Demon Slayer : Heir to the Moon

The village street was a mess of broken wood and rock, barely lit by the pale moon. My Nichirin blade gleamed in my hand. Every part of me was on edge. Two Lower Moon demons faced me, their dark, heavy auras filling the air.

One demon grinned, his sharp teeth showing. He felt wild and bursting with energy, like a storm about to hit. The other was still, a quiet threat. His eyes were cold, like staring into nothing. Their combined power pushed down on me, strong and never-ending.

I gripped my sword tighter. The villagers had run, their cries now faint. But I kept my senses focused on the grandma's house. Yuki was there, safe for now. No demon was near her. Good. These two weren't getting close to her or anyone else.

I steadied my breathing. Push past your limits, Ryo.

The grinning demon took a step forward, a low, guttural rumble escaping his chest. His voice was raw, like ripped fabric. "Look at this one, big brother! So brave, standing there all alone. Kyouka, Lower Moon Four. What's your name, little Slayer? So I can remember who screamed for me." He snickered, cracking his knuckles.

[ Lower Moon 4 Image ]

"Ryo Tsukihara. Make sure to remember it as it will be the last name you ever hear," I replied.

Damn this bastard's attitude is pissing me. He was just going to die with my hands until the other one saved him and still he is acting like we didn't even have a fight.

The calm demon, Kurayami, merely shifted, his eyes, marked with the sign of Lower Moon One, glowing faintly. His voice was a flat, chilling whisper, utterly devoid of warmth. "Kyouka. Enough games. This human is… irritating. His presence disrupts the silence. We should eliminate him quickly. He's not worth the effort of breaking."

[ Lower Moon 1 Image ]

Kyouka just shrugged, a wide, disturbing grin still plastered on his face, clearly ignoring his older brother's tone. Their dynamic was clear: a volatile, eager-to-fight younger brother, and a cold, calculating elder who saw Ryo as a mere inconvenience. Two strong demons who worked as one.

But I don't care. I am stronger.

They charged together, a blur of claws and power. Kyouka opened his mouth, unleashing a sonic blast—a wall of sound that ripped through the air. I ducked, the wave smashing a cart behind me into splinters. At the same time, Kurayami flicked his wrist, dark energy surging forward in twisting tendrils.

I sprinted toward them, blade raised. Shadow Breathing: First Form – Veiled Fang. My sword met Kyouka's claws, sparks flying, while I twisted to dodge Kurayami's tendrils. The clash was brutal—Kyouka's sonic scream rattled my skull, and a tendril grazed my arm, leaving a shallow cut.

I leaped back, landing on a pile of debris. Two against one. I need an edge.

Kyouka laughed, loud and grating. "Too slow!"

I darted to the side, luring them toward a cluster of ruined houses. Maybe I could use the terrain. Kyouka followed, firing another sonic blast. It hit a wall, sending bricks flying. I grabbed one mid-air and hurled it at him—childish, sure, but it made him flinch.

Kurayami wasn't fooled. His dark energy coiled into shadows, stretching across the ground like a trap. I jumped, but a tendril caught my ankle, yanking me down. I hit the dirt hard, rolling to avoid Kyouka's claws.

Get up. Move.

I slashed upward with Second Form – Ghost Step, moving so fast I blurred, cutting the tendril and forcing Kurayami back. Kyouka lunged again, but I sidestepped, driving my blade into his shoulder. He howled, blood spraying, and retaliated with a sonic pulse that sent me skidding across the street.

As I caught my breath, Kyouka's grin returned. He drank some blood from a corpse nearby. "This village—such tasty blood. Strong, powerful stuff. One large gulp, and we'll be gods."

"That's an exaggeration," said Kurayami.

My gut clenched. That's why they're here. The villagers' blood was a special, drawing demons like moths to a flame. I couldn't let them near anyone.

I attacked again, aiming for Kyouka's neck. Third Form – Eclipse Fang. My blade was inches from his throat when Kurayami's tendrils shot out, wrapping my arm and pulling me off balance. Kyouka dodged, laughing.

"Nice try!"

They were a team—every time I got close to beheading Kyouka, Kurayami stopped me. I needed to split them up, turn this into a one-on-one fight. But my stamina was fading fast, my breaths coming harder. Why am I so tired?

I'd fought longer battles, taken worse hits. This wasn't normal. My vision blurred slightly, my legs wobbling. Then I saw it—a faint smirk on Kurayami's face.

"You're weakening," he said, his voice smooth and cold.

Poison. It hit me like a punch. Those cuts from his dark energy—they weren't just wounds. He'd been slipping his blood into me, little drops with every strike. Not enough to notice at first—he'd let it circulate, then triggered it. Clever bastard.

The poison was weak, nothing I couldn't purge with focused breathing. But they wouldn't give me a second to try. Kyouka's sonic blasts kept me moving, while Kurayami's tendrils harassed me from every angle.

I deflected another blast, my blade vibrating from the impact. Stay sharp. I lunged at Kyouka, landing a slash across his chest. He staggered, but Kurayami's dark energy lashed out, forcing me back.

Minutes dragged into what felt like hours. I was hurting them—Kyouka bled from multiple cuts, and Kurayami's arm hung limp from a deep gash. But they wouldn't die. And I was slowing down.

Kyouka snarled, wiping blood from his face. "You're tough, Slayer. I hate to admit it."

Kurayami nodded slightly. "Stronger than expected."

I smirked despite the pain. "Thanks."

My movements were sluggish—Kyouka had watched me fight earlier, dodging my attacks with ease now that I was worn out. The poison burned in my veins, my vision doubling.

I deflected another of Kyouka's sonic blasts, my blade vibrating from the impact. Stay sharp. I lunged at him, landing a slash across his chest. He staggered, but Kurayami's dark energy lashed out, forcing me back.

As I blocked a vicious tendril from Kurayami, a sharp, sickening crack echoed in my hand. My gaze snapped to my Nichirin Blade, and my heart plummeted. Near the tip, a deep, jagged chip now marred its flawless edge, a testament to the raw power I was barely holding back.

Not now.

The demons sensed it too. Kyouka's grin widened, feral and hungry. Kurayami's eyes gleamed with certainty.

"Time's up," Kyouka said.

They attacked together, full force. Kyouka's sonic scream merged with Kurayami's dark energy, forming a massive wave of destruction. It tore through the street, shredding everything in its path.

I dove behind a broken wall, but the blast caught me, slamming me into the ground. My sword skidded away, chipped and useless. Pain flared in my chest, blood soaking my uniform from a fresh gash.

I struggled to my feet, breathing hard. The poison, the exhaustion, the injuries—it was too much. My legs shook, barely holding me up.

Kurayami stepped closer, tendrils wriggling like snakes. "A valiant effort."

Kyouka cracked his neck, claws flexing. "Let's rip him apart."

They charged, Kyouka's claws aimed for my throat, Kurayami's dark energy poised to crush me. My sword was out of reach. My body screamed to give up.

Am I the main character of some twisted story? Because, for crying out loud, every single disaster seems to have my name on it.

To Be Continued…

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Author Here. I made a chart of every form of Shadow Breathing currently Ryo knows to help the readers.

Shadow Breathing Forms -

First Form: Veiled Fang

This is Ryo's foundational and perhaps most versatile strike. It's a precise, swift slash designed to quickly target a demon's weak points, often appearing as a sudden, almost invisible cut. It prioritizes accuracy and speed.

Second Form: Ghost Step

This form focuses on extreme speed and agility, allowing the user to move with such incredible quickness that they appear to vanish or become a mere blur to the eye. It's excellent for rapid evasion, closing distances instantly, or performing sudden, surprising attacks.

Third Form: Eclipse Fang

A swift, powerful strike that channels shadow energy into a concentrated, crescent-shaped slash. The blade moves like a dark arc, mimicking the moon eclipsing the sun, designed to cleave through a demon's neck with devastating precision. It's Ryo's go-to move for decisive, high-damage attacks against tough opponents.

Fourth Form: Crescent Fang

A powerful, arcing slash that leaves a trailing "crescent of shadow" behind the blade [ Only Visual Aesthetic ] . It's designed for wide, sweeping attacks that can decapitate or cleave through multiple targets, even those trying to blend into darkness.

Fifth Form: Obsidian Rain

This form is a concentrated, power-focused strike. The blade glows faintly as Ryo channels his energy [ Only Visual Aesthetic ] , allowing for a devastating blow capable of shattering tough defences, like a demon's hardened exoskeleton. Takes a lot of energy and stamina.

Sixth Form: Phantom Strike

A deceptive and precise attack designed to target a moving opponent. Ryo uses speed and precise timing to cut through a demon mid-motion, making it seem as though his blade appeared from nowhere to strike a vital point.