Demon Slayer: The Demon Hunter

Word count: 1375

<—>

Tanjiro and Inosuke stood in shocked silence; everything happened in a flash. They were completely caught off guard by the heart-wrenching scream and the way the demon was flattened against the roof like a pancake.

In spite of this, Tanjiro had seen it once more: Fujino Yuki had become a demon after eating the flesh from one. And seeing it a third time now drove the nail further into his belief; if Fujino could do such a thing and change into a demon, then back, could the same be done with his sister?

If not for the situation they were in, then tanjiro would have bombarded him with all the questions he wanted, ones that couldn't before due to previous circumstances. Hopefully he'll get the chance to do so today.

Inosuke, however, was utterly dumbfounded. When he first met his rival, he had assumed Fujino was a demon, only to be told it was just a "mask" meant to intimidate the real demons, something like him.

But now, he had just seen Fujino undergo a genuine transformation, complete with sharp fangs and bloodshot, unnatural blue eyes. The sight of him crushing the lower moon demon that had taken him hostage was undeniable proof.

To Inosuke, this could only mean one thing.

"Hahaha! Not only is my rival super strong, but he's also a demon slayer and a demon himself! I couldn't have chosen a better one!" He laughed heartily, puffing out his chest as if he had accomplished something truly impressive.

"…"

"…"

"...What a fucking weirdo."

"HAH?! WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?! GET OVER HERE AND I'LL KILL YOU!" compleatly disregarding any manners, that feral boy lunged at slayer turned demon, but was held back by a exasparated tanjiro.

"Inosuke, please stop!" Tanjiro pleaded, but was ignored as inosuke kept thrashing in his arms.

Fujino pinched the bridge of his nose, turning away in frustration. This day couldn't have gotten any worse. His vacation had been utterly ruined, and he found himself living through what felt like his worst nightmare. Now, he had to deal with that fool?

He felt a wave of intense anger surge through him, so powerful that he could feel his veins throbbing and his teeth clenching. What infuriated him the most was the comment about his parents; as if their opinion mattered to him. He wasn't some clingy kid seeking their validation. Not anymore. They could suffer for all he cared. The nerve of that demon to humiliate and torment him only strengthened Fujino's determination to make them pay dearly.

Just the thought of that asshole's smug face made his anger flare even more, forcing him to take several deep breaths to regain his composure. 'It's alright, Fujino. Just don't let it get to you. If you let your anger take control, things will end badly. You know already know that. Calm down, take a deep breath, and you'll be okay.'

For a moment, Fujino felt his anger subside slightly, and he assessed the situation. He was still on the roof, both slayers were arguing, Insouke was still trying to reach him, and he was standing on something... wet?

"What the fuck?" Fujino muttered, his face twisting in horror at the sight. The entire roof was covered in a nauseating pinkish-red substance; in fact, the whole trail as far as he could see was coated in it.

A new emotion joined the mix: disgust, and the whole scene reminded him of a genre he wished didn't exist.

Regardless of how he felt, he still had a demon to slay. Grimacing at the squelching sound of his footsteps, Fujino grabbed his sword, relieved to find it intact. He took the sheath next to it, secured the weapon, and fastened it to his belt.

Then, he decided to check on other things as well. 'Status.'

[Name: Fujino Yuki 

Level: 48 (8970/25,000) 

Race: Demon (15 minutes)

Health: 1290/1290 (+17.2/sec) 

Stamina: 1380/1380 (+18.4/sec) 

STR: 160 

DUR: 117

END: 129

AGI: 138

INT: 31 

CHA: 44 

Attributes Points (AP): 17]

Everything seems to be alright, at least physically, with no noticeable side effects. Now, I need to get to the bottom of what's going on. He glanced over at the still rowdy Inosuke, who was shouting, "STOP IGNORING ME!" and "I'LL KILL YOU!" while poor Tanjiro struggled to keep him under control.

"Hey, you lot, do you have any idea what's happening? Do you know where the demon is?" he inquired, causing the slayers to momentarily halt their antics.

They exchanged looks before turning back to him. "Uh, no. We were put to sleep by the demon's blood demon art. We were hoping you might know more."

"And what about your friends? Are they awake yet?"

"I'm not sure. I told Nezuko to wake Tetsuya-san and Rengoku-san before Inosuke and I went to investigate. By the time we found you, you were asleep with that demon watching over you."

"I see..." he sighed, taking in his surroundings. The train was still moving, and he had no clue how long he had been unconscious. From the scenery, it appeared they were still in a rural area, which was a relief in case they needed to derail the train, as it would mean fewer people would be harmed.

"Ah, how delightful! I didn't expect you to wake up at all!" A voice suddenly cut through the air, capturing everyone's attention. The same appendage reappeared, along with that annoyingly familiar face perched on top.

"YOU!" Fujino growled, his unnaturally sharp fangs glinting. All the anger he tried to suppress surged back with full force. He couldn't help it, especially with that smug expression staring back at him.

"My, you seem quite upset with me, don't you? I suppose anyone would be, considering no one likes when someone pries into their memories," he said, amusement dancing in his eyes.

This made Fujino flater. pry into his memories? Did that mean he...? 

'No, I don't think he did. If he had, that nightmare would have been far worse than the one I experienced,' he let out a breath of relief he didn't realize he was holding.

'I can think about this later. For now, I need to figure out who I'm up against. Observe.'

[ —> Lower Moon 1 

Name: Enmu 

Level: 80 

Health: 30,000/30,000 

Stamina: 5000/5000]

'Level 80! Was he holding back his strength? or maybe he was using a weaker form? But 30,000 Health is absurd, even for someone at his level.' Fujino took a quick look at the train, most of it covered in flesh, the same place where Enmu emerged from.

He suddenly understood what he was up against. 'Ah... he merged with the train, didn't he? That makes sense... and morbidly disturbing at the same time.' But his thoughts were interrupted by a loud shout.

"Less talk, more fighting!" yelled the boar-headed boy as he leaped high into the air, slicing off a head, only for another to grow back in its place.

"Ahh, that was a nice cut!" Enmu exclaimed, his cheeks turning red. "Could you try using one of your breathing styles—" A Wind Blade swiftly silenced his perverted chatter.

"Does this guy ever stop talking?" he muttered to himself, finding Enmu's voice grating on his already frayed nerves. "Tanjiro, Inosuke, listen up!" he barked, catching their attention.

"I believe the demon's body is at locomotive. Can I count on you both to watch my back?" he asked. He already trusted Tanjiro since he and his sister had helped him with Rui, while Inosuke was more of a wild card, but he seemed to be good friends with Tanjiro.

If he could get Tanjiro on board, then Inosuke would likely follow. While he was confident in his ability, having two allies to help him fight against Enmu should make things easier.

"Absolutely, I'll help you, Fujino!" Tanjiro responded, determination shining in his eyes.

Inosuke took a moment but then chimed in. "Rejoice, Fuji! The lord of the mountain, Inosuke, will stand by you!" he declared, oblivious to the twitch on Fujino's forehead.

"Oh, what's this? Enmu said, multiple hands and tentacles emerging beside him. "I'm afraid I can't let that happen."

"We don't need your approval, scum," Fujino shot back. The three slayers assumed their fighting stances, mirroring Enmu, who readied his tentacles for an attack.

A tense standoff ensued between the slayers and the lower moon 1 demon. After a brief moment of silence, the standoff broke as Fujino and his companions leaped into action against Enmu, who quickly retaliated.

"Wind Blade!"

"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"

"Beast Breathing, Third Fang: Devour!" 

<—>

Taisho-era secrets!

Enmu's initial victims, disguised as a hypnotic doctor, were an elderly couple. He deceived them into believing that their partners were being unfaithful, which sparked a heated confrontation that ultimately resulted in their deaths. Afterward, Enmu took the opportunity to rob them.

<—>

LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Finally, I have some good news: my finals are ending tomorrow, which gives me a whole month break. I'll be able to write more frequently from then on.

The next chapter will be the climax of this 3 v 1. I'll try to cook as best as I can, and after that will be the finale of the arc, featuring a very popular character if you know who I mean ;)