Demons eat humans to survive...
Deep within a mountain, inside a worn down house, Shinobu sat quietly inside. Sheltering herself away from humans walking around in the morning, Shinobu sweated profusely, resisting her inner demon.
"I must resist this hunger. I've devoured enough humans already..."
She repeatedly reminds herself, baring her fangs with her hunger overtaking even in her "human" state. She bit her own forearm, almost tearing the flesh off.
You couldn't stop yourself from eating humans...yet you held yourself back against your old demon slayer allies...
"I may have become a demon at night...but I haven't thrown away my humanity"
You're...a stubborn one. Well, it's not like I find it pathetic. In fact, it's been a while since I've seen an insect stand her ground against me
With her hunger kicking in, Shinobu clawed off the old tatami covers and lashed out at her surroundings.
Your tsugoku, Kanao...was it? You sure care about her
"...?!"
You incapacitated her quickly so you wouldn't have to fight her...and eat her...
"If you're planning to go after Kanao...I won't let you"
For a weak Pillar, you have quite the willpower, so I'll give you that. Still...you're to hung up on how angry you are ok becoming a demon.
The demon is both unhappy and annoyed at how Shinobu struggled to retain control over her own ressurected body
Even if you resist your own hunger, don't forget I'm also here feeling hungry.
"...?!"
To suffer a fate worse than that is really getting on my nerves. Not only I lost my real body, I'm stuck with a Pillar full of anger issues and insecurities
"I didn't choose to be like this! I really want to kill myself...but not just yet. There's now way I would let go of my revenge so easily"
We're on the same situation here and we hate each other to natural reasons. Unlike you, I'm not after something like petty goals. My goal is a bit selfish and doesn't really matter if it aligns with the demons
The hostility between the demon and Shinobu only continues to grow, with Shinobu resisting the demon seemingly mocking her in a bored yet irritated tone. The demon herself is itching to be active despite her current situation, and Shinobu's resistance is her primary obstacle.
Why are you rejecting your demon self? You're a demon now
"Even if my body had become a demon...my mind and heart are still human!"
You don't understand, do you?
"...?!"
You're always frustrated and lament at how physically weak you are
"What are you trying to say?"
Shinobu, you finally got what you wish for and you reject it
"This...this isn't what I wished for! I would never wish to become a demon just to be stronger!"
The demon lamented on how Shinobu failed to understand why she accept herself as a demon now. Anyone else would accept temptation for newfound power, but Shinobu's anger and desire for revenge runs deep.
When you're wearing that haori and seeing how different you are - forget it. What matters is how you doing to your humanity even if it's all pointless now. They're your enemies now, all of the ones who you called your allies
"I was a demon slayer...a Pillar. Even if I became this monster, I will never kill a single one of my allies"
Holding yourself back against the former allies who will kill you once they find out about you being alive again as a demon...is pathetic. I've lived being taught only about strength, but here I am stuck with a weak human. In more ways than one...
Clearly, the demon is disappointed at how no matter what she says and does, Shinobu wouldn't simply budge or faze. Her constant anger running deep makes it difficult for the demon.
Then the sun goes down...
As the sky darkens with the sun setting and shifting to nightfall, Shinobu groaned in excruciating pain and sweated profusely, clawing her face and neck. As night falls, her demon side became dominant that demon fangs and distinctive eyes became visible.
"This hunger..."
Every night, her demon instincts always urges her to feed on living humans to satisfy her relentless hunger but every night, Shinobu resists with barely success in the end. She knew once she sink her teeth, one victim would add up more and more.
"I can't eat humans..."
Her body unconsciously, stepped outside of her hideout. Her body shivered, craving for victims in the town not far away from her location.
"No...no...I can't. I have to...resist...!"
She bit her lip until blood came out. As a demon, Shinobu has little resistance when it comes to her primary instinct to eat humans.
"Kanao and the others. If they find out...I'll be forced to fight them...and kill them"
More than anything, Shinobu wanted to avoid Tanjiro's group currently in the town, unaware the demon they're hunting is none other than Shinobu.
You have to feed...or your hunger will drive you mad. More importantly, I'm already ticked off seeing you like this
A voice inside her head whispered and forced her to move in a blind way to satisfy her hunger.
"...?!"
Catching the scent of blood from a nearby drunk human who injured himself after bumping and stumbling at every corner, Shinobu swallowed her breath.
"I have to eat - no, I can't!"
The vulnerable and lone human was a tempting prey for a demon but she continued to resist even if her hunger is driving her mad.
"Grrr...aaarrgh!"
Losing to her hunger once again, Shinobu charged at the human and pinned him down the ground. While she's losing her senses as a human, the demon inside their shared consciousness clicked her tongue while she sat on a mental image of a ruined shrine.
Tch. It can't be helped. If it came to this, then I have no choice but to do her a little favor. That annoying Pillar should be thankful...
"...!"
The demon reluctantly stood up from the cracked and barely intact stairs of an unknown shrine, lazily walking down a step or two. Her goal for her sudden movement may stem from her selfishness, only thinking of fulfilling her needs rather than the former Pillar.
"...?!"
Regaining her senses, Shinobu realized she may have killed another human after losing her sanity to hunger. She smelled fresh human blood on the edge of her fingertips on the side of her mouth and believed she may have killed someone again despite no corpse being present.
"I smell human blood here!"
Realizing Tanjiro had caught the scent of strong human blood, Shinobu quickly fled the scene knowing that he's not the only one.
"It's running away in a panic!"
Zenitsu's accurate and strong senses of hearing along with Tanjiro's sense of smell makes it impossible for her to shake them lose.
"Come and face me, demon! Inosuke-sama is going to chop you up!"
Inosuke challenged the fleeing Shinobu not knowing who she is due to the distance and lack of light.
"We won't let you get away!" Kanao added
Kanao, being the one with enhanced sense of sight caught a glimpse of the demon's back despite the dark surroundings.
(M-master...?!)
She recognized Shinobu's figure even from behind but she refused to believe it as the Insect Pillar died right before her eyes. It was a memory she won't be able to erase.
(I have to get away from them)
Aiming to immobilize one of them, Shinobu released a paralyzing poison from her fingertips and shot it like a high speed projectile which struck Zenitsu who was busy screaming and panicking to realize she had attacked.
"Zenitsu?!"
After hitting Zenitsu's left leg, the latter fell face first on the ground at high speed. Tanjiro is forced to aid him while Inosuke continued chasing the demon.
"Bwahahaha! Shooting things at me won't work since I can tell which part of my body you're aiming" Inosuke boasted
"Don't lose sight of the demon!"
Kanao pushed her legs and stamina to its maximum to pursue the demon faster than the demon. Controlling her breathing, Kanao steadied her increased speed without bursting her lungs and heart.
"Master! Is that you?!" She wanted to confirm
(Kanao?!)
Shinobu is initially surprised but she's clearly aware about Kanao being able to see in the dark better than anyone. She kept running and running until she fled the town and entered a forest where she stopped in an open ground.
Hmm? You stopped? It seems you realized escaping from those kids is impossible
(Shut it, demon) Shinobu whispered to herself
She stood there until Kanao confronted her with her katana drawn, prepared to fight the demon the second she moves.
"You're probably the demon who knocked me out the other night"
Kanao tightened her grip on her sword while Shinobu remained quiet and still. Choosing to make the first move, Kanao prepared to leap forward and unleash a form of her flower breath only to cancel when the clouds passed the moon that shone its faint light on the earth.
"Who...are you?"
Kanao is baffled at how the figure she was chasing earlier is completely different in the front.
You used your Blood Demon Art to emit a hallucinating poison when inhaled
The demon is somewhat impressed at Shinobu for not letting Kanao discover she is alive. By having Kanao inhale the poison, Kanao's keen sense of sight had been deceived.
"You look surprised, young demon slayer. Who are you anyway?"
Shinobu is careful not call her "Kanao" in an instant or she will figure out she fell into Shinobu's poison.
"Like I would tell a demon my name!" Kanao raised her sword
Kanao lunged and swung her sword but Shinobu effortlessly evaded as her speed and her sttength had drastically compared to her old human body. She refused to admit it but upon gaining and using her new body as a demon, she actually enjoyed her newfound power.
"Breath of Flower fourth form: Crimson hanagaromo"
She quickly turned her feet and her body to where the demon Shinobu evaded and unleashed a single slash that curves and twists.
(She's fast!)
Even with Kanao's sharp eyesight that allows her to predict her opponent's next movements, the demon manages to evade her slash.
"Why aren't you fighting back?"
Both her first and second attack were only dodged by Shinobu, no retaliation whatsoever. Of course she wouldn't know Shinobu would never hurt her so she doesn't want to retaliate.
(I won't let you hurt Kanao, demon!)
Shinobu tightly held her shaking arm, resisting the demon from forcing her to fight back with the intention kill. If she were to kill Kanao, she could never forgive herself for hundreds of years. She already lost her older sister, she doesn't want to lose her tsugoku who is also her adoptive younger sister.
I'm not the one fighting her right now so don't yell at me like I'm the one out there right now
"...!"
I really hate this willpower of yours. You really don't want to even scratch your tsugoku
The demon expressed she's both unhappy and annoyed how she couldn't take over with Shinobu's solid refusal to harm Kanao in any way.
"I rather get my head cut off than hurt anyone from the demon slayer corps"
Let's see about that. Whether you could truly avoid hurting your former allies
Hearing maniacal screaming from above, Shinobu had forgotten Inosuke was chasing her with Kanao. The half naked boy gleefully laughed after he finally gets to confront the demon.
"Breath of the Beast second fang: Rip and tear!"
Inosuke swung both of his swords, unleashing a crossed shaped slash which Shinobu also effortlessly evaded but as soon as she jumped back, Kanao used the opportunity to lunge and aim for the neck.
(She's using her eyesight to charge at the slightest opening. In this case, Inosuke-kun coming from above)
While Kanao managed to connect her blade to the neck, she couldn't cut off the neck and managed to slightly slash the throat. Shinobu pressed her neck for a moment since the open wound disappeared in mere seconds. Inosuke quickly jumped to another direction when his skin tingled.
(He sensed the poison in the air and quickly jumped out of the range)
Shinobu is impressed by Inosuke's sensitive sense of touch which allows him to detect even a faint poison in the air.
"Gyaah! Shinobu's ghost!"
"Inosuke?" Kanao is confused
"That's a demon, right? Not a ghost?" Inosuke pointed
"What are you talking about? That demon doesn't look nowhere master!" Kanao also pointed
"Ha! So you're playing tricks on me?! You won't trick me, demon!"
Kanao grew more confused as Inosuke is seeing Shinobu while Kanao is seeing someone else. While she was chasing the demon, she believed she recognized Shinobu from behind.
(Is Inosuke being tricked or is it me?)
She and Inosuke circled the demon as if aiming for a pincer attack, Kanao in the front and Inosuke in the back.
"This time I will cut your head off!"
Inosuke charged in a loud scream about to use the third fang and Kanao with her fifth form.
"...!"
Their swords landed on nothing but thin air. Shinobu kicked Inosuke to the face and sent him flying and she spun kicking Kanao down to the ground.
"Looks like the poison is taking effect that your senses is slowing down. Even to someone like you, Inosuke"
Shinobu swung a nichirin sword she stole from one of the demon slayers she encountered. Shinobu looked at Inosuke shaking her head as Inosuke willingly inhaling the poison just to land a blow.
(She managed to cut me? With that speed, why didn't she slash me?)
Inosuke is surprised at how the demon landed a normal cut on his shoulder faster before he could react. What's more is that Inosuke noticed the sword the demon used to cut him is laced with her own blood.
"So this is your blood demon art? Which is why Inosuke and I are seeing different things"
"Yes but this is only a very weak poison that I used on yo but I used my blood against Inosuke for better effect. It will confuse your senses then once it takes full effect, you'll be paralyzed from head to toe"
Shinobu pointed out the ability of a non-lethal poison to the two as Kanao begin to stiffen while Inosuke is trying to build up resistance.
"This won't work on me! I grew up to the mountains so no poison or venom will work on me!"
"You have a strong immunity against normal poison but I'm a demon who specializes in poison. It takes some time but I can create poison stronger than the immunity of the target"
Shinobu pointed out how her Blood demon art focuses on creating all types of poison in different forms and lethality.
"Hahahaha! Demon poison or not, nothing will put me down"
Inosuke loosened his grip on his swords and collapsed on the ground, having a seizure from the poison finally taking effect.
"No matter how high the resistance, a human is still a human. Don't worry, I made sure not to kill you"
With Inosuke put out of action, Shinobu turned her attention to Kanao who tried to move but her legs were the first part to stiffen.
"I won't kill you either. I may have eaten humans but I won't allow myself to kill any of you, Kanao"
Shinobu knocked Kanao out by striking a certain point in her neck and let her call to the ground. She looked at the two, successfully incapacitating them without killing them.
So you believed that? It seems you remained unaware...
"What's that supposed to mean?"
I'll tell you if you amuse me enough
"Tch. More games for you"
Even if you didn't kill them, you liked this power. Your body was physically weak compared to the other Pillars after all...
"Shut it...!"
Shinobu clenched her fists, knowing a part of her enjoyed her new body. Her newfound power and superior physical abilities was exhilarating for someone like her who loathed herself for being weaker than her delicate older sister.
"..."
Shinobu swung her sword against a tree, cutting it with ease unlike when she was human. Shinobu couldn't even cut a demon's head off because she was smaller and weaker but becoming a demon gave her the power she longed.
How long can you hold yourself back? I'm starting to get a little curious...
Shinobu briefly looked back and saw Tanjiro with a limping Zenitsu finally catching up to her.
"Tanjiro, she beat both of them!" Zenitsu panicked
Seeing Inosuke still in a seizure and Kanao knocked out, Zenitsu hid behind Tanjiro who drew his sword without a thought but didn't attack as he somewhat distinguished the scent from the demon's poison.
"This smell..."
He could faintly recognize the demon's scent from the poison mixed in the air like the same one used the other night. Preparing to face the demon, he gently puts down the box with Nezuko in it.
"Just stay here, Nezuko. This fight might get rough"
Tanjiro nodded at Zenitsu, gesturing him to watch over the box while he faces the demon alone.
"You have a familiar smell" Tanjiro couldn't fully recognize it
"T-Tanjiro...Kanao and Inosuke" Zenitsu pointed
"It's alright, Zenitsu. They're still alive"
"If you're going to fight me, then charge without hesitation"
Tanjiro wasted no time to hesitate and swung his blade using the fourth form of the Water Breath.
(He had gotten stronger)
When Tanjiro made several slashes while moving his body like a flowing current, he managed to land several hit even if the cuts didn't wound Shinobu much.
(What's this smell? She is a demon but she doesn't have the bloodlust)
Tanjiro is confused at Shinobu's scent since this is the first time he fought a demon with no intention to kill.
"You don't have the intent to kill us. You just knocked out Inosuke and Kanao after all" Tanjiro wanted to know why
"You are correct but I won't tell the reason why"
"Even if you don't want to kill us, I will cut your head off. You've devoured humans after all"
Tanjiro is set on defeating the demon whom he doesn't know is Shinobu but he caught a faint scent.
"I admire your resolve, Tanjiro-kun"
Right before Tanjiro knew it, the demon Shinobu moved behind him and prepared to strike him down using her bare fists.
(She's fast. This kind of speed incapacitated Inosuke and Kanao)
Luckily, he managed to detect her scent a split second before she attacked.
"Tanjiro!"
"Stay back, Zenitsu. Your leg is still paralyzed"
Zenitsu wanted to help but both his fear and numb leg is preventing him from helping Tanjiro.
"Don't look away when you're fighting a demon"
Shinobu landed a round kick which hit Tanjiro to his jaw and sent him flying like she did with Inosuke. Before he could recover, Shinobu grabbed his face and smashed it to the ground.
"...?!"
Just as Tanjiro stood up, Shinobu struck him on his right send, breaking a rib or two.
"Breath of Water first form: Water surface slash!"
He quickly swung his sword and unleashed a form which cut a deep wound on her neck.
"You've eaten several humans in that town. I won't forgive you for taking the loved ones of other people"
Tanjiro launched a powerful strike that shortened his distance but Shinobu drew her sword to blocked his attack and pushed him away.
"I know..."
Knowing Tanjiro wouldn't give up, Shinobu is forced to retaliate but she planned on incapacitating him as well so she could escape without being pursued again.
"Dance of the dragonfly: Compound eye Hexagon"
She stabbed Tanjiro but she held back her strength so she wouldn't pierce his vital organs.
"This move-?!"
Tanjiro quickly turned to slice her head off when she landed behind him but his arm stopped midway.
"M-my arms...!"
"Blood demon art..."
Tanjiro's vision blurred and his body trembled. He desperately gathered his remaining strength but he couldn't swing his blade anymore. With a powerful smack with the back of her hand, Tanjiro gets knocked down to the ground.
"Tanjiro!"
Before his eyes and his consciousness shuts down, he can hear Zenitsu screaming for help as the "unknown" female demon walks away from her. Though moments before he falls unconscious, he caught a glimpse of a butterfly-like haori, like the one Shinobu wears.
That haori. Her scent...and attack. It was like...I was fighting...Shinobu-san...