The Sound Hashira's Apprentice // tengenuzui x reader

Chapter 2

Children's bodies surrounded the home I had step foot upon.

I couldn't believe I didn't arrive on time to save all these innocent young lives. A grotesque feeling of defeat submerged me. I hung my head in shame only to find my legs were getting soaked by the blood of the victims.

What had happened here? It had to be a demon..

But all of their heads..

Each of the little children's bodies were decapitated, swiped clean.

Almost like a demon slayer..

My nichirin sword, it was drenched in red. My breath hitched in my throat as I started putting 2 and 2 together.

No, it couldn't have been me-

"How could you?"

I looked up, spooked by the sudden voice. It was the demon child I had killed on my last mission.

I could feel my chest heave faster at the sight.

How did he even regenerate? This wasn't possible.

"How could you? How could you?!"He repeated, the ground and sky melting scarlet behind him.

"How could you?! I didn't choose to be like this! How could you?!"

"No"I started tearing up watching his head slowly fall off his shoulders. I began backing away as his decapitated body tried to close the distance between us, his hands outstretched to me as if humorously about to give me a hug.

"You're a child murderer!"

"No I'm not!"I cracked between a muffled sob. I lost my footing as I stepped backwards and fell onto the cemented ground.

Attempting to get up I found myself glued on all fours, the impending doom of the demon etching closer.

The headless body lunged towards me and I began to scream.

"Shit!"I cussed out, jolting up.

That was the third time this week. I rubbed my eyes in distress, my clothes sticking to my back thanks to how clammy I had gotten.

It's been about 10 days since I'd arrived at the Sound Hashira's estate. It was located at the Red Light District, much to my discomfort. Upon my arrival, I had began thinking perhaps I was getting sold off instead of becoming a tsugoku.

My close friend Kyojuro Rengoku had accompanied me on my journey to Tengen Uzui's home. He actually insisted to see me off and I was thankful that I was able to spend time with him. Moments with him were rare ever since he had become a Hashira, spread between training his brother as well.

It didn't take me long after Rengoku had visited me in the hospital to be discharged, only a fortnight in fact. Usually a broken bone would take more than three months to heal but most demon slayers had strong enough bodies to recover quickly against certain odds.

Though I hadn't recovered from the thoughts that plagued me since my mission. I didn't speak to a single soul about my conversation with the little demon child, but the evidence seemed to linger in my thoughts. I recalled my conversation with Rengoku-chan about my demise on the day when he had dropped me off at the Sound Hashira's estate.

"Rengoku-chan, I'm starting to get the wrong idea that I'm not going be training to be a Hashira..."I stated looking down upon the many concubine houses of the Red Light District.

"Oh do not worry Y/N-chan! I trust Tengen Uzui very much and I know he will take quite good care of you."

I looked at him vacantly.