к𝕠𝐘 ₍ₒc ₓ ₖₙy₎

𝓘𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓘𝓷𝓲𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓽𝔂

WARING: CHAPTER CONTAINS BRIEF MENTIONS OF SELF-HARM. !! WILL SIGNAL THE BEGINNING AND END OF SAID EVENT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Somewhere on Mt. Natagumo...

*THIRD PERSON P.O.V*

"Oh wow! Was that you who made all those cocoons?"

The demon stopped in her tracks, turning her head cautiously toward the voice, which seemed to be right beside her ear.

The two stood silent for a moment. A Demon Slayer hovering over a much shorter demon's shoulder, almost as if they were friends. The demon backed away quickly, turning to face the slayer as she shot web-like strings from her hands.

The Demon Slayer dodged all the attempts, jumping and weaving through them as if she were a trained dog.

"Oh, so you don't want to be friends?" the slayer asked, her voice light and airy, though it seemed to have underlying malice. Anger even. Either way, the demon knew it wasn't good. She needed to kill this human.

"W-Wait! Please! I-I'm just following orders! If I don't, then Rui will cut me up and leave me for the sun!" She pleaded, sweat dripping down the side of her head.

"Oh? Well, you won't have to worry about that, he is probably dead now. So, before we become friends," The woman said, her eyes emotionless despite the soft smile that rested on her lips.

The slayer was right in front of her now, her eyes closed and head tilted slightly.

"How many people have you killed and eaten?"

The demon froze, tears brimming her eyes as her hands dropped to her sides.

"Five. I've killed five people. B-But I was ordered to!"

The woman smiled, her voice went a notch higher in tone, but it was still as airy as ever.

"No need to lie, I already know the answer. Besides, friends don't lie to each other, right? Either way, I've come from the West, as have you. I saw at least fourteen of those pretty little cocoons, and the humans inside were all turned to mush! So, if you'd like to try again, go ahead! I just want an accurate number is all!"

"What for?" The demon asked skeptically.

"So I know how to punish you! If you are punished enough, you'll be reborn, and then we can be friends!"

"P-Punish!"

"Why yes! I can gouge out your eyes, rip out your stomach, and feed you your guts... The pain you put those people through will be given back tenfold!" The slayer said, her hands moving as she spoke as if she was already doing the gruesome things she described.

"W-What the hell?! This isn't some joke! Just die already!" The demon shouted as she sent out more strings, her face grimacing as she imagined the pain.

Suddenly, the strings stopped and the woman was behind her. Her hands dropped to her sides as she collapsed onto the ground, blood squirting out of the cuts on her body.

"Insect Breathing: Butterfly Dance, Caprice!"

The slayer was behind the demon, falling gently back onto the ground.