Ever since the night demons destroyed the happiness she once had, Shinobu had not truly smiled in a very long time.
So when she saw Soma staring at her with genuine surprise on his face, she could not help feeling puzzled.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No." Soma shook his head gently before speaking softly. "It is simply that you smiled just now."
It had only been a simple smile.
Yet for Shinobu, such a thing was incredibly rare—almost impossible.
She slowly raised a hand to touch her cheek. Her skin felt soft and smooth beneath her fingers.
Only then did Shinobu suddenly realize that this face of hers, always tense and restrained, had not truly smiled for who knew how long.
"It was just a smile. It's not a big deal."
The girl lowered her eyes slightly. Her eyelashes were long enough that when her gaze fell, they nearly concealed her eyes completely.
"It looked beautiful."
Soma spoke with sincere admiration.
"You look much better when you smile than when you're always keeping such a serious face."
"You should smile more often. Constantly tensing yourself like this isn't good."
"I'll try."
Shinobu pressed her lips together softly.
Rumble...
A sudden, resounding thunderclap resonated through the air. Soma lifted his head, finding it rather peculiar that lightning was striking during the bright daylight.
Standing up, Soma walked over to the window and gazed outside. Dark clouds had obscured the sky at some unknown point, and the breeze that had originally drifted gently through the trees had transformed into a raging gale
The wind howled furiously, causing the surrounding forest to sway violently, as raindrops the size of beans began slamming down against the earth with a rhythmic, crackling din.
"It is pouring heavily."
Lying upon her bed, Shinobu looked toward the frame, witnessing the torrential downpour outside while simultaneously observing the tall figure stationed right beside the windowsill.
Rumble...
Another peal of thunder exploded through the sky, accompanied by a flash of lightning.
Almost instinctively, Shinobu shrank slightly.
When she had been very young, she had always been afraid of thunder.
Especially during storms like this.
Back then, her mother would hold her gently, while her father comforted her from beside them.
At those times, she had always felt safe.
The memories of those days caused her eyes to lower faintly as a thin mist of moisture slowly gathered within them.
Soma turned around just in time to catch that rare moment of vulnerability on her face.
It was as rare as seeing Shinobu genuinely smile.
No matter how mature she acted outside, no matter how much she tried to present herself as a powerful swordsman, in the end, she was still not very old.
And yet someone her age had already been forced to bear so much pain.
It was difficult not to feel sympathy for her.
"Don't be afraid. It's only thunder." Soma walked back to the bedside and gently patted her wrist.
"I-I'm not afraid of something like this. There's no way I'd be scared."
No matter how stubbornly she denied it, her expression had already betrayed her.
In the past, whenever storms like this came, if her sister was nearby, she would throw herself into Kanae's arms, and her sister would always comfort her.
But now…
There was only Soma beside her.
Naturally, Shinobu did not want him to see such an embarrassing side of her, so she stubbornly forced herself to endure it.
In truth, if she had been alone, she did not think she would have been unable to face something like this.
But once there was someone beside her—
Someone who made her heart feel safe—
Her emotions unconsciously became more fragile.
"In the future, you must exercise a far greater degree of caution. An injury as catastrophic as this one must never occur a second time," Soma advised gently.
"What are you talking about? This time was only an accident." Shinobu immediately tried to act tough again. "With my abilities, how could I possibly be injured so badly by a mere member of the Twelve Kizuki?"
She deliberately made herself sound impressive.
But in reality, the battle against the Lower Rank demon had been far more dangerous than she admitted.
Without the wisteria poison she had developed herself, she would never have stood a chance against a member of the Twelve Kizuki.
"Yes, yes. Miss Shinobu is truly incredible." Soma sighed lightly. "Otherwise, how could you have ended up injured this badly?"
"You... you... you are explicitly mocking me!"
Shinobu felt a surge of intense irritation. She desperately wished she could extend her hand and fiercely pinch the soft flesh of Soma's waist, ensuring he fully understood exactly how formidable the great Shinobu could be.
"I wouldn't dare." Soma sighed again before gently patting her wrist once more. "You really need to take better care of yourself."
Shinobu lowered her head slightly and said nothing. Only a soft little "Mm…" escaped from her nose in response.
Outside, the rain continued growing heavier.
Meanwhile, Soma stayed beside her, casually chatting about all sorts of things.
They talked about places they had seen, interesting topics, favorite foods…
As the conversation drifted on, they even began discussing what they would do once all the demons in the world were finally eradicated.
Shinobu said she wanted to open a small clinic someday, just like her parents once had, and quietly live in a peaceful town with someone she loved.
When she mentioned finding someone she loved, she secretly glanced at Soma.
As they continued talking, a wave of drowsiness gradually began to envelop her senses.
Soma gently pulled the blanket higher over her shoulders and spoke softly.
"Get some proper rest."
"Mm…"
Sleepiness finally overwhelmed her, and Shinobu slowly drifted into a peaceful sleep.
This time, she slept especially soundly.
Normally, whenever she slept, nightmares would always come easily.
She would constantly dream about the night her happiness had been destroyed… dream about her parents being killed before her eyes by demons…
But this time was different.
This time, she dreamed that all the demons in the world had finally been exterminated.
Without demons, the Demon Slayer Corps had also been disbanded.
Together with her sister, she moved to a small quiet town and bought a little house there.
And then…
She and Soma…
…
While Shinobu rested, Soma quietly chose to leave.
Before departing, however, he first arranged proper places for the people he had brought back with him.
All of them were people whose lives had been torn apart by demons. Each carried deep hatred toward demons and planned to walk the path of demon hunting from now on.
Those without talent for swordsmanship would instead support demon slaying through logistics and other work behind the scenes.
…
Traveling alone again, Soma moved much faster than before.
However, he was still quite far from Mount Sagiri, and because he had left rather late, the sun soon began to set.
As darkness descended, the demons that had hidden during the day once again became active.
Passing by several towns, he could clearly sense demons moving through the night… along with humans being attacked.
"A demon attack! Demon attack! Please head there immediately! Please head there immediately!"
His Kasugai Crow flew over from the distance, urgently delivering the report.
Soma raised his hand slightly, and the crow flapped down onto his shoulder.
Perhaps because it had already grown used to the demonic aura surrounding him, the crow that once feared him so deeply could now calmly perch on his shoulder and groom its feathers without panic.
The fear it once showed him had completely disappeared.
"Even the birds are adapting to the changes," Soma murmured, extending his fingers to gently smooth down the crow's feathers while lifting his gaze to observe the pitch-black night sk
The world cloaked beneath this absolute darkness was precisely the natural domain for a demon like himself. Yet, those creatures that possessed monstrous strength were currently hunting down and feeding upon the very race they had once belonged to.
Under normal circumstances, he likely wouldn't have bothered to involve himself in these matters.
Yet, at this exact moment, his footsteps instinctively altered their trajectory, moving steadily toward the area where the demon raid was actively transpirating.
Before he could even draw near, the distinct sounds of intense steel clashing echoed through the night air.
oma accelerated his pace considerably. Pressing his toes lightly against the ground, he vaulted seamlessly onto the roof of a nearby residence, his silhouette executing a series of rapid, fluid leaps across the rooftops.
Beneath a brilliant cascade of moonlight, the chaotic scene of the demon attack soon came into view.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū: Battōjutsu!"
A sharp blade flashed through the night sky, cutting out a brilliant streak of light as it cleanly severed the demon's head.
A man dressed in a red kimono knelt on the ground with his sword in hand, breathing heavily. His brownish-red hair was tied back in a ponytail, and his build was somewhat slight, but at that moment, all he could do was stare upward in disbelief.
The demon before him had clearly been decapitated, yet it continued moving as though nothing had happened. Worse still, the wounds on its body regenerated at a terrifying speed. In the brief moment he had paused to catch his breath, the demon had already reattached its severed head.
"Heh heh heh… pathetic human. Have you finally tasted despair?"
The demon laughed arrogantly as it lunged at him once more.
By now, the man had completely exhausted his strength. Even though he saw the demon's claws swinging toward him, he could barely muster the will to resist.
It wasn't that he was weaker than the demon. In fact, he had already cut off the creature's head several times during the battle, but none of it had mattered. Again and again, the demon simply reattached its head and continued fighting tirelessly, while his own stamina drained rapidly with every exchange. Now, even standing had become difficult.
As the demon's sharp claws descended, the man slowly closed his eyes in unwilling resignation.
Is this really the end?
How frustrating…
Yet the expected pain never came.
Instead, a familiar voice echoed beside him.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū: Battōjutsu!"
A blade flashed through the night.
When he opened his eyes again, the demon's head had been severed once more, and standing before him was a familiar figure.
"It's you!"
The man looked up in surprise.
"We meet again." Soma replied, smoothly sheathing his blade with a sharp click as he smiled down at the man.
The man was none other than Kenshin Himura. Soma had once learned the foundational techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū under his guidance.
That very sword style had also allowed him to survive several life-threatening situations in the past.
"Be careful! That monster can't be killed even if you cut off its head!" Kenshin Himura warned urgently as he saw Soma sheathing his weapon. Just moments earlier, he had been injured after letting his guard down upon cleanly decapitating it.
"The demon is already dead." Soma merely shook his head.
Kenshin found that hard to believe. He had seen firsthand just how terrifying demons were. Decapitation alone could not kill them. They had no obvious fatal weaknesses—monstrous strength, inexhaustible stamina, and near-instant regeneration. Creatures like that simply weren't something humans could defeat.
But then—
When he turned to look again, the demon that had seemed immortal in his eyes was slowly disintegrating into ash.
Kenshin froze for a moment.
"Demons are almost immortal, but they have one absolute weakness: they can't withstand sunlight. If you use a Nichirin Sword—crafted from ore that has absorbed sunlight—and cut off their neck, you can destroy them completely."
Soma unfastened the Nichirin Sword at his waist and extended it forward, offering it as he explained.
Kenshin Himura took the specialized weapon, his gaze shifting between the demon's fully dissolved remains and the unique blade in his hands. After a long pause, he finally accepted the reality before him.
At that moment, a series of recent rumors suddenly resurfaced in Kenshin's mind.
Lately, traces of demons had begun appearing more openly in public. Countless people were only just learning that man-eating monsters truly lurked in the darkness of this world, plunging entire towns into fear and panic. At the same time, stories of the Demon Slayer Corps—the swordsmen who slay demons and protected humanity from the shadows—had also begun to spread.
"So you're one of those demon slayers?" Kenshin looked up at Soma while still examining the Nichirin Sword.
"Yes, at present, I can be considered an active swordsman belonging to the Demon Slayer Corps," Soma nodded.
"I see…"
Kenshin gave a slow nod. This time, when he looked at Soma, his gaze was filled with admiration and respect. He had heard of those swordsmen who fought in secret to protect ordinary people from the darkness.
"Where's Arakawa-sensei?"
Soma asked softly.
Only now had he realized that this was the very same town where he and Kanao had once hidden away for a time.
Back then, the first person to teach Soma the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū had been Arakawa Akihiro. Even now, he still remembered those nights vividly—coming to seek guidance under the cover of darkness while the older man sighed helplessly at his late-night visits, yet still taught him with utmost seriousness.
Hearing Soma mention him, Himura Kenshin fell silent.
Only after a long pause did he let out a faint sigh.
"Every single one of them was slaughtered by these monsters."
For a moment, Soma found it difficult to accept.
…
Following Kenshin, Soma walked deeper into town until they arrived before a familiar gate. The signboard above still clearly bore the words Hiko Dojo, though the place now looked far more desolate than before.
As soon as they entered, the devastation became obvious. Many things inside had been destroyed, and in several places, dried bloodstains still remained.
"A demon once broke into this place…" Kenshin quietly recounted the tragedy that had occurred there.
In truth, although demons possessed monstrous capabilities, the disciples who trained within this dojo to master the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū were by no means weak. In fact, many had managed to drive their blades clean through the demon's heart or slash open its throat during the encounter… yet those wounds, which would have been an instant death sentence for any human, produced no discernible effect on a demon's unnatural physiology.
Faced with a monster that shattered human limits—one that felt no fatigue and knew no fear of death—the vast majority of the Hiko Dojo disciples perished in that engagement, save for the few who fled early on.
"I only learned what happened after returning and hearing it from the surviving swordsmen."
Kenshin sighed softly as he led Soma to Arakawa Akihiro's former room.
Standing inside, Soma looked around quietly.
He had come here many times in the past. Whenever he arrived late at night seeking instruction, Arakawa Akihiro would grumble in exasperation, though he still taught him earnestly every single time. Even if money had been the older man's primary motivation, Soma had always been genuinely grateful to him.
He had never imagined the man would one day die at the hands of a demon.
"Arakawa often talked about you," Kenshin said from beside him. "He praised your physical talent many times."
Soma smiled faintly at that.
Only now did he realize that compared to their first meeting, Kenshin seemed far more mature—and far more worn down. There was a faint exhaustion in his expression, as though he had experienced much during this time.
Soma still remembered the Kenshin he had first met: spirited, passionate, and determined to leave the mountains to end the chaos of the era. He had dreamed of stopping needless killing, of creating a world where no one would die to war anymore, and of using the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū to save people rather than destroy them.
But achieving such ideals required more than surviving battles.
One also had to face people.
And sometimes, humans were far more complicated than demons.
At that moment, Soma noticed a sake bottle in the room. He picked it up, found two cups, and poured a drink for himself before filling another and handing it to Kenshin.
Kenshin accepted the cup and looked up at him.
Raising his own cup slightly, Soma said, "I want to invite you to join the Demon Slayer Corps—to hunt demons and protect humanity."
Kenshin froze for a moment.
Somehow, the scene felt strangely familiar.
Back then, after sparring with Soma and witnessing his extraordinary physical ability, Kenshin had once invited him to travel to Tokyo together, hoping they could work side by side toward changing the world.
At the time, Soma had refused.
Yet now, the invitation had come from the opposite side.
Thinking about the terrifying demons he had encountered—and the stories surrounding the Demon Slayer Corps—Kenshin saw no reason to refuse.
So he raised the cup and drained it in one gulp, accepting without hesitation.
Watching Kenshin agree to join the Demon Slayer Corps, Soma suddenly realized something.
He had been trapped in a misunderstanding this whole time.
Hunting demons did not necessarily have to be done only through the Demon Slayer Corps.
...
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