Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. I decided to continue this story, so, here it is the twentieth chapter!
Nezuko entered the infirmary and approached her comrades. She noticed the crow perched on the windowsill and quickly recognized it by the ornament around its neck. It was Kaigaku's bird, a male that the boy had named Dai.
"Do we have a new mission?" Nezuko asked, stopping next to Enmu.
"Yes..." Rui replied with obvious reluctance.
"Well, it was to be expected," Enmu commented resignedly. "We're almost healed."
"Where do we have to go now?" Nezuko asked, casting a concerned look at Enmu and Rui.
"Asakusa," Kaigaku answered as he got up from the bed. Nezuko fell silent and averted her gaze, avoiding looking at Kaigaku's face. The Thunder Breathing user noticed that and furrowed his brow, but before he could comment on it, Rui intervened.
"And where exactly is that supposed to be?"
"I think it's a district in Tokyo," Enmu said, although he didn't sound too convinced about it.
"Well, we can always ask," Nezuko said, trying to be somewhat optimistic.
"We'll manage," Kaigaku concluded abruptly. "We should get going. We have a long journey ahead of us."
Without bothering to see if the others were following him, Kaigaku left the room, leaving the three of them looking confused and somewhat annoyed.
"Is something wrong with him?" Nezuko asked, casting a doubtful glance at the other two boys. They simply shrugged, and the girl sighed. "Well, let's follow him," she said. She would find out what was going on with him later.
"We will go later," Enmu said, firmly holding Rui's right arm. The boy looked at him with confusion, but Enmu didn't budge. Nezuko, who also didn't understand anything, nodded slightly and left.
Nezuko saw Kaigaku walking down the hallway and, following a sudden impulse, she ran towards him calling his name. The boy growled but stopped to wait for her.
"What do you want?" Kaigaku asked brusquely, frowning at her. Nezuko hesitated for a second about what to say, but gathered some courage and looked at him, determined.
"I want to know if something is bothering you," she said, serious.
"No," the boy replied gruffly.
Nezuko, not believing him for a second, furrowed her brow slightly. "It doesn't seem like it," the girl confessed, perhaps too defensively.
"Do you want something else?" Kaigaku inquired, visibly annoyed. "Because I don't want to waste time with nonsense."
"I'm sorry," Nezuko finally said. The boy, who hadn't expected that, looked at her perplexed. "If I had done more during the battle, maybe you wouldn't have those scars."
Kaigaku's expression softened upon hearing that, and he let out a laugh. Nezuko looked at him, unsure how to interpret it. "So, that's what it's about," the boy said when he stopped laughing.
"What do you mean?" Nezuko asked, not understanding anything.
"It doesn't matter, Nezuko," he said. "And stop thinking whether you did too much or too little," he requested. The girl looked away and bit her lower lip. Kaigaku cleared his throat and continued speaking. "The only thing that matters right now is the mission we have to accomplish."
Nezuko nodded. "I'll go get my katana."
"Don't take too long," he urged her as he began heading towards his room to retrieve his weapon.
Tamayo smiled placidly as she observed the bustling street from the second-floor window of the house they were currently staying in. People hurriedly moved about, completely absorbed in their own affairs. The woman's smile turned somewhat contemptuous at that moment.
She slowly licked her upper lip and stayed there a while longer, watching the movements of the people, who remained completely unaware of the danger. Tamayo, who was very much aware of it, softly laughed as she covered her mouth slightly.
"For all the progress you've made in these six hundred years, deep down you're still the same," she commented to herself.
Genya, who had just entered the room, heard the last part and couldn't help but look at her curiously. "What do you mean?" the boy asked, shifting his yellow eyes when he felt the woman's penetrating gaze fixed on him.
"Humans are still just as weak and naive as they were centuries ago, don't you find it amusing, Genya?"
He tensed slightly and gave a nervous smile. "I suppose," he murmured, visibly uncomfortable. "I never really paid attention," he admitted. "I envy them, to be honest," the boy thought to himself. "Living a short life is a blessing."
Tamayo nodded, moved away from the window, and carefully closed the shutters. "I don't blame you, to be honest. They are so fragile..."
Genya, still quite uncomfortable, scratched his hair, searching for something to say to change the subject to a more pleasant one. "Has there been any letter from my brother?" he asked, hoping that would be enough.
"No, but I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to show up here unannounced." Although Tamayo's face had maintained a friendly and somewhat understanding expression, her tone of voice, filled with exasperation and annoyance, revealed her true feelings.
"Well... you know how my brother is..." Genya murmured, laughing in an awkward and clumsy manner.
"He cares about you," Tamayo pointed out. "Maybe you should visit him at the Infinity Castle sometime."
"I suppose," the boy murmured reluctantly.
Tamayo looked at him with curiosity. "Don't you feel like it?"
"Y-Yes, of course!" Genya exclaimed hurriedly.
"Then?"
"...I don't feel very comfortable there," Genya tried to explain, nervous. In response, Tamayo raised an eyebrow and stared at him intently. The boy, realizing that, added, "I don't like the Infinity Castle. I feel trapped inside."
"It's the perfect prison," Tamayo commented. "And the ideal hideout for our kind."
Genya shuddered a little at that description and didn't comment on it. To be honest, he didn't know what to say.
"Well, let me know if you want to go or not," Tamayo concluded, giving a kind smile. "Don't rush, I'm sure your brother will understand."
"I hope you're right," Genya thought, feeling somewhat dejected. He did his best to conceal it from Tamayo.
"Well, shall we go hunting?" Tamayo proposed, unable to hide her eagerness. Her eyes had a malicious gleam, and for a moment, Genya was reminded of an unscrupulous predator. And perhaps she wasn't far from being one, if she wasn't already.
"Yes, of course," the boy accepted. "Will Yushiro accompany us?"
"No, you know he doesn't like to go out unless there's no other choice," Tamayo said. "We'll hunt something for him and leave it in his study."
Yushiro preferred to stay at home. He could spend entire days locked in the room he used for painting. Genya sighed a little; getting him out of there was nearly impossible. And many times, it was better to let him be on his own.
"Well, shall we?" the boy asked as he headed towards the foyer of the house.
Nezuko stopped at the entrance of the city. They had finally arrived in Asakusa after nearly two weeks of travel. She looked at her companions; Enmu was packing the map they had bought at the beginning to navigate their way.
"Shall we go?" Kaigaku asked, serious.
"What are we going to do until it gets dark?" Rui asked, with a hint of annoyance. It was still hours away from nightfall, and they would have to kill time somehow.
"The first thing would be to look for the wisteria house in this place," advised Nezuko. She kept her head down and had turned pale.
"Are you alright?" Enmu asked, stopping beside her and looking at her with concern.
Nezuko went to say something but felt nauseous and forced herself to keep her mouth shut. She glanced at her companions; Rui and Kaigaku were giving her concerned glances. She nodded slightly and raised her gaze, trying to act normal.
"I'm fine," she muttered through clenched teeth. Enmu, not believing her for a moment, exchanged a brief glance with the other two hunters.
"I think it would be best to find a hotel," suggested Kaigaku, scanning the buildings in the area.
"I'll ask someone!" Rui said, quickly approaching the nearest person.
Enmu accompanied Nezuko to a bench, and she sat down. She forced a trembling smile and looked at her friend. "I'm not used to such big cities," she confessed. "But I'll be fine, it'll pass."
Enmu nodded, not entirely convinced. "Still, when we find a hotel, stay there and rest while we try to locate the demons' hideout."
"No, I'll come with you. I won't just sit around doing nothing while you do everything," she replied, frowning.
"Are you sure? It's okay if you stay," Enmu insisted. "We can manage fine."
"I'm fine," Nezuko said, gritting her teeth. Enmu sighed a little and nodded.
"Well, if you think you can continue, I'll believe you," he conceded, though he didn't sound entirely convinced and kept a vigilant eye on her.
Rui returned at that moment. The boy was smiling broadly and seemed to be in a good mood. He approached Kaigaku and looked expectantly at their other two friends. Nezuko got up from the bench and, along with Enmu, approached.
"There's a hotel ten minutes from here," Rui informed them happily. He started leading them there, visibly excited.
Kaigaku observed, serious, the two policemen standing in front of them. The police station had been their next stop after leaving the hotel.
"We would like to see your demon slayer credentials," one of the officers said, sternly.
The four of them obediently took out the identification cards they were given at the beginning. The cards displayed their names, surnames, a photo, and their rank. The officers examined them carefully and, once satisfied, returned the cards.
"Go to this office and wait for the inspector in charge," the taller man instructed, this time with a much friendlier tone.
"Thank you," they said, following the instructions and staying there. They looked at each other, unsure if going to the police had been the best idea.
"Now what?" Nezuko asked anxiously.
"Asakusa is big," Kaigaku said, looking at her seriously. "And we need all the help we can get."
"But the police..."
"They have an agreement with the Corps, didn't you know?" Kaigaku asked, furrowing his brow slightly when he saw Nezuko shaking her head. "They're the ones who inform the headquarters about possible demon sightings."
"Oh, so that's how it works..." the girl murmured. It made sense now that she thought about it.
"I apologize for the wait," a uniformed man said as he entered. He closed the door and observed the four youths.
"We just arrived," Enmu said, offering a polite smile. The adult scrutinized them critically and let out a sigh.
"The attacks have been occurring more frequently," the inspector said. He pointed to several spots marked with a red circle on the map, near one of the city exits, specifically the one located to the west.
"Always in that area?" Nezuko asked.
"Yes, they usually don't move from there," the agent replied, sighing with regret. "They're lightning-fast attacks."
"I see," murmured Kaigaku, attentively studying the map, focusing on the marked areas.
"Do you know how many demons there are?" Enmu inquired.
"Three," the adult answered, crossing his arms. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle it? You're... too young," he commented, unabashedly looking at the burns on Kaigaku's face.
"We'll be perfectly capable," Enmu assured him, stepping forward and taking the lead, as Kaigaku had slightly blushed at those words and seemed about to say something inappropriate. "We already have some experience in killing demons, don't we?" As he said that, Enmu gave his friends a meaningful look, and they immediately nodded in agreement.
The detective observed them for a few seconds and let out a sigh of resignation. "Well, if that's the case, I suppose I have no objections." The four visibly relaxed upon hearing that, but the man continued speaking. "I have assigned several patrols to the areas where we suspect they will attack tonight," he indicated, pointing on the map to the spots surrounded by a blue circle.
"We are staying in a hotel in this area," Rui murmured, placing his finger on that point.
"At most, it should take you about twenty minutes to get there," the policeman said, thoughtfully.
"Less," Nezuko calculated. "I'd say about ten."
"Yes, we wouldn't take long to get there, although it may be better to be in the area one or two hours earlier," Kaigaku commented, crossing his arms, serious.
"That's the wisest course of action," Enmu agreed, completely in accordance.
"Well, then let's do that," Nezuko concluded. "I just hope this time the demons won't be beyond our capabilities..."
A demon with grayish skin observed the city streets from a nearby rooftop. It displayed a hungry smile as it licked its sharp fangs.
"What a great feast awaits us tonight," it said, turning around and looking at the two demons accompanying it.
"Focus, we want to finish quickly, Kirisaki," one of them scolded, frowning.
"I know," the demon replied, rolling its eyes and making a face of annoyance. "I won't take long. Or have you forgotten how fast I can move?" it asked, as the thick blue lines covering its body lit up, and the demon moved at a dizzying speed. It positioned itself behind its companions, wearing a smug smile of self-satisfaction.
"You're getting overly confident," the other companion reprimanded. "Just hunt several humans and return here as soon as possible."
"You're such killjoys," Kirisaki said, not hiding the displeasure in its tone. "I won't be long."
The demon activated its blood technique and descended to the street, leaving its companions alone.
"Don't you find it strange that demon slayers haven't been sent after us yet?" the red-eyed demon asked, concerned.
The other demon, with greenish skin and blue eyes, shrugged. "Maybe they don't think the culprits are demons."
"I hope you're right, but it's better not to let our guard down."
"Agreed."
They heard something or someone land behind them and turned around, thinking it was Kirisaki returning with its prey. Their smiles faded when they saw the four demon slayers.
One of them, the tallest, had already unsheathed their weapon and, with a speed uncharacteristic of a human, charged toward them. But fortunately for the demon, Kirisaki arrived just in time and kicked the boy, protecting their comrade.
Kaigaku clenched his teeth as he was propelled toward the edge of the rooftop, narrowly avoiding falling. He quickly recovered and rushed to help his companions, each of whom was facing a demon.
Nezuko, who was confronting the fast demon, seemed to be having more difficulties than Enmu and Rui, so Kaigaku didn't hesitate and went to assist her.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form, Thunderclap and Flash Double!" he shouted as he lunged at the demon. He moved at the speed of lightning against his enemy. He smiled with satisfaction at the look of horror on the demon's face, as Nezuko, who had also seen his intentions, made sure it couldn't escape.
Kaigaku's smile widened even more when he cleanly beheaded the demon with a precise and swift strike. Nezuko barely paid attention to the head falling to the ground; she turned her gaze to Rui and Enmu. They hadn't yet managed to sever the heads of the other two demons, and Rui seemed to be having trouble. So, the girl quickly made up her mind.
Nezuko took a breath and prepared to assist Rui. "Moon Breathing, Eleventh Position: Moon Dragon: Eternal Blaze," she whispered. This stance involved rotating and attacking, an ideal technique when dealing with multiple enemies.
She severed the head of that demon and, out of the corner of her eye, saw Enmu dispatching the remaining one. Nezuko let out a sigh of relief and wiped the blood from her sword with a cloth. Only then did she realize that the blade was slightly damaged.
Kokushibo lifted his head upon hearing someone knocking persistently on the door. The demon furrowed his brow as he stood up. Instinctively, he grabbed his sword and moved towards the door, serious and on guard.
The knocks sounded again, this time with much more urgency. By then, the demon had reached the entrance of the house. He stopped in front of the door and listened intently to the voices.
"It doesn't seem like anyone is here," said a somewhat shrill male voice.
"Well, maybe I should have notified him in advance," Kokushibo widened his eyes upon recognizing Nezuko, and impulsively, he swung the door open, almost unhinging it. The girl, who had been about to knock for the third time, let out a shriek of surprise and took several steps back.
The other three boys, who didn't expect to see the demon, placed their hands on the hilts of their swords. Kaigaku grabbed Nezuko's right arm and pulled her back, placing her behind him while glaring at Kokushibo.
Nezuko, who took a couple of seconds to understand what was happening, finally reacted. "It's okay!" she shouted, looking at her friends. "He's the Moon Pillar," she explained hastily.
"Are you kidding me!?" Kaigaku yelled, looking at her as if she had lost her mind, and Nezuko couldn't blame him for that.
Rui and Enmu didn't take their eyes off the demon, who looked impassive but with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"He's wearing the demon slayer uniform!" Nezuko insisted, serious.
"...Now that you mention it..." Enmu murmured, noticing that detail for the first time. He slightly lowered his weapon but remained visibly tense.
"He was my instructor," Nezuko continued to explain, relieved that at least one of her friends was listening to her.
"That's correct," Kokushibo spoke for the first time. "And you should have informed me of your visit."
Nezuko laughed a little. "Yes, I'm sorry," she chuckled, embarrassed, although she didn't seem too remorseful about it.
Slowly, the boys sheathed their swords. Kokushibo stepped aside from the door, inviting them to enter. Reluctantly, Kaigaku, Enmu, and Rui accepted. The four demon slayers followed the Moon Pillar into the living room.
"I will prepare some tea for you now," Kokushibo murmured, heading towards the kitchen.
"I'll go with you!" Nezuko exclaimed and followed him, ignoring the warning glances from Kaigaku and Rui.
"I'm sorry for coming without notice," Nezuko said once they reached the kitchen. Kokushibo, who was filling the kettle with water, glanced at her.
"It's fine," he said, sighing a little. "Just don't forget to inform me next time."
"I won't," she promised, lowering her gaze. "My sword got damaged, and since we have to wait for a new one to be forged, we were nearby..."
"I understand. Have the missions you've undertaken been challenging?" the demon asked while waiting for the water to boil.
Speaking of that, I wanted to ask you, is it normal for a Mizunoto squad to be assigned to fight against a Lower Moon?"
Upon hearing that question, Kokushibo gripped the kettle handle tighter than necessary, and an unpleasant sound was heard. When the demon let go, the metal had been crushed and rendered completely useless.
"Repeat what you just said," Kokushibo said, facing the girl, who, frightened by the threatening aura he was emanating, couldn't help but take a step back.
"T-They assigned us a mission in Hokkaido with the Ice and Wind Pillars," Nezuko muttered, stuttering. "A-And... we had to face a Lower Moon and... my brother. Tanjiro was there too..."
"Is everything okay, Nezuko!?" Kaigaku asked, alarmed, peeking into the kitchen. He had sensed the demon's aura from the living room. He brandished his sword, though it was evident that he was trembling. Rui and Enmu followed closely behind.
"Yes, yes..." she murmured. "I was just telling him about what happened in Hokkaido..."
Kokushibo, who hadn't fully calmed down, looked at the four of them. "So it was your squad that was assigned to that mission," he muttered, his eyes fixated on Kaigaku's face, openly examining the scar on the boy's cheek.
"Tanjiro didn't recognize me," Nezuko admitted, lowering her gaze and clenching her fists. "He almost killed me, and I..." At that point, she couldn't help but break into tears.
Kokushibo looked at her, uncomfortable and unsure of what to do. Nezuko angrily wiped her eyes until she stopped crying. "I'm sorry," she murmured. Her eyes were slightly red, but she seemed more composed.
"Don't apologize," Kokushibo said. At that moment, the kettle started to whistle, and the demon glanced at it. "Go to the living room, and I'll bring the tea. I want you to tell me everything."
Don't forget to leave a review! I would love to hear your thoughts!