The Descendant (A Retelling and love story of Demon Slayer)

Twenty

For many demon slayers, the darkness of night often tended to drag at a snail's pace. Long overstaying its welcome as they waited with their breath held for those first rays of sunlight to crest the horizon and spell their safety. A welcomed reprieve until the sun would inevitably set again the following evening and the monsters would emerge from their hollows like roaches from rot. It was an endless cycle, but that was why they were there.

"Hashira-sama-" That was why he was here. A last line of defense between good and evil. The blonde swordsman flicked a stream of blood from his blade before smoothly housing it back in its sheath with routine precision. The disintegrating ashes of one such roach hardly phased him anymore. He turned toward the approaching figure, a dark-haired slayer in his early twenties; just slightly older than himself, who had been traveling with him for a few weeks now. Rengoku hummed a response. His burning ember-like eyes traveling the outskirts of the town they resided, searching for signs of any collateral damage or distress that may have been caused from the brief scuffle. Thankfully there were none.

"Yatsuma-san! How are things within the town?" The Hashira's loud question was shushed, to which Rengoku smiled and chuckled. A softer apology leaving his lips as it was still late at night. The dark haired slayer sighed, fully used to the Flame Hashira's loud outbursts by now.

"Please try to keep it down... The town is quiet thankfully. It would seem the demon had only just arrived recently. There were no signs of demonic attacks within." A smile laid across his cheeks. "You saved a lot of lives tonight." Rengoku shook his head firmly.

"You're wrong, Yatsuma-san. This was a combined effort. If the younger slayers hadn't stalled the demon like they had we wouldn't have made it in time. How are they doing?" Yatsuma followed the Hashira's gaze to the left, landing on the trio of injured rookies resting along the tree line. Two Kakushi diligently working to provide first aid. "A little banged up but they'll survive." He gestured to a boy with light green hair, half obscured by bloodied bandages that wrapped around his head. His right eye was patched, likely destroyed if the amount of crimson staining the gauze was anything to go by. "That one took the worst of it I'm afraid."

"They are alive, we should count ourselves as fortunate that we did not arrive to find their corpses." Rengoku turned to face the slayer beside him; his cape fluttering with the swift motion. "Yatsuma-san, I'd like you to assist the Kakushi in escorting them to the nearest Wisteria House. They've earned their victory tonight and will require proper medical attention and rest."

"Will you not be coming with?" Rengoku shook his head no.

"I'd like to ask the locals some questions, so I'll be sticking around until tomorrow evening." Yatsuma offered a pitied smile causing the blonde Hashira to quirk his head in confusion. He didn't understand why the slayer would be looking at him like that, but he didn't have to wonder for long.

"Searching for your estranged wife huh? Man, that's got to be tough." Taken aback, Rengoku couldn't keep the pink dusting from rising on his cheeks as he blinked owlishly at the man.

"...Huh?" Rengoku scratched his cheek as Yatsuma placed a hand on his shoulder in what seemed to be comfort, even though the intended effect did little for the bewildered swordsman.

"Don't worry, Hashira-sama. I'm certain she must have a good reason for leaving. You'll find her, and I'm positive she will come back to you after the two of you talk through your problems." Rengoku was stunned in silence for only a few more moments, before he let out a laugh.

"Yatsuma-san, the woman I'm searching for is not my wife. I'm not even married." A silence followed.

"... She's not?" Rengoku shook his head no again. With sudden realization of his mistake, Yatsuma quickly retracted his hand and bowed apologetically.