The question hung in the air between them.
Soutarou was amused. At the question.
"What? Am human."
He took a step closer.
Miwaka flinched, her blade jerked up higher.
"Stay back!" The command came out desperate, despite the aggressive words it felt like a plea. "Don't... don't come closer!"
Soutarou halted.
Shion remained motionless behind him, watching the exchange with half-lidded eyes.
"You should have ran when I told you to. Imagine if I didn't awaken, my sacrifice would have been in vain."
"You were dying." Miwaka's voice broke. "Your ribs were crushed. Your arms"
She gestured with the katana, nearly dropping it. "You were convulsing and now you're just—you're just standing there like nothing happened!"
Her eyes darted to Shion, then back to Soutarou, her rising fear was visible in her eyes.
"And she was going to kill us, kill you, and now she's just..." Her breath became faster and shallow. "She's standing there like... like she serves you, like you're."
She cut herself off, jaw clenching, trying desperately to understand something that made no sense.
"What did you do to her?" The question came out accusatory. "What are those chains? What was that mist?"
"I saved your life," he said simply. "That's all you need to know."
"Bullshit!" The curse exploded from her lips, surprising even herself.
"Don't treat me like a child! I saw what happened!"
Her voice dropped, trembling with something between awe and terror.
"I saw a demon bow to you willingly. When she was trying to kill us just moments ago. Was it all a show."
Miwaka's katana lowered slightly, arms exhausted from holding her defensive stance.
"I admired you." she whispered. "You're a traitor." Her eyes widened with realization.
Soutarou's smile vanished. "No. I'm not."
"Then what are you?"
Soutarou hesitated,
"I'm a demon tamer."
His reply shocked Miwaka more than anything else. "What?"
Her blade dropped completely, tip pointing at the ground.
Soutarou took another step forward. This time, Miwaka didn't retreat, though her body tensed.
"You asked what I am," he continued, each word measured. "That's the truth, I am a good person. I didn't know anything about this power until now."
His hand lifted, showing the faint shimmer on his wrist where the mark had faded.
"That's who I'm." He gestured to Shion without looking. "That's why she bowed to me."
Miwaka stared at the mark, then at Shion, then back to Varō's face.
"Demon Tamer..." she repeated slowly, like testing unfamiliar words. "But there's no such thing like that. That's not in any of the teachings or histories."
"I know."
The single phase landed like a blade.
"They must have erased it from history books."
Miwaka swayed slightly, like the weight of the revelation was physical. "Why? Why would they."
"I don't, maybe because we were powerful. But I can't say because I don't have any memory of why I was assassinated."
"What do you mean assassinated?"
He stepped closer still now just an arm's length from Miwaka. "I'll tell you everything if you promise not to tell anyone."
Shion claws shot out seeing. "You're too close to him."
Miwaka's eyes met with Shion, and immediately she stepped back.
"Shion!" Soutarou cautioned her.
Shion grumbled then retracted her claws.
Miwaka's breath hitched. "Why? What are you hiding." Her voice was barely audible. "What are you going to do if I refuse?"
Soutarou turned back to Miwaka. "Nothing, Miwaka."
Her name from his lips made her flinch.
"You've seen what I am. What I can do." His eyes searched hers.
"It's your choice."
He held up one finger.
"One: You return to the organization. Tell them what you saw. Tell them Inoue Soutarou has awakened as a Demon Tamer. Tell them he has bound a Jōkyū to his will."
He paused, letting the weight of that settle.
"They will send hunters. They might try to kill me.
Miwaka's throat worked, trying to swallow past sudden dryness.
Soutarou raised a second finger.
"Two: You help me by saying nothing. Tell them the Jōkyū escaped. And I'll tell you more."
Behind him, Shion shifted slightly.
Her crimson eyes were fixed on the younger slayer with predatory focus, ready to act if needed.
"Choose wisely."
Miwaka stood frozen, katana hanging limp in her hand, her mind racing through the two options.
'If I report him, they'll kill him. If I don't... am I betraying everyone who's ever died fighting demons?'
Her hands trembled.
'What do I do?'
Soutarou had saved her life, but also manifested a power that seemed forbidden.
Shion watched silently, ready to end the girl's life with a gesture from her master.
The silence stretched between them, heavy with the weight of a decision that would shape everything to come.
Miwaka's fingers trembled around her katana's hilt. Her eyes darted between Varō's face and the faint shimmer on his wrist.
Her jaw worked, like she was chewing on words she couldn't quite speak.
Finally, she exhaled long.
"I'll..." Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'll say nothing."
Soutarou's shoulder sagged.
"But." Miwaka's hand shot up, finger pointing at him with trembling conviction. "I have conditions."
Behind Varō, Shion's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her body tensed, ready to move if this girl threatened her master.
Soutarou raised a hand slightly subtle, barely a movement and Shion stilled instantly, though her gaze remained locked on Miwaka with predatory focus.
"Conditions," Soutarou repeated, almost amused.
"Yes conditions." Miwaka's voice strengthened, fear giving way to desperate courage. "You need me to stay silent. That gives me leverage, doesn't it?"
She planted her feet more firmly, straightening her spine despite the tremor in her limbs."So yes. Conditions."
Soutarou studied her for a long moment, then nodded slowly and smiled."Sure."
Miwaka swallowed hard, gathering her thoughts.
"First" Her eyes fixed on his face, searching. "I want to know if you're still the same person who saved me, who was willing to die for me."
Soutarou stared stunned. Then bursted out laughing. "What... You think I changed in a short time."
"It's not a joke.
Soutarou laughter dial down. He straightened himself. "Well I can tell you it won't, but you won't still believe so you have to watch yourself I decide yourself."
His hand rose unconsciously to his chest, like he was searching for something inside himself. "I'm still willing to die to protect, if that is the answer you desire."
The admission seemed to surprise even him.
His eyes met Miwaka's directly.
"Even if I'm a Demon Tamer."
He paused, seeming to listen to something only he could hear.
Miwaka absorbed this, something eased in Miwaka's posture, though the fear didn't fully leave her eyes.
"Second condition," she continued, voice steadier now. "I want full answers. Not half-truths or pretty lies."
She gestured broadly at everything, at him, at Shion, at the devastation around them.
" I want to understand all of it. What you are. What those chains were. How you did... that." Her hand waved vaguely at where the mist had been.
Her voice cracked with sudden emotion. "I want to know if I'm making the right choice. Trusting you will get me killed. Or worse."
Soutarou nodded slowly. "Sure. I will tell you everything. In time."
"Not in time." Miwaka's eyes flashed. "Now. Or at least soon. Before we go back."
A moment of silence.
Then Soutarou inclined his head. "Trust me you'll have your answers."
Miwaka breathed out slowly, then squared her shoulders.
"Third.." This one seemed to cost her more. Her voice dropped, quieter, vulnerable. "I want you to prove you're not a monster."
Soutarou eyebrows arched. " How?"
"I..." She struggled with the words. "That you won't use this power to hurt people who don't deserve it. That you're not going to become the thing we're supposed to destroy."
Her eyes flicked to Shion, who stood silent and deadly.
"That demon tried to kill us. Tried to eat you. And now she serves you like you're like you're everything to her." Miwaka's voice trembled. "How do I know you won't do that to me?"
"Stop." Soutarou cut through her rising panic.
He stepped closer, close enough that she could see the conflict in his eyes.
"I can't bind you," he said, each word weighted with promise.
His voice softened.
"I saved you because he believed you deserved to live. To grow. Am not a monster."
Miwaka's eyes searched his face, looking for deception, finding only raw honesty.
"You want proof I'm still human?" Varō continued quietly. "As I said, watch. Judge me by my actions, not my words or my power. If I become the monster you fear"
His jaw tightened. "then do what you have to do. Turn me in. I won't stop you."
Behind him, Shion made a small sound protest, perhaps but Soutarou didn't bother.
Miwaka stared at him for a long moment.
Then, slowly, deliberately, she sheathed her katana.
"Okay," she whispered. "Okay. I'll... I'll trust you. For now."
She lifted her chin, trying to look braver than she felt.
"But if you betray that trust, you hurt innocent people or lose yourself to power."
Her voice hardened with desperate conviction. "I will stop you. Somehow."
Soutarou smiled, "Good," he said simply. "If I become that, I hope you do."
Voices in the distance moved with the rustling of leaves, Demon Slayers, calling out their name searching.
"Miwaka! Soutarou! Where are you?!"
"The Jōkyū's trail ends here!"
"Search the area! They might be wounded!"
Miwaka's eyes widened, panic flaring.
"They're coming."
He looked at Miwaka, and for a moment.
"You fought bravely. The demon was too strong. It escaped after wounding us both. You saved my life when it was about to finish me off."
He winced convincingly, hand pressed to his ribs where the wounds had been.
"That's the story. Can you tell?"
Miwaka stared at him at how completely stunned by his pretense.
"I..." She swallowed hard. "Yes. I can."
Soutarou nodded, then turned to Shion
"Hide," he commanded softly. "Stay close, but unseen. I'll summon you when it's safe."
Shion bowed deeply, white hair falling forward like a curtain.
"Yes, Varō-sama."
Then she was dissolved into shadow, like she'd never existed.
Miwaka gasped. "How did she—"
"It's part of power—shh. They're almost here."
He grimaced again, leaning more heavily against the tree pretending his body was exhausted.
"Remember," he said quietly, eyes locked on hers. "You saved me. You're the hero of this story."
The voices grew louder, closer.
"Over here! I see blood!"
"Miwaka! Soutarou!"
Miwaka took a shaky breath, then nodded once.
She ran toward the voices, waving her arms.
"Here! We're here! Soutarou is wounded, we need help!"
Within moments, demon slayers flooded the clearing checking for threats, examining wounds, asking rapid-fire questions.
And through it all, Soutarou played his part perfectly, the weak, failed slayer who'd somehow survived, grateful for Miwaka's intervention and apologetic for letting the demon escape.
No one suspected.