Priceless Smile 2

Chapter 18: Coming Out From The Dark

     Fuji went back to her position as she sat down the tatami mat. Aoki kept a hold of the picture frame as Nezuko kept on holding at the other one looking at it. Tanjiro kept on glancing at his sister back and forth, despite him wanting to take a look at the picture frame too, he knew he can't as they're in the middle of a meeting.

'I wonder what kind of picture is that. I haven't seen it yet but I could see that Aoki-san, Fuji-san, and Kai-san are all sad about it.'
Tanjiro thought as he averted his eyes back to Kagaya from his sister.

"So.... what do we do now?" Mitsuri asked.

"If those marks could make you three stronger in battle, then we will have to prioritize on getting it. The more slayers who possess these marks, the higher the chance we'll be able to defeat Kibutsuji Muzan." Kagaya answered.

That was all their meeting but the skies had started to get dark now. It seems like they took all day to finish. The three demons then sat down properly as the three of them held each other's hands. Kai sitting in the center as Fuji's sitting at his right side while Aoki's sitting at his left side. The three then closed their eyes.

'What're they doing?'
Tanjiro asked his self in his mind as he look at them.

"Don't worry, we're just meditating to calm ourselves down." Fuji said as she felt their stares on them.

Shortly after that, a crow came.

"CAAAW! A DEMON ATTACK! A DEMON ATTACK! HURRY! HURRY!" The crow announced.

Kagaya gave the slayers a nod as they all ran out of the room. Tanjiro carried Nezuko's box while she's in there. Despite being injured, he wanted to help just like Mitsuri and Muichiro. They all dashed into the forest as they follow the crow.

'Because of my injuries I could barely keep up. They're all fast.'
Tanjiro thought as he try his best to keep up with their speed, he then looked at Mitsuri and Muichiro.
'They really are Pillars, despite being injured they're still fast.'

The three demons remained in the room with Kagaya and his daughters.

"Are they going to be alright?" Kagaya asked.

"Come on, the crow just said a demon attack not an upper moon. They're Pillars so they will." Fuji answered keeping her eyes closed.

As they all go even further from the headquarters, they couldn't stop feeling uncomfortable.

"Is this alright?! Everyone of us Pillars are going in one place! Isn't it supposed to be at least one or two?!" Kyojuro exclaimed.

"This is better, who knows, what if it's an upper moon." Giyu replied.

As they run even further, they all ended up at a destroyed village. Their eyes widened at how much destruction the demon had caused. The houses were all wrecked, and what's worst, each and every people they saw are all lifeless but no signs of being devoured.

"Unforgivable! Utterly unforgivable!" Kyojuro exclaimed as he grit his teeth in anger.

"Everything's a mess. But there's no demon around at all." Kanae said as she look around.

"Even these bodies.... no signs of bite marks or any claws. It's like the demon just came here to play." Tengen said as he look at a human corpse.

"A scent.... the forest! It seems like the demon went there!" Tanjiro point at the forest outside the village.

They all ran towards there in search of the demon. As they're going deeper, they stopped as soon as they saw a figure walking in the dark.

"HEY! STOP! DON'T YOU DARE RUN AWAY!" Kyojuro yelled as they all stopped from running.

The figure then stopped from walking as it's just a bit far from them.

"It's an upper moon! I could smell Muzan's scent from it!.... Just like upper moon three!" Tanjiro pointed out as he pant.

They all held the hilt of their swords as the figure stay in place in the dark.

"Creatures like you should be punished. Doing such a thing so cruel towards innocent people." Gyomei said as he kept his hands in a praying position, gritting his teeth.

"Come out." Kanae glared at the figure as a pair of vines come out of her nape.

"Because I'm a demon you already blame me for what happened. None of you even asked me." The figure said from the dark.

They all tensed up a bit as if they heard that voice before. They all sweated coldly as they remain holding onto the hilt of their swords. Shortly after that, the figure walked out of the dark showing itself. Seeing who the demon is just took all their breaths away. It's as if someone just slapped everyone of them so hard on the face.

The demon has a grayish pale skin looking like that of an ill person who haven't come out to see the sun, her sky blue hair tied in a high ponytail as her front hair reaches just below her eyes long enough to cover them. She's wearing a demon slayer uniform with a black haori and red smoke edges. There aren't any clothing wrapped around her calves so her hakama pants are loose like Muichiro and Yuichiro. But she don't have any sword at all. They all gritted their teeth as they try to speak.

"Now what?" The figure asked as she tilt her head a little.

"Kazumi.... sama...." Yuichiro muttered out as his tears are threatening to fall.

"I see, so you know my name." Kazumi said.

The demon standing right in front of them now is no other than the person they've been waiting for to come back. The Frost Pillar, Azakura Kazumi.

"Y-You remember us right? Please say you do.... We're your friends." Kanae stuttered as she try her best not to cry.

"You're not the only demon with them are you? I sense another one." She said as she point a finger at Tanjiro.
"There."

Just by hearing her voice, she has changed a lot. It's still calm but not gentle anymore, it's calm and cold. No signs of gentleness nor affection at all. It's just cold, like snow and ice.

"We're your friends, don't you remember?.... You're Kazumi! Azakura Kazumi! You're a Pillar!" Muichiro exclaimed as he tremble and sweat coldly.

"I only remember my name is Kazumi.... but perhaps maybe I am a slayer, seeing that I wear the same clothes as you guys." Kazumi replied as she look at everyone.
"But I don't remember anyone of you."

This made them almost fall down on their knees but they all kept their feet on the ground. They are all mustering up the courage to speak to her.

"Please...." Kyojuro muttered out.
"Please.... don't do this.... come back.... let's all go back."