"Caw...caw...caw..."
A jet-black crow flew over the city of Asakusa. If not for the faint rays of sun breaking through the clouds, its dark figure might have gone completely unnoticed.
With a loud flapping of wings, it landed on the shoulder of a man dressed in a black gakuran, with a white belt around his waist. On his back, the Japanese characters for 'Extermination' were boldly displayed, signaling his purpose.
"I think we should call a Hashira for this case," the man said to his colleague, who stood a few steps beside him. The younger man widened his eyes in shock upon hearing this.
"But, senior...if there were no casualties, why go to such lengths?"
Though his senior may not have the strength of a Hashira, his rank of Hinoto and years of field experience had always inspired respect. But now, even he was confused by the suggestion to involve a Hashira when no deaths had been reported.
"That's the issue—why would a demon appear and cause no casualties?" the man replied, his expression serious. His colleague fell silent, considering the implications.
"Maybe it was a fight between demons over territory?" the younger one ventured.
"It can't be. We've never observed such behavior in this area. And witnesses only reported seeing a single demon."
If a demon had indeed appeared in a city as populated as Asakusa, it wouldn't be long before word spread. To prevent this, Demon Slayers carefully monitored highly populated places, prepared to intercept any demonic threat. When word of a possible demon sighting on the main street reached the Corps, Demon Slayers were immediately dispatched to prevent further harm.
"What if the other demon used a ranged attack?" the junior Slayer suggested after a moment's thought.
"If the Kasugai crow's report is accurate, then this demon would have died from the amount of pain it appeared to be in," his senior replied, leaving the younger Slayer even more confused.
"So?"
"The demon's blood should have evaporated when it died," the senior Slayer replied, gesturing toward the pool of blood in the middle of the road. And indeed, the blood that had covered the main street in scarlet red was visible to any passerby.
But the surprises didn't end there, as the first rays of sunlight struck the blood, it did not evaporate as expected. Both men stared, panic rising as they struggled to make sense of the scene before them.
"Could it be...a human?" the younger Slayer asked, unable to draw any other conclusion.
"I...don't know," his senior replied. It was his first encounter with something like this. While he, too, had considered the possibility of it being human, he couldn't explain how a human's skin could crack open and heal as though nothing had happened.
"Inform the Master about this," he instructed the Kasugai crow perched on his shoulder. With a swift flap of wings, the bird took off into the sky.
After taking in the scene one last time, he said, "Spread the story that the man was poisoned and died. That should keep the public calm for now."
"Yes, senior."
---
In a nearby alley, Arlo watched the departing Demon Slayers with a glare, muttering to his system, "Look at all the trouble you've caused."
[You would have had to go through the same pain anyway, so what's the harm if I had a little fun?] the system replied, maintaining the barrier that rendered Arlo invisible.
"What? Same? I could have at least gone somewhere secluded!" Arlo shot back, irritated by the system's weak excuse.
[Tsk.] The system gave no further justification, knowing that Arlo wouldn't let it off so easily.
"How long can you keep this barrier up?" Arlo asked, deciding to set aside his irritation for now.
[Three hours for now, but when you spin the wheel for an ability, I'll lose the authority to keep it up,] the system replied quickly, eager to shift the conversation.
Despite his frustration, Arlo knew he would need to rely on the system as they navigated this world together. The system had its own incentive to help him survive; if Arlo succeeded, the creator had promised the system a physical body. It was a win-win situation—if they both survived.
"When can I spin the wheel?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
[You can do it anytime, but I suggest finding a more secluded place.]
"Alright. But it's really a pain trying to avoid those crows," Arlo muttered, eyeing a black crow perched on the roof of a nearby restaurant.
[I can maintain the barrier for another two hours. I'll search for a good place to awaken the ability,] the system replied, getting to work right away.
With that, Arlo, concealed from view, left the scene with his ever-mischievous companion.