Demon Slayer: Start With Heroic Spirit Legacy System

Thankfully, it was a false alarm.

Just as Makomo and Mrs. Kocho were about to leave, the two sisters returned home.

Seeing their mother on the verge of tears, the Kocho sisters were at a loss.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Kanae's question was met with a tight hug.

As their mother embraced them, the two sisters grew even more confused.

"Mother, what happened?" Shinobu looked to her sister for answers.

Kanae shook her head, equally clueless.

"You two, get inside!"

The tender moment quickly shifted as their mother's tone turned stern. After her sharp command, she stormed back into the house.

Makomo said nothing, only signaling to the sisters to follow her lead.

Who is this girl? She's so beautiful!

The sisters barely had time to process their thoughts before they all gathered in the back room.

"Now do you see how dangerous it is?"

"Ah, I suppose I'm also to blame for not telling you everything."

After explaining the situation to her daughters, Mrs. Kocho's anger subsided, replaced by lingering fear.

"What if something had happened to you..."

The Kocho sisters knelt on either side of their mother, trying to comfort her.

"Mother, we know we were wrong. Please don't be mad."

"Shinobu and I were lucky, weren't we? We made it back safe and sound."

Makomo chimed in to help diffuse the tension, and the storm finally settled.

The sisters then turned their attention to Makomo.

"Mother, who is this person?" Shinobu, ever curious, was the first to ask.

"Shinobu, don't be rude to our guest!" Kanae lightly tapped her sister's forehead with her finger.

Shinobu, used to speaking freely at home, realized her mistake and looked at Makomo apologetically.

Makomo's calm expression softened into a smile, accepting her unspoken apology.

"This is Makomo from the Demon Slayer Corps. She's a demon-slaying swordswoman who has come here on a mission."

Mrs. Kocho gently patted her younger daughter's head while noticing the delicate hairpin she wore. It was finely crafted and likely a gift from Kanae. She knew her elder daughter well.

"A demon-slaying swordswoman?" Shinobu was surprised.

Though she didn't fully understand what demons were, she had just learned from her mother that many strong young men in town had fallen victim to them.

Could such a petite girl really handle demons?

"Don't worry. While I'm not as skilled as my junior, I'm more than capable of handling average demons."

As she spoke, Makomo gestured to the Nichirin Blade at her waist.

"I've already slain several demons. You can rest easy."

The faintly crimson blade guard spoke volumes—more than words ever could.

This young girl, not much older than they were, had seen her share of blood.

Afternoon

"Then I'll trouble you two to accompany me while I investigate the town."

Makomo now stood before the sisters, who had just managed to slip away from their mother.

"Sure! But you have to tell me all about slaying demons!"

Shinobu, lively by nature, seemed particularly fascinated by the subject.

Makomo agreed without hesitation.

With the sisters' help, the investigation progressed smoothly.

Before the sun set, Makomo had a rough idea of the demon's target.

First, the victims had shifted from ordinary people to young, beautiful women.

Second, even those who returned from the mountains safely would be abducted at night.

Lastly, this demon appeared to possess sharp tools, as many doors in the town had been sliced cleanly in two.

"Young, beautiful women..."

"And they must have been on the mountain..."

Piecing together the clues, Makomo began to think aloud.

"Someone who fits these criteria..."

"Could it be us?!" Kanae exclaimed, covering her mouth in disbelief.

It was true. Based on the current evidence, the most likely targets were the two sisters.

As the last rays of sunlight faded, Makomo grabbed the sisters and hurried back to the clinic.

"We're going back!"

Clinic

The Kocho family of four, along with Makomo, sat in the living room.

The truth was always hard to accept.

Mrs. Kocho, who had only just calmed down, nearly fainted from anger.

"You must save these children!"

"I'll do everything I can to protect them."

With that, Mrs. Kocho pulled out a yellowed booklet from her chest pocket.

"This was left behind by a demon slayer who saved my husband and me from an ice-wielding demon years ago."

"But she died a few days later from inhaling too many ice crystals."

"This book is what she comprehended after the battle. Regardless of victory or defeat, consider it a token of gratitude from our family."

Makomo accepted the booklet. The words Ice breathing were written on the cover, filling her with mixed emotions.

"It must have been a realization she had in her final moments, inspiring her to create this breathing technique."

She then turned to the Kocho couple and said,

"Please find a place to hide temporarily. Tonight, I'll stay here at the clinic with your daughter."

"This way, I can focus entirely on dealing with him."