CHAPTER 31 - Deserter's Tale & the Merciless Brigands

Law couldn't tell what's wrong with her. He knew Aoi wasn't her normal self, yet couldn't deny Nezuko brimming with frenzy and ready to be let loose. He couldn't tell his companion to stay put whilst the dilemma. Aoi had been a decent and helpful girl until that moment. And yet no chances could have been taken with stakes high.

"If that's what you want…" Law extended his left arm aiming his palm below, "Roo…"

Aoi leaped upon him at tremendous speed. Nezuko interfered impaling her attacking arm.

"Room!" Law managed to extend his membrane.

Aoi furious, directed her rage towards Nezuko. To the latter's surprise, she summoned claws on her other arm.

"Shambles!"

Law flipped himself with Nezuko. He was surprised to find claws drawn out of Aoi's fingers clashing against his blade. Moria tried to shout whilst muffed as Aoi held him in his cage-rattling with her unnatural movements.

"When did you turn into a Demon?" Law demanded, furious and surprised.

"Do you want to know?" Aoi replied, when Nezuko leaped at her from the side.

Aoi saw the move and dodged behind. She believed she couldn't defeat Law in a fair fight, deciding to retreat with her objective. Moria's head. Nezuko followed her only to be dodged every one of her attacks. Law wondered of Aoi's objective.

Is she working for Moria? He wondered, and couldn't make a connection between them.

To his knowledge, Aoi had barely known of Moria's existence except that he was kept in the secret room and never having met the pirate. The secret room keys stayed with Shinobu and Law, the only two pieces.

Law saw the girls reach the door and leap outside. He rushed after them, finding Aoi leap above the Mansion roof.

"What's she doing?" Zenitsu showed up observing her unnatural leap.

"After her!" Law ordered, much to Zenitsu's terror.

Nezuko made a pursuit. Aoi had left Law's 'Room' making haste against his presence.

"Zenitsu, let's go!" Tanjiro bellowed, who leaped after Nezuko, followed by Inosuke.

Law threw a piece of rock from the yard at high speed towards the fugitive's direction.

"Room! Shambles!"

He was furious for letting Aoi escape the secret room. He found himself ahead of Nezuko and rushed after the escapee. Inosuke was surprised by his witchcraft.

"That was neat." he remarked.

Law gave her a running pursuit instead of employing his Devil Fruit abilities hoping to conserve his stamina for needed circumstances ahead.

"He's persistent." Aoi groaned, accelerating her speed.

"I never knew Aoi was this fast." Tanjiro remarked, surprised at the formidable pursuit.

Nezuko was as angry as Law, for having landed no blows against Aoi, making her rush faster. She caught up to Law and both of them made an unparalleled dash to catch up.

"Can't believe the girl turned to a Demon." Law said.

"Mmmph!" Nezoku agreed with a growl.

"At least you won't be lonely." Law made a light joke amidst the pursuit, which did not sit well with Nezuko.

Amidst the darkness, Law saw a black spot far ahead. It seemed to be moving towards them. Little did he give notice when the black object closed in the distance faster than he could have imagined. With knowledge from his Observation Haki, he leaped ahead of Nezuko and blocked the entity with his blade.

"We meet again." hissed a Demon.

"Go after her!" Law ordered Nezuko and the boys to follow ahead.

"Right." Tanjiro replied, as Inosuke, Zenitsu, and himself passed him following Nezuko and the renegade Aoi.

Law recognised the Demon. His presumption came true when he discovered it was the same Demon he had fought at the forest along with Upper Demon Moon, Daki.

"You wonder how I survived?" the Demon asked, "Well, you won't find answers that easily."

"I don't need answers." Law replied, "Room!"

The Demon drew out a dagger created of his blood, aimed to stab Law's heart. Law dodged the lethal attack getting behind his opponent. He threw his blade high above, placing his thumbs on the Demon's forehead.

"Counter Shock!"

The Demon felt delirious from the electric blow, making him lose control of his stance. Law wasted no time and thought to finish him off. He caught his falling blade and stabbed it into the Demon's heart.

"Injection Shot!"

An explosive sound reverberated through the wilderness, leaving the Demon without life. Law knew better than to let the Demon regenerate back. With quick work, he deactivated his Room and hacked off the Demon's head.

"Aoi, please tell us what's wrong!" bellowed Tanjiro from far behind.

Aoi made no reply. She did look back and winced finding Nezuko catching up to her.

I won't be able to keep up. Aoi had drops of sweat on her face. Damn that Demon girl.

She turned around on her next landing and drew her claws with a blare of shrill. Nezuko saw her intention, leaping off high escaping Aoi's claw slash.

"Nezuko!" Tanjiro bellowed reaching ahead.

"Tanjiro, look at those claws. I don't think she had those the last time we saw her." Zenitsu mentioned.

"It seems she has turned into a Demon." Inosuke said, "I don't think there's any need to hold back?"

Nezuko leaped down slashing her own claws. Aoi looked above and blocked her attacks. Nezuko began a barrage of slashes against Aoi's claw defence but to everyone's surprise, she couldn't break the guard.

"We mustn't be rash. We shouldn't decapitate her yet. Let's wait for Captain Law."

"Hah, listen to the boy. Compromising against a Demon." Aoi mocked, "You'll die soon enough."

"What happened to you?" Tanjiro demanded.

"Shut up! I have one job in delivering the head to the Master, and you are in my way."

"I have heard enough." Inosuke rushed ahead.

"Hey wait!" Zenitsu bellowed.

"She is no human if she can block an attack from Kamijiro's sister." Inosuke said.

"Beast Breathing - Second Fang…" he breathed, "Rip and Tear!"

"The wild boar charges." remarked Aoi, sliding aside and showing up behind.

"Mmmf!" Nezuko glared in terror as Aoi stabbed Inosuke from behind. Blood gushed out of the latter's boar mask.

"Inosuke!" Tanjiro became engulfed in fury. Despite being passive to fight against Aoi, he held his blade to attack.

Zenitsu felt sickened to see the blood. He had no choice but to follow.

"Water Breathing - Second Form… Water Wheel!" Tanjiro rushed ahead.

Aoi saw the move dodging sideways dragging along Inosuke's bloodied body. She got hold of one of his blades and stared at Tanjiro.

"She dodged my attack." he was surprised.

"I believe this body learned Water Breathing." Aoi said, observing Inosuke's Nichirin sword grasped on one of her hands.

She breathed holding the blade wide to her side.

"No way!" Zenitsu observed. Aoi prepared to attack.

"Water Breathing - Third Form…" she breathed.

Tanjiro prepared to defend.

"Eighth Form…" he summoned his strength.

"Flowing Dance!"

"Waterfall Basin!"

Aoi's frenzy attack could have overwhelmed Tanjiro should he not have acted on short notice. The latter's Eighth Form blocked Aoi's path from moving ahead, forcing her to retreat.

"How did she do that?" Zenitsu was shocked. In the meanwhile, he picked up an injured Inosuke and moved him away.

"I'll be fine." the latter muttered, getting up, heaving.

"Nezuko, stay away from her. She's got a Nichirin blade." Tanjiro warned.

"I have no reason to kill her. The Master has taken quite an interest in her dissidence against Demons." Aoi mentioned.

"She's not like the others." Tanjiro clarified, "We will defeat you and find answers for your betrayal. What would Lady Shinobu say to what you did?"

"I did it all for power. I bet I can defeat the Insect Hashira of the Butterfly Mansion."

Whilst the face-off, a stone came flying in. Aoi saw the object swoop in, only to see it disappear. She was terrified to find Trafalgar Law to have been swapped places with the stone.

"Shambles!" he yelled.

Aoi observed the word 'Death' written on his fingers. As for Law, he wasted no time and acted against his foe. He placed his thumbs upon Aoi's forehead.

"Counter Shock!" he bellowed.

The electric defibrillating attack took Aoi by surprise, weakening her motor controls. Law began to sense an ominous aura and so did Tanjiro. The latter felt a strong demonic stench which he hadn't felt until then.

"Scan!"

Law pinpointed the location of the aura with his Devil Fruit ability, concentrating around Aoi's abdomen. He placed his arm, realising the darkness hiding inside.

"Scalpel!"

Unlike his usual usage to expel out an opponent's heart, Law instead pulled out the Demon hiding inside, dragging out from Aoi's body by the neck.

"I'll have to kill you twice." Law said, glaring against Daki's terrified face. He aimed his blade against her neck.

"It's an Upper Demon Moon!" Zenitsu was terrified, observing her eyes. He rushed ahead and caught an unconscious Aoi from falling down.

The stench of the Demonic aura spread like a pungent mist.

"How did you know? My disguise was flawless." Daki shivered.

"It was no longer a disguise when you showed your true colours."

"I did not kill the girl." Daki pleaded, "Please have mercy."

"Why?"

"I needed her body to hide my Demonic aura and get the pirate's head. Her memories held all the information from that Mansion."

"How do you know of Gecko Moria?"

"The Master knows everything. He discovered the pirate was an asset."

Whilst the interrogation, Tanjiro realised that the cage with Moria had disappeared from sight.

"Captain Law, the cage is gone." he alerted.

Law was surprised to find that he was right.

"Looking for this?" a voice beckoned from the trees. A shadowy figure showed up with two heads.

Daki's terror turned to laughter, as the fellow reattached his own head, whilst juggling with Moria's cage. Law recognised the Demon he had fought a moment back.

"Brother!" Daki was overjoyed.

"You failed again, sister!" the Demon brother bellowed, "And yet, we haven't lost the objective."

"How did he do that? His head was decapitated." Zenitsu observed in shock.

"I haven't forgotten, Pirate." the Demon brother told Law, "I woke up that night when you sent my sister flying, behind those brothels. Then, you left us to burn from the sun alongside the railroad. I, Gyutaro, shall see to that you suffer for your actions. I haven't felt this much insult for a long long time. I don't know what the Master wants with you but you have abused me and my sister, more than any Demon Slayer. For your information, I've killed and devoured at least thirteen Hashiras with the most relish. I shall find the greatest pleasure killing you tonight."

"But brother, we can't kill him yet. The Master forbade." Daki reminded.

"Silence! The Master isn't here and this fellow has yet to feel excruciating pain. I shall be the one to bestow him the honour of his life," Gyutaro replied, "Sister, I need you to take the head and get lost, whilst I relish the night."

Law listened to their conversation in silence. He stabbed Daki's forehead with his blade the moment Gyutaro mentioned her to leave. Shrills resounded from her agony. Tanjiro and the others were troubled from the sight. Gyutaro glared back in rage. He observed Law's eyes, firm and cold.

"Escape with Moria's head? Relish, you say?" Law reiterated.

Nezuko and the boys observed him in silence, as Law stabbed deeper into Daki's head, imbuing his blade with Haki.

"Stop!" Daki yelled in torment.

"She screams and yet she can't die." Law observed the moaning Demon, stuck onto his blade.

Gyutaro was furious that he had been defeated with humiliation twice. And yet, despite his anger, he couldn't let down his thought of uncertainty. He knew Law was none like the Hashira that he had faced before.

"I am a Doctor. I have studied Demons in the past few days and realised they feel pain just like humans. And yet, you two won't die." Law said with a cold face, "It's a long night. I wonder how long can you suffer?"

The boys shivered. They thought they saw a new person in him. A man without mercy.

TO BE CONTINUED...