A man stood right in front of Jin's house, silently observing the graves of three people.
He had long blonde hair with flame-red tips, with fiery bangs resting on his shoulders.
He wore a uniform with a white-collared shirt, the kanji for Destroy engraved on the back, along with a white haori patterned with yellow and red flames. A long sword hung at his waist.
His expression was solemn.
Two more individuals wearing the same uniform appeared and knelt before him.
"Rengoku-sama, we have sent the bodies to the corps and searched the perimeter, but there is no trace of the boy. The demon must have taken him away."
"Go back and report to Master. This demon is highly ranked—I will track it down."
"Um, Rengoku-sama…"
"Hm?"
"Someone robbed the bodies of our fallen brothers. We didn't find their swords, and even their money pouches are missing."
"Bandits?"
He paused briefly.
"Return to your post immediately and alert nearby city authorities about the possibility of a demon attack."
Both cadets bowed and disappeared into the forest.
'Two Hinoe-ranked swordsmen died… this means there is a possibility that the Demon Moons are making a move.'
'But this is strange… high-ranking demons usually don't attack ordinary families.'
With a flash of fire, Rengoku vanished.
-
The sun had already set, and Asakusa town was bustling with life. Families walked around, shopping, eating, and enjoying their evening.
On a bench at the side of the street, a young boy sat quietly with a bowl of udon in his hands. He had messy silver hair, yellow eyes, and pale skin. He wore a grey kimono with a deep green haori and a shawl wrapped around his neck.
'Everyone looks so carefree and cheerful… something I rarely saw in my previous life.'
Jin continued eating, but suddenly, a bell started ringing.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
People began rushing back home, and shopkeepers hurriedly closed their shops.
Confused, Jin approached the udon shop owner, who was also packing up.
"Excuse me, can you tell me what this alarm means? Why is everyone leaving?"
"Oh! You don't know about the alarms? Are you from the mountains or something?"
"Well… I am from the mountains. This is my first time hearing it."
Jin scratched his head awkwardly.
"Alright, I'll tell you. Whenever this alarm rings, it means there's a chance of some supernatural danger nearby. Special forces will arrive to patrol the streets, and all citizens must return home."
"Supernatural…?"
"Yes. And if you have more questions, ask another time—I'm leaving now."
The shopkeeper shut his store and joined the crowd heading home.
Jin returned to his bench, deep in thought.
'As far as I remember, normal people aren't aware of demons in the original world. Only those who encounter them know the truth.'
'But here… there's even a special force openly dealing with them.'
'This is not the same world.'
Within an hour, the lively town turned completely silent.
Soon, footsteps echoed in the distance.
A group of around fifteen soldiers entered the city in an organized formation. They wore demon slayer uniforms, swords at their waists—
—but what shocked Jin was that they also carried guns on their backs.
Jin's expression stiffened.
'This is completely different… my knowledge of the original story is useless here.'
'Demon slayers with guns… working with authorities… great, just great.'
'What next? Muzan running the corps?'
Lost in his thoughts, Jin didn't notice a cadet approaching him.
"Hey kid, why are you still here? Didn't you hear the alarm? Go back home."
Jin looked at him and gave a bitter smile.
"I'm a traveler… I don't have a home right now."
The cadet's expression softened with understanding.
"Listen, if you don't have money, head to our safe house. It's for people without homes—you can stay there until morning."
He pointed ahead.
"See that temple to the north? You'll find it there."
"Thank you for your help, sir."
The cadet nodded and returned to his squad.
Jin began walking toward the temple.
'If I want to survive in this world, I need to train.'
'And for that, I need a master… someone who can teach me breathing techniques.'
'But how do I approach them?'
'And that demon… the one who killed the previous owner…'
'That single punch created a hole in his chest.'
'I don't recognize it. It's not one of the Twelve Moons… and I've never seen it in the story.'
As he walked further, the streets became eerily quiet.
The temple was located at the edge of the city.
After taking a few turns, Jin felt something was wrong.
Even if the streets were empty, there should still be some noise from nearby houses.
But there was nothing.
Complete silence.
He slowly unsheathed his sword.
Step by step, he moved forward, his anxiety rising.
Suddenly—
His instincts screamed.
He turned instantly and swung his sword with all his strength.
*Clang!
Something collided with his blade with overwhelming force.
Jin was sent flying and crashed into a nearby wall.
"Kekekekeke…"
"I'm surprised you managed to block that."
"You'll be my last prey tonight… kekeke…"
Jin tried to stand but failed.
'I think… some of my bones are definitely broken.'
He looked ahead—
And froze.
Standing a short distance away was a grotesque humanoid monster.
It had no face.
Its muscles were fully exposed, and there was a gaping hole where its stomach should have been.
'…I don't even want to know how that thing is talking.'
Jin forced himself up, gripping his sword as he stepped back.
But the monster didn't chase him.
It simply stood there… laughing.
After retreating a few hundred meters, Jin suddenly stumbled.
He looked up—
And his face turned pale.
A barrier surrounded the area.
He was trapped.
The monster slowly approached, its arms morphing into sharp blades.
'I'm… screwed, aren't I?'