Chereads / Demon Slayer : LEveLing uP / Chapter 25 - Ishida's Promise and His Strength

Chapter 25 - Ishida's Promise and His Strength

Ishida raced quickly through the forest, having already beaten some demons, but he knew they weren't the last ones he'd find here.

There were more demons ahead of him. But he had a special reason to keep going — the scared kid clinging to him. Ishida believed the child's family was somewhere in the forest.

"We're almost there!" he said, looking down at the kid with a comforting look. "Don't worry, I'll save them," he promised.

In no time, Ishida arrived at what seemed to be the center of the forest and spotted a small group of people — a woman, two young girls, and a man.

Although Ishida could feel the presence of demons nearby, he couldn't see them for some reason.

He hurried over to the woman, who appeared to be in her 30s. She was sitting to one side, anxiously scanning her surroundings. Her face showed sheer terror, just like the two young girls and the man. The man, clutching a stick with bleeding hands, stood protectively in front of the woman and the girls despite his injuries.

When the little girl noticed the group, she immediately pointed her finger at them, trying to speak.

Ishida glanced down at her and then made his way swiftly toward the people ahead.

Initially, they were all frightened as he approached, but when they saw the child in his arms, their fear eased a little. The woman hurriedly stood up, reaching out to take the child, who leaped into her arms and hugged her tightly.

"Who are you?" the man asked, sounding confused.

"Uh... I am..." Ishida began to reply, but before he could finish, he sensed something move in one of the trees near the man.

Without a second thought, he drew his sword. The sight of the weapon made the woman step back, and the man took a defensive stance, thinking Ishida might be a threat.

"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace," Ishida announced, leaping over the man. With a crescent-shaped slash, his sword connected with a demon's arm, slicing it cleanly, and the severed limb fell to the ground.

The demon let out a painful grunt before retreating back into the tree it had emerged from. Meanwhile, Ishida landed gracefully behind the man.

"I'm Ishida!" he declared, finally introducing himself. "What are you doing here?" he asked, wasting no time.

The man, regaining his composure, hesitantly asked, "Are you... Are you a demon slayer?"

Before Ishida could respond to the man's question, he sensed another demon lurking near the woman and children sitting next to him.

"I guess we can do the Q&A later!" Ishida said, swiftly moving in front of the group. This time, instead of using his sword, he relied on his raw strength. He grabbed the demon's hand, yanking it out of the tree, and hurled it to the side with impressive force.

"You...!" the demon yelled, full of rage. But before he could say anything else or try to run away, Ishida's sword sliced through his neck. The demon fell to the ground and turned into ashes.

The family was shocked and scared, especially the kids who screamed when they saw Ishida take down the demon.

Ishida looked at them with a mix of pity and sadness. He understood what it was like to see such horrible things happen right in front of you, to feel the fear when demons are trying to hurt you.

Suddenly, a wave of anger hit him. He thought about how many kids and families had to face the same nightmare he did. He couldn't help but feel their pain.

For a moment, as he looked at the family, he saw them as his own. The family he lost to the demons, the ones he couldn't save. Those demons only lived to destroy and ruin lives.

"I'll put an end to every demon out there," he vowed silently to himself. "Any demon that tries to tear apart another family, I won't let them get away with it, no matter what."

Swiftly, Ishida moved in front of the family, surprising them with how fast he got there. With a reassuring smile, he turned to them and said, "Don't worry, this won't take long."

His words and calm demeanor helped ease the family's fears, making them feel a bit more at ease than before.

He then took a step forward, heightening his sensing abilities, 'From What I saw until now. These demons can dissolve their form inside these trees. Although, they have physical form, they hides themselves in the trees. So, I need to point out the trees they are in with my sense to find them out' He said as he focused on the trees now, rather than at everywhere' He thought.

Understood! Let's adjust the scenario to reflect a more accurate portrayal of the demons' aggression and Ishida's response.

As Ishida stood guard, the forest seemed to come alive with the sinister presence of the demons. Suddenly, they launched their attack, emerging from the shadows in a coordinated assault.

The first demon lunged directly at Ishida, claws extended, but Ishida was ready. "Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace," he shouted, his blade cutting a crescent through the air. The demon's head separated from its body, turning to ash before it hit the ground.

Before he could take a breath, two more demons charged from his left and right. Ishida spun gracefully, his sword weaving a deadly arc. With two swift slashes, both demons were reduced to nothing more than dust, their attacks thwarted in an instant.

The remaining demons, undeterred by their fallen comrades, rushed forward in a frenzy. Ishida's senses were on high alert, his body moving almost on instinct. Another demon leaped at him from above, but Ishida sidestepped, his blade flashing in the moonlight as he struck it down mid-air.

A fourth and fifth demon tried to flank him, hoping to catch him off-guard. But Ishida was too quick; his sword sliced through the first, then seamlessly transitioned to the second, ending their threat in the blink of an eye.

Three demons remained, their eyes filled with a mix of rage and desperation. They attacked simultaneously, hoping to overwhelm Ishida with their numbers. But Ishida, unfazed, faced them head-on.

With a powerful leap, he evaded their initial strikes, landing behind them. "Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace," he declared once more, his blade moving with precision and speed. In a flurry of motion, he dispatched the final three demons, their bodies disintegrating into ash.

As the last of the demons fell, the forest grew still once again. Ishida sheathed his sword, turning back to the family with a reassuring smile. "You're safe now," he repeated, his voice calm and steady, ensuring them that the nightmare was finally over.