The silent demon hunter: Kiyotaka Ayanokoji

Arc 2:chapter 3: kiyotaka,Isnt the moon lovely?

I stared back. The moons light was almost completely dimmed at this point leaving his eyes as the only torch for the moment. We waited for the other to make a move. I needed to first figure out exactly why he was here. I didn't believe for a second this was a coincidence because another member of the twelve already occupied this mountain. It meant he had another agenda.

The blowing wind knocked a leaf off of its branch. It began floating to the ground. I braced myself. I assumed we were thinking the same thing as I sore him straighten up and shift. The sound of a leaf falling usually isn't heard but between us it was like a metaphorical siren. The moment it hit the ground meant the moment this encounter would begin for real.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to use it at this stage but I might be forced to in the end. Before my thoughts could continue the leaf landed with a minuscule impact.

We rushed forward at close to maximum speed. We met in the centre of the clearing. He immediately began with side kick aimed towards my head. I weaved left and instantaneously brought my blade up before he got his footing back. My nichirin was centimetres from chin before he used his bare hand to block it. I cut into his hand but the time it added to my swing allowed him to regain balance and jump back.

"First form: dust whirlwind cutter"  I refused to let go of my tactical advantage as I dashed forward. I managed to get in close to him. I quickly attempted a downwards vertical slash, he looked at me with mild amusement. He leaned back and completely evaded the strike then proceeded to kick me in the side before I could react.

I skidded across the swamp like ground feeling burns on my arms beginning to appear. I came to screeching halt as I slammed into a tree. I was lucky. Extremely lucky. If that was a full powered hit that would've done extreme damage. A picture of the three uppermoons strength was getting painted. They weren't comparable to the others I'd fought.

It almost felt similar to the earlier days of my life. I slumped to the ground in a heap and  picked myself up using my sword as a crutch. I looked at him and he looked back at me with a grin. It had been a long time but..

"Amazing just brilliant, you aren't even going all out are you"? He screamed as if he were delighted. "Technique development: destructive death: compass needle" He rocketed forward at an almost blinding speed. His arm was raised back. I immediately ducked down. From now on I couldn't hold back.

"Forth form: rising dust storm" the second he got close I released a circular slash above my head towards his. He leaned back instantaneously. My sword narrowly missed his neck. He quickly capitalised on this and sent his fist into my ribs. I grunted. I was forced a couple of metres back. In rapid succession he threw a side kick into the back of my shins forcing me to my knees. I was really starting to..

"MORE MORE I KNOW YOU CAN DO MORE THAN THIS" he shouted at me as he brought his fist down like it was a sledge hammer. I quickly parried it with my blade then cut straight across his stomach and forced him to step back.

I rushed to my feet. He was laughing like a psychopath completely unable to control himself. I swung upwards and logged his hand off. "Sixth form:black wind mountain mist". Again I launched my sword upwards and served his face in half as his laughter continued. The blood ran down his face and dripped to the floor.

"Your technique may be impeccable or even magnificent but you'll never beat me for a very specific reason. Do you know what that is" he asked me. His flesh moulded back together and his hand regenerated throw thousands of muscle fibre spirals.

Usually I wouldn't give an opponent the time of day to ask me ideological questions but he was different. So I humoured him. " care to tell me I prefer not to talk in riddles".

"It's because your not a demon. Your life and memories will die out. You'll grow old and die. You'll never be able to grow to your full potential as a swords man" he raved. He held his arms wide.

"Interesting. Many would state that's the beauty of humans or maybe they would concede that point to you but in the end it doesn't matter. I've pondered this question a couple of times in the past. It's simply the reality of humans nothing more nothing less" I finished my miniature monologue with a sense of finality. He stared at me dumb founded for a brief moment as if this was a new answer to his statement.

"Do you really just want to accept that. Wont you fight it? Why don't you even become a demon? That way we could fight for eternity. You could break your human limitations". The thing was that I had already shattered what a usual human should be capable of. I had broken my limitations a long time ago.

I looked at moon as it hung in the sky. In my life it was always that. It was the reason I survived in a sense but the reason I was harmed as well. As I looked at it I realised I had felt something. And it was expanding rapidly. It was a natural instinct. Every fibre of myself demanded that I win this.

I changed my breathing within a single second. Isn't the moon lovely?

"Moon breathing:first form:Evening palace" I stepped forward and in the next second Akazas head fell from his body.

A/N: I've been waiting to get to this chapter since I started making the story in the first place. This was the only thing I planned out before I wrote it and it's been a large factor in keeping me writing. Next chapter has got a lot more in store.