Note: I haven't continued this chapter for a while since I have my responsibilities as a working adult so it became difficult to handle now that I got promoted. Still, I regularly follow Kimetsu no Yaiba and other animes up until to this day.
I'm restless waiting for chapter 201. My boy can't die like that easily (specially after the WTF moment with giant baby Muzan and his anticlimactic death).
As a "human", the supposedly deceased Kochou Shinobu can partially tolerate the sunlight but she will be incapable of using her demonic strength and abilities. Rendered powerless in daylight, Shinobu took shelter deep within a forest, far away from humans she might devoid again.
"It's really hard to hold myself from eating humans. My demon instincts is too strong resist" Shinobu bites her hand
She admitted to herself that her instincts as a demon overpowers her mind that remained human. She refused to devour humans after the flash with Tanjiro and the others but it's impossible for her to deny her demonic instincts. Much like other demons, her primary need is to feed and feed.
"Ever since losing my sister, I fought hard to kill demon after demon...but to end up as one of them..."
You're saying like that's a bad thing...
The child pestering inside her mind haunted her once again but as formless shadowy figure with a pair of glowing red eyes and jagged teeth. Black appendages crept up within her mind, crawling from head to toe, an uncomfortable feeling she wished she could slice off like a demon's head.
"You again! Just who are you exactly?!"
A demon stronger than you and more importantly...stuck with you. Fortunately, this body exists
"You're not stealing my body, demon!"
I have little use for your weak and flawed body, Shinobu. All I need is to regain my body, so I can use my sword techniques again
"What's that supposed to mean?"
I'm not a demon slayer, but my technique far surpasses than your cannon fodder. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to slice them like falling leaves
The demon in a form of a disembodied voice who sometimes takes the shape of a "white figure", clearly confident of her own skills, proudly tell Shinobu how she can easily cut down humans and even view them as fragile.
I may not be as powerful as my master but I'm always taking every opportunity to strengthen myself. Unlike the others who like to lurk in the shadows, I prefer to take them head on
"Even if you have the power, I won't let you hurt anyone!"
The way you always angrily declare at me is constantly irritating. If we weren't sharing the same body, I would have cut you down
"Say what you want, demon. I would never hurt my former allies, specially Kanao"
...Specially that. The way you care about your tsuguko is truly getting on my nerves. Having someone you hold dear is nothing but deadweight
"..."
Your allies will kill you without a doubt when they see a former Pillar turned demon. Not to mention, you're allowing a demon to possess you
"I know that, you worthless shadow in my head"
Then what will you do? Will you let them kill you to be put out of your misery...or will you kill them first out of your instinct to survive?
The demon laughed Shinobu's predicament, knowing whether what she will choose will only cause suffering for her. Shinobu, who had lost her family to demons, had been forced to become one of them upon her death.
Don't worry. You're not the only dying body to be turned. Your body was mostly intact after all
"What do you mean?!"
I'm in a good mood today so I'll tell you one thing. There are demons out there who were once like you, demon slayers whose bodies where used to create demons
"...?!"
Just like your case, you were a minute from dying before you ingested demon blood
"Ingested...demon blood..."
I'm sure it's not easy to remember how your body received demon blood after we almost killed each other. Not just my blood, but my flesh as well
"...!"
Well, it's two hours before sundown so you better start looking for food...
The demon image in her mind vanished and so is the terror and disgust tightly gripping her from head to toe.
"Let myself get killed by demon slayers...or choose to live. Sister...if it was you, would you choose to die?"
Frustrated at her cursed fate as a demon who deeply hated demons as a demon slayer, Shinobu bit her lip and furiously clenched her fists. As sundown slowly approaches, Shinobu could feel her stomach urging to be filled and her mouth craving to taste and bite on flesh.
"Kkh! No...not again...!"
Even if night hasn't fallen yet, Shinobu's natural hunger as a demon slowly takes over and fearing she would uncontrollably dig her fangs into human flesh and start consuming their parts, Shinobu mustered every once of willpower to prevent herself from commiting another sin.
"I must restrain this hunger. I can't eat humans each night!"
Her claws dug through the solid ground, profusely sweating as her mind as a demon slayer is fighting off her urge as a demon with a natural instinct to devour humans in order to satisfy their hunger and grow stronger.
"My stomach feels like it's twisting and my mouth wants another taste of human blood"
Fighting her own urges exhausted her mental strength and physical strength as restraining herself from feeding is draining her energy. No matter how much her instincts are screaming to run and search for more humans to feed on, Shinobu relied on willpower alone to bound herself from hunting for food.
"I can't...I can't...kill another...innocent...human..."
For about thirty minutes, she fought her hunger until she exhausted herself to the point her drained mental strength forces her to pass out. Her starving body collapsed on the ground, fortunately with no one in sight to spot her.
Two hours later
Waking up in a cold sweat, Shinobu quickly raise herself and nervously scan her surroundings. The sun is gone and night had overtaken. With no humans in sight, Shinobu could at least momentarily relax as she wouldn't have to feed on wandering or lost humans.
"Ggh!'
As Shinobu walked out of hiding, she immediately collapsed on the ground as her shaking body gives out immediately.
"Three days. I managed to not anything for three days...and I'm already this weak"
Since she hasn't eaten anything for three days, Shinobu hasn't completely lost her strength but she's weak on the level that her body is shaking and her stomach is turning and twisting out of pure hunger.
"...?!"
Shinobu bit her lip as her enhanced senses caught the scent of fresh human blood. The smell of blood is strong letting Shinobu think an injured human is wandering in the forest without clue for any danger lurking in the dark.
"Human blood. A single whiff of it and my instincts is urging every part of me to take it"
She cut down one tree to another, continuing to restrain herself from taking another innocent life. She fought demons so no other people could suffer losing their loved ones and the fact that the ones she killed had loved ones coils her heart with guilt and self-hatred.
"Grr...aaauughh!"
The more she restrains herself, the more she puts herself in excruciating pain. Using all of her willpower and mental strength just to restrain herself is driving her mad and she feared she would kill anyone both innocent humans and demon slayers until someone puts her out of her misery.
"...?!"
As she almost drowns in her urge to feed, Shinobu quickly rose on two feet with a stolen nichirin blade in hand.
"This is..."
She quickly shifts her attention on what she sensed and without a moment to hesitate, the former Insect Pillar rushed away while still restraining herself at the cost of her own sanity. The human she sensed is indeed an injured human hunter who is spotted by two ordinary demons.
"Back off! That human is mine!" The short-haired demon growled
"I found him first! He's my food!" The large demon growled deeper
As the two demons fight over who gets to feast on the human, their prey used the opportunity to drag her incredibly terrified self away from the scene while the two demons bite and punch each other.
"Aaaaah! The food is getting away"
"Grrrr! You're fault!"
Before the two demons could chase the fleeing and screaming human, a butterfly-like figure gracefully landed in front of them, coming down from the high trees surrounding them. Shinobu turned to face the demons, her typical demon eyes fixated on the two with pure disgust.
"If you want food, go find your own. That one is mine!" The short haired demon declared
"Yeah, go find your own human to eat or I'll rip your face off!" The bigger demon threatened
Shinobu couldn't bother herself to even speak to lowly demons who had completely lost their humanity and became savages who only thinks of feeding and keeping themselves alive. She placed one hand on the sheath and the other on the hilt.
"...!"
With a quick draw faster than two common demons to react in time, Shinobu quickly decapitated the huge demon when he approached and threatened her.
"W-waaaaah!"
It doesn't take a genuis to know that the demon wearing a demon slayer's uniform had just decapitated and turned a demon to dust with a nichirin.
"...!"
The terrified demon fled for his life without trying to process to why a demon would kill another demon using a nichirin blade. Shinobu, being a demon much stronger than an average one, quickly pursued with the escaping demon and severed its leg, making him stumble on the ground.
"I don't want to eat another human so let's see if other demons would suffice"
An average demon without a blood demon art would take at least a minute to regenerate from an injury caused by a nichirin sword. Of course before Shinobu could allow the demon to regenerate and waste more seconds in chasing him, she started by severing his parts, without decapitating the head.
"..."
Since she's not devouring a human, Shinobu dug into an unusual meal. Compared to humans, demon flesh is less appetizing and less tasty like meat not cooked properly. Even if the taste of demon flesh is less satisfying, she continued to bit off the flesh and tore from the skin to the flesh. Shinobu ripped and chew, feasting on demon flesh to fill her empty stomach.
"..."
She fed herself like an animal who hadn't been on a successful hunt, licking off the blood from her mouth to her fingertips.
"Demons are cheap meals but at least I can eat them"
Shinobu finished off the demon upon feeding on him enough. She licked the remaining blood on the back of her hand and her wrist, tolerating how demon flesh is obviously less tasty and less satisfying compared to human flesh.
"One full human meal is enough to satisfy a demon for a couple of days or so but if it's a demon...I need to eat a few more to keep myself full for a few days..."
Shinobu estimated but she's not entirely sure about the human part as she tends to run away without ever finishing her meal. Whenever Shinobu gets overwhelmed by her instinct, she blacks out and preys on humans. When she regains her senses, she would immediately flee without eating an entire human.
Hahahahaha! Cannibalizing on other demons now, huh. Well, not like I didn't do it in the past either...
"...?!"
Well, other demons cannibalize out of desperation to eat but you... it's an alternative
"I don't want to eat humans so demons will have to do"
Yeah, I knew you'd try. It makes me wonder why you didn't do this earlier
"I refuse to feed on another human. If I'm going to be a demon, then I'm going to be a demon that feeds on demon"
Ahahaha! At least you found an alternative way to live with your permanently demon body
"Be quiet..."
She clicked her tongue in pure disdain and searched for more demons to feed on as one isn't enough to satisfy her even for a whole day. She will need a few more in order to fill her stomach and lay dormant until she needs to feed to again.
At the same time
Kanroji Mitsuri is one of physically strongest demon slayers contrasting her frail-looking appearance. Due to her muscle being eight times more than an average man and the mobility of her joints, she can swing her flexible and whip-like sword faster than the Uzui Tengen.
"Hyaaaaah!"
She unusually graces around the battle, her way of swinging her whip-like sword similar to a gymnast performing with a laso. At first glance, she seems like an easy prey for a demon despite being a demon slayer but her laid-back and cheerful personality is always a fatal mistake for demons when her flexible sword severe their head.
"I'm getting hungry from moving too much now. I'm all sweaty!"
The Love Pillar complained about sweating from the demons that hid deep within a forest.
"If only these demons could hide in a hole and never come out. That would be nice"
With demons eliminated within her vicinity, Mitsuri momentarily lowered her weapon and took a deep breath.
"...?!"
She quickly resumes a battle stance at the sound of demon screaming in pain. Their screams are all cut off, someone swiftly killing them one by one.
"I must check it out!"
Without even speculating what could be the reason behind those screams, Mitsuri followed her curiosity and rushed to the source of demons being killed one by one. Under the light of moon, Mitsuru quickly stops in her tracks as she only found blood everywhere, the only remains of demons after they are eliminated.
"Huh? I could've sworn I heard someone"
Mitsuri looked everywhere but there isn't a single human or demon in sight. She's certain she heard the swinging of a sword and demon pleading for their lives but she found no trace of what happened or who caused it. What she stumbled upon is the bloodied aftermath. Before she arrived, Shinobu, the one who eliminated the demons Mitsuru heard, quickly fled as soon as she sensed someone heading to her direction.
"Kanroji-san is here. Hopefully I don't have to deal-"
Immediately sensing danger, Shinobu leaped out to avoid the distinctive "love sword" of the Love Pillar. While she shared serious injuries, the blade managed to land a shallow cut on her cheek but a minor damage immediately healed in a second.
"Aha! So it was - ack! What's with the air?!"
Mitsuri coughed and backed away before she could reveal the culprit behind the demons that have been killed earlier. More than anything, Shinobu doesn't want to be discovered by anyone, specially by one of the Pillars so she swiftly deployed her Blood demon art and released a poisonous mist that have varying effects depending on her choice.
"My head is spinning. I can't see clearly. Is this a Blood demon art?!"
Usually, Shinobu uses a poison that hinders her opponent's sense of sight, something she uses against demon slayers to remain unknown in their eyes.
"It is. You won't die...but you won't know me either"
"Breath of Love first form: Shivers of first love!"
Even if her sense of sight had weakened, Mitsuri is no ordinary demon slayer that can be taken down if one of her senses had been weakened. She leaped forward, unleashing a series of slashes right at the demon.
(Of course that won't stop her)
At the last second, Shinobu evaded any serious injury, only ending up with shallow cuts. Though her right eye had been slashed, her regeneration is faster than a regular demon.
"Woah! You're quick on your feet and nimble!"
Mitusuri squinted her eyes as she praised the demon for evading a serious attack from her. Now only if she could clearly identify who she is up against.
"Are you a lower moon or upper moon?"
"..."
"You're clearly not like the other demons I faced earlier"
"..."
"N-not the talkative type..."
Mitsuri felt awkward facing a quiet opponent who doesn't entertain her carefree personality even in the middle of a battle.
"I..."
(It talked?! Wait, I heard her...or him talk earlier)
"I don't have time to deal with you"
Right before Mitsuru knew it, her opponent cancelled the battle and fled without a second thought.
"W-what?! Come back here! It's rude to run away like that!"
A pouting Mitsuri angrily chased the demon whom she doesn't know is Shinobu.
"She's persistent...!"
While fleeing Mitsuri, Shinobu had to evade the difficult to handle looking sword. Her blade would get anyone easily injured but she is the only who is capable of wielding such a weapon as the mobility of her joints and her muscle is built for such a weapon. She continued to chase the demon who leaped from one tree to another.
"Just let me cut off your head...!"
A frustrated Mitsuri angrily yelled and upon landing a deep wound on a fleeing Shinobu's leg, which caused her to fall and roll down on the ground. After five minutes of the chase, Mitsuri wore a proud smug as she cornered the demon under direct moonlight.
"Aha, I finally caught...you...Shinobu...san..."
Mitsuru's shoulders dropped and so did her jaw when the moonlight revealed the identity of the demon she's chasing. She rubbed her eyes with her vision still weakened but she's certain the one in front of her...is none other than Shinobu.
"Shinobu-san! It's you, isn't it? But aren't you dead?" Mitsuri is in great disbelief
(Shit! I let my guard down...!)
"It's a bit hard to see but you're Shinobu-san, right"
"Don't...call me by that name..."
"...?!"
"I am just a demon...and no one else. I'm just a demon wearing the face of a dead person"
Shinobu bit her lip and denied her real identity in front of Mitsuri who had yet to regain her clear vision.
"No, no, you're clearly Shinobu-san. I'm not entirely sure but my gut tells me you're Shinobu-san!"
"I'm no one living in the identity of a dead person! Don't make me repeat myself"
Shinobu released liquid poison from her fingertips and spreading that liquid on the ground caused crystallized poison spikes to sprout from the ground.
"Mist then spikes. What kind of Blood demon art is this?"
With a swing of her sword, Mitsuri destroyed the spikes that could have impaled her feet if she hadn't reacted in time.
(Just mixing a few type of chemicals and poison is wearing me out already because I only ate demons tonight)
Three days without feeding on humans took a toll on her demon body but even so, she refused to let her hunger subdue her.
(She's a demon but she holds a sword. This is the first I've seen it!) Mitsuri sparkled
Mitsuri prepared to face Shinobu who fell on one knee but quickly recovered.
"Just admit you're Shinobu-san! My gut is never wrong!"
"You're wasting your time..." Shinobu sighs
She still refused to admit she is indeed Kochou Shinobu a former Pillar who died in battle.
"There's a human over here!"
"I don't care if it's a demon slayer. She looks delicious!"
"I'm hungry!"
One demon turned to two, then three...then five...until a few more joined. Their fight had been interrupted by savage demons who are desperate to eat humans.
"Eeeeeh?! Seriously?!" Mitsuri isn't happy with the interruption
The starving demons aimed their sights at Mitsuri who is surprised to see the "family sized" demons who all want to have a taste of her flesh.
"I have no time for all of you! I - Eeh?! She ran away again!"
Mitusuri wanted to choose to go after Shinobu but the demons all charged at her, preventing her from pursuing Shinobu who used the distraction to escape.
"Aaaaah! Shinobu-san got away! It's these annoying demon's fault!"
After quickly eliminating the demons, Mitsuri tried to search for Shinobu bit broke down and cry as she knew Shinobu used the few minutes of distraction to successfully escape her. While Mitsuri laments the slipped opportunity, Shinobu sits down and rest when she confirmed Mitsuri is no longer pursuing her.
"It's not just Kanroji-san. Sooner or later I will cross blades with the other Pillars. When that time comes, I will have to choose whether to let them kill me...or live"
Faced with the dilemma on whether she choose to live or die, Shinobu angrily hit the ground, cursing her continued existence as a demon. Dying at the hands of a demon is an awful fate but becoming one...is an even worse fate.
Chapter 06: After the unexpected encounter and failed pursuit by Mitsuri, Tanjiro's group approached the Love Pillar when Kanao is informed about the possibility of Shinobu being alive. This motivates Kanao and the trio to search for clues about the demon who resembled Shinobu.