"Tasty! Tasty! Tasty!"
Rengoku was eating some ramen while Yozora and Nora just looked at him with a blank expression.
"Is he always like this?"
"Y-yeah. He's a good guy, but he's a bit weird."
They were all staying at an inn while they were in Asakusa. After bumping into each other they all decided to talk about their situation. When Yozora felt the girl's ki the only feeling he got from her was fear, though her expression hid it well.
"Well since Rengoku is eating i'll start things off. Why did you ask for my help and what is it you want help with?"
"Huh, a beautiful young girl asks for your help and you won't even act like a knight in shining armor? I thought we had something special."
"W-what? I just met you and....um.....j-just get on with it."
"Sorry, you seemed easy to tease so i wanted to have fun. You see, i guess you could say i'm the same as you. I'm a marechi, someone with very rare blood. Because of that demons would do anything just to eat me. However, what we're dealing with is even more of a monster than the demon."
Yozora was surprised to say the least. A human being worse than a demon. He knew some humans were bad but to be that twisted.
"You see......a man named Takasugi Shinsuke is after me. He's been harboring a demon and feeding it marechi for over 4 years."
Rengoku stopped eating his food as he looked at Nora with a serious expression. Yozora also wore a face that showed nothing but disgust. Seeing this, Nora decided to continue her story.
"You see, that man wanted me to be fed to this demon. He said he's doing it for revenge against the child of a man called Yaboku......but.....i don't want to be eaten. This Yaboku guy and his child have nothing to do with me. I know this is selfish of me but i just want to live my li-"
Suddenly Nora found herself in Yozora's arms. She didn't know how to react to this. However she heard him whisper in her ear.
"Don't worry anymore. I'll save you from this hellish nightmare."
"You........."
Yozora looked at Rengoku as they both nod. They knew this demon was probably the one they were after. Rengoku wanted to kill it and Yozora wanted to save Nora. They only had one choice.
"Nora, me and Rengoku will take care of this demon. Afterwards i'll go after this Takasugi bastard. Knowing a human is willingly sacrificing others for his own goals makes me sick."
"Agreed, that is why you don't need to worry young lady. Yozora and I shall vanquish this demon from existence."
Nora looked at the two in awe. For once, she actually felt something. Something that she never could've imagined having.....hope.
"Anyways it would be good if Rengoku-san and I went to fight this demon together however leaving you here alone would make it easier for this Takasugi guy to find you."
"You do have a point. I don't know what to do?"
Yozora looked at the girl in front of him. He wants to save her from the demon and Takasugi. All he had to go on was that the man was after her.
"That man wanted revenge against my dad, so now he wants me to pay for it. So in a way this is my fault. I can't just abandon her."
"I have an idea. This demon wants to eat a marechi, right? Well i'm one too, so i'll use myself as bait. While it's focus is on me, Rengoku-san will attack while it's distracted. Nora........if what you said is true...then i'm sure Takasugi may also shift his focus on me."
"Why you? He only wants to kill Yaboku's.....no Yozora you can't be...."
The boy nodded at Nora. He won't lie to her. Even if she would end up hating him, he'll protect her. He will give it his all to save her from this situation.
"Yes, Yaboku is my father and i know i may be the reason for your suffering. You can hate me all you want, you have every right to. Just know i won't go back on my word, i will protect you."
"Yozora........................"
Nora soon found herself crying. She didn't know why, but his words caused something to happen in her heart.
".....Rengoku-san, we should head for the outskirts of Asakusa to find this demon. If i sense a strong enough ki, then we'll find that demon."
"Yes, i agree but who should we have watch over this young lady!"
"Muichiro is on his own mission, plus i haven't seen Zenitsu since the Final Selection. So then-"
"Yozora, you and Rengoku-san just focus on the demon don't worry about me. If i do end up being taken....then......just try your best to help me, ok?"
Yozora looked at the girl, she had a serious look in her eyes. With that he nodded and looked away. Rengoku stood beside Yozora.
"It seems we'll have quite the battle ahead of us, are you ready Yozora."
"Yes, Rengoku-san."
~Meanwhile~
Takasugi was with his demon as he unshackled it's restrainsts. Takasugi could sense his ki, even from here. Yaboku's offspring is nearby.
"It seems Nora's disappearance has brought my target straight to us. I would love to kill him myself, but i think it's time you show your strength to him. If he survives then he is truly Yaboku's son and if not you can eat him. Does that sound fun?"
The demon roared as if it was ready to finally unleash it's wrath. It was starving and out of it's hunger it tried to eat Takasugi. The second it did, it found half of it's body on the ground while Takasugi was sheathing his sword.
"Oh my, it seems my hand slipped. I think you should remember just who you're dealing with."
The demon knew it, deep down its instincts told him this man was dangerous. As soon as its body was back together it let out another roar.
"Now then, you have only one goal....kill Yaboku's offspring."