In front of him were five vicious Berserk Demons. These creatures, normally notorious for their cruelty, were now fleeing in terror, their faces masks of sheer fright.
"Run for your lives!"
"This Demon Slayer is a complete lunatic!"
"Who's the real Berserk Demon here?!"
"I was wrong, please let me go..."
"Hmph, even if you beg, I'm not letting any of you go! Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!"
That white hurricane was none other than the Wind Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps: Shinazugawa Sanemi. The sharp, green Nichirin Sword was like an extension of his own arm. With a simple slash, a storm of sword qi howled forth, instantly engulfing the five Berserk Demons. The sound of a meat grinder followed immediately.
"Argh!"
"It hurts!"
"Save me..."
The five Berserk Demons could only let out agonized screams before being shredded into mincemeat by the sharp sword qi.
"Hmph, you scum actually know how to feel fear? Dying at my hands is the retribution you deserve!"
Even after slaying the Berserk Demons, Sanemi continued to curse. He sheathed his Nichirin Sword and snorted coldly.
"Fighting trash like this is a waste of my time. I want to fight enemies like the Twelve Kizuki. It would be even better if I could give that bastard Muzan a proper beating!"
"Amitabha. Do not underestimate the enemy, Shinazugawa."
As Sanemi vented his anger, a tall man dressed as a monk slowly stepped out from behind him. It was the Stone Hashira: Himejima Gyomei.
"Do not forget that just a few days ago, thirty of our comrades were brutally killed by Berserk Demons..."
"I know. Isn't that why we're here to investigate?" Sanemi nodded.
A week ago, thirty Demon Slayer swordsmen were slaughtered by a Berserk Demon. Only one swordsman named Kaigaku managed to flee back to the Corps in a wretched state to report the incident to the Master.
This news shocked Ubuyashiki Kagaya, and soon word spread that Berserk Demons were haunting Mount Aoki.
In a single night, nearly two hundred people from five or six nearby villages were completely wiped out. The slaughter continued, and the number of victims was still rising.
Upon receiving the news, Ubuyashiki Kagaya urgently dispatched Sanemi and Gyomei—who were closest to Mount Aoki—to investigate and ensure the total eradication of the Berserk Demons lurking in the area.
"According to the Master's speculation, the Berserk Demon on Mount Aoki is very likely the same one that murdered our comrades."
Himejima Gyomei pressed his palms together, two streaks of tears flowing slowly from his pupil-less eyes.
"Perhaps it ran out of people to eat in the town, so it came to Mount Aoki for food. Shinazugawa, we must be careful. In just half a month, that creature has devoured hundreds. Its strength must be terrifying!"
"Hmph, if I run into that guy, I'll use my Nichirin Sword to poke ten thousand holes in him..."
"Oh? Is that so? Then let's see just how much you're worth!"
"!!!"
Suddenly hearing an unfamiliar voice, both men were struck with horror. The source of the voice was right behind them, no more than a few centimeters away.
Like a ghost or a phantom, they hadn't sensed a thing until the person spoke.
And as the words were uttered, a thick, nauseating scent of blood flooded their nostrils, making it hard to breathe.
Almost instantly, they realized this was the Berserk Demon responsible for the massacres in the nearby villages. Its power was truly monstrous!
Bang!
Simultaneously, the two moved apart in a coordinated maneuver to keep their distance. Sanemi whipped his head around, but the moment he saw the enemy, his pupils dilated in shock.
"You! You're..."
"Shinazugawa, what's wrong? Who is the enemy?!" Gyomei shouted. Being blind, he could not see the intruder's face.
Staring at the figure, Sanemi gritted his teeth and roared maniacally, "The people here, and our comrades from the Corps... were they all killed by you? Ren!"
"Heh heh heh..."
At those words, the man's lips curled into a smirk as he spoke calmly.
"That's right."
The speaker was, naturally, Evernight disguised as Ren. As a clone of Ren, their appearance was virtually identical.
His goal was to sow discord and drive a wedge between Ren and the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Why?!"
Sanemi screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice bordering on hysterical. "Why would someone like you, who has slain so many of the Twelve Kizuki, a hero of the Corps, become a Berserk Demon? So many people looked up to you!"
"It's simple. I awakened the Demon Slayer Mark. Normally, I wouldn't live past twenty-five. To survive, I had to become a Berserk Demon, didn't I? As for those people you say looked up to me..."
At this point, Evernight's face twisted into a playful, mocking grin. "Those people were still questioning why I turned into a Berserk Demon right until they died! Watching their expressions in their final moments... it really was a treat. Hahahahaha!"
"You bastard! Ren, you're a subhuman beast! I'm going to take you down!"
Hearing Sanemi's heart-wrenching screams, Gyomei finally grasped the situation. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes again as he murmured, "To choose to become a Berserk Demon... how truly pitiful..."
"Hmph, the truly pitiful ones are you, because you won't live to see tomorrow's sun."
As he spoke, Evernight raised the bone blade at his waist.
Sanemi and Gyomei both drew their respective Nichirin Swords.
"Even if our bodies are destroyed, we will slay the Berserk Demon! Even if you were once our comrade!"
"Ren, die! Wind Breathing, Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind!"
Sanemi struck first. In an instant, he crossed dozens of meters like a violent gust of wind, arriving before Evernight and swinging his Nichirin Sword like a beast's claws.
His gale-like speed was dizzying, yet in Evernight's eyes, the speed Sanemi was so proud of was slower than a snail's pace.
"Then I shall grant your wish and destroy your bodies!"
Pfft!
The moment the words left his mouth, the sharp bone blade pierced Sanemi's abdomen. Intense pain surged through his body, halting his swing. His eyes bulged as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Cough... cough..."
Sanemi stared in disbelief at the bone blade buried in his gut.
He had always felt that although Ren was powerful, he wasn't that much stronger than himself—or at least, he wouldn't be completely defenseless.
But at this moment, Sanemi realized for the first time just how vast the gap between him and Ren really was.
No techniques, no wasted movements—just a single strike, a casual thrust, and he had been severely wounded!
Now, Sanemi's life was in Evernight's hands. His survival depended entirely on the demon's whim.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]