The Shallow Strike of Change and Command

"Well then, farewell, Mr. Asuka."

Outside the sanatorium, Shinobu smiled and said goodbye to Asuka; after all, as a Pillar, she had many tasks to attend to.

She handed the bird a gourd-shaped water pouch, her voice still gentle:

"Here's some pain-relieving medicine; hopefully it will help. But it's best not to push yourself too hard in the future."

"Thank you for your concern, I will be careful... Lord Zhu, have a safe journey."

"Oh, no need to be so polite, just call me Senior Ren. Well then, goodbye."

After saying that, she disappeared outside like a butterfly carried by a gentle breeze.

After Shinobu left, Asuka briefly checked on Asano Mori's condition and then prepared to leave as well.

All told, his mission, which took him more than half a month from south to north, was about time for him to head back.

Unlike other demon hunters, he will naturally do the missions when given them, and he won't patrol around like Shinsuke when there are no missions. It's better for him to obediently return to Hayama.

"Mr. Asuka! Your knife!"

"Uh-huh?"

Asuka, who was packing her bags and putting on her new team uniform, took the long sword from Yuka's hand with a puzzled look.

"Why is there only one?"

"Huh? This...this was the only long sword that was delivered! Could it have been left behind?!" Yuka stammered nervously, anxiously searching the room.

Although she didn't understand the details of slaying demons, she knew that these knives were very important to demon hunters, and losing them would be a big deal!

Asuka hefted the knife in his hand with a puzzled look, feeling a familiar yet strange sensation that greatly confused him.

The scabbard and the cord for the hilt are stolen... but this swirling tsuba... isn't this my Nichirin Blade...?

He drew his blade, his gaze sharpening.

The colorless blade gleamed, undoubtedly a Nichirin Blade, but it emanated a powerful aura that resonated with Asuka's soul.

"Abduction?"

He drew the entire knife, the blade humming as if in response to his whisper.

"You...devoured the Nichirin Blade?"

Although the idea is exaggerated, it is the bird's first instinct.

He gently stroked the blade and discovered that both its aura and the unique spiritual pressure it contained were definitely those of his own Asauchi!

Who would have thought that this guy would actually become one with the Nichirin Blade?

Is this a good thing? Will the Nichirin Blade's properties still be effective? Will it absorb other swords in the future...?

"I'm sorry... Mr. Asuka... I really..."

"It's alright, Yuka, it was my mistake."

Interrupting the still-busy Yuuka, and under her puzzled gaze, Asuka silently sheathed her Nichirin Blade:

"Thank you for taking care of me, I'm off now."

"Huh? So suddenly? Aren't you going to keep looking... Mr. Asuka, won't you rest for a few more days?"

The bird said nothing more, and a corner of its brand-new gray-white feathers fluttered gently in the wind.

Just as hastily he arrived in Sendai, he also left in a hurry.

Traveling alone along the old road heading south, several more days passed.

Most of the time, he camped in the wilderness. Occasionally, when he passed through some sparsely populated villages, he would choose to rest by a wall where no one was around. Looking at the emaciated townspeople, he would often think about what he had seen and heard on his journey north.

He recalled what he had heard in the study and couldn't help but think that perhaps it was because of the state of the world that so many evil spirits roamed freely.

Wouldn't it be better to kill all the ghosts? Then so many innocent people wouldn't die, and the world would be a peaceful place...?

No... he thought about it and realized that wasn't entirely true.

Ghosts are certainly hateful, but like wolves eating sheep, it's a hunt between two creatures.

Maybe it's the Demon Slayer Corps, maybe it's someone else, but one day they will wipe these creatures out completely.

Thinking of those who cooperated with demons, Asuka felt that cannibalism might be even more terrifying, at least he didn't know how to deal with it.

A few days later, at dusk, the bird stopped in front of an old tree at a crossroads.

The wind swept across the cracked field ridges, through the dried-up irrigation ditches, and swirled as it crashed against the old trees.

Two small figures were huddled in the hollow of the tree roots, wrapped in a tattered cotton quilt whose original color was almost unrecognizable.

The older one, about seven or eight years old, was clumsily breaking up half a hard, dry biscuit in his arms and feeding it to the younger child in his arms.

Feiniao's gaze lingered on that pale face for a moment, then he took out a few rice cakes wrapped in oil paper from his pocket.

He took out a portion and ate it, then silently placed the rest of the majority on the edge of the tattered quilt.

The older child suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly filled with fear, and instinctively protected the younger one even more tightly, like a frightened little animal.

But Asuka didn't say anything; she simply put down the food, turned around, and left.

"Thank...thank you, sir!" came the child's tearful voice from behind, but he did not stop in his tracks.

"Whether it's Rukongai or the real world, neither is a life fit for a human being..." he thought to himself.

Gaaaaaah!

As he continued on his way, a dark shadow descended from the sky, howling.

There's no need to look specifically; even the birds know that the ravens have arrived.

"Urgent order! Urgent order!"

"Team member number seventy-eight, Flying Bird! Command relayed!"

"Southwest, southwest! Mount Natagumo!"

"A multitude of evil spirits are gathering! Investigate immediately!"

"Repeated: Natagumo Mt.! Head there immediately!!"

After delivering the order, the raven didn't leave immediately as usual, but instead said a few more words:

"Flying Bird Team Member, more than ten members have already received this mission. Please be extra careful!"

"I understand, thank you."

Crack!

Having said that, the raven suddenly flapped its wings and transformed into a black shadow, flying into the sky.

Natagumo Mountain... Asuka knows this place.

Traveling north from Hayama to Sendai, one inevitably passes through the Azuma Mountain Range, a continuous mountain range.

Asuka, who knew nothing about this country, studied the map for a long time before setting off and asked Kenichi how to pronounce many place names.

On the western slope of the Azuma Range lies Nadagumo Mountain.

It is said that various highly venomous spiders live there year-round, and a bite from a certain species can even turn a person into a spider...

I never expected it to be a ghost...

He stopped thinking about it and changed his direction, heading southwest towards Nata Spider Mountain.

Three days later, after he climbed over a small hill covered with twisted branches and dense forest, his view suddenly opened up.

A gloomy mountain, shrouded in thick fog and exuding malice, appeared before him.

"Is this Mount Natagumo?" He gripped the new Asauchi at his waist, slowly unleashing his spiritual pressure as he probed towards the foot of the mountain.

Cold, bloody, uneasy, fearful.

Although they are still far apart, the different spiritual pressure fluctuations emanating from the mountains indicate that there is more than one person in the mountains at this moment.

Or there may be more than one ghost.

"This feeling is so oppressive... It's more dangerous than the Lower Moon Two. Could it be the Upper Moon?" Asuka was uncertain and even felt a little nervous for the first time.

His battle with Lower Moon Two had already shown him his shortcomings; if he were to face Upper Moon Two now, could he win...?

"Let's see how it goes first, after all, the mission is just an investigation..."

Asuka took a deep breath and ran towards the gloom of Spider Mountain.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, three noisy figures appeared at the foot of the mountain.

"Wait a minute! I said, can you wait a minute?!"

"What's wrong, Zenitsu? What are you doing squatting here?"

"This is terrifying!!!! This mountain feels so scary!! Can't you feel it?!"

"What a useless guy! Uogao Kenpachiro! Let's charge!!"