The days pass as Etsuko keeps training in the Death Mist Woods.
The hours pass and Etsuko starts getting tired so she decides to go home, she prepares her clothes and walks through the mist. As she is in her way to get home, she finds herself facing a familiar figure, which was... Rika?
– Heyyy, Etsukoo, it is time to go home, sweetheaart~ she says, but something felt off and Etsuko sensed it. Rika wouldn't walk through these dangerous woods just to call her home and having the same attitude she had months ago, this wasn't Rika... this was... most likely a high tier demon. "Rika" noticed Etsuko's confused expression and laughs... So you have noticed something, haven't you, my dear?~
Etsuko grits her teeths as she quickly pulls out her two mini blades and rushes at the assumed shapeshifter, she kicks the demon but as Etsuko's foot almost makes contact with her face, she teleports behind Etsuko and grabs her. Etsuko, restrained, tries pushing her away, and the demon almost sinks it's fangs on her neck, but Etsuko quickly raises the demon up and slams it by a tree, freeing herself.
– You are not Rika, you are a demon... Rika doesn't use close combat and she doesn't know how to use teleportation, Etsuko affirms with her firm but weary tone, she knows she stands no chance against me, and now for using my sister as a manipulation technique, you will pay!
The Shapeshifter laughs at Etsuko's outburst as the Rika looks start melting and the demon starts revealing it's true colors. The demon looked more human than the low tier demons, it's hair being white and the skin red, their eyes were black but it didnt look as demonic as the average demon, they looked like they were made to resemble humans in order to deceove their prey. Etsuko huffs and rushes at it again but this time rotates with her left knife, almost stabbing the demon in the face, but the creature teleports again behind her and tries kicking her foot to make her stumble, but she quickly flips away from it's reach and throws one blade at the fiend, stabbing it in the chest, getting right at him with incredible speed, pulling out the knife stuck in the demon's chest and cutting through the figure repeatedly, jumps up in the air, kicks the monster in the face, places her knives back in her pockets and launches towards it one last punch, the fist flying towards the demon's stomach with such precision that once it makes contact with the gut, Etsuko's punch was able to rip the demon apart and make it throw up the intestines through it's throat.
Finally done, Etsuko looks at the mess she has made with the higher tier and sighs in a weary tone, and then she hears something, a voice, she looks behind her and sees a figure with long black hair walking through the mist...
– You have gotten stronger, haven't you?...
Etsuko finally recognizes the figure, it was Horie Kohaku, and she stood shocked a bit but then regained her composure.
– I need to.
– You were always so different compared to your teammates, I have noticed it in that day one month and a week ago... your friends were all down but you charged head first and actually landed a blow on that demon...
– It's because I love them... she mutters, still firmly and laid back though.
– Love, huh? Haven't heard about that in a while... Horie sighs and then sits on a rock.
They both remain in an awkward silence and then Horie decides to break it by asking:
– Do you want to work with us together as a spy? I think you will do great, you seem pretty smart...
Etsuko's eyes widen as she hears the proposal, she has never expected a samurai like Horie of all people to ask her to work with him, but being smart, she questions:
– And what happens if I say no? How do I know if you are not some other shapeshifter or something?
– I am not forcing you, you can do whatever you want... Horie says while chuckling a bit.
– Will that allow me to keep protecting my loved ones? She asks, letting her guard down a bit;
– Yes, of course... we kill samurais and actual threats in Shainihebun, it is our duty to protect our people... I will let you think about it then, and whenever we meet again, you give me the answer if you want to join...
Horie afterwards gets up and prepares to leave, and waves, leaving Etsuko alone so she gets back on training.
Meanwhile, while the Unit 3 students were training in the practice room, Miss Yano walked in the room and made them stop, and then announces loud and playfully:
– Kiddos, the higher ups told me to announce you that in 3 weeks the Varyashim Exams are starting, so you all better get started!
– Got it! Rika and Chiyo both nod at once while Kowamaru and Orochi keep training restlessly.
Later, as Chiyo walks home she can't help but feel like she is getting stared at or followed for a while now, but she can't put her finger on who does that, so she keeps on going.
Walking through a bridge, she meets again with Yuki but she was really different, usually, Yuki would be all cheerful or playful, today, the child looked... tired, sad. Chiyo tries saluting her and cheering her up, and then ask her what happened, why is she sad, and her response was:
– I-I am fine, Chiyo, just a bit tir—
– No, you aren't, Yuki, something happened, and I need to know what... Chiyo speaks, in a worried tone;
– My family got killed and... I guess... I am living with a friend now... Yuki says, clearly affected, making Chiyo gasp as soon as she says what happened.
She tried comforting Yuki, but it would all be hopeless, she looked drown in sorrow and she couldn't do anything to help her. Yuki waves at her in a restrained way and then leaves, leaving Chiyo concerned, but she decides not to press Yuki forward.
The sun goes down and the moon slowly starts shining as Kowamaru goes in another hunt for humans, drool falling down of his mouth, and he felt truly disgusted by himself yet at the same time hungry. He finds a woman walking by herself home, carrying a bag of groceries, but she doesn't get to take a step further that Kowamaru jumps on top of her and starts feeding on her aggressively, ripping her to shreds as he sinks his fangs into her skin, while the woman screams in pain as she gets eaten alive. Before he could finish eating his prey, a figure comes quickly by, and before he knows, a small blade is already thrown at his head and he quickly dodges it, just to see a figure walking out from the shadows, it was Etsuko, and she clearly was shocked, standing there frozen.
– Ko-Kowamaru? Y-You a-are— But before she could act up, Kowamaru takes the corpse, jumps away and launches a Shēnqiblast, almost killing her but missing, Kowamaru grits his teeths and makes a hand sign, wrapping around his pinky with his left hand, opening the other fingers and closing up the thumb of the righthand and leaning the arms to her direction, trapping her in a wooden cage as logs start extending and forming around her in order to trap her, and Kowamaru quickly retreats.
Etsuko in anger, rushes and punches the wooden gates, destroying them, but before she could look around, it was already late, Kowamaru has escaped and he was nowhere to be seen.
Etsuko, clearly not tempted to back down yet, quickly rushes to the guards to warn them about Kowamaru, and everybody starts searching for him.
While all of that happens, Kowamaru gets home, panting, and his father quickly walks to Kowamaru and slaps him down on the bed.
– D-Dad! I-I-I can explai—!
But then the father climbs on top of him and starts strangling him while yelling at him:
– YOU IDIOT! YOU GOT CAUGHT AND BECAUSE OF YOU, ALL OF US ARE IN DANGER!!
Tears fall down off Kowamaru's cheeks as his breathe shortens, the mother quickly tries to calm down her husband but he quickly looks at her, gets off Kowamaru, grabs her by the face and smacks her by a wall, but that throw was so loud that Kowamaru remains frozen, the woman couldn't form a single word anymore and Kowamaru quickly rushes at his mom in order to try and see if she is okay, desperately.
– Mom? MOM?! MOM, WAKE UP!! MOM!! WAKE UP!!! He nuzzles his face by her chest with tears in his eyes but his attempts to wake her up were pointless, she was... dead, and he remains frozen.
The child slowly looks at his father, his dad grits his teeths, grabs Kowamaru and forcefully takes him outside, and Kowamaru can't help but feel his heart ache.
The father announces the entire Velkarin clan to prepare everything they need and follow him to the Velkarin's Secret Castle, hidden in Tsukigakure.
The human hybrid demons manage to leave Shainihebun and get to Tsukigakure, and they are welcomed by The King of Velkarins that seemed very old, he was very short in height and had a royal uniform. He takes a drag of a cigarette, chuckles roughly and asks:
– So you finally had the need to leave Shainihebun, heh? I told you the time will come and you will need me... you are all welcome, now go and find a room for yourselves... but before that, what happened for you to finally get here?...
Kowamaru's father narrows his eyes and pushes his son on the ground, and Kowamaru felt his heart beat faster as his parent affirms:
– This damn brat has been caught eating a woman and has gotten all of us in a lot of shit!
– Easy there with the child... The King says as he walks to the kid and takes his hands gently, it happens to the most of us... say child, you have a lot of potential, and I can't help but wonder if you are up to take care of me until I die... and as a reward, I will make you The King of all these miserable creatures... he says with a bit of mild disgust towards his own race, his rough voice echoing through the large room.
Kowamaru trembles under his watch and tries saying something but can't, so the old man let's out a chuckle.
– I will leave it to you to decide, now, all of you, go find yourselves some rooms...
And the Velkarins do as ordered, the rooms were very empty and looked like prison cages, there were also other Velkarins that refused to go to Shainihebun and were fed with human rotten flesh daily, the scent in these rooms were revolting.
In the meantime, Etsuko reaches home, panicked and panting, shocking even Rika a bit, comically, the witch girl turns to Etsuko and quickly shouts:
– Hey, idiot! Don't smack that door like that! Tell me, what happened??
– K-Kowamaru... t-t-traitor...
– Traitor? Etsuko, light of my life... what the fuck are you talking ab—
– I CAUGHT KOWAMARU DEVOURING A WOMAN WITH MY OWN TWO EYES, AND HE RAN AWAY!! She bursts and then slowly calms down. Rika was taken away by the revelation, and slowly reaches a hand towards Etsuko's shoulder.
– A-Are you for real?
– Yes! And I let him escape! I-I am so sorry for being so damn weak! Etsuko says through sobs but then, unexpectedly, Rika hugs Etsuko.
– Stop saying that, dummy... it's not your fault... I-I... noticed that something was off, but that wasn't expected... I am glad you are fine, and don't blame yourself for it... me and you both know you are strong, so stop saying you are weak, please...
Etsuko stood there, frozen, but then slowly reaches her arms and wraps them back around Rika, hugging her warmly.
Three weeks pass and The Varyashim Exams are about to start, and Etsuko finally steps in the school for the first time in 7 weeks, looking very differently and shocking everybody in the room. Etsuko looks at the rest of Unit 3 and at her sensei, and finally tells Yano:
– I am ready, Yano-sensei...