Demons only act at night, hiding during the day.
For Ren, who hunts demons, he must wait for darkness to track them.
Night fell quickly. In a remote village, a boy carrying a younger boy on his back walked down the street.
"Brother, when can we go home?" the younger child murmured softly.
The older boy glanced at the charcoal in his bamboo basket, sighing. "Once we sell these, we'll head back."
But the weather wasn't cold, making charcoal hard to sell. With midnight approaching, every house had its doors shut, and the streets were empty. Who knew how long it would take to sell the charcoal?
Then, a man approached from the other end of the street.
"How much for the charcoal? I'll take it all," Ren said.
The boy's eyes lit up, and his younger brother lifted his head.
The boy named a price—cheap, almost a steal.
Ren paid without hesitation, taking the charcoal. "Hurry home with your brother. And don't sell this late again—it's dangerous at night."
"Thank you!" the boy said gratefully, then carried his brother home, both beaming.
"Sold out!" the younger brother cheered, and they skipped toward home.
Ren watched them go, then turned his attention to the charcoal in his hands.
He tapped his forehead, exasperated. "Ugh, Chitoshi's going to scold me again."
Chitoshi would surely nag him for wasting money on so much charcoal.
In a dark corner, a pair of crimson eyes fixed on the two boys.
Drip, drip!
Saliva hit the ground.
"Heh, two kids—tender and delicious!" the demon sneered, creeping toward them.
Closer, closer, like a spider skulking in the shadows.
The boys, laughing and chatting, were unaware of the danger.
"We got lucky today, meeting such a kind person. Otherwise, who knows how long we'd be out here," the older boy said.
His brother, on his back, replied, "I wish you didn't have to sell so much. It's too hard."
"No way. I need to earn money to buy you tasty treats."
"I don't want treats. I don't want you to work so hard."
"Heh, I'm not tired."
"You're lying, Brother."
"I'm not. Soon, you won't have to struggle anymore!"
A raspy, vile voice cut in from behind.
The older boy froze. Moonlight revealed a shadow looming over them.
He turned stiffly, facing a pale, terrifying visage.
The demon grinned, lunging with outstretched claws.
"Sun Breathing, Second Form: Clear Blue Sky!"
A flash of fire lit up the night.
The demon's face froze in its final expression, unaware its head had been severed.
"What happened?"
Its head soared, its body left standing.
I was killed?
My head's cut off?
I'm dying?
Who did this?
Thud!
The demon's head rolled, stopping at someone's feet.
The demon saw its killer—a refined young man. It opened its mouth, but no words came. Its body ignited, dissolving into nothing.
"It's you!"
The older boy's voice trembled, recognizing the man who bought his charcoal. He glanced at the fading demon, swallowing hard. "What was that?"
"A demon," Ren said, sheathing his Nichirin Blade. "Remember, don't go out at night. If not for yourself, think of your brother."
"There are no demons nearby now. Your path home is safe."
Under the moonlight, Ren raised a hand without looking back, waving in a manner strikingly similar to Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
The boy stared at Ren's departing figure, the image of him slaying the demon etched in his mind, impossible to shake.
"Brother."
His younger brother's voice snapped him out of it.
"Brother, are you hurt?"
"I'm fine. You? Are you okay?"
"…I'm fine too."
Killing the demon didn't stop Ren. This was only his first stop; many places awaited him.
A crow flapped its wings, landing on Ren's shoulder.
Ren glanced at it. "Where to next?"
"There's demon activity southwest, but it's far. You might return late," the Kasugai Crow said.
"Good food's worth waiting for. We can't ignore it just because it's far," Ren replied. "Chitoshi won't mind."
The crow sighed. "I was hoping for some tasty onigiri."
"Don't worry. Chitoshi will make more when we're back."
"That's more like it."
Every Demon Slayer has a Kasugai Crow to relay information.
Ren's crow, named Rōyu, had been with him for years. To Ren, Rōyu was more than a messenger—a trusted comrade.
Heading southwest, Ren tracked the demon's trail, soon reaching an open field.
His gaze caught a man and a woman approaching.
He froze. The moment his eyes landed on the man, a chill pierced his heart.
He sensed a demonic aura from them, but this one was more terrifying than all the demons he'd faced combined.
What a sensation!
It was as if a dreadful demon king was closing in.
The man hadn't even noticed him, hadn't spared a glance, yet the oppressive aura burned Ren's skin like fire.
Ren drew his Nichirin Blade instantly, muscles tensing, teeth gritted, eyes locked on the man.
"Muzan Kibutsuji!"
It could only be him.
Only the legendary Demon King, the progenitor of demons, Muzan Kibutsuji, could exude such a terrifying presence.
The man stopped, his gaze falling on Ren, indifferent, as if looking at a fly. "A demon hunter, huh?"