"Waaaaa!"
*Thump
"This is endless!"
A girl with short, neck-length black hair slammed both her hands onto the table.
Stacks of files trembled, some nearly toppling over.
Her desk was buried under paperwork.
'What am I even doing here…'
'I didn't train to death for this…'
*Knock
"Hey, Makomo! Are you alright?"
"I just heard a loud noise from here."
Makomo glanced at the door.
"Oh… you mean this?"
*Bang
She slammed her hands again. This time, several files slid off and scattered across the floor.
*Sigh
"I know you're frustrated because of the paperwork…"
"But demon activity has dropped a lot over the past few weeks."
"That's why there are barely any missions."
"Yeah, I know, but—"
*Caw
"Mission."
Both of them froze.
"Cadet Makomo… head to… Caw… Amagasaki City… along with the Seventh Squad."
A moment of silence—
"YES… finally!"
Makomo leapt from her chair and dashed out of the room.
The other girl remained standing there, staring at the doorway.
A faint melancholy crossed her face.
'Strong demon slayers like her…'
'They aren't meant for this.'
'They're meant to fight… to kill demons.'
Her fingers tightened slightly.
'And people like me…'
'Who couldn't even avenge their own family…'
'All we can do is support them from behind.'
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Memories surfaced—
Blood. Screams.
And her… hiding in a corner, trembling.
By the time the demon slayers arrived—
Everything was already over.
She wiped her eyes quietly, then bent down to pick up the fallen files.
-
"Good morning, everyone."
"I am Tanaka Souma, Rank 7—Kanoe."
"I'll be leading this mission."
Makomo stood alongside four other cadets in the training grounds of the headquarters.
"You've all been briefed about the mission."
"We'll depart in two hours."
"Our objective is to assist the search party in Amagasaki."
"If there are any questions, ask now."
"Hmph."
A short girl in a dark purple uniform snorted and turned away.
Her eyes were unusual—large and insect-like, with a soft gradient of purple instead of pupils.
Her black hair faded into dark violet at the ends, tied with a butterfly ornament of white, turquoise, and light purple.
"Quite the attitude… for someone at our level"
Makomo muttered.
"She's the younger sister of the Flower Pillar, Kocho Kanae."
Makomo's expression instantly fell.
"So that's why…"
"No, not really."
Another cadet shook his head.
"She applied for the leader position… but got rejected."
"And the thing is—she's actually stronger than him."
"Despite her rank."
Makomo's eyes lit up.
'Interesting…'
'I wonder who's stronger between us.'
A wild smile crept onto her face.
Jin's influence had already begun to show.
-
Meanwhile—
Jin sat inside a tavern, resting his chin on his hand.
Across from him, Asumi was talking nonstop.
'This girl is… exhausting.'
'But her sword talent isn't bad.'
*Rumble
*Shake
The entire building trembled.
Jin's expression sharpened instantly.
'What the…?'
People inside the tavern panicked. Some rushed outside.
"Earthquake?"
Asumi asked.
'No…'
'This isn't natural.'
A chill ran down his spine.
His instincts screamed—
Run.
"Let's go outside first."
They stepped out—
—and chaos greeted them.
The entire city was in turmoil.
Kakushi and the demon slayers were evacuating civilians in a hurry.
Jin stopped one of them.
"Excuse me."
"What are you doing standing here?!"
"Go help them! We're running out of time!"
"What do you mean?"
"What's happening?"
"You don't know?"
The slayer frowned.
"Listen carefully."
"A Pillar is currently fighting a Demon Moon nearby."
"We need to evacuate the city immediately."
"Or the aftermath alone will kill everyone."
Without waiting, he rushed off.
Jin turned to Asumi.
"Help with evacuation."
"And wait for me at the safe zone."
"And you?"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I'm not missing a fight like this."
"Then I'll—"
"No."
His voice turned firm.
"You barely know the basics."
"You won't survive even a single hit."
She clenched her fists—then sighed.
"Fine…"
"But come back alive."
"I still have to learn your 'magic tricks.'"
"Yeah… sure."
Jin dashed forward.
A few hundred meters ahead—
He stopped.
A dome-shaped barrier shimmered faintly in the air.
'So that's what's containing it…'
He stepped through—
—and entered the battlefield.
Inside, destruction stretched everywhere.
Bodies. Rubble. Blood.
In the distance—
Two massive auras clashed.
Jin frowned.
'Something's off…'
'These auras…'
'They're not even close to Rengoku's.'
As he got closer—
His eyes widened.
'This isn't a duel.'
'It's a battlefield.'
Dozens of demon slayers fought against a swarm of demons.
The slayers had skill.
The demons had numbers.
'I'm stronger than most here…'
'But even I can be overwhelmed.'
He moved swiftly, assisting where needed—
Then leapt onto a rooftop.
'Thirty minutes until sunrise.'
*BOOM
The building beneath him split in half.
Jin jumped back.
Dust settled—
A girl stood amidst the rubble.
Tall. Slender.
Long black hair flowing behind her.
A butterfly-patterned haori draped over her shoulders.
Her pale violet eyes shimmered—beautiful, yet deadly.
Across from her—
A demon emerged, smiling.
"My, my…"
"I do love angry girls."
He was tall, muscular, with pale skin and rainbow-colored eyes.
Kanji was etched into them.
Upper Rank—Five.
Jin's breath hitched.
'Upper Moon… Five.'
'That idiot didn't mention THIS.'
'If I survive today… I'm beating him up.'
"I… WILL… KILL YOU."
Kanae's voice trembled with rage.
Her aura surged.
The demon chuckled.
"Then stop wasting energy on that barrier."
"And come at me properly."
"With that strength… You can't even scratch me."
Kanae's grip tightened.
For once—
The calm Flower Pillar looked like a raging storm.
She raised her blade.
"Kanae-sama!"
A girl appeared behind her.
"The city?"
"Fully evacuated."
"Good."
"Go assist the others."
"Yes!"
The girl vanished.
*Swoosh
The barrier disappeared.
Kanae's aura exploded outward—
Heavy. Suffocating.
Now—
It rivaled Rengoku's.
Both demons and slayers instinctively backed away.
She pointed her sword forward.
"This will be your grave."
Her voice trembled with fury.
"I will avenge my sister."