丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 16

Screaming, Chizuko was sent flying through the screen doors into the garden.

Compared to Obanai's hellish training, Sanemi must be Satan himself.

She rolled away just in time before Sanemi landed with his wooden pole. "Stand up and fight!" Sanemi swung the wooden stick at Chizuko with no intention of giving her time to retrieve hers. In his mind, she had to fight back. Why did she keep dodging? What was she doing? He was being fed up with her meekness, she couldn't stand against demons like this.

Chizuko could barely keep up. They had been sparring from morning to afternoon without any breaks. He snapped five staffs she had held into halves. Chizuko tried sprinting back to the dojo but was swept down by Sanemi, "OI! STOP RUNNING!"

Seeing no escape, Chizuko instinctively curled herself into a ball with her hands protecting her head.

"STAND UP!" Sanemi picked Chizuko up by the collar and walked back to the dojo, "Don't fucking cower! No demon slayer I approve of clings to their life! There is no guarantee of tomorrow so you better step up your game! Quit being a whiny brat and stand up! There's usually no one and nothing out there to help you! This is the truth of being a demon slayer! I expect you to face your opponent head on! There will always be stronger demons that overpower you! So start taking things seriously if you have decided to go down this path!"

Because standing up is always your only choice.

Sanemi was again smacked onto the wooden tiles, it was a gruesome battle, blood spattered everywhere. Blood was spilling out from his mouth, but he had no time caring for himself. Struggling to get up, he roared as a set of claws pierced his best friend's figure, "KUMENO!"

Clutching a sheathed sword with both hands, Chizuko countered Sanemi's strike. Her arms went numb, almost loosing her grip under his immense strength, but she kept going. Sanemi was right, she chose this path, she had to be serious. , I look forward to going on missions with you! Kyojuro's words played in her mind. She wanted to be prepared when the time would come.

Strike. "Pathetic." She thought of Obanai's harsh words. No, not anymore, she would show him she wasn't.

Block. "Your tears don't save you from a demon." Obanai had squinted his eyes while pointing at her. Yes, she wouldn't just sit on the floor with teary eyes anymore.

Unsurprisingly, Chizuko got struck down yet again. This time, she climbed up without hesitation. The two carried on their duel.

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Where is Shinazugawa-sama?

Chizuko shuddered. Sanemi brought her on patrol with him, nothing special happened until his crow came with bad news, there was a demon in a nearby village. He ordered her to stay at the gates until he was back. Sure, due to the rice fields, the villagers seemed to leave miles apart. But she was certain that more than half an hour had passed.

She was supposed to stay in place, but what was that strange smell coming from that house?

"Hello?" Chizuko pushed open the wooden door. It was almost pitch black inside, Chizuko avoided the glass shards on the floor. Uneasiness crawled in her stomach, her pulse sped up. Clenching the curved sword she found in the afternoon, Chizuko dashed into the kitchen.

There was nothing except for a small fire.

Chizuko pinched her nose while pouring water onto the severely burnt pot. Judging by the furniture and toys, it should be a family. Why did the mother left their dinner unattended? Where did they all go?