Yone stood before the azakana, a demon born of human fears and regrets, ready to strike it down with his katana. His mind was focused, his movements calculated, like a deadly dance.
The fight was one-sided; Yone dominated the demon with ease. Just as he was about to deliver the final blow, the azakana murmured incomprehensible words, a low chuckle resonating in the air.
Suddenly, everything turned dark around Yone, as if the world itself was collapsing. An unusual sensation enveloped his senses, and in the blink of an eye, he found himself alone in an unfamiliar place.
The air carried a familiar scent of fear, but also something different, something inexplicable. Yone scanned his surroundings warily, his once-brown eyes, now red with a blue glow, swept over the shadows, ready for anything.
"I no longer sense the Azakana ; where has it taken me?" His voice was deeply calm despite the internal confusion.
This was neither Ionia nor any place he recognized. His mind calculated the possibilities: could the azakana have caused this? Was it some form of magic? But the facts were there : the azakana had vanished, and a heavy atmosphere surrounded him.
Without wasting time, he took a deep breath to center his mind. He didn't yet understand what had happened, but he knew one thing : he sensed the presence of a malevolent creature. An azakana? No. The energy of this entity was different, more... ravenous. He couldn't remain idle in the face of such a threat, so he followed his instincts, letting his steps lead him toward the evil presence.
No matter where he was, his purpose remained the same.
Azakanas must fall by his blades.
---
A few kilometers away, in a small, isolated village, a young girl in her early teens made her way through the dark alleys.
Shinobu Kocho had been assigned to investigate recent disappearances. Several villagers had been found lifeless, and the few survivors spoke of a shadow with flaming eyes. The other members of the Demon Slayer Corps were occupied elsewhere, so the young Shinobu was alone on this mission.
She moved silently, focused but cautious. She knew danger could arise at any moment. The murmurs of the villagers echoed in her mind: a creature with a terrifying aura prowled at night. Her instincts told her she was getting closer to where the demon might be hiding, and she tightened her grip on her sword. Despite her age, she showed no sign of fear. Her heartbeat was measured, her breathing calm. She knew she had to be ready for a deadly fight.
"After this, I should take a break with my sister." Lately, she hadn't rested due to the rise in demon activity.
Suddenly, she felt a presence. The air grew heavier, a chill running down her spine. As a demon slayer, she had a keener instinct than most. This oppressive atmosphere couldn't escape her notice.
She was no longer alone.
"Who's there?" she murmured, her voice almost inaudible.
In the darkness, a figure emerged from the shadows. A man, clearly a stranger, dressed in a blood-stained, torn robe. He wore no shirt, only bandages along his arms and abdomen. Masks could be seen hanging from his belt.
He held two katanas, one of them surrounded by a crimson aura with symbols engraved upon it.
But what surprised Shinobu most was the man's red mask. It wasn't the first time she'd seen someone hide their face, but this mask seemed embedded in his features, as if it were part of him.
His gaze was piercing, with a bluish glow, making him appear to be something beyond human. His presence immediately put her on guard, uncertain if he was human or not.
Yet, there was one thing she couldn't ignore.
'He's... handsome.' As a young girl, it wasn't surprising she'd notice this right away. Honestly, if she weren't out hunting demons, she might be blushing just admiring him.
'Alright, Shinobu, just because a handsome stranger appears before you doesn't mean you lose focus. He could be a demon in disguise.' She looked at him warily, her sword pointed as though he were already sentenced to death.
Meanwhile, the man watched her, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
Yone observed the young girl in silence, wondering who she was and what she was doing here. He hadn't seen any other creatures like the one he had hunted, but he sensed that this girl knew Azakanas. Perhaps she even hunted them as well.
However, he remained cautious, unwilling to reveal too much. She looked weak despite her sword pointed at him; did she take him for a demon?
"What are you doing here, stranger?" Shinobu asked, her eyes alert and suspicious.
"I'm hunting a creature," he replied simply, his voice low and icy calm. "An Azakana."
She frowned. She had never heard that word but quickly understood he was referring to demons.
'Is he also a slayer? No, someone of his presence would be immediately known. His aura is too intimidating to be just a simple slayer. Why is he hunting a demon, and how does he know it's here?' Shinobu had many unanswered questions, but she couldn't demand answers. To be honest, a fear was starting to grow in her.
If she fought this man, her sister would never see her again.
The two watched each other, as if trying to read the other's soul. But before either could speak again, a massive shadow emerged from the darkness. It was a hideous creature, an old man devoid of hair, with sharp claws and eyes glowing with a malevolent fire.
Shinobu charged without hesitation, her sword coming down in a graceful yet precise movement. Yone, for his part, observed, seeking to understand the girl's abilities. She was fast and precise, but the demon didn't seem easy to defeat.
Were there other demon hunters besides him? He knew a few, like the girl from the Shauna clan, Vayne, if he remembered correctly.
However, this one seemed weak. This Azakana didn't even match the level of his kind ; what kind of place had he arrived in?
Finally, Yone looked at the Azakana with curiosity. Its movements seemed to weaken as the fight continued. By deduction, he assumed it was poison, seeing the symptoms. This girl fought not with strength but with poison?
To him, it was unremarkable. Once, he possessed honor, proud of his swordsmanship. This method of combat did not match his values, but he no longer cared. He no longer had the privilege of mingling with the physical world.
But Yone was puzzled. This creature didn't behave like an azakana. Its power felt different, more brutal, less tied to inner torment. His mind was confused ; he didn't understand this place or this thing. But he knew he couldn't let this thing survive.
Finally, when the demon deflected Shinobu's sword and prepared to strike, Yone stepped in. In a flash, his crimson katana sliced through the air, and with a single blow, he severed the creature's head, which disintegrated into ashes. Shinobu froze, watching the man who had executed this move with an almost supernatural ease.
The young slayer stared at him, intrigued and wary. She had never seen anyone take down a demon so easily, much less with one arm. "Who... are you?" she asked, keeping her sword raised as a precaution. "You're not just a simple human, are you?"
'Impossible... does he have a Nichirin Blade? How did he kill that demon?' She was still stunned by the strength displayed by the man. Even though she weakened the demon with her poison, killing it with one hand took significant strength.
Moreover, she hadn't even seen him move.
Yone, impassive, lowered his katana slowly and looked at her without answering immediately, weighing each word. "I am but an exile. Someone who must hunt these creatures... azakana." His gaze seemed to peer into the girl's soul, trying to determine if she was a threat or an ally in this unknown place.
Shinobu slightly furrowed her brow, trying to grasp the meaning of the strange word he had mentioned again. "Azakana? I've never heard of that term. In our land, we call them demons." She glanced at the still-floating ashes. "You have incredible strength for an... 'exile.' How did you kill that demon so easily?"
Yone turned his gaze away, lost in thought. "Strength alone is not enough. This world seems different... but the darkness corrupting souls remains the same." His grave tone hinted at a depth of experience that Shinobu couldn't quite grasp. He looked around them, the atmosphere still charged with the dark energy of the creature he had just destroyed.
They stood in silence for a moment, broken only by the whisper of the wind. Then, a croak pierced the air. A crow from the Demon Slayer Corps landed nearby, its eyes gleaming in the darkness, watching the scene with an almost human intensity. "SHINOBU KOCHO MUST RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO HEADQUARTERS TO REPORT!"
The crow cast a quick glance toward Yone, as if marking his presence. Shinobu narrowed her eyes, torn between the desire to learn more about this mysterious man and her duty to follow orders. She finally nodded. "Thank you... for your help, even though I still don't know who you are or what you are."
Yone inclined his head slightly in silent respect. "Continue your hunt, kid. Darkness is everywhere, even if it changes shape."
Shinobu watched the man disappear in a gust of wind, leaving only a crow beside her.
Whatever he was, she thought he was a good guy.
"CROW! CROW! SHINOBU KOCHO..." before the crow could finish, Shinobu was pointing at the animal with her sword, wearing a silent but deadly smile.
"If you don't want to end up like that demon..."
The crow flew away in panic not bothering to hear the end.
Shinobu sighed tiredly, she didn't forget to ask for a leave with her big sister, especially after this event...