章 21: First Mission
Looking at the blade that I still held unsheathed, they looked at it curiously while also seeming to notice the overpowering of the black coloration, even in direct sunlight. As I held the blade out in front of me, the caw of a crow sounds out.
Looking to the air, I see as a beautiful crow fly straight towards me. Stopping in front of my face, the crow then proceeds to land on my shoulder.
The crow is a Northwestern Crow which is a small crow, black overall, with a dark, stout bill, iridescent violet gloss on its body, and blue/black wings. As all of us proceed to stare at this crow, it speaks out in a reasonably toned voice, much better than that of other crows.
"Mission to the east. There's a town to the east that has recently had people witness a demon entering homes and leaving a blood bath when the home is investigated in the morning."
Detaching itself from my arm, the crow proceeds to above me, ready to lead me to the town where the manslaughter was occurring. As my attention turns back to the Butterfly Mansion residents, I find myself already engulfed in a hug.
"Be sure to stay safe on your very first mission. Even if you hold power, be sure to not become too overconfident."
Comforted by the hug that Kanae was giving me, the second she releases me, it is immediately replaced by another hug. This time however, it's by Kanao who stares at me with caring eyes. Reciprocating the hug, I then start to initiate the hugs, including one for Shinobu who had done her "best" to refuse.
After doing that, I began to travel to the East. Following the path that the crow set out for me, it took me three days to reach the town, and I had reached it in the middle of the night.
Instantly upon entering the town, my senses are immediately assaulted by the presence of a Demon. Following the most recent path that the Demon had taken, I find myself standing in front of a manor whose doors were ripped open by claws. Walking through the halls of the manor, the dead silence eerily haunts me.
As my walking continues, the sound of slurping and biting suddenly enters my ears. Proceeding to walk quietly along the floorboards, I arrive at a room whose door was destroyed.
Peering past the destroyed Fusuma, I find myself looking at a Demon currently feasting upon a gorged human corpse. The floor was a mess of blood and organs, that had spread from the ravaging of the Demon. Looking at the figure of the Demon, the demon wore an Oni mask while blood red tattoos covered his entire body. However, as I continued to stare at the Demon, I found that it had stopped eating and that its head was turned slightly towards me. In a hell-like voice the Demon speaks out.
"Ah, what have here. Another Demon Slayer with the hopes to kill me. Can't a Demon just eat in peace." Turning his head completely towards me, his red eyes bore into me. "No. Then I may as well kill you, just as I had the others."
Standing up from his crouched position, the Demon revealed its towering height of seven feet. As the Demon took a step towards me, causing a ripple to roll across the spilled blood, the tattoos on his body began to move before eventually coming off his skin and forming two blades in his hands. The blades rippled consistently as their form was almost like that of a fire.
"Regret accepting this mission now young Demon Slayer?"
Feeling as the bloodlust from this Demon suddenly spiked, I tilted my head to the left and felt as a blade passed by my cheek, almost cutting through it.
Looking at the extended arm of the demon, the tattoos move again and form another blade to replace the one he just threw away. The demon then proceeded to get down into a lunging position, before then rocketing forward towards me. Rolling to the left, the demon flies past my position, embedding his weapons into the wall while looking at me, seemingly pleased.
"Finally, a prey that can actually fight back. I needed the workout."
Pulling his weapons out, the demon rolls his shoulder before throwing one of his blades and charging at the exact same time. Pulling my katana from its sheath for the first time, I deflect the oncoming blade before using 'Thunder Breathing Second Form: Rice Spirit'.
However, my five electrified arching slashes hit nothing but open air as the Demon had jumped over my attack. Shoving his blade hand down towards my head, I knock the attack away before once again rolling away from the falling body.
Throwing his last blade towards me, I easily deflect it before watching as two spears form. Pushing himself into a forward thrust with his spear, the spear comes an inch from my eye before I use 'Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunderclap and Flash'.
Pulling my blade just fast enough, I watch as the demons arm flies away from my face. The demon, most likely confused about what had happened, looks down at his arm to find the entire forearm removed and bleeding out extensively. The blood however then proceeds to trickle to a stop and then regrow into a completely new arm.
In the eyes of the demon, I could see a seething rage. As I go forward to remove the demon's head, the demon forms a shield on his newly formed arm. However, as he does so, I use 'Thunder Breathing Fifth Form: Heat Lightning', rapidly putting electrified slashes into the Demon's blood shield.
Cracking upon the second electrified slash, the next few continue to break through until the Demon's entire upper body has been cut through, giving off the scent of burning flesh.
Watching as the body starts to slowly regenerate itself, the arms of the demon move, and I watch as an unprecedented number of blades are created from its usable arm. The blood blades extend relentlessly towards me, and I'm forced to retreat while defending against such blades.
Having put himself back together, the Demon's entire demeanor seems to change. Placing both of his palms towards me, I watch as all the Demon's tattoos start moving towards his outstretched hands. The second the tattoos stop moving, mini blades of blood start to shoot out. Surprised at the output of blades, I can do absolutely nothing else other than blocking.
"I'll like watching you despair boy." The Demon hisses. "I'm set to become a new Lower Moon, and nothing will stop me from receiving more blood of Master."
Even with these words coming from the demon, I knew he couldn't move from his spot, less he give me an opening to exploit. And I, knowing that every Blood Demon Art had a limit, just had to continue blocking his blood blades.
Fortunately, that time came soon as the interval from one blade to the next became longer and through glimpses of my vision, I could see the Demon sweating profusely. Letting itself be consumed by exhaustion for a mere moment, I use that moment to use 'Thunder Breathing Third Form: Thunder Swarm', causing the hole to become my point to separate all limbs of the demon.
As the head of the demon makes an audible thud on the ground, I turn and look at the head. In his eyes, I could see nothing other than the feelings of surprise and despair.
As the body of the demon began to disintegrate and travel with the wind, I began my exit from the manor, still shadowed by the darkness of the night. Passing through the broken front Fusuma, I can see my crow comfortably resting on an intact marker. Noticing my exit from the building, the crow instantly flies to my shoulder.
"Congratulations on completing your first mission. Kakushi are going to arriving shortly to clean up the mess that the demon made. So, you are expected to wait here until then."
Staying in the town for the next couple days whilst warding off any unwanted spectators, the Kakushi finally arrived with cleaning supplies. Giving them a report of what had occurred, they head into the manor to both clear the bodies and clean the blood stains.
After that, my crow then told me I could return to the Demon Slayer Headquarters and wait for my next mission. On my way back to the Headquarters though, I felt a pair of eyes watching me. Instantly snapping my head in the direction of such intent, my eyes briefly caught two red eyes staring directly at me. Seeing that the red eyes had disappeared though, I continued my trek, however I kept more aware of my surrounding and if I was being watched.
Having been kept in that town for a total of eight days, when I returned to the Butterfly Mansion, I learned a very important piece of news. Such being the fact that Kanae had finally accepted another Demon Slayer mission.
The mission was to be Kanae going to execute a low-level demon with Shinobu as Shinobu finally wanted to test her poison on the field. The mission was set to happen next week from the day I had returned, and I instantly relayed to my crow that I wished to be included in the mission that Kanae was taking.
Ubuyashiki was quick to reply and gave the OK to travel with the two of them. As I spent the week preparing for the trial, I was approached by Kanao.
Seeing the serious expression that she had, even if it was hard to discern, I put my full attention on Kanao, listening intently to her next words.
"What are we?"
Tilting my head confusedly at what the question implied since it was literally brought out of nowhere, Kanao slowly, brokenly continued.
"Well, we've ki… done that… So, I wondered… what are we?"
"Well, tell me Kanao, why exactly had we done "that"?" I ask.
"Mama told me… and I feel… connected to you."
Smiling brightly at Kanao's explanation, I put all blame for this romantic growth on Kanae and let the sails go completely free.
Pulling Kanae by the hand down onto my bed, I say, "Well, I guess that we're sweethearts."
After exclaiming that, Kanae hid her face in my chest while I would then explain how my mission to the town had been. The once expressionless girl then left my room with a sort of silly smile on her face while running her fingers across her lips and having her head stuck in the clouds.
By the beginning of the next morning, I stood outside the Butterfly Mansion with the Kocho sisters standing next to me.
Putting one foot in front of another, we began our trek.
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