"Only by consuming flesh can we continue to grow stronger. The way you are now reminds me of myself when I first became a demon. Back then, I had the same persistence you do. But I eventually realized how laughable that so-called persistence is in the face of true hunger. Once you devour flesh—once you feel the pleasure of your cells rejoicing, feel yourself growing stronger, feel yourself steadily moving toward perfection—you'll finally understand…"
The demon stared at Soma, its eyes glowing crimson.
"Come hunt with me. Let's grow stronger together—maybe even become new members of the 'Twelve Kizuki.'"
Soma did not respond directly. Instead, he asked quietly,
"Do you still remember your memories from when you were human?"
The demon froze. Unconsciously, fragments of its former human life flickered through its mind. But when it tried to grasp them again, those memories seemed to grow increasingly blurred.
Without realizing it, the memories of being human had gradually faded from its mind, leaving only faint traces of certain "happy" moments from its past life.
Even those, however, were slipping away.
When it looked back now, a vague fear rose within it—it seemed unable to face the weak human it once was.
"Do you still remember who you used to be?"
Soma looked at the demon before him.
"Or are you even still yourself now?"
The demon clutched its head in pain, as if trying to recall something—trying to grasp something—
But it could grasp nothing.
It didn't even want to remember anymore. It didn't want to face its former human self. All it wanted was to keep feeding, to keep growing stronger.
Yet even as it walked the path of increasing power, there were fleeting moments when it felt an emptiness inside—like something precious had been lost. But no matter how carefully it examined itself, it couldn't find what was missing. Still, that hollow feeling lingered in its heart.
"What good does remembering do? Can we change anything?"
After a long silence, the demon recovered from its dazed state.
"Do you really think your current persistence will matter?"
"Heh…"
The demon suddenly laughed.
"No demon is special. Not even the powerful 'Twelve Kizuki' can change that. As we grow stronger, we inevitably lose something. Haven't you felt the beauty of becoming stronger? A powerful body, unparalleled regenerative ability, nearly endless life…"
Soma remained silent. For hundreds of years, aside from Nezuko—who became a 'special' case after turning into a demon—no other demon had ever been special.
If nothing changed, under the demon instinct of constant hunger, he would become like the others.
But he still had a way.
"Even as a demon, I will live according to my own will,"
Soma said calmly.
The demon stared at him with its crimson eyes. This time, it said nothing more and quietly returned to sit on the ground.
Soma also said nothing further. Instead, he began searching the cave for money.
The white bones scattered throughout the cave belonged to people who had once been attacked and killed by demons. Demons were interested only in flesh, not in money, so quite a bit had been left behind.
It took him only a short while to gather a considerable amount.
This money would be enough to pay the tuition at the Hiko Dojo.
…
As the sun gradually set, households shut their doors and windows tightly.
In the small town recently rumored to be haunted, almost no one would choose to step outside on such a pitch-black night.
Yet at this moment, a thin, frail girl carefully pushed open the door.
Outside, it was completely dark. The surroundings were empty and silent, with only the wind passing through, carrying a faint howling sound like the cry of ghosts.
Such an environment was undoubtedly eerie. Even adults would feel their hair stand on end—let alone a little girl.
But the girl seemed not to mind. In her beautiful pinkish-purple eyes, there was even a trace of anticipation.
She quietly crouched in the corner by the doorway, hugging her knees.
Until a man's figure leapt down from beneath the eaves. The girl, who had been waiting silently, immediately stood up and hurried toward him.
At that moment, her pinkish-purple eyes seemed to sparkle.
When she reached him, she said nothing—only gazed at him quietly.
Soma reached out and gently ruffled her hair. Then he crouched slightly, picked her up, and with a light tap of his foot against the ground, his body soared upward, landing on the rooftop. Another step, and his figure rose and fell lightly beneath the eaves as he moved.
The girl stayed quietly in his arms, her pinkish-purple eyes flickering slightly. It seemed to be the first time she had ever been carried like this, moving so quickly across rooftops, and she found it fascinating.
Soon, Soma brought her to a somewhat dilapidated courtyard. It appeared that no one had lived there for a long time.
Leading her into one of the worn-down rooms, a bonfire was burning inside. The crackling sound of wood snapping in the flames could be clearly heard.
Over the fire hung a small pot, steam rising steadily as the flames burned beneath it.
The fragrance of rice mixed with the aroma of chicken filled the air.
Soma brought the girl to sit beside the fire to warm herself. Then he picked up a small bowl and a ladle, scooping a serving from the pot. The scent of rice and chicken drifted up with the rising steam, brushing against the girl's long eyelashes and flowing into her nose.
"Eat,"
Soma said.
The girl lifted her eyes. The steam made her long lashes glisten with moisture as she looked at him. Then she lowered her head and softly murmured, "Mm," before holding the bowl and eating in small bites.
The warm chicken porridge entered her mouth, spreading across her taste buds like spring rain nourishing a long-parched field.
It was delicious. And warm.
Before she realized it, she had finished the small bowl. Even after it was empty, she stuck out her tongue and gently licked the bottom of the bowl.
"There's still plenty,"
The man's gentle voice came from beside her. Soon, the empty bowl was filled to the brim once more.
Although she wanted very much to begin eating right away, the girl did not. Instead, she looked at Soma and held out the bowl with both hands.
"Uncle, you eat too."
Looking at the bowl filled with chicken porridge she was offering him, Soma shook his head.
"I don't eat."
"But Uncle is clearly very hungry."
The girl continued holding the bowl with both hands.
"If you're hungry for too long, you'll die. Big sister and big brother were hungry for too long… and then they died."
A girl accustomed to enduring hunger could recognize that feeling of deep starvation.
She didn't want Uncle to end up like her sister and brother—
Starving to death.