Chapter 11: Light and Shadow, Human and Demon
Tatsu looked at her serious expression and couldn't help but sigh in his heart:
"This is what upbringing is."
No matter where she was or who she was facing, she always maintained that elegance and politeness carved into her bones.
He followed her lead and whispered, "Let's eat."
Then, he impatiently picked up a large shrimp tempura and took a big bite.
"Crunch!"
The crispy batter shattered in his mouth, and the piping hot oil mixed with the fresh, sweet shrimp meat instantly exploded on his tongue.
The feeling of satisfaction was enough to make a demon's scalp tingle.
"Delicious!"
Tatsu said indistinctly, his eyes lighting up.
Kanae watched Tatsu devouring his food, the smile on her face deepening.
She didn't rush to eat; instead, she rested her chin on one hand and watched him quietly.
"Eat slowly, no one is going to take it from you. If it's not enough, you can have my portion too."
"You should eat too. Why are you staring at me? I'm not a side dish."
Tatsu felt a bit embarrassed under her gaze, so he picked up a piece of sweet potato tempura and placed it in Kanae's bowl.
"Hurry and eat, it won't taste good if it gets cold. As a Flower Hashira, maintaining your stamina is very important."
Kanae was taken aback for a moment, looking at the sweet potato in her bowl. A flash of surprise passed through her eyes, which immediately melted into an even deeper gentleness.
"Oh my, is Tatsu worrying about me? I'm so happy."
She picked up the sweet potato, took a small, gentle bite, and chewed it carefully.
"Mmm, it really is delicious. Sweet and warm."
After the meal, Kanae Kocho cleaned up the dishes, but she didn't rush to leave. Instead, she sat by the window, took out a piece of pristine white cloth, and carefully wiped the blade of her Nichirin Sword.
Sunlight shone on the blade, reflecting a chilling light.
The four characters 'Destroyer of Demons' engraved on the blade appeared exceptionally piercing in the sunlight.
Tatsu sat in the shadows, quietly watching this scene.
Light and shadow.
Human and demon.
...
Time passed quietly in the stillness.
The sun rose from the east, climbed to the zenith, and then slowly sank to the west.
The light in the room changed accordingly, shifting from bright gold to warm orange-red, and was finally gradually swallowed by the gray twilight.
When the last ray of sunlight disappeared below the horizon, the world outside the Willow House began to become blurry.
Kanae stood up and adjusted her haori.
The smile on her face faded slightly, and a hint of sharpness appeared in her gentle eyes.
She was no longer that big sister next door, but the Flower Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. Kanae Kocho.
She walked to the window, gently pushed it open a crack, and felt the cool breeze blowing in from outside.
"It's dark now, Tatsu."
"That demon... should be acting again soon."
She turned around and looked at Tatsu, who was already ready to go.
Tatsu also stood up at this moment.
For a demon, darkness is like a fish returning to water.
His eyes faintly glowed red in the darkness, and the aura on his body became even deeper.
"Let's go out and find the demon, Kanae."
Tatsu spoke up first.
He knew this was his chance.
Not only to prove his value to Kanae, to prove that he was not one of those low-level creatures that only knew how to eat humans, but also to get closer to this powerful ally.
"That guy is probably hiding there." Tatsu pointed to the distant mountain forest to the west, a cold smile curling on his lips.
"Daring to run wild on Lady Flower Hashira's turf, this guy... has really narrowed his path."
Hearing Tatsu's slightly teasing words, Kanae's originally tense nerves relaxed a little.
She looked at Tatsu, a flash of appreciation in her eyes.
"Oh my, Tatsu is really reliable."
She gripped the Nichirin Sword at her waist and nodded to Tatsu.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Tatsu. We must find it before anyone gets hurt, and then... grant it release."
"No problem, leave it to me."
Tatsu walked to Kanae's side, and their gazes met in the air, reaching a silent understanding.
"Let's go."
Without taking the main entrance, Kanae pushed open the second-floor window.
The night wind whistled in, blowing their clothes until they fluttered loudly.
"Follow me closely, Tatsu."
Before the words fell, Kanae's figure had already disappeared from the spot.
She was like a light butterfly, dancing in the night, every step landing as light as air, leaving only a lingering afterimage on the eaves.
"Tsk, so fast."
Tatsu sighed, then mobilized the power within his body.
The demon's physical prowess exploded at this moment; his leg muscles tensed instantly, and he kicked off the window frame with force.
"Bang!"
Accompanied by a slight muffled sound, his body shot out like a cannonball, following closely behind that butterfly-like figure.
The two of them, one after the other, sped across the rooftops.
At this moment, the proprietress of the Willow House was settling accounts downstairs and suddenly heard a slight noise from above.
She looked up at the ceiling in confusion and muttered, "The wind tonight... is quite noisy."
Leaving the town area, the surrounding scenery quickly became desolate.
The dense forest blocked the moonlight, and everything around was pitch black.
But for Tatsu and Kanae, this did not pose an obstacle.
Kanae walked on the complex forest terrain as if it were flat ground, relying on the enhanced senses brought by the Total Concentration Breathing Style.
As for Tatsu, it was more direct.
The demon's night vision allowed him to see everything around clearly, and his formidable physical strength allowed him to directly ignore the obstacles of the terrain.
Encounter a tree branch blocking the way? Crash through it! Encounter a ravine? Jump over it!
"Tatsu, can you feel it?"
Kanae's voice came from ahead. Although they were running at high speed, her breathing remained terrifyingly steady.
"Yeah, I feel it."
Tatsu took a deep breath. The nauseating smell of rust in the air was becoming increasingly intense, even mixed with a hint of rotting stench.
"It's right ahead, about five hundred meters away. That guy... seems to be feeding."
When saying the word "feeding," Tatsu's voice grew noticeably cold, carrying an unconcealable disgust.
As a demon himself, he still felt physically uncomfortable with this behavior of treating humans as food.
"Then let's speed up." Kanae's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Flower Breathing, Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo!"
Her speed increased again, and her entire figure turned into a pink stream of light, instantly widening the distance from Tatsu.
"Hey, hey, wait for me! Don't leave me behind!"
Tatsu complained in his heart, exerting force under his feet again, and the soil exploded beneath him.
"Don't think you can shake me off."
He gritted his teeth, mobilized the muscle power in his legs, pushed the demon's explosive power to the limit, and clung tightly behind Kanae Kocho.
Two figures, one after the other, one pink and one black, rushed into the mountain forest.