21 Demon Slayer: Floating Comment

The demon loomed ever closer. The suffocating stench of blood and decay wafted through the air, a vile signature that made its presence undeniable.

Shinobu Kocho's body tensed as her nose caught the foul odor. She stood frozen, helpless, as her older sister placed herself as a shield between her and the looming monstrosity. Fear took hold, but the only thing sharper than the terror was the overwhelming despair.

Why? Why is this happening to us?

They had done nothing to deserve this. Their family of four had lived a modest, virtuous life. Their father, a selfless healer, had dedicated his existence to saving others.

But now, his lifeless body lay discarded like refuse.

Shinobu's mind raced with bitter clarity. Her sister's fragile human form was no match for the demon's insatiable hunger. When Kanae was torn apart, it would be her turn next.

And yet, Shinobu found herself thinking, Perhaps it's for the best. At least I won't have to cross the Sanzu River alone.

Kanae's trembling fists tightened at her sides, her soft pink eyes wide with terror. The horned demon paused mid-stride, its movements halting abruptly. Its ears twitched, swiveling toward the faint sounds outside the house.

Footsteps.

They were heavy and labored, punctuated by shallow, uneven breaths. The demon's narrowed gaze shifted toward the door, unease flickering across its grotesque features.

The dim electric light in the room flickered once, briefly casting long shadows before stabilizing again. The demon, sensing danger, snarled and lunged forward, claws aiming straight for Kanae's chest.

But before it could strike, a flash of silver sliced through the air.

"Hmm?"

The demon froze. Its gaze dropped to its arm, now severed cleanly at the wrist.

It blinked.

The two girls were gone.

What?

It looked around wildly. Who?

Shinobu's wide, disbelieving eyes caught the entire scene. A white-haired youth, cloaked in a teal haori, had moved faster than her eyes could track. In an instant, he was between them and the demon. His blade, a luminous arc of steel, had struck before the demon even realized he was there.

And now, the youth's back was to the demon as he carefully balanced the two sisters in his arms. With the blade clamped between his teeth, he leapt backward, carrying them effortlessly to safety outside.

All of this had happened in the span of a single breath.

Shinobu stared up at the boy's face. A fox mask covered his features, revealing only a sheen of sweat at his temples and the steady rise and fall of his chest. His appearance was rough, as though he had traveled great distances without pause.

Placing the two girls down gently, the boy pulled the blade from his teeth and placed it protectively in front of him. "Can you still move?" he asked, voice low but firm. "Find a place to hide."

Kanae, her legs barely able to support her, nodded and dragged Shinobu to a safer distance.

The boy turned his attention back to the demon. His gaze briefly flicked to the corpses of the Kocho sisters' parents, and he exhaled heavily.

"Damn it. Too late again."

Kanae, gritting her teeth, carried Shinobu to a corner of the yard. Though her heart was pounding, she refused to become a burden.

The boy finally faced the demon fully, his grip tightening on the hilt of his blade. Fury radiated off him in waves, and the demon took an instinctive step back.

That smell... The demon's pupils dilated in fear. This swordsman reeked of death—a lethal aura accumulated from countless victories over its kind.

It should have fled.

But now, it was too late.

The boy's stance shifted, his blade shining faintly under the moonlight. He moved faster than the demon could react.

"Breath of the Stars: First Form – First Light."

For a brief moment, time seemed to stop. To Shinobu's tear-filled eyes, the youth's blade became a streak of blue-violet light, like an aurora slicing through the night.

The demon's head fell to the ground with a dull thud, its eyes wide with disbelief.

"How...?" it rasped, its voice barely audible as its body disintegrated into ash. "I ate so many... I was so strong... How could I... lose in a single strike?"

The boy ignored its last, pitiful words. Sheathing his sword, he turned and knelt by the bodies of Kanae and Shinobu's parents.

The father had bled out from a torn throat, his death quick but gruesome.

The mother's chest had been savaged, her heart gone. There was no saving her either.

The boy exhaled slowly, his shoulders slumping as though the weight of the world rested upon them.

What now? he thought bitterly.

How were these two girls supposed to survive in a world this cruel?

Behind him, the soft shuffle of footsteps signaled the arrival of the Demon Slayer Corps' Hidden members. They moved with practiced efficiency, retrieving the bodies, recording details, and preparing to manage the aftermath.

The boy stepped outside into the chilly night air, his movements heavy with guilt. As he turned to leave, Kanae's desperate eyes locked onto him.

Her silent plea was heart-wrenching. But there was nothing he could do.

He shook his head slowly, the gesture enough to break Kanae's composure. She crumpled to the ground, clutching her sobbing sister.

The boy didn't look back as he walked away.

If only I had arrived ten minutes earlier...

The faint sound of Kanae's cries echoed behind him, a haunting reminder of the pain he couldn't erase.

Up ahead, his crow circled above, calling out his next destination.

"South-Southwest! A village in the mountains—woodcutters have gone missing! Likely a demon!"

The boy tightened his haori against the biting wind.

"The life of a Demon Slayer," he muttered, weary but resolute.

And so, he moved forward, his path illuminated by the pale, indifferent moonlight.