Demon Slayer: Start With Heroic Spirit Legacy System

Following the mountain path, Makomo descended and finally arrived at a secluded small village.

The village folks were simple and friendly, warmly greeting Makomo despite her unfamiliar face. However, a subtle sorrow seemed to linger over the Village.

Among them was a beautiful woman whom the village folks seemed to hold in high regard. She exchanged pleasantries with Makomo.

"Young lady, you must be from outside the village. You look unfamiliar."

"Yes, I just arrived at Takinogawa Village today," Makomo replied politely.

"May I ask, has anything strange happened in the Village recently?" Makomo pointed at the blade on her hip.

Although carrying a blade was now considered illegal due to the Sword Ban Order, such regulations held little weight in remote areas. Displaying her identity as a swordswoman was often the quickest way to gain information.

"This kind of weapon... Are you with the Demon Slayer...?" The beautiful woman covered her mouth, examining Makomo's attire in disbelief.

"You know about the Demon Slayer Corps?" Makomo was surprised that someone here recognized the organization.

"This isn't the place to talk about it. Please follow me," the woman said after regaining her composure. She led Makomo toward the edge of Village.

Makomo followed her closely and soon arrived at a small clinic. A signboard read: Takinogawa Clinic.

Sensing Makomo's confusion, the woman smiled and explained, "I am Kocho Mai. This clinic is originally named after my husband."

"Since opening this clinic, my husband and I have saved many lives. Out of respect and affection, the village folks renamed this place as Takinogawa Clinic."

"I hope you don't find this pretentious."

The humility and warmth in her words, coupled with their impressive reputation, made Makomo feel a surge of admiration.

Passing through the clinic's main entrance, Makomo nodded in acknowledgment to a few injured patients before the two entered a back room.

Kocho Mai personally served tea to Makomo, who cautiously accepted the cup and took a sip.

The tea was indeed excellent, with a refreshing aroma and a pleasant aftertaste.

But there was a more pressing matter to address.

"Lady Kocho, since you are aware of the Demon Slayer Corps, I will be straightforward."

"Have there been any strange occurrences in village recently? I am here under orders to exterminate demons."

Makomo, usually amiable, became particularly serious when discussing demon extermination. The experiences she had endured during the Final Selection weighed heavily on her.

"If Junior Brother hadn't appeared, would I have survived facing the Hand Demon alone?"

"Junior Brother has become so strong. Can I still keep up with him?"

Before she left, her master had given her personal advice:

"Makomo, there are differences between individuals. Do not let yourself become consumed by obsessions..."

The first question remained unanswered—the Hand Demon was already dead.

But she had to become stronger!

Conventional training was no longer sufficient. She needed real combat experience. This determination fueled her persistence.

Kocho Mai observed the resolute Makomo and fell into deep thought.

"You remind me so much of the demon slayer who once saved us..."

"Forgive me, I shouldn't be reminiscing at a time like this."

Kocho Mai's expression carried a trace of regret, but Makomo shook her head, indicating she didn't mind.

"Indeed, there have been some strange occurrences."

"People gathering herbs in the mountains have been disappearing frequently."

"It started with elderly folk but eventually included strong young men."

"Because of this, people became reluctant to gather herbs. For over half a year, no one dared to go into the mountains. It wasn't until about a month ago that people slowly began to resume herb gathering."

"But among those venturing into the mountains, including young women trying to support their families, most have gone missing!"

"We organized a search party and ventured into the mountains, but all we found were fragments of clothing."

"To avoid panic, we didn't spread the news and simply claimed there were wild beasts in the mountains, advising people not to enter."

"Fragments? May I see them?" Makomo asked, her curiosity piqued.

Thanks to the Kocho family's respected status, the fragments were stored at their residence.

"Here they are."

Kocho Mai quickly brought the fragments.

Makomo held the pieces in her hand, carefully examining them.

"The cuts are very clean, likely made by something sharp."

"This isn't the work of wild beasts."

She then brought the fabric closer to her nose, taking a light sniff.

That confirmed it.

"It's definitely a demon!"

Thanks to proper storage, Makomo could still faintly detect the demon's scent.

Hearing Makomo's professional assessment, Kocho Mai could only accept the grim reality and sank into silent grief.

"So, it really is the work of demons..."

Noticing Kocho Mai's peculiar reaction, Makomo probed, "Madam, had you already suspected this?"

"How... how could I? I only realized just now," Kocho Mai stammered, brushing off the question.

In truth, she had suspected it but only confirmed it after seeing Makomo. The Demon Slayer Corps wouldn't show up unless demons were nearby!

She was only so upset because the long-forgotten terms "Demon Slayer Corps" and "demon" reminded her of the past.

Quickly adjusting her state of mind, she changed the topic.

"It's almost noon. Why don't you stay for a meal at my house?"

"Wouldn't that be an inconvenience to you?"

"Not at all! My two daughters would love to meet you."

The fact that the Kocho family had two daughters came as a surprise to Makomo.

In this era, having two daughters consecutively often sparked family disputes.

But there was no sign of worry on Mrs. Kocho's face—only happiness.

"I imagine Mr. Kocho must love you dearly. In that case, I'll accept your hospitality."

After weighing her options, Makomo decided to stay. It seemed that this clinic was the best place in town to gather information.

"Of course, my husband and I are deeply in love."

"I'll call those two little troublemakers out to meet you."

With that, Kocho Mai called her daughters as she walked inside.

"Kanae, Shinobu? We have a guest!"

Her voice gradually faded as she moved further away, but it soon turned frantic.

"Kanae! Shinobu! Where are you?"

Not finding anyone inside, a sense of unease washed over Mrs. Kocho. She recalled how Shinobu had secretly hidden a small hoe last night.

"Oh no! They've gone to the mountains!"