The night was as dark as ink. A half-moon hung high in the sky, and cold moonlight seeped across the courtyard.
Kiyokawa Izumi sat on the eaves, lost in thought. If he remembered correctly, his Nichirin Blade would be delivered tomorrow.
"Good evening!"
The sudden voice rang in his ear. Kiyokawa didn't turn around. Instead, he spoke calmly, his tone serious.
"As a swordsman who just passed the final selection and feels utterly unprepared, can I leave the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Is that really what you want?"
Shinobu Kocho paused briefly, then asked with a gentle smile,
"If you leave, could you turn a blind eye to ordinary people about to be devoured by demons?"
"I…"
Kiyokawa hesitated. He couldn't give a definitive answer. Maybe he could. Maybe he couldn't. He had never faced such a situation, so he didn't know what he would do.
"I once had a happy family, before everything was shattered."
Her slender fingers absentmindedly brushed a strand of hair as she sat beside him, speaking softly.
"Until that day… when demons appeared without warning. If Master Gyomei hadn't arrived in time, my sister and I would have been eaten."
Kiyokawa listened quietly, though he knew the tragedy that had befallen her.
The air seemed tinged with faint sorrow and simmering resentment. Shinobu's voice remained calm, but emotions slipped through.
"Perhaps you should think carefully before deciding. Don't sit here too long you'll catch a cold."
Like a butterfly, she leapt lightly, landing gracefully in the courtyard.
"Feels like she's a mood killer," Kiyokawa muttered, lifting his head.
Every time Shinobu appeared, it seemed she disrupted his thoughts, though he never meant to be disrespectful.
Her words echoed in his mind: Could he really turn away? Could he?
"Well, getting stronger is never a bad idea."
"I've definitely been slacking off lately…"
Kiyokawa slowly stood. With nothing pressing and no sleepiness, he decided to practice his sword swings.
The Nichirin Blade is neither gold nor jade. Its blade is forged from special iron ore that absorbs sunlight, the only weapon capable of harming demons.
On the morning of the seventh day, Kiyokawa Izumi's Nichirin Blade was delivered by a member of the Hidden faction.
The swordsmith's name was Ishimi Tetsuzan, an unknown craftsman not mentioned in the original lore.
He did not deliver the blade personally but entrusted it to the Hidden member, who handed it to Kiyokawa.
Taking the sword from the hooded messenger, Kiyokawa's heart was heavy with complex emotions.
The black scabbard encased the Nichirin Blade. He gripped the hilt and drew it slowly. In the sunlight, the silver-white blade gleamed coldly.
Though the swordsmith was unknown, his craftsmanship was excellent, and the blade reflected that.
It was said that a Nichirin Blade changes color depending on its wielder. Kiyokawa finally witnessed this firsthand.
The previously dull blade shimmered with faint blue specks. They spread rapidly, until the entire blade glowed a flowing, water-like blue.
Kiyokawa wasn't surprised. As a Water Breathing swordsman, a light-blue blade was expected.
It certainly wouldn't be black. He didn't use Sun Breathing, nor had he learned the Fire God Dance. Black blades were for demons.
At that moment, a crow descended from the sky, landing on Kiyokawa's shoulder.
Its black feathers shone with a metallic gleam. Tilting its head, it seemed to study its new master, though it gave off an air of mild foolishness.
A Kasugai Crow!
These were messenger birds provided to official Demon Slayer Corps members. The most surprising part? They could speak.
"Riku! Riku! Riku!"
A sharp voice echoed in his ear. The crow flapped its wings, repeating its name.
"Mission! Mission!"
"Demon Slayer Kiyokawa Izumi, deploy immediately! A child is in danger!"
Kiyokawa understood roughly what the crow meant.
Somewhere in a small town, a demon was targeting children under eight. His mission: eliminate the demon.
Now that he was a full-fledged member, such tasks were unavoidable.
But considering he was the lowest-ranked swordsman, the demon assigned to him was unlikely to be very strong.
Should he go or not?
Gripping the smooth hilt, he let out a wry smile and reluctantly accepted the mission.
'My pockets are empty, so I might as well stay in the Demon Slayer Corps for now.'
'A demon targeting children… probably, maybe, hopefully isn't an Upper Moon.'
Kiyokawa didn't think his luck was that bad he wouldn't encounter an Upper Moon on his first mission.
This mission was doable.
But first, he had to prepare a little.
He shifted his gaze toward Shinobu, who wasn't far away, and offered a servile, slightly pleading smile.
"Hey… any useful poisons I could borrow? Or maybe an extra Nichirin Blade, so I can carry a few more?"