Demon Slayer: The Demon Hunter

Word count: 1358

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Red, fire, ash, death.

Red, fire, ash, death.

Red, fire, ash, death.

That was all he could see, nothing more.

The sky was a deeper shade than crimson blood, clouds draped in grey, thick plumes of smoke spiraling upward, cloaking the heavens in a dense shroud of black. A voracious fire unleashed heat fierce enough to consume everything in its way, casting the entire landscape in a dismal red hue.

Before him lay a village; and to say that it was ruined would be a gross understatement. Structures were shattered, fields and flora reduced to charred remnants, flames devouring whatever remained, and the most haunting sight of all was the lifeless bodies.

It didn't matter if they were men or women, young or old; they all faced the same tragic fate. Their bodies were twisted and broken, necks shattered and contorted.

In the midst of the devastation, Fujio stood still, surrounded by the chaos that enveloped him.

He remained motionless, not a single muscle twitching. A natural shadow obscured his face, concealing any expression that might lie beneath. From his posture and demeanor, one might assume he was taking it all in with a calm acceptance.

He walked slowly, taking in the destruction around him—the ruined buildings, the flames, the horror unfolding before his eyes—yet he displayed no visible emotions.

His gaze fell upon the bodies scattered around, including a woman named Tokunaga Aimi, known for her delicious baked goods that she would prepare late at night and sell in the morning. He often bought her treats before opening his own shop.

Then there was Taniguchi Isamu, a retired soldier from the Russo-Japanese War who had settled in the countryside to enjoy his retirement. He would share war stories from his days on the battlefield, and as a history enthusiast, Fujio would visit him for long chats into the evening.

His eyes then caught sight of a group of children: Kamei, Nakanishi, Kanai, Kai, and Yuki. They were a handful, often a source of annoyance, yet undeniably cute in their own ways. When he had the time, he would play with them, and the girl had a crush on him, which sparked jealousy among the boys.

He kept moving, stepping carefully among the fallen, memories of those he had known or at least crossed paths with flooding his mind. Time slipped away from him, but eventually, his feet led him to Granny's house.

Nitta Azumi, the kind old woman who had welcomed him since his arrival in this world, would prepare meals for him, brew tea, and chat with him late into the night. He jokingly called her "Granny," but now it felt more like she truly was a grandmother figure to him, and he to her.

However, the sight of her lifeless body was unbearable; she had been so brutally disfigured that he could hardly recognize her. Her limbs and head were missing, and her torso was gaping open like a piñata. The only thing that gave her away was her clothing.

His only visible reaction was a slight tightening of his shoulders and clenched fists.

He continued on in silence, his feet dragging him away from the heart of the village and into the nearby forest, arriving at his home, which mirrored the village's fate—destroyed and reduced to rubble.

Next to him, a grave had been dug, the white kimono that once adorned it long gone. He paused to look at it for a moment before turning away.

Deeper into the forest he ventured, surrounded by trees reduced to cinders and ash. What was once a beautiful landscape had transformed into a scene of devastation and chaos.

Then he spotted her, perched on a rock just as he had first met her weeks before. She was playing with threads in her hands, humming a soft tune. In stark contrast to the destruction surrounding her, she appeared serene.

When she heard him approach, she turned, and he noticed her attire; she wore a white kimono, the same as the one from the grave, but now it was stained crimson, the color of blood.

She lit up with a sinister, stained smile and her eyes sparkling with a mix of madness and twisted joy at his arrival. "Fuji! You're back!"

Jumping off the rock, she dashed toward him, wrapping him in a hug so fierce it could have crushed an ordinary person. "Where have you been? Why didn't you tell me you were going out? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Releasing him, she pouted playfully. "You've been really naughty lately, ignoring me and running off on errands without a word. And what's with that look? Did something happen?"

Noticing his darkened expression, she realized he wasn't looking at her but at her clothes. "Oh, I get it. You're curious about the blood. It's from the village, silly~" she chuckled.

"Those villagers have been incredibly annoying lately, so I had to take care of them. Especially that old gremlin who kept saying I was a monster and that she regretted trusting someone as 'useless' as you. So, I dealt with her first."

She announced cheerfully, then pulled something out and placed it in his hand. "You must be tired! Stay put, I'll bring some Udon I made. It's your favorite," she exclaimed before turning and skipping away joyfully.

Fujino didn't follow her; instead, he stared at the object in his hand, which turned out to be the old woman's head. Both eyes were missing, and her tongue was severed from her mouth.

"Why..." the head uttered, but Fujino remained unfazed. "Why did you do this? What have we ever done to you?"

He stayed silent, fixated on the head. "We welcomed you with open arms, treated you like family, helped you whenever you needed it. And this is how you repay us?!" her voice rose in anger at the end.

"This is what I get for trusting someone so useless, so disgusting, and so treacherous. Someone who has no value, who would betray us for their own selfish desires. Someone who cares for no one but themselves. We should never have accepted you that day!"

He found himself encircled by the villagers, all lifeless yet standing, their twisted fingers pointing accusingly at him.

"It's your fault!"

"Die!"

"Repent for your sins!"

"A mistake is always a mistake!"

He chose to ignore them, his focus fixed on the head before him. "Tell me, do you think your parents are proud of you? Do you believe they would be pleased with who you've become? You're nothing but a failure."

He remained silent, not uttering a word or even acknowledging their presence. That was until he heard footsteps approaching. He turned to see the spider mother rushing toward him, a bowl in her hands.

"Fuji! Here you go, I hope you enjoy it. I made it with love!" she chirped, offering him a bowl of Udon.

To call it Udon would be an insult to all Udon lovers. Instead of the usual wheat noodles soaked in broth, it was a gruesome mix of blood and intestines, complete with an eyeball for good measure.

What caught his attention, however, was his reflection. Two horns protruded from his head, unnatural yellow eyes with cracked sclera, and sharp, jagged fangs.

In that moment, all he could see was the fury in his own eyes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He let out a primal scream, shattering the bowl and the head in his hands

The sound echoed like a seismic wave, rattling the earth beneath him. It felt as if the sky itself was splintering, and the very fabric of reality was unraveling.

Around him, the villagers began to dissolve into nothingness, turning to dust in mere moments, while the flames, trees, and air around him disintegrated. Soon, the ground succumbed to the chaos, leaving only him and the spider mother, enveloped in darkness.

She appeared different; her attire was not stained with blood but gleamed in a pure white. Her eyes lacked madness, instead radiating encouragement. A warm smile spread across her face.

"Wake up, Fujino... This is just a nightmare."

And then, everything faded to black.

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Taisho-era secrets!

Fujino gradually lost interest in school over the years, eventually focusing only on history class, which was his favorite. He found himself particularly captivated by Western history, especially the medieval period.

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You guys know how I said that this volume would only be 5 to 4 chapters? Yeah, that was a fucking lie. I have a habit of writing a lot of context and details before getting to the main point. Time skips just to get to the main conflict isn't my cup of tea. This dream segment was originally supposed to be only 500 words maximum, but it turned out to be longer.

But hey, I swear the final part of this fight will be in the next chapter, even if I have to write 4000 words for it.

Also, do let me know if you guys are getting bored of this or not. Your feedback would help me immensely.