Demon Slayer: Alternative View

Chapter 8: Eternal Promise

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba. All rights respectfully belong to Koyoharu Gotoge.

Author's Note: Artwork above does not belong to me. It's rightful owner is @Dane02 via WeHeartIt.

Previously: "Spread, my historia's of terror, and feed on the fear of what you seek fit..."

"Ugh! My life is full of ignorant imbicoles, stupid dults, and idiotic pigs!"

>Zenitsu and Inosuke<

The two were standing in the ravine looking down the linear corridor that lead deeper inside. The whole entire place had the stench of blood, and you didn't exactly need Tanjiro's superior sense of smell to figure out who it belonged to.

"Demons," was all Zenitsu could squeak out.

Inosuke knew he wasn't wrong. The moment he sensed the presence in the air shift, it was obvious a demon murder happened in this area. Unlike people, demons emit a way stronger diffusion field allowing him to pick up on every demon on this mountain. Even if a group of corpse members were to be killed, the shift in sonority would not change much. But, as if miraculously, most of them went blank.

Out of the ten demons he had previously identified, only four remained. And most of the emission fields in this area went silent, meaning either a group of slayers raided the place, or the demons started to fight each other.

Inosuke started to walk further until he hit something on the ground. Adjusting his sight, he realized a limp, still body. To his surprise, it wasn't a human that belonged to the corpse, but it was the same demon with pale skin from before.

Kicking what appeared to be the arm, Inosuke made sure the thing was dead before continuing. Zenitsu on the other hand was freaking out by the entrance still.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" he shouted.

Inosuke continued to ignore every word the lightning slayer said, deliberately giving the, 'I don't care what you do,' gesture. Zenitsu saw the dead demon on the ground and analyzed the posture. Although it scared him to examine a corpse, this might be the only way to prove Kanao and Tanjiro were not the ones behind the murder with the 'supposed members'. After all, he would never doubt Nezuko's words.

Frozen in terror, is what he made out. With poor lighting, it was hard to see exactly every detail, but by putting two and two together, it was a death brawl between demons. Out of experience and knowledge, the demon's body would either be ashes by the time it was cut at the neck, or if the slayer used wisteria. There would be visible signs of poison injection, but out of probability, Shinobu is the only slayer currently on this mountain range who uses that specific point of attack. And he knows for certain that she hasn't been around these parts yet.

The demon was frozen, eyes lifeless and mouth open as if to scream.

'Strange, there are no injuries, but he is obviously dead,' thought Zenitsu.

"Monitsu! Over here!" Inosuke's voice echoed off each cranny of the cave walls, sending the message blasting into his brain.

"You don't have to yell!" hollered Zenitsu back.

Despite the darkness that encompassed his sight, Zenitsu was able to skid around every corner and turn with no problem. Just like echo location, he was able to use his hearing to navigate the distance between the walls and his self.

Finally coming to a closed off area, he saw the flicker of fire light. Running into the small room, he noticed it belonged to what can be guessed a family perhaps. It wasn't big, but it had beat up furniture and a stash of swords that must have belonged to every slayer they have so far killed from the corpse; and judging by the size, the likely killed around forty at the very least.

Zenitsu turned his head away fast. To see those swords placed like trophies really got him pissed (more than Tanjiro and Kanao acting stupid whenever they got around each other).

He finally caught sight of the same demon from before and drew his sword fast. Like lightning, he had his sword by the neck and ready to strike, but stopped.

Tatemu noticed this and asked, "Why aren't you going to finish me?"

He was in banged up conditions and looked like a mess; his entire posture suggested that someone obviously took pleasure in beating him up, his regeneration working very slow.