Happy Halloween!
Izuku's POV:
I stared up at the tall man, nervousness fueling my slightly shaking body. Just being near this man, I could sense the gap in our skill.
His aura was immense, menacing, and overpowering.
So this is a Hashira...
I've only ever met two. That being Agatsuma-San as well as the Demon Hashira. I have never interacted with another Hashira.
Gyutaro-San's aura is incredibly different from Agatsuma-San's. Her's is immense as well, but it isn't necessarily intimidating, not unless she wants it to be.
It seems as though the Blood Hashira's aura was intimidating 24/7.
"So you're Emerald... I hear you've been blessed with an uncanny talent.. Lucky you," Gyutaro spoke up, eyes glaring into mine.
"L-lucky...? I guess he isn't wrong... My analysis and imitation skills can't really be considered normal," I thought to myself.
"Agatsuma speaks highly of you..."
He paused before continuing.
"Don't think that just because a Hashira speaks highly of you, that I will see you as anything special," Gyutaro said, turning his back on me.
"Inform the other two of the mission, I'll inform Ume. Do not disappoint."
<•——————•>
Genki's POV:
I took a large, long deep breath, taking in as much fresh air as I possibly could.
Finally.
Such an extravagant being as myself should not be cooped up inside for most of my recovery. I grasped at my left shoulder, twisting and spinning my left arm in complete circles, waking it back up from its slumber.
I snapped my head, left and right, rubbing my head with my right hand.
I was rarely ever allowed to outside during my recovery due to fear of me a possible straining of my already destroyed muscle fibers.
Such a tragedy!
Although I suppose it can't be helped. I don't remember much from the end of that little battle that put me in this state, but I do remember the significant, blinding amount of pain I felt...
I was stabbed, practically from all angles, by those vulgar demonic scales.
I shuddered at the thought of it. Memories of pools of blood spewing from the dozens of gashes all over my body... they itched at the back of my mind, attempting to break in, attempting to remind me of my weakness..
Ha! Weakness? No...
I don't feel it.
I will never feel it again.
Or... at the very least... I won't acknowledge its grasp on me whenever I do end up feeling it.
I sniffed the untainted air, the aromas of nature greeting me.
It was quite pleasant.
I allowed for a smile to grace my face. Many people, most people would hold a grudge on the person who harmed them in such a brutal way.
A normal person would want revenge on their attacker. The mastermind of the assault.
However, I am not a normal person.
Why would I or should I be hateful towards Dragon?
He brought out the best in me during our little waltz. He brought out my true character!
I raised a hand up to my face, sliding it up further into my hair.
I dare say that is the greatest I have ever felt. Finally, an event that made me feel reveal my true self...
My mind began to wonder to the partner I had during that mission. A fellow demon slayer by my side, assisting in bringing out my skills, showcasing just what I have to offer.
Emerald...
Never in a million years did I think that I would fight with a vigilante. And learning that said vigilante is also a high ranking demon slayer was certainly a treat.
I stepped into the beautifully cut grass garden behind the Butterfly Mansion, a garden connected to the Training Grounds.
"But enjoying the good outdoors is not what I need to do right now..." I thought to myself.
I've been in a hospital bed for most of my recovery, I am most certainly not as in tune with my skills as I was a prior to this massive injury.
I need to see just where my body is in terms of what movements I can handle without straining anything.
I practically flew over the fence separating the garden from the training grounds, landing perfectly on the balls of my feet, twirling my nichirin glaive in between my fingers.
Hmph. It seems my body can handle that at least.
I didn't waste any time, dashing over to the nearest training dummy to deliver a devastating blow to the chest.
The speed at which I moved should've been enough to strain my muscles, however, I barely felt a thing. Possibly a light tingling feeling at best.
"Jester Breathing: Third Form: Awestruck Act!"
I shifted my body weight precisely, before pushing my self off of the ground, flipping up and over the training dummy's head, delivering a powerful slash at its neck.
I landed gracefully into a spin, delivering a second slash at the back immediately after the first one.
I still don't feel a strain... that's good at least.
I should be able to handle a mission today... Perhaps I can—
"Genki!"
My head rose to attention in response and recognition of the young, high voice.
I felt no need to turn around and confirm the voice's identity, I already knew just who this was.
"Ah~ Emerald!" I responded, spinning my body around to face the boy only after I had said his name.
He hadn't seemed to change much since our little partnership.
Well... I suppose that isn't true. By the way he is presenting himself currently... he must be more confident in himself.
That much is obvious.
Looks like his character is coming along quite nicely.
"I thought I'd find you here! O-oh, are you feeling okay?" Emerald asked, concern beginning to pave his voice.
"Ha! I only just got here! To the training grounds, I mean. And don't worry about my state, I have yet to strain my body. I believe I should be fine," I explained, practically waving away his worry.
The boy only nodded.
"That's good," he said.
"Before I forget though. We have another mission and—"
I didn't allow the boy to finish his words, my excitement and desire overtaking me.
"Perfect! Just what I wanted. I'm guessing it is tonight?" I questioned, a wide grin plastered on my face.
"Uh, yeah. It'll be you, me, and 3 other demon slayers, including a Hashira."
I nodded once, twice, thrice.
"A Hashira?" I thought to myself. "It'll be intriguing to witness just how a Hashira performs!"
"Must have quite the extravagant style of fighting."
This mission should be quite interesting.
"Now off you go! I must continue my training..." I said, turning my back onto him, raising up my nichirin glaive to strike the training dummy once more.
"But don't you want the detai--"
"No need!" I interrupted. "Do not spoil the plot for me, my friend."
<•——————•>
Rui's POV:
"Hey mom, dad," I muttered quietly, kneeling slowly and carefully in front of the two large gravestones peering up at me.
A genuine smile graced my lips as I replaced the dying flowers with newly blossomed ones. Roses, daisies, and lilies.
I gently placed them in between the two gravestones, patting down the unkept grass surrounding me.
"Sorry I haven't come to visit you two in a while. I've been recovering from a recent mission..." I said.
Do I believe that my parents are truly in the afterlife? Yes, I truly do.
But, this... this was my way of coping with their deaths. This was my way of staying somewhat sane. But it made me happy. It allows me to remember all of the good times I had with them while they were still alive.
If only I had been stronger... I was a demon slayer at that time, I should've been able to protect them. But I failed...
"I... I don't really have much to talk about. Not much has happened recently. My sensei is strict, as always. But I can tell he cares," I said, smile quivering ever-so-slightly.
"I've gotten much stronger. My Spider Breathing has only been improving. I've been getting several steps closer to having the title of Hashira..."
"If only I had this level of strength to have been able to protect you two," I said, voice shaky, a lump beginning to form in my throat.
"God, I wish you two were still here," I said. "I know I say that a lot whenever I visit you, but that's because I truly feel that way."
I reached my hand forward, brushing off a bit of dust that had gotten onto dad's gravestone.
I took a deep breath, held it for a few long moments, eventually releasing it.
"My memories of you two get blurrier and blurrier day by day. Some people say it's good, since it means that I am moving on from my trauma. I tend to disagree," I said aloud, for myself alone to hear.
I slowly pushed myself from my crouching position close to the ground, standing straight up on my feet, having a sense of caution as I took several steps back.
With nothing else to say, I turned my back from the two graves, dissatisfied with the short visit, but determined to do better on the next obstacle that faced me. Whatever that may be.
<•——————•>
Gyutaro's POV:
I offered up a proud and improving nod to my little sister, Ume.
I watched as she continued to perform her single breathing form over and over again, but each time it was used, it became more precise and powerful.
A breathing style that only really needs a single form is practically unheard of, but Ume has created and perfected just that.
"Beauty Breathing: First Form: Radiance!"
Ever since her little battle with that lowly demon not too long ago, she's been even more determined to grow in strength. The only reason she struggled as much as she did was because of the demon's BDA and nothing else.
However, that excuse can not be made on the battlefield. She understands that perfectly well. That's good. It'll push her to get stronger and stronger.
I itched the side of my face with the dull side of one of my sickles, as my eyes dissected every last notion within the repetition of attacks.
Her technique, as I understand it, is quite simple. A flurry of powerful, sharp slashes that can cut through even a lower moon's limbs, as estimated by myself.
However, each time it is used, it gets stronger and stronger. Sharper and sharper, until her slashes can cut through almost anything.
A clever trick that she hadn't gotten to use on that demon who got the better of her. She hasn't needed to call for me in quite a long time, so it was a surprise when I sensed her call, thanks to my quirk.
Eraserhead, an underground hero, restraining my little sister. He deserves to die a gruesome, painful death...
And that kid, Emerald.
Agatsuma-San always talks about him, tread him like a younger sibling.
Hmph. I can definitely understand that type of relationship. However, often times, that results in overstating the other's abilities and skills.
I am guilty of the same crime when it comes to Ume.
I want to see for myself just how skilled and talented this kid is. I think his name was Izuku Midoriya.
I'll be sure to remember that. I hear master speak highly of him as well. With the way a fellow Hashira, and the master speaks of him, he must be somewhat special.
Special. Talented.
Both things I would've killed for being considered.
"Becoming a demon slayer at 8. Being able to land several hits at a time on Agatsuma-San. Intelligent and observant. Fast learner. Has gone toe to toe with Dragon with the help of another demon slayer, both coming out alive," I thought to myself.
Granted, Dragon came out alive as well... but even I had to admit that these accomplishes were quite impressive.
He better not disappoint. All this talk of "talent" has really gotten me frustrated. Not only that, it has caused several Hashira, not just me, to want to see what the kid can truly do.
And I'll be damned if he doesn't impress me on the mission tonight.
<•——————•>
Hina Agatsuma's POV:
"Ugh..."
I grunted in frustration, wiping off the splats of blood from my face. I swung my katana at the open air, blood splattering on the trees around me.
My eyes narrowed at the slowly fading demon, mouth fading away before it could yell out in anger.
This... this was far too close to the DS Corps base.
Right after Izuku tells me that he's made a friend, I find this...
Sure, it wasn't likely to be a calculated move, nor did the demon likely purposefully come here. And this location where I found the demon before killing it wasn't necessarily "close" to the base by any means.
But, as far as I know, this is the closest a demon has gotten to our base in decades. Not serious as of yet, but it could spell trouble in the long run.
I carefully guided my katana to my sheath. It was around 10:00 in the morning at this point. It'd be best I get some rest for a couple of hours.
As a demon slayer, we spend most of our time awake at night, due to needing the energy to fend off against demons. This, in turn means that we generally sleep during the day. Not the entire day, obviously, but long enough to recuperate from the night before.
I stretched my arms up above my head, eyes shutting for a few moments, before opening up once again.
I should inform Kagaya-Sama of this demon as soon as possible. He'd know what to do.
<•——————•>
Izuku's POV:
Where is he...?
The nurses said he should be in deeper in the forest in this direction. Maybe he didn't stay here for long?
But I have to tell him about the mission. I can't have my kasugai crow look for him, since he's fast asleep.
Wouldn't want to wake him.
Maybe he went out into the city? That would make sense. He's been stuck here for a bit, recovering. It would stand to reason that he'd want to be in the city for a bit.
Or maybe he—
Crunch
Crack
The breaking off sticks and the crushing of leaves practically echoed throughout the beautifully calming atmosphere, of greens and blues and purples and reds that made up the forest, surrounding the DS Corps base.
I lifted up my green kitsune mask up onto the top of my head, focusing most of my concentration into my enhanced hearing.
"Heartbeat is familiar..." I thought to myself, letting my raised guard down.
I thought for a moment, wondering who this could be before they even showed themselves.
"Ayaki-San!" I greeted, the uninterested older boy turning around a tree to face me.
He only grunted in acknowledgment to my greeting.
"I was looking for you," I said, bright emerald eyes staring into his dull red eyes.
"Just call me Rui," he said, brushing past my comment.
"Eh? O-okay then," I responded.
"I'm needed for a mission, right?" Rui questioned, eyebrow raised up high.
"Oh, were you already informed?" I asked.
Rui only shook his head tiredly, a bit of disappointment evident in his expression.
"What other reason would you be looking for me?" He reasoned.
"I guess he has a point," I thought to myself.
I looked up at Rui, meeting his gaze once more.
"Demons are supposedly going to attack Might Tower tonight, two of the demons being lower moons, according to the kasugai crows."
"A Hashira will be joining us, along with two other demon slayers that share our ranking," I explained, more of a serious tone to my voice as I was now discussing a relatively ambitious attack for the demons.
Rui narrowed his eyes at me, seeming to understand what the implications of this could be, unlike Genki...
I swear Genki's smart, but he brushes past things like this too much. He constantly did the same thing during our mission in Hokkaido together.
Rui nodded in understanding.
"Well, I'm going to go get some training done before the mission tonight. We'll all meet up at the Butterfly Mansion before we leave," I said, turning away from Rui, ready to be out of the forest.
"Midoriya."
Before I even got the chance to take a single step forward, I turned my head to the side slightly, eyes staring in acknowledgement.
"Spar with me," Rui said.
It took me a few seconds to process what he had just said.
"A spar?" I questioned, tilting my head in confusion, yet my words came out as intrigued.
"We both don't know of each other's skill. We fought separately on our mission together, that day. If we're going on this big of a mission, I want to know you can handle yourself. And I want you to know that I can handle myself as well."
"Plus, it'll help us work better together when the mission inevitably comes," Rui explained, eyes unblinking, glued onto me, awaiting an answer.
I contemplated this for a few moments, eventually shrugging slightly.
"Sure, I guess. As long as neither of us use any lethal techniques," I decided, remembering the sight of a pile of flesh cubes littering the ground as a result of Rui going all out.
I turned fully around to face him, right hand hovering just over my sheathed katana.
He snorted, grasping at his hilt before cautiously pulling his katana from its sheath.
"Wasn't planning on it," Rui stated, aiming his katana in a gesturing manner.
I breathed in and out.
It seemed as though Rui was allowing me to have the first move.
This is most certainly a trap, but nothing I can't handle.
I dashed forward, swiftly unsheathing my katana in one quick motion, aiming the dull side of my blade for Rui's lower body.
A thought struck me that we likely should've waited to retrieve some wooden katanas instead of using our actual ones, but it was too late now.
"Water Breathing: First Form: Water Surface Slash!" I exclaimed, performing a perfectly horizontal slash attack.
"A water breather, huh?" Rui remarked, blocking my attack with his own katana, only to push me a couple feet back with his superior striking strength.
Rui wasted no time, blitzing me before I even had the chance to recover, aiming the dull side of his blade at my midsection, to which I swiftly parried to the left of me.
I quickly landed a well-Aimee kick straight for Rui's abdomen, causing him to stagger back several feet.
"Light Breathing: First Form: Enlightenment!"
I delivered a swift flurry of sharp slashes with the dull end of my blade as to not cause injury to Rui.
However, each attack was successfully blocked by the opposing demon slayer, although he sported a shocked and confused expression on his face.
Likely due to the fact I had just used two completely different breathing styles in a relatively short time span.
"Light Breathing... doesn't only the Light Hashira know that breathing style?" Rui questioned, genuinely shocked.
He quickly regained his composure, striking me in the shoulder with the butt of his blade, before sweeping my legs out from under me.
I repositioned my body, preventing impact with the ground below me as I twisted my body back up and around Rui in one quick motion, aiming a strong kick at his side, to which he barely deflected with his katana.
It quickly became evident to me that in terms of combat and swordsmanship, I saw superior.
But that conflicted with my prior knowledge of Rui being capable of cutting demons up into dozens of little chunks of flesh.
Is he holding something back?
Well obviously he is, I am too. But he isn't showing me anything that would explain how he did what he did to that demon.
I pushed myself off the ground, leaping up and over Rui, butt of my blade aimed to strike the top of Rui's head, however, he was able to successfully parry my attack, striking with a slash of his own.
I landed on the balls of my feet, evading his preemptive strike, before shifting my body weight into two intersecting diagonal slashes.
Rui stumbles back, as I kicked his legs in, causing his knees to buckle slightly.
"Flame Breathing: Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun!"
A single finishing slash was all that was needed to end the spar, knocking Rui down onto his back with a loud thump.
I let out a huff of air, pointing my katana at Rui's downed body as we stared into each other's souls, green meeting red.
"Hmm. Looks like I lose," Rui conceded, pushing my katana a few inches away.
I brought my blade back to myself, slowly sheathing it back, offering Rui a hand.
He smirked as he took it.
"You're skilled. Well do just fine on our mission," Rui said.
"You held something back, didn't you? Another weapon, I mean," I stated, abruptly.
Rui raised an interested eyebrow at me.
"It was obvious that your katana isn't your main weapon. You're skilled with it, but not skilled enough for it to have been your true weapon of choice."
Rui didn't say a word or have a change in expression, instead opting to reach into his kimono, pulling out what seemed like— strings...?
"Wait, are those—"
"Nichirn wires," Rui said.
"These are far too risky to use on a human. I could have accidentally sliced you to bits with these if I had used them in a spar," Rui explained.
"They're sharper than any nichirn blade. I have yet to come across something they can't cut through."
I nodded in understanding.
"So he was just being cautious..." I thought to myself.
"Let's head back. We can train some more at the Butterfly Manision."
<•——————•>
Dragon's POV:
I pierced my sharp claws into the man's neck, tearing through skin, muscle, and bone.
Crunch
Crack
Snap
I made sure to perform this act extremely slowly, forcing out the maximum amount of pain possible from the dying man's screams of agony.
I sported a toothy grin on my face, eyes manic with glee.
"I haven't eaten decent flesh in weeks... maybe you will be an enjoyable meal," I said, before dragging my sharp claws the rest of the way through the man's torn neck.
Before long, the head separated from the body, a sickening squelch and a final cry for help resounding throughout the dark alleyway of Tokyo City.
I sniffed at the air, agony and fear greeting me.
I snapped off the man's right arm like a twig, watching as the flesh tore off bone as the entire limb separated from its socket.
I made sure to savor every last bite, staring into the headless man's lifeless eyes.
I ran a clawed hand through my hair, rubbing my face with the other in an attempt to coax myself into calming down.
"Hmph, didn't think you'd allow yourself to get like this, Lower 1," a voice from behind me stated, a hint of mocking disappointment in it.
I couldn't help but scoff and roll my eyes at the person's words.
"Go elsewhere, Lower 2," I ordered, a bit of venom lacing my tone as I gave my partner a side-ways glare that's often get demons running for their lives.
I stood up straight, stepping away from the dead, mutilated body.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" I questioned, frustratedly, licking blood off my hands.
"Oh nothing much~... just wanted to let you know that our little mission will be in a mere few hours," Lower 2 said, a grin on his face.
"Yeah, I know, don't forget I'm the one in charge," I growled. I turns to face my annoying colleague. "That isn't why you came to talk, is it?" I asked, feeling as though I already knew the answer.
"Oh, you know me so well..."
My eyes narrowed sharply, noticing Lower 2's quick change in tone, switching from annoyingly playful mocking, to a sinister, dark, and venomous tone.
I swear he's got to be bipolar in some way.
"You better outdo yourself on this mission, buddy! If you don't, he may choose to switch our positions," Lower 2 maliciously reminded.
I shot the idiot a sharp, intimidating glare, hands balled into fists, clenching them so tight, my scales began scrape against each other, creating a loud scraping noise.
"Watch yourself Lower 2. Even if that's true, as of now, you should know your place. Remember who's currently higher ranking than the other," I spat out, creating a few sharp scales pointing straight towards Lower 2.
The bastard tilted his head to the side, as if confused on what he did wrong.
"Yes, yes... I admit to that much. Then... perhaps take my previous statement as a warning instead of a threat, hm?" He proposed, large smile returning to his face.
"Or you could just deal with the fact that my words are the truth. No need to get so angry, pal."
He reached his hand towards me, grasping at my shoulder before softly patting it, condescendingly.
My eyes twitched with anger.
"Perhaps you should stop trying to compensate for the fact you're weaker than me. This... this is just a shallow attempt at making yourself feel better, isn't it?" I questioned.
I reached over to his hand that still rested on my shoulder, brutally slicing it off with one swift motion.
It irritates me that Lower 2 still maintained his superior attitude even after I demonstrated my superior strength.
"I am Dragon. Someone the entirety of the underground fears and respects in some way, shape, or form. You'd be smart to do the same," I said, pushing past him.
"Aren't you going to finish your meal?" Lower 2 questioned, pointing his thumb over to the mutilated human corpse.
"No... I'm not. Thanks to you, I've lost my appetite," I spat, snapping my fingers, which caused the scales I summoned to fade away into nothingness.
"I swear... I hope he chooses to have a blood battle with me. That way I can finally get rid of that little nuisance."
<•——————•>
Izuku's POV:
I looked in recognition at the female demon slayer called, Ume, The Blood Hashira's young sister.
I do vaguely remember seeing her from time to time around the DS Corps, and I remember her passing Final Selection with me.
She seems really strong. I wonder what her breathing style is? And her quirk...
She has to be pretty skilled as well. I wonder...
"Ah, Midoriya! You made it before me!"
I turned my attention towards the quickly approaching jester, also known as Genki.
"I'm guessing this is one of the other demon slayers?" A older male voice questioned.
I turned to my left, glancing up at Rui.
I nodded my head in confirmation, introducing the two demon slayers to each other, as they likely had never met before prior to this.
"Alright you four, we're heading out to Tokyo now. I suggest you prepare yourselves mentally. Two lower moons and dozens of regular demons won't result in something pretty," Gyutaro stated, lifting his dual sickles up from his side.
"Each of you will be proving your worth to the DS Corps tonight, to me as well. So give it your all, understand?"
I nodded my head in confirmation, along with my fellow demon slayers, lifting a hand up to my face, placing my iconic emerald green kitsune mask on.
<•——————•>
"So this is Might Tower..." I thought to myself.
The building was taller than any skyscraper I had ever seen up to this point. It practically pierced the dark night sky, associating itself with the clouds.
It was covered in a grayish-blue color scheme, with hints of yellow here and there. The giant letters on the front of the tower spelled out "Might Tower" in bold gold coloring.
Never really seen it in person. I don't come this deep into the city very often. Especially not in Tokyo.
We made sure to stay hidden in the nearby alleyways as to not be spotted by the civilians nor the potential nearby heroes.
We'd most definitely bring a lot of eyes onto us if we didn't.
But that wasn't what was consuming my mind at the moment. The main thing that was on my mind was what has been on my mind for the past month, at this point.
Dragon.
Two lower moons will be present. And with Dragon certainly being a lower moon ranked demon, there is a high possibility of his presence tonight.
I clenched my fists tight, as frustration overtook me.
"Just where do I know him from?" I thought to myself. "I have to know him from somewhere, I just have to."
I have to— no I need to figure out his identity tonight. The mystery has haunted me for a long while now. Just who is this man? And why does he feel so familiar to me every time I hear or see something related to him?
Why did his voice sound so familiar when we fought?
Why did his presence feel so familiar?
The way he spoke.
The way he presented himself to Genki and I.
The way he asserted his superiority over the both of us.
The way he moved...
I am determined to succeed. I will destroy that mask of his, I will find out who he is, and I will decapitate him, all in one night.
I'll make sure of it...
Boom
I flinched back, swiftly removing my katana from its sheath.
A powerful ripple-like shockwave shout out through the area, nearly destroying my eardrums due to my enhanced hearing.
Enhanced senses come at a cost of being more sensitive and prone to attacks that deal with said sense.
Genki, Rui, Ume, And Gyutaro-San all leapt back along with me as the powerful shockwave tore through the building we were hiding behind, creating a large burst of flames within the vicinity of the blast.
Rubble shot out everywhere, some of it nearly striking our group. Luckily, we were able to either deflect or dodge the flurry of brick and stone.
Ashes filled my view as horrified screams filled the air.
I got a good glimpse at Might Tower through the rapidly increasing fire and smoke.
I was able to swiftly confirm that Might Tower was most certainly the explosion's place of origin.
I kept a tight grip on my katana as I prepared myself to leap into the fray, vigilante sense taking over.
"Looks like the demons found another way in..." Gyutaro-San stated, shifting into a running position.
"All of you, with me. Now."
Gyutaro dashed through the flames, swiftly followed by me soon after, the other 3 keeping up as well.
"How did they even get in here without us noticing?" Ume asked, genuinely confused.
"One likely had either a quirk or a BDA that assister with that. Maybe a teleportation quirk. If that's the case, then it'd be a pain to kill the demon responsible," I said aloud, utilizing several water breathing techniques to better protect myself from the fire.
While the breathing styles didn't summon the actual elements, they mimicked them closely enough to the point where their effects can be slightly implemented into one's movements and strikes.
Before long, we all entered the bottom floor of Might Tower, where the explosion seemed to originate from.
My senses went haywire. So many things were happening all at once... I almost couldn't handle it.
"A demon here must have some sort of shockwave ability to have caused that explosion," I stated, eyeing down a small grouping of demons who were attacking some employees of the building that hadn't been killed by the initial blast.
"Oh~ Demon slayers, Huh?" One of the demons asked, turning their attention towards us.
It seems as though the creature wanted to say more, however Gyutaro-San decapitated the demon without needing to incorporate his breathing technique into his movements.
He moved so fast that nod even I was able to see his movements. My senses practically failed me, as they didn't pick up on anything movement either despite him being directly in front to me.
"So this is what a Hashira can do," Genki observes, glee in his voice.
"That's my big bro!" Ume announced, pride clear in her voice as well.
Boom
A second powerful shockwave shook the entire building, more rubble and debris coming crashing down on top of us.
I whipped my head over to the still present civilians. "All of you, run now!" I ordered.
Another demon shot what seemed to be a blast of compressed water straight a my head, to which Rui easily cut through with his nichirin wires.
"We knew you'd show up~ Your crows should be more careful," the demon stated, charging up a large ball of water.
"So that's this demon's abilities..." I thought to myself, dashing over to it at incredible speeds, decapitating the demon in 3 slashes in rapid succession with one another.
I didn't let up, leaping into another group of demons, blade outstretched, ready for the kill.
But I thought itched at the back of my mind as I decapitated 3 demons who had grouped together, attempting to charge up their attacks.
"Just why are they attacking Might Tower?" I thought to myself.
Sure, this group of demons has been seen terrorizing several hero agencies throughout Japan, however, it is a rather big jump to go from small time hero agencies to the most reputable one in all of Japan...
They must've have a decent reason.
Tanjiro Kamado definitely orchestrated this. There is no way he didn't. But why? To prove a point? To send a message? Or maybe... to gain information?
But what information is present at Might Tower that Tanjiro would be interested in? Information on potential allies in the underground world? Information on heroes?
It stands to reason that he could be interested in either of these things.
But in that case, why didn't he come to this task himself? It is a pretty daring thing to leave up to lower moons and regular demos.
Why not send an upper moon?
Thank God he didn't. Gyutaro-San is powerful and skilled, but I don't think even he would be able to defeat an upper moon if what I heard about them is true.
"You two! Genki and Rui! Do you think you two could handle this floor?" Gyutaro calmly yet assertively asked.
Rui seemed a bit uncertain, however Genki immediately agreed to the role given to him, which was definitely not surprising.
I gave Rui a nod of motivation, to which he accepted, agreeing to Gyutaro's wishes.
"Ume, Emerald. Both of you are with me. Let's go!" He ordered, dashing forward into one of the stairwells, sickles by his side.
I dashed off after him alongside Ume, not wanting to lag behind and seem weak in front of a Hashira.
<•——————•>
Dragon's POV:
"Isn't this just great, buddy?" Lower 2 asked, a Cheshire grin on his face.
"Shut your mouth," I ordered, as I dug through the papers within each and every desk I could find.
"You tell me to do good on this mission, and yet you've barely done anything, Lower 2," I stated, eyes still glued onto the papers in my hands.
Boom
Yet another explosion from far below shook the building.
"I just want to give you a sliver of hope that you won't be replaced~" he replied, undeterred by the aggression in my voice.
I scoffed in mild annoyance.
"Right..." I muttered.
Tanjiro wanted us to search for any clues about Allmight within these papers...
When I was give this mission, I was genuinely confused as to why master would ever waste his time wondering about the pathetic hero.
In a one on one fight, he couldn't even beat me, so why is master so interested in him? I had the same thought when he spoke of Emerald.
Was the kid talented? Yes. Even I could admit that.
But a human is a human. Now he wants me to turn him into a demon to join us...
I suppose I'm not opposed to that outcome, I just see it as a waste of time.
Little brats like Emerald are stubborn, he, in particular, won't stray too far away from what he has come to accept within his puny, pathetic lifetime.
"Find anything yet, pal?" Lower 2 questioned.
"Quit calling me that. And yes, I have actually, no thanks to you," I responded, kicking the desk through a nearby window.
"Now why'd you have to go and do that?" Lower 2 asked, in a teasing tone of voice.
"Blowing off some steam so I won't lose control and tear your head off. And no matter how much you'd like to play it off, you know that I am fully capable of doing just that," I said.
Lower 2 only put his hands up in mock defense.
"Tch."
The only good thing about this bastard is that he's a decent manipulator, and I can admit that manipulation has its uses, but I wish he'd just die already. Perhaps my wish will be granted tonight.
"Blood Breathing: First Form: Warfare!"
Lower 2 and I narrowly avoided the flying red projectiles that nearly sliced us up to bits. Bits of my hoodie tore at the seams due to the projectiles' collective potency.
"Decent reflexes. You two are the lower moons, aren't you?" A tall, but skinny man said, a sickle in each hand.
"Dragon..." I soft, young voice growled out.
I allowed for a smirk to grace my face from behind my blank white mask.
"Emerald," I greeted.
"How's your friend doing? I think his name was Genki?" I questioned, snapping my fingers, summoning about 10 rotating, green dragon scales around my body.
"So that's Dragon?" a girl who seemed a few years older than Emerald asked.
"Ah~ demon slayers! And a Hashira? Imagine what he would say if I managed to kill a Hashira," Lower 2 said, taking a few steps forward.
"I'm impressed you all managed to make it this high up," Lower 2 continued.
"You want to take the Hashira? Fine. You can handle both the Hashira and the girl. My eyes are on this brat," I said, turning my head to glare at Emerald.
"Fine by me~"
All 5 of us practically stood there in silence, as I stuffed the papers I had found into my hoodie.
I cracked my knuckles, standing completely stationary as I allowed for Emerald to dash towards me at impressive speeds, letting him have the first move.
"Light Breathing: First Form: Enlightenment!"
The kid called out. I easily blocked with my scales, forming a dense and durable shield around my body, before forcing it to expand outwards, pushing the kid back several meters.
My attention turned towards Lower 2 who surprisingly avoided an attack from the Blood Hashira.
"Looks like the bastard's BDA is useful against a Hashira after all. It's commendable," I thought to myself, as I narrowly avoided another slash from Emerald's blade without having to turn to look.
I took a few steps back, effortlessly dodging a second round of slashes from all angles.
"He's definitely gotten more skilled since the last time we fought. But so have I."
Not only that, but his friend isn't with him. It's just me and him.
"Blood Demon Art: Storm of Scales!"
I summoned over a dozen razor sharp scales by my side, instantly shooting them outwards in a rotating motion around Emerald, making sure some of them cut of the ground beneath him as well, in an attempt to cause him to fall.
However, that idea swiftly failed, as Emerald deflected a decent amount of the scales away from his body.
Some were still able to break through his defenses, leaving several deep gashes all over his body.
The kid's resilient, I'll give him that.
He can handle far more punishment than most grown men.
I jabbed my first forward, aimed at his face, attempting to crush his mask to see the scared little boy that hid behind it, but he was able to just barely dodge.
"He's gotten faster too," I thought to myself.
"Water Breathing: Second Form: Water Wheel!"
The kid leapt into a vertical spinning motion, blitzing past me, chipping off a bit of the scales off of my shoulder.
I sharpened my own claws in preparation, awaiting another attack from the kid.
"Thunder Breathing: Fourth Form: Distant Thunder!"
The kid swiftly sent multi-directional slashes with his blade, towards me at incredible speeds once again.
However, I easily blocked each and every one of the slashes, snapping my fingers to summon more scales by my side.
I dashed towards him, grabbing him by his neck faster than he could evade, using my other hand to grasp at his mask, attempting to lift it up.
"You're a strong kid. Why don't you take some of my blood? If he accepts you, you can become stronger than you ever would've as a human," I proposed, scales rotating 360 degrees and wicked speeds, simulating razor blades.
The kid merely kicked me in the chest with impressive strength, biting down on my hand with high force.
I didn't flinch, only raising an eyebrow in confusion.
Doesn't this kid know demons can't really feel physical pain?
But in one swift motion, the kid pulled out a sharp knife from his kimono, barely slicing through my wrist, cutting my hand off, forcing me to let go.
I gritted my teeth in annoyance as I watched the kid rip off my severed hand that was still holding on to his neck.
Before I allowed Emerald to leap back, I kicked him high up into the air, forcing him through several floors of Might Tower, just like back in Hokkaido.
I leapt up after him, gathering more sharp scales around my fist as I prepared a powerful strike, punching him straight through the gut, hearing a sickening crunch and a pained gag come from him.
I spun my body around while flying up, both of us still crashing through multiple floors, before we both eventually shot out the very top of Might Tower.
I delivered one more kick to the kid's chest, sending him flying up even higher.
We were likely more than a thousand meters in the sky at this point, freezing cold winds rushing past us both
It didn't effect me, but it most assuredly effected the human child's breathing patterns.
Surprisingly though, the kid quickly regained himself, increasing the speed of his fall with the help of Thunder Breathing.
He pierced me through the chest with his katana, forcing me into a increasingly fast fall, before we eventually hit terminal velocity, crashing through the top of Might Tower.
I slammed into the top floor's ground with great force, while the kid only winced in pain, fall likely broken by my body.
I swiftly pushed myself off the ground, slamming Emerald down with all of my strength, keeping him there with my right arm.
"Jut accept my offer brat," I spat out, a crazed feeling beginning to overtake me. "Or I could just devour you. You'd likely have some high quality flesh on those bones."
But before I could reach my left hand to his mask, he once again sliced my hand off, delivering a high knee to my chin, only to push himself back onto his feet as I staggered back.
I clenched my fists tight, eyes staring daggers at the brat.
"Fine then."
<•——————•>
Izuku's POV:
I stared down my opponent, katana raised as I positioned myself preemptively for a strike. Keeping a tight, but steady grip on my katana, I dashed forward, swinging my blade upwards in an attempt to leave a devastating gash on Dragon's chest.
However, my attack was easily parried to the side by his durable scale-classes arm. I narrowed my eyes in concentration, twisting my body, avoiding a quick-moving swiping attack.
"Water Breathing: Eight Form: Waterfall Basin!"
I leapt up and over the familiar foe, performing a single, powerful slash, to which was easily evaded by Dragon, who countered with a rising axe kick.
I narrowly avoided the attack, leaping backwards several meters the instant my feet touched the ground below me.
"Light Breathing: First Form: Enlightenment!"
Dashing forward once again, I delivered several swift, sharp slashes, directed at various points of Dragon's body, in an attempt to make it as difficult as possible for him to evade.
One of these slashes broke through his defenses, leaving him wide open for another strike.
"Insect Breathing: Butterfly Dance: Caprice."
A single thrusting attack, chipped away at the outer layer of scales coating his chest.
"Flame Breathing: First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
My heart raced, lungs heating up as if they were on fire, burning from the amount of energy and power I was putting in each and every one of my movements.
I needed this fight to end as quickly as possible.
"You seem to be tiring quickly... Are you overexerting yourself?" Dragon questioned, cocking his head to the side in a mocking manner.
I watched with nervousness as dozens upon dozens of scales swept up around him, red eyes glowing from behind that mask.
Instantly, I was blasted with an unbearable sense of familiarity. I knew those eyes all too well. I didn't know why, I just k ew that I should be able to tell just who this demon was.
"Thunder Breathing: First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
I dashed forwards at blinding speeds, readying to land a single strike aimed at Dragon's neck, however, the hovering scales surrounding his body did well not only to block my vision, but to knock my katana around.
They cut through my flesh and nicked at my blade.
"Blood Demon Art: Storm of Scales!"
The once barely moving flock of scales suddenly see up into a rotating motion, cutting up everything within the top floor of Might Tower.
"Just where is Allmight?" I thought to myself. "This is his building. He should be here protecting it."
"Water Breathing: Eleventh Form: Dead Calm."
My breathing slowed, and slowed, and slowed. My heart beat gradually getting quieter and quieter. All scales around me each felt to the ground by my blade as I effortlessly blocked each and every one while running towards Dragon.
Once again, I aimed my attack at Dragon's neck , ready to end the fight, however, it was too good to be true.
Dragon effortlessly swatted me away with his reinforced arm, sending me flying back over 10 meters. I skidded in the ground, unable to prevent myself from crashing through the reinforced glass window.
My heart skipped a beat from pure terror as my body continued to fall off the side of the skyscraper that was Might Tower.
My very life flashed before my eyes.
I saw the world as I it were slow motion for a few moments.
I kept a powerful, firm grip on my katana, very nearly denting it. Thinking quickly, I pierced the katana into the side of the building, impeding it into the exterior wall of Might Tower.
I could feel the immense strain my body was exerting in my katana as I hung from it for dear life by my right arm.
A large breath escapes my mouth. I had t even realized I had been holding my breath until now.
I glanced down at the ground below me, hundred of meters down. If I had gotten the idea to pierce my katana into the building to prevent my death any later, I likely would've been to far away from the building to succeed.
I watched as a fire burst to life out below me, near the first couple of floors of Might Tower, a powerful breeze rushing past me, as if nature itself was coaxing for me to fall.
I narrowed my eyes, as I looked for a way back up to Dragon.
"You're a quick thinker, aren't you?" Dragon asked, rhetorically.
I snapped my head back up, eyes traveling upwards before they eventually landed on Dragon who was standing on the edge, looking through the me shattered glass window from above me.
"I thought for sure this was it for you," Dragon said, raising his arms up high, dozens upon dozens of more scales appearing around his body.
"You're a strong one kid, that much I can admit. However, compared to a 12 Kizuki, you're just a weak, useless, tiny ant for me to crush."
My grip around my katana began to skip and loosed.
I desperately tried to raise my lower body up higher, to swing myself up and around, if only for just a bit, but nothing I did worked.
"If you would only accept my offer," Dragon muttered, just barely loud enough for me to hear.
"This is your last chance to choose. If it were up to me, you'd be dead a by now. But the demon king wouldn't be happy."
My eyes shot wide open, as I temporarily halted my pathetic attempts to secure safety.
"Wh-What?" I asked.
"Hm? Oh yes. He's heard of your talents and is quite interested in you," Dragon explained.
I get muted my teeth, eye narrowing sharply.
The demon king? Interested in me? And the idiot is saying it like I should be proud of that fact. Bastard... why would I become a demon?
The fact that the demon king himself wants me as a demon, is only making me more certain that I do not want to become one.
I returned my attention back to him.
"So? What will it be kid? Choose quickly or I might just do something to cause you to fall," he threatened.
I let out a soft, quiet chuckle, a small grin on my face behind my mask as I thought up an idea.
"Go to hell," I spat with venom.
Dragon only grunted in response.
"Storm of Scales!"
I reached into my kimono, searching for a very specific item, watching as the scales approached closer and closer to my body.
This idea would definitely get me injured as well, but it's the only option I have.
In one swift motion, I threw 5 bead-like objects into the air, directly in the way of the scales.
The scales easily sliced through the beads, however, that is exactly what I wanted to happen.
Boom
The explosion beads detonated the instant they were exposed to the friction created by the rotating scales.
Each of the five explosions created a chain reaction, powerful enough to blow a large hole into the side of Might Tower, a hole large enough to jump through and get back inside the building.
I grunted in pain, the large explosion leaving blisters and burns on my hands, incinerating parts of my uniform.
But I pushed through the pain, swinging my body upwards, yanking my katana out of its place in the wall, successfully landing back inside the building, several floors below where I had fallen from.
I fell onto my knees almost immediately, unbelievably weak from what just happened.
"Smart move," Dragon states, as I heard a thump behind me.
"I know," I responded, twisting my body around, aiming my katana at Dragon's legs.
With all of my strength, I was just barely able to completely sever off Dragon's right leg, nicking my katana even more in the process.
Quickly, faster than he could react, I tossed a few more explosive beads his way.
Boom
"Argh!" Dragon yelled, the explosion creating a large hole in the floor, shattering nearby glass into small sharp shards.
As Dragon fell through the floor into the level below, I leapt down after him, readying one more strike before I planned to back off.
"Flamer Breathing: Third Form: Blazing Universe!"
I narrowly missed his neck...
However, as soon as the both of us landed in the level below, I repositioned myself and my blade once more, performing one last downwards slash.
Crack
A clean cut.
A perfectly clean cut straight down the middle.
I didn't decapitate him. Not even close.
But... I was able to achieve something else.
I watched as Dragon's white mask split in two, the two halves slowly separating from one another.
Finally.
Finally.
Finally!
I could find out who he is.
I could now understand who he is!
Why he felt so familiar every time I heard, saw, or spoke to him.
I would now understand why his presence felt so familiar.
I could finally understand!
My mind could finally be at peace!——
...
...
...
...
...
The world felt as if it were in slow motion.
Red piercing eyes burned a hole through my souls as they both shined with the darkness of thousands of damned souls, illuminating the darkness behind the mask.
The mask hadn't even fully moved away from the demon's head, but... it moved away enough for me to see.
I finally understood...
I finally understood...?
My heart rate quickened and quickened, a sharp, uncomfortable chill slithering up my spine.
Finally.
Finally...
Finally?
Before I could fully make out the face, my body preemptively reacted, already knowing the turn before my mind did.
I finally understood...
But my mind would never be at peace again.
<•——————•>
Author's Note: Happy Halloween!
I truly hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I put a lot, and I mean a lot of effort into making it. This was originally going to be posted at 6:00 as stated yesterday on my account page, but Wattpad ended up acting up for a bit.
And yes, this is only part 1 of a two parter. Next chapter will be coming out very soon. Night to Remember Pt. 2
If you have any questions and or theories about what will happen in the next chapter feel free to comment them in the comment section.
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