The Sacrificed Youth

Legend has it that after the sun sets, evil demons emerge to devour humans. There are also Demon Slayers who hunt and kill these evil demons to protect the people.

A light drizzle fell, and Kuuga Tsugikuni instinctively pulled his thin clothes tighter. Raindrops slid down his red hair tips and dripped onto the bamboo chair beneath him.

Drip! Drip!

The raindrops tapped against the bamboo chair as if whispering something. The young boy was about to be sacrificed by the villagers to a so-called Mountain God, but only Kuuga Tsugikuni knew that the Mountain God was merely an evil demon that ate people.

The boy was carried by four burly men up the moss-covered stone steps to the dilapidated red Mountain God Shrine. The mottled, peeling wall plaster seemed to tell the story of how no one had visited in a long time.

The four burly men suddenly knelt before Kuuga Tsugikuni. One of them sobbed, "Kuuga, the villagers have failed you, but considering we've raised you for fourteen years, please don't hold a grudge against us!"

Just as the boy was about to say something, a beast-like roar erupted from the ruined shrine. The four men scrambled up from the ground in terror and fled toward the stone steps.

Whether out of fear or the slippery rain-slicked path, one man nearly fell. Kuuga Tsugikuni, however, was not afraid; instead, he stared at the shrine gate with a resolute expression.

I promised not to be afraid, so why are my hands still shaking? You are the descendant of the man hailed as a god. Don't be afraid! Kuuga Tsugikuni comforted himself.

Today marked the fourteenth year since Kuuga Tsugikuni reincarnated into the world of Blade of Demon Destruction. Because he had lived in the mountains all his life, he didn't know what time it was in the outside world, so he prayed every day that his Shinobu-wife was still alive.

As a veteran anime fan, how could he not know Blade of Demon Destruction? Recalling the days he spent crying under his covers in the middle of the night, Kuuga Tsugikuni still couldn't accept the fact that his Shinobu-wife had passed away, nor could he accept the fate of Big Brother.

Kuuga Tsugikuni pulled a small bronze mirror from somewhere and looked at the scar on his forehead that looked like a burn. Only he knew that it was the legendary Mark.

When he first realized he had a Mark, Kuuga Tsugikuni almost died on the spot; after all, marked swordsmen rarely lived past twenty-five. But after reading the family genealogy, his eyes lit up—he was a descendant of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, so having a natural Mark was perfectly normal.

However, Kuuga Tsugikuni still worried that his life would be short, so he suddenly remembered that he was a proud descendant of China. His ancestors surely had some methods for strengthening the body and prolonging life.

Tai Chi was an excellent practice for balancing yin and yang and strengthening the body. As the saying goes: "The Tao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced all things."

Since the age of eight, Kuuga Tsugikuni had practiced Tai Chi every day and swung his sword five hundred times. It was safe to say his body was in top shape and his appetite was hearty!

Here, Kuuga Tsugikuni wanted to thank his university physical education teacher for teaching him Tai Chi. He believed that one day, there would be a Demon Slayer Corps where everyone practiced Tai Chi.

Another roar came from the ruined shrine, pulling Kuuga Tsugikuni back to reality. He stood up and gripped his broken sword.

The sword had been passed down through his ancestors; it was one of his few possessions. Kuuga Tsugikuni didn't know if this blade could still kill a demon.

The shrine gate shook violently before flying off its hinges. Kuuga Tsugikuni sidestepped, and the door flew past his Hanafuda Earrings—another one of his possessions, which he called the "Head Pillar special edition."

After the dust at the entrance of the ruined shrine settled, an Earth Demon covered in yellowish dirt crawled out. In its eyes, Kuuga Tsugikuni was just a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, one that could be crushed with a single swipe of its claw.

The thick stench of blood drifted into Kuuga Tsugikuni's nose with the wind, and his stomach protested, churning instantly.

Kuuga Tsugikuni had thought he was someone who had seen his fair share of storms, but he hadn't expected to feel so uncomfortable when facing the real thing.

"Kid, are you trying to hack me with that broken sword?" the evil demon sneered.

"Ugh! Was your head caught in the door? If I'm not hacking you, what am I holding it for? Should I slice myself up and serve it to you?" Kuuga Tsugikuni retorted.

Kuuga Tsugikuni was starting to worry about this demon's intelligence; it didn't seem very bright.

"Hmph! Sharp-tongued. Let's see if you can still be so arrogant when you're kneeling and begging me not to eat you!"

Arrogant? Kuuga Tsugikuni was baffled. He was just stating facts, so how was that arrogant? The guy was definitely sick in the head.

The Earth Demon didn't waste any more breath on Kuuga Tsugikuni. After all, torturing its prey was its hobby; how could meat be delicious if it hadn't been properly tenderized?

The Earth Demon pushed off the ground with its hind legs, assuming a predatory stance, and leaped into mid-air, lunging straight at Kuuga Tsugikuni. Kuuga Tsugikuni stood his ground and watched the Earth Demon quietly, even though his body was trembling.

It was his first time seeing a man-eating demon, and considering he was in a child's body, it would be strange if he weren't afraid. But Kuuga Tsugikuni had more confidence in his Tai Chi.

The moment the Earth Demon pounced, Kuuga Tsugikuni swayed like a reed in the wind and dodged it completely. The Earth Demon was stunned—was this kid's body made of rubber? How was it so flexible?

Kuuga Tsugikuni seized the opportunity to draw his broken sword and aimed a strike at the Earth Demon's neck. He even flashed a triumphant smile.

He said smugly, "You underestimated me. Don't think I'm weak just because I'm a child. Can you handle my six years of cultivation?"

But as the saying goes, if things are going too smoothly, something is bound to go wrong. With a snap, the sword in Kuuga Tsugikuni's hand broke into two pieces. The Earth Demon burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Is that your six years of cultivation? This demon is so scared!"

The Earth Demon laughed loudly and then swiped a claw at Kuuga Tsugikuni. It was fast—too fast for Kuuga Tsugikuni to react. A graceful arc cut through the sky as Kuuga Tsugikuni was sent flying ten meters away.

He rolled a long distance after landing and finally slammed into a tree. Fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Kuuga Tsugikuni clutched his chest in pain; waves of agony radiated from his ribs. They were likely broken. How could my ancestors be so unreliable? It broke the moment I used it!

Kuuga Tsugikuni used the half-blade to prop himself up and slowly stood. The Earth Demon walked toward him with a playful expression.

Suddenly, Kuuga Tsugikuni pointed behind the Earth Demon and shouted, "Look, your boss Muzan is here!"

Hearing the name "Muzan," the Earth Demon's pupils dilated instantly. Its body trembled, and it hurriedly turned around and knelt down.

Of course, Kuuga Tsugikuni was lying. Right now, he wanted to meet Muzan Kibutsuji less than anyone else; after all, for a descendant of the Tsugikuni family, the ending in front of Muzan would definitely be death.

But using the big boss to bluff his underling was still effective. It seemed like a trick he could use more often in the future.

"Stupid demon, your boss wouldn't come to a backwater place like this. Stop kneeling, rise! Your daddy Kuuga allows you to stand up!"

Kuuga Tsugikuni maxed out his taunt, and then, following the thirty-six stratagems, the best one was to run away. Time to bolt!