Hello there, everyone!
Short chapter this time, I'm sorry to say. I wanted to write more, but I felt like the end would be better if I left as it stands right now, the next chapter will probably be back with the regular 2/3k words.
Don't forget to leave a comment if you're enjoying, or if you aren't. If you're really enjoying it, consider dropping a vote, it helps a bunch!
As always, thank you guys for reading my story, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
Kisses!
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"Who... what are you?" Ulrich questioned, although he had a pretty solid idea of what that guy was about, given his exquisite getup.
"Are you alright? You handled yourself pretty well!" The man kept his smile as he worried about the random "civilian" he just saved from the Demon.
"You're a Demon Slayer, aren't you?" Ulrich sheathed his sword. "I've been looking for you."
"Looking, for me?" Wondered the man. "Is there something wrong?"
"You have the look in your eyes, the look of a Hunter." Ulrich stepped forward, extending his hand to greet the man. He found the gesture strange, but extended his hand back out of politeness. Ulrich shook his hand firmly, looking into his eyes. "Ulrich Von Liechtenstein. Vampire Hunter. And you are?"
"Rengoku Kyojuro!" He replied with pride. "I have no idea what a Vampire Hunter is!"
"I'm from a far, distant land. Like yourself, I hunt these vile beings who prey on the innocent, much like these Demons." He looked back at what little was left from the Demon, fading away like ashes in the wind. "One of these Demons made its way to my country. It..." Ulrich hesitated for a second before continuing. "Killed... a few people. So I've been led to believe I could find the Demon Slayers to help me find this Demon and put an end to its miserable life." Ulrich pulled from his pocket the symbol of the flower, Rengoku knew it immediately, it was the Wisteria flower. "All I have is this. I was told this could lead me somewhere."
Rengoku was amazed by the story. Never before had he heard Vampires, much less about another type of slayer, who hunts and kills them just like a Demon Slayer.
"That explains a lot! Your skills are impressive!" He said with excitement. "If what you said is true, then we have a problem in our hands! Come with me!" He led the way.
Rengoku led Ulrich away from the alleyway, taking him somewhere they could talk about the matter in private, without worrying about anyone eavesdropping, especially since it is a serious matter.
"Never before have I heard of a Demon operating far from the main island. Usually the sun takes care of them if they get too bold."
"So the sun is also their weakness?"
"Indeed." Replied Rengoku. "The light if the sun is the one thing keeping them from running amok, wracking havoc everywhere they go."
After a brief walk, Rengoku brought the hunter to what looked like some sort of inn from the outside. A bigger house, different from the usual shop or regular home of the residential area. He moved to the side what looked like curtains standing in front of the front door, revealing the usual white screens, but this time, with the purple symbol of Wisteria on the front doors.
"We are here." Said Rengoku, entering the place.
Ulrich frowned with how easily he missed the symbol he had been searching for days, still, he followed the Slayer in. Once inside, he noticed Rengoku had taken off his wooden 'slippers' he wore, leaving them outside. Not wanting to be disrespectful, he did the same with his boots.
It didn't take long for an employee of the establishment to show up. A young woman with dark hair tied up, wearing glasses and a blue kimono with black details. She held a tea kettle, ready to serve the two.
"Your tea, Master Rengoku." She smiled as she poured the tea.
"Thank you very much!"
"And for your guest?" She looked at the hunter, obviously surprised since she hasn't seen anyone quite like him.
"I'm fine, thank you." Ulrich replied.
She respectfully bowed and walked away.
"Please, take a seat!" Said Rengoku.
Ulrich did the same and sat down, joining Rengoku.
"There's no need to worry. The Wisteria family are friends of our cause, we can talk freely about thr matter here."
Ulrich nodded in understanding.
"Do you have any more information about this Demon you encountered? What was it capable of?"
"I faced countless Vampires in my career, and I must say, this Demon was among the strongest foes I ever faced." Said Ulrich, reminiscing about his fight. "She had a level of illusion we rarely see, even among the strongest of Vampires. A Demon Blood Art, if I recall correctly."
"DELICIOUS!" Yelled Rengoku for some reason.
As Ulrich looked back at the Slayer, he sipped his tea.
"Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary, superhuman strength, speed, nothing out of the ordinary."
"Aaah!" Rengoku leaned forward. "So these Vampires you fight, they're strong foes as well!"
"Not strong enough, I'm still here." Smirked Ulrich.
"I admire your energy!" Confessed Rengoku. "I will inform the Corps, and we will dispatch a Demon Slayer to take care of the matter as soon as we can. If you have any more information we can use, description, where the Demon was last seen-" Before he could continue, Ulrich chimed in.
"You don't expect me to just tell you where the Demon was so you could take care of it, right?" Said Ulrich. Rengoku looked at his eyes, and he saw Ulrich meant that. "I came here to learn how to deal with the threat, not simply tell someone else to take care of it for me." Ulrich sighed, looked thoughtful for a second. "You see, that Demon took two people that were very important to me. If there's even a slight chance I can face her again, I'll take it. I never ran from a fight before and I'm not doing that now!"
Rengoku saw the spark of FIRE in Ulrich's eyes. He knew he wasn't talking to a simpleton who didn't mean every word he just said, he knew Ulrich would go through hell if needed to get what he wanted.
"Amazing!" He said in a loud, cheerful voice. "I see in your eyes the same flame that burns bright and sets your heart ablaze! If you wish to pursue that, then I will help with everything within my reach in order for that to happen! It will be tricky, but it's worth a try!"
"Tricky?" Wondered Ulrich.
"We must see the Master!"
"I see." Ulrich understood. "Naturally, your order has a Master, as does mine."
"The Master will decide how we should proceed with the matter. He's a kind and wise man, I'm sure he will heed your plea of help."
"I understand."
After Rengoku explained his idea, a crow, flying through the room landed on his shoulder. Rengoku wrote down a message in paper and handed it to the bird.
"A messenger crow?" Wondered Ulrich. "That's incredible!"
"He will deliver the message and warn the others of our arrival, wouldn't want anyone getting surprised about me bringing a stranger along! Tomorrow we'll head out. Like I mentioned, you're in a safe haven here. The owners will be more than happy to have you here tonight as a guest!"
"I appreciate your help!" Ulrich bowed in respect. Rengoku noticed he picked up fast on their gestures, and bowed back.
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Rengoku woke up early in the following day, quickly getting ready to move out without wasting a second of time. He met the lady who served them tea last night, questioning where their guest was.
"He never went to his room." She replied.
Rengoku thought that was weird, maybe it was something cultural. He checked the room, and it was empty. No signs of Ulrich. Lastly, Rengoku went outside, and much to his surprise, there he stood, ready to move out.
"Is everything alright?" He wondered.
"Couldn't be better." Replied Ulrich. "Should we move out?"
"Did you get any rest?" Insisted Rengoku.
"Don't worry about that." Replied Ulrich nonchalantly. "It's a long story."
"I see that you're eager to go, then. Very well, we'll be on our way!"
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Rengoku's crow landed by the feet of a light skinned man, with black shoulder length hair, wearing a simple, black kimono under a white coat.
"A message?" He could guess from the flapping of the crow's wings alone. "From who?"
A white haired woman, also with pale skin, lavender eyes, wearing a salmon colored kimono, grabbed the letter from the bird, reading through the first words.
"It's from Rengoku." She said.
"Rengoku?" He turned his head to the side, as if to listen to what she had to say. "It's not often that Rengoku sends a message, it must be important."
"He says a Demon was spotted on another country." She gasped reading the following words. "By a Vampire Hunter!"
"Ah!" The Master smiled. "So that means... the stories are true!"
<=== TO BE CONTINUED ===