A faint, milky white glow painted the horizon. It spread quickly, flooding the sky, pushing back the darkness.
Then, the red sun leaped above the horizon, a fiery blade slicing through the last vestiges of night.
Kocho Shinobu looked up, her face thoughtful.
The sprawling mass of a city lay before her, a concrete jungle stretching to the horizon.
"Finally," she sighed, a mix of relief and trepidation in her voice.
This mission hadn't been hers originally.
But she was planning to visit Takina and Aomura Rie, and it was on the way. So, she'd taken it. A chance to do good, and see familiar faces.
The city air felt strange, unsettling.
A restless energy thrummed beneath the surface, a sense of unease that prickled her skin.
People weren't working. They gathered in groups, talking, their faces a shifting mask of anger and grim satisfaction.
Most of all, she kept hearing the word "demon."
Had the existence of demons become common knowledge in this city? Had the shadows finally spilled into the light?
Shinobu felt a flicker of curiosity, a need to understand. She decided to ask someone.
Then, she saw a girl walking towards her, her long pink braids a beacon in the crowd.
Shinobu stopped her. "Excuse me, what's happening here?"
The girl was about to answer. She saw Shinobu's uniform, her eyes widened. The words burst out.
"Are you a Demon Slayer?"
"You know about the Demon Slayer Corps?" Shinobu blinked, surprised.
Few people knew about demons and the Demon Slayer Corps. Had this girl had contact with them? Was she a survivor?
"I heard about it," the girl said.
Her face lit up, a sudden warmth that chased away the shadows. "Come to my house. I'll tell you everything."
"Okay," Shinobu said, smiling.
It was daytime. She couldn't hunt demons.
Meeting someone who knew about demons, someone who might help... It would save her time, and effort.
...
"What? There were no demons?"
Shinobu set down her teacup, her face stunned.
Kanroji Mitsuri nodded, her expression a mix of shock and lingering horror. "All the disappearances... It was the Fujita family and Fujita Steel."
The story had spread like wildfire. Everyone knew.
The disappearances had already made people nervous. Now, the truth was out. It had shaken the city to its core.
But what shocked her most was that Aomura had destroyed the hellhole, Yagihime Society.
"Aomura... What is he?" Shinobu murmured.
"Aomura is amazing," Mitsuri said, her voice soft, reverent. "He's kind, too!"
She added, "He told me about the Demon Slayer Corps."
"You know him?" Shinobu looked up, sharp.
Mitsuri said, "Aomura studied at a dojo near my house. We met, became friends." Her cheeks flushed pink, a memory of his smile warming her.
Shinobu thought. She stood. "I want to see this Yagihime Society."
"The police have it cordoned off," Mitsuri warned.
"It doesn't matter," Shinobu said, her voice firm.
Aomura wasn't a Demon Slayer. But he was strong. And those golden eyes... She suspected Aomura was a demon.
But demons didn't save people. Did they?
She had to see for herself.
Mitsuri gave her directions. Shinobu found Yagihime Society quickly. Police officers guarded the perimeter.
It wasn't a problem.
She slipped past them, a whisper in the wind. She found the hidden entrance.
Shinobu stepped inside. She froze.
The scene was a nightmare.
Blood stained everything. The floor, the walls, the ceiling... It was a crimson tide that had washed through the building.
The stench of blood filled her nostrils, a suffocating wave of death.
She walked further. Bodies lay scattered, broken and discarded. The scene was hell.
Shinobu's face was grim when she left.
She'd seen death. She'd seen horrors. But Yagihime Society had shaken her.
She hadn't forgotten her mission. But she hadn't found proof that Aomura was a demon.
There were bodies, but none had been eaten.
For humans, Yagihime Society was hell. For demons, it was paradise.
Could a demon resist the urge to feed in a place like that?
Maybe. Maybe he'd taken bodies away.
Shinobu returned to Mitsuri Kanroji's house.
Mitsuri looked at her, her eyes wide. "What did you find, Shinobu?"
Shinobu shook her head. "Miss Kanroji, I need to know more about Aomura."
"Oh! What do you want to know?"
Mitsuri sat up straight, eager.
"Was there anything special about him?" Shinobu asked.
Mitsuri's cheeks flushed pink. Her eyes shone. "He's handsome!"
Shinobu fought to keep her face blank. "I mean... What were his habits? What did he do during the day?"
"He had a skin condition. He couldn't be in the sun. He mostly trained in his room," Mitsuri said.
"He couldn't be in the sun?"
Shinobu stiffened. Her suspicion grew. "He never went out during the day?"
Mitsuri looked at her, puzzled. "Of course he did! He just wore a hat."
"A hat?" Shinobu blinked. "What kind of hat?"
Mitsuri gestured. "Big. Black. With cloth around the edge. It blocked the sun."
Shinobu listened, a sigh escaping her lips. She was being too sensitive.
He could be in the sun. He wasn't a demon.
Mitsuri asked, curious, "Why are you so interested in Aomura, Shinobu?"
Shinobu didn't know how to answer. She couldn't say, I think your friend might be a demon.
Mitsuri's face lit up. "Do you want him to join the Demon Slayer Corps? He's strong! He can break rocks! But you're too late. He left."
"He is strong."
Shinobu changed the subject quickly. "I need to leave. I've learned what I needed to know."
"Wait, Shinobu."
Mitsuri hesitated. "Can I join the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"You want to join?" Shinobu blinked.
She knew about Mitsuri.
Healthy parents, a loving family, a happy life. She hadn't even seen a demon. Why would she want to join the Demon Slayer Corps?
"I want to help people, like Aomura!"
Mitsuri's voice was firm, full of conviction.
Shinobu warned her, "The Demon Slayer Corps is dangerous. You could die!"
"I'm not afraid. I'm strong!"
Mitsuri grabbed the edge of a table, lifted it easily.
Shinobu started to say, Demons are more dangerous than you think. Then, she saw the table. Her mouth fell open.
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