Running.
Running at full speed…
His feet struck the ground and pushed off forcefully. With each heavy thud against the earth, his figure shot farther ahead. In the silent night, only the sound of footsteps echoed, along with the trees rapidly retreating on either side.
As he ran, Soma kept glancing back. Though he hadn't sensed anyone pursuing him, he didn't dare slow down for even a moment.
He had never expected to run into the Demon Slayer Corps. He had been completely unprepared.
He knew very well—if he were discovered by them, what awaited him would be Nichirin Sword raised without hesitation and the end of his life.
Even though he had become a demon, Soma had no intention of dying.
As for explaining to the Demon Slayers that he was different from other demons—that he had never eaten a human—and asking them to spare him?
Such a naive thought had never crossed his mind.
To Demon Slayers who bore deep hatred toward demons, explanations meant nothing. They would simply raise their Nichirin Swords and cut off his head without hesitation.
Even if he met a Demon Slayer willing to listen, they would never believe him. No one would believe that a demon didn't eat humans.
Moreover, he would never entrust his life to someone else's mercy. That would be utterly foolish.
The only one he could rely on was himself.
Only by holding his own life in his hands could he feel at ease.
...
He didn't know how long he had run.
Ahead, the darkness began to thin. In the distance, he could see continuous lights stretching outward. Unknowingly, he had reached the city. Unlike the silent wilderness and small towns, the city at night was still lively and bustling.
Soma stopped and looked back cautiously. There were no signs of Demon Slayers tracking him.
"Did they not notice me?" he murmured.
It was very possible. The moment he heard the demon—who had once hidden with him in the cave—engage in battle, he had turned and fled without hesitation. He had never encountered the Demon Slayers face-to-face. The chances they had noticed him were slim.
"No. I can't think like that."
The thought had barely surfaced before he forcefully suppressed it. His life was at stake—there was no room for carelessness.
He could not afford to rely on luck.
"If they did notice me, they'll eventually track me down. Where should I hide…?"
He pondered, then turned his gaze toward the brightly lit city ahead.
In a bustling city where people hurried back and forth, a demon slipping into the crowd would create barely a ripple.
Hiding in a large city was, in fact, an excellent choice.
He knew that many demons concealed themselves within prosperous cities. The livelier the place, the easier it was to remain unnoticed. If he remembered correctly, Gyutaro and Daki of the Upper Ranks had hidden in a city's entertainment district—a place that never slept.
Moreover, the Hiko Dojo was located in this very city. It would also be convenient for him to learn the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū.
While thinking, he continued scanning his surroundings. Only after confirming no Demon Slayers were approaching did he finally relax slightly.
At that moment, he remembered he was still carrying someone on his back and hurriedly turned around.
Kanao Tsuyuri's small face had turned pale. Clearly, her frail body was not accustomed to the speed of his sprint.
After all, when a demon ran at full speed, it was as fast as a galloping horse. The journey must have been extremely bumpy for her.
He quickly set her down and gently patted her back.
"Are you alright?" he asked with concern.
Kanao shook her head, her face still pale.
Even so, he stayed where he was for a while until some color returned to her face. Then he straightened their clothes and said softly, "Let's go."
After a moment, the girl nodded.
Soma took Kanao Tsuyuri's hand and walked toward the city, deliberately slowing his pace to accommodate her.
They soon entered the city.
Even at night, the city was bustling. Shops along the roadside hung lanterns that illuminated the surroundings brightly.
At the entrance to the entertainment district, elegantly dressed geisha held white fans that covered half their faces, revealing the other half with shy expressions. When customers entered, laughter rang out as they wrapped their arms around the geisha's slender waists and stepped inside together.
On both sides of the road, vendors had set up stalls, loudly calling out to passing customers.
For Kanao—who only ever went out at night to scavenge for scraps and otherwise stayed home—this was her first time entering a city.
It was her first glimpse of true prosperity.
In her small village, the streets at night were desolate and nearly devoid of people. Here, it was livelier than her village even during the day—
Livelier by countless times.
She saw all kinds of strange things she had never seen before.
So many unfamiliar foods.
The girl's eyes widened, as if trying to imprint everything firmly into her memory.
As Soma walked, he kept observing the surroundings cautiously, ensuring no one was following them. Only after confirming they were safe did he turn his attention to Kanao. Seeing her wide-eyed expression, he couldn't help but smile faintly.
Passing a street stall, Soma stopped and softly said to her,
"Wait here for a moment."
Left alone amid the lively surroundings, Kanao suddenly felt an emptiness in her heart. A wave of unease and panic spread inside her.
But she didn't have to wait long. Before long, Soma returned.
"I bought you a hairpin."
It was a blue hairpin with a butterfly pattern.
Smiling, Soma gently clipped the butterfly hairpin into Kanao's hair.
"You're becoming more beautiful by the minute. You look more like yourself now."
With the butterfly hairpin in place, she looked as though she had stepped straight out of an anime.
Kanao blankly raised her hand and touched her head, feeling the butterfly hairpin. Her beautiful pink-purple eyes blinked softly. It was her first time wearing something like this. Though the hairpin felt cool to the touch, it seemed to carry a warmth.
Soma looked her up and down briefly, then took her hand and continued walking forward. He noticed that her grip on his hand had tightened slightly.
He lowered his head to look at her. At that exact moment, she lifted her head as well. Her lovely pink-purple eyes shone brightly as she gazed at him, almost sparkling.
He paused for a moment, then shook his head and continued walking.
Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the Hiko Dojo.
Soma led Kanao inside. As they passed the dojo's spacious training ground, a man holding a sword stood there quietly.
He wore a red kimono. His brownish-red hair was tied into a ponytail. He was somewhat short, with a gentle, almost delicate appearance. Combined with his slightly cute face, he looked more like a girl.
And yet…
For some inexplicable reason…
There was an extremely dangerous aura about him that made the hairs on Soma's body stand on end.
Soma couldn't help but stop in his tracks and look toward him.