The Hidden Demon Slayer (DEMON SLAYER X OC)

Chapter 15: Shishuni Kenzhou

Perhaps you have encountered someone that was losing hope in themselves. Have you ever considered helping them even in the slightest way possible? Have you looked them in their eyes and felt empathy?

Nariko longed for someone to look at her and remove all the hopelessness she had deep inside. However, she only received sympathy and kindness. She appreciated them, but she knew they weren't going to suffice. She either wanted to live without chaos, or just die with regrets.

A year has passed since her long journey on the way to her teacher. You might have thought, "How is it that she still hasn't reached her teacher even after a year?"

It was never easy, for Nariko had a lot of barriers blocking her way. Muzan sent a whole lot of demons to kill her, but she prepared herself. She decapitated them all, not sparing a word. She didn't had the time to talk with someone who intended to kill her. Of course, he sent very skilled but lower-ranked demons. If it were upper moons, she couldn't even roam around Japan.

Her never-ending adventure came to a halt when summer arrived. Summer nights became shorter than usual, so she had to travel faster. Even though she was immortal, she still got tired because she had no company.

She stopped by a huge streetlight, changing some of her features like her eyes and her nails to blend in with humans. She trained herself to camouflage to get connections with people. She wanted to avoid places with wisteria inns, so she asked people if there were such institutions that were around.

She sat down the bench, having her eyes around the citizens of Osaka. It was a bit different from Asakusa, she thought. The people were acting a bit differently than those from Asakusa. It might have been her boredom that she realized the sudden discrepancy.

She stood up, thinking of buying a bowl of udon. It might be very strange, you ask, but after eleven months, she never relied on blood or sleeping anymore to acquire energy or strength. It was like she was reverting back into a human. She could eat human food without throwing up anymore. It was a huge advantage because she could blend in with humans more easily.

"Ojii-san, how much is your bowl of udon?"

"500 yen. And I'm not that old!"

Nariko gave an apologetic smile as she hands the man her money. She received the udon in return and sat down, ready to eat her fill.

"Thank you for the food!"

She missed slurping the mouth-watering broth made of dashi broth, soy sauce, and mirin that gave a mild and savory flavor. She also missed the noodles that were thick, soft, and chewy. She definitely missed everything she used to do back when she was a human.

"Ojii-san, this is truly one of the best udon I ever had in my life. You deserve a world record for the best udon maker in the entire universe," she quaked as she placed the bowl and gave the man more of her loot. She ran away, waving goodbye.

The man shooked his head in both disbelief and happiness. "Thank you for the praise, but I'm not that old! And don't run when you're finished eating!" Nariko heard his rant and just chuckled it off. She headed towards the food stalls, planning to haul every delicacy that existed. The vendors were surprised that she bought almost everything, but they were extremely happy.

After 35 minutes, she returned to the bench she sat on, putting the bags filled with desserts. She didn't even bother check if she still had cash.

"Let's see. Daifuku, anmitsu, wagashi, dorayaki, and sakura mochi. I am going to stuff this all over my face!"

It had been a long time since Nariko used up her money to buy things. She felt like it was unnecessary back then, so she didn't even mind if she looked like she was poor.