Demon Slayer: The Demon Hunter

Word count: 1188

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To say Shimada Tetsuya wasn't having a great time would be an understatement.

"Water breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!" he shouted, a wave of water followed behind as his sword headed toward the demon's neck. But the demon dodged backwards and knocked him aside.

He landed hard on his legs, feeling a sharp pain in his ribs from the impact. Gritting his teeth to distract himself from the agony, he glared at the demon he had been battling from the beginning.

It was the third night of the final selection, and things had started off well for him. He had taken down about three demons without suffering any serious injuries, and he felt a sense of accomplishment. But everything changed with this particular demon. It was much stronger than the others he had faced, and his less-than-stellar swordsmanship had put him in a tough spot.

"Hahaha! You never should've come here, meat!" The demon taunted, but Tetsuya ignored the mockery, concentrating on his increasingly labored breathing.

The demon charged at him, arms outstretched and claws ready to rip him apart. Tetsuya realized he could only make one more attack before his body gave in. "Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!"

He met the demon's charge head-on, surprising both the demon and himself with his speed. His arms screamed in pain as he unleashed a flurry of quick slashes, injuring the demon and severing its right arm.

'This is it' he braced himself as he aimed for the demon's neck, his sword slicing deep. His arms trembled with effort as he cut through the flesh, but the demon raised its other arm to block the attack.

An intense struggle ensued between the slayer and the demon, with screams of adrenaline and pain echoing through the night. Anyone listening would know that only one of them could emerge victorious.

Shimada poured all his strength into the fight, but as fate would have it, this time he was not meant to win.

Even with the rush of adrenaline, he struggled to maintain his breathing, which wreaked havoc on his untrained body. The demon finally yanked the blade free and delivered a kick to his stomach, forcing the remaining air from his lungs.

He collapsed to the ground, a ringing noise echoing in his ears and a sharp, unimaginable pain radiating from his abdomen. Through his now tear-filled eyes, he could see the demon speaking to him, but he paid no attention at all, not that he could have if he wanted to.

'Is this it?' That thought consumed him. Was all his hard work and suffering leading to this moment? He understood the possibility of his demise, but he had hoped it wouldn't come to this. 

His life flashed before him. He remembered his family, all taken by demons, and how a demon slayer had saved him. He had trained tirelessly, driven by the desire for revenge. But the most painful memory was of his childhood friend, Imada.

They had been inseparable since they were young, brought together by their families, both of whom had fallen victim to demons, sharing the same deep scars. Their bond was truly unbreakable.

Yet now, faced with his impending fate, he could only mourn the fact that he had never found the courage to tell her how he felt.

He closed his eyes awaiting for his death.

...

but, it never came.

'Huh?' He opened his eyes wide in shock. Before him lay the demon, slowly turning to ash on the ground. Behind it stood a man dressed in a dark long-sleeved shirt and white pants, gripping a katana tightly in his hand.

Shimada Tetsuya was filled with awe, deeply thankful to this stranger for saving his life. However, that feeling quickly shifted to despair as he took a closer look at the man. With sharp teeth, orange eyes, and pale skin, his savior was, in fact, a demon.

All he could do was whimper, tears streaming down his face as he crawled backward, trying to put as much distance as he could between them, despite the futility of his efforts to escape.

If he couldn't kill that demon with all his might, what chance does he has against this one?

Said demon noticed him, blinking in surprise at his fearful scramble. Even as Shimada tried to flee, he could faintly see a glimmer of recognition in the demon's eyes.

With his back against a tree, he watched helplessly as the figure approached. In a moment of sheer terror, he closed his eyes again, too frightened to witness his own demise.

"..."

"Wow, you look like shit," the demon broke the silence. Shimada slowly opened his eyes and saw the demon crouching down to meet his gaze.

He was completely bewildered; why was this demon casually talking to him instead of just finishing him off?

"Are you alright?" the demon asked when Shimada didn't respond.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay," he stammered, but couldn't help but ask, "A-are you going to kill me?" His voice trembled. Honestly, he didn't know why he was conversing with his soon-to-be killer.

"Kill you? Why would I do that?" The demon stared at him as if he had just sprouted a second head. "Even if I wanted to, you would bleed out before I got the chance," he added, gesturing to Shimada's wounds.

Shimada glanced down at his body, noticing the numerous bruises and cuts that were still oozing blood. He winced as The pain surged back as the adrenaline faded.

"Actually, Let me give you a hand," the demon said, reaching into his pockets and pulling out bandages that Shimada was sure couldn't possibly fit in there.

The demon began to wrap his wounds, while Shimada could only stare in confusion.

'Why? Why would a demon help me?' It contradicted everything he believed about demons. They were supposed to be callous monsters, intent on spreading death and destruction, feasting on people and tearing their families apart, So why was this one saving him?

"And... done. That should stop the bleeding for now. I'm no doctor, but I suggest you stay still for a bit." He then reached to the side. "Here, I think this bag belongs to you."

He dusted himself off and stood up. "Well, I'll be on my way then. Take care!" he said as he started to walk away.

"Wait!" Shimada called out to the demon, who paused and turned back. "I don't understand, why did you save me? Y-you're a demon, after all. So why?" His voice cracked at the end.

"Why..." he glanced away, as if looking at something. "It's just the right thing to do." He flashed Shimada a smile.

"And I want those 10 CHR points, bro..." he muttered the last part to himself as he walked off.

Shimada watched the demon fade into the distance, tears streaming down his face. But these were tears of joy, not sorrow. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" he muttered.

He had been saved from a terrible fate and was granted a new opportunity to pursue his dreams. A spark of determination ignited in his eyes as he composed himself.

Once he completed the final selection, he knew what to do.

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Taisho-era secrets!

Fujino had been observing their battle from the top of a tree the entire time. He was amazed by the breathing techniques they used and only decided to step in once the fight was over.

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My university term has just started, so chapter uploads will be slower than usual.