Demon Slayer: Start With Heroic Spirit Legacy System

"Master Ikkyu, does your abbot stay up late every night?" Zhou Yi probed the young monk, trying to gather more information.

"Hmm... not really. Recently, the abbot has been waking up early and taking a short nap at noon," Ikkyu replied after some thought.

Recently?

Everything seemed to revolve around recently.

First, the decision to open the temple for lodging. Then, the mysterious disappearance of travelers. Finally, the abbot's peculiar sleeping habits.

It was becoming increasingly clear that these recent events were closely tied to the abbot.

"We've arrived. Benefactor Zhou, please rest early," Ikkyu said with a courteous bow.

"Thank you."

Lying down on the bedding, Zhou Yi shut his eyes, the exhaustion of the night washing over him.

Outside, the sun began its ascent.

"What a strange night. Too many odd things happening... I need a good sleep before I figure things out," Zhou Yi murmured as he drifted off.

Moments later.

Swish, swish, swish!

Faint rustling noises reached Zhou Yi's ears. Yet, despite being fast asleep, a smile appeared on his lips.

---

Noon

In a dark and secluded chamber within Sensō-ji Temple, the only source of light came from a small flickering candle in the corner. The abbot, Yabumoto, stood nervously at the door, addressing the room in a trembling voice.

"Tomorrow night, you won't have to go hungry anymore."

From inside came the unsettling sound of flesh being devoured.

"That's wonderful! I've been starving for so long!"

"Father."

The voice from within was eerie, and it addressed the abbot as "Father."

"You've been eating the hearts of worshippers again, haven't you?"

"Of course. I was starving, so I took a few."

Yabumoto's expression was filled with grief, torn between guilt and his paternal instinct. His internal battle raged silently until he let out a long sigh.

"Stop eating the worshippers. They're locals; it's too risky."

"There's a traveler staying at the temple. You can target him instead…"

Hearing his father's compromise, the voice inside was elated.

"Wonderful! See if you can find me more loners like that."

Pressing his palms together, Yabumoto muttered a solemn "Amitabha" and left the chamber.

The dark secret of the temple's abbot lay within the room—his illegitimate son, Ren Saburo.

Ironically, as a monk, Yabumoto had fathered a child and hidden the boy in Kyoto. Recently, however, Ren Saburo had been transformed into a demon.

Frightened and desperate, he sought refuge with his father at Sensō-ji Temple, crying out for help. Initially, Yabumoto had been prepared to kill him for his sins, but his resolve faltered in the face of familial love.

Believing that daily chanting and Buddhist scriptures could cleanse Ren Saburo of his demonic corruption, Yabumoto spared him. Ren Saburo even swore that he would never harm humans.

But a few months later, hunger overtook his willpower. Ren Saburo abducted a worshipper and feasted on his heart. Once he crossed that line, his descent was unstoppable. The timid and weak-willed Ren Saburo transformed into a bloodthirsty monster who craved human hearts and discarded the rest of the corpse.

Despite this, Yabumoto held onto hope that his son could be saved. He covered up Ren Saburo's actions, tying stones to the heartless corpses and sinking them in the temple pond.

The cold weather recently masked the stench of decay, with the addition of incense hiding any lingering odor.

But that wasn't the end of the problem. Over the past month, more and more locals came to the temple, claiming their relatives had gone missing after visiting. Using his decades-long reputation, Yabumoto managed to placate them.

"I did see your family member, but they left shortly after their prayers," he'd say convincingly, sending them away.

But paper cannot wrap fire. Terrified that the truth about his son would come out, Yabumoto began targeting solitary travelers. This led to the temple's decision to open for overnight stays.

♧

When Zhou Yi woke up, it was already afternoon. All the fatigue from the previous night had been swept away.

"Perfect timing," he said, stretching.

After washing up, Zhou Yi headed straight to the temple's main hall to meet the abbot. Before long, a monk returned with a message.

"Benefactor Zhou, the abbot is free now. You may proceed."

"Thank you."

After expressing his gratitude, Zhou Yi stepped into the hall.

The first thing he noticed was a magnificent golden Buddha statue, radiating majesty and peace. Its aura filled the room, while the surrounding redwood beams and lacquered surfaces exuded an air of opulence.

"This Sensō-ji Temple is all show on the outside, but rotten within!"

Zhou Yi sighed with a mixture of disappointment and frustration.

"Does Benefactor Zhou have some profound insights?"

The voice of the abbot, Yabumoto, rang out.

"Master Yabumoto! I was just speaking nonsense earlier. Please don't take it to heart."

Of course, it wasn't nonsense—Zhou Yi had come prepared. These words were meant to bait the abbot.

"I've heard there are man-eating demons out in the world, so I figured I'd find a clean place to stay. After all, with the majesty of the Dharma here, it must be spotless. I'd feel safer staying in such a place!"

Hearing this, Yabumoto's expression nearly twisted in anger. He clenched his prayer beads tightly, struggling to suppress his fury.

"Benefactor speaks truly. Please rest assured as you stay here!"

"I have some matters to attend to. I'll take my leave now."

Yabumoto's body trembled slightly as he turned to leave.

"Master, let me offer you some advice: the sea of suffering has no bounds; turn back before it's too late."

"I fail to understand, Benefactor. What sea of suffering? What turning back?"

With that parting remark, Yabumoto left, leaving Zhou Yi alone beneath the temple's roof.

"Hmph, stubborn fool!"

Zhou Yi despised hypocrites like him the most.

Midnight

The once-bustling Sensō-ji Temple fell into silence as the night deepened.

Most people had long retired to their dreams, leaving only a few novice monks awake for the night watch.

Zhou Yi lay quietly on his mat, awaiting his target.

"Lady Tamayo, is this the place we're looking for?"

"Yes, it is. The pond we passed earlier concealed numerous corpses. This must be the location."

An unexpected twist—uninvited guests appeared, and they turned out to be Tamayo, the person Zhou Yi had been seeking.

It seemed fate wasn't entirely unfair. How could someone be unlucky enough to always encounter Upper Moons and Lower Moons?

Zhou Yi decided not to wait any longer.

"Better catch the big fish now; the small fry in Asakusa Temple can wait."

With a swift motion, Zhou Yi leapt to his feet. Drawing his sword, Nichirin Blade Mono-Gantō, from his storage space, he stepped outside.

The two figures speaking were Tamayo and Yushiro.

Both were demons, but Tamayo had long since stopped consuming humans and vowed to destroy Muzan Kibutsuji. Yushiro, a demon created by Tamayo, survived by drinking human blood without taking lives.

The pair lived off of buying blood from impoverished families, maintaining their survival this way. Despite Muzan's relentless pursuit, they always managed to evade him.

----

Swoosh!

"Don't move!"

Zhou Yi's sword rested against Tamayo's neck.

"Who are you? Don't hurt Lady Tamayo!" Yushiro panicked, losing his composure in his concern.

"Who am I? Naturally, I'm the one here to kill you!" Zhou Yi spoke casually, his tone light and mocking.

"Are you with the Demon Slayer Corps?" Tamayo asked, glancing at the blade on her neck.

"Smart. No wonder they call you the 'Escapee' Tamayo," Zhou Yi complimented her.

"Then I'm relieved." Tamayo visibly relaxed, her fear dissipating.

"It seems you understand my intent. Forgive my rudeness earlier." Zhou Yi smiled, apologizing as he sheathed his sword, signaling the end of his jest.

Yushiro: "???"

Since when did Lady Tamayo know such a handsome human?