The Demon Queen

The Surprise Attack

"I thought I was your bodyguard, not your fish pot pack-mule."

"You're my bodyguard and my personal assistant. How's that?"

Gyutaro groaned, pulling behind him a small cart filled with pots that Gyokko made.

"You're lucky Gyokko isn't here to hear you call his pots 'fish pots'," I said. I looked at Gyutaro. "Don't insult his artwork. We get good money for this. You should know that by now."

"Meh. Don't lecture me, all right?"

I snickered. "Aww, but you're my cute little boy. I've got to lecture you sometimes."

"I'm not cute."

"You are. You're quite handsome."

Gyutaro shifted shyly in his posture and turned his face away from me.

"Just make sure you watch where you're going so the cart doesn't bounce. I don't want those pots banging around and getting chipped."

He faced forward and looked down at the path. "I'm frustrated," he mumbled.

"Don't be. Try to smile a little."

Gyutaro snickered. "You sound like Douma." He then sneezed loudly.

The cart shook a little and the pots rattled against each other.

Before I could say anything, we were surrounded by a brown, dirt-coloured smoke. I put my hand to my nose and mouth.

"Forget the cart," I said in a serious tone. "We've got ourselves a Hashira here. Gyutaro! Get ready!"

A huge grin spread over his face and he laughed. "Finally I can blow off some frustration!" he said and ripped his battle sickles from his body.

A young man appeared from the smoke, dressed in a black Demon Slayer Corps uniform. He sped towards us, wielding a nichirin sword and attempted a swing at me. I smirked as Gyutaro confidently jumped to my defence and knocked the slayer away.

"Hm, not bad on his end," I said. I put my hand on Gyutaro's shoulder. "That's an elite Hashira," I told him.

"Ubuyashiki Sakura!"

My gaze grew dull. "They're still dead-naming me over there?" I mumbled to myself.

"Once I cut off the head of that thing protecting you, it'll be your time to perish!" the Hashira called to me.

"He's coming," I said to Gyutaro.

"Did you just call me a 'thing', you shithead!?" Gyutaro screamed. Right as the Hashira sped directly in front of him, Gyutaro moved back and sent out an attack with his sickles. His attack hit the Hashira in the shoulder.

"Don't get emotional. Keep yourself together."

"How can I not get emotional!?" Gyutaro asked. He brought his hands to his face and scratched himself with his nails. "Man, that Hashira's got perfect skin and a strong body. How'd he get born with that, huh!?" His nails cut deeper into his skin. "I envy him ... I fucking envy him ... I want to see him drop dead!"

Gyutaro's demonic energy become stronger. I could see that it was causing the Hashira to hesitate coming back at us, as if he needed to calculate his next move accordingly.

"Hate him," I said to Gyutaro. "Hate him with your entire being, Gyutaro. He has the skin and body you deserve, doesn't he? He looks like he's had a better life than you. I bet a lot of people love him. Take his life, so he can't have what you don't any longer!"

The Hashira started to come at us. "Earth Breathing! Sixth Form!"

I pushed up the sleeve of my kimono and shoved my arm into Gyutaro's mouth. His fangs pierced into my flesh, spilling my blood into his mouth. "Take the poison of my Blood Demon Art ..."