CHAPTER 17 - Nightmares: Part 1

Master Ubuyashiki,

I hope you are doing well. We have reached the town of Shi-niju* (check footnotes). I have remembered a recent report regarding the town's odd rumour of its activity. Being Kyojuro Rengoku's sector of observation, and since his death, the sector had not been under watch.

Kanao Tsuyuri and I have arrived upon Shi-niju without any troubles on the way, and I'd like to mention of great news. We have found Pillar Zoro in the town out of pure coincidence. But, we have received a rather disturbing rumour from one of the households. Many people have disappeared in the past few days here in Shi-niju, beginning from an expedition of traders who had left town three days back, and never to have reported arriving upon their destination. The people are afraid, and I was planning on an investigation out here to purge the doubts. I highly believe demons are at large.

I haven't received any reports from Shinobu or Giyu Tomioka, but I believe they are holding their own. I'll try to keep you informed based on our developments in this journey. Also, I've attached a corresponding letter to Trafalgar Law, situated at the Butterfly Mansion, and I hope this letter reaches and mentions him of his comrade's situation.

Yours sincerely,

Tengen Uzui (signature)

Tengen Uzui

Sound Pillar, Demon Slayer Corps.

Zoro was done with his dinner without further trouble being acquainted with the intruders.

"So, you came to find me, huh?" he asked, gulping down the alcohol.

"Yeah." Uzui nodded, signing off on the paper. He went outside and found a crow hovering above. He attached the letter to the bird and observed it move away to the sky.

"We heard from sister Shinobu's letter that you had surrendered to the enemy." Kanae said.

"You were locked up in some ship. What happened?" Uzui asked returning back. He locked the door, and asked the household husband to increase the light. The family was glad to realise that three Demon Slayers, including two Pillars were along with them, removing their fear against the demons who could've hunted them at night. The light was brightened inside the room.

"That's true." Zoro said, "But I had my reasons."

Uzui believed Zoro wasn't in the will to talk of the incident, and pushed no further on the topic.

"You mentioned that Shinobu was looking out for me. I must say I'm surprised to hear her storm that pirate ship." Zoro said.

"I know. But she's out now and I've sent her a report of our union here. I hope it reaches to her." Uzui said.

"I sound doubt. What do you mean?"

"Crow messages have been delayed. We received Shinobu's reports regarding your situation much later than expected. Crows were found dead. The Master believes Demons are responsible." Uzui added.

Zoro got up to his feet.

"I got here out of pure chance. The town seemed dead. A freaking ghost town." he said.

"That's because there is evil festering in here." said the wife of the household. The husband tried to hush her, but Zoro agreed to her statement. He grabbed his Shusui.

"You guys must be tired from your journey. I'll be heading out, so excuse me." Zoro looked upon Kanao and Uzui, "I believe demons are at large killing the folks out here."

Uzui nodded.

"And another thing. I haven't sensed any malevolent presence the whole time I was in this town. And that's something weird against my experience." Zoro mentioned.

"Look here, I don't suggest it's a good idea. You heading out." Uzui said.

"Why?"

"The Master mentioned of Muzan Kibutsuji taking an interest after your arrival." Kanao mentioned.

"You mean the leader of these bastards?" Zoro asked, quite surprised.

"That's right." Uzui nodded, "We had a meeting and we came to a high assumption that Kibutsuji might've taken an interest in you and Trafalgar Law's abilities."

"I guess its because of that encounter with the Upper Demon Moon guy?" Zoro asked.

Uzui nodded, "And the incident back in the Ryukyu Islands. Kibutsuji's looking out for you, if that's true. No one in the present generation of Demon Slayers has encountered that man, except for that kid, Tanjiro Kamado."

"So what's your point?"

"I'll go. You should stay here. You'll be in trouble if Kibutsuji should show up."

"Do you believe that bastard won't find me? Those demons found us easy enough on the journey to the coast. They may have been small fries, but they are more than trying to find me. They want me dead, and that's fine by me because I'll be the one doing the hunting." Zoro said, "I hate to break it to you, but if I'm a reason for the Demons arriving at this town, then it's better they find me out there than inside a house. I'll tear them a new one. Let that bastard Kibutsuji show up, he'll have one hell of a struggle if he believes he could kill me that easily."

Uzui was surprised. But he admired Zoro's confidence. Kanao was impressed with his speech.

"If that's all I'll be leaving now."

"Please, wait." Kanao interrupted.

"What is it?" Zoro looked at her.

"I'd like to go along with you." Kanao bowed in front of Zoro.

"I don't know about that." Zoro said, looking at Uzui.

"I know you eager for a fight, but before that, let me understand the town's layout." Uzui said, looking at the husband, "Do you have a map of this place?"

The man nodded and brought out a city map. It was an older version, but most of the locations were correct. Uzui observed a large castle to the north that served as the town's prime place of interest.

"Does anyone live there?" he asked the man.

"No, not quite for a while." the husband replied, "It used to belong to the Takeshi family back in the old days but they are long gone. Later, it served as an outpost for the Imperial Army** until the garrison was migrated to a newer location. You can say it's abandoned since last year."

"Hmm." Uzui observed the map and saw the name written as 'Takeshi's Castle'***.

He looked upon Zoro, "You can check out this castle. It looks an ideal place for Demons to hide." Uzui said, looking at the husband, "You sure no one lives there?"

The man shook his head.

"Very well, I believe you can take Kanao along. She can use the experience and I heard she is good with scouting."

"If you say so." Zoro replied. Kanao was overjoyed, showed with her smile.

She took the map, and followed Zoro outside. The sky was clear and the moon shone bright as ever. A good night for a hunt, Zoro thought. They left the house and followed the road north. Zoro believed heading to the castle as mentioned by Uzui. It indeed seemed like a hideout. But they stopped on their path at a crossroad before heading further ahead. Kanao bowed in front of Zoro and thanked him for helping and saving Shinobu's life back at the sea journey.

"I can't seem to remember, but whatever. No need to bow and all, we have a job to do." Zoro said, asking Kanao to raise her head.

Kanao found his selflessness intriguing, dignified and respectful. Not many strong warriors of that age had the same humility. The tall swordsman with his shadow silhouetting from the moonlight. A sight of the warrior capable of terrifying the demons, and having clashed in equal terms with an Upper Demon Moon alone, acquiring Kibutsuji's regard for his strength.

"Uh, you are staring at me for some reason. Is everything okay?" Zoro asked, looking at her young face glowing from the moonlight.

Kanao shook her head.

"Alright then, let's move on." Zoro said. Kanao had heard of his lack of directions from Shinobu and decided to take the lead. The swordsman looked upon her and believed that the girl had come to his aid as respect for helping Shinobu out before.

"Let me make this clear, kid. I don't want you to get along with me just because I happened to help out your boss lady. I just did what I had to do at the whim of the moment. That's all there is to it." Zoro said.

Kanao was instead more impressed by the man. She made no reply.

"Hey, you listening?" Zoro asked, for her vocal absence. He had second thoughts, "Your pal said that Kibutsuji was after my head. Don't you think you should be safer with him?"

Kanao shook her head, "It's fine. Uzui-san gave his consent."

"That's fine and all, but I'll have to answer to Shinobu if you die." Zoro was blunt, "You are her pupil, aren't you?"

"If I die, tell her that I decided on my own will. You have nothing to be concerned about." Kanao replied.

"That's what you think, kid." The answer did not bode well with Zoro. He had no choice but to keep an eye on her.

The unsettling conversation led way to the Takeshi's Castle being viewed at the distance. It seemed unlikely that no monsters interrupted their walk through the desolated town, and to worsen things, Zoro couldn't get any sense of presence with his Observation Haki. He kept his Shuisui on guard the whole time. Whoever they were facing that night must've prepared plans for them. Kanao drew out her own blade as a precaution.

"Keep an eye out. My hunch tells me we are getting closer to trouble." Zoro said looking around.

"Yes, sir." Kanao replied.

Late were the hours. A contingent of hostile men arrived at a forest clearing twenty miles northeast of Shi-niju.

"So you are the witches that got Roronoa Zoro out of his cell? We are missing a few numbers of prisoners that should've been locked away. Tell me, where is he?" Hawkins demanded.

The Beast Pirates got wind of Zoro's unexpected escape. Shinobu and Kanae had their hands clean in that particular case, despite storming the Beast Pirates ship a day before. Both of them were surrounded by foes, who pursued them after their own chaos at the pirate ship. Little they said could've made any sense as neither Shinobu nor the Beast Pirates had any clue regarding Zoro, the man at large.

Shinobu and Kanae replied by drawing their blades.

"Jack would not be pleased." Hawkins mentioned, looking at his cards, "Looks like your survival chances are 33 percent, quite high and uncanny, and yet it was surprisingly the same for Roronoa's in our previous encounter. Is this a sign?" He flipped a few more cards and read them. His face wasn't the same anymore, "What's going on?"

Hawkins looked upon his two opponents and couldn't fathom the future he's trying to observe. Words went through his head as he looked back at his cards, "Chances of my survival, only 15 percent." Looking back at his foes, his thoughts tried to analyse, "These two managed to create a commotion within our ranks in the past few days. But Pirate Hunter Zoro seemed a much more potential threat, given his newest bounty and reputation. But the cards don't lie upon the fate of these women and myself. What the hell's going on?"

Sweats of vexation flowed down his face.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Footnotes:

*A fictitious town in Japan, located somewhere in Ibaraki Prefecture in present-day reference. This town exists only in this story and is unrelated to any real-life locations.

**The Imperial Japanese Army is a contemporary of the Kimetsu no Yaiba story timeline, the former to have been existent from 1868 to 1945.

***A fictitious castle, unless you refer to the TV show. :-D

P.S. - For the ones who might've already read this chapter, it has been edited, correcting its minor context errors.