Chapter 4 - The shadow

The Kocho estate was a place of quiet healing, filled with the scent of medicinal herbs and the soft sounds of a family at peace. Kanae and her younger sister, Shinobu, lived a life of comfort with their parents, their days spent learning the delicate art of medicine. For them, the world was a safe and predictable place.

That illusion shattered when the front doors were torn from their hinges. A demon, grotesque and salivating, burst into the main hall. Its eyes were wide with a mindless hunger as it lunged toward the sisters.

But before the creature could strike, a shadow flickered across the room.

A hooded figure dropped from the rafters, landing with the weight of a mountain. Under the deep shadows of the hood, a pair of glowing red eyes flashed with a cold intensity. Without a word, the figure drew his black blade, and the air erupted into a chaotic symphony of elements.

In a single, fluid sequence, the stranger rotated through the five core breathing styles to take the creature down. The demon was dismantled before it could even realize it was being hunted. As the creature's remains turned to ash, the hooded man sheathed his sword with a metallic click. He looked at the trembling family, his red eyes lingering on them for a heartbeat.

Stay safe

He said with his voice in a low rasp. Before they could even speak, he vanished into the night.

Minutes later, Rengoku Shinjuro burst into the estate, his sword already drawn. He scanned the room, expecting to find a massacre, but he found the family standing unharmed. Once again, he was late to the scene.

{His voice heavy with concern} Are you okay?

We are fine, a man saved us. A hooded man with glowing red eyes. He killed the monster before it could touch us.

Shinjuro's expression grew grave. He told them the truth about the creature—that it was a demon, a man-eating monster that had been terrorizing the region. He spoke of other families who had not been so lucky, families he had found slaughtered in their homes because no one arrived in time to stop the beasts.

As Kanae listened, a cold realization washed over her. She looked at her parents and then at her younger sister Shinobu. If that hooded figure had not intervened, they would be just another dead family in Shinjuro's reports. They would be corpses on the floor instead of survivors.

This man has been hunting the same shadows I have. He has been slaughtering demons across these mountains, often leaving before we arrive.

Kanae looked toward the open door, her heart hammering against her ribs. The safety of her world was gone, replaced by the knowledge that they were only alive by the grace of a stranger's blade.

I want to go with you.

Kanae said firmly, stepping toward the Hashira.

I cannot stay here knowing these things are out there, and I cannot let others die while I do nothing.

Sister!

She looked at her parents and then back at Kanae, her own resolve hardening.

If you are going, I am following you. I won't let you go alone into such a dangerous world.

Shinjuro looked at the two young girls. He saw the same spark of determination that he had seen in Himejima Gyomei and Iguro Obanai. The hooded figure had saved a family, and in doing so, he had forced two sisters to choose the path of the sword.

******

The dust from the struggle had barely settled when another heavy presence arrived at the Kocho estate. Through the shattered remains of the doorway stepped Himejima Gyomei. He was already a massive figure, and though his eyes were clouded with blindness, he moved with a steady, quiet strength.

Rengoku-dono, did you also come after the demon? The rumors of a monster in this village have been spreading.

Shinjuro turned, sheathing his blade.

No, Gyomei. I did not come here for the demon. I came for the hooded man. There were reports that he had been seen in this village for a while now, and I hoped to finally speak with him.

Shinjuro looked at the charcoal remains of the creature on the floor, his face a mask of grim frustration.

I only happened to sense a demon's presence while I was searching for the swordsman. Sadly, I was late again. But fortunately, the hooded figure was here. He defeated the demon and saved this family before the worst could happen.

Gyomei knelt, pressing his palms together.

Namu Amida Butsu... Once again, he has intervened where we could not.

The Kocho sisters watched the two warriors, their hearts still racing from the encounter. While they were deeply grateful to the hooded man for saving their lives, the sight of the carnage and the reality of the threat had sparked something different within them.

I want to become a Demon Slayer.

Kanae stated, her voice clear and unwavering. It wasn't just gratitude for the man who saved her; it was a deep, budding desire to protect other innocent families from ever feeling this terror. She couldn't go back to her medicine jars while monsters walked the earth.

Shinobu looked at her older sister, her own hands trembling slightly.

If Kanae is going, then I am going too, her resolve was simple: she would follow her sister anywhere, unable to bear the thought of Kanae facing such darkness alone.

Shinjuro looked at the two girls, then at Gyomei. He saw that their choices were their own, born from the reality they had just witnessed.

The path you're choosing is one of blood and sacrifice. But if your hearts are set, then we shall head to the headquarters. You will need mentors if you are to survive this world.

The Kocho family shared a final, tearful look as the sisters prepared to leave. They were grateful to the phantom with red eyes, but they were now stepping into the light of their own accord.