บท 3: 3. Demon Slayer

"Oya... aren't you gonna run?"

That sound got close. Leo's clothes were soaked in sweat, he could feel that presence right behind him.

No use. I can't outrun him.

Knowing his death was certain the fear he felt before disappeared. Taking a deep breath he turned around. Looking into this abominations deep eyes he asked

"You killed my family?"

The demon was surprised for a second and laughed, "Hahaha, I remember you. That woman protected you even when I was chewing on her. After I had my fill I was going to eat you but then you died. No way I am gonna eat stale meat. Guess I was wrong."

Anger and hatred boiled up inside him. His mind went blank and all he wanted was to get revenge. Without realising what kind of being was infront of him he attacked. He gripped the axe on his waist and swung it hard.

The demon however laughed with scorn and swatted the axe away. Leo could feel his bones creak from that strike, before he could do anything, a tremendous force crushed against his body and violently threw him away.

Cough! Cough!

Rolling through the hard ground Leo puked out blood. His vision was starting to blur, he was struggling to get back on his feet.

"Thanks for the meal."

The demon clapped his hands and jumped at Leo. All of it's mouth opened wide, trying to take a bite at him.

Close to death Leo felt his breath getting slow and his got brain dizzy. His mind wandered to his days with his parents from his last life.

"Look Leo, that's our family's heritage. It's been passed down from your grandfather to your father, it's the pride of our family."

A young Leo sat on his mother's lap and watched his father swing his sword. He was moving so fast and elegantly that each of his movement made the sword hum in excitement. Leo was mesmerized by his dad's movements.

"Mommy, dad's so cool!"

Hugging her son tightly and looked at her husband with a bright smile, "Haha, of course! He is the coolest."

Leo's eyes were glued to his father as he asked, "Mommy, what's is called?"

His mother lovingly caressed his head and said with pride, "Watch closely Leo, that's our heritage passed down through generations... Dragon-Tiger Sword."

Close to death Leo recalled his father's movements. His body instinctively moved, the demon was just a hair breath away from him when he lost his target. He turned around and saw the kid struggling to stand up.

How did he...

The demon attacked again, Leo slightly tilted his body and dodged it with ease. Seeing him lose his target again the demon was enraged, it attacked violently.

Cough! Cough!

Eventhough he dodged several times Leo couldn't hold on and coughed out blood, his legs lost their strength and fell down.

The demon grinned and pounced on him. It could almost smell the fragrance from Leo's blood, imagining the sweet taste of flesh a hideous smile bloomed on its face.

I guess this is it...

Leo closed his eyes and waited for death but the pain he expected didn't come. He opened his eyes and saw a figure blocking the demon.

"Old man...

It was Akira. He stood tall like a mountain. He had a completely different vibe. Leo felt as if he was looking at a ferocious beast.

Akira was holding the demon's neck like he was holding a chicken. A sword shimmering with gleaming with coldness rested on his hand.

"Don't move Leo, your body is a mess. Your internal organs may have also shifted, stay there. This will be over in a second."

The demon felt as if he was standing before a cruel beast. It wanted to escape but that hand was like an iron bar, it wouldn't budge!

"Begone."

A red light flashed. The demon's head slid down its throat and scattered into ashes. Leo was able to see this before he lost consciousness.

When he opened his eyes darkness covered his sight, he wandered aimlessly until a faint voice drifted to him.

Leo... Leo...

Mom? He looked around the darkness to find the owner of that voice. Slowly the darkness faded, he was now sitting on a chair watching his father teach his disciples. His ever so gentle mother sat beside him reading a book.

I am back? Or is this a dream?

"What's wrong Leo?"

Seeing him in a daze his mother asked. Leo looked at his mom and shook his head.

"It nothing mom."

His mother was curious but still went back to her reading. Leo didn't know why he was here again, this memory was quite special to him.

Every year, on his birthday his father would perform all the forms of their inheritance.

The Dragon-Tiger Sword.

Leo watched as his father performed each form step by step. He could easily name every form and know what kind of precise movements were needed for it's execution. After the last form was done everything around him started to fade away.

Opening his eyes again he was greeted by that familiar ceiling. Medicine aroma drifted through the room, struggling to sit up he saw old man Akira busy himself inside the kitchen.

His body was covered in bandages and he felt weak all over, but he was alive. Akira came in with a bowl of hit soup and sat down. Seeing Leo's eyes he sighed.

"I know you have a lot of questions, so ask away."

Leo asked away, "What was that thing? "

Akira gave him the bowl of soup and said calmly

"You should have already guessed, that was a demon."

Taking a deep breath Leo calmed down, "Demons exist? And who are you old man? You killed it so easily."

"Demons have existed for over a thousand years. They are cruel, vicious creatures that feed on humans. A lot of innocent lives have been lost to them, more than you could imagine. As time passed some humans rose up against this evil.

Such people fought against this evil for centuries, keeping it at bay. These people are called Demon Slayers."