If I thought things would miraculously get better, then I was wrong. They didn't get worse, but Riko is wearing a false smile. I can tell it is false because it doesn't reach her eyes, instead her lips are drawn thin like two crescents.
No skill with the sword can help me here, no one can help me. But she opened up to me out of her own will, so it can't be my fault. That is the only thing that makes sense to me right now amidst this frozen silence.
What can I do? That is the thought that rockets around the inside of my head as we continue travelling. The time that we spent laughing has devolved into mute silence, with frosted smiles being sent my way. She can't really hold anything against me, right?
It gets colder the further north we move. We have been travelling for six days now, so we are very close to our destination. We weren't given any concrete details, just told that multiple casualties had occurred at a village further north.
Even if we aren't communicating, we can get the job done. I have faith in Riko, she has been a Hashira for a long time. All I have to do is shadow her movements, like I did with Shinjuro-san.
The air grows colder and colder, which is when I realise that we have been running up an incline. Seems this village is higher up than most, but that makes sense. We are in the famous Tohoku region,so it is to be expected.
Well, not many people will know it as Tohoku nowadays but it is due to the stories that I loved as a child. The views are breathtaking, luscious forests and towering mountains that stretch towards the clouds.
I can see why samurai loved to retire here, it feels peaceful. A place far away from the battlefield, somewhere you can be yourself without a sword strapped to your hip. Maybe, one day in the future.
But we are not here for peace, we are here to carry out our mission. The number of casualties is unknown, the number of demons is unknown. But there are two Hashira present, so everything will turn out okay.
I look at Riko who is several strides ahead of me, her left hand does not leave the hilt of her weapon. The ingrained habit of a warrior, somebody that lives by their weapon. Some people might view it as something to take pride in, but if you asked every one of us then we would all respond in the same way.
Nobody ever wished to pick up a sword and cut someone else down. Nobody wants to feel the feedback of their blade parting bones and sinew, or taste the spray of blood that coats their face. Nobody wishes to hear the dying breath of the man opposite them as he whimpers for his mother's warmth.
Every warrior, every demon slayer, everybody who has ever swung a blade all share the same thoughts. In a better world, we would never have had to do it. But that is precisely why we keep on fighting. For a better world in which nobody has to wield a sword.
Nobunaga fought for a unified Japan. Tokugawa fought for a better Japan. The samurai fought for the traditions of Japan. Everybody fights for what they think will make the world better. Everybody except Kibutsuji and his demons.
They are the exception and they will be punished accordingly. We will see to that. The guillotine of anguish that they forged will soon reach their necks. It is why we are all here. All of us have had something precious taken away from us.
I can feel the tension easing slightly as time passes, but I won't make a move yet. I am more than content to enjoy the calm before the storm and bask in the scenery.
We continue to walk even as the sun sets. An entire two days have gone since we last spoke, it feels unbearable.
A single brown leaf falls amidst the moonlight. There is no breeze, but it sways from side to side brilliantly. It captivates the both of us, but for some reason I am filled with worry. This feeling overcomes me for a moment, halting my movement.
Riko feels it too, because she stopped moving before I did. She turns her head to look far off into the distance, southwest.
There is nothing nearby. I can hear the wildlife in the forest, but I cannot hear anything else. There are no humans or demons travelling this pass right now. It is just us. So why is our attention somewhere far away?
All I can do is shake my head to clear it and put one foot in front of the other. We cannot waste time, we have a mission to fulfill.
Riko follows suit as I move, but her troubled expression does not leave her face. Now is the time to break the unspoken seal placed on conversation.
"Nice weather today."
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. You've outdone yourself, Yoichi. Never before have you been so stupid.
Of course all I get back in reply is a blank stare that forces me to hide my face in shame. Thank god my hair is so long that I can hide my face behind it.
It feels natural to me, but I should really have it cut soon. It is almost too long, to the point that it might interfere with my eyesight. Mother used to cut it, so it feels almost wrong for somebody else to do it.
We continue moving forward, there is no point stopping now. Not when we are so close to our destination. We can rest for some hours in the day and then hunt for the demon at night.
The silence still persists, although I know this time I am to blame. Why am I so awkward around everybody that isn't Masuyo-san?
I'm hopeless, completely hopeless. At least my abilities speak for me, without those I would be entirely useless. You don't need to socialise when you're burning charcoal.
I wonder how Tanjuro and Kie-san are doing. Maybe they've had their first child by now, maybe even their second. Those two were always going to end up marrying, it was only a matter of time.
For years they pined after one another, it was obvious for everyone to see. Everytime Tanjuro departed with the charcoal, he would return with the biggest smile on his face. When I was able to join him, I soon found out why.
He would sell the charcoal at a rapid speed and spend hours talking to Kie-san as she drew water for her family, offering to carry it home for her. He always had a gentle face, but it softened even more when he spoke to her.
Eventually, I was the one selling all of the charcoal and he spent all of his time with her. It was fine, because I understood that it made him happy. I could not object to that at all, so I did what was expected of me.
Even as he grew frailer, he would still make the journey just to see her. It was as if all of his worries disappeared on his way down the mountain. His gaunt cheeks filled out and he could not stop smiling.
His hands were constantly fidgeting with something as if he was nervous, but he was always able to calm down before meeting up with her. It was obvious that he loved her, and from the way she looked at him, she felt the same.
Even for somebody like me, I could tell. Which is why it was no surprise that Tanjuro proposed and Kie-san accepted immediately. I wonder what their wedding ceremony was like.
By all rights, I should have been present. I should have remained there to help out with everything, to keep the charcoal burning whilst Tanjuro looked after his family. To dance from sunset to sunrise for the family.
By all rights… but that is not how life works. Instead I am doing something far greater, I am somebody that saves people. I can do far more here than I could selling charcoal back home, even if that is something I long for.
I think I'll go home for the new year just to make sure that everybody is okay. I'll keep my distance and watch over the house, they don't need me interfering with their lives. It is likely that they believe me to be dead, at least they do not have to worry about me that way.
As long as I know that they are safe, I can rest easy. If I can make sure that everybody I care about is safe, then I am doing my job right.
"The weather is nice, it's clear so you can see the stars and the moon."
Riko's voice sweeps across my mind, and it wipes everything clear. I had almost forgotten what she sounded like.
"Back home, you could see the stars almost every night. The air was so clear that breathing it could cure a cold right away."
It's true, the air at home was so pure that just breathing it would revitalise you. Compared to the air of places like Yokohama and Tokyo, it is far better.
"That sounds nice. Do you miss it?"
She sounds strangely peaceful, but I'm not going to complain.
"I would be lying if I said no, but it's all in the past now. All I can do is look back and smile whilst moving forward."
It's the truth, I know I can never go back to the way things were. I can keep those memories with me forever, but I can't live a fantasy.
"... That's a good way of thinking. You're quite mature for your age, Yoichi."
Well that goes without saying, not many people my age are cutting the heads off of man eating monsters. But I'll take the compliment and imagine it was Masuyo-san saying it.
"I suppose so. Look, the village is in sight."
I point directly ahead as we reach the top of the incline, you can see the village nestled against the mountain. It really is a picturesque location, I assume it was probably settled by Date Masamune.
But terrible things are happening there, that is why we are here. Our mission is to put this village at ease by slaying whatever is preying on it's people. I wonder if it is another of the Twelve Kizuki.
If it is me and Riko, we can do it. I have faith in her abilities, we can rely on one another. Even if things are still a little bit awkward, it does not dull the edge of our blades one bit.
We chat idly as we approach the village, there is no laughter but at least it is not silent. We have spent most of the night walking, so the first order is finding somewhere that we can rest safely.
It only takes me four hours to recuperate from travelling, but I do not know how long it takes for Riko.
We find shelter with a young married couple, they must only be around twenty-two. The dark circles under both of their eyes are worrying, but there is something even further amiss. The room we stay in obviously belonged to a child.
But there is no child in sight. Their child might have passed away from illness or accident, but the fact that there is a demon lurking around leads me to believe something far more sinister.
Something that is entirely preventable, but a tragedy that happened all the same. Another sin that weighs the scales down even further.
Every day that I spend in this role, the hatred I feel grows even hotter. All of it is directed at Kibutsuji Muzan, because this would never have happened if it wasn't for him. It's amazing how much anger you can feel towards someone who you have never met.
Those are my last thoughts before sleep tugs away my consciousness.
As normal, my consciousness is heralded back by the breaking dawn. My body runs on a set time, so I can rely on it to wake me up.
Riko is still asleep, so I'll leave her be for now. Instead, I'll see what I can do to help the people here. As normal, I will gift wisteria incense to this family but I will see if there is any other way that I can help out.
"We need someone to chop up the wood for the furnace."
That is what I am told by the husband. I have a wealth of experience when it comes to chopping wood, and it is also a great way for me to clear my mind.
Every time the axe meets the log and splits it cleanly, I feel my focus growing stronger. Chopping wood is great for the body, particularly the back and shoulders. It is the main reason that I am as strong as I am.
I don't know how many logs I split, but the pile is empty after an hour and the halves are tidied up and organised neatly. There is nothing left for me to do, except bask in the orange glow of the morning sun.
The sun shines over the peak of the mountain, it really is beautiful. Living here must have been peaceful, but not prosperous. It is obvious by the state of the houses that these people are nowhere near wealthy.
They have enough rice to live off of, but they are poor. Anyone can tell from a few glances. Their clothes are old, their hands are worn and their tools are old. I know what that is like, we lived much the same.
But there is something else amiss. Even though the sun has been up for several hours, I have not seen a single child. Plenty of people have gotten up to work, but there are no children.
That means that the household we stayed in is not alone, all of the children have been taken. Even then, these people have still managed to carry on living. I would have thought that a lot of them would have given up after losing their children.
The first thing to do is investigate, but Riko is still sleeping. I don my haori and sword, hiding it under my clothing. Cold water splashes my face and I wash away any traces of sweat or sleep.
I'll start by touring the village and introducing myself to the people, it would not do to antagonise anybody. Riko is the better people person so I will leave questions to her.
I greet the men working the fields. It's no wonder they are poor, because the soil here is really not suited for growing anything. I'm sure they know it themselves, but they persevere anyway.
All of the working men are young, as well as the women that are tending to their own jobs. There are no elderly people here, which sets off another red flag in my mind. Elderly and children, how could they be connected?
I help out in the fields, because it is the least I can do. It is hard work, so much so that I almost can't stand it even after all of my training. The soil barely gives way, that is how tough it is up here.
Around midday, Riko makes an appearance. She comes to the fields with water for everyone, which earns a few tired smiles from everybody. It is obvious that she has spotted the same things as me and she pulls me aside to discuss it.
"You've noticed it too. No elderly or children, this demon has it's preferences."
Her voice is curt as she speaks, it is obvious that it has affected her too. I am able to keep my anger from showing, but it is bubbling away inside me at every moment.
All of these hardworking people are suffering for no reason at all, purely because a monster has decided to toy with them and lord itself over them. Their lives were hard enough as it was, without a man eating beast taking away everything they hold dear.
"I'm not the best with talking to people."
I nod towards the people who are taking a break from their work as I make eye contact with Riko, signalling for her to take over.
"I've noticed."
She smiles at me and leaves to talk to everybody present. I do not know how long it will take, or whether they will even open up to complete strangers but Riko seems to have a way with words like nobody else. Well, it's more like pout at people until they give up but it still works.
Whilst she works her magic, I'll do what I can to investigate alone. The demon will obviously not be active during the day. It was not active during the night either, nobody was taken. Whether that is because it has already sated it's appetite or because there is nothing left for it, I do not know.
Even demons have preferences in the humans that they eat, it is despicable. I recall Upper Moon Two's complaint about Shinjuro-san and I both being male. That sickens me to my core, it is worse than inhuman.
The best place to start would be to determine the whereabouts of the demon's resting place, so that we can surprise it. Attacking it during the daytime would be the best for us, because we can attempt to drag it out into the sunlight if it is an Upper Moon.
There are no possible locations for it within the village, but there is an abandoned mineshaft up the mountain.
It appears to be a shot in the dark attempt to find gold or coal, but it wouldn't be around here. Even I know that coal is only found in Hokkaido or Kyushu. As for gold, well I don't have a clue. It seems like nothing was found at all, so the mineshaft was closed.
It seems far too obvious to be true, and even then too dangerous. Fighting in such an enclosed space would be almost impossible, especially considering how deep the mineshaft might run.
It is likely that there are no maps, no light and only one way out. I'm reminded of my mistake in Final Selection, charging into a place that I could not swing my sword properly. If it is a member of the Twelve Kizuki, then it would mean my death in that situation.
I do not want to repeat that, so fighting in the mineshaft is not something that I can even consider. Instead, it would be better to wait it out. If the demon is so picky about it's food, then we should lure it out with a delicacy that might be to it's taste.
And then there is the possibility that the entire thing is a bluff. There could be no demon hiding there, or they could hope to lure us in and trap us. Even Hashira aren't immune to asphyxiation or starvation.
I'm lost. Without more evidence, all I can do is wait for Riko to learn what she can. There is no point theorising with this little information. What I should be doing is training.
The village is nestled against the mountain, facing a forest. We approached it from the south, so we came straight through the forest. What this means is that there are plenty of places I can train without being noticed.
I'm sure Riko can find me if she tries hard enough, so that doesn't matter. I need to do something to keep myself busy otherwise I'll just end up procrastinating and wasting far too much time.
Swinging a sword is almost as good as chopping wood when it comes to clearing my head. It takes more focus to execute the forms but it is equally as peaceful.
I wonder just how long the Hinokami Kagura has been passed down and what it was originally like. It is inevitable that it would have changed in all that time, because each practitioner is different.
Father took an extra step for one of the forms and tensed his shoulders too much during another, as well as holding the kagura too loose. Tanjuro reversed these and danced perfectly, but even then I bet it was a far cry from what the kagura originally was.
I have never questioned it before, but it does not make an awful lot of sense for a kagura dance to be segmented the way ours is. It can be passed off as a way of teaching each separate movement easier, but for them to be named the way they are is odd.
The fact that it transitions so well into swordplay is odd too, but I can't complain. It is a gift that I can use to save lives. Questioning it will only lead to me doubting it and that is something that I can absolutely never do.
"Hinokami Kagura: Shimmering Sun"
Every time I use it, it gets a little bit easier. It is about drilling the movements and rotations into my muscles and forcing them to remember it. Fortunately, I have a strong body. Years of chopping charcoal and carrying it have developed the muscles in my lower and upper body well.
If they were not strong, then using this form would likely tear them in two. That is how demanding Shimmering Sun is. I can keep it up for two minutes, but after that I am liable to completely exhaust myself.
The other issue is finding a way to attack out of Shimmering Sun. I could parry and slash, but halting the movement so quickly is difficult. It will require more training, but I will perfect it.
The Hinokami Kagura will only continue to evolve as I use it, becoming my own style completely. Kamado Yoichi's Hinokami Kagura, something that is completely unique to me only.
Shimmering Sun will not be the only form that I create. Flame Breathing has it's ultimate attack, it's ninth form. An attack that can be used even on the brink of death. The Hinokami Kagura does not have something like this, so I will create it myself.
An attack made to destroy, not decapitate. Something so destructive that it cannot be likened to any other, that is what I will create. The fourteenth form of the Hinokami Kagura.
"Looking good, that's the same form you used against Hideki-ossan isn't it?"
Riko's voice breaks the silence again, she is very good at doing that. It means she has found something, so that is a good thing.
"It's a form that I created, but I have yet to master it."
I'm breathing heavily, which is unusual but I have been pushing my lungs to the limit with Shimmering Sun.
"Do your best!"
She beams at me before coughing slightly and turning away out of embarrassment.
"What did you find?"
"The demon is in the village."
Now that is news, something that I did not expect. I thought for sure that the demon would have been hiding up at the old mineshaft, but it looks like that is not the case.
"Do you know where?"
Even if she doesn't it is just a matter of time before we locate it. Demons sound different to humans, so I will be able to tell right away.
"I have an idea. The first person to disappear was not a child or an elderly person, but the wife of one of the villagers. She went out at night and never came back."
She could have fallen victim to the demon too, but judging by the people that have disappeared it seems unlikely. Instead, it is likely that she could be the demon herself.
But that would mean that he was here, and that he turned her into one. As far as we know, Kibutsuji Muzan is the only demon capable of creating more of his race. So for somebody to have become a demon all the way up here, he must have made the journey himself.
I'm sure Riko is thinking the same thing, maybe if we had gotten here earlier we could have stopped all of this. But that is wishful thinking. If the Upper Moons are strong, then Kibutsuji must be far stronger. It would take every single member of the Demon Slayer Corps to fight against him and even then we might lose.
There is still something that makes no sense, the husband. If he is aware of his wife's demonisation, then he has allowed her to kill people. That is not something that you do for someone you love.
I would never let somebody I love become a murderer. Even if it was painful, I would stop them. Because you owe it to them, to stop them from becoming something they would never want to be.
We wait for nightfall and when the moon peaks, we make our move. With the amount of people this demon has eaten, it might have manifested it's Blood Demon Art. Even if it is not a Twelve Kizuki, being cautious is never detrimental.
Riko will knock the door and I will enter through a window, which makes us seem like criminals. She will distract the husband whilst I search the house.
I hear three knocks, which is the signal to move. The sound of the door sliding open and the wary voice of the man disturb the still night air.
The window is easy to get through, the covering comes off with a light press. Manoeuvring through it is easy as well, even with my large frame.
The inside of the house is darker than usual, but that is because something has been plastered all over the walls. A dark material used to block out any hint of sunlight. Looks like we were right.
The husband is a liar and he is complicit in this situation, allowing his wife to kill and eat.
I can hear her now. Groaning slightly as she stirs on the opposite side of the house. I can also hear Riko speaking to the man, asking him why he was absent from working on the fields recently. The floor is littered with broken ceramic and it threatens to crunch underfoot, which would certainly give me away.
We could have stormed the house by force, but that is not something that either of us wanted to do. Instead we opted for this, because it is more subtle.
I might seem like an assassin in the dark, come to steal the life of somebody precious, but that is better than a monster who beheads somebody in front of their loved ones.
Why are our jobs always so difficult? It's like there is never a right answer, but we just have to carry on either way.
All I can do now is to end the suffering of this woman and of the people in the village. How many times have they slept wondering whether or not they would be next? Whether or not their children would be next?
Their children? But if their children were kept at home at night, then how did they get eaten? No demon breaks into a home and ignores the parents in favour of the children, especially not a newly turned one.
The cogs in my head begin to whir as I piece everything together. It hits me, the husband cannot be simply complicit. It would take human intelligence to target only the elederly and children, the vulnerable.
People who would struggle to fight back, people that could be subdued and brought home. In that case, is the wife really the demon? If the husband is the one kidnapping and killing, is the blame with the wife who feeds?
I don't know, I honestly don't know. It makes me feel sick to my stomach, so much so that I misplace my next step and smash a ceramic plate into pieces. It is too late now, I'll end it here and we can leave.
Before he can get near me, I dash into the bedroom. The house is small and the bedroom is less than a third of it.
A woman lies prone on a makeshift bed, her fingers sharpened into claws. She groans in pain and her claws dig into the wood.
How can anyone stand to see the person they love in this state? I can't understand it.
I draw my sword like I always have, but this time the sound of sliding steel rings differently. It feels different, the sound resonates with sorrow and alerts the woman of my presence.
It'll be over before she can feel it. I'll make it as painless as possible, because she never wanted to hurt anyone. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that this happened to you.
I'm sorry, but I'll do it. I'll never forget, I'll remember forever. And when my blade reaches His neck, so will you. For everybody that he has hurt, I'll strike him down. I'm sorry.
The rough feel of the hilt between my hands brings me back to reality, but my hands are shaking. If they shake like this, a clean cut is almost impossible.
"NOOOOOO, LEAVE HER ALONE!"
An angry shout rips through the room, seconds before he bursts into the room with a look of rage etched into his features.
Riko is right on his tail, which means that he will be unable to interfere. It has been several seconds since the woman was alerted to my presence, but she has not made a move to attack me.
Even in this pitch black room, I can see it. Something incredible, far from the norm.
She has pushed herself backwards away from the situation, as if to try to flee. Instead of harming me, the man designated to be her executioner, she chose to hide away.
Her thin hands are raised above her head, as if to shield her from everything that is happening. A demon that does not wish to hurt humans, somebody else comes to mind. Tamayo-san, this woman is the same as you.
But what do I do? There is no way that we can leave this woman alive. My heart breaks, this is a situation that exists in the border between black and white.
There is no right answer. This woman has done no wrongs, her husband is the one at fault for that.
"Please… don't hurt her."
His anger has faded into sorrow, he knows that he cannot prevail. He is beaten, so all he can do is beg.
I don't want to hurt her at all. If I could avoid it, then I would love nothing more than for that to happen. If only this woman had stayed at home. If only.
They stop shaking, because I have steeled myself. If this makes me evil then so be it. I'll take this woman's life, even if it breaks my heart. It will not be in vain, her feelings will join with mine and I will never forget her.
As painless as possible. A single cut that will do the job. Keep the edge straight and apply the force along it. If it wavers it will not be done in one go. I do not know if she will feel pain, but she is terrified. That much is obvious.
In the blink of an eye, I have already moved. Steel sings and air splits, this strike is imbued with incredible sorrow.
It takes away her arms, and then it meets her neck. This is not a form of any breathing style, it is my strike. My swordsmanship will bear this black mark.
She looks up at me as I swing, and all I can see in her deep green eyes is fear. I have never hated myself so much in my life. Today I am the unwilling executioner.
But as it reaches her neck, her expression shifts. It's no longer fear, but something more like gratitude. A tiny smile as I end her life, and that breaks my heart even more.
Her husband falls to his knees like a puppet with it's strings cut. I have just taken away the last thing keeping him alive.
"I'm sorry."
Those are the only words I can muster, even if they are completely worthless to him. The man who murdered his wife is sorry.
"You killed her… she never did a thing wrong and you killed her all the same. It wasn't her fault, she never wanted this!"
He is not wrong, every single word is burdened with a furious truth. But I will not take it, not from him.
"You were the person that wronged her, I will not hear it from you."
My voice is sharper than my blade, and it silences him immediately. Even Riko is taken aback. My own rage threatens to boil over even if it is inappropriate.
"You forced her to eat people, against her will. You forced her to keep going, against her will. All because of your selfishness, because you could not do what needed to be done. Do not pin that blame on me, when you have hurt far more people than anybody else in this room."
My words cut so deep that they reach his core, I can see it in his face. Any semblance of resistance is gone. I hate myself for this, but it had to be said.
"I did it because I loved her…"
That may be true, but that is not what I think of love. This man will undoubtedly hate me forever, but that will give him a reason to keep on living after this.
There is nothing left to say. I breeze past the fallen husband and Riko, leaving out into the night. His wife's body has already crumbled to dust, the job is done.
It is all over, but if that is the case, then why are my cheeks wet?
Silent tears fall under the moonlight, something only I am privy to.
After a few minutes, Riko joins me. We stand in silence for a few moments, before she speaks to me.
"You did what you had to."
I know that, but it doesn't make it any easier.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't do it, but I froze. He loved his wife dearly, so I couldn't do anything about it."
She never experienced that kind of love, so I can understand why she froze. Her own emotions would have acted as an impenetrable wall.
"We should-"
She is interrupted by the frantic beating of wings, I know this sound. It's Shou.
"CAWWW CAWWWW, IMPORTANT NEWS FOR YOICHI AND RIKO!"
I'm surprised he doesn't wake up the entire village, all of the Kasugai Crows are ridiculously loud.
"LAST NIGHT, LAST NIGHT! HIDEKI KOJIROU KILLED BY UPPER MOON THREE!"
Well, all I can say is I'm sorry for the impromptu hiatus. I had a great birthday but then I was thrust back into the job hunting scene after leaving my current job. I've had several interviews over the last few days and will be back in a job very soon. This chapter was particularly difficult for me to write, I had a few ideas but settled on this one in the end. I don't know how many times I fell asleep whilst writing, but it got done in the end. It is a couple hundred words longer than the average chapter, but I'll make sure to have another one out soon. Thank you all for your patience and as always, I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter! -TheGrailsVoice
batmanuchiha: I love how we all assume that Muzan will make it to the start of manga canon
As long as he doesn't bump into an angry Yoichi, he should make it that far!
Sythe-elda: Dang, what a chapter. Got a bit of everything with this one.
That fight between the two hashiras was a great surprise indeed! Didn't expect him to spar with any of them just yet since he isn't full capacity but it was a pleasant surprise. The way you write the fight scenes along with keeping the characters' mindsets in things is incredible. Definitely liking how you are writing Yoichi more and more. Between his genuine want to protect others, fights with his skills as well as brains, plus being the innocent soul he is really makes me love him even more. He's for sure a kamado with those traits lol
Glad you incorporated Riko's backstory to get to connect with her and get to know her some more. Also, you made Yoichi's actions and response very realistic with not only how his character is, but just realistic for someone so young. Perfectly executed! Plus, it's good to raise awareness of that sort of situation, especially with the whole England situation you mentioned. Goes to show that even this world has its own demons unfortunately
But mannnn, how you ended the chapter is very ominous. Do I need to fear for Riko's life? :o lol
Happy birthday my friend! May you have an amazing day as well as another year on this Earth!
Keep your heart ablaze and onto the next one! (And did I see you mention another story after this one) hmmm xD#
I had to get a fight in there somewhere, my fingers were itching to write it! Thank you for the kind words, I always try my hardest to make fight scenes stay true to characters because then it is a fight between them and not just a fight between two people. His Kamado traits really are shining through now, but he might be just a bit harsher than his nephew. When I decided upon Riko's backstory, it took a lot of nerve to write it. It is such a touchy subject but I feel that it is precisely why it should be talked about. Demons are not the only source of evil in the world of Demon Slayer. I enjoy writing Yoichi, because he is nothing like me at all. So it is fun to write somebody that is a bit different from the usual archetype I go for. I'm enjoying his personality a lot. The ominous ending was done on purpose, but as you are reading this you will know what it hinted at. Thank you for the birthday wishes and I hope you have a great day. Once again, thanks for all of the kind words!
: Happy birthday!
Thank you!
Guest: Once we get to the canon timeline, will we see any of the canon hashiras ?
I really wish to see Yoichi's reaction to Nezuko and Tanjiro.
We will get there eventually, all though the distance keeps growing. All of the canon Hashira will feature, as well as everybody in the main cast.
connor j. fowler:A happy birthday dear author and good tidings, I hope you get to spend your day with family and friends. No personal thoughts or creative ideas for now I'll try to think of something for your future updates, Best wishes.
Thank you! I had a fantastic day, I did go out in the night and I had a great time. No need to pressure yourself, you don't even need to leave constructive reviews I am happy to hear thoughts on anything. Learning more about you guys is fun too!
Ali: I love it! Looking forward to seeing more chapters!
That makes me really happy to hear, I look forward to hearing more from you and what you think about the fic!
CharmGirlLove: Hey something you might want to know I was researching pillars and when they joined and this one I found was a fact.
Himejima Gyomei became a pillar at 18 and he's now 27 so he became one nine years before the demon slayer story line so if you wanted to know when the first pillar of that line joined here you go.
From what I understand, Gyomei became a slayer at 19 and a Hashira two months later. He says that he has been trying to appeal to Kagaya for eight years to have body guards and he says that when he is twenty-seven. This leads me to believe that he is 19 when he joins and not 18, but thank you for pointing that out! He will definitely be the first canon Hashira to make their appearance within the story and that is not too far away now!
Leonidas rasec: I'm curious to know what the reaction of Muzan and Kokushibo will be to Yoichi's resemblance to Yoriichi.
I am also very much looking forward to Yoichi's first meeting with Muzan and an eventual confrontation with Upper Moon One, god I can't wait to write that. But I will have to wait, because that is a long way away from where we are now.