I sat upright, holding my face, trying to recall what had happened the previous day and how I ended up in this classic Japanese house.
The atmosphere gave me a sense of nostalgia.
The only event I could vividly recall was a beautiful woman appearing to save me from the clutches of a demon. And on her back was—yes! I had been reborn in the world of Demon Slayer.
This was shocking news to digest. But really, I had been born into this world. Thank you, light guy. But is that truly something to be grateful for? From now on, I won't be able to sleep peacefully at night, and I must constantly be on guard against man-eating demons.
This is really bad. I feel a bit of happiness, but the thought of always staying alert kills the joy.
"Haaa… at times like this, I need my goddess by my side. Since she isn't here, I think that beautiful, angelic woman will do—"
Just then, I noticed a girl sitting beside me with a cloth on her arms. But she wasn't there when I first woke up, right? How did she get here?
The girl had long, dark blue hair with sharp eyes and a serious face. She was beautiful, but the only problem was that she was just a child.
We stared at each other, eye to eye. There was shock in my gaze, but there wasn't a shred of emotion behind hers.
"Oh, you're awake," a voice said.
The beautiful angel walked into the room, clad in a kimono and holding a scroll and an ink bottle. She approached and sat on the floor beside me.
"Hmm… Nana, you've been taking care of him. Good job," she said, patting the girl's head.
But wait a minute, taking care of me?
"I was only following your orders, my lady," Nana responded.
"Mmhm, you did a good job. Well then," the woman turned to me.
"I know you must be confused. The thing is, you collapsed after we saved you. When we returned to the village to find your family, no one claimed to be missing a child. So, we decided to bring you here. Welcome to my home. My name is Fumiko Ayuma,"
"Thank you," I stuttered, feeling slightly overwhelmed.
"Alright, let's begin," she said, arranging the scroll on the floor and preparing her quill and ink.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Tatsuya Uzui," I answered.
"Uzui? Like Uzui from the Shinobi village?"
"Mmhm," I nodded.
"Wow. Then… never mind. Your parents' names?"
"I don't have any," I replied.
"Hmm…" her eyes trailed to the mark on my arm, clearly recognizing what it meant.
"A lost kid with no parents, bearing the black mark on his hand. This is tough," she whispered under her breath while taking notes.
As Fumiko took notes, I glanced back at the little girl, and behold, she still had her eyes locked on me. If she wasn't so beautiful, I might have classified her as a creep. But still, her stare was creepy.
"That's all for now. Nana, give him the clothes," Fumiko instructed, as she packed up her scroll.
"Here's a new set of clothes. Change into them. I'll come back to get you when you're done," she said.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied.
"Alright, Nana, let's give him some space."
Both of them left the room. I changed into the new clothes, and I couldn't help but notice how comfortable and warm they were. This was the first time I had ever worn something new since I was born.
After changing, Fumiko hadn't returned yet, so I decided to use the time to check my stats. Something had been bugging me for a while.
I opened the interface and went to the skill section, tapping and inspecting the skill "Neural Shell."
[Neural Shell (Mental Fortitude) (Lv. 3)
Information: This passive skill grants the host improved mental strength. It can also defend the host against mental attacks.]
If this is really what I think it is, then…
"Oh, you're ready? Come on, let's go," Ayuma entered the room
I obediently followed her as we left the house. This wasn't just an ordinary house—it was a mansion with many rooms and compartments. As we walked, I noticed a room where girls were training alongside Nana, but I ignored them and continued to follow Fumiko.
Nearly half an hour later, we arrived at a large compound facing another huge house. The road was lined with shiny granite stones, and the compound was beautified with flowers of various colors and types.
"Fumiko-san, I believe you were supposed to be on break. How was your mission?" a young boy with pale skin and light purple eyes asked, emerging from the house. Walking beside him was a young girl, strikingly beautiful, with skin as white as snow.
I wasn't a newbie—I knew exactly who this was.
"May your days be long, Oyakata-sama," Fumiko knelt with one knee, and instinctively, I followed her lead.
"As expected, my mission went well. I was able to slay the demon, but unfortunately, it had already taken some lives before my arrival. I deeply apologize for that, Oyakata-sama," Fumiko said humbly.
"No, don't be hard on yourself, Fumiko-san. I'm sure the souls of the fallen are at peace, knowing you were there. So, what brings you here at this early hour?" Oyakata-sama asked kindly.
Fumiko's gaze shifted to me, and I could feel the weight of Oyakata-sama's eyes upon me as well. Unlike the creepy stare of the small girl from before, his gaze was soothing, almost calming.
His eyes fell on the mark on my arm.
"Oh, I see…" he murmured.
"I came across this child during my mission. After checking on him, I found that he has no family and… he's from the Shinobi clan," Fumiko explained, though she hesitated toward the end.
Why did she pause?
"Mmhm, I understand where you're going with this, Fumiko-san. However, the choice is his to make," Oyakata-sama said, before he and the girl descended the veranda and approached me.
"My name is Hayami Ubuyashiki. May I know yours?" he asked, his voice soft and soothing, creating a sense of calm.
"T-Tatsuya Uzui," I stammered.
"Tatsuya-san, would you consider joining the Demon Slayer Corps?"