A week passed by before someone arrived at Butterfly Manor, looking for him.
When Ryou came out, he noticed a human figure with a bundle tied across his back, wearing a dark pink mask reminiscent of someone attempting to whistle.
"I'm Ryou!" Ryou greeted. 'The mask is creepy. It gives me weird vibes!'
"I'm Kozo Kanamori." Kanamori introduced himself. "I am the one who forged your Nichirin sword!"
"Hello! Can I see it?" Ryou asked.
"Yes," Kanamori carefully unwrapped the bundle to reveal a standard Nichirin sword, housed within a matching scabbard. He gave it to Ryou.
Accepting the sword with both hands, he held it horizontally, gripping the hilt firmly with one hand and the scabbard with the other. He carefully drew the sword from its sheath, and the blade emerged gleaming a little.
The Blade looked around 80cm in length with a gentle curvature and long grip. The edge of the blade is razor-sharp, capable of slicing through most materials with ease.
"Nichirin Swords are referred to as Color Changing Katanas, as they take on a distinct color when first drawn by their owner. Please grab it with both hands!" Kanamori said.
As soon as he firmly grasped the hilt with both hands, a vibrant emerald-green hue began to stem along the edge of the blade, casting a mesmerizing glow.
'It really changed colors!' Ryou exclaimed, marveling at the exquisite craftsmanship.
"It's beautiful! It's my first time seeing such an emerald glow in the sword!" Kanamori remarked in a satisfied tone.
"It's a nice sword!"
"I will be happy if they prove useful in the battle. Then, I will take my leave!" Kanamori said his farewell before setting off.
As Ryou watched Kanamori leave the Butterfly Manor, a cawing sound echoed through the air, and his missing Kasugai crow swooped down from the sky, bringing his first mission.
"Caw! Caw! Ryou, here are your orders for the first task! Head south! Head South to a small town located near a lake! Children are missing there!" His Kasugai crow announced his first task.
"It's time to hunt the demons," Ryou thought, sheathing his Nichirin sword to its scabbard. After informing the Butterfly girls of his leaving, he set off from the Butterfly Manor.
--
After traveling for a day, Ryou reached the location around noon. A lake stretched out before him, its surface gleaming under the sun. On the other side of the lake, he saw a small town nestled against the shore.
As he approached the edge of the lake, he found a few wooden boats waiting to ferry people to the other side. On the front was an old man in his sixties.
"Young traveler, do you want to cross the lake?" The Old man greeted him with a warm smile and asked.
Ryou nodded gratefully, stepping into the boat and settling on one of the wooden benches. The old man expressed, "If you want to reduce the cost, you may wait until three more passengers fill the empty seats, or you can pay the full amount."
"We can go, I will pay you in full!"
"Good!" The old man pushed off the boat from the shore and oared with a practiced hand.
"You don't look to be someone from around here, young man. Are you traveling from afar?" The Old man asked as they glided across the calm waters.
"Yes, I've come on business," Ryou replied. "Old man, I've heard rumors of children missing in this area. Do you know anything about it?"
The old man looked around before replying in a hushed tone, "Yes. I think it's their doing!" He whispered, "The Demons! They lurk in this land, especially at night."
"What?" Ryou feigned a surprised expression. 'How come the old man knows about the demons?'
Although demons were not an entirely unknown existence, many people were not aware of them.
"I know that many people don't believe in their existence. However, a friend of mine, who was a hunter, once encountered one of these creatures. He only escaped thanks to a sword-wielding person." After saying this, the old man unconsciously looked at the sword hidden behind Ryou's Haori.
"Is it? It seems like I have to be careful in the town. Thanks for the warning, old man" Ryou smiled. He confirmed the old man knows about the Demon Slayers from his actions.
As they conversed, the boat reached the other side of the lake. "Thank you for the ride," Ryou spoke and stepped out of the boat after paying the fare.
"Be careful, don't go out at night!" Saying this, the old man pushed off from the shore and rowed back across the lake.
Ryou gazed at the medium-sized town where the buildings are retro and traditional in style, with tiled roofs and wooden facades.
'Let's see if we find any trace or clue,' Musing, he stepped into the town.
After roaming around the town, Ryou failed to find any traces. It didn't surprise him as unlike Tanjiro, he didn't have a sense of smell. But he has the Sharingan, which can help him to some extent.
After finding a good spot that overlooks the entire town, he waited for the demon to attack.
--
As time passed, the sky gradually darkened, welcoming the night.
Ryou activated his Sharingan, monitoring the entire town while his sharp senses scanned for any anomaly. Hours passed before he finally spotted something in the distance.
"Found you," His figure disappeared from the spot, chasing the demon.
As he closed the gap, he saw the demon fleeing from the town and into the woods behind the town. With an unconscious child in its grasp, it jumped from one tree to another in a swift manner.
'This demon seems cautious.' Ryou chuckled inwardly. 'Let's rescue the child first!'
With lightning speed, he closed the distance between himself and the demon. His movement and sudden arrival startled the demon, but before it could react his Nichirin sword sliced through the air like a bolt of lightning.
The slash severed the demon's arm, freeing the child from its grasp. Everything happened in an instant!
When the demon reacted, it roared as the pain hit him from losing the arm. It looked at Ryou who stood opposite holding the unconscious child who was no older than seven or eight years old.
--
P@tre0n/FanficMortal