บท 16: Chapter 16

A cock's crow reverberated through the now silent Hono Mura, signalling the break of dawn.

As the sun rose in the sky, the demons had already fled, seeking shelter far away from the vicinity of the village.

Witnessing the defeat of their creator, Muzan, had instilled a deep fear within them.

Most of the village houses lay in ruins, remnants of the devastating battle.

The survivors cautiously emerged from their hiding spots, their hearts filled with trepidation.

It was Saburo, a brave villager, who ventured out first, calling out to find any loved ones or fellow villagers who had survived the onslaught.

Hana and her siblings, who had taken refuge in a dry well, awoke to the voices of the other survivors.

Slowly and carefully, Hana climbed out of the well, her eyes scanning the surroundings to ensure that the demons were truly gone, and this wasn't a trick orchestrated by them.

"Hana, is that you?" a villager who spotted her sneaking around called out. They both stared at each other warily, assessing each other's intentions.

After a moment, they realized that they were not demons but fellow survivors.

In time, all the survivors gathered together, their hearts heavy with grief for the lives lost. However, amidst the mourning, tensions ran high as emotions spilled over.

One villager turned her anger towards Hana, blaming her for her mother's transformation into a demon and the subsequent death of her son.

Another villager interjected, trying to stop the attack, defending Hana and reminding everyone that each person had lost someone dear to them.

The blame game escalated when another villager pointed out that the attacker's husband had also turned into a demon, leading to the death of their daughter.

Chaos erupted among the survivors as blame and anger fueled their actions.

Sensing the danger, Hana swiftly moved her siblings and the other surviving children away from the commotion, protecting them from harm while the adults fought amongst themselves.

Just as the infighting seemed like it would spiral out of control, a group of people riding on horses arrived in the village.

The group introduced themselves as members of the Ubuyashiki family, expressing their curiosity about the events that had unfolded.

After hearing an account of what had transpired from the villagers, the Ubuyashiki members were stunned.

They had followed Muzan's trail to this village, expecting to find a gruesome scene with no survivors.

Muzan had always silenced any witnesses to his deeds, either by killing them outright or turning them into demons.

Yet, here they were, faced with people who had survived.

According to the villagers, some dog-like creature fought all the demons including Muzan and made him retreat.

Realizing the significance of this, the Ubuyashiki members offered the villagers various options for their future settlement.

It was no longer safe for them to remain in the ruined village, as they risked being attacked again, either by Muzan, his demons or the unknown creature that had forced him to flee.

Unanimously, the villagers agreed to relocate, seeking refuge and safety.

However, one question lingered in the minds of the Ubuyashiki family.

Why had Muzan come to this particular village and asked for the strange boy named Ginryu?.

The villagers' accounts provided no clear answer, leaving them puzzled and intrigued.

Some members speculated that Ginryu might have been the mysterious creature who had faced off against Muzan.

While some believed him to be the mountain god's incarnation, but with no concrete evidence or clues, it remained a mystifying enigma.

And so, the villagers prepared to leave their shattered homes behind, embarking on a new journey guided by the Ubuyashiki family.

They carried with them their grief, their hopes, and the lingering question of the boy named Ginryu and his connection to the fearsome battle that had taken place in their village.

A distance away from the village, Hana turned back, her gaze filled with lingering hope that her childhood friend, Ginryu, somehow survived the devastation.

Since she was just a child, she couldn't voice her opinion in front of the adults who were grappling with their own emotions.

Nonetheless, deep within her, she carried a steadfast belief that Ginryu played a crucial role in their survival, protecting them in some unexplainable way.

With faith in this, Hana felt a need to leave a clue for Ginryu, a signpost that would guide him to their whereabouts if he ever returned.

Something about him seemed significant to their survival, and Hana wanted to ensure that he knew they were safe.

But her determination didn't end there. She had discovered the name of the enemy who had ravaged their lives, and she made a solemn vow to do whatever it took to stop him.

However, Hana's immediate priority was finding her mother and preventing her from causing any further harm.

With this resolution firmly in mind, she marched alongside the other villagers, her steps driven by the embers of her newfound goal, silently burning within her.

The weight of the past clung to her consciousness, ensuring that she would never forget the horrors that unfolded in their village.

The memories would remain etched in her heart for the rest of her life, guiding her every action as she fought for justice and redemption.

.......................

The year was 812 of the Heian era calendar. It had been the year that a ten-year-old boy named Ginryu had achieved the unthinkable — he defeated Muzan, the demon progenitor.

However, Ginryu's victory came at a price. After the battle, he fell into a deep hibernation, a sleep that lasted for centuries.

Now in the year 1359, the Muromachi era had just begun. Ashikaga Yoshiakira had been crowned shogun, after prevailing over his brother in a fierce battle for supremacy.

While the world moved forward, Muzan, filled with rage and humiliation from his defeat, searched relentlessly for Ginryu.

He refused to believe that the young monster, could have perished from the ravages of time. Muzan's demons scoured the lands, forever on the lookout, never letting their guard down.

Muzan had also pursued the survivors of the fateful village incident that took place 547 years ago. He hunted down their descendants, seeking revenge for his defeat.

However, the survivors had scattered and hidden themselves away, knowing the danger that lurked in the shadows.

Meanwhile, deep within his hibernation, Ginryu stirred awake. Slowly opening his eyes, he was greeted with a squelching sound.

Panic surged through him as he realized he was trapped within a damp, fleshy enclosure.

Summoning all his strength, Ginryu fought his way out, breaking free from the strange prison.

Weakness washed over him as he emerged, disoriented and struggling to adjust to his surroundings.

With a sense of vulnerability, he questioned aloud, "Ugh, how long was I asleep?"

The cave he now found himself in was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult to navigate.

Using the cave walls for support, Ginryu stumbled towards the cave's entrance, which he had previously collapsed to conceal his presence.

His hands explored the rubble, and Ginryu understood the arduous task that lay before him.

Determined, he painstakingly cleared the debris, creating an opening to venture through.

Rays of sunlight filtered into the cave, urging him to proceed with caution.

Curiosity compelled him to consult his system panel, searching for any debuff associated with sunlight vulnerability.

After all, he had consumed Muzan's flesh, which carried its own weaknesses.

To his surprise, instead of finding any sensitivity to sunlight, Ginryu's eyes widened at a shocking revelation displayed on the system panel — his age.

It indicated that he was now 557 years old, a significant leap from the ten-year-old boy he had been before his long slumber.

Overwhelmed by this revelation, Ginryu couldn't help but bellow in dismay, "What the hell happened to me?"

Just as confusion consumed him, a system notification interrupted his thoughts.

"[Host is required to set system preferences before proceeding]," the notification rang in his head.

Perplexed, Ginryu asked, "What does that mean?"

The system replied, "[Answer to query: The system is designed to be user-friendly and interactive. The host is required to set system gender, personality, display preferences, and more. Please configure the settings according to your liking.]"

Listening to the system's explanation, Ginryu quickly grew tired of the information overload. Interrupting, he said, "I get it now, please stop."

Refocusing his attention, Ginryu searched for the settings icon within the translucent HUD displayed before him.

With precision, he configured the system settings to his liking, ensuring everything suited his needs. Mentally, he pressed the accept button.