The mission was initially submitted by an experienced member of the Kakushi.
The report indicated that in a logging camp north of Yamanashi City, a string of disappearances involving workers and their families had occurred. The count had reached seventeen people.
The local police station immediately dispatched personnel to investigate the camp, but they found nothing. There were no signs of a struggle at the scene, nor was there any blood. In some of the workers' shacks, the bedding still held the creases of someone who had just left, as if these people had simply evaporated into thin air. Ultimately, the police could only close the case hastily under the pretext that "the workers collectively fled after stealing property."
However, to a member of the Kakushi who dealt with demons on a regular basis, there were far too many suspicious points. The case was immediately reported to the Demon Slayer Corps.
The following day, a nearby Mizunoto-ranked swordsman was ordered to investigate. But by the second day, that swordsman—along with his Kasugai Crow—had joined the ranks of the missing.
The Demon Slayer Corps immediately dispatched three more swordsmen who were performing missions nearby, forming a squad to head out once again. The team included two Kanoe-ranked swordsmen and one Tsuchinoe-ranked swordsman who had been performing exceptionally well recently: Kanae Kocho.
Normally, such a configuration would be sufficient to uncover the truth of the case.
Just as the Kakushi member had expected, news was soon delivered by a Kasugai Crow. The disappearance of the workers was confirmed to be the work of a demon. The swordsman who had previously investigated was confirmed dead. One Kanoe-ranked swordsman was currently injured, and the Tsuchinoe-ranked swordsman, Kanae, had engaged the demon and repelled it. The three were now attempting to pursue the creature.
The Kakushi member in charge of coordination had barely begun to relax when another Kasugai Crow returned with an urgent report.
One Kanoe-ranked swordsman: KIA.
Tsuchinoe-ranked Kanae: Requesting emergency backup.
Cold sweat instantly drenched the coordinator's back. He grabbed the register and began emergency contact with all swordsmen in the vicinity who were not currently on missions.
Meanwhile, outside the logging camp at Mount Myoken.
Two swordsmen stood back-to-back, their Nichirin Swords in hand, scanning their surroundings. They had been careless during the pursuit. Not only had they lost a companion, but they were now trapped themselves in this vast sea of trees.
Not long ago, when the three had first arrived at the logging camp, they quickly discovered details the police had overlooked by utilizing their superhuman senses.
There were no signs of combat or blood at the scene, but they found faint, linear drag marks on the open ground and the trees near the camp. This was not the work of an animal. They followed the trail and soon entered the nearby logging area.
The group noticed something odd. These marks often came to an abrupt halt in front of large trees or piles of stone. However, after splitting the trees and overturning the stones, there was nothing behind them.
It wasn't until night had fully fallen that they found a Nichirin Sword snapped in half in front of a giant rock deep within the dense forest. It was the sword of the swordsman who had gone missing previously. Strangely, half of that Nichirin Sword was embedded inside the rock, looking as if it had grown straight out of the stone.
Witnessing this eerie scene, the three immediately went on high alert. Kanae, being the highest-ranked, stepped forward to observe the details. There was a lot of dust and powder on the surface of the rock, but it didn't seem to have been blown there by the wind. It looked more like... more like it had seeped out from the inside after being slightly squeezed or rubbed.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, the surrounding trees underwent a sudden, violent change!
The thick trunks exploded one after another, and countless flying wood chips shot toward the three like a rain of sharp hidden weapons.
"Scatter!"
Kanae, being the strongest, reacted first. Her Nichirin Sword carved out arcs of light to shatter the wood fragments as she retreated rapidly. The other two Kanoe-ranked swordsmen were not rookies either; they both activated their Breathing Styles and dodged the sudden ambush.
"Mmm-mmm-mmm... I just finished digesting a brat who didn't know the heights of the heavens. I didn't expect someone to come deliver themselves as a death-gift so soon."
Amidst the dust, a figure slowly "flowed" out from a shattered tree trunk. As expected, it was a demon. The creature propped itself up against the broken trunk with both hands as it pulled itself out, its hollow gaze scanning the three swordsmen.
"Now then, which one should I start eating first?"
"No, perhaps keeping you as food for the winter wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, my reserves are still far from enough to last through this winter."
"Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!"
A blue sword light accompanied by a splash of water fell toward the demon's neck. One of the swordsmen had lost his patience and initiated the attack.
"Don't be impulsive!" Kanae warned loudly.
Thud!
It was like striking seasoned hardwood. The demon raised its arm and easily blocked the swordsman's strike. Although the blade bit slightly into the flesh, for a demon with incredible regenerative powers, it was barely an inconvenience.
So hard!
The attacking swordsman's face changed instantly. The opponent's body was several times harder than any demon he had decapitated in the past. This level of hardness... forget about an arm used for defense; even if the demon stretched out its neck for him to cut, he would probably have to hack at it dozens of times.
"That really hurts, mmm..."
A hint of bluish-grey flowed across the demon's pale green, wood-grained skin. It then yanked its arm back, dragging the swordsman—who had yet to pull his Nichirin Sword free—directly into its grasp.
"Food should act like food."
While the swordsman was still off-balance, the claws on the demon's other hand swept toward his throat. Fortunately, his two companions reached him in the nick of time. One swordsman grabbed his collar and dragged him back, while Kanae used her blade to directly block the incoming claws.
But that wasn't all.
"Flower Breathing, Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo!"
Two peach slashes rising from below, like upturned flower petals, landed on the opponent's wrist and elbow.
Crack.
The demon's arm, which the swordsman had failed to cut with all his might just moments ago, was instantly sliced into three segments.
Is this Flower Breathing? It's significantly stronger than our Water Breathing. One swordsman couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
In reality, if Kuguruma Natsunishi were here, he might have corrected them. It wasn't that Flower Breathing was inherently stronger, but rather the swordsman using it.
[Kanae Kocho (Power Level: 86)] Flower Breathing LV.3, Water Breathing LV.1
[Saji Fujisaki (Power Level: 36)] Water Breathing LV.2
[Kojiro Kondo (Power Level: 31)] Water Breathing LV.2
The dancing flower petals gradually dispersed. Kanae stood between the swordsmen and the demon, holding her Nichirin Sword at an angle in full readiness.
"You... you seem quite delicious, Kocho..."
The faint bluish-grey flowed across its body again, and simultaneously, its arm rapidly grew back. Staring at Kanae's butterfly hairclip, it murmured repeatedly, "Let me have just one bite. Perhaps I will let these two inferior pieces of food by your side leave."
Naturally, the girl would not grant its wish. Without looking back, she spoke to her two partners, with whom she was still unfamiliar: "I will take the lead in the attack."
"You two, please cover me."
"Yes!"
"Leave it to us!"
Faint white mist drifted from between the teeth of the three, and the power driven by their Breathing Styles rose sharply.