Spider Lily

°•~Chapter 2~•°

"It's not like I can't take care of myself. And It's not like I needed anybody to come after me." I say irritatedlty.

His eyes narrowed as I spoke. Silence filled the air, and we both started to walk back to the inn. I prepared another meal for them since they seemed quite hungry.

"Honestly, they can eat like pigs sometimes..." I thought to myself as I prepared another meal.

Once we sat down to eat, we all heard a light peck on the window. We all look at each other skeptically. Inosuke suddenly gets up and opens the window, grabbing something.

"Matsui. Let's cook the bird." Inosuke says, turning to me.

"It's NATSUKI," I irritatedlty say. "Put it down," Tanjiro demands. Reluctantly, the bird pecks Inosuke's hand, which releases his grip on the bird.

The bird gasped for air as it flew towards the table with a rough landing.

"What is it?" Muichiro asks his crow.

"An anonymous message has been sent claiming that the Blue Spider Lily is somewhere around this village," the crow caws.

"That means Muzan sent his demons to look for it," Tanjiro says.

"Not only that, but Muzan would have to be working with one of the villagers," I interrupt. "The Blue Spider Lily only blooms in the daytime and lasts for just two to three days before it withers away. Its rarity makes it crucial for Muzan's plans, as the flower is said to hold the key to his immortality,"

"How do we even begin to find it?" Zenitsu asks, his voice trembling.

"We must act quickly," Tanjiro replies. "We'll need to question the villagers and look for any signs of recent disturbances,"

The room goes silent for some time. The crow suddenly flies off the table and out the window.

"Alright. Let's finish our meals before we leave," I say, already tired of dealing with today's situation.

After our meal, we head to the village where the blue spider lily was rumored to be seen. We all had a plan in mind, so we knew what to expect.

Inosuke, on the other hand, suddenly noticed Muichiro's gaze on Natsuki's hips. He decided to act like he didn't see anything.

The village was slowly coming to life with lights and other colorful decorations, people bustling around and setting up different displays.

Today was the Festival of Light, a time when people came together to celebrate and honor those who had sacrificed their lives for the village and it's needs.

Lanterns of various shapes and sizes hung from every available post, their soft glow casting a magical aura over the cobblestone streets.

Music filled the air, and the scent of delicious street food lingered through the alleys.

As we walked deeper into the heart of the festival, we couldn't help but be mesmerized by the vibrant atmosphere.

Children ran around with sparklers, their laughter echoing through the night. Stalls lined the streets, selling everything from handmade trinkets to mouthwatering delicacies.

"Keep your eyes peeled," I reminded everyone, scanning the crowd for any signs of the blue spider lily or the demons who might be after it. "We can't afford to let our guard down, even for a moment,"

Despite the festive surroundings, we knew that the search for the blue spider lily was far from over, and the dangers lurking in the shadows were all too real.

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We eventually split up. I headed to the north side of the village, while the rest went to the west, south, and east sides.

The place was crowded with all sorts of things, making it hard to move around without getting lost. As I walked, I saw a man who looked like a farmer from the way he dressed.

He was picking up sacks of flowers for the festival decorations and tossing them into a wagon pulled by a donkey.

"Get this back to the docks before sunrise. You know how those things act," the man said as he lifted the last sack onto his shoulder and threw it into the wagon.

Once the wagon started to move, I decided to follow it. You couldn't be too careful, right?

I kept a safe distance, weaving through the crowd and using stalls as cover. The wagon moved steadily, the donkey plodding along without haste.

I watched the farmers closely, looking for any sign of unusual behavior. The village's hustle and bustle provided excellent cover, allowing me to blend in seamlessly.

As the wagon turned down a narrow alley, I noted the route carefully. This could lead to something important, a hidden meeting place or storage area, perhaps.

I stayed alert, ready to retreat at the first sign of trouble. I watched as the farmer suddenly hulted the donkey and got out from the wagon and pulled one of the sacks tossing it onto his shoulder.

He handed the sack of flowers to a large lady who refused to carry the sack. She demanded for him to carry it immediately into her house.

I watched as the scene unraveled from a distance. The farmer denying her request says he had better things to do. And that she needed to exercise anyway.

The farmer was heading out of the village and into the dense forest. This was going to be ridiculous if there was nothing in those sacks.

Taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, I pulled out a small dagger and swiftly cut open one of the sacks.

Camellia flowers poured out, leaving a trail of pink petals as the donkey pulled the wagon away.

I left a bit irritated, feeling like I had wasted my time.

As I turned to head back, the forest around me suddenly grew silent. An eerie chill ran down my spine.

Out of nowhere, a dark shape lunged at me from the shadows. A demon, with eyes glowing bright colors and claws like daggers, snarled as it jumped.

I barely had time to react, instinctively raising my dagger to defend myself. The demon's claws scraped against the blade, sending sparks flying. I stumbled back, trying to keep my balance.

With a quick motion, I threw the dagger and drew my katana. The weight of the blade felt familiar and comforting in my hand.

Taking a deep breath, I centered myself, focusing on my Moon Breathing technique. The air around me seemed to shimmer as I moved.

"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace!" I shouted, launching a series of swift, powerful slashes at the demon.

The crescent arcs of my blade cut through the air, aimed directly at the demon's weak points.

The demon, however, was skilled. He dodged and deflected with alarming speed and precision, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Impressive," he sneered. "But not enough."

He attacked with ferocity, his movements a blur. Despite my training and skills, I found myself struggling to keep up.

Each clash of our weapons sent shockwaves through my body, exhausting my strength.

Desperation crept in as the demon's relentless assault continued. I could feel my energy weakening, my movements becoming slower and more labored.

With a powerful strike, the demon disarmed me, sending my katana flying.

"You're strong, but not strong enough," he taunted, his red eyes glowing with malice.