บท 5: 5- Uncompromising

Nade journey through the trap-filled forest was rough, but it gave him some much needed training with his already surhuman capabilities.

Sure at the start, he ate many stones and bamboo trees to the face. But since he could see them, he ended his journey able to evade or outright block them with his axe.

His own speed and strength that left him in awe was maybe the only positive and enjoyable thing since he was kidnapped.

It gave him hope for the future.

~~~~~

Arriving back at the hut, Nade found himself even more pleased when he noticed that he was the first arrived. And he was just a bit winded.

"Your body is strong, stronger than Tanjirou by quite a margin... But you appear not as fit as him. Why is that?"

As Nade entered the wooden shack. Sakonji, leaning against a wall and keeping an eye on Nezuko, asked him suddenly.

"As Tanjirou and you have your sensible nose. I have my body. But the truth is that I couldn't say even if I wanted." Was the only thing Nade answered as he sat on the ground to catch his breath.

...

"Very well, you pass. Now let us wait for your companion." Staying silent for bit, Sakonji grunted and went back to watch over Nezuko.

However, Nade didn't even register that the old man was talking as a unexpected system window suddenly appeared before his face.

[Event Quest: Water pillar trial completed!

Description: You have attracted the interest of the Water Hashira and he has set out to judge if you are worthy of his teachings!

Objective: Find your way back to Sakonji home before Sunset!

Bonus objective: Find your way back before Tanjirou Kamado!

Rewards: 1 Level, 1 Low-Grade Growth Pill.

Bonus Reward: Perk {Directional Awareness}.

Punishements in case of failure: Rejection from the water Hashira and Failure of the if you can't beat them, join them... quest!

+1 Level

+ 1 Low-Grade Pill

+ {Directional Awareness} Perk]

'AL, why wasn't I made aware of this event quest?' Happy from the rewards but exasperated by not knowing that there was even a quest for the trial in the first place. Nade demanded of his system assistant, which he had named AL since it was more conveniant than assistant.

"The system deigned not neccessary to inform the user of event quests since they were deemed Superfluous as they concerns the immediate situation around the user at all time. Additionally, an event quest is only created in the case stakes are present for the user."

'Superfluous? Stakes?'

Nade frowned, so an event quest would be created only when something special in which he had stakes in was happening. Like the trial.

In hindsight, maybe this was why there had been no quest for killing or deafeating the low-class demon at the shrine. Since Tanjirou would have defeated him all by himself anyway.

Placing his two gained stats In DEX, Nade couldn't help but think that his system was strange. There was something about it all that certainly didn't add up.

Shaking his head, he choose to read the effect of the pill and perk he received.

[ Low Grade Growth Pill (consumable): Double the reward of Daily Quests for a day and hasten the synchronization between the user body and his stats.]

[{Directional Awareness}: Enable the user a feeling for the cardinal points at all time and the gives the capacity to pinpoint the direction of a place already visited. Also gives the user a natural proficiency at reading maps.]

Nade was impressed, the pill was great, and the perk extremelly useful. With it, he would never get lost again.

Despite all his gains and the relatively good day, Nade couldn't help but feel dread crawling up his back all of a sudden.

And his reaction was indeed on point as it seemed his tutorial phase was over.

[WARNING! EMERGENCY TIMED QUEST: FEED! CREATED!

Description: The Lady is left on her hunger at yours and yours collegues poor performance. She entered a Feeding Frenzy. Feed her or be eaten.

Objective: Collect and feed a collective Pool of 10000 souls to the Lady with your fellow 500 trial takers.

Rewards: The top rankers will be rewarded according to their contributions.

Punishment: The last rankers and those having a contribution of 100 or less souls will be eaten.

Time remaining: 1 week.]

Panicking and with his eyes opened wide, Nade jumped to his feet.

"I have to go, I'm sorry. I'll be back in one week or not at all." Bowing toward Sakonji, Nade bolted out of the house. His heart thundering through his chest.

"Young one, what nonsense are you saying now? Why so much fear and despair?" Unfortunately, Sakonji wasn't taking it as the old man suddenly blocked his path.

Surprised and driven by emotion, Nade face's contorted as he currently saw Sakonji as interfering with his chances of survival.

"YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND, OUT OF MY WAY OLD MAN!" Roaring with tears in his eyes, Nade simply didn't care and slashed the old man with his axe at full strength, the weapon whistling through the air.

Hitting nothing but air, Nade stumbled as Sakonji had sided stepped him at the last moment.

"Very well... I do not know what heavy burden you bear in your heart, nor what sort of nightmarish situation you are in to push you to such an extent. But nevertheless, I wish you well on whatever task you seems to have. I hope you truly come back to me in one week."

After regaining his balance, Nade didn't stop to run straight away from the mountain. Only faintly hearing Sakonji's words over the rushing wind.

"Please don't die, my apprentice."

These last mumbled words, Nade did not hear.

—————

Run, run and run. That was what Nade was doing.

For what purpose? Nade himself didn't know.

It was with this realisation that he slowed down, hand tight on his axe.

Entering a town, Nade mindlessly looked as the villagers went about their lives.

Now that he had calmed down a little and had the composure to analyze the demonic quest. He noticed that it was even worse that he initially thought.

100 souls to live, 500 trial takers, and a 10 thousand goal. For everyone to reach the minimum to live, it would take 50 souls. It was inevitable for many people to not even reach 100 souls before the quest ended.

"That quest... It's nothing short of a culling." Nade clenched his fists, awfully aware that his survival would doom another.

It was not even speaking about the time limit. If they didn't reach the goal in time, would they all die?

No. The more pressing matter was...

How would he even reach three hundreds kills?

Unconsciously, his gaze fleeted to a middle-aged woman washing clothes using a bassin of water.

Should he?

Gritting his teeth, Nade smashed the dangerous thought into spleetereens.

He was sure that's what she wanted.

And he would never give it to her.

No matter how futile this resistance was in the end, he would not compromise himself.

No matter how magically she changed his personality, he would not bend.

Finding a seat on a restaurant terrace, Nade fell in thought.

But then, how could he survive?

Even if say, a low-grade demon soul counted for two souls even in this kind of quest. He would have to kill 50 of them. It would be impossible to find such a number in a short time, let alone kill them all that quickly.

It was as if everything was pushing him to slaughter innocents.

While he was ruminating, he caught something from the corner of his eyes. It was a middle aged man seemingly walking normally toward whatever his destination was.

But from his far away position, Nade could see that he was suspiciously tailing a young girl walking multiple pace before him. And the subtle gazes he was sending her sometime was not something that escaped Nade's attention now that he was scrutinizing the man.

Standing up and beggining to walk toward far away duo, soon enough the hesitation and apprehension that was formerly present in Nade's eyes were replaced with determination and fiery wrath.

—————

"NO! PLE-"

"Shhhhh~ don't scream. You'll see, soon enough. Your big brother will make you feel good~ Also, if the thought of talking about this somehow occur to you. Remember on who your father's job is relying on." A lewd and shrewd laughs resounded in an isolated alley.

In the entrance of this valley, a shadow was watching. But it had already seen enough.

Clenching the handle of his axe so hard that his knuckle became white. Nade stomped into the alley loudly, making his presence known to its current tenants.

"Eh? Who are you? Never saw you In town before. Well, don't matter. Go away stranger, this doesn't concern you. Her family owe me quite a lot, and I'm just recolting my due."

Not detered but instead even more angered, Nade accelerated his pace.

"Didn't you hear me? I said go away." Unrelenting, the middle-aged man that had gone back to his business after throwing a short initial glance at Nade frowned and sent another gaze at Nade. Freezing as Nade's kimono fluttered and let him get a glance of what he held in his hand.

"H-hey now, what are you doing with this axe? T-th-there's no need to come to th-that." Stuttering, the middle aged man stood up and backed away from the girl, his hands in the air before him.

"I got it, see? I'm letting her alone."

Seeing Nade not stopping in his track, the middle aged man paled.

The alley they were in was a dead end, so the man had nowhere to flee.

As Nade reached the four meters mark from him the man fell to his knee and began to beg and cry.

"I'M SORRY! I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN! PLEASE HAVE MER-"

*THUD*

The man' body fell to the ground, his eyes wide in disbelief as his throat was split open.

"You should have listened to her pleads if you wanted my mercy."