The morning sun rose soft and golden over Shells Village, gilding the rooftops with warmth. The air still carried the scent of last night's festival: roasted fish, sweet sake, and woodsmoke from the fire that had burned until dawn.
Zoro stood near the edge of the dirt road where a open carriage large enough to carry 6 people had been prepared for Kagaya and Amane, this was the carriage they had been traveling with . His swords were at his hip again held by his haramaki , their familiar weight grounding him after the chaos of the night before. He still bore a few scratches not from his fight with Morgan but from the relentless attacks Helmeppoput him through when he was tied to that pole. His eyes—bright, sharp, restless—were clear with determination and he had a large smile on his face
The villagers crowded close, their faces alight with gratitude. Farmers pressed baskets of fruit into Amane's hands—plums, pears, and persimmons carefully wrapped in cloth. A group of children shyly tugged at Zoro's sleeve before placing a bundle of rice balls in his palm.
"Thank you, Zoro!" one of them cried, grinning. "You're amazing!"
"Come back to visit next time !"
"When you finally become the greatest swordsman we'll hold a great feast in your name !"One of the villagers said
Zoro scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Tch. Don't make a big deal out of it. I just cut down the idiot who needed cutting."
The villagers only laughed, their fear finally replaced with relief. For one night at least, the shadow of Morgan had lifted, and hope had returned to their homes even if it was just for a while.
Kagaya bowed gently to the crowd, his robes whispering as he moved. His presence was serene, yet commanding, and the villagers quieted instinctively.
"Your kindness humbles us," he said softly. "May your fields grow rich, your children strong, and your nights free of shadows."
Amane smiled as she added, "You have given us more than food—you've given us your trust. We will carry it with us."
The villagers bowed deeply in return as the small caravan began to move. Zoro inside the open carriage Kagaya and Amane had come in , swords resting on his shoulders and chewing on one of the rice balls as he cast one last glance at the village. He didn't say it aloud, but he felt it—a tug deep in his chest. For the first time, he had fought not just for himself, but for people who believed in him.
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The road stretched long and quiet once they left the village. The fields gave way to forest, the morning breeze cool beneath the rustling leaves. For a time, the only sound was the creak of the carriage and the footstepsof the horse carrying it fourth.
Then Zoro's voice rang out
"Kagaya tell me more about the demon slayer corps and demons. I've only seen a demon once in my life and I was only a child and a spectator then . My sensei was the one who killed the demon "
There was a pause, long enough that even the horse and its operator seemed to be paying attention. (A/N:The person operating the carriage is one of the Kakashi but not wearing their usual uniform in order to not draw any attention to them )
"Demons were once human. Men and women, just like us. But their blood was corrupted—twisted—by the one we call the First Demon. His name is Muzan Kibutsuji."
At that, the forest seemed to grow colder, as if the very name carried a shadow.
Zoro's brow furrowed. "The first…? You mean all demons come from this one guy?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing , all this time he had thought demons were natural and have always existed and thats he never actively pursued them cause he believed there would be no end to them
"Yes," Kagaya said softly. "Over a thousand years ago, Kibutsuji was consumed by fear of death. He sought strength, longevity… and found it in a curse. His body became eternal, but his heart became hollow. He gained power beyond human measure—but he lost the warmth of the sun. Now, his blood carries that curse, and anyone who takes it into themselves becomes a demon."
Amane's voice joined from the side of Kagaya , gentle but steady. "Demons gain immense strength, regeneration, and hunger. But that hunger can never be satisfied, for it is not the hunger of the stomach… it is the hunger of the void."
Zoro frowned, fingers brushing the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. "So they eat people… to keep living?"
When Zoro faced a demon with Koushirou, he never bothered asking questions or learning more about the demon because in his mind at the time demons had nothing to do with him becoming the greatest swordsman, so he thought
"They eat people to fill an emptiness that can never be filled," Kagaya corrected. His voice was serene, but beneath it was sorrow. "Their bodies heal from any wound, no matter how deep. Cut off an arm, it will grow back. Crush their skull, it will knit itself whole again. The only things that can truly kill them are sunlight… and the blades forged from scarlet ore. Nichirin blades "
Zoro looked down at his sword. His Wado Ichimonji—his treasure, his promise—gleamed faintly in the filtered light.
"Koushiro sensei once said that i can cut demons with my sword , does that mean my sword is a nichirin blade as well?"Zoro asked as he handed kagaya his sword so he can get a closer look. Kagaya held the wado ichimonji, he recognized the blade immediately but to be sure he opened it and saw Kanji engraved on the blade .
'Wado Ichimonji '
" Wado Ichimonji one of the 21 great grade blades , forged by a master craftsman from years ago . Yes this blade just like the other 20 great grade blades can cut demons because when it was forged , scarlet ore was used in the process " Kagaya said as he stared at the sword in amazement, truly a work of art . It was rare coming across these blades even in the corps since there were only 21 of them and Wado Ichimonji was still in great condition . The methods and what steel was used to craft these blades were lost in time . He passed the blade to Amane as she too wanted to see and hold the blade .
"Zoro , such a rare blade where did you get it "Amane asked as she handed the blade back to Zoro
"Well at first it was wielded by my childhood friend and rival , Shimotsuki Kuina . However she unfortunately passed after we made a promise that one of us would be the greatest swordsman. I asked her father who was also my teacher who taught me all about swords and swordsmanship to entrust me with the blade because of the promise I made . He entrusted me with the blade believing that I will one day fulfill my promise "
Amane looked at Zoro with great shock and admiration.
'So he came all this way just because of a promise, amazing ' Amane thought
"Zoro that is very admirable, I know and believe that you will fulfill your promises" Kagaya said with a serene voice and smile
"Of course I will , I would rather die than give up " "Zoro said with determination .
"Anyway back to what you were saying about the demons I mean "Zoro redirected the conversation
"if they were people once," Zoro asked after a moment, "why don't they fight it? Why don't they just… resist it?"
Kagaya's voice grew quieter. "Some try. Some weep even as they kill, some in fact kill themselves as they would rather die than be turned into a demon. But the blood is stronger than their will. And even the strongest spirit crumbles under the endless hunger , i have yet to see a demon overcome the blood of Muzan"
The forest fell silent. A lone cicada cried out, and then even that faded.
"Then why not just kill this Muzan Kibutsuji, wouldnt that just bring an end to all demons "Zoro asked
"We would and we are trying to but he is as elusive as anyone can get . The last time he was spotted was 400 years ago and since then he's never been spotted "Amane said in annoyance.
"400 yeats ago!? That long "
"Yes that long "Kagaya said .Zoro couldn't believe it . This made him realize that demons must have been around for a long time .
Zoro's jaw clenched. He wasn't the type to pity monsters. But something in Kagaya's words unsettled him, like a thread he couldn't quite cut through. Humans twisted into demons. A hunger without end. A man who spread his curse across centuries. Took away the dreams of unsuspecting people . It rubbed him the wrong way .
Finally, Kagaya's tone shifted—not heavy, but resolute.
"That is why the Corps exists. We are not hunters of demons, Zoro. We are liberators of souls—fighting monsters who were once our brothers and sisters. We dont fight without a direction , we fight with the means to an end , we exist with the sole reason to end all demons "
"My dream Zoro is for our generation to be the ones who end Muzan once and for all." Kagaya said with determination as he stared ahead
For the first time, Zoro didn't have a quick reply. He only tightened his grip on Wado's hilt, eyes fixed forward as though staring at a future he had yet to reach.
"If thats your dream then its my job to make sure you archive it , looks like i got a lot of work waiting for me "Zoro said with a smirk . Kagaya and Amane smiled , Zoro was indeed a great addition to their ranks
"Since you're the leader of the demon slayer corps , shouldn't you have alot of security with you ?" Zoro asked having long noted that there was no one following them in the shadows so the only other person was the carriage operator .
"That is how it should be , however we going to the Capital to see the new shogun and we didn't want to attract attention to ourselves " Amane said
"There's a new shogun ?"Zoro asked
"Yes , his name is Kurozumi Orochi"
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Crazy right your thoughts on the chapter