Nightfall draped the village in a darkness as thick as ink, as if a colossal, invisible black hand smothered all light.
In this pitch-black void, only the moon hung high, a solitary lantern casting a faint, almost negligible glow.
At the village's remotest edge, a manor stood alone.
Inside, a man slumbered deeply.
Suddenly, he jolted awake, as if struck by lightning.
"Cough… cough, cough!" A violent fit of coughing erupted from the man, shattering the night's silence like a tempest.
The cough was so fierce it roused his wife, sleeping beside him.
She sprang up instinctively, without hesitation or complaint.
Clearly, this was not the first time; she seemed accustomed to it.
With practiced ease, she grabbed the water jug by the bed and poured a cup, handing it to the man.
He seized the cup, gulping the water as if it were a life-saving elixir.
As the liquid soothed his throat, his coughing subsided, his pallor improving slightly, though his face remained deathly white, like paper.
In the dim moonlight, the man's exposed face was starkly visible.
Horrifyingly, his skin appeared decayed, pitted and uneven, faintly exuding a pungent odor.
Yet his wife showed no fear or disgust; her eyes brimmed with concern and worry.
The man clutched her hand tightly, as if it were his only lifeline in the vast darkness. Pressing her hand to his chest, he grimaced in pain, his voice trembling. "I have a terrible premonition—something dangerous is coming."
His wife knew their clan possessed an uncanny intuition for impending threats.
This instinct often warned them in critical moments, helping them evade disasters. At her husband's words, her expression turned grave.
"I'll fetch Rengoku and the others at once," she replied without hesitation.
"Hurry! Time is short—we can't delay," he urged anxiously.
Meanwhile, in the village, a figure stood on a rooftop, coldly surveying the scene below.
Ren gazed at the village, spotting Demon Slayer swordsmen patrolling with oil lamps and sleeping villagers in their homes. Undoubtedly, this was the Ubuyashiki stronghold.
A small boy, teeth chattering, stammered in terror, "I… I brought you here. Can you let me and my sister go now?"
Ren nodded.
The boy, with his sister in tow, turned to leave, but a hand pierced his chest, seizing his heart.
"I said I'd spare your sister, not you."
A calm voice, like a devil from hell, rang in their ears.
The boy, neck rigid, looked down at his still-beating, crimson heart, then collapsed.
The girl's pupils quaked, her mouth agape, frozen in place, too terrified to scream.
Ren turned to her, a smile curling his lips. "Don't scream. If you do, I'll kill you too. Go now—don't waste the chance your brother bought with his life. This is your only shot to escape. Next time we meet, I'll kill you."
The girl stiffly moved, one step, two, rounding a corner—only to crash into someone.
Looking up, she saw a demon's face.
Ren grinned sheepishly. "Oops, we meet again."
Splatter.
The girl fell to the ground.
Ren licked the blood from his hand, leaping to a high platform.
Surveying the village, he sighed with relish. "Ubuyashiki, what a bunch of burrowing rats. Without that fool, even I would've struggled to find this place!"
Spreading his arms, Ren stretched luxuriously, his face alight with near-mad ecstasy. He inhaled deeply. "Sleep soundly, for after tonight, you may never rest so well again—no, you won't survive the night!"
In an instant, his body dissolved into countless crows, radiating outward, alighting on the windows of sleeping villagers. Their sharp beaks pecked at the frames…
At the remote manor, several figures entered.
"Lord Ubuyashiki."
Leading them was a man with flame-like hair, resembling an owl.
"Cough… cough, cough…"
Harsh coughing echoed from within.
The group outside looked toward the house with concern.
Ubuyashiki Kōyō, supported by his wife, emerged. "Rengoku, I sense a great calamity approaching. Organize everyone to head to the Corps' reserve outpost immediately."
Kōyō spoke succinctly.
The Flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyōkawa, narrowed his eyes. He turned to the three beside him. "Saki and Ryū, come with me. Onishii, stay and escort Lord Ubuyashiki."
With tasks assigned, they prepared to leave when countless crows filled the sky, cawing chaotically.
Kōyō's face darkened. "Hurry—it's almost too late!"
Rengoku and the others shot out of the manor like arrows.
They raced through the village, but the sights they encountered gripped their hearts.
Bloodstains marred the streets, a ghastly tableau of horror unfurling before them.
"What… when did this happen!?" Sweat beaded on Rengoku and the others' foreheads.
Moments ago, the village had been peaceful. How had this carnage erupted so quickly?
Who had killed so many in such a short time?
Then, a crow perched on a rooftop caught Rengoku's eye.
It stood still, like a statue, staring coldly. As Rengoku's gaze met the crow's, his pupils contracted, a chilling premonition seizing him. He knew who was coming.
"Be on guard! Everyone, stay alert!" Rengoku roared, his voice echoing through the silent village.
Silence fell, the air itself seeming to freeze.
"Not bad, Flame Hashira. You're stronger than your father. When I killed him, he didn't even notice me."
Two blood-red eyes flared in the darkness, like burning flames, exuding a bone-chilling aura.
With a faint rustle, a crow appeared, perching on a figure's shoulder. Then, Ren, his demonic visage stark, stepped slowly from the shadows.
"Greetings, new generation of Hashira."