"Who are you!"
Swish!
Crimson eyes snapped open, immediately met with darkness and a stifling sense of confinement.
Shinichi instinctively began to struggle.
Rip!
The black tarp was torn apart by a pair of sharp claws and under Ryukawa Chinatsu horrified gaze, a demon emerged from within.
The moment light returned to his vision, Shinichi scarlet eyes instantly locked onto the two humans and one dog not far from him in the room.
The old man from the Demon Slayer Corps—Hmm, they'd cooperated before when dealing with the Twelve Kizuki.
The woman in the blue kimono—dont know her, but she seemed to be trembling.
And that wagging tail definetely Maru-ni...
Wait! Maru-ni!
The guarded look in Shinichi eyes instantly gave way to joy when he saw Elder Moriki didnt do anything to Maru-ni.
Thank goodness! Maru-ni was safe!
Meanwhile, Ryukawa Chinatsu was indeed trembling uncontrollably, just as Shinichi had observed.
Not that it was her fault—even though Elder Moriki had told her stories about demons before, this was her first time actually seeing one.
Whether it was the faint aura of danger radiating from Shinichi or his fanged, clawed appearance, she couldn't help but feel waves of terror from the depths of her heart.
But Shinichi paid no attention to her fear.
Instead, he crouched down and eagerly played with Maru-ni, rubbing the dog belly.
Unlike Chinatsu fear, Elder Moriki gaze was more scrutinizing, as if he were pondering something.
After interacting with Maru-ni for a while and ignoring the two humans, Shinichi finally relaxed.
He and Maru-ni shared a deep bond and from what he could sense, Maru was indeed healthy.
The vague impressions Maru-ni conveyed also told him these two weren't enemies—more like half-friends and it was the old man who had saved Maru-ni, using some strange... green light?
With that settled, Shinichi had no intention of staying.
Though the old man had saved Maru-ni, Shinichi had also helped the Demon Slayer Corps kill one of the Lower Moons.
They were even!
What bothered Shinichi more was the poorly concealed fear in Ryukawa Chinatsu eyes.
It reminded him that no matter what he did, in the eyes of humans, his fanged, clawed, monstrous appearance would always mark him as a terrifying demon—just like the two Demon Slayers he'd encountered on Shirai Mountain, who'd drawn their swords without hesitation.
Even if he understood their hatred for demons, understanding didn't make it any easier. From the moment he became a demon, an invisible line had been drawn between him and humanity.
"Maru-ni let's go" Shinichi called softly.
The little dog immediately barked twice in delight, then effortlessly leaped over a meter into the air, landing neatly on Shinichi shoulder.
Without another word, Shinichi turned and headed for the door.
Ryukawa Chinatsu stared in disbelief.
From start to finish, the guy Elder Moriki had brought back hadn't exchanged a single word with them—and now he was just leaving? She quickly looked to Elder Moriki.
But Elder Moriki remained perfectly calm, still studying Shinichi.
Only when Shinichi reached the door and grasped the handle did the old man finally speak.
"Young man, wait. Outside is broad daylight—the sun is shining brightly. There's no shade beyond this house."
Silence—
Shinichi slowly released the doorknob and turned his head, his previously calm crimson eyes now glinting with a dangerous light.
"Old man, what do you mean by that?" Shinichi bared his fangs slightly.
Elder Moriki remained unruffled, smiling as he replied.
"Nothing much, just a friendly reminder. Judging by your appearance, young man, I assume you wouldn't want to go sunbathing either?"
"Are you threatening me?" Shinichi expression darkened instantly. Being threatened didn't sit well with him.
"Old man, I'm grateful you saved Maru-ni, but I also helped your Demon Slayer Corps kill a Lower Moon demon. We're even now. I've told your people before that my goal is also to exterminate demons, but it seems your Demon Slayer Corps doesn't appreciate it."
"If that's how it is, then let's stay out of each other's way from now on. I don't want to be enemies with the Demon Slayer Corps, but that doesn't mean you can threaten me at will!"
The displeasure in Shinichi words was unmistakable.
Elder Moriki responded "Young man, don't misunderstand. This old man isn't threatening you. On the contrary, I have a request for you. Besides, I'm not actually part of the Demon Slayer Corps. Strictly speaking, I'm just a deserter."
"What?" Shinichi was taken aback.
A... deserter?
Ignoring Shinichi surprise, Elder Moriki continued in a somber tone.
"It's the nightmare of my life. Because of my own cowardice, so many of my comrades died. I don't deserve the name of the Demon Slayer and I've tarnished this Nichirin Blade."
"Young man, I truly have a request for you. I want you to inherit my Breathing Style, become a Demon Slayer and join the Demon Slayer Corps—to give this Nichirin Blade the honor it deserves."
As he spoke, Elder Moriki turned and grasped the emerald-green Nichirin Blade resting horizontally behind him.
Shinichi face was now a picture of utter confusion.
Wait, what had he just heard?
Inherit some Breathing Style and become a Demon slayer?
Who?
Who's becoming a Demon slayer? Me? A Demon become a Demon slayer Corps Member?
"Old man, you must be joking. Do you know what I am? I'm a demon! A demon! The very thing your Demon Slayer Corps wants to eradicate! And you're telling me, a demon, to join demon slayer corps? Have you lost your mind?"
Shinichi didn't mean to mock him, but Elder Moriki words were simply too absurd.
A demon becoming a Demon slayer? That's like asking a certain bear to be a lumberjack assistant for a certain bald man!
Yet Elder Moriki serious expression showed no sign of jest.
Seeing Shinichi still scoffing at him, he turned and instructed Ryukawa Chinatsu beside him.
"Chinatsu, go tell the kitchen to prepare some sweets and tea. Oh, and remind them to include those pastries called dorayaki."
Ryukawa Chinatsu gave a slight bow.
"Understood, Mitsuyo-sama." She then hurried out of the room in quick strides.
As Ryukawa Chinatsu opened the door, a blinding ray of sunlight slipped into the room.
Shinichi crimson pupils contracted slightly as he suppressed his discomfort.
It seemed the old man hadn't lied—outside was indeed high noon.
"Preparing tea? Old man, you're really pushing your luck. Do you realize you're provoking a demon here? After becoming a demon, I can't even drink water—let alone anything but human flesh!" Shinichi chuckled dryly.
Seeing that it was noon outside, he temporarily abandoned the idea of leaving with Maru-ni and decided to stay a little longer, waiting until sunset to depart.
"Not necessarily. Speaking of which, young man, you still haven't answered this old man—are you willing to help me pass down this Nichirin Blade?" Elder Moriki knelt formally on the tatami mat in the room, gesturing for Shinichi to sit as well.
But Shinichi wasn't accustomed to such formal seating and simply plopped down cross-legged, placing Maru-ni on his lap to play with.
"Wasn't my refusal clear enough? Asking me to become a swordsman—keep dreaming, old man!"
"Speaking of which, it should be about time now. Young man, you must be starting to feel unwell, aren't you?"
"What? Ugh!! No! You—!!"