Slayers in a Demon's World {Demon Slayer x The Promised Neverland}

019: Siblings

"..."

Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke and surveyed the clearing, searching for any scent of the Sister. Tanjiro had a keen sense of smell and Zenitsu did too, with hearing.

"We're playing a game with many children... but she gave herself a time limit of twenty minutes..." Zenitsu murmured, tracing a finger over his chin before glancing up at the others. "Do you think she's targeting the older children first?"

"Hmm... who knows..." Tanjiro hummed, sniffing and widening his eyes.

"Do you smell her, Gonpachiro?!" Inosuke screeched while flaring his nostrils to mock the maroon-haired boy's special talent.

"... Not yet... I can smell that she's somewhere nearby but I can't pinpoint her!" Tanjiro's ruby eyes dulled as he gripped Nezuko's hand even harder, earning a scowl from the blond haired boy opposite him.

"Who do you think will be found first?" Zenitsu inquired, his dark gold sparkling from the tears welling up.

"Sister Krone's so creepy..." Nezuko toned down her voice, clutching Tanjiro's wrist tightly.

"AWWW Don't worry, Nezuko-chan! I'll hug you to make you feel better!" Zenitsu's eyes turned into black lines as blush crept onto his face, approaching her and trying to wrap her into a bear hug.

"Monitsu! Duck now!" Inosuke urgently called, beckoning the three others to get onto their knees. "And shut up, airheads!"

I'll find those siblings then search for the others along the way. That will be my plan! Krone smirked to herself, progressing through the woods before she approached a small clearing. She pressed a hand to her ear, training them to hear any sounds or traces of humans around. Huh? This is absurd... there are no traces no matter how hard I listen!

Facing the ground, the dark-skinned woman's chestnut eyes landed on three footprints that led into the grass, obvious traces of someone being there fading away. Fake... footprints?!

Is this really a game of tag played by children?!

Staring with dilated pupils, the Sister twisted her body to inspect the surroundings once again. No leaves falling, not footprints, no sounds. ... I see. This explains it. The special children... they're different, even if it weren't for their...

Full scores.

Hesitantly, she unsealed her pocketwatch which had a distinctively similar design to Isabella's. The cogs in her mind spun before she whistled, snapping it shut with a sweet smile. "Change of plans... I'll just put this away for now."

It's time for me to get serious!

~~~~~~

"... She's nowhere to be found," Nezuko whispered into Tanjiro's ear, dashing alongside him as the wind threaded through her dark chestnut locks of hair.

"Maybe she changed her strategy?" Tanjiro suggested, skidding to a stop and searching for anyone. "Inosuke and Zenitsu should be fine alone. We should separate so we don't get caught easily."

"Are you okay with that, Nii-chan?" the rose eyed girl buzzed between her lips, withdrawing from her older brother's side.

Without a single noise made, Shinobu waited in the middle of a tree which branched into two separate branches. Kneeling and ensuring she was out of sight, the butterfly girl watched as six children raced into a clearing together. In her position, she wondered what made them group up as from their training, they'd been taught that congregating made it easier for people to spot them.

In their all of their hands was at least one leaf with an individual marking on each leaf.

Krone emerged from the bushes at the speed of light, her arms gathering them into one bear hug as they squirmed under her in surprise. "Woah! Sister! You're so cool!" Marnya gasped in surprise, her light-brown ponytails brushing the Sister's sleeve.