Fandom Demon Slayer: Breath of Destruction (open)

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

Suichiro Munechika

The air was abuzz with energy as the townspeople and Corps members chatted about the fresh generation of demon slayers and their newly acquired weapons. Looking out across the crowd, Suichiro spotted Master Arumono, who almost seemed as if he’d been doing his best to be as far from the center of attention as possible. Suichiro smiled to himself before breathing in and stepping forward to speak. “ I would first like to offer my congratulations to those who have received their Nichirin Blades today and, to all of you present, offer encouragement as we strive every day to better ourselves. Now that all of this year’s initiates have all received their equipment, I would like to welcome our esteemed Master Arumono to address you all,” he ended with a smile, extending his arm out to direct everyone to the man who’d been comfortably hidden amongst the attendees until now.

Lord_Boreas Nobody Special Ey3_s0ckEts explosiveKitten Haze- Ganryu

 

[Ey3_s0ckEts]

★¸.•☆•.¸★ 🄰🅁🅄🄼🄾🄽🄾 🄲🄾🅂🅃🄸 ★⡀.•☆•.★
Arumono stared for a second, as he silently cursed the Water Hashira. He now started walking forward, keeping his head down to avoid the states of everyone. He walked up on the stage, sending a small glare towards Suichiro.

He took a small breath before starting to talk, making sure his hair stayed in his face, and his hand on his sword.

"As the Water Hashira said, congratulations to all of you.... initiates..." He paused, realizing just how stupid he sounded. "Now... Since I happen to be the only Master who wasn't busy... I guess I have to work with all of you... So, to make this easier...for me at least.... Your training will be a little different this time. I'll be sending you all to a demon invested city, and let you do a little pest control..."

Arumono now backed up, smiling slightly at the shocked looks on everyone's faces.

Lord_Boreas
Nobody Special
Ivaliss the Ashen Knight
explosiveKitten
Haze-
Ganryu

 

[Ganryu]

~ Masahiko Himura - Trainee ~

​

Masahiko smiled oddly as he looked as his blades, and wore his new uniform under his robes. He was a bit disheartened to find it, too, was too big for him. Even more annoyingly, everyone else seemed to be too big for him too. Only the boy he'd bullied earlier was around his height... and still taller.

That just makes me a young progidy... as long as I don't ask their ages.

Still, today was a good day. He was officially good to begin to slay demons. There wasn't much Masahiko had ever had to live for. But to kill... and make the world a better place...? That was something he could get behind. The world was so crappy, ANYTHING he did was an improvement to it. It was almost a permission for the boy to run rampant.

As the water master, Master Arumono, introduced himself, Masahiko's smile only grew.

"Why, good sir, I'm honored by the chance to slay demons, but for such a shocking statement, you'll have to be more specific to earn my awe. Why, I, myself am from Asakusa City, where my master was slayed by a demon infestation when he failed to protect a district. And it seems every day we daddle, another city earns the title of 'demon infested'. But thankfully, we'll have a good instructor to help us, and make sure we are able to live up to the corps name, won't we? I'm honored to be under any tutelage whatsoever.

Afterall, that's what's important here, isn't it? Not the festivals, not the cool swords, not outfits, nor the drinks, but that was slay demons. And as long as one can do that, it hardly matters as to one's sobriety, hormones, or general lack of self, does it? Or are we to present ourselves in such a way as to inspire confidence as well? I, for one, hope to become skilled enough to excuse my personal inadequancies. But, as I am not there yet, I hope to be moldable."

Masahiko's faux smile continued even as he subtly insulted several people around.... most pointedly the two drunks on stage. The smell was driving him mad...

 

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

Suichiro Munechika

‘ Soo I think I may have caused him to snap… ‘

thought Suichiro to himself as he looked on at the shocked expressions of crowd and his fellow Hashira. In his defense, pointing the Master out was meant merely as harmless fun. Although, it now seemed that the opposite effect had been achieved. Deciding it would be best to enjoy himself before things inevitably became hectic amongst the Corps, Suichiro quietly stepped up, leaning forward ever so slightly to position himself next to the ear of Arumono before whispering “ It seems my fun may have gone a bit too far. I’d ask that you allow me make it up to you this evening. Come to the courtyard once you’ve finished with your duties for the day.” He leaned back, assuming his original position, faint smile still present.

‘ I feel bad for the kids, but one must always appreciate the opportunities in life.. ‘

Ey3_s0ckEts

 

[Haze-]

Kiryū Takafumi | | Breath of the Ghost

Mt. Fujikasane | Rite of passage


“I beg your pardon?” – A voice rang loud and clear in Takafumi’s mind, who gave inhumane efforts to keep a blank face as he failed to fully process what their new master had just said, letting out a – “Haah?” – Almost out of reflex. His lips curled into a forced smile as something deep inside made an eye twitch in raw annoyance, he took a deep breath, his head throbbing as he tried to keep his first impressions of Master Arumono bottled up for later use; and he sure could hold a grudge.

Alas, anger is but a downwards slope, all he could do is sheepishly nod and retort with silence, a silence that hid resignation. To say that Takafumi never landed on a good Master was to imply that the skies were blue, it became habitual at this point, the only master who’d taught him more than just one move was the master of water breathing, and even those lessons seemed half-assed thus far. This was completely different, though, his new master wanted them dead from the get go. An innovative way of teaching for sure, not letting them get accustomed to their Nichirin and throwing them straight into the fire before they could process their impending doom.

He sighed. A challenge was an opportunity to learn something new, after all. Even a challenge as sadistic as this one. He would be bawling his eyes out right now, but he had some friends to take a small bit of that burden for him, a bunch of belligerent teenagers with swords; the dream team.

“I won’t die alone, I guess…” – That’s a positive.

As he began dishing out cynical looks to his comrades, the guy with the big sword chimed in as Masahiko finished speaking, his tired expression giving him away; the mental strain was starting to take its toll, he wanted to get this over with – “Yeah, we get it. Demon slayers are supposed to slay demons, who would’ve thought?” – He addressed the walking-talking cherry blossom who’d once again stated the obvious, a hint of nonchalance as he casually eyed him, musing on how his colleague could mouth all of that in one go; given the mentally draining situation. Masahiko either had enough energy to light up the remains of Asakusa City, or he really enjoyed talking his tongue dry. Nevertheless Takafumi was quite impressed.

“If you’re one of the locals, then might as well trail behind you.” – He paused, letting go of a yawn he’d been holding onto for the last ten or so minutes before reaching for his Nichirin, trying to hold back a chuckle at the fact that Masahiko was smaller than his own blade, he continued – “Lead the way; I’ll be your guard dog. It’ll be a nice symbiotic relationship.” – Resting the sword on his shoulders as he stretched, he looked down on Masahiko once more. Figuratively, of course, the guy had high airs of royalty all around him; Takafumi wouldn’t be surprised if he gave him that niche, stereotypical disgusted look in just a few seconds.

“From this day forward, you will be my Aniki.” – In his mind, Takafumi formed the strongest bond in existence. He would follow Masahiko to this world’s end, fight his toughest battles, treat him as if his own kin – Well, at least for the entirety of this final exam. Another positive about not being alone, is that one could pick their company, and the smartest thing to do, at least for him, would be to follow the only one who knew their way around a demon infested city.

“Besides, I don’t think Master Arumono is much of the talkative type. Don’t think you’ll get anywhere past incomprehensible mumbles and him making this worse for all of us, honestly...” – Ironically enough, he muttered the last, low enough so that only he and the other Initiates could hear. Not only was he trying to speed things up, he was also trying to save them from meeting a fate much worse than just a couple of nights in Asakusa. He’d heard about the enhanced senses of some demon slayers, that one quirk that distinguished most from the normal folk, Takafumi had none of that, he only knew how to read the situation better than your regular human; and his sixth sense tingled uncontrollably when Masahiko gave that haughty spiel to Master Arumono. He shuddered to imagine what they would be put through next if Masahiko actually managed to get a reaction from him.

“But…" – He sighed – "Such is life, do as you please.” – Perhaps there was no saving this one.

_______________________________________

Mentions/Interactions: Ey3_s0ckEts Ganryu Ivaliss the Ashen Knight Lord_Boreas Nobody Special

 

[Lord_Boreas]

Oji stared at the master in utter disbelief. They were to do what? The boy closed his eyes and breathed deeply “ maybe I heard him wrong” Oji said aloud but upon opening his eyes and looking through the crowd of shocked and slightly terrified people he realized his hearing hadn’t failed him. Oji had yet to even see a demon up close let alone have the skills to kill one without help. The boy gripped the handle of his katana, his hand trembling slightly as he took deep shaky breaths. ‘Calm down Oji ’ he told himself repeatedly but to no avail as his hands shook almost as if he had been plunged into a frozen ocean, the wave of fear was beginning to drown him causing him to hyperventilate .
It wasn’t untill one of the younger kids spoke that Oji snapped back to reality, his grip on the Katana held steadfast and he turned towards the to males, his breathing still unsteady. “D-did you say you lived in Asakusa?” He stuttered out while looking down at the shorter boy, still trying to gain control over his mind and body. Why was he so shaken up? Oji had always saw himself as strong willed even for his age, the whole point of becoming a demon slayer was to slay demons right? Oji’s mind dipped back into his thoughts, as he contemplated whether or not today would be his final day or if hr would rise to the challenge and perfect his breathing style. Since he first arrived at Mt,Fujikasane he has studied endlessly to create a breathing style that fits his personality. It was the perfect time to actually test out the forms but the boy was scared that in doing so, he would run the risk of being outmatched by any demon he comes across.

Ganryu Haze-​

 

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

Mahiru Munekata

‘ You’ve got to be kidding me ! ‘ Mahiru thought to herself with apprehension. Though she would never admit it, there was a feeling of dread growing in the pit of her stomach after learning of this year’s training assignment. Looking down at her newly received nodachi, and then around at her fellow Corps members, one person caught her attention. Oji, his normal timid self was attempting to maintain a calm demeanor and start up a conversation with Masahiko about their destination. With a deep sigh, Mahiru made her way over to the pair stopping across from them to point at Oji. “ If you’re afraid, then you’re better off giving up now and going home. We only exist to slay demons and protect those who’s lives are entrusted to us. Being afraid for your life is the mark of someone without the strength to achieve the results required of a demon slayer. “ She stopped for a moment after the last word to stare at the boy intensely though he made no move to heed her advice and leave. She let out another sigh. “ Suit yourself though, not like it matters to me what happens to any of you as long our goal is realized.” Mahiru turned and began to walk away, stopping to look but, but this time at the mass of white hair and robes that had been observing the one sided interaction. “ I do hope it won’t bother you too much to have to see the other locals put down. “ With that, she decided to make her way back to her quarters. If she missed anything important, Master Ito would inevitably remind her before her departure.
Lord_Boreas Ganryu

 

[Ganryu]

~ Masahiko Himura - Trainee ~
​

Masahiko stood in a pleased and amused silence for once in his life, merely shrugging as Takafumi offered to go with him. It was taking everything in his small body to keep character and not 'whoop'. The unpleasant smug smile was all he would show though.

Step one. Kill demons.
Step two. Stays alive.

Staying alive is easier in groups. A guard dog is nice. I need to get stronger. I need to see as many styles as possible to learn from. I'm likely a weaker member here. It's no use pretending otherwise. Just facts.

He managed his facade all the way until Mahiru tried starting fights with... well... basically everyone. Even better than Masahiko had! The mask began to crack... His smile twitched. His head cocked. His breathing became unsteady even as he stared down.

"Pfft... hahahahaha!" He burst out into laughter as the girl sauntered off. Wiping away a tear, he pointed. The silence broke, and Masahiko had a remarkable ability to talk... and talk... and talk... Honestly, increasing his lung capacity was the worst benefit the demon slayer corpse oculd provide him.

"She cares so little about what happens to any of us she came up to us juuuust to point out how little she cares. If you want fear, THAT'S what it looks like, looking down on everyone else, then going 'wait, those are my peers, what am I!?' Hahahahaha... It bothers her, because she's the same as us and she's JUST now noticing that."

His chuckle continued for a minute. "I like her. I bet two of us could annoy anyone in the world! Anyways, to answer your questions, yeah, I'm from Asakusa." He turned to Oji. "Perhaps I was a nobody, perhaps a well guarded noble. Either way, I didn't earn the death lottery. There are, surprisingly, a lot of people in a city. It's odd how that works." It really is, there were so few people on the countryside here. I'd never left Asakusa before...


He then nodded to Takafumi. "Well then, faithful hound, shall we go for a walk...? We'll be most efficient as a group together, and I must admit a rare moment of gratitude, I am glad to have you. And you, fellow whitey, Oji was it-? Care to join us...? The more the merrier. Well, long as it isn't too large, as that will attract the stronger demons to challenge us. They aren't all stupid." Masahiko was so confident in his last sentence that he dared not breath that he had made it up. The one demon he had met had been that stupid...

"In any case, introductions. I am Masahiko Himura. I practice Cherry Blossom Breathe. I'm good at fast quick attacks, and evasive maneuvers. I likely won't be taking a demons head, but don't worry, my annoying tendencies aren't just for conversations."

He bowed respectfully, and started to walk. Afterall, demons came out at night, they only had so much time before the sun went down...

Haze- Ivaliss the Ashen Knight Lord_Boreas

 

[Nobody Special]

☂ Shuto Ran
15 | Demon Slayer Initiate | Breath of Sleet
Location: Mt. Fujikasane
Status: ♥ Healthy
Interacting: Takako ( Ey3_s0ckEts )

Spoiler: Breathing Forms

* = Able to use

*First Form: Shallow Strike - The swordsman focuses their energy into a single, concentrated slash.
*First Form Ice Variant: Snow Slide - The swordsman blocks the incoming attack, and uses the block to parry into a Shallow Strike.

*Second Form: Rising Tide - The swordsman moves erratically, gaining speed as they move and attacking whenever they see an opening. Used to weaken stronger opponents by forcing them to bleed.
*Second Form Ice Variant: Black Ice - The swordsman blocks an oncoming assault, but also moves erratically while defending. This is to tire the opponent out by forcing them to move while they attack, consuming double the energy.

Third Form: Drown - The most difficult Sleet Breathing technique to use. The swordsman focuses directly on the weakest point of the enemy (Humans being their heart, Demons being their necks), and delivers a powerful thrust/slash to that area. Meant to be a quick finisher.
Third Form Ice Variant: Shield of Ice - The swordsman holds their sword to protect both their heart and their head, preventing an instant death.

Fourth Form: Heart of the Sea - The swordsman allows their natural instincts to kick in, and they attack in an unpredictable, animalistic way,
Fourth Form Ice Variant: Cyrotherapy - The swordsman focuses their breathing onto themselves, using the technique to speed up the healing process of sprains, clot bleeding wounds, and numb the pain of broken bones. Cryotherapy does not completely heal the swordsman, but it can be used to reduce the effects of lethal wounds and allow the swordsman to perform a final, last resort attack.

*Fifth Form: Riptide - The swordsman unleashes a relentless assault on the enemy, increasing the momentum in their strikes and delivering faster, stronger, and more precise blows the longer the attack is carried out. Used to break through defense and make openings.
Fifth Form Ice Variant: Glacier Armor - The swordsman concentrates all of their energy into defense, blocking as many attacks as they can. Used against large-scale or rapid attacks. A type of near-perfect defense.

Hidden Sixth Form: The Trench at the Seabed - The swordsman forces their opponent into a long-term striking match, unleashing a seemingly never-ending assault powerful enough to do damage, but suspiciously easy to block and parry. This is the swordsman's trick. Once enough time passes, the opponent will notice that their skin is beginning to turn blue and feel numb, and that they will have an extremely difficult time breathing. Despite the swordsman's attacks being easy to avoid, the opponent will realize that they were in a full-scale hitting match for a long period of time, focusing more on attacking and defending than breathing. They were forced into cyanosis by the swordsman, who has "dragged them to the trench at the seabed". To put it simply, the swordsman has simulated drowning the opponent, and the opponent will be extremely fatigued if the assault works the way it was intended to.

Hidden Sixth Form, Ice Variant: Blizzard - Much like the calm but ferocious falling of snow during a blizzard, the swordsman strikes their sword downward against their opponent's blade/weapon hard enough to temporarily force it into the ground if it is a sword, or cut it off if it is an enemy's hand. While the opponent is preparing to attack, the swordsman prepares an extremely slow downward slash. The opponent will generally believe that they can kill the swordsman while they are wide open, and move in faster. It is then that the swordsman slams their blade down.

________________________________________________________________________________
Once the group's 'training' had been officially announced, Shuto gulped. It was... surely a harsh exercise for a group of fresh initiates, but shining somewhere within the growing well of fear inside of him was a glint of confidence.

"If Master Arumono is giving us such an intimidating task as our very first helping of training, then he must have high hopes in us." He muttered to no one in particular, before reaching down to grip the tsuka of his blade with a confident smile.

"Either that, or he's trying to get rid of as many of us as he can...heh..."

No! He thought to himself, clenching his free fist as though he were crushing any ounce of doubt that remained within him. I'll believe in the master. We'll clear out this city and return safely!

He was admittedly nervous, but most of his apprehension was now being drowned out by an overwhelming amount of courage. He'd killed a demon before-- without any real training or a nichirin blade, at that. Now that he was equipped with both the knowledge and skills on how to eliminate them, what could possibly go wrong? He looked on as the black haired girl with the red-gold haori ridiculed the white-haired boy for his fear. He sighed to himself, crossing his arms idly as she walked away from them all. This was probably the worst possible time for them to be at each others' necks like this, yet it was still happening. There was an air of immaturity to her, though she definitely wasn't the only immature one among them. Did she really train with the Flame Hashira?

His blue eyes trailed over to Ito, who was drunkenly giggling to himself.

Maybe so.

The group of three-- the two white haired boys and the purple haired boy with the mismatched eyes-- eventually made their leave as well, and only two initiates were left-- Shuto, and a much shorter boy with a rather monotone expression glued onto his face. Without a second thought, he approached the boy with a friendly grin.

"Looks like we're the only two left. Everyone else either formed groups or left. Maybe staying quiet was the right call for me to make." He said, extending his hand to offer a shake to the boy. "My name is Shuto Ran. You can call me Shuto. What do you say we stick together for the meantime? It's probably going to be dangerous, and I'm sure we can agree that we'd both feel safer with someone watching our back."
​

 

[Lord_Boreas]

Oji stared at the younger boy, his teeth clenched tight and his knuckles, white from the death grip he held on his katana. For some reason every fiber of his being was telling him to punch the boy for his long list of snide comments but he refrained from doing so, figuring all his strength was needed for this upcoming task. Oji scoffed at being called a 'fellow whitey' and assumed the boy was talking about his hair, in his family the white hair gene dominated all others with even his cousins having the same head of snow colored locks. for a moment oji looked down at Masahiko with a strange look "cherry blossom? I've heard of plant based breathing styles before but that's a new one" he spoke, a bit of hostility rising up from his throat to coat his words. It wasn't on purpose, Oji just had trouble holding back the malice as Masahiko seemed very much intune with his own malice and sarcasm seemingly using them both as weapons.

Oji usually keeps his calm demeanor but between the fire girl belittling him, his own fear sitting in the pit of his stomach, and Masahiko's snide comments, Oji's facade began to crack, his stoic look replaced with a slightly bewildered and fearful one. it was only after taking a deep breath had he realized the boy had lost all feeling in his right hand. he looked down to see his white knuckles gripping the sheathed blade as if it was going to run away at any second. With a small sigh he released his grip and plunged boy arms into his oversized Haori. His expression returned to a calm but curious setting as he bowed deeply, properly getting the boys who he now assumed would be his team.

“Oji Yukiyama, I call my style Breath of Winter” the corners of his lips tugged upwards, it was the first time he had declared his breathing style and his feelings switched from fear to pride. He shouldn’t be scared, he developed the breath of winter to fix his shortcomings and now was the time to put it to the test. Oji didn’t even realize Masahiko had walked away before he could fully introduce himself and the white haired boy couldn’t help to sigh “maybe I should’ve joined one of the other teams” he sighed before jogging to catch up to Masahiko and the boy with the mismatched eyes. “So wait have both of you killed demons before” he asked walking on the opposite side of Takafumi
Ganryu Haze-

 

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

Tsushiro Kuninaga

Upper Moon II ( Breath Of Ruin )

Location: Heiwa Valley

A lone figure sat in deep meditation in the center of a small shrine, so still that it could be mistaken easily for a statue.

It’s been so boring as of late. The humans scurry around in their cities and build up their numbers each day and still our lord has yet to issue any orders against them..

Tsushiro had begun to think that he may finish his second century before the Demon King called him and the others to action. It had been so long since he’d tasted the thrill of battle that he’d begun to become anxious with anticipation, deciding to travel to the isolated valley in order to train and ease his mind. What happened next was something that he could have only hoped for. A small rustling in the forsest around the shrine immediately pulled Tsushiro from his thought, causing him the grip the blade of his katana. It was more out of instinct than any real concern; Heiwa Valley was inhabited solely by demons and none of them would be foolish enough to even think of challenging an Upper Moon. Moments later his gaze met with that of a demon who appeared in the form a young girl dressed as a shrine maiden. “ Hello Lord Kuninaga” the girl said with a small bow before continuing. “ Our Master has requested that you begin making your way to Asakusa City to perform a routine check. “ With that, she bowed once more before disappearing into the forest again. Ugh , great, more chores.. the demon groaned, placing a hand to his head before standing and beginning to proceed out of the valley.

 

[Ey3_s0ckEts]

`✵•.¸,✵°✵.｡.✰ 𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕒𝕜𝕠 𝔸𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕚 ✰.｡.✵°✵,¸.•✵´

Takako looked over at the male, tilting his head slightly, before nodding.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Takako Amashi. Call me Takako. Now, I agree with what you're saying...."

Takako paused, as he looked down at his outstretched hand, before pushing it away slightly.

"Sorry.... Not really a hand shaker...."

 

[Haze-]

Kiryū Takafumi| | Breath of the Ghost

Mt. Fujikasane


“Yes, my lord. I am but humbled to be of service~” – He bickered back at the mop of white hair’s snide remark with a quip of his own, giving Masahiko a dignified bow that permeated that disingenuous animosity between the two slayers, punching in a smirk in his act as he for once felt thrown back to his comfort zone. Out of the spotlight and back to being a mere third party, likely to go unnoticed. On the other hand, being around someone so self-centered felt nostalgic in a sense, it reminded him of those spoiled, overindulged brats back at his hometown. He somehow grew accustomed to being around such rough-around-the-edges type of individuals.

Needless to say, pumping up Masahiko’s ego to keep the team’s energy a positive one wouldn’t be a challenge at all; he'd practically trained from his youth to retaliate to that kind of humor. Yet finding a way to keep his teammates away from each other’s throat would prove to be his greatest challenge thus far – “Introductions.” – To this thought, he simply nodded to no one in particular, following the conversation with a mild lack of formality as per usual – “Name’s Takafumi, Kiryū Takafumi. I created what I call Ghost breathing, and as far as I know I’m the only one that uses such a style.” – He lazily gave a basic explanation, fidgeting with the straps on his blade’s sheathe before releasing it from his back, slinging it over and letting it rest on one of his shoulders, he threw the words over to the others without even bothering to look back – “I was good at avoiding hits and taking my chances, but…” – He brought the gigantic blade down until a hollow thump was heard when it hit the soil, presenting it to them in case they somehow missed it back in the ceremony site – “Apparently I’m only good at cutting demons in half now.” – He shrugged, not giving them much of anything else to think about before Oji got ahead of him in a strut.

“When did this turn into a race? And why does he think he can win when he’s going against me?” – He pored over it; long legs took long steps, after all. Those two had no chance.

“It’s getting late…” – He let out a murmur to himself as the two white heads took the lead in this pseudo tortoise and hare race, his eyes wandered off to the mesmerizing orange mantle in the sky, the sun was beginning to hide behind veils of cloud. He let out a sigh as an ominous breeze passed him by, a sigh that came with a sense of dread. Soon everything would be suddenly plunged into darkness, where the demons could freely roam the night.

Ever since the threat of demons had become just that vivid for him, gazing at the starry night sky became suffocating in a way. The thoughts that plagued his mind at night were those of ever-so starved beasts devouring families apart, much like what was done to him, it kept him awake even after so many years. Just the feel of knowing that night was to come made anxiousness arise within.

…Wasn’t that how trauma worked?

“Heh.” – He chuckled to himself. Maybe he wasn’t as tough as he thought he’d grown to be. And the Hashira somehow carried out this unhinged career for a living…

“You say this as if you’ve never killed one yourself, Oji.” – The reason for his fellow slayer’s lack of confidence soon clicked after being around him for a while, and Takafumi couldn’t help but poke a little fun at him now that he broke through his front; not that it wasn’t that obvious, but it still hadn’t occurred to him that one of these kids could have never seen a demon in their entire life, it took him aback for a moment. He gave a light chuckle, accompanied by polite words that didn’t really betray opinions. It seemed that not only was Oji strong but also rather brave, given the dilemma they were thrown at–

“But to answer your question,” – He raised one hand, the sleeves of his Haori cascading down to show a grizzly sight, a jagged, mangled scar that began on his forearm and stretched all the way to the inside of his garments – “It’s a boring story but there used to be a demon back in my village. Every night I tried to hang him out to dry in the sun, and every night I failed. He always spared me for some reason…” – He paused for a moment, smiling at nothing in particular, as if recalling days of old – “Well, maybe I got lucky and my first demon was just a numb skull. On the last night I managed to catch him off guard and get the job done. It was a tragedy, really. That poor bastard didn’t know he was training his own assassin.” – He shrugged, rolling down his sleeves as not to ruin Oji’s appetite with the sight of his hideous scars for the rest of their trip.

“Or perhaps he did…”

“Ah! By the way,” – He perked up all of a sudden, gesturing to Oji to get his attention – “What that girl said, ‘Fear of death is the mark of a weakling’, don’t even bother with it.” – He shook his head and sighed as if disappointed in himself for quoting such a blunt remark – “I've had someone talk out of their ass like that to me as well. Fear’s the mark of someone with common sense; it keeps you alive if you heed it instead of giving into it.” – He rested an arm on the hilt of his blade, the sheathed beast propped to the ground and scooting under his weight as he tried to get Oji’s mind out of it. A teammate wouldn’t give their maximum effort with a downtrodden spirit – “Of course, coming from a stranger, you wouldn’t get my point at first, but you do have some time to meditate over it while we get to Asakusa. Besides, you’ve got some nice company to use as meat shields, whyever would you fear a couple of demons?”

“Again, let’s get along.” – He offered the same comradery to Oji, patting him on the shoulder with his free hand as he only gave him a tired smile this time around – “That goes for you too, Hime-Sama.” – He nodded over to his other companion, jokingly poking Masahiko in the gut with his sword whilst giving him a quick, overly exaggerated, up-and-down flash of the eyebrows.

“After all, as the tallest one in the group, it’s my duty, my burden and curse to keep you midgets alive. Having a buddy-buddy workplace environment is vital for that goal.” – Now he was just blatantly making fun of them.

________________________

Interactions: Ganryu Lord_Boreas

 

[Lord_Boreas]

Oji Yukiyama
Breath of Winter​

Oji paused at Takafumi's statement before sighing deeply "The village Im from was one of the first civilizations built after the first demon slayer corps was destroyed. It was also one fo the first to use wisteria covered walls to keep out demons...eventually demons just stoped coming near the village. It's been almost fifty years since anyone from home has seen a demon." once the words left his lips he realized why he was so frightened, maybe he wasn't cut out for this. Seemingly he was the only initiate who had never killed a demon, why did they let him join? Was it because he was some 'rich' kid from a high end family or was the corps just that desperate for members..apparently not that desperate seeing his current predicament of being thrown in Asakusa.

Oji looked over to see the scar on Takafumi's arm and his eyes widen slightly but then he chuckled slightly "yea nothing to fear at all" a groan escaping his lips. The young Yukiyama reclaimed the death grip on his sword when he could see the forrest at the base of the mountain which acted as a barrier between Fujikasane and Asakusa. As they walked further into the forrest the trees changed from a beautiful purple to a dull green then even further into a decaying brown. soon enough the smell of death filled his nose making him grimace and force down the urge to heave up last nights dinner. He began listing off the forms for his breathing style almost like a coping mechanism to prevent him from turning around and running away.

"First form- Falling avalanche
Second form- Ice god's chakram
third form: Blessed sn....."

He stopped when he could no longer smell the wisteria flowers that he had been accustomed all his life. It was strange not having the smell of the familiar flower surround him but he much preferred it to the horrendous smell of decay that now violated his nose. "Gods what is this smell" he asked aloud, already knowing the answer to his question.

Haze- Ganryu

Kimito Arashihime
Narukami Kagura​

Kimito stared in slight horror at the children marching off down the mountain "Arumono can't be serious " she looked at Fukuro and then to Akane "Up until last year they didn't even let full fledged slayers into Asakusa now they are sending children? this must be a joke" The girl hopped up, clicking her sword onto her belt "I get they need stronger slayers but this is ridiculous" she dusted herself off and looked to her former Master Arumono leading the kids to their doom. "Maybe we should follow them, I've heard reports of upper level demons roaming around and those kids will have no chance if the demons decide to turn them into a snack." she grimaced and then looked to Fukuro "I know I can't trust the doll over here but I know you won't just let those kids march to their deaths" she pleaded before falling backwards and off the wall. She flipped and landed on her feet before walking into the treeline taking the longer way down the mountain.

Fukuro Yoruno
Breath of the Owl​

Fukuro sighed "She has a point, this is a little ridiculous is it not?" he looked to Akane "Ive never been sent to that place and ive been a demon slayer for more than five years now" he looked over to the path the kids had now disappeared into and sighed once more before standing up. "I think I'll accompany her, she's a little rash but her hearts in the right place" he smiled "You should come too, if she was right about upper level demons it might take more than just me and her to take them on" He clicked his katana back to his belt and flipped off the wall, letting his haori catch the wind and slow his fall.

explosiveKitten

 

[Ganryu]

~ Masahiko Himura - Trainee ~

Masahiko flipped his hair with a smirk. "As long as I'm a pretty princess. I can't have you insulting me by insuniating I'm only average at being useless. Afterall, I'm a fabulous meat shield. It will take the enemy at least two bites to get through my lithe figure."

Masahiko made no effort to race. He'd keep up, but barely. The other two could win, what did he care?

"As far as killing another demon? Who knows. Perhaps I did. Perhaps I'm secretly a genius who has managed to slay many. Maybe just one. Maybe I've never even seen a demon, and just thought the robes were slimming on my figure."

He posed dramatically with his hands on his hips, the white robe over his uniform still far too big for him. Then sighed, looking at the moon, barely visible but growing brighter as the sun set.

"Maybe I was just a nobody, who took a liking to a particular demon slayer, observed his style, failed to copy it, but then noticed he never came back. Maybe I found a relatively minor demon with a rock in his hand over a corpse. Maybe I stole those blades, and failed to avenge him. But demons, unable to follow me into the sun gave me what I needed. Time. Maybe that demon's now dead.

Who knows? Doesn't matter one way or another. All that matters is we survive. And that we KILL every one we are able to. But, we're all kind of pathetic, don't you think? If we were half as good as aspirations, we would be talking about how we would be dividing districts while we slaughtered them. Every single one. How we would liberate the city. How we would tell the public 'there's no need to fear'. But still... Again, I just need time..."

Masahiko then winced himself as the strong smell hit him. He flicked his sword an inch out of his sheath, a smell of cherry blossoms filling the area as a perfume drifted out of the sheath. For a moment, a phantom swirl of petals seemed to swirl around Masahiko, disappearing just as quickly, having never been there in the first place.

"That smell is work. We might not be in Asakusa city yet, but, what do you guys say to a detour...?"

NOW Masahiko was booking it, heading towards the smell, continuing to sniff to get what direction it could be. His hands stayed in an Iaido position over one of the twin swords he had.

Lord_Boreas Haze-

 

[Silent Child]

Misayo Sadaharu​

Up until now, Misayo had been quiet and alone. He wasn't anyone important, and no one batted an eye when he went to get his Haori and blade. However, some eyebrows were raised at his oversized sword and small stature, but no words were said to him... at least, none that were acknowledged. Holding his sword in front of him, letting the sun hit it, the blade turned transparent. That's very unnatural, but with what he was taught, it makes sense in a way, so there was no questioning it. The Haori fit perfectly, and even matched his blade's colors. How convenient, but he could only assume someone had put in an order for him since they knew how it would turn out. As he was in the middle of his thoughts, a lot of commotion began. Not quite sure what had happened, he sheathed his blade and asked a random person next to him. After they answered, he was in shock. "A demon infested town? Why so early?" Looking around, the answer became clear. "So many of us... and that guy had looked lazy..." After a pause, he declared his response. "Well, I won't be weeded out." At that point, it was also evident, people already knew each other and were forming groups, but some were leaving their groups. That's where he fit in, with the outcasts. Chasing after one, he'd tap her arm (Her shoulder is way up there for him). ( Mahiru Ivaliss the Ashen Knight ) Turns out it was a girl who towered over him. Her haori was beautiful in an arrangement of red and gold. Very colorful in comparison to his black and transparent haori. Realizing he had already gotten her attention, his face flushed a little. "Oh umm... I was thinking, you're not in a group... and everyone else is... Would you and I be able to?" Its clear he didn't plan this out at all, and the entire time he's fidgeting.

 

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

* Mahiru Munekata *

You’ve got got to be kidding me.. thought Mahiru while looking the boy up and down, well “down”; the short boy looked like a child, and that was even compared the snide flurry of white known as Masahiko.

Although, if it was seen fit for him to receive a blade of that size, there may be more to him that meets the eye and, if not, atleast I’ve got decent fodder for the demons.

“ First off, while I understand that we we were called by name today, you don’t know me. That said, it’s only proper that one gives an introduction when first meeting a stranger. Since it’s obvious you lack manners, I guess I’ll do it for you. My name is Mahiru Munekata, and you are?”, she ended crossing her arms, still eyeing the boy with a look of mild irritation.

Silent Child Ganryu

 

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

Tsushiro Kuninaga

Upper Moon II ( Breath Of Ruin )

Location: The forest surrounding Asakusa City


As his path through the forest began to bring him closer to his destination, Tsushiro came across a small meadow. He took a moment to take in the scene.

So picturesque… At one time, this would be beautiful, but now I’d like nothing better than for my lord to allow me the privilege of snuffing out life wherever it’s found.

He picked a cherry blossom from a nearby tree, watching it wither and become dust in his palm before a scream rang out through
the nighttime air. Looking up from his thoughts, he saw a young man running towards him with fear painted on his face. As the male reached him, he stopped to catch his breath before sputtering out “ Please, you’ve got to run! There’s a dem-!… “ before he looked down in shocked at the Nichirin blade now running through his chest. “ Any demon worth its salt should have killed you well before I had to waste my time with you . “ Letting the now limp man fall to the ground, the demon proceeded further down the path before being met with a mane of crimson hair and a smile that he knew hid a wrath like no other.

Just my luck, of course that psycho’s here too. Well, the more the merrier, I guess..

Sheathing his blade, he walked towards the figure, stopping a few feet away before speaking.

“ You know, you’ve got a bad habit of letting bugs go when you catch them…“

Haze-

 

[Silent Child]

Misayo Sadaharu
​

“ First off, while I understand that we we were called by name today, you don’t know me. That said, it’s only proper that one gives an introduction when first meeting a stranger. Since it’s obvious you lack manners, I guess I’ll do it for you. My name is Mahiru Munekata, and you are?" This caught Misayo off guard. He wasn't expecting the girl to be so proper. It took him a second to adjust, even as he looked up at her. "I apologize Miss Mahiru. I didn't mean to offend you, my name is Misayo Sadaharu. I did not intend to signify that I knew you, instead I was offering that we could be a team... That is if you so desired, or if not, I could always go it alone, but then if you were to lose your life, I would surely be devastated, knowing I could have helped prevent it... Not assuming it would be the same in reverse, but it would make sense." All this high-strung speaking was wearing him out, he wasn't used to thinking this properly. "I mean, being in a group ensures survival more than being alone does it not?" Swaying back and forth, his face shows none of the confidence he's speaking, completely defeating his purpose.

Ivaliss the Ashen Knight​

 

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

* Mahiru Munekata *

She was taken aback by the odd boy she found herself speaking with. Most people took the hint that she preferred not to be bothered, but this one obviously wouldn’t be the norm. A familiar drunken voice rang through her mind, reminding her that this was one of her comrades. With a sigh and the placement of her palm to her forehead, Mahiru replied. “ Although I’m more than capable of handling myself, it seems that you’re insistent upon traveling alongside me. Considering I’ve already been scolded by Master Ito, I guess I’ll atleast try to get along with somebody other than him. “ She made a look of mock exasperation before continuing. “ I’ll allow you to accompany me into the city, but don’t think you’ve made a friend. I just don’t need to know that I’ve condemned you to death by sending you off on your own. “ He reminded her of a younger brother and for some reason, the thought of letting him travel alone bothered her. She turned on her heel and resumed walking.

Gods, I must be getting soft ….

Silent Child

 

[Silent Child]

Misayo Sadaharu​

“ Although I’m more than capable of handling myself, it seems that you’re insistent upon traveling alongside me. Considering I’ve already been scolded by Master Ito, I guess I’ll atleast try to get along with somebody other than him. “ Is this hope Misayo felt? Possibly his first friend from the Demon Slayer Corps? Her next statement didn't completely demolish his hopes, but lowered them drastically. “ I’ll allow you to accompany me into the city, but don’t think you’ve made a friend. I just don’t need to know that I’ve condemned you to death by sending you off on your own. “ This made him happy, he at least had a companion, even if she didn't have hope in him. "Not friends? Well that's alright, I didn't think we would be straight off the bat either... But don't worry about me, I can hold my own against demons... My master let me train on a couple before I went off... so my count right now is up to 3, though I've heard most of these people haven't killed a single one yet... but I'm just lucky to have great master." He realized she was walking away, and quickly caught up with her, keeping her pace easily. "What about you? I saw your master cheering you on when you got your equipment. Is that the 'Master Ito' you spoke about?" His face has a constant small smile as if he knows the answer already.

Ivaliss the Ashen Knight Nobody Special​

 

[Ivaliss the Ashen Knight]

* Mahiru Munekata *

Three demons ? So maybe that blade isn’t just going to be for show..

She was shocked to say the least. The small boy didn’t even look to be a match for large dog, let alone a demon, but Mahiru had always been taught not to underestimate those who seem unassuming. He could prove useful and his presence seemed bearable enough, so she decided that it may be a decent idea to atleast try and be civil. “ I’m surprised that you’ve manage to bring down three demons so early. It’s possible I misjudged you, but that remains to be seen. As for myself, I’ve killed 5 demons so far; that can be attributed to the drunkard I call Master, who decided it would be fun to sip saké as he watched me face of against foe after foe. He’s an intoxicated idiot, that man, but also the only person to make me feel safe after saving me from the demons that took everything I had away from me. “ Tears threatened to make their way to her eyes as Mahiru swiftly composed herself. “ That’s enough idle chat for now. If you’ll be accompanying me, then you’d better get good at traveling in silence.”

Maybe he won’t be too bad ..

Silent Child Nobody Special

 

[Silent Child]

Misayo Sadaharu​

“ I’m surprised that you’ve manage to bring down three demons so early. It’s possible I misjudged you, but that remains to be seen. As for myself, I’ve killed 5 demons so far; that can be attributed to the drunkard I call Master, who decided it would be fun to sip saké as he watched me face of against foe after foe. He’s an intoxicated idiot, that man, but also the only person to make me feel safe after saving me from the demons that took everything I had away from me. “ 5 demons? That meant he needed to catch up quick. But... if she had suffered from demons, maybe letting her exact her revenge would be better for her? "That’s enough idle chat for now. If you’ll be accompanying me, then you’d better get good at traveling in silence.” Oh... she wanted silence? That's fine with him, time with thoughts might be important before they got started on this so called 'Pest Control' "Oh ok then, yes ma'am..." He went silent after that, still keeping up with her, but lost in his own thoughts.

Ivaliss the Ashen Knight​

 

[Lord_Boreas]

Oji Yukiyama
Breath of Winter​

Oji watched the boy dash off into the horrid smelling Forrest that instantly began to swallow the smell of cherry blossoms whole. Before he knew it, Masahiko had disappeared completely into the thick foliage. He could still acknowledge the lingering scent of cherry blossoms and looked to takafumi “for him to be so small he’s ridiculously fast” he looked up to the taller boy with a sigh “we should probably follow him. We haven’t made it to the city yet and something tell me me this Forrest might be a little worse” he glanced around at the last part, the smell of death still assaulting his now sensitive nose. He rubbed his nose with a small sniff before gripping the sheath of his sword with his thumb resting over the fur that acted as a hilt. With a deep breath he dashed off into the thick Forrest, leaping over fallen tree branches not noticing how they were arranged in such an unnatural way. His main focus was catching up with the white haired blur the he could see in the distance leaping over bushes and trees like they weren’t even there.

As he caught up to Masahiko a scream rang through the desolate Forrest and Oji tensed, still making sure to keep in stride with the younger demon slayer. “Please tell me you heard that too” he asked running along side his teammate, his grip on his katana tightening under the haori that was flapping in the wind “I think it was that way” he raised a hand to point to their left with the horrid scream still ringing in his ears. With slight hesitation he dug his foot into the ground to slow his run before pushing off with a fair amount of speed toward where he heard the scream come from. The boy ran faster and faster untill he was practically floating through the dense Forrest. Oji didn’t even realize how fast he was running until his foot hit a branch which sent him flying face forward into the air. “Don’t panic” he told himself, breathing out as he tucked his body so that when he hit the ground he would roll and end in a standing position. As he hit the ground, Oji rolled forward untill his feet were firmly placed on the dirt and placed a hand on the ground to steady himself so he wouldn’t fall forward. With a small grunt he pushed off the ground and began sprinting again. ‘ Gotta love the art of falling’ he thought to himself as he slowed his run when he came upon a small path. Through the bushes he could see a two men standing there and one with a sword through his gut. Oji gasped lightly watching the scene play out before him. Not knowing if he should intervene, he looked backwards hoping Masahiko and Takafumi had caught up to him.

Haze Ganryu Ivaliss the Ashen Knight

 

[Haze-]

Keijirō Kishimori | Upper Moon I - Ashura (Restrained)

The forest surrounding Asakusa City


"I've been here before, haven't I...?" - The night sky was aglow with an eerie iridescence, moonlit shadows casted under his feet, a lone wanderer recited the same inner monologue about vagueness and lack of direction as if a mantra burnt to the back of his mind, and as the breeze drove a flock of messy red hair out of his face, he indeed was met with a familiar yet somewhat new scenery. These thickets and trees growing an impassable over him began to feel old, all this walking drove him desensitized to the view, and every single forest looked the exact same at this point.

It was a hard existence, being the right hand man of the most overconfident being alive. Boring, rather. Many times had he battled to see whose ego was bigger with his lord's vainglorious, and many times had he been out casted like this to wander off until sought out once more. He'd lost track of how many times the demon lord had tried to dismember his right hand, to rid himself of Keijiro out of spite for whatever hid beneath those crimson chains he was fettered to.

"I guess that makes me less of a slave in the grand scheme of things..." - Ironically enough. To his lord's cold shoulder, Keijiro only forbore disdain and a yearning for labor. Even if he was thrown aside for how volatile he could be, that only made him free to do as he pleased, unlike any other demon on that matter.

He shook his head, crossing his arms as he let out a sigh; he turned an eye over to the darkened sky. That sigh coming out once again as more of a pained, exhausted groan the moment he felt that damned blood boiling sensation lurking under his skin, the clattering, scraping of crimson chains echoing in his mind, making him clench a fist until blood ruptured from his palm... Unadulterated, heedless rage is all he felt - "Ah. That one stung..." - Ephemeral rage, that is. He raised his hands to give a look of raw weariness to the cracked chains around his wrists, just another momentary lapse in his long list of outbursts. Even though he felt deprived from the most basic pleasures of the living, he still held a promise to never break these chains, so that his fury may never pour out of his cage.

He returned to his vague sense of tranquility with a rejuvenated sigh. It sure was a blessing to serve under the demon lord.

As he made his way through the forest, he whistled in amusement to a brand new sight, a relatively calm meadow. A plain of wildflowers and tall grass that stretched far to the other end of the wall of trees surrounding it, that borderline seemingly unnatural in comparison to the pleasing meadow. Discarding the cryptic contrast from the sinister forest surrounding it, back then this would’ve been soothing enough for him to lie down and drift into sleep. A feast for the eyes, for sure. Unfortunately, he felt absolutely nothing as he gazed at it, only the clattering of chains…

The sight of a human in this lonely night broke him out of his thoughts. Petrified as if a bird too frozen to take flight, one could see both shock and horror dance in his glare, a stricken look that grew in intensity with his arrhythmic breathing. Perhaps he was just finding his way back home – “It is quite dangerous to wander alone at night, friend… Are you lost by any chance…?” – The demon spoke with his usual gentle tone that never seemed to shift, showing a bright, wide grin that hid no malice whatsoever, reaching out a helping hand to the possibly lost traveler. To this, of a sudden, the colour faded from the human’s face, retorting with an expression engulfed in terror as he viewed Keijiro as nothing but a predator winding up its prey and watching it spin in circles. The human ran away with a blood curling scream leaving him, stumbling to run as far as his legs could carry him.

Was it the horns?

Moments after, the screams were drowned out by that of the faint gurgle of blood, followed by the sound of an innocent life fading miserably. Keijiro flinched at a putrid smell of doomed souls drawing near, accompanied by the cold bite of the wind howling, he recognized that stench – “He who knows when to fight and when he cannot, will always win the war…” – He quoted with a smirk as his fellow Upper Moon stepped out of the gloom of the night – “I’m honored to be lectured by you, but you said it yourself, Tsushirou… Why would I trivialize myself with insects…?” – He somehow managed to feign a face that encapsulated both disgust and apprehension as he spoke with an over the top drama rankling up in his tone.

A self-satisfied grin creeping in as he raised an eyebrow to Tsushiro’s inquiry, - “And I am supposed to be “exiled” until given direct orders, aren’t I…? Going off on a human would just trigger my anger issues…” – He sauntered past Tsushiro with an imperturbable stride, only nonchalantly placing his hand on his brethren’s shoulder as a casual greeting, a hand that slid off with the calm of a lost soul attempting to remain in equanimity, he lowered himself to get a closer look at the corpse – “Life sure is fleeting, huh…? At least you have a nice place to rest, friend…” – He paused and stretched the moment for a while, his expression unreadable from the cascade of red hair almost covering his entire body. The sound of metal chains slowly tearing apart was heard before he turned to Tsushiro –

“…You know, you’ve got a bad habit of eradicating anything that moves...” – Like an addict chasing a high, it’d been years since he’d heard Tsushiro showing interest in anything but being death incarnate – “But I suppose you didn’t come here to slay this one human, have you…? You’re either here to deliver a message from our lord… Or…” – He gave a long, dramatic pause… An ongoing tension that was shattered when he broke into a fit of laughter, glancing at Tsushiro with honest pity – “Let me guess, routine check…?” – He signaled behind him, his lips curling to a smug smirk. Conveniently, Asakusa City was just crossing this forest; he didn’t need mental gymnastics to figure out Tsushiro’s motives.

“It’s criminal, really… What our lord sends us out to do these days…” – Oh, the denigration… It was practically tangible enough for him to grasp it, he couldn’t help but tut in disapproval to the torment his junior would be put through. He sighed – “Truly a torture…”

“Well then… ‘Was nice having this one-sided chit chat, but I must go where the wind takes me… I do feel sorry for the terrible fate you’ve meet,” – He drew out the words for emphasis, – “But I fear my presence would only make it worse…” – He shrugged; starting to take long, excruciatingly slow steps to the other end of the forest – “Unless, of course, you have a change of heart all of a sudden and begin to feel fond of my company…”

At this point he just wanted to hear those magic words coming from someone as stoic as Tsushiro.

_________________________________________________________________

Kiryū Takafumi| | Breath of the Ghost


He would have to give credit where credit is due. Even after months of witnessing, feeling and smelling the lowest of the vile, that sickening foul of rotten flesh flying partridge that always seemed to plague him ever since he picked up his father’s sword always got a guttural response out of him, it was nigh impossible to get used to it. Lo and behold, Masahiko seemed to have no problem with the smell. He’d have to admit it, the guy was pocket-sized and annoying, but had some resolve in him. Of course, ‘resolve’ not being inherently a good thing as it could numb one’s basic sense of danger, and as Masahiko proved his theory, Takafumi held back not a shred of his annoyance –

“Yeah, your highness is about to get himself killed.” – He sighed, agreeing with Oji but not immediately following along as the white head hurried to catch up with the other. Unsheathing his sword instead and seemingly toying it around, calculating how much swing he needed to cut down some branches from the nearest Wysteria Tree. A little bit of preparation never bit back and he had no time to pluck away flowers.

He loosened up his tense stance, closing his eyes and letting out an exhausted huff – “Ghost Breathing,” – Taking in all the air his lungs could starve upon through clenched teeth, coming off as a faint, ghastly whistle that echoed throughout parts of the forest; his brow furrowed in his raw state of focus as he reached for his Nichirin with his other hand – “Second Form,” – The blade screeching as if the wail of a banshee upon being clenched with all his strength, one could’ve seen illusive shapes coming off of Takafumi’s sword, a trail of gleaming pale blue leaving his blade, dragging along dark silhouettes of faces forgotten; unresting spirits clawing their way out of the blue and screeching in unison to the blade, vanishing over and over into nothingness as they all withered back to the grave – “Purgatory.” –

He began with a flowing motion, his feet leaving trails on the ground as he appeared to flicker like candle through the forest, starting with a clean diagonal slash to the first tree he encountered, the blade’s motion bending to a vertical spin as small branches with dozens of wisteria flowers began to pile up on his shoulders – “Water wheel, Flowing Dance, Striking Tide…..” – Takafumi recited in his head, lest he lost focus. He repeatedly performed the entire list of moves from Water Breathing from form one to nine – Well, a lesser version of the movements the Water Breathing Master tried to pass onto him. Little did the geezer know, however. He was shook to his core just thinking what his ‘official’ master would think of him right now if he saw him butchering his style to such a degree.

He landed alongside the branches he managed to cut down, drenched in sweat; he let out his breath with a sigh – “This is more than enough, actually…” – He only stuffed the smaller ones into his pockets and moved along, all he needed to refill his special mixture of poison were a couple of petals and some water, the magic was in the venom coating the inside of his gourd.

He wasted not a second longer and hurried past the sweet, almost overwhelming, perfumed scent of cherry blossoms and over to the prints Oji had left in his wake.
__________________________________________________________

“Boo.” – As Oji began to look around in search for his partners, Takafumi tapped him in the shoulder, slightly offended at the fact that he’d seemingly assumed that the title of ‘Ghost’ was just for spectacle – “What’s the situation…?” – He kept his voice down and lowered himself behind the bushes as they weren’t exactly that far away from the demons.

___________________

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