Night mist swirled through the mountains, lending their hazy outlines a hint of mystery.
An agile figure carried a little girl on his back, swiftly making his way down the mountain like a woodland sprite.
His steps were light and swift, each seeming to hold boundless strength as he easily covered several meters at a time. Even with a little girl on his back, his windlike speed remained unaffected.
Strong winds whistled past his ears like a wild symphony.
Distant trees rapidly grew larger before his eyes, seeming about to rush straight at him, only to flash past in the blink of an eye as streaks of green lightning.
Teiichi had traveled this path hundreds of times. He knew the terrain like the back of his hand and could find his way with his eyes closed, so he did not need the little girl to guide him.
However, the little girl's home was not on the open stretch of level ground at the foot of the mountain, but nearby, hidden within a dense forest.
Several forks would appear as they approached the foot of the mountain. Only then would he need the little girl to point the way.
A short while later, the outlines of several forks began to emerge at the foot of the mountain. Teiichi slowed his steps and asked softly, "Which way up ahead?"
At Teiichi's question, the little girl, Kanon, quickly stretched out her right hand, pointed toward a narrow path on the right, and answered, "Go right up ahead."
Teiichi nodded slightly and took the path on the right, following Kanon's directions.
Following the little girl's directions along the way, he soon reached the vicinity of her home. The small wooden house was already visible in the distance.
A small wooden house stood alone in the dense forest, like a forgotten corner.
Its wooden door stood open, as though inviting passing travelers to come in and rest.
Light spilled through the windows, adding a warm splash of brightness to the pitch-black forest.
At the sight of the distant house with its lights still on, the little girl, who had remained silent on Teiichi's back throughout the journey, suddenly brightened. Her voice rang out with a touch of happiness:
"It's right there, that house with the lights on. That's my home."
Hearing the little girl's words, Teiichi looked toward the distant house with its lights still burning. A sliver of hope suddenly welled up in his heart, which had already begun to despair.
What if? What if they hadn't encountered a demon? What if it was just some bandits breaking in to rob them?
As Teiichi pondered this, his steps unwittingly quickened considerably.
When he was still several hundred meters from the house, Teiichi, who had been racing toward it with the little girl on his back, abruptly stopped.
He slowly crouched down and carefully set the little girl on the ground.
Then Teiichi turned around, gazed at the little girl, and gave her a gentle smile. He said softly:
"Run back the way we came. I might have a fierce battle ahead, and it's too dangerous here. Once I've dealt with this trouble, I'll come find you."
Kanon tilted her head up to look at the older boy before her. Seeming to understand something from his firm, caring gaze, she nodded obediently, showing that she understood and would do as he said.
Immediately afterward, Kanon turned without hesitation and ran back the way they had come with small but determined steps. Her tiny figure receded into the distance, gradually disappearing into the dense woods.
Teiichi remained crouching quietly where he was, silently watching the little girl's retreating figure.
Clap... clap... clap...
Applause rang out behind Teiichi, and he turned to look.
A mysterious figure slowly emerged from behind a large tree more than ten meters away. His silvery-white hair contrasted sharply with his ink-black robe.
His skin was eerily pale, and traces of fresh blood still clung to the corners of his mouth and his hands.
"Boy, you're a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, aren't you?"
"Hmm... you even knew where I was hiding. You must be a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, and no ordinary Demon Slayer, either."
At this, the white-haired demon paused, looking Teiichi up and down several times before asking with some curiosity and puzzlement:
"But you look so young! Boy, are you even twelve yet?"
Faced with the white-haired demon's question, Teiichi reached expressionlessly for the Nichirin Blade on his back and swiftly drew it.
Holding the sharp blade, he met the gaze of the demon before him with cold, resolute eyes and replied icily, "What does my age matter? As long as I can kill you, that's enough."
The white-haired demon froze for a moment at his words, then burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha..."
His laughter echoed through the forest, carrying a chilling air.
"Kill me? Hahahahaha..."
The white-haired demon roared with laughter.
"Boy, didn't you let that little girl run away because you thought you weren't strong enough and feared I'd kill her along with you? Why have you suddenly found the courage to say you'll kill me?"
At this, the white-haired demon stopped, fixing Teiichi with a piercing stare before slowly shifting his gaze to his legs. A contemptuous smile curled his lips:
"And look at your legs. They won't stop shaking! This isn't your first demon hunt, is it? Hmm? You're not even wearing the Demon Slayer Corps uniform. Boy, don't tell me you're not an official member yet-or haven't even finished your training?"
Teiichi did not respond to the white-haired demon's questioning and mockery.
He silently lowered his head to look at his calves and found that they were indeed trembling uncontrollably.
So I really am too nervous, facing a demon for the first time.
Damn it. I didn't know how strong the demon was, but I got hotheaded and came running straight here. I should've found a way to report this to headquarters and have them investigate.
Just from his appearance, this demon doesn't look like an easy opponent.
Still, at least there aren't any characters in his eyes. He's not a Lower Rank. Even if I can't beat him, escaping shouldn't be a problem.
As Teiichi thought this, he worked on taking deep breaths, trying to ease his nerves.
Watching Teiichi's reaction, the white-haired demon grew even more certain of his guess, and his laughter became increasingly smug and unrestrained.
"Hahahaha, today really is a moving day for a human... oh, no, for a demon! Not only did a mother willingly give up resisting for her child and let me eat her without a struggle."
"Now even a complete stranger lets the little girl leave first without the slightest hesitation."
"Hahaha, interesting. How interesting."
"Humans truly are fascinating creatures..."
"Without a struggle... she let you eat her?"
Teiichi kept his head lowered, his gaze deep and icy, as he repeated those words one at a time.
Each word seemed to carry the anger and frustration in his heart. His voice was low and hoarse, like a suppressed flame burning quietly.
The nervousness he had felt from facing a demon for the first time vanished completely at that moment.
In its place came surging fury, as though it would devour everything around him.
He clenched his fists, veins bulging, as though struggling to restrain the urge to tear the white-haired demon before him to pieces.
Clearly, the white-haired demon noticed the change in Teiichi. He seemed even more excited, his laughter growing more unrestrained, more brazen and grating:
"Yes. Did you know?"
"Compared to chunks of meat eaten only after death, living human flesh that offers no resistance tastes countless times more delicious! That warmth, that fear, that despair... all of it makes your mouth water."
Teiichi raised his head and fixed the white-haired demon with a burning stare. His voice was low and firm. "What... do you take humans for?"
Each word seemed squeezed from the depths of his heart, filled with incomprehension and anger toward the demon before him.
Hearing Teiichi's question, the white-haired demon replied with a smile, "Humans? Aren't humans just food reserves for us demons? You know..."
Before the white-haired demon could finish speaking, Teiichi had already bent slightly at the waist and drawn his left leg a small step back, adjusting his posture and center of gravity like a cheetah preparing to pounce on its prey.
"Hiss..."
A faint sound of moving air rose, followed by a powerful aura emanating from Teiichi.
"Wind Breathing..."
Teiichi drew a deep breath, as though he would inhale all the air in the forest.
With his breathing, the surrounding air began to surge violently, forming whirlwinds that circled around him.
His clothes fluttered in the wind, and his long hair danced, his entire being seeming to merge with the wind.
"Seventh form!"
Teiichi raised his head, his gaze blazing as he stared fixedly at the white-haired demon. Flames of anger flickered in his eyes, as though he would burn his opponent to ashes.
At that moment, he was no longer the calm boy, but had become a furious warrior, ready to launch a fatal attack on his enemy.
"Gale, Sudden Gusts!"
With Teiichi's low shout, the fierce winds surged once more. A green figure sliced through the air like a sharp blade, rushing straight toward the white-haired demon.
Wherever the figure passed, trees were blown this way and that, their leaves dancing in the gale as though cheering on Teiichi's attack.
Seeing Teiichi bend slightly at the waist and swiftly draw his left leg back, the white-haired demon could not help knitting his brows as an ominous premonition welled up within him. He immediately realized that the boy did not intend to keep talking, but was about to launch an all-out attack.
Although the white-haired demon had prepared himself in advance, the figure hurtling toward him still shocked him. Its speed seemed to have exceeded the limits of the naked eye as it raced toward him with a fierce momentum.
He's coming!
So fast!
Hasn't this boy not even finished his training? Why is he so fast?
No, no, now isn't the time to think about that!
I have to dodge!
I can't let him cut off my head!
No, wait, he's aiming for my waist?
Damn it, he's too fast. I can't dodge!
"Aaaah!!!"
With a piercing scream, the white-haired demon's body was cut in half at the waist by that streak of green light.