NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Chapter 1
The sun hung low over the training ground, casting long shadows as Akira (23 years old) watched his younger brother, Ren (18 years old), practice his swordsmanship.
"Ren, you're improving every day," Akira said, a soft smile on his face, though his tone carried a firmness that spoke of concern.
Ren paused, wiping sweat from his brow, a smirk forming on his lips. "At this rate, I'll be the strongest Hashira in no time!"
They took a seat on a nearby bench, the air thick with the scent of pine and the sounds of nature surrounding them. Akira's expression shifted as he regarded Ren, worry etched across his features. "You need to rethink your approach."
Ren raised an eyebrow, water bottle in hand, pausing mid-drink. "What do you mean?"
Akira leaned forward, his voice low and urgent. "Your methods of killing demons-brutal and reckless-are alarming. Master is upset about the last three reports. I'm here to tell you to stop. I'll keep an eye on you from now on."
Ren's expression hardened. "Why does it matter how I kill demons?"
"Because it's not just about the demons," Akira replied, frustration creeping into his tone. "It's about your mental health! You can't find pleasure in brutality."
Ren stood abruptly, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Everyone keeps saying that! Fine, I won't do it again. Happy?" He turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" Akira called after him, anger boiling beneath his calm exterior.
"I have a mission in the Red Light District," Ren shot back.
"Just... stay safe," Akira replied, a mix of worry and resignation in his voice.
With that, Ren was gone, leaving Akira alone with his thoughts. Moments later, a raven landed on the railing, cawing loudly. The bird carried a message, its beak holding the weight of urgency.
Headquarters
Akira entered the headquarters, the atmosphere tense as all the Hashira were already gathered, awaiting their leader. He walked towards them, waving his hand in greeting.
"Hello... I think I made it here in time, didn't I?"
Uzui Tengen scoffed, his arms crossed. "You're the last one to arrive. I don't think you made it in time."
Kyojuro Rengoku chimed in with a grin, "But you came before Master arrived, so I won't hold it against you!"
Obanai Iguro frowned, "Akira-san, you should take these meetings more seriously."
"What's wrong? I didn't say anything weird. Meetings should be respected, but the start time? That's negotiable!" Akira replied, a playful glint in his eye.
Just then, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the leader of the Corps, entered the room. All the Hashira knelt in respect.
"Master, I'm very happy to see your health has improved," Sanemi Shinazugawa said, his voice warm.
Kagaya's voice was soft and relaxing. "I appreciate it, Sanemi. Today, I summoned all of you for a reason. Rengoku, there is a train called the Mugen Train. Humans are disappearing, and some have reported seeing demonic creatures. I would like you to take on this mission starting today."
"As you wish, Master. Should I leave now?" Rengoku inquired.
"After the meeting, my beloved children. You know very well that if someone kills any living beings brutally or for fun, it will affect their mental health," Kagaya stated, his gaze sweeping over the room.
The other Hashira nodded in agreement, except for Akira, who looked at Kagaya intently.
"Forgive me, Master, for my younger brother's actions. I've strictly told him not to repeat that behavior, and I assure you, he won't do it again."
"Do not apologize, Akira. If it doesn't happen again, that is good for his mental health," Kagaya replied.
The meeting continued, delving into discussions about how they could reach Muzan and how to strengthen their ranks.
Time Passed
The next morning, a group of demon slayers arrived at headquarters, their faces pale and anxious.
"Mr. Takashi?" one of them called, their voice trembling.
Uzui turned sharply. "Why are all of you here shouting at headquarters? What's going on?"
"We have bad news," another demon slayer said, their voice barely above a whisper.
Akira placed a hand on Tengen's shoulder, concern flooding his chest as he stepped forward. "What is it?"
"Ren Takashi has disappeared!" one demon slayer exclaimed, eyes wide with fear.
Another younger demon slayer added, "He vanished in the middle of our mission... We searched everywhere, but we couldn't find him. There was only dried blood where we last saw him."
Akira's eyes widened in shock, disbelief washing over him. "What are you saying?"
One panicking demon slayer stammered, "We assume he was killed-"
Akira's anger flared as he slapped the demon slayer across the face. "Watch your mouth!"
Uzui interjected, his tone steadier, "What exactly happened? Explain."
"We were there early, around when the sun was up, before sunset. We decided to investigate, and when we regrouped at sunset, he was missing. We searched everywhere, but we didn't find him!" the demon slayer pleaded.
Akira's mind raced, a horrifying vision flashing before his eyes-Ren lying on the ground, covered in blood, being devoured by demons.
Akira woke up. He glanced around the empty restroom, he was alone, the other demon slayers gone on their missions.
"It was a dream..." Akira murmured, placing a hand on his forehead. "Every time I nap, I get the same dream..."
"Akira, you're still here?" Kenta Takeshi (23 years old) said, leaning against the restroom door. "I thought you'd be gone by now."
Akira stood up, adjusting his sword. "Just taking a break. Plenty of time before nightfall." He gave Kenta a tired smile, trying to mask the turmoil within.
"Akira, you had that dream again, didn't you?" Kenta's voice was laced with concern. "I told you, you need to let it go. Ren sacrificed himself for humanity. We need to honor his memory."
Akira's smile faltered. "Kenta, I can't control my dreams," he said, his voice low and strained. He walked past Kenta, the weight of his grief pressing down on him.
FLASHBACK
"We received a report about Ren," Uzui Tengen said, his voice solemn. "Several demon slayers witnessed his fight with a powerful demon. Ren ordered them to stay back and refused to allow them to intervene. He continued the battle and was drawn into the forest. The slayers weren't permitted to follow him. The report states that Ren was bleeding from his left arm. After the demon's attack, Ren started laughing maniacally and again ordered the slayers to stay back. The demon, in a mocking tone, said something to Ren about how he could kill as many living beings as he pleased, unlike the 'brats' who were demon slayers. It seemed the demon was aware of Ren's behavior and took pleasure in his brutality. The slayers found a lot of blood but couldn't find Ren. They did find his broken sword, covered in blood, and the demon's body, burning in the sunlight. The demon's final words were, 'You brats never kill demons! Demons are far stronger than you are! I defeated you! It doesn't matter if I was slaughtered in the end, but I defeated you! Our demons' legacy will live always!' It's clear that Ren sacrificed himself for humanity's sake."
"It's not clear," Kagaya said, his voice calm but firm. "I will respect whatever Akira decides."
"Master, I would like to conduct a search operation in the red light district for two days," Akira said, his voice trembling slightly. "If we find nothing, we'll declare it as Ren's sacrifice for humanity." He fought to keep his voice steady, but the sadness in his eyes betrayed his efforts.
"Very well," Kagaya said. "If you feel it's necessary, you have my permission. You will be accompanied by kakushi (Servant of the Demon Slayer Corps)."
PRESENT
"We executed the search mission, remember?" Kenta said, his voice a gentle murmur. Akira nodded, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.
"Yeah, I know... I remember what happened," Akira replied, his voice barely a whisper, the weight of the past heavy on his shoulders.
FLASHBACK
The red light district was a desolate expanse of forest, the setting sun casting long, eerie shadows through the trees. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and decay.
"Here we found Mr. Ren's sword, covered in blood," a demon slayer said, his voice choked with sorrow.
Akira and Kenta stood there, their faces etched with grief. The ground was stained with dried blood, a grim testament to the battle that had taken place. Suddenly, Kenta noticed something. "Hey, Akira, there are some footsteps... we should follow them." Hope flickered in his eyes, a desperate attempt to find a glimmer of good news.
They followed the trail, their hearts pounding with a mixture of hope and dread. The footsteps ended at a clearing, where more dried blood lay scattered on the ground. And then, they saw it: Ren's right leg and arm, lifeless and stained with blood, a chilling reminder of the brutal fight.
Akira's eyes filled with tears, his vision blurring. He quickly wiped them away, turning away from the gruesome sight, his face a mask of sorrow. "Okay, I'll admit..." he choked out, his voice cracking with suppressed sobs.
"Kenta... let's prepare to bury them," Akira said, his voice barely a whisper. Kenta nodded, his heart aching, and gave instructions to the other demon slayers.
Time Passes
Akira stood with the other demon slayers, his head bowed in prayer, his heart heavy with grief.
"Now, let's get going," Akira said, his voice still trembling with emotion. Kenta placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, offering silent support. "Let's go straight to headquarters."
Kenta's voice was soft, laced with sadness. They departed from the clearing, the weight of their loss heavy on their souls.
Headquarter
"Okay... I understand," Kagaya said, his voice a calming presence in the room. All the Hashira were present, kneeling before him, their faces solemn.
"We should not let his sacrifice go to waste," Kagaya continued. "We shouldn't be sad. Instead of mourning, we should be grateful that no one else in the red light district died because of Ren."
PRESENT
"Don't make me remember it again... please, Kenta," Akira pleaded, his voice laced with pain as they continued walking.
"Okay..." Kenta replied, his tone gentle. "I heard about your departure to Kyoto. You're going tomorrow, right? With Mitsuri Kanroji?" He tried to inject a note of lightness into the conversation, hoping to ease Akira's burden.
"Yeah, I'm going... With Mitsuri Kanroji," Akira said, a faint smile gracing his lips. His tone was a mix of sadness and a hint of amusement, but it felt fragile, as if it might shatter under the weight of his grief.
The thought of Kyoto, of the bustling city and the mission ahead, offered a sliver of distraction. It was a welcome change from the constant ache in his heart.
As they reached the outskirts of the headquarters, a familiar sight caught Akira's eye. A group of demon slayers, their faces etched with determination, were practicing their swordsmanship. He recognized them instantly-Tanjiro Kamado, Inosuke Hashibira, and Zenitsu Agatsuma.
The trio had been training at the Butterfly Mansion, recovering from the harrowing events of the Mugen Train. Akira remembered their grief, their shared loss of Rengoku. He watched as they moved with a newfound intensity, their movements honed by their experiences.
Tanjiro, his face solemn, moved with a grace that mirrored his unwavering resolve. Inosuke, his usual boisterous energy tempered by a quiet intensity, swung his blades with a ferocity that spoke volumes. Zenitsu, despite his usual anxieties, fought with a newfound determination, his fear replaced by a quiet determination to protect his comrades.
Akira felt a pang of sympathy for them. He knew they were all still grappling with the weight of loss, each in their own way. But he also saw their strength, their unwavering commitment to their duty as demon slayers.
He watched them for a moment longer, a silent observer to their training. He knew he couldn't stay long. His own mission awaited him. He turned to Kenta, a faint smile on his face.
"Let's go," he said, his voice a low murmur. "We have a lot to do."
As they walked away, Akira couldn't shake the feeling that a new chapter was beginning. He had lost his brother, but he knew he couldn't let grief consume him. He had to keep fighting, to honor Ren's memory. And he knew, deep down, that he wasn't alone in this fight.
"As Akira turned to leave, a faint whisper of wind carried a familiar scent of woodsmoke and determination. The scent of Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu. He couldn't shake the feeling that their paths would intertwine again, perhaps sooner than he thought. Or maybe, their paths would remain separate, each facing their own trials. But the fight for humanity was a vast and complex one, and their destinies were intertwined in ways they couldn't yet comprehend."
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