The Origin of the Evil

The night was cool, a bright moon hung in the sky, surrounded by twinkling stars.

The only furniture in the Kocho residence had been moved out. After all, the room was too small to fit four people, and there was no lamp.

On the rotten wooden table, besides a bowl of rice, there was a fish and a plate of pickles. This was the sisters' first meat dish in nearly two months.

For them, this meal was more abundant than any New Year's feast.

But to repay Hiruma's kindness, they had brought out their best.

"Another bowl!"

"This is absolutely the best meal I've ever eaten!"

Watching Shinobu eat, even plain white rice seemed delicious, like the most delicious food in the world.

Hiruma thought so.

"Tendo, you have a great appetite. It looks like your stomach is definitely fine."

Shinobu Kocho smiled as she served Hiruma a bowl. She had always been concerned about Hiruma's stomachaches.

After all, it hurt suddenly and then stopped hurting just as suddenly. She feared it might be an illness not mentioned in medical books. However, seeing his good appetite, Shinobu was completely relieved.

Iguro Obanai shot Hiruma a glare. Even an idiot could tell that it wasn't easy for the sisters to prepare such a meal. You're eating like a pig. How speechless.

Kanae watched the two of them and smiled.

Soon, Iguro Obanai realized a problem. Why were they staying so late into the night to eat? Did he intend to take them with him?

Wow!

What a perverted, lustful devil.

"Hiss hiss hiss!"

Kaburamaru suddenly moved close to Iguro Obanai's ear, letting out a series of rapid hisses. Its yellow, slit pupils were fixed on a dilapidated thatched hut not far ahead, revealing vigilance and unease.

He put down his chopsticks, his heterochromatic eyes, green and gold, flashing with a cold light. His gaze pierced through the half-closed door and windows, and he saw a shadowy figure flash by.

"Glutton, there's trouble!"

As soon as Iguro Obanai finished speaking, a snake-like monster pierced through the wooden house. To be precise, it was a head connected to an entire spinal column.

The head was pitch black, with a sharp single horn growing in the center of its forehead. Its skin had a peculiar texture, like a dried lakebed baked by the sun, its surface covered in dense cracks.

Seeing that there was no time, Iguro Obanai swung the rotten wooden table and smashed it down. After several days of training, his physique had improved significantly.

In an instant, splintered wood flew everywhere. The demon head was smashed to the ground, its spine coiling and twisting like a python, wrapping around Iguro Obanai.

Although he was the future Serpent Pillar, he was still just a child now, and moreover, he had no weapon.

At the critical moment, a sharp, crimson-gold blade flashed, accompanied by a sound like thunder, causing Iguro Obanai's ears to ring.

When he came to his senses, the demon snake had already fled. Unfortunately, the attack had been dodged.

"You two, stay put!"

Hiruma stood beside Iguro Obanai, turning his head to instruct the Kocho sisters.

"Glutton, you're trying to chop me to death!"

Iguro Obanai glared at Hiruma, complaining with a very resentful look in his eyes.

"Oh my!"

"You still don't know my strength. I can't hit you!" Hiruma patted Iguro Obanai's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Humph!"

Iguro Obanai picked up the half of the table that had been smashed and stared intently at the distant thatched hut. The demon was still there.

Just then, a figure nearly two meters tall burst through from the opposite side of the thatched hut. It didn't pass through the wall but rather smashed the entire house to pieces.

Under the eerie moonlight, the two of them saw the demon's full appearance.

It was a gaunt-looking demon. Its skin had a chilling, corpse-like pallor. Its eyes were lifeless, like two dried-up wells.

The spinal-columned ghost head that had just attacked them was coiled around this ghost's neck like a bizarre snake.

"Wow, it's dressed similarly to you!" Hiruma didn't forget to mock Iguro Obanai.

"It's different!" Iguro Obanai retorted sternly, his mouth twitching, feeling an urge to beat this guy up.

"I am Bakotsu!" the demon bowed slightly and introduced itself. Its voice was like dry wood scraping against black and white, extremely grating.

"It's been a while, you two!"

Hiruma: "???"

Iguro Obanai: "???"

The two exchanged glances, their expressions clearly asking, You know it?

"Ah!"

"Bakotsu, I'm going to kill you!"

A roar like thunder exploded, shattering the surrounding silence.

This voice seemed to pierce through the clouds, shaking the entire world. No one could believe that the one letting out this furious roar was the petite Shinobu Kocho.

At this moment, her eyes were wide open, filled with endless rage and hatred.

Her body was also trembling slightly, but this wasn't due to fear or nervousness. It was because her deep-seated anger had surpassed everything else.

"Shinobu, calm down!"

"Run! Mom and Dad aren't coming back. We have to survive!"

Kanae sobbed uncontrollably, hugging her sister tightly. She was equally furious, but they couldn't defeat that man-eating demon. She didn't understand why that thing could still find her and Shinobu.

"Mr. Tendo, Mr. Iguro, please take Shinobu and run!"

"I can hold it off for a while. It came for us!"

Kanae pleaded, her gaze sharp as knives, cutting through her gentleness and piercing the demon's body.

Bakotsu. The name the Kocho sisters would never forget, even in death. It was the name of their enemy; it had killed their parents and destroyed their home.

Hiruma waved his hand, smiling as he said, "I forgot to tell you, the two of us are professional Demon Hunters!"

Iguro Obanai looked at Hiruma, completely bewildered. I only joined two weeks ago and haven't even received proper training.

He then smiled, agreeing with Hiruma's statement. This kind of guy, just like the Serpent Demon, was disgusting to look at.

Creatures like demons should all die.

"Shinobu, do you want revenge?"

"I'll help you kill it!"

Hiruma asked, instinctively calling out Shinobu's name.

"Tendo, help me kill it!"

"I want it dead!"

"Kill it!"

Shinobu Kocho screamed hysterically. She already had a quick temper, and now the monster that killed her parents was right in front of her.

She wanted it dead, she craved its death, she wanted revenge. Anyone would do, as long as they could kill Bakotsu.

Bakotsu looked at the four children before it, feeling no interest whatsoever. It was as if crushing them would take no effort.

The only thing that gave it any motivation was an unfinished meal. It had been craving those two young girls for a long time and didn't expect to meet them here.

"Two foolish human brats, if you don't disturb my continuation of the meal, you can leave!"

Bakotsu slowly raised its withered, branch-like arm and waved it gently. Its hoarse, low voice sounded like a call from the depths of hell, filled with the aura of death.

This voice echoed in the silent night, as if it were about to devour the entire world.

In Bakotsu's opinion, it was giving the humans a chance to live. Those two human brats would surely cry and run away.

Humans were such fragile creatures, even if they were delicious.

However, things didn't go as planned. Hiruma's stubborn and defiant voice rang out.

"I refuse to run. If you've got the guts, kill me!"