"Well then, this is farewell, Taka-san."
Outside the recovery house, Shinobu smiled as she bid him farewell. After all, as a Hashira, she also had many missions to attend to.
She handed Taka a gourd water flask, still maintaining that gentle voice:
"There's some pain-relieving medicine inside. I hope it helps you, but it's better not to push yourself too hard in the future, okay."
"Thank you for your concern, I'll be mindful... Hashira-sama, safe travels."
"Oh my, no need to be so formal. Just call me Shinobu-senpai. Well then, farewell."
Having said that, she vanished outside the house like a butterfly drifting away on a gentle breeze.
After Shinobu left, Taka briefly checked on Sakae's condition and then prepared to leave as well.
All told, this mission had taken him from south to north, spending over half a month. It was about time to return.
Unlike other Demon Slayers, he would naturally carry out missions when assigned, but when there were no missions, he wouldn't patrol around like Shinsuke did. It was better to just go back to Hayama.
"Taka-san! Your sword!"
"Hmm... Huh?"
Taka, who was packing his belongings and putting on his new uniform, took the long sword from Yuka's hand with confusion.
"There's only one?"
"Eh? Th-this... when it was delivered, there was only this one long sword! Could it have been left behind?!" Yuka stammered nervously, anxiously searching the room.
Although she didn't understand the details of demon slaying, she knew these swords were very important to demon hunters. Losing one would be a serious matter!
Taka weighed the sword in his hand suspiciously. It felt familiar yet strange, which perplexed him greatly.
'The scabbard, the cord on the hilt were Tonan's... but this swirling tsuba... wasn't that from my Nichirin Sword?...'
He drew the blade, his gaze sharpening.
The colorless blade shone brightly… it was undoubtedly the Nichirin Sword. Yet upon it surged a wave that resonated with Taka's soul.
"Tonan?"
He drew the entire sword from its sheath. The blade hummed on its own, as if responding to his murmur.
"You... devoured the Nichirin Sword?"
Although this thought was exaggerated, it was Taka's first instinct.
He gently stroked the blade. Whether it was the aura within or the special Reiatsu it contained, it was absolutely his Asauchi!
He hadn't expected this thing to merge with the Nichirin Sword.
'Was this a good thing? Were the properties of the Nichirin Sword still effective? Would it devour other swords in the future?...'
"I'm sorry... Taka-san... I really..."
"It's alright, Yuka. I was mistaken."
Interrupting the flustered Yuka, under her confused gaze, Taka silently sheathed the Nichirin Sword:
"Thank you for your care. I'm leaving now."
"Eh? So suddenly? Won't you look for it a little longer?... Taka-san, won't you rest a few more days?"
Taka said no more. The corner of his new grey-white haori lifted gently in the wind.
Just as he had arrived in Sendai in haste, so too did he leave in haste.
Following the old road south alone, another few days passed.
Most of the time, he camped in the wilderness. Occasionally passing through some sparsely populated villages, Taka would choose to rest by an unoccupied wall, watching the gaunt and hungry villagers.
Sometimes, he would think of the sights he had seen on his journey north.
He thought of the words he had heard in the bookstore and couldn't help but feel that perhaps it was because of this state of the world that so many demons ran rampant.
'If all the demons were killed, wouldn't that be good? Then not so many people would die unnecessarily, and the world would be peaceful....'
'No...' He thought again and felt that wasn't entirely true.
Demons were certainly despicable, but like wolves eating sheep, it was a hunt between two creatures.
Perhaps the Demon Slayer Corps, or someone else later on, would one day eradicate these creatures.
Thinking of those who cooperated with demons, Taka felt that humans eating humans might be even more terrifying. At least he didn't know how to solve that.
A few days later, in the evening, Taka's footsteps stopped before an old tree at a crossroads.
The wind swept across the cracked rice paddies, brushed over the dried-up irrigation ditch, and crashed into the old tree with a swirl.
In the hollow of the tree roots, two small figures were curled up, wrapped in a tattered quilt whose original color was almost unrecognizable.
The older one, about seven or eight years old, was clumsily breaking apart half a hard and dry rice cake in his arms, feeding the pieces into the mouth of an even smaller child he held.
Taka's gaze lingered for a moment on that pale little face. Then he took out a packet of several rice cakes wrapped in oiled paper from his pocket.
He ate a portion himself, then silently placed the remaining major part at the edge of the tattered quilt.
The older child suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly filled with panic. He instinctively shielded the smaller one tighter, like a frightened young animal.
But Taka said nothing. He simply put down the food and walked away.
"Th-thank you... sir!" A child's tearful voice came from behind him, but his steps didn't falter for a moment.
'Whether in Rukongai or in the present world, life isn't fit for humans…' He thought.
Caw—!!!
Just as he continued walking, a black shadow screeched as it descended from the sky.
Without needing to look specially, Taka already knew it was the Kasugai Crow.
"Emergency order! Emergency order!"
"Corps member, Nanajuhachi Taka! Order relay!"
"Southwest, southwest! Mount Natagumo!"
"Multiple demons are gathering! Investigate immediately!"
"Repeat: Mount Natagumo! Go immediately!!"
After delivering the order, the Kasugai Crow didn't leave as usual but specially added a few words:
"Taka, more than ten corps members have received this mission. Please be careful!"
"I understand. Thank you."
Caw—!!
Having said that, the Kasugai Crow suddenly flapped its wings and transformed into a black shadow flying into the sky.
Mount Natagumo... Taka knew this place.
Travelling north from Hayama all the way to Sendai, one inevitably passed through the Azuma Mountain Range, a continuous mountain range.
As someone completely unfamiliar with this country, Taka had studied the map for a long time before setting out and had asked Kenichi how to pronounce many place names.
On the western foothills of the Azuma Mountain Range lay this Mount Natagumo.
It was said that many species of venomous spiders lived there year-round. Being bitten by a special species could even turn a person into a spider....
He didn't expect that it was demons' doing...
He thought no more, adjusted his direction, and headed southwest towards Mount Natagumo.
…
Three days later, after climbing over a small hill covered in twisted branches and dense forest, his field of vision suddenly opened up.
A tall mountain, shrouded in thick, heavy fog and exuding an abundance of malice and gloom, appeared before him.
"So this is Mount Natagumo?" He grasped the new Asauchi at his waist and slowly expanded his Reiatsu, probing towards the foot of the mountain.
Gloomy cold, bloody, uneasy, fearful.
Although still far away, the different Reiatsu Fluctuations continuously emanating from within the mountain indicated that there was more than one person inside the mountain at this moment.
Or rather, more than one demon.
'What an oppressive feeling... more dangerous than that Lower Rank Two. Could it be an Upper Moon?' Taka was uncertain. For the first time, he felt a bit nervous.
His battle with Lower Rank Two had already shown him that his strength was still insufficient. If he encountered an Upper Moon now, could he win?...
'I'll observe first. After all, the mission is just to investigate...'
Taka took a deep breath and ran towards the gloom of Spider Mountain.
At the same time, on the other side of the mountain, three noisy, bickering figures appeared at the foot.
"Wait! I said, can you wait!!"
"What's wrong, Zenitsu? What are you crouching there for?"
"It's so scary—!!!! This mountain feels so scary!! Can't you feel it!!!"
"Useless good-for-nothing! Kamaboko Dengoro! We charge!!"