARK ON HIS FOREHEAD. NEZUKO IS A DEMON AND WEARS A BROWN KIMONO. BRING THEM BACK TO HEADQUARTERS IMMEDIATELY! CAW! CAW!"
But, not expected to your calculations, another crow announced, "BRING TSUKIKO _____ BACK TO HEADQUARTERS! THE LEADER OF THE DEMON SLAYER CORPS WISHES TO SEE HER! CAW! CAW!"
Oh?
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TAISHO SECRET
✒ You felt something when she saw Rui's body stumble over to the boy. She prayed that he would move on to a better, peaceful life.
✒ The boy wanted to ask your name but he was interrupted by Shinobu and Giyuu's attempt at attacking them.
✒ Both Pillars felt inferior in some way when they felt your aura. It was not normal.
✒ You suddenly wanted to eat sakura mochi when you and the rest were traveling to the headquarters.