Demon Slayer : Heir to the Moon

[ 3rd POV ]

The rain had ceased, leaving the riverside a muddy sprawl under the pale dawn light. Shinobu arrived, her steps swift yet delicate, her haori rippling in the damp breeze. Behind her trailed Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Hashira, their expressions tight with unease.

A Kasugai Crow perched on a gnarled branch, its wet feathers ruffled. "Lord Ryo has defeated Upper Moon Six, Caw!" it croaked, piercing the stillness.

Shinobu's eyes widened slightly, her voice steady but tinged with surprise. "Ryo defeated the Upper Moon? Alone?"

Obanai stepped forward, his tone cutting. "Where is he now?"

The crow shifted its weight. "I flew to report the victory to the Corps. I don't know what became of Lord Ryo afterward."

Zenitsu's hands shook, his voice pitching high. "Missing? After taking on an Upper Moon solo? He could be injured—or dead!"

Inosuke kicked at the mud with a snort. "He's fine! Probably hiding to trick us!" Yet his restless pacing betrayed his uncertainty.

They fanned out, shouting Ryo's name, but the storm had erased any tracks. The air hung heavy with moisture, laced with faint traces of blood and ash, yet no hint of Ryo surfaced.

Obanai fixed the crow with a hard stare. "You're certain the demon was killed?"

"Yes, certain!" the crow snapped. "It crumbled to ash after Lord Ryo severed its head."

The crow recounted the fight. "He battled with relentless fury, like a Hashira. He fought with unstoppable ferocity. The Upper Moon tried to flee, but Lord Ryo pursued and struck it down, severing its head with a single, decisive blow."

Shinobu and Obanai shared a glance, awe mingling with concern. "He's not a Hashira yet," Shinobu murmured, "but to defeat an Upper Moon alone…"

"Perhaps the demon wasn't that strong," Obanai said with sharp voice.

Their search pressed on, but Ryo had vanished, leaving behind only questions and a creeping dread.

The next day,

the Butterfly Mansion hosted Yuki's funeral—a quiet, heart-wrenching affair. Her gentle spirit had warmed them all, and her death carved a hollow space. Ryo's absence deepened the ache. Was he alive, lost, or gone forever? Kasugai Crows and Slayers scoured the land tirelessly, but he remained a ghost, casting a shadow over their fragile hope.

Weeks stretched into months. The Demon Slayer Corps honed their skills, refining strategies for the inevitable final clash.

One night, Muzan Kibutsuji descended upon the Ubuyashiki Mansion. The air buzzed with malice as he faced Kagaya Ubuyashiki, frail yet unyielding. Kagaya had baited the trap, sacrificing himself and his family in an explosion that pinned Muzan, cornered by the Hashira. But Muzan outplayed them all. As the Slayers charged, the ground dissolved beneath their feet, plunging them into the Infinity Castle.

Nakime, the biwa-playing demon, had unleashed her Blood Demon Art. The castle loomed, a twisted maze teeming with demons—including Upper Moons—and Muzan himself. The Slayers scattered, blades flashing, cutting down every fiend in sight.

Tanjiro and Giyu Tomioka collided with Upper Moon Three, Akaza. Their ferocious battle erupted in the chaos.

Deep within the castle's warped halls, Shinobu moved with lethal elegance, her senses razor-sharp, her mind locked on one purpose. A sickly sweet stench—blood and flesh—drew her to a room. She kicked the door wide. There, amid a grotesque tableau of devoured women, lounged Upper Moon Two, Doma, nibbling casually. Shinobu's breath caught, her eyes narrowing to slits of raw hatred. This was him—the demon who'd stolen her sister, Kanae. His smug, carefree smile fueled a cold, unshakable resolve. She would end him, whatever the cost.

She lunged, a blur of motion, her blade a venom-laced needle aimed at his throat, steeped in her signature Wisteria poison. Doma tilted his head with eerie calm, dodging effortlessly. Frost bloomed across the floor, his ice-driven Blood Demon Art awakening. Shinobu danced through his counters, her speed unmatched, her grace masking her deadly intent. But his power dwarfed hers, his strikes fluid and relentless. Ice shards, sharp as blades, speared toward her. She evaded, each twist draining her fragile stamina.

"You're quite fast, little Hashira," Doma teased, his voice light and mocking as he conjured an ice lotus with a flick of his golden fans. "But not fast enough to behead me, hmm? So small, so weak."

Shinobu's breath grew labored, a thin line of blood trickling from an ice graze on her arm. Hatred for Kanae's killer drove her forward. Doma grinned, raising a hand, his fans glinting as a towering Bodhisattva ice statue rose above them.

"This has been fun," he said, his tone dripping with scorn, "but it's over. You're delicious, though—brimming with rage and poison."

Shinobu's grip tightened on her sword, her eyes blazing with defiance. Her body wavered, but her will held firm. "Not yet," she hissed, voice like tempered steel, legs trembling beneath her.

Doma surged, his ice swelling in a deadly crescendo. The battle peaked, terrifying and inevitable. Shinobu, aware of her limits, steeled herself for her final, desperate move. But against Doma's might, this strike could be her end.

To Be Continued…

Volume 2 End.

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Hey Author Here.

I wanted to take a moment to apologize for the rapid pace in the recent chapters. My eagerness to jump straight into the main action led me to rush through some parts, and for that, I'm truly sorry if it caused any confusion or didn't meet your desired expectations.

Unfortunately, the upload schedule might become a bit messy from here on out. I appreciate your patience and understanding.

We're nearing the end of Ryo's journey, with only about 10 chapters left in the story. I sincerely hope you'll all stick around to see how it concludes.

Thanks for reading!