Muichiro grabbed onto a branch, stopping himself from pummeling into the ground. Wow. He threw me out really far just now. He ran through the forest, wiping the blood trickling down the cut on his cheek. Anyways, the orders he received...turn Inori into a demon, huh? He clicked his tongue. There's no way Inori will let that happen, but I need to get back now.
A scream alerted him of a boy who was being chased by a fish demon. That kid...he's probably an apprentice, so he isn't skilled and has no experience whatsoever. There's really no need to save him. He glanced at the unsightly fish with human hands sprouting out of it. Judging from its presence, that demon's not even real, just a blood demon art. I have no reason to stop here. If the whole village is probably attacked right now, I have to prioritize saving the chief and the more skilled ones.
Just then, someone's—Inori's voice—whispered into his mind, cutting past the mist and brightening his path—"Having compassion for others will form a connection between your lives and theirs. Those connections may end up saving your life in the future."—and Muichiro found himself changing directions.
It's irrational. Muichiro thought as he chopped off the demon's head. How can having compassion for others benefit me? How can connections save my life? How can someone weaker than me be of help to me? Despite his thoughts, Muichiro still shielded the young swordsmith.
"You're in the way, so get out of here."
·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙
"Attack! Demons! Run! The village is under attack! Grab the pillar's swords! Protect the clan leaders! Save the chief!" One of the swordsmiths slammed the hammer onto the bell as loudly as he could, warning the other villagers of the situation. "Call for the demon slayers—gah!"
Inori backflipped mid-air, slamming her sock-clad feet into the pot on the demon fish's back. Swinging her borrowed sword, she sliced the pot off, saving the swordsmith in the bell tower from becoming a demon fish meal.
"Hoshizora-dono!"
Her breath hitched as she felt her wounds reopening. Inori immediately controlled her breaths, tightening her blood vessels and muscles. There was no time to rest, especially not when the entire village was being attacked by disgusting demonic fishes.
Pots. It's probably Upper Moon Five. Inori gripped her borrowed sword, dreading its chipped and slightly rusted state. Sanemi hadn't used this sword for years, so it was only natural for it to be in that condition, but Inori cursed the fact that it was the only sword available in such a dire situation. First off, I need to find a decent sword.
Star Breathing: Thirteenth Constellation: Coils of the Serpent Bearer, Five Heads
Grabbing the swordsmith on the bell tower, she ran through the roof, cutting the pots of multiple fish scaling all over the rooftops. Landing onto the ground with him just as she cut off another demon fish, she swiftly deposited him onto another villager.
"Treat the injured and evacuate!" Shoving most of her supply of bandages and medicine to one of the villagers, she instructed the swordsmiths to treat the wounded. "I'll get rid of the demon, so just focus on evacuating!"
"A pillar's here! We're safe!"
"I kind of forgot she was strong since she was so young and cute."
"Hoshizora-dono! Thank you!"
"Get out of the village!" Inori clicked her tongue at the crack on the blade she was holding. "I'll save the chief! Leave the demons to me and get out! Prioritize the medicines for the heavily wounded! Kanamaru, call for help from the other pillars! Tell them there are two upper moons here!"
Inori didn't wait for any confirmation, swiftly making her way toward the chief's house. She cut through all the demons' pots with ease, jumping over their crumbling bodies to accelerate herself.
The chief's house was being demolished by a massive demon with multiple pots all over its body. Its leg crushed a slayer's body in half while its hands grabbed the chief, beginning to crush the life out of him.
"Ch...chief..." The chief's assistant hacked out blood as he tried to crawl toward the dying chief. This is bad. The demon slayers stationed at the village got killed. His trembling hand reached out to grab his spear. I can't let the chief, the most skilled man in this village, die. But the monster's too big and fast, nothing I do can work. Someone, please—
Star Breathing: Seventh Constellation: Judgement of the Scales
Love Breathing: First Form: Shivers of First Love
The swordsmith's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as the demon was easily diced from all directions. He recognized the two girls who had just cut the demon up, the Star and Love Pillar, two of the few swordswomen who were lucky enough to have Tecchin as their swordsmith. Then again, it was usually the swordswomen who liked to order weird weapons, from a thin blade with an injection feature to boots made of nichirin soles with hidden blades, and even a sword that was so soft it resembled a whip.
"Agh! The blade broke."
"Eh? Inori-chan, you—ah! Tecchin-sama!" Mitsuri rushed towards the falling swordsmith, narrowly managing to break his fall with her body. She wasted no time in carrying the chief towards Inori, who was already prepared with her medical kit. "Are you okay, Tecchin-sama! Please! Can you hear me, Tecchin-sama!? Inori-chan! What should we do?!"
Tecchin coughed. "Ah...I must be in heaven...I'm being held so gently by two cute girls."
"Kya! Tecchin-sama, you perv!"
"I think he's fine." Inori sweatdropped, but still gave the chief first aid. "Anyways, Mitsuri-nee. There are two upper moons here. Upper Moon Four is near the inn, he's fighting Tanjiro-san and Nezuko-san. You have to go there. I'll take care of the demons here and join you after I get a sword and deal with Upper Moon Five."
Mitsuri nodded, rushing off. "Alright. I'll leave it to you, Inori-chan."
"Tecchikawahara-sama, can you hear me? I know it's bad for you right now, but I need my swords." Her borrowed sword had snapped in half—Sanemi wouldn't be pleased—and Inori needed to find another sword if she wanted to deal with an upper moon. "Do you have them ready? Oh stars, he's unconscious." She gently laid the chief on the floor, treating the other surviving swordsmiths.
"Hoshizora-dono." One of the swordsmiths coughed, gripping her sleeve. "Tecchin-sama is not done with your weapons yet...I'm sorry...he was about to finish it, but...but the attack happened...I'm sorry."
Inori nodded, rising to her feet. "Your internal organs are injured, so please don't force yourself." She handed the injured chief over to the swordsmith. "Take Tecchikawahara-sama out of here, and bring as many nichirin weapons as you can find to defend yourself if need be. I'll take care of the demons."
"But...what about your...blade?"
"I'll be fine." Inori took the sword of a fallen slayer, at least the sword that was still intact. She offered the dead soldiers a silent prayer. "It's not my ideal length, but as long as it's a sword, I can make do."
·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙
So, these fish get their power from their pots. Blood demon art. The demon who uses pots as weapons...Upper Moon Five. Muichiro watched as the fish crumbled into dust. So, we're being attacked by two upper moons? And their main goals are to destroy this village and turn Inori into a demon. This is a bad situation.
Kotetsu wailed, wrapping his arm around Muichiro's neck as he leaped. He ignored the stunned look Muichiro gave him, too busy crying his eyes out. "Thank you! Thank you! I thought I was going to die! I thought...I was so scared! I'm sorry! Sorry for calling you a kelphead! Sorry! I just hated you before but sorry!"
"You called me a kelphead?" Muichiro didn't have any recollection of that. "Anyways, now's not the time for this. I'm going now, so you go hide or do whatever you want."
"Wait! Kanamori-san is under attack too!" Kotetsu pulled on his sleeves, kowtowing at the pillar's feet. "Haganezuka-san's been working on the blade nonstop! Please help them! If we delay for even a second, it might be too late, so please!"
Muichiro was about to decline, but Kagaya's words suddenly rang inside his head—"You can find yourself again, Muichiro."—it cut through the mist in his memories—"You may be confused right now, so just focus on surviving. As long as you're alive, you can still do something."—his serene voice was so clear even with all the mist, and Muichiro saw himself lying on a futon—"Your memories will definitely come back. Don't worry. Don't miss your chances."—He saw his master pointing his finger at his temple—"Things which may initially seem trivial might end up clearing the mist in your mind."
He picked the young boy up, throwing him over his shoulder and completely ignoring his wails to slow down. "Stop talking or you'll bite your tongue off, and you were the one who said we can't delay a single second."
But is this right? I can't protect the whole village if I do this. Muichiro thought, distress clawing at his guts. But his eyes shone with determination as he remembered his position, and the expectations he had yet to reach. I can. I have to. I was acknowledged by Oyakata-sama. I promised Inori. I am the Mist Pillar of the Demon Slaying Corps, Tokito Muichiro.
·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙
"Kakushi group one to eight, treat the wounded! Group nine to thirteen, scout the village!" Inori commanded the group of kakushi and slayers who were near enough to the village to provide backup. "Swordsmen ranked tsuchinoe or higher, work in groups of three and accompany a kakushi group to scout out for anybody still stuck in the village! Those ranked lower, gather together and guard this evacuation area!"
The situation was rather clear now. Of all the demons she had seen rampaging about the village, they belonged to Upper Moon Four or Upper Moon Five. She didn't see anything that could imply Upper Moon One or Upper Moon Three was here, and she knew Upper Moon Two has ice powers, and since there was no ice, she could assume Upper Moon Two wasn't here either.
"We're under attack by two upper moon demons! Have the crows call for more help! Especially from any available pillars!" Right now, there were only two available pillars because Inori was injured, and they needed as much help as they could get. "Leave the upper moons to the pillar! You just need to deal with its summons! Don't underestimate them just because they're not demons! Don't cut off the fish's heads, cut the pots! The more pots there are, the stronger the demon! Be wary of their claws, it's sharp and could be poisonous!"
"Hoshizora-sama! Behind—"
Inori sliced off yet another demon fish, feeling pain shoot up from her reopened wounds. Keep it together, Star Pillar! She gritted her teeth, gripping her borrowed sword until her knuckles turned white. They're all relying on you, so don't crumble now of all times.
"Prioritize the lives of the family heads and the chief!" A bitter taste lingered in her mouth as she issued the order, but it was what needed to be done in their current state. "Their goal is to weaken the demon slayers by eliminating our source of weapon! I will be going after the upper moon now, so make sure to protect the villagers!"
"Hoshizora-dono!" A swordsmith bounded his way towards her, a sheathed sword in his hand. "Here. A sword. You're a dual wielder, so this sword is much more useful for you than it is for me."
"I'll use it well."
·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙
Muichiro sliced off yet another demon fish, saving Kanamori who was just about to be clawed. He landed gracefully, watching with blank eyes as Kotetsu rushed to engulf the older swordsmith in a hug. "Are you this Kanamori person? Do you have my blade ready? Bring it out."
"Oh, no! This is really chipped," Kanamori stated the obvious. "Don't worry. I have your blade ready."
"Already? That was...fast."
"Good for you, huh?" Kotetsu said." You should be grateful."
"Ah, actually, Tanjiro-kun asked me to prepare your katana."
"Tanjiro did? Why?"
"Yeah, he wanted me to understand you, and that's why I had to look for your first swordsmith—oh, right! Haganezuka-san!" Kanamori suddenly remembered his friend. He hastily led Muichiro towards a hut. "Oh, thank God! There are no fish monsters here! We were both working in that hut! Tokito-dono's sword is in there! Take it and go save the chief!"
"No, I can't." Muichiro pulled Kanamori back and stopped Kotetsu from going forward, pushing them behind him. "It's here."
"Hyo!" A pot wiggled out of the bushes, revealing a nasty demon who emerged out of it. "You noticed me, huh? I guess that means you're a pillar." It looked like a worm with many tiny hands sprouting out of its body. Muichiro could see lips where its eyes should be, and eyeballs on its forehead and where its mouth was supposed to be, the word 'Upper Moon Five' carved into them.
"You may not be the little flower we're looking for, but is there something important in that ugly shed?" The demon continued to wriggle, disgusting the two swordsmiths behind the pillar. "You're making a huge ruckus about it. Is the chief or the little flower perhaps hiding there?"
"Inori's not someone who will hide from demons." Muichiro raised his sword, doing his best to cover the two swordsmiths behind him. "If she was, she wouldn't have become a demon slayer, much less a pillar."
"Hyo, hyo! Is that so? Well, my name is Gyokko, nice to meet you," the demon introduced himself. "May I have some of your time before I kill you and go after the flower?" Gyokko spread the tiny arms all over his worm-like body. "My dear gentleman...and boys, would you like to look at my artwork tonight?"
"Art?" Muichiro narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
"Let me show you my newest artwork, 'L'agonie des Forgerons'!" A blob of five swordsmiths molded together, all bloodied with swords sticking out of them, emerged from one of his pots. "Behold these hands! Dirty and full of unique blisters only swordsmiths have! Intentional, mind you! That's why I put them up front!"
"Ah...Kongouji-dono...Tetsuo-san...Kanaike-san...Kotaro...!" Kanamori quivered at the sight of his fallen friends.
"Aah..." Kotetsu cried when he recognized one of the swordsmiths. "Uncle Tetsuhiro!"
"Yes! You are absolutely right! I used five luxurious swordsmiths for this one! Quite the marvelous number, if I do say so myself! I didn't think you'd be so moved by this!" Gyokko bragged. His many tiny hands clapped, further insulting the murdered swordsmiths. "Look at these swords stabbed through them! Really shows you the 'blacksmithness' of this work!"
He then gestured towards the half-broken hyottoko masks the swordsmiths wore. "Now, I left these hyottoko masks on to express emptiness and absurdity! This is also intentional, mind you! And to top it all off!" He twisted one of the swords deeper into one of the still-alive swordsmiths, earning an excruciating cry from them, spraying blood everywhere. "If I twist the katana like this, it will go 'gyaah'! Really conveys the absurdity, does it not?!"
"Aaaagh! Stop it!" Kanamori had to stop Kotetsu from recklessly lunging forward. "Stop it already!"
"So? What do you think? Wonderful, right?" The demon cackled, spreading his arms out. "I plan on mass-producing this beautiful piece with all the swordsmiths in this—"
"Hey." Muichiro glared at the demon. A sense of unpleasant déjà vu hit him like a tidal wave at the sight of Gyokko's 'art' and the sound of Kotetsu's cries. "Cut it out, fuckface."
He dashed forward with his sword aimed at the demon's neck, but Gyokko was faster to hide back into his pots, emerging out of the pot settled on the roof. Right. Muichiro clicked his tongue. He can move from pot to pot...but the fact that he's hiding and doesn't care much about his pots means that his head is still his weakness.
"I'm not even done explaining yet! Make sure to listen until the end! My pride in that pot's—"
Muichiro leaped onto the roof, backflipping as he sliced the pot. He's fast. He clicked his tongue again. He ran away again. He's over there...that pot came out of nowhere. How did he even spawn that in such a short time?
"How dare you cut my pots...my art...how dare an uncultured swine like you?!" Gyokko fumed. "You're just a rat who has nothing but muscles in his brain! You lack the intelligence to appreciate my art! I'll kill you!"
Blood Demon Art: Thousand Needle Kill Fish
Two puffy goldfish emerged from the pots in his hand, spitting out thousands of needles. Widening his eyes, Muichiro swiftly deflected the massive thorns, jumping off the roof. Seeing the goldfish turning around to spew more needles toward the two swordsmiths, Muichiro gritted his teeth and kicked the ground, moving in to shield them with his body. The pain turned into numbness as dozens of needles stabbed into his face, arms, legs, and body.
"You're getting in the way, so go hide," he ordered, not giving any reaction to the pain. He deflected yet another array of needles as Kanamori and Kotetsu went into hiding.
"Hyo hyo hyo! You look hilarious with all those needles," Gyokko mocked. "So? Are your limbs going numb from the poison? Truly comical. You're going to lose your life in a worthless place like this, all because you decided to save some worthless lives."
Muichiro felt his eyes going wide. There was a voice, one that grated his ears—"Whether you're here or not, nothing changes. Truly, what a worthless life."—and the mist in his mind began to clear. Then, there was another voice, much softer and kinder—"People's lives are connected to one another. Each and every life is precious and has worth."—cutting through the mist in his mind, louder and warmer, as if the sun was finally shining upon the misty night.
Who said that life is worthless? Who was that? I can't remember. Inori said that every life has a worth, but who said the opposite? I think someone said it to me before but who? Muichiro could see something, and it wasn't this hideous upper moon demon in the middle of the forest.
Summer...hot...the door was open because it was too hot, but the cicadas got annoyingly loud at night...huh? What am I seeing? His estate didn't look like that. The woods used in his estate were always polished and clean. I never slept in a house with an open door before...the interiors of this house...it's not the Star Estate. Where is it? Is this my past before I forgot?
"Hyo hyo! But you're a pillar, so I should prepare something nice." Gyokko's voice snapped Muichiro out of his daze. "Hyo! I remember seeing you with the little flower. How about I turn both of you into one beautiful piece of art? Yes. Yes. I'll do that. How exciting. I'm tingling with excitement. It's the first time I'm making an art out of—"
"Shut it." Muichiro leaped forward. It doesn't matter. None of it matters. He lifted his sword, swinging it towards the demon's neck. "Your words are worthless."
Blood Demon Art: Water Prison Pot
Crap. Muichiro took as much oxygen as he could before he was trapped inside a pot-shaped prison of water. He thrust his sword, feeling a sense of panic taking over him as the sword couldn't break through the prison of water. I can't cut through. I can't breathe. Crap. Crap.
"I've obstructed the greatest weapon for you demon slayers, your breaths." Gyokko cackled. "Imagining your face warping in pain as you slowly run out of air brings me joyous ecstasy. Hyo hyo!"
Muichiro gritted his teeth, using all his strength to shove his sword through the barrier of water. Even this elastic-like prison will break if I stretch it wide enough. But with the chipped state of his sword and his poisoned body, he couldn't break the prison of water.
"Hyo hyo! If we destroy this village, the demon slayers will suffer a huge blow, and if they weaken the hunters, Ubuyashiki's neck will be right open." The Mist Pillar felt his eyes going wider at the demon's words. "The same will happen to the little blue flower we have been searching for the past centuries." His pot began hopping away as Gyokko monologued. "Now, if you will excuse me. I have a blue flower I need to dye red." And Muichiro could only watch as the demon hopped away.
"Don't worry. You two will reunite soon, as one of my artworks."
·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙
Swinging her sword, Inori sliced off yet another demon fish's pot. She landed with a trip of her feet, almost crashing to the ground if she hadn't stopped herself. Her eyepatch fell as the demon had cut it, followed by the blood that flowed down the cut from her cheek to her temple.
Inori hacked out more blood, doubling over with her hands pressed against her stomach. Shit. I moved around too much. Blood continued to crawl up her throat. Keep it under control, dammit. You fought Upper Moon One with worse conditions. She gritted her teeth, controlling her breathing. Mitsuri-nee and Muichiro are risking their lives fighting two upper moons. The least you can do is back them up.
"Hoshizora-dono!" The swordsmith she had just saved flailed his arms around, not knowing what to do. "Medic! Medic! I'll call the medic!"
"No need. There's no time for that." Inori forced herself to stand, wiping the blood off her lips. "I still need to find the upper moons. You just need to focus on getting out of the village alive."
Sharpen your senses. Inori took a deep calming breath. You may not have extraordinary senses like Tanjiro-san and the others, but you're still a pillar. Sense out where the main demon's hiding. Trust your instincts.
Inori took off, running into the forest.
·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙