Esoteric Flame Breathing [INDEFINITE HIATUS]

4 - Vanishing Chain

Satoru was not expecting his journey to take him far from the place he had called home for the last seven years. It would have been prudent of him to have stopped for food and drink if he knew his destination was far; instead, he followed his crow while it repeatedly spouted directions, which grew increasingly annoying to him.

Satoru: "How much further?"

The crow suddenly swooped down in front of Satoru's face.

Kasugai: "Your destination is up ahead! Slay the demon! Caw!" As he said that, the bird flew off, leaving Satoru to his first mission.

Satoru walks along the road to the village in question without seeing a single trace of trees or lakes in the surrounding area leading down the horizon.

Satoru: "So, the demon has to be hiding somewhere in the village..." His thoughts were interrupted by his growling stomach, indicating his hunger.

Satoru glanced up at the sky to see that it was midday, so he planned to start searching around the village after lunch. With his goal in mind, Satoru activates his Total Concentration Breathing to pick up the pace as he jogs closer to his destination until he sees a pair of travelers, a middle-aged man, and a girl that looked to be a year older than Satoru, going in the opposite direction.

Traveler 1: "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be going to the village up ahead, are you?"

Satoru: "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

Traveler 2: "It's not safe there; you have to turn around and go back!"

Satoru could see the terrified look in the second traveler's eyes.

Satoru: "What do you mean by 'not safe'"? He asked, now giving them his full attention. "This might be interesting."

Traveler 1: "You see... people have been disappearing every—"

Traveler 2: "They didn't just 'disappear,' a monster has taken them!" She interrupted with an angry tone, making Satoru jump a bit.

Traveler 1: "Saihara, we've been over this. There is no monster; it's just a bunch of bad men taking whoever they see at night."

Satoru: "Is there really a difference...?" He thought with a dumbfounded expression.

Saihara: "I'm telling you, Tō-san! There is a monster somewhere in this village, and it's been taking people away!!"

Saihara's Father: "You're talking crazy!"

Saihara: "I am not talking crazy! I saw it myself; it's a monster!!"

Saihara's Father: "There is no—"

Satoru: "OKAY!!" He cut in to avoid the conversation from getting worse. "Saihara-san, right? What do you mean you 'saw a monster?'"

Saihara's Father: "Oh, gods, not anothe- When you're done with this nonsense, Saihara, you can find me at home!" He turned around and left Saihara with Satoru as he returned to the village.

The two are left in awkward silence as Saihara looks back at her father with a scowl before her expression shifts to one of concern.

Saihara: "I'm... I'm sorry you had to see that. My father gets like this whenever he gets in an argument..."

Satoru: "Most people don't believe that demons even exist. I wouldn't blame him for having doubt, but..." He turned to face Saihara. "N-No. Don't worry about it. If you don't mind, I'd like to hear your story."