[Kakunodate, Demon Slayer Outpost, Year 1839, January]
The Kakunodate outpost was a pocket of austere silence amidst the distant chaos of the city. Where the civilians fled, the demons fed. Where demon slayers came, blood descended.
Nestled behind its protective wisteria hedge, the scent of the purple flowers was thick. Wisteria flowers were, after all, a perfume of poison to any ordinary demon.
To any strong demon, however, unrefined wisteria flowers were merely sharp, unpleasant odor. If anything, it was unpleasant. But his enhanced vitality allowed him to tolerate the damage.
Scale, clinging to the shadows of a nearby storehouse, shivered violently. The wisteria was agony for him, a constant, searing pressure against his skin.
"Master, the smell...it is poisonous", he hissed, his voice strained
"Just hold your breath", Hitoku murmured, his Perceiving Eye scanning the compound.
Unlike his usual self, his central eye was wide open. His two normal eyes covered under the layers of his blood-soaked bandit bandages.
The main gate was a simple wooden affair, lightly barred from within. Two figures stood guard on the small veranda. Young, but talented. Their postures was tense and refined.
[Hayate – Lv. 38 Demon Slayer (Kanoe)]
[Sasuke – Lv. 14 Demon Slayer (Mizunoe)]
'A strong one and a weak one, based on Scale's assessment of the outpost', Hitoku noted, 'As expected, they did not leave the outpost completely undefended, even with the wisteria hedge'
But his eye was drawn to the deeper shadows of the engawa, the porch that ran along the front of the traditional house.
A third figure sat there, cross-legged and still as a stone. An old man, his back straight, a simple walking staff across his knees. He emitted no aggressive intent, no visible level. To Hitoku's eye, he was a blank spot, a calm eye in the storm of data.
That, more than anything, marked him as dangerous.
"The elder", Hitoku said, "He is the true master of this outpost"
"What do we do?", Scale whispered, "I never sensed his presence"
"We walk in"
With a confidence that belied the poisonous air, Hitoku stepped out of the alley and into the soft light. He made no attempt to hide the white nichirin blade at his hip, its crow-kanji gleaming. His bandages were stark against the night, his single, horizontal eye radiating demonic powers.
When he had reincarnated, he was already an above-average demon. He needed little effort to awaken his blood demon art. After a month of training, he was already strong enough to defeat a Kanoe. Two months later, he had mastered all five forms of the Crow Breathing Style to Apprentice level.
This alone made him confident in defeating any Tsuchinoto (fifth rank) demon slayer and below.
The reaction was immediate.
Hayate and Sasuke snapped into combat stances, their blades clearing their sheaths with synchronized shings.
The steel was a familiar shade of pale white, the mark of Crow Breathing practitioners.
"Demon!" Hayate barked, his voice tight with rage and grief, "You picked the wrong night to come here!"
"Did I?" Hitoku asked, stopping just outside the wisteria border. "It seems the perfect night. Your home is undefended."
"We are defense enough!" Sasuke shot back, beginning the rhythmic breathing that signaled a technique's start. Familiar. The first form.
Just as Hitoku was about to give him a taste of his medicine, his voice was cut short.
"Breath of the Crow, First For—"
"Stop"
The voice was dry, papery, yet it cut through the tension like a blade. The elder on the engawa had not moved, but his command was absolute. Hayate and Sasuke froze, their stances wavering, confusion warring with discipline.
"But, Grandpa Sozen!", Hayate protested, "It's a demon! It's standing right there!"
"I have eyes, Hayate", Elder Sozen said.
Slowly, he turned his head. His face was a landscape of wrinkles, but his eyes were clear and sharp, holding a depth of calm that was unnerving. His hands were clearly trembling. As he attempted to stand up, his whole aura was indescribable, unremarkable.
But it was so unremarkable that it made Hitoku wary.
In this era, any demon slayer of old age was bound to have some skills. This one was a cripple, but it did not make him underestimate him. Quite the opposite, actually.
[Sozen - Lv. 22 (72) Ex-Hinoe Demon Slayer]
An elder who retired due to injury.
They passed over Scale's camouflaged form in the alley as if seeing straight through it, then settled on Hitoku.
"He has crossed the wisteria. Yet, he has not attacked. He has come to talk. Isn't that right, One-Eye?"
Hitoku's central eye pulsed. The elder had discerned his nature, his purpose, and noticed his distinguishable feature right away. This was clearly a retired slayer who had seen and killed a lot of demons.
The demon slayer corps had a very simple way to promote its members. The stronger their achievements and their skills, the higher they would rank. The lowest was Mizunoto (first rank). Usually, once a demon slayer of a school was thought to be worthy, they would attend a demon slayer corps ceremony and kill their first demon. The basic requirement was to know of a breathing style.
Then came the Mizunoe rank, usually after one or several successful missions. Then Kanoto, Kanoe, Tsuchinoto, Tsuchinoe, Hinoto...and finally Hinoe (seventh) Rank.
Even if it was far from the Hashira (eleventh) rank, any demon slayer who had reached the Hinoe rank was bound to have dozens, if not hundreds of demons under their belt.
But this was nothing. The man used to be strong, but was only a relic. A mere group of six demons was attacking the city as they talked, and there seemed to be no reinforcement whatsoever. It was not the golden era of the demon slayer corps. There were only 7 Hashira in the organisation, considering the death of the Night Hashira, and they were far weaker than those displayed in the series.
Hitoku would never underestimate his opponents, but he would also never underestimate himself. The old man held experience, but he was stronger. Stronger than anyone in Kakudonate currently.
"You are perceptive", Hitoku acknowledged, bowing his head slightly, "I am Hitoku. This," he gestured vaguely behind him, "is Scale. We mean no immediate harm to this place...or to demon slayers"
"Liar!", Sasuke spat, "You are wearing a Nichirin blade right this instant! This...this must be Genji's! You killed him, didn't you?"
"Be silent", Sozen said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He looked back at Hitoku: "You mean no immediate harm. Because the harm is already being done elsewhere in our city by your kin. You are here to take advantage of the distraction. So, let us skip the posturing. What is it you want? You could have killed these two hotheads already if that was your goal. Your eye…You are not an ordinary demon. I can tell that much"
The Kanoe paled, insulted but unable to refute the elder's assessment. They were not like Hideo, the commander of the outpost and their master, or like their grandfather, who was an ex-Hinoe, but they still had sharp senses. And they could tell that Hitoku was immensely dangerous.
Hitoku felt a flicker of genuine respect. This was a man who understood efficiency.
"Two things", Hitoku stated, holding up a clawed finger, "First, knowledge. I understand the slayers of this outpost are practitioners of the Crow Breathing Style. I have… an academic interest. I wish to see your scrolls, your historical records on the style's development and principles"
Hayate looked horrified. "You want to steal our techniques?!"
"Second," Hitoku continued, ignoring him and raising a second finger, "My associate requires a nichirin blade. One will suffice"
Scale, from the shadows, let out a faint, eager hiss.
Elder Sozen was silent for a long moment, his gaze unwavering. The sounds of distant combat, a roar, a clash of steel, echoed faintly in the pause: "You are the one who killed Genji"
Hitoku did not deny it. "He was a skilled practitioner. I learned much from our exchange"
Sozen let out a soft, sighing breath: "And if we refuse? If my grandsons here, foolish as they are, decide to defend our legacy with their lives?"
Hitoku's smile was visible in the crinkle of his bandages near his mouth.
"Then I will take the knowledge from your cold, dead hands, and their blades will be my associate's spoils. It will be messier. It will attract the attention of any slayers who survive the chaos downtown sooner. But the outcome for you will be the same. I am being courteous by offering the choice"
"To think that demons would run rampant that they would openly ask for demon slayer knowledge for academic research...To think that our family would fall so low that we would be looked down upon like that...", the ex-Hinoe seemed to struggle morally.
His life, and knowledge he held, or a future for his bloodline and...breathing style?
"Elder! We cannot!" Sasuke pleaded
"He is Genji's murderer! Moreover, he is a demon! We can die. We can sacrifice ourselves. But we cannot collaborate with a demon!", Hayate continued, outbidding his little brother's plead
Seeing his grandsons' tears, their fiery fighting spirit, Suzen spoke: "We can...and we will. Dying here will achieve nothing. Do nothing. This is...a mere transaction"
He presented a scroll. It looked ancient.
His central eye, which allowed him to see more than just angles and geometry in demon slayer patterns, saw a familiar blue text.
[Tsurogawa Crow Breathing Style Scroll (Unique)]
"You are a practical old man", Hitoku said
"I am an old man", Sozen corrected, "I have seen enough death when it has no purpose. But...will you keep your word? I have seen enough demons to know that you don't see us as equals"
Hitoku took the scroll: "I could break my word. But it would prevent any future deals with others. Reputation is a tool, you see. And breaking promises is something that has lasting consequences"
"Are you not afraid I will tell the corps about an anomaly like you? A demon who can wield a sword?", Sozen asked
Hitoku revealed a smile behind his bandages: "Please do! The more attention from the corps, the more attention Muzan will give me! Perhaps, I will be selected as a Lower Moon in the future!"
Sozen smiled similarly: "Then I'd better keep my mouth shut. A shame...truly. Had you been human, I would have loved to take you as a disciple"
At this instant, two demons came at the gates.
"Oh?", Gekido spoke, "Not one, but two demons? And there are still more demon slayers? Damn it, you guys are just spawning out of nowhere!"
Janshin stopped Gekido: "Wait...The one-eye cyclop...He looks...His demonic power is off the chart! He has more vitality than you do!"
Gekido frowned.