That same night, Shinobu returned to the Butterfly Mansion, her mind preoccupied with the events of the day. As she passed by Ali's room, she hesitated, glancing at the door. "I haven't seen him since yesterday," she thought, raising her hand to knock. "It doesn't even sound like he's inside."
Before her knuckles could touch the wood, a voice from down the corridor called out, stopping her mid-action. "He's not here," one of the three assistants said, walking towards her.
Shinobu turned to face the assistant, her brow furrowing in mild frustration.
"Where is he, then? Why didn't you inform me sooner?"
The assistant stopped a few steps away, offering a slight bow in apology. "He left this morning," she explained. "He mentioned going to train outside and said to tell you he'd be back in a couple of days. I didn't inform you earlier because you were occupied with the new foreigners."
Shinobu let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. "Seriously, why would he just leave like that without saying a word? He's always doing things like this."
The assistant offered no further explanation, and Shinobu, her annoyance simmering beneath her usual calm demeanour, turned away, muttering quietly to herself. The night passed uneventfully, though her thoughts lingered on Ali's strange behaviour.
The next day was bustling with activity. The Phoenix Guild members were outside in the mansion's spacious garden, each focused on their training. Julia, dressed in more comfortable training clothes, wielded her enormous sword with ease.
The sword, nearly as tall as she was, gleamed in the sunlight. Its white blade, adorned with intricate red engravings, cut through the air with a force that sent ripples through the atmosphere. Each swing seemed to tear at the very fabric of reality, the sheer power behind it astonishing
On the other side of the garden, the twins were engaged in a fierce sparring match, practicing a martial art that was anything but ordinary. Their movements were fluid, yet unnaturally swift and powerful, as though the combat techniques they were using weren't meant for ordinary humans. It was a style designed for beings of superior strength and speed, a testament to their unnatural abilities.
Meanwhile, Zach was performing push-ups with a massive boulder balanced on his back. The rock was so large that any normal person would have been crushed under its weight, but Zach moved with perfect form, completing each repetition with apparent ease. His muscles tensed and rippled under the strain, yet his face remained calm, showing no signs of fatigue.
The only one not training was Mark. He sat inside the main room of the mansion, his brow furrowed in concentration as he pored over several papers spread out on the table before him. These documents contained crucial intelligence, information he had bought from a contact within Reincarnation Paradise. Each paper held small descriptions of their opponents in the upcoming guild war, and the more Mark read, the more concerned he became. Despite their strength, he couldn't shake the feeling that his team wasn't prepared, 'We're not strong enough,, Mark thought, rubbing his temple in frustration. His mind raced as he tried to formulate strategies that might give them an edge. The fight would be brutal, and he knew that one misstep could lead to their annihilation.
Far away from the mansion, Ali was deep in his training. He stood before the massive stone wall of a cliff, holding his black spear in one hand. The spear was an extension of him, and its surface was marked with swirling black patterns that twisted along its length. Ali's breathing was steady as he prepared himself. In one swift motion, he took a large step forward, winding his arm back, and then hurled the spear toward the upper level of the cliff.
VOOOOOOOM
The spear shot forward with a deafening roar, cutting through the air like a black vortex. It traveled with such speed and force that shockwaves followed in its wake. The markings along the spear's shaft seemed to twist even more violently as it flew, giving it the appearance of a black storm barreling toward its target.
BOOOOOOOM
The spear struck the cliff face with an explosive impact, obliterating the stone.
The upper part of the wall deformed under the force, and massive chunks of rock began to rain down toward Ali. Each piece was large enough to crush him, casting heavy shadows as they plummeted from the sky.
Ali clenched his fist, and black markings spread across his right hand. He waited until the first rock was mere inches from him before throwing a devastating punch upward.
BOOOOOOOOM
His fist collided with the boulder, shattering it into dust and debris. The force of his punch was so immense that it caused every subsequent rock to disintegrate in mid-air. Steam rose from Ali's fist as he lowered it, watching as the smaller pieces of stone fell harmlessly around him. Not a single piece touched him.
His spear, now dislodged from the wall, began to spin as it fell toward the ground.
Ali caught it with ease, twirling it in front of him in a circular motion so fast that it appeared like a solid wall of black. He continued his practice, performing high-level manoeuvres before slashing downward, the movement so powerful it sent ripples through the surrounding forest.
Suddenly, Ali stopped and stood still. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the forest, sensing a presence nearby.
"Come out!" he called, his voice firm.
From the shadows of the trees, a small figure hesitantly stepped forward. It was Hantengu, the Fourth Upper Moon, his tear-streaked face betraying his fear. He kept to the shade, avoiding the sunlight as he slowly approached Ali.
"S-s-sorry to interrupt, um... Master Muzan sent me," Hantengu stammered, his voice shaking. "He wanted to inform you that we received the letter your companion gave to Daki."
Ali's eyes flickered with recognition. 'Companion? A letter to a demon? It must be one of them. And Daki-if Muzan knows her name, she must be high-ranking', Ali thought, his expression unreadable.
"And what is Muzan's decision?" Ali asked, his voice calm but commanding.
Hantengu wiped his tears and replied, "Muzan-sama has decided to proceed with the attack on Ubuyashiki's mansion in two days, just as you suggested. With the Hashira busy, we'll annihilate their headquarters and kill their leader."
Ali's mind raced as he processed the information. 'So, they sold out the Demon Slayer Corps this quickly... They're rushing into this, we'll I'm ready for it so the sooner the better!'
Ali gave his reply to Hantengu and received a small piece of cloth from the demon, which he pocketed without a word. Hantengu, visibly relieved to be done with the interaction, quickly retreated into the shadows.
Alone once more, Ali resumed his training, his mind now fully focused. Everything was falling into place, and soon the final act of this bloody saga would begin.
Please donate some of your power stones, it would help my ff massively.
Five extra chapters on patreon.com/Rondo312