Chiba Yang had no intention of answering the demon.
With the axe still in his hands, he rushed forward once more.
Seeing the boy charge again, the monster completely lost the composure it had moments earlier. Even its anger vanished, replaced entirely by fear.
Chiba Yang raised the axe high above his head and brought it down with both hands.
The demon hurriedly twisted its body, trying to dodge the blade. But its movements had already been predicted.
Chiba Yang stepped forward and swung again.
The axe flashed through the air.
Another arm fell to the ground.
Now missing both arms, the demon looked at the strange boy with the flame-like mark on his forehead and instantly lost all will to fight.
Taking advantage of the moment after Chiba Yang's attack, it leapt backward and turned to flee toward the forest outside the village.
"Monster! That kid is definitely a monster!"
The green-skinned demon screamed wildly as it ran.
The last time it had felt this level of terror was when it had first become a demon. The being who had turned it into one had given it the same dreadful sensation.
Yet when it first encountered this boy, it had sensed nothing like that.
It had underestimated him.
The demon had only run a few steps when suddenly—
A violent impact struck its back.
An axe pierced straight through its body, the force sending it crashing face-first into the ground.
"How could I… let you escape…"
Chiba Yang muttered coldly.
After throwing the axe, he picked up a woodcutting blade leaning against a nearby house and slowly walked toward the fallen demon.
Under the pale moonlight, half of Chiba Yang's face remained hidden in shadow, but the red flame mark on his forehead was still clearly visible.
"D–Don't come any closer! You monster!"
Cold sweat covered the demon's face as it desperately crawled backward. Its arms had not regenerated yet, and the axe was still lodged in its body.
As Chiba Yang approached step by step, an image suddenly flashed through the demon's mind.
Under the moonlight stood a man with the same red flame mark on his forehead—someone who looked remarkably similar to the boy before it.
The man held a blazing red sword in his hand.
He stood like a god.
At that moment, every cell in the demon's body screamed in terror.
But the vision lasted only a brief instant before disappearing.
What was that?
A memory it had never possessed before…
The fleeting image left the demon momentarily stunned.
But Chiba Yang knew nothing of this.
By the time the demon regained its senses, Chiba Yang was already standing before it, woodcutting blade in hand.
A cold flash of steel cut through the air.
With movements too fast for the eye to follow, Chiba Yang swung twice.
Both of the demon's legs were severed instantly.
Now all four of its limbs had been cut away, leaving only its head and torso.
"Go to hell."
Chiba Yang's voice was filled with unrestrained fury as he raised the blade and brought it down toward the demon's neck.
He had no interest in prolonging this fight.
He simply wanted the monster to die.
The blade fell.
The demon's head flew into the air before landing on the ground with a dull thud.
After tossing the woodcutting blade aside, Chiba Yang turned around and silently began walking back toward the road.
Step.
Step.
Step.
His footsteps echoed through the empty village.
He walked slowly—not because he lacked strength, but because he feared seeing those horrifying sights again.
Memories from the past surfaced in his mind.
Tears blurred his vision as they streamed down his cheeks.
"It's alright. Even if it's just the two of us, I'll raise you properly. Mother will always stay by your side."
"Cough… cough…"
"Mother, you don't need to tire yourself making new clothes for me. The one I have now is still warm enough. You should focus on taking care of your health."
"It's fine. You've worn that outfit for two or three years already. It's time for a new one. Go to sleep first—I'll finish sewing it soon."
"Then I'll bring you a cup of water."
"It's all my fault… Because of this illness, you had to go out and work at such a young age to support us. I've only been a burden to you all this time… Sometimes I feel like I should just die…"
"Please don't say that! Didn't you take care of me the same way before? And you promised you would always stay with me. Don't ever think about ending your life again."
He had convinced her to keep living only recently…
Chiba Yang clenched his fists as he walked forward. His fingernails dug into his palms without him even noticing.
Pain stabbed at his heart again and again.
When he reached the spot where everything had happened earlier, he suddenly collapsed to his knees.
His forehead pressed against the ground.
"I'm sorry… If only I had come back earlier… If I hadn't been delayed while buying medicine…"
His voice trembled with sobs.
He kept his head lowered, crying uncontrollably.
Behind him, however—
The green-skinned demon's body suddenly moved.
Its legs reattached themselves to its torso.
Its head rolled back into place.
New arms grew from its shoulders.
Yet after regenerating, the demon did not attack.
Instead, it quietly turned around and fled toward the forest outside the village.
Chiba Yang was still drowning in grief and did not notice anything behind him.
After all, it was his first encounter with a demon.
He had no idea such creatures could regenerate.
"Hahahaha! Luckily that brat doesn't know demons are immortal!"
The green demon laughed wildly as it sprinted away.
"Attacks like that can't kill me!"
The joy of escaping death filled its entire being.
"Once I devour more humans and grow stronger, I'll come back and torture that little brat to death before eating him piece by piece!"
Thinking of the humiliation and helplessness it had just experienced, hatred burned inside it.
But suddenly—
A figure appeared ahead.
The man had golden hair with crimson tips and wore a haori decorated with flame patterns at the hem.
At his waist hung a sword with a flame-shaped guard.
"So this is the demon…"
A bright yet concerned voice rang out.
"I hope there weren't too many casualties."
The moment he saw the fleeing demon, Kyojuro Rengoku drew his Nichirin Blade.
"Flame Breathing, First Form—Unknowing Fire!"
Flames erupted along the blade, lighting the surroundings in blazing red.
In the next instant, Rengoku's body shot forward.
He appeared in front of the demon in a flash.
His blade swept across its neck, the fiery slash cutting cleanly through.
"AAAAAAAH!"
The demon let out a horrific scream.
Moments later, its body turned to ash and scattered into the night air.
Rengoku sheathed his sword.
Since the demon hadn't fled very far, he could now clearly see the condition of the village in the distance.
His expression immediately grew heavy.
Without hesitation, he rushed toward the village.
He needed to see if anyone had survived.