Having only taken a few steps while holding Kanao Tsuyuri's hand, Soma stopped. The pace was simply too slow. Even though Kanao was trying her best to keep up, a human body could never match a demon's.
Moreover, Kanao was still a frail little girl.
And the distance to the town was still far. Covering such a distance would be extremely difficult for a young child.
"I'll carry you."
Soma patted Kanao's head and bent down. "Get on."
Kanao hesitated slightly but climbed onto Soma's back.
"Wrap your hands around my neck."
Soma's low voice guided her.
Kanao obediently stretched out her hands, wrapping them around his neck. She felt the warmth and broadness of his back. Under the moonlight, Kanao's eyes sparkled. In the sealed-off world of her heart, she had once envied children with fathers who cared for them—fathers who would carry their children like this.
Her closed-off heart had once longed for that feeling, a longing she had envied in others.
But now, what she had once longed for, what she had once envied, she no longer needed to… envy.
The girl gently pressed her head against Soma's neck, closing her eyes and quietly savoring the moment, feeling this sensation.
Soma paid little attention to Kanao, running swiftly. He needed to reach the town quickly—after all, he still had to go to the Hikudo Dojo to learn the "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu" and, afterward, continue searching for the Kamado family's residence.
However, just as they left Taro Town, Soma stopped.
Ahead came the sounds of violent fighting and furious roars.
Among them, one voice was extremely familiar—it belonged to the demon that had been hiding with him in the underground cave to avoid sunlight a few days ago.
And anyone capable of battling a demon must be a Demon Slayer of the Demon Slayer Corps, tasked with exterminating demons and protecting humans.
Soma wasn't surprised that the demon he knew had been found by the Demon Slayer Corps. After all, it had just hunted a Demon Slayer. For the corps, already harboring hatred for demons and feeling the loss of a comrade, this was enough to drive the slayers into a frenzy.
Moreover, the demon was careless, unable to suppress its instinctive thirst for blood and flesh, and often went hunting, making it easy for the Demon Slayer Corps to track it down.
From the sounds of the battle, the familiar demon's voice was filled with fear and panic—it was clearly at a disadvantage.
Without hesitation, Soma turned and ran, carrying Kanao on his back. He had no intention of intervening.
......
The torch hissed as it burned, flickering and reflecting cold light off the Nichirin Sword. Hiroshi Furukawa wielded the blade, coordinating attacks with his comrades against the demon.
In the firelight, two lifeless bodies lay on the ground, blood dripping from them, staining the earth red.
Hunting demons was like this—some swordsmen would inevitably die along the way.
Death could inspire fear, but for Hiroshi Furukawa, who had long accepted the risk of dying on the path of hunting demons, it was no longer terrifying. Seeing comrades fall before him brought sorrow, but more than that, it fueled his rage and murderous intent toward the demon before him.
These cruel demons, these monsters who recklessly destroy the happiness of others, these demons who feed on humans, these grotesque abominations—they all deserve to die. They should be exposed to sunlight and burned alive.
"Demons... you all deserve to die!"
Hiroshi Furukawa gritted his teeth, his gaze icy.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
In an instant, Hiroshi Furukawa leapt forward. His Nichirin Sword radiated scorching heat, moving explosively and closing in on the demon in the blink of an eye.
"Roar!" the demon bellowed, instinctively resisting. But Hiroshi's comrades attacked in perfect coordination, instantly restricting the demon's movements.
Whoosh!
The Nichirin Sword slashed toward the demon's neck. The demon only managed to jerk its head down slightly at the last second.
The blade, radiating searing flames, cut across the demon's left ear, then sliced past the right ear. Red and white fluids dripped along the back of the blade as the upper half of the demon's skull—above both ears—was almost cleanly severed.
But even with half its head sliced off, the demon didn't die. It even caught the severed half of its skull with its hands and retreated at astonishing speed. The white brain matter scattered as it ran, creating a grisly and terrifying scene.
For Hiroshi Furukawa and the other Demon Slayer swordsmen, this scene did not instill fear. They understood that unless the Nichirin Sword severed the demon's neck completely, it could not be killed. Without pause, they pressed the attack again, increasing their intensity.
One slayer swung his blade, severing the demon's right arm before he could reattach his skull. Another nearly hacked through the demon's right leg bone.
Hiroshi didn't hesitate either, flashing forward with his blade raised high.
Faced with the fearless, relentless assault of the Demon Slayers, their flawless coordination, and their merciless lethality, the wounded demon finally felt the cold hand of death upon him.
If this continues, I'm going to die.
The threat of death nearly drove the demon to despair. Just as it resigned itself to dying under the Nichirin Sword of these Demon Slayers, it suddenly sensed the familiar scent of a fellow demon approaching. It was that demon Soma, the one who was still resisting the urge to devour humans.
Instantly, the hopeless despair in its heart turned to hope. Its overwhelming desire to survive caused it to explode with energy, forcing the Demon Slayers back despite its injuries.
At that moment, the demon felt exhilaration. If this familiar ally joined it, it was confident it could annihilate the small squad of Demon Slayers before it.
It knew that in one-on-one combat, none of the Demon Slayers could match it. Coupled with its strong body, extreme regenerative ability, and near-immortality, it could easily crush these hunters—if not for their fearless determination and coordinated teamwork, it wouldn't be in such a dire situation.
But if someone helped share the burden, the outcome could be different.
However, the demon's joy was short-lived. The familiar presence it had sensed was rapidly moving away.
"Damn it."
The words, almost a growl, came from its mouth. Facing Hiroshi Furukawa and the other Demon Slayers pressing their relentless assault, the demon cursed inwardly but had no choice but to turn and flee.