Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.
The Pillars, usually scattered on missions, were gathered, a rare assembly of the elite, a silent council of war in a time of growing crisis.
They waited, their faces grim, their bodies tense, a storm brewing beneath their stoic calm, a sense of foreboding that hung heavy in the air.
Then, a young man walked out of the room, his face scarred, his presence radiating a quiet strength, a leader forged in the crucible of pain. A beautiful woman walked beside him, her gentle presence a counterpoint to his somber air, a beacon of hope in a world of darkness.
"You've all come. I'm glad we can gather again for the Pillar Meeting."
His voice was calm, steady, a soothing balm against the tension in the air, a gentle hand guiding them through the storm. It held a subtle rhythm, a hypnotic cadence that eased the mind, a leader's voice that commanded respect without demanding it.
The Pillars knelt, a silent show of respect, a warrior's oath sworn in blood, a pledge of loyalty to their leader.
"We greet Oyakata-sama!"
"May Oyakata-sama be well!"
"..."
Their voices echoed in the courtyard, a chorus of devotion, a testament to the man who led them through the darkness, a fragile shield against the encroaching night.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat, his movements slow, deliberate, his face turned towards the sky, a silent communion with the heavens, a connection to a world beyond human comprehension. He smiled, a gentle curve of his lips, a fleeting glimpse of the warmth within, a fragile promise of hope. "Let us begin."
The Pillar Meeting was held every six months, a gathering of the elite, a council of war in the shadows. The participants were the Pillars, the strongest swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps, and the head of the Ubuyashiki family, the leader of their hidden war, the architect of their desperate struggle.
They discussed the movements of demons, the actions of Muzan Kibutsuji, the training of the next generation, the balance of power within the Corps, a constant struggle to maintain their strength against the overwhelming darkness, a desperate fight for survival.
Time flowed, marked by the measured cadence of their voices, the weight of their shared burden, the silent ticking of a clock counting down to their doom.
The meeting was nearing its end. Kagaya Ubuyashiki spoke, his voice a low murmur that drew their attention back to the present, a subtle shift in tone that hinted at the gravity of what was to come. "Besides these matters, there is one final item on the agenda. It concerns a unique demon!"
"A unique demon?"
Many Pillars frowned, a flicker of curiosity in their eyes, a hint of unease disturbing their calm, a ripple of unease in the carefully controlled waters of their world.
Sound Pillar Uzui Tengen tossed his hair, a flamboyant gesture that couldn't quite mask the tension in his voice, a desperate attempt to maintain his composure. "A unique demon? Oyakata-sama, is it one of the Twelve Kizuki?"
"Not one of the Twelve Kizuki."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki shook his head, his voice gentle but firm, a pronouncement that defied easy categorization, a mystery that demanded their attention. "For now, we will call him 'Aomura.'"
He paused, a silent emphasis on the name, a weight of unspoken meaning hanging in the air, a phantom presence that haunted their thoughts.
"Aoki first appeared last November, on Mt. Fujikasane."
"Mt. Fujikasane?"
A murmur rippled through the Pillars, a wave of surprise and unease, a collective intake of breath. Even the most stoic among them showed a flicker of shock, a disturbance in their carefully constructed world.
The mountain was a sacred place, a training ground for new slayers, a haven protected by wisteria, a sanctuary violated by the darkness. What could a demon want there?
Wind Pillar Sanemi's face was cold, his eyes narrowed, a predator scenting danger, a warrior bracing for a fight. "I remember that time. There was a mass die-off of demons on Mt. Fujikasane." His voice was low, a growl barely contained, a hint of the rage that burned within him.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken fear, a shared understanding of the darkness that lurked beneath the surface. "At the time, we couldn't determine the cause. Now, we believe Aoki was responsible."
The Pillars were more curious now, their minds racing, piecing together the puzzle, trying to make sense of the impossible, searching for a pattern in the chaos.
Demons fought each other. It was a brutal truth of their world, a constant struggle for survival in the shadows.
But demons didn't kill each other easily. They lacked Nichirin Blades. They had incredible regeneration. It took a force of nature to destroy another demon, a power that defied human comprehension.
How had Aoki killed dozens of demons in a month?
What was his purpose?
What was he?
Kagaya Ubuyashiki didn't explain. He held the answers close, revealing them slowly, a master strategist controlling the flow of information, a conductor leading a symphony of dread. "Our first confirmed sighting of Aoki was when he left Mt. Fujikasane."
Sanemi couldn't contain himself. "Oyakata-sama, forgive my rudeness. Left Mt. Fujikasane? It's covered in wisteria. How did he get out?" His voice was sharp, demanding, a warrior's impatience with the unknown, a desperate need for answers in a world of shadows.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice remained gentle, a soothing balm against the rising tension, a beacon of calm in the storm. "Aoki had prepared special clothing, something that blocked the wisteria. Also, Aoki likely wasn't captured and brought to Mt. Fujikasane. He probably went there willingly."
The pieces were falling into place, a terrifying picture taking shape, a glimpse into a world beyond their understanding.
Aoki had gone to Mt. Fujikasane to kill demons. He was strong. He was different.
He was a force to be reckoned with.
"On the night Aoki left Mt. Fujikasane," Kagaya Ubuyashiki continued, his voice a low murmur that drew them closer, "something else happened. Lower Moon Six and Lower Moon Four appeared at the base of the mountain."
A gasp rippled through the Pillars, a collective intake of breath, a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation.
"They were there for Aoki."
The web was growing, the threads of fate drawing them all together, a deadly dance with a hidden puppeteer.
"There was no contact. They fought.
We don't know the details. But Aoki survived."
The Pillars nodded, a silent acknowledgment of his power, a grudging respect for his skill.
He could fight two Lower Moons. He was a threat.
It confirmed their suspicions.
"Our second confirmed sighting was last month."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki glanced at Kocho Kanae, a silent cue in their shared dance, a subtle shift in the spotlight.
Kocho Kanae spoke, her voice soft, but clear, a gentle counterpoint to the harsh realities they faced. "On the night of December 17th, a Kasugai Crow saw demons fighting on Mt. Natagumo. One of them was Aoki."
She paused, a subtle emphasis on the name, a weight of unspoken questions hanging in the air.
"The crow saw Aoki defeat another demon. Then, he used some method to devour it!"
"Devour?"
The Pillars exchanged glances, a flicker of unease in their eyes, a silent acknowledgment of the monstrous nature of their enemy.
"Aoki's hand touched the demon. Then, the body vanished. That's the crow's description. I believe he devoured it."
Kocho Kanae spoke, her voice calm, but her words were a bombshell, a violation of the natural order, a glimpse into a power they couldn't comprehend.
The Pillars absorbed the information, their minds racing, trying to make sense of the impossible, searching for a pattern in the chaos, a desperate attempt to understand the darkness they faced.
So, Aoki had gone to Mt. Fujikasane to eat demons.
What was his purpose?
Could he grow stronger by devouring his own kind?
"Can we confirm the demon's death?" Uzui Tengen asked, his voice sharp, a warrior demanding proof, a need for certainty in a world of shadows.
"We can," Kocho Kanae said, nodding. "I went to Mt. Natagumo. I found signs of battle. I didn't find any demons except Aoki. They're dead."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki added, "Our investigation showed the demons on Mt. Natagumo were led by Lower Moon Five. There were about five of them."
The Pillars reacted, each in their own way, their faces reflecting a mixture of awe and unease, a silent acknowledgment of the power they faced.
Himejima Gyomei clasped his hands, a silent prayer for guidance in the darkness, a plea for strength in the face of the storm.
Kocho Kanae's words were a whisper, a fragile hope against the darkness, a desperate plea for understanding.
Sanemi's face was grim, his eyes narrowed, a predator scenting danger, a warrior bracing for a fight.
The others were silent, their thoughts hidden behind masks of composure, their emotions carefully controlled.
Aoki had killed Lower Moon Five. He'd killed other demons.
It should be good news.
But it wasn't.
They couldn't celebrate.
They couldn't trust it.
They hadn't forgotten. Aoki could devour demons. He could grow stronger.
He might have conquered the sun.
If he was a monster, he was a monster unlike any they'd faced, a force of nature they couldn't comprehend, a threat that dwarfed the Lower Moons.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice was serious, a gentle command that cut through the tension, a leader guiding his warriors through the storm. "I want everyone to watch Aoki.
If you see him hurting humans, engage. Otherwise, don't provoke him. Do you understand?"
He was walking a tightrope, balancing the need for information with the threat he posed, a delicate dance with a dangerous force.
Sanemi frowned. "Oyakata-sama, we can't trust a demon!" His voice was a growl, a warrior's distrust of the darkness, a visceral rejection of the unnatural.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice was gentle, a soothing balm against the storm, a beacon of calm in a world of chaos. "That's why we need more information, Sanemi. Isn't it?"
Sanemi fell silent, his anger barely contained, a warrior struggling to accept the wisdom of his leader.
The Pillars exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them, a shared burden of responsibility.
They didn't trust Aoki. They never would.
But they'd follow Oyakata-sama's orders.
For now.
They had to learn more. They had to be ready.
They had to survive.
Kocho Kanae had said Aoki could vanish, a power she couldn't sense, a skill that defied their understanding.
Kanae was one of their strongest.
If she couldn't sense him, what chance did they have?
---
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