Yumiko woke up to a screech. It was Kotoha. She was horrified by the amount of spiders in her room. Yumiko rubbed her eyes and asked what was wrong. Kotoha told her to come to her then look at her room. She shrugged and went to her and turned around.
"What? Nothing is wrong. My friends made themselves at home. I don't see the problem."
Kotoha looked up confused. "You brought these spiders? Why?"
Yumiko looked up toward Kotoha and said "Well they are my friends and they did save my life once."
When Douma first found Yumiko she believed wholeheartedly that if it wasn't for them she would be dead. Kotoha nodded and then brought Yumiko to get some dinner. By the way everything worked in this place she could tell that Douma made a cult surrounding himself, just as her parents did.
Douma invited Yumiko to breakfast with him. When she sat down it was awkward to say the least. Douma spoke the first word.
"So I'm sure you have questions. 'Why did you let me live?' 'Where am I?' 'What are you?' and I'm sure more. So ask away. I have no need to lie. You already know I'm not human."
"What are you exactly? I would like to know and so would the spiders."
Douma began to laugh a little. "Your spiders truly are interesting. I am a demon and I am the third strongest of them all."
"Then why do your eyes say Upper 2?" Because I serve the strongest demon and there is one other above me. In time you will meet them."
Yumiko nodded her head in understanding. "Well I have no further questions. You let me live because you found me interesting and I may not know where I am but I can get a town name from someone here. I shouldn't bother with such a useless question."
Douma giggled. "Well child you sure are a smart one unlike that Kotoha. Yet I still find myself loving her everyday. She always sings to Inosuke but she never sings the same word. It is different every time and yet her voice is so beautiful."
Yumiko looked at Douma and he was speaking genuine words of this woman.
"Well I guess we glossed over this last night. How old are you and what is your name?"
"My name is Yumiko Inugami and I am currently 9 years old."
"Well I shall make sure that brain of yours is put to work."
After they finished breakfast Douma showed Yumiko around and told her to make sure her spiders didn't scare everyone. She nodded but she didn't know how to make it so they wouldn't be scared. The one thing Yumiko never was good at was socializing with people. Spiders she had no problem but humans she just got scared and crumbled.
Douma threw her head first into two things. The cult social life and he decided to train her to make her stronger to be a good demon. Stronger humans tend to make better demons and Douma wants to experiment.
Socially Yumiko was doing okay. She was relying on Kotoha to speak for her which Douma noticed but there wasn't much he could do.
It was a night like any other and Douma had just killed more women to feast on. Yumiko was asleep in her room when she heard Kotoha scream. She ran out and saw Kotoha in horror of the true Douma. Douma tried to explain and defend himself but Kotoha ran with Inosuke in her arms. She then on the way out Grabbed Yumiko by the hand and started running.
They got outside and Yumiko asked Kotoha "Why save me?"
Kotoha said "You are a child and I couldn't as a mother leave you."
Yumiko just stared wide eyed, not sure what to say. They continued to run but they ran into a cliff. Kotoha was a dumb woman so she kneeled on the ground and told inosuke that she loved him and left him in the wild. Neither of them knew if she would live but Yumiko could hope. Douma soon caught up to them and killed Kotoha with a saddened expression on his face.
Douma turned to Yumiko and said "Do you wish to die too?"
Yumiko shook her head rapidly and Douma then asked "Then why did you go with her?"
"I was in shock. No one, not even my own parents, would have done what she did tonight for me. I was stunned. I'm sorry for running with her."
Yumiko bowed as her apology and Douma accepted it with a smile. Douma carried her back to the mansion and put her to sleep.
The next morning it felt quiet. The livelihood that Kotoha brought to this place was immense. It felt very dead and Yumiko missed the baby Inosuke. Douma went to Yumiko and told her to get up. Douma began to take Yumiko Underground.
Yumiko was concerned because she had never seen this part of the mansion before although it didn't make sense for him to kill her down here when he kills women all the time in his room.
There was a man in a purple top and flowy gray pants. His hair was black with red on the ends of his hair.
"Kokushibou it's good to see you again!"
Douma was acting like he was the first night Yumiko met him. The man named Kokushibou turned around and Yumiko took a step back when she saw his face. He had three sets of eyes and the ones in the center said 'Upper 1'.
Kokushibou spoke. "What is it Douma"
He spoke as if he did not want to be with him. Douma said "Good to see you! I have a favor to ask."
Kokushibou sighed and said "Does it involve the child behind you?"
Douma smiled. "Yes! She is a new experiment for me and I wanted to ask you to teach her the way of the sword."
Yumiko looked at Douma confused. "Experiment? I thought you were gonna kill me when I got old enough?"
Douma began to laugh and Kokushibou spoke up. "I don't know what you want from the Douma. If she learns from me how to use a sword she could become a demon slayer easily."
Yumiko didn't say a word but she had never heard of demon slayers. Douma began to speak "My intentions are to make her strong so she could become a demon. I think she could rise to at least the upper 4, maybe even 3. She is strong willed and has a very unique ability just as a normal human."
Kokushibou became intrigued and looked down at Yumiko. "Well then show me this 'ability'."
Yumiko could only think of her spiders. "Can i ask one question and a favor from you Mr. Kokushibou?"
He nodded
"Which pair of eyes do I look at when talking with you and would you mind not harming my spiders when they do their thing? They won't bite but it will feel weird for someone who isn't used to it."
Kokushibou and douma chuckled at her question. "You can look at the center pair. That's what most people do. I also promise to not hurt your spiders."
Yumiko was satisfied with this and she said "spi spiders web wrap around and restrain this demon."
The spiders along the walls and on Yumiko's body crawled out in the thousands and began to attack Kokushibou. Kokushibou was caught off guard by the spiders wrapping around him but he kept his word and didn't kill a single one.
Once the spiders had done their job Yumiko told them to get off of him. When the spiders were gone, Kokushibou removed the webs from himself.
"Well I understand now Douma why you are fascinated with this one. She truly does have potential. I will train her but you owe me a huge favor next time I need something."
Douma clapped his hands together. "Great! I shall leave you two to train now! I have a very busy cult upstairs."
Douma then went back up the stairs and left Kokushibou and Yumiko.
"Well what is your name and how old are you?"
"My name is Yumiko and I am 9 years old but soon to be 10."
Kokushibou looked down at the child before him. He looked to the walls and saw two training swords. He threw a sword at her. She tried to catch it by the handle but she grabbed the blade of the wooden sword.
"Well goodbye my fingers."
Kokushibou said "You won't do that next time. I will train you to the bone. You will not be able to stand by the end of the day."
Yumiko gulped and held the sword up. Kokushibou laughed at her stance. He showed her the correct way to hold a sword and how she should stand. They sparred many times. Yumiko was on the ground panting and she looked up at Kukoshibou and she asked a question.
"How are you so strong? If it's because you're a demon don't answer but there is something else making you strong."
Kokushibou said "There is a secret technique called total concentration breathing. You will not be done with your training until you can do total concentration constant. That is when you are doing total concentration breathing at all times even when you are asleep."
Yumiko listened as she regained her breath.
"Could we have me learn total concentration breathing first?"
"You can't take the easy way out. You must learn to hold a sword first."
Yumiko thought that he took the easy way when he became a demon but she didn't say anything. Time went by and it took a year but Yumiko mastered the way of the sword. The next couple of years she spent learning hand to hand combat. It then came to breathing techniques. Moon breathing is the style Kokushibou had made and mastered.
Moon breathing felt wrong to Yumiko so Kokushibou told her to make her own. She thought but she found something that worked. It had 8 forms. Arachnid breathing.
First form, web of lies.
Second web shot
Third Black Widow
Fourth vibrations
Fifth silk blade
Sixth silk dance
Seventh dead still
Eighth spiral
Each of these forms were made for different kinds of attack. Kokushibou approved of the attacks and thought it used Yumiko's talents. It took another 3 years to fully be able to fight Kokushibou. He would hold back but they could still fight on even terms with Kokushibou not using his blood demon art and simply his sword with the strength of a human.
In total it took 6 years of training and she was now 16 years old. She was stronger than most humans. Douma had been watching her train and even helped with the sparring a bit. Douma was proud of what kind of woman he created with training and his version of love. Kokushibou once Yumiko's training was done he left.
Kokushibou as he left he put his hand on Yumiko's head and said "You did good kiddo. You make a fine swordswoman. Be sure when you become a demon you let me know. I would like to truly fight you."
Yumiko nodded and Kokushibou left. Douma was clapping his hands and Douma said that there was a feast waiting for her inside. Yumiko's eyes lit up and she ran inside to get some good food and her spiders all spread around the table to eat.
Yumiko went to sleep but the next morning all she could think was "I can escape and join the demon slayers."