Kyojuro Rengoku

Chiba Yo clearly had no intention of answering it. Axe in hand, he charged at the monster again.

Seeing Chiba Yo about to swing his axe, the monster lost its earlier composure. Even its anger vanished, leaving only fear.

Chiba Yo swung the axe down with both hands. The monster hurriedly twisted aside to dodge the blade, but he had already anticipated its movement. He stepped forward and brought the axe down, severing its other arm as well.

With both arms gone, the monster had no desire left to fight the boy with the strange mark on his forehead. While Chiba Yo was recovering from his swing, it leaped back, then turned and ran straight toward the forest outside the village.

"Monster! This guy's a monster!" the Green-Skinned Demon shrieked like a madman as it ran.

The last time it had felt such terror was when it first became a demon. The lord who had transformed it had given it the same feeling this boy did now, yet it had sensed nothing of the sort when it first encountered him.

The Green-Skinned Demon had barely run a few steps when a heavy blow struck its back. An axe pierced its body, the tremendous force sending it crashing to the ground.

"As if... I'd let you escape..."

Having thrown his axe, Chiba Yo picked up a woodcutting blade leaning against a house, then walked toward the fallen Green-Skinned Demon one step at a time.

Beneath the moonlight overhead, Chiba Yo's face was partly shrouded in shadow, but the red, flame-shaped Demon Slayer Mark on his forehead remained clearly visible.

"Don't... don't come any closer, you monster!" Cold sweat broke out on the Green-Skinned Demon's face as it kept inching backward. Its arms had yet to regenerate, and the axe Chiba Yo had thrown was still embedded in its body.

Buzz!

As Chiba Yo drew closer step by step, an image suddenly flashed through the Green-Skinned Demon's mind.

Beneath the moonlight, a man who bore the same red, flame-shaped Demon Slayer Mark on his forehead and looked remarkably like the boy before it stood in front of it, holding a fiery-red sword, like a god.

At that moment, every cell in its body conveyed terror to it. But the image lasted only an instant before disappearing.

What was that? A memory I've never had before...

The fleeting image left it stunned. Chiba Yo, clearly unaware of this, had already reached the Green-Skinned Demon with the woodcutting blade in hand.

Swish! Swish!

Cold steel flashed. Chiba Yo delivered two slashes too fast for the naked eye to follow, severing both of the Green-Skinned Demon's legs.

Chiba Yo had now cut off all four of the Green-Skinned Demon's limbs, leaving only its head and torso.

"Go to hell." His voice seethed with fury as he swung at the Green-Skinned Demon's neck. He had no interest in wasting any more time on this monster. He only wanted it dead.

The blade fell, and the Green-Skinned Demon's head flew off before landing on the ground.

Dropping the woodcutting blade, Chiba Yo turned and silently walked back toward the road he had come down.

Tap... tap... tap...

His footsteps echoed through the deserted village. Chiba Yo walked slowly, not because he lacked strength, but because he feared seeing that horrific scene again.

Memories of the past gradually surfaced in his mind. Tears blurred his vision, ran down his cheeks, and dripped onto the ground.

"It's all right. Even if I have to do it alone, I'll make sure to raise you well. Mommy will always be by your side."

"Cough, cough..."

"Mother, you don't need to wear yourself out making me new clothes. The ones I have are still warm enough. You should take better care of yourself."

"It's all right. You've worn those clothes for two or three years now. They're long overdue for a change. Go to bed first. Mommy will be finished soon."

"Then I'll get you a cup of water."

"It's all my fault... getting sick like this, making you go out and earn money to support us when you're still so young. I've been a burden to you for so long... I'd be better off dead..."

"Please don't say that! Didn't you take care of me like this before? And you said you'd always be by my side. Please never try to take your own life again."

I'd only just convinced Mother that we should keep living together...

Chiba Yo clenched his fists as he walked, step by step. He did not even feel his nails digging into his flesh. Pain kept stabbing through his heart.

When he reached the spot from before, Chiba Yo dropped to his knees with a thud and bowed until his forehead touched the ground.

"I'm sorry... if only I'd come back sooner, if only I hadn't spent so long on the way to buy your medicine..."

The words came out between choking sobs. He did not dare lift his head and simply remained kneeling there, weeping.

Just then, the Green-Skinned Demon's severed limbs behind him suddenly moved. Its legs reattached to its body, followed by its head, and its arms grew back.

But after regenerating, it did not seize the chance to attack Chiba Yo. Instead, it silently turned and ran out of the village. Still immersed in grief, Chiba Yo noticed nothing of what was happening to the demon. Having encountered one for the first time, he naturally knew nothing of these creatures' traits.

"Hahahaha! Good thing this guy doesn't know we demons are immortal. Attacks like that can't kill me."

The Green-Skinned Demon laughed as it sprinted away, its whole body flooded with the joy of escaping death.

"Once I've eaten more humans and grown stronger, I'll torture that brat to death, then eat him bit by bit!"

Recalling its humiliation and helplessness moments earlier, the Green-Skinned Demon spat the words in bitter hatred.

Just then, a figure suddenly appeared ahead. He had yellow hair tipped with red and wore a haori with a flame pattern along its hem. At his waist hung a sword with a flame-shaped guard.

"Is this the demon? I hope there haven't been any casualties." A hearty voice rang out, filled with concern. Upon spotting the demon ahead, Kyojuro Rengoku drew the Nichirin Blade at his waist.

"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"

Flames surged forth and enveloped the blade, bathing the surroundings in fiery red light.

In the next instant, he was directly in front of the Green-Skinned Demon. His Nichirin Blade swept sideways, slicing through its neck along with the flames covering the blade.

"Aaaah!!!!" The Green-Skinned Demon let out a shrill scream, then swiftly crumbled to ash and vanished.

He sheathed his sword. Since the demon had not made it very far, Kyojuro could see the state of the village ahead from where he stood.

His heart immediately grew heavy. He hurried into the village to see whether anyone had survived.