Fandom Kimetsu No Yaiba; Who...and what we fight for.

[Phayne]

Mentions: Akimine ManofManyRoles
"What separates the corps from the demons...." Akimine's words would continue to live in Renji's mind rent free for the duration of the evening; his mind unable to relinquish its grasp over the cryptic reply from the far more experienced slayer. What did she mean by that? What was he not seeing? these questions would linger in the dark crevices of his mind, taunting him like some poorly timed joke. Clearly it was humanity that separated the two entities, the Demon slayers retaining their sense of right and wrong over the Demon's blatant disregard for it. The ability to realize and differentiate good and evil, the ability to refrain from the temptations that the darkest of paths tends to conjure.

It was not lost on Renji that his fighting style was more berserk than elegant and that his truest self tended to come to light during such bouts of intense adrenaline, yet no matter how far he overstepped into the ways of the demon he was confident that he wouldn't lose himself to their depraved ways, to succumb to the mindset of a beast driven by an insatiable hunger for power and flesh.

Frustration would begin to creep upon Renji as he subconsciously slammed a fist down on the wooden table, the bottle of sake tipping over to one side and beginning to spill onto the tatami mat. *tsk* A quick click of the tongue was Renji's only response to the minor grievance; the demon slayer knowing full well that whether he willed it or not, one of the kakushi tasked with attending to the Slayers would come in and clear the mess; another annoyance that Renji did not need, but knew full well would be a waste of time to try and deter.

The Kakushi were a surprisingly dutiful group of subjects, former candidates who failed to pass the final exam and even injured/retired slayers who still had the resolve to be of service. As if on cue, Renji would soon hear the door to his room open, the barely audible patter of footsteps as the attendant assigned to his room began to get to work; a new vial of sake placed upon his desk to replace the one Renji had inadvertently spilled.

Merely glancing over to the side. Renji would blindly keep an eye on the man until he left, the two of them not even exchanging words with one another.
​

 

[Maxxob]

CODE / ARKNIGHT

Erwin Kott

Location: The Demon Slayer Corps HQ

A rest worthy of Barbarossa

The German simply didn’t bother to move after his back was against the really uncomfortable roof of the barracks. Actually, it was more like he couldn’t move. His body harshly chastise him for everything he had done up to that point and, since he didn’t listen to all the times it told him to stop, it was time for his punishment with intense pain, distributed all over his body. Cold droplets of sweat ran down his from his forehead to the side of this face, eventually dropping to the roofing and disappearing.

Suddenly, he heard someone crouching down next to him. Turning his head, he saw her, the ( ManofManyRoles ) Kinoe. He probably would have stood in attention in a single moment if he could, but alas, that wasn’t that case. Seeing her sitting like that, talking with him, gave him a strange impression. It made her feel approachable, not that she had ever shown the opposite was true. But the idea his superiors were something different, people you didn’t befriend, instead of people just like him was something deeply ingrained in his brain through the course of his training. Not only on how to threat his own superiors, but how to treat his subordinates, with distance.

He listened to her words, and they mirrored what he had in his mind earlier, in a sense: he still was a novice there, inexperienced. But, he had could the possibility grow, become stronger, more skilled. He only had to survive long enough and shed away his useless pride or conceptions of who he was in that world. He didn’t answer to the tutor, simply nodded in acknowledgement of what she had just told him, looking directly into her eyes. Furthermore, he simply didn’t have the strength for it and wanted to save as much energy as he could for the next round.

The Westerner wasn’t sure how he had managed to pull through, but there he was. It wouldn’t be too precise to say he was alive, but at least he was breathing, had a decent sense of where he was and still could move in an acceptable fashion. After the first fight on the roof, his hat was never seen again in his head and, at the of the training, the situation hadn’t changed. He held it in his hands, his hair was simply a mess. Droopy from all the sweat his body expelled while trying to cool the man. His moustache was in a similar fashion: while it is usually displayed with proper grooming, bushy and full, was drenched, making it lay dropped to the sides, really sad.

When hearing about bath’s getting prepared, the man needn’t listen to anything else. While he was famished, there was no way he would allow himself to have dinner without a proper bath first. While the trenches sure weren’t a hygienic place to be, the very first day of training felt worse than a few days in it. The big difference is that there was no bath at the end of the day. Without thinking twice, the man got up from where the slayers and the Kinoe were gathered, making his way outside. There he was met with one of the Kakushi which he told what he was looking for: his well deserving bath. The man accompanied Erwin to his own prepared bath.

There, the German found a decently sized Japanese tub, big enough for one person, with what appeared to be steaming water. The only problem was that Erwin was not only tall, but muscular compared to the average Japanese person - “Oh well, can’t really complain. There wasn’t even a wet towel during the siege, most of the days” - and with that in mind, the man took off his clothes, got into the tub without much ceremony, feeling his body sink into that perfectly prepared water. His back rested comfortable against the border of the tub behind him. Closing his eyes, his consciousness slowly drifting away.

 

[kakemha]

< sakura aka >​

Sakura took the exercises more seriously, pushing herself further and further each round. By the end, she had gotten the hang of Total Concentration Breathing, or at least she thought she did. It was nightfall, her limbs were very very sore, but was barely manageable, even if you ignored the pain. But she was amazed with Akimine ( ManofManyRoles ), she only looked slightly tired after all of that, and she fought of a group of slayers by herself. 'I guess that is what happens if you use Total Concentration Breathing all the time' she thought to herself. She wanted to be like that, it was certainly admirable, she was certainly admirable. She followed Akimine and the rest of the group into the barracks. She head Akimine tell them that the Kakushi were tasked to draw a bath for them and to prepare food for them. The kakushi were always very resilient and accommodating, they might as well be the back bone of the Corps. As much as she was hungry, she needed a shower urgently, she was covered in sweat and dirt. She walked up to one of the Kakushi and asked where the bath was and to just bring a set of food into her room if that was possible. After following their instructions she walked to the bath.

Closing the door behind her, she sunk into the tub of warm water. This helped relax her muscles a bit, it felt really nice. She spend several minutes scrubbing the dirt off of her and once she was done, she dressed up again and headed to her room. As she entered, she saw the tray of food on a table inside. She propped her katana up by the window and sat down to eat. As if on cue, Senbi flew through the window and landed on the table. "Greedy aren't we, Senbi san" She said as she gave Senbi some of her food before digging in herself. And goodness was this meal good, she made sure that she would thank the kakushi next time she saw them. She had cleaned the tray of the food, and Senbi finished his share. Her pink hair was almost dry at this point, she headed over to the bed. She was getting quite sleepy, and as soon as she got situated, she fell asleep. Sakura was always a very early riser, so she would probably be up before anyone else was.

 

[ManofManyRoles]

Days of training, a new face, a new mission!
Demon Slayer HQ
Sakutsuki Akimine and...?

The following days of training were increasingly difficult to say the least for the Slayer 'class', the same exercise for an entire week. A game of tag, with the goal of capturing their instructor's ribbon. Simple in theory, but by day three it had become near impossible to do so, the Kinoe working the Slayers to their breaking point each day by sundown, and yet never to the point any would truly break. A whole week of running, utilizing Total Concentration Breathing, and planning and thinking on one's feet, as well as a need for teamwork was fostered and slowly refined by the group as they chased the nimble and agile target. However, their instructor was not without kindness, and each day at sundown on the dot the class was given a chance to rest and relax. And when Friday rolled around, they were permitted a break a whole thirty minutes early to rest. So far, results did not seem readily noticeable, but surely that would chance. The instructor offered equal amounts of verbal insight and training just as much as she did physical, small tidbits of thought or wisdom offered up.

Early on Saturday, before the sun had even truly begun to peek over the horizon, there was a distinct noise as the Slayers gathered for their daily lesson. Closer and closer it came, the Kinoe glancing skyward as she heard- "North-North West! You all have to go North-North West!" The Kinoe stepped to the side at the last moment as Yasu aimed to land atop her head, landing on her shoulder instead. "Yasu?" "Catastrophy! Horror! A temple to the North-North West has been slaughtered! The Kannushi are believed dead!" The Kinoe paused, studying her companion. "I see...A hands-on lesson it is then. We have our orders, we'll be heading out immediately." If one was perceptive, they could almost see a comical bead of sweat on the Kasugais head as it stared at Akimine, as if it wanted to say something but feared the repercussions. Feeling the eyes on the side of her face she slowly shifted her gaze there, raising an eyebrow in question. "Oh no, please don't tell me." "I did tell you another instructor would be helping!"

As if all the air in the Kinoe's lungs had been let out she deflated for just the briefest moment, before a new voice joined the group from behind them. "Apologies for being so late to join you all! I had been on an assignment that I needed to complete before I could meet you all!" The voice was definitively feminine, and much more 'rural' in the way it spoke and pronounced its words as opposed to the Water Kinoe. How that voice had managed to creep behind them was anyone's guess, however. Should one look around they would find themselves face to face with a woman just a touch taller than Akimine, a bright smile on her face and energy in her eyes. "I am Asagisa Kirisu, I'm the second instructor for you all! A pleasure, truly!" If Akimine was as cool as a refreshing stream and as calm as a crystal clear lake with how she spoke, this woman was a definitive opposite. Full of vigor and passion, much less 'educated' in how she spoke and addressed others. "So you'll be-" "Yes, I'll be joining you on this mission! And any others you all may have! Maybe they'll have a chance to see how an actual swordswoman fights." "...I see." For but the briefest moment, there was an unspoken challenge of electricity between the two women's gaze before Akimine glanced at the group again. "The reasoning for us both being your instructors dates back to the founding of the Corps, I would suspect. A Water and Flame Hashira have always been ascendant in the Corps. Though we are not Hashira, the symbolism still stands I believe. I would recommend you all make your preparations and meet back here within ten minutes so we can depart...Yasu, do we have any more information?" The Kasugai deflated, giving a sad 'caw' at the question. "No. We just know it's demons. And hopefully this will not be a repeat of Mt. Natagumo." "Always so optimistic, aren't you?"

Phayne Archdemon qingwa kakemha Sopranos DipDapTheSlap Nenma Takashi​

 

[Maxxob]

CODE / ARKNIGHT

Erwin Kott

Location: The Demon Slayer Corps HQ

On the way to the frontlines

Erwin was up exactly at the expected time in every single day, and Saturday wasn’t an exception. There he was, standing in attention beside his fellow trainees. Perfect straight back, his muscular chest sticking out. His sword and scabbard hanging on the left side of his body, his uniform had not a single wrinkle and his hat sat perfectly on his head, almost as if belonged there. His facial hair had been taken care of, standing proudly between his upper lip and his nose. One thing to notice, however, is that one of his medals, the one awarded for colonial service, was gone. Both his iron cross and the medal awarded for his service in China were on display.

When the crow bellowed with warnings of a new mission, his eyes narrowed. Nothing better than training in a real-life scenario. But it appeared that was not all, suddenly, a new instructor had joined them. Her demeanour was totally different from ( ManofManyRoles ) Akimine, almost looking like a mirror image of her - “Hello, Kirisu-sama, it will be a nice exercise to seeing how different approaches may be applied to the same solution” - and there, he relaxed. It looked like the woman’s behaviour had removed the Westerner from his ‘officer mode’. It was something that the other slayers had noticed from when they were together, training with the blue-haired woman, and how everything about the man changed, when they were resting. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Probably too early to tell. One can only hope that the change is a positive one, for the German’s own sake.

 

[Phayne]

Mentions: Akimine ManofManyRoles
The last week had been nothing less than 'spartan' in the truest sense of the word, the repetition of the same excercises each day with increasing difficulty being completely taxing on the mind, body and soul. Repetition, repetition and more repetition was one of the most basic yet most effective ways for one to harness a skill they sought to master; the continuous reliance on the same fundamentals being unconsciously ingrained into memory, so much so that by the end of it all the act of maintaining Total concentration breathing would be second nature. Unlike the first day where Renji had shown glimpses of the storm within himself, the remaining days had seen a much more subdued swordsman. Focused more on the task at hand and ignoring the noise around him, the red haired slayer had devoted himself to mastering the techniques shown more than anything else.

Change to the schedule would soon arrive on the Saturday, the crow assigned to Akimine flying with haste as it delivered the commands from above. Disaster striking a temple North-North-West from here. Immediately Renji would begin to tap away at his blade, an opportunity had finally arose for him to vent the frustrations from this week as well as to test his new forge mettle against a foe he was permitted to kill. Alas before they could make their way to the Temple, it seemed a far more pressing matter for Akimine had come to light as well, the discomfort and tinge of annoyance that sparked from her exchange with Yasu was not lost on Renji.


'A new instructor...? thought Renji, who only noticed her presence once she finally announced it. As if on instinct, Renji had raised his guard, the feeling of being snuck up upon being one he was always wary of. How had he not noticed she was here? How long had she even been behind them?.. The rough and rural tone in which she spoke a complete contrast to that of Akimine's. ' A simpleton... thought Renji as he listened in on the exchange between the two instructors.
​

 

[kakemha]

< sakura aka >​

The days following the first day of training was brutal to say the least. She expected to feel less tired after each exercise, but instead after each exercise she felt more tired than she did previously. Every time it came to the end of the day, she did the same thing, take a bath, eat and sleep. It became routine for her very quickly. And although the exercises were brutal, she felt like they were really helping her. She would be able to do more the next day, but she kept pushing her limits nonetheless. But little did she know that her routine would be broken that Saturday.

On Saturday, she proceeded as normal, got ready and went out onto the training grounds, it seemed like the rest of the group was starting to come together for training as well. But she, and maybe some others hear it as well. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it became clear soon. It was Yasu, coming to them with directions for a mission. So this would be the time where they could show off how well their training went. But another surprise would come her way, a new instructor. When she first greeted the group, Sakura got an immediate first impression. 'She seems... energetic and optimistic' She thought to herself as she introduced herself. Asagisa Kirisu ( ManofManyRoles ) would be an interesting instructor in Sakura's mind.

Ten minutes, that was how much they were given. It would be more than enough time. Sakura already had her katana attached to her hip. And luckily, as if one cue, Senbi flew down, and she grabbed the ribbon from his talon before he flew away. She tied up her hair in her signature ponytail she uses during training. She thought she was all set, although she felt like she was missing something. Senbi came back with something in his talons, she wasn't exactly sure what it was yet, but she trusted her crow companion. She reached her hands out and caught what he dropped from his talons. It was her mask. [x] She only really wore it on missions and she hadn't had one for about a week, she finally got to wear it again. When she put on the mask, she wasn't Sakura Aka anymore, she became Chi no Hana. The voices went away or softened when she wore that mask, it is something that was dear to her. She put it on, and she was ready for the mission.

 

[qingwa]

tomi tennoji

Though the week had annihilated her, Tomi couldn't show it. She noticed herself waking up later and later each morning, Lady Sakutsuki had definitely not been benevolent in her and her fellow slayers' training. 'Ugh, that hag...' She'd think to herself every night, sinking deeper into the warm waters of the bath, they were the only enjoyable part of her day, so she was sure to savor it. During these few moments of free time, she'd think about the other students in the program, impressions of them changing each day, most for worse.

"Guh.." A choke, a gasp, both echoed throughout the empty bathroom, Tomi's grip on Total Concentration Constant was growing tighter, but was it tight enough? 'Aunt Koto must be cooking dinner at home right now... I wonder how she could eat like this...' It probably wasn't if she was still struggling with that. 'Ah, I miss her cooking.'

After bathing would be the dinners, which her mind drew blanks remembering the day after, at least someone enjoyed them. Tororo the crow was more than happy to take portions of Tomi's share that she couldn't eat. How envious she was of her kasugai crow, how nice it would be if she could just fly around and swallow mice whole, or whatever it is that crows do, surely it was better than this.

Every morning she'd get up as early as she could to wash her face, to brush her hair, to do whatever she needed to do to look presentable. Everyone was likely well past, if not already, the point of caring about appearances, but beauty is devotion, after all. Besides, what was she without it? It wasn't like she had any special talents or skills she could rely on to stand out.

A bright red tama kanzashi tying long, silky strands into her usual hairdo, heralding the coming of winter, a freshly washed face, not a single wrinkle, blemish, or eye bag to show for her fatigue, and an amble that made the morning glories on her haori bloom out of the cloth. An entrance that used to turn heads, during the days before Lady Sakutsuki and her, pardon her language, fricking training.

But it was also on this day that her entrance would be eclipsed by a new face, a new instructor, enter Kirisu Asagisa, who was the type of woman she was very familiar with. Neutral connotation.​

 

[ManofManyRoles]

The Shrine Massacre
North North-West
Sakutsuki Akimine and Asagisa Kirisu
As the Slayers readied themselves to depart and had a chance to discuss amongst themselves, Akimine and Kirisu appeared to be locked in some sort of silent battle as their gazes remained locked, both Kinoe seeming to mirror the other in almost every sense where Akimine was shorter by two inches and much more petite in frame, Kirisu seemed the taller of the two and sporting more muscle in her frame than the Water breather...one built for speed and agility, so what was the others speciality? Kirisu, however, wasn't without manners and broke eye contact to address Erwin appropriately. "Greetings! It's a pleasure to meet you. If I were to guess, you would be Erwin-san, yes? I look forward to showcasing the sort of skill you should utilize when dealing with a Demon." "Keeping in mind that every individual has a unique approach, I hope?" Kirisu's eyes landed on Akimine, a confident grin on her face. "The approach may be different for each, but the fundamental is the same. The removal of a Demons head, always."

After ten minutes, and not a minute later, the group would depart from the Slayer headquarters to the shrine, Yasu taking flight to lead the way and stalling in the air by flying circles as necessary so the group could keep pace. It was an all day walk, but compared to the training Akimine had put the Slayers through it could barely be considered a warm-up. After all, a several mile-long hike was nothing when they had easily been sprinting that sort of distance over the week. By the time the Slayers had arrived darkness had fallen across the land, the autumn months lessening the daylight hours they had to work with. And what a sight it was that poor desecrated Shinto shrine. A large building, at least two stories in design and quite large, obviously built to pay homage to several Kami of importance. The robes of the priests could be found in tatters around the grounds, the garden destroyed and dark stains across the walls of the building that clearly indicated blood...a demon attack of some kind, but it was impossible to tell just how severe it was.

Kirisu stopped at the head of the group, a hand at the hilt of her blade as she paused, narrowing her eyes. "The air tastes incredibly bitter here. I'd wager...four demons. At the very least." Akimine glanced over to her in curiosity, then back to the shrine. "Interesting. Demons don't usually take to large gatherings." Where the two women had been at each other's throats from looks alone the entire trip here, the mission before them seemed to have put them of a single mind for now at least. "We can split into groups. Spreading out in a building like this could spell disaster." "Oh yes, because I was certainly going to suggest we all split up." "Sarcasm is not necessary. Erwin-San, Renji-San, I'll bring the both of you with me." "In that case, Tomi-San and Sakura-San shall come with me."

The two Kiinoe glanced between each other before surveying the shrine again, Kirisu starting to walk away abruptly as she drew her blade in an effort to loop around the building and seemingly head for the back. "Come on then, girls. We'll find a demon if we take this path, I can taste it with certainty." Akimine heaved a small sigh, the soft sound of a blade leaving its scabbard as she drew the brilliant blue blade that she kept at her hip, nodding to both men. "We'll be entering through the front, since she's taking the rear." The Kinoe paused as if she glimpsed something in the tree line, her eyes narrowing for just a moment before giving another nod, starting for the front entrance. "Be on your guard, and stay close with me."

Maxxob Phayne qingwa kakemha Sopranos DipDapTheSlap Nenma Takashi​

 

[Phayne]

Mentions: Akimine ManofManyRoles Erwin Maxxob
Renji had remained silent for the vast majority of their journey; the demon slayer content with keeping the pace in complete silence as he observed the chemistry between the two instructors; the contrast between their styles and personalities were quite obvious to those with even a smidgen of observational skills. Whilst Akimine had thus far proven herself to be worthy of inheriting the breathing style of water; her graceful demeanor akin to tranquil water as well as the sudden tempest she can whip out at will; the newest arrival Asagisa had yet been given the opportunity to showcase why she was skilled in the art of Flame breathing.

That being said, given how the pair of them appeared to be two sides of the same coin Renji could already hazard a guess as to how Asagisa's fighting style would appear to be; the general stereotype of Flames being destructive being the natural default assumption that many would generally make. If that were the case then he'd be quite interested in seeing how she operated on the field of battle; an opportunity that may come sooner rather then later considering the severity of the upcoming mission.


....


Day would give way to nightfall before the group would finally arrive at the desecrated northern temple. Blind yet not without ability to sense the surroundings, Renji could only grit his teeth as he glanced around the stained earth around them; his hand reaching for the hilt of his own blade as his emotions began to boil underneath his skin. He would only be taken away from his emotions by the sound of Kirisu talking; her phrasing rather awkward as she suggested she had the ability to taste how many demons were nearby. A peculiar ability yet one that shouldn't have surprised Renji, given his own. It was only now that they were at the scene of the crime did the sense on rivalry disipate between the two Kinoe; their problems with one another pushed aside as the mission took priority.


Upon being assigned to Team Akimine, Renji simply nodded and walked forward; his blade still sheathed as he alongside Erwin began to follow. Renji didn;t need to be told twice to remain on guard. The slayer was ready to strike at anything dumb enough to engage them.

​

 

[Maxxob]

CODE / ARKNIGHT

Erwin Kott

Location: Raided Temple

On the way to the frontlines

While Erwin couldn’t say that night missions were his speciality, the Demon Slayer’s job required one to adapt in acting while in darkness. Maybe, it was actually to his upper hand that his prior knowledge of warfare would not create presuppositions of what to do or how to act, being free to follow the water ( ManofManyRoles ) Kinoe’s instructions fully. From the looks of it, the larger group would split up in a pincer-attack, one approaching by the front of the gate, while the other approached it through its back. It was a sound plan, no doubt about it.

Nodding after being assigned a group, working alongside ( Phayne ) Renji, he started to make his way towards the front gate of the temple, sword drawn, trying to move as silently as he could. Unfortunately, subterfuge wasn’t the man’s best valour and, with each pace, his boots emitted a low, rubbery squeak. His right hand was already hovering over the handle of his blade, ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice. His right arm ending up being a bit further along his body, almost ended up being a shield of sorts. He kept himself close to the blue-haired woman, just as she had advised. In anticipation, his breathing started to slow down with each step, consistently inhaling and exhaling air from his lungs. A silent crackling could be heard only the most trained of ears.

 

[kakemha]

< sakura aka >​

Once they took off towards the location, she followed suit, following Yasu in the sky. As weird as it may sound, she was pretty excited, she hadn't been on a mission for the past week. 'I just hope the training will pay off' Sakura thought to herself. If the training paid off, then her skills and abilities will have increased, even if it is just a little. She also wondered how their two sensei's would fight in a real battle. I mean 2 Kinoes fighting by your side, it was gonna be quite interesting to watch. She could also get a more in depth reading on Kirisu ( ManofManyRoles ), since she had only just met her. But finally they reached the temple, and they were ready to slay some demons.

She watched as the two instructors talked amongst themselves. She took an interest to Kirisu for a moment, she could taste the number of demons, that was interesting. But before she could think more about the matter, the two had came to a decision, they would split up into groups. Tomi ( qingwa ) and her were assigned to Kirisu's group. Once Kirkisu started to move, Sakura move along with her, always staying behind her. She was on alert the entire time, making sure she was ready to strike at any moment. She even kept a hand on her sword sheath, ready to take out her katana. She entered a Concentration Breathing state as they walked and looked out for clues along the path they were walking in.

 

[qingwa]

tomi tennoji
kakemha ManofManyRoles

'I just hope we're getting paid...' After all, that was her reason for becoming a slayer, Tomi was no devout believer. The temple was fairly large, blood and robes strewn around, a decor ill befitting such a sacred place, one wherein she could have found the comfort of a stable marriage, she scorned the demons responsible. Tomi's nose would have scrunched up at the sight if not for her company.

Four demons, she wasn't going to doubt her superior, four demons she wanted to see destroyed.

'Asagisa and Aka, both a bit strange in their own ways.' Sucks to suck Tomi, get in the girlboss team. The carnation, the cherry blossom, and the morning glory. The latter walked behind the former two, hands folded on in front of her, but ready to compromise her well-mannered demeanor to unsheathe her blade.​

 

[Orikanyo]

Watanabe Jin.

Okay, so, hes had some bad jobs before. "Go out and scout ahead." Said the job, report back. Easy. Sure. That was all well and good. He was gonna show up to the shrine, look around and then, after watching some old bastards mosey on about for abit he will go back and tell HQ shit all was happening in the middle of nowhere.

But now, now here he was.

Stuck in the rafters, his suppoused squad mates having run away or ended up like the monks. But here he was, holding himself steady and pressed up against the roof, eyes closed and as quiet as a mouse. He could open his eyes, but things like this... They can sense when something is looking at them. Instinct, everything has it, but when two predators are playing cat and mouse a gaze at the wrong moment can mean death. But.. Now... There were footsteps below... His position was above the front door, he hadn't heard it open... So...

Was there somebody there?

Was... He saved?

Or were more idiots gonna be thrown to the slaughter?

He temptwd fate, he had to know. His eyes opened, adjusting to the darkness, peering down below with his honey colored eyes... "...Eh...? They finally sent people?" He actually spoke out, abit suprised they were this quick, he figured it would have taken... How long has it been?

Time flies when you're stuck in a roof of a shrine full of demons.

But... Should he leave his relatively safe hiding spot? Gods above this was hell.... He barely had any info on the demons either, they were demons, so, evil, ugly and carnivorous.

Hey... They were all girls? Did the demons have a weakness against them or something? Why did they send him if they knew that!?!?!?

They couldn't have just sent him to die could they!?

....

........

Yea they probably did.... Shit...

....

.......

"....psssst.... Psssssssst...." he tried to call attention, trying his best without calling the wrong kind... "They're hiding.... Watch your corners and abive..." he whispered, as a drop of sweat dropped from his face to the ground, almost emulating a lightly leaky roof...

@ front door squad (Flipped a coin)

 

[ManofManyRoles]

The Shrine Massacre
Team Akimine
Whenever happiness is destroyed, there's always the smell of blood...

Making their way carefully into the entrance of the desecrated shrine, the trio was greeted with the overwhelming scent of blood. Despite it having long since spilled and even dried, the metallic taste in the air remained like an angered spirit, all too eager to greet the group who arrived. Robes and uniform lay destroyed and in tatters across the grounds, shrines to Kami's defaced and warding kanji scratched through or painted over with blood. In the corner, one could find a neatly 'cleaned' collection of bones from femur to skull, and from hand to foot, a sure sign that a 'beast' of some kind was responsible for the murders that took place here. In the center of the room was a single staircase that led to the upper floor, small mushrooms and molds growing at the base as if ill taken care of. The Kinoe looked around slowly, adjusting her grip on her sword as she scanned the darkness surrounding them, small lanterns blissfully casting a small degree of lighting, aided by the light of the moon and stars that peeked in through the windows.

"This is all still recent," Akimine all but breathed out, her voice naught but a whisper. At the sound of someone speaking the Kinoe's attention darted to the heavens, only to find Jin hiding in the rafters, a soft 'interesting' escaping her. An advance force had been sent ahead perhaps? "Get down here then, you're not much aid to getting rid of demons if you're in hiding." Akimine's voice was but a soft whisper...unfortunately there was one thing that was quite audible with each and every step it took.

Those. Damn. Boots. After Erwin took one more step Akmine glanced over at him, gaze uncomfortably cool in how he regarded him for this exact moment. "We really must discuss your footwear-" The sound of a snap drew her attention, the Kinoe moving in a single quick action to shove Erwin to the side as a snapped femur flew toward where he had once stood as a form of improvised throwing weapon, the ground cratering from the impact, the Slayers attention darting towards the stairs that started in the middle of the Temple to head to the upper floor, blade at the ready. "Ohhh fun. More Demon Slayers. Are you all at least competent?" A woman stood at the top of the steps, the other half of the femur that had been used as a projectile towards Erwin in her hand, being used to pick her teeth with a shattered point. "Hope you don't mind us moving in. We decided He deserved a temple, and why build one when we can just take one?" The demon acted quickly, hurling the other half of the femur towards Akimine who very narrowly avoided having her shoulder being impaled, her Haori torn by the grazed bone. "Spread out, don't act impulsively." It was a simple order, but it'd put the training they'd had to the test. Stay moving, and coordinate while doing so.

Phayne Maxxob Orikanyo​

 

[FiveElemental]

Korin Kitsuragi
DETECTIVE ARRIVING AT THE SCENE
​

"Shit... this definetly was a demon attack. At least four were present, no nuance about it." The uniform wearing police officer stated quietly as he entered the temple without making as much as a creak. As he examined the crime scene, crouching down to observe bloody footprints sctrune about the room. "Wait, Twelve? No, Five demon's were present, they were running back and forth during their massacre, One, very sloppy in it's movements perhaps a fresh spawn, And one is an very experienced demon, they were ruthless and efficient with their kills, no wasted effort, or bodies. Perhaps a Demon Moon?... no, extremly unlikely, they don't like eating bodies this sloppily, most of them eats the bone marrow, and it's untouched here. Gods, this job never gets easy." Pulling out a pair of latex gloves, he bent down and started to examine the remains more closely, a torse with the head still attached, pulls out a notebook, and pencil as he begins scribbling down notes. Neck bone clipped, indicating Claw Lacerations to the gullet. Chest cavity crushed. "They weren't here to torture... strange. Wait, I'm missing something obvious here, why did they..." Korin immediately knew that this was merely a trap laid out to attract Demon Slayers, thankfully, the Demons currently here are both smart, and stupid. They want more Demon Slayers to come here, they rather spare the minnow to bait the fish. Taking full advantage of the temporary "mercy" he was granted, he continued his investigation. "No... if they were still here, they would've attacked me." He spoke as whispers from above was picked up by his ear.

"Why aren't we eating him already?! He doesn't even know we're here!"
"Hush now, why eat a minnow, when we can use the minnow to attract bigger fish? We already enjoyed a meal, why not enjoy a feast? Not just a snack... Let him go, besides, I have a feeling he'll be back soon~"

He dared not to look up, or risk stepping on the "Mercy" he was granted, as his eyes began constructing the crime scene. As he was constructing it, however, his eyes picked out something unusual, a long piece of white and light green hair, picking it up and testing the tensile strength, he immediately knew it was that of a Demons, quickly storing it in a sunproof evidence bag, he quickly tallied up the corpses, took whatever was left of the previosly sent demon slayer envoy, mainly their Nichirin Blades, only being able to locate two. He calculated the estimated strength of the four Demons, stepped outside and began writing a message to Headquarter of his investigation.

"Five Demons, One extremly experienced, cunning, and dangerous, used me as bait for more slayers. Last Envoy Massacred.
Confirmed Deaths: Taiji Miri - Kanoe, Yosuke Shigata - Mizunoe
Missing: Watanabe Jin - Mizunoto, Shun Yokoshi- Mizunoto
Reccomended Course of Action: Send a Hashira, one experienced Kinoe, or three Kinotos."

As he sent off the message with his Kasugai Crows, he quietly returned back to the Inn he was staying at for the night, wrapping up his investigation before night sat in.

Two day have passed.
​

Korin has returned to the Shinto Temple at night, it was not the most ideal situation, but thankfully, he knew that backup was coming, thanks to his Kasugai Crows, who mentioned a substancially large envoy on it's way to slay the Demons residing in the temple. If he died, at least some of his body would make it to a crematorium. As he waited for the next envoy to come along, staying out of sight in the garden. He waited patiently for the envoy to approach. As he quietly thought to himself. "Gods... I way too lucky yesterday." Shaking his head slightly. "You were WAY off your guard Korin... That last case is getting way in your head, yes finally busting a major slave trafficking ring is satisfying, but you've done this ring way too many times to know that another one is going to pop up, unless something fundamental changes. Well, Hindsight is twenty-twenty after all I suppose." As he waited for the envoy to arrive.

 

[Phayne]

Mentions: Akimine ManofManyRoles Erwin Maxxob Jin Orikanyo
Splintering off into their teams, Renji still silent as ever had followed Erwin and Akimine in through the building; the overpowering stench of blood filling the nostrils as they pushed further in. Long ago the scent of blood would have caused Renji to falter; to recoil in disgust as the taste of iron tickled the tongue, yet now having seen so much of it, he had become all but numb to the smell. A sad truth but one that many long serving demon slayers would eventually come to know as they continued down the dark and winding path fated for all demon slayers; until their inevitable demise.

Even to Renji, it was evident that this wasn't an attack on a temple.. no it was something far more bestial, barbaric and merciless. What occurred here was in truth, a massacre. One force overwhelmingly more powerful than the other and having no issues using that vast disparity in strength to their own advantage.

Grip tightening, it was apparent that they had indeed entered the lair of a demon. Not only was the stench ripe and pungent, but the air itself felt much thicker then it did outside; like some invisible pressure was lingering all around them; waiting for the opportune time to strike. Truly a lair fitting of a demon, The belly of the beast, so they called it.

Stopping in his path, Renji glanced upward as the faint sound of sweat popping on the floor in front of him grabbed his immediate attention; the voice above all but confirming the presence of another; not a demon yet not someone that had immediately garnered much respect from Renji. Had he been here during the slaughter? Had he hidden when he could have otherwise fought? Or perhaps they had arrived earlier, only to find themselves completely overpowered. It was mount Natagumo all over again.

As Akimine addressed the voice above, Renji had instead focused his attention back to their surroundings; his senses on alert for external threats. Footsteps silent, unlike that of Erwin's boots; Renji continued to move slowly around the room; looking for signs of demons lurking yet that itself was not enough to notice the presence watching from within the shadows of the stairs and had it not been for the sudden attack and the sound of Erwin's body being shoved; Renji wouldn't have noticed the demonic presence standing a few feet away.

Knowing the direction of where the enemy was, Renji held his blade forward; ready to initiate an attack once an opening presented itself; the blind swordsman showing no obvious openings in his stance.

"Silence Demon" spat Renji, already playing out several scenarios of engagement within his head; yet remaining firm footed in the ground. He didn't need Akimine's warning of acting impulsively to know that going in reckless was a mistake; after all Asagisa had mentioned the potential for 4 demons lingering in the area.

​

 

[ManofManyRoles]

A Garden of Broken Dreams
Team Kirisu
A trap sprung

The Flame Kinoe walked calmly, eyes scanning the tree line surrounding the temple with each step forward, never bothering to check behind her to see if the two girls had stuck by her. Mostly because she knew with a certainty that they were nearby, the woman speaking in a soft tone. "It's hard to tell just how many demons we'll be facing. I can with certainty it's at least four, but it may be more...The taste is overwhelming after a time. It's like over-seasoning a dish, after a time you can on longer tell how much of a spice you used and that there is simply too much of it." Reaching the garden at the back of the temple, the trio would be able to see the extent of the damage wrought by the demons. Flowers and creeping vines had been destroyed and trampled, and fed blood rather than water. The Kinoe looked around, eyes narrowing before they landed squarely in the direction of Korin's hiding space, flexing her fingers on the hilt of her blade. "Who's there? We're here to help, step out now." The woman's voice wasn't as low quite as nearly as it could have been, but of course it had to be a bit louder for whoever it was to hear her. She started forward slowly, careful not to step on a blood-splattered hat of one of the Kannushi who had once manned the temple. She had only made it halfway to Korins position before she froze, looking around quickly. "There's a demon nearby, the air just got overwhelmingly bitter." "My, you're a perceptive one aren't you!?" Kirisu's gaze went straight to the roof of the temple, stepping back just in time to avoid something barrelling down towards her only to swoop skyward again, held aloft by wings akin to a moths. "Quick too, so interesting! I do hope you all don't mind the redecorating...I don't suppose you've come to give worship to Him like He deserves?" "Can't say I am, no." "A shame! Ah well, you'll pay a tithe in blood then!" The demon glared down at the group with glee before his attention snapped to were Korin was, only to start barreling down towards the slayer in hiding.

kakemha qingwa FiveElemental​

 

[Maxxob]

CODE / ARKNIGHT

Erwin Kott

Location: Raided Temple

Angriff!

Although the Westerner was shoved, suddenly, out of the way of the make-shift spear made out of a femur, instead of falling on the ground, his left hand slammed against the temple floor, serving as a platform. The muscular man ended up making a hand-stand, which a single hand, before flexing his arm and throwing himself upwards in the air. With a quick spin of his body, he landed on his feet, his jack-boots absorbing most of the impact caused by the sheer weight of his body. When he landed, he took a lower stand, his eyes focused on the female demon in front of them.

The man started to slowly side-step to his right, while still keeping his eyes on the demon before the group. He tried to get the best angle towards it, maybe find her blind spot. His breathing was already controlled, ready to strike at the demon at any moment. He had not done so only because of the ( ManofManyRoles ) Kinoe’s words of caution: don’t act impulsively. But doesn’t fortune favour the bold? Were they going to keep a stalemate between them and the demon before them? Unthinkable.

And with those thoughts in his mind, electricity started to crackle, being dispersed first from his legs, raising from it towards his arms. The tips of his fingers discharged the most, the air being filled with static. Slowly, but surely, the man’s eyes turned into a faint yellowish colour, his body inched forwards, towards the demon that was taunting their fallen comrades which had been defeated.

And with a small release of air from his mouth, Erwin ripped through space, cutting his way towards their foe. The yellow katana was drawn from the scabbard in the correct time. His aim was, curiously enough, at the demon’s throwing arm. A quick slash, after his instantaneous dash, direct to her shoulder, followed by a sweeping cut, directed towards her throat. He hoped his attack would have, at the very least, created an opening for both the blue-haired woman and the ( Phayne ) red-haired man.

 

[Orikanyo]

Jin Watanabe

Oh, come down? Oh yes sure that would be ever so smart huh? To go down and die with the rest of them as they get eaten alive or HOPEFULLY DEAD. Yea, thats smart.

Whelp, one of the demons showed up now, so, guess it was time for the circus of bullshit to go in full swing! Oh Buddah, Christ, whoever is out there in this temple, if he makes it out of here he swears he will become a good honorable man! Ignore the fact he lied the three last times it's came down to begging the gods the same way. He means it this time! For certain!!

Can't a guy get a second(fifth) chance here?

Okay.

So.

They weren't murdered immedately.

One of them ran in despite being told to stay still... Hes got all the focus right now... Attention is on the star of the show. So Jin had to be quick... And thats basically all his style was so, screw it.

It took but a brief moment, but the young man let go of his hand holds and let gravity do the work, his angle slowly going downwards as his feet still remained rooted, he leapt forwards towarss the ground, with such speed that the sweat from his face became left behind in a small shower, landing with a step that a mouse would be jealous of, and then leapt once more directly to the ceiling again, this time a bracing pillar inside, keeping the floor above from caving in.

His father would have bitched to no end, bastardizing the honored techniques to hide and hide again! Does he know what he was fighting!? Plus he wasn't a kinoe! This thing looked scary!! Nice rack, but freaky as shit!!!

Do as you usually do, hide, wait, ambush like a hawk swooping in from above, be quiet and don't let the fucking things hear you! Let the others handle it and slip in when you can!

Just a head, take the head and run away! Who cares about glory when life is at stake!!!

@ Front door squad.

 

[Archdemon]

Name: Tatsuo Mori
Rank: Tsuchinoto
Mention/Interaction: ManofManyRoles Phayne Maxxob Orikanyo
​

Tatsuo worked to his extreme for the past week, It was grueling and difficult, but he toughed it out. After awhile he was used to the intense pain, quicker than probably most get through. He would take any break during this time to work out, after all what's 20 minutes compared to the entire day? He did take the evening off, at least to recuperate. Still even if he was to sleep, it would be better to practice breathing while sleeping. Still after all that time they finally got their first mission together as a group, as well as a new Teacher. She was a flame style kinoe, and she seemed to be the opposite of Akimine. Passionate, excitable, like a flame burning bright in it's life. She was named Agasisa Kirisu. He doesn't have an opinion of her yet, though he'd expect that to change. Either way everyone headed down to where they would battle demons.

The discussion following at the temple seemed to suggest 4 demons had taken residency, or at least it was a minimum of four demons. He hoped these demons would at least be stronger than the last few he's been tasked to take out. Can't see your progress if you're fighting small fry. Still no matter their strength, a demon shouldn't be underestimated. That's how a lot of these idiot slayers die. Can't die yet, not until she dies. The group would be split into two groups, one to enter the front, the other to take the back entrance. Tatsuo was selected for Akimine, alongside Renji and Erwin. This will be interesting to say the least.

Taking the trip inside provided a Ghastly scene. Blood and bones everywhere, a place of worship desecrated. It was terrible what happened here, more akin to a beastly massacre than anything else. Maybe after this he'll send a prayer to all these lost souls. They deserve better than to be treated like food. Still he walked forward until they reached the stairs leading upwards. The squeaking of the German loud as the tires of a damn car. Though it seemed like they had company in the rafters, and as he clicked his blade forward a tiny bit he noticed it was a man, a demon slayer at that cowering. If he managed to avoid the demons until now, that is impressive, still can't do much if you're waiting to die. Suddenly a femur was tossed, once at Erwin who was shoved out of the way and at Akimine who dodged the other half.

At the top of the stair was a female demon, and she spoke about Muzan as if he was a god to be worshipped. What a bunch of Bullshit, no way that fucker deserves anything less the a swift boot to the face. However Akimine told them not to be impulsive, which is fair however Erwin took initiative. Damn Foreigner rushing into an enemy whom he has no idea what their capabilities are. You're supposed to draw the demon in, take the defensive and study them. It's always easier to deal with someone after you piss them off, they always come at you stupid, then you put a bullet in their skull.

Tatsuo was constantly breathing in, taking to his training as best he could. He took a deep breath and billowed it out through his nostrils. He rushed forward with great speed, maybe not so much as the german, but he the took to the air with great strength. "Worship? Him? As if he deserves it! A Cockroach deserves more respect then that fucker! Seventh Form!" Tatsuo Unsheathed his blade quickly slashed at the demons neck, or so it would seem but instead he missed. He used the feint's momentum to twist his body, "Improvised! Flying Dragon Kick!" And delivered a powerful Dropkick to the demon. He then kicked off her with great force, grabbing Erwin with his other hand and they soon both flung down the stairs, Tatsuo landed on the floor with a roll and spun around facing the demon. The group was behind him, and he knew they couldn't take the beating like he could. It was better to let Tatsuo take the brunt of her attacks, that way they could see what she is capable of. "Come and face me Demon! Or are you gonna cower like your master does!" He spit on the ground as he said this, clearly mocking Muzan's name.

 

[ManofManyRoles]

The Shrine Massacre
Team Akimine
That scar on her eye...could she be?

The demoness kept her malevolent gaze on the group, even as Akimine moved quickly to spread out from the rest of the group to make them less of a clumped together target as she swooped right into the room. "Oh? Silence? And how will you make me silence then, mortal? Remove my head, perhaps?" The sound of crackling electricity drew her attention to Erwin, an eager and malevolent grin on her face. It all happened so fast, one would need to have the right kind of training or skills to keep an eye on the First Form of Thunder Breathing. Erwins blade cut true, cleaving her arm from her shoulder as her eyes widened only a bit in surprise, the limb falling to the ground in a fountain spray of blood. As Erwin went straight for her neck the blade struck true, cutting an inch or so into her throat...only to stop there, her eyes on him as she made no effort to grab the blade. It was like trying to cut through the thickest and oldest tree one could find with a simple combat knife, the demons eyes on Erwins as she quickly grabbed his blade, holding it still. "Not bad, but you lack finesse." Now that Erwin was up close, the demon alight with crackling electricity, he could see it quite clearly...the right eye of the demoness had a Kanjii on it, as if some sort of horrible tattoo. The writing for 'Lower One', though the eye bore a large X scar across it as if to mark out what was written.

The terrible sound of an arm shooting from her shoulder could be heard as she regenerated, shoving the sword from her neck as the wound sealed shut. In a smooth motion, she drew her hand back as if to backhand Erwin away...and likely snap his neck in the process. Though of course she was forced to pause as the ex-Yakuza spouted his bold statements, that predatory grin appearing on her face again. "Bold words." Tatsuo's dropkick found its mark, the Demon sent hurtling back several feet...but not before she ran a finger across Erwins hand that held his sword as she went flying back. Akimine slowed her approach, something was deeply wrong here... "She's not bothering to dodge! Something's wrong!" Akimine's voice, calm as it ever was, had raised an octave in order to be heard by the group present in the room.

The demoness quickly stood upright, her shoulder at an odd angle as she forced it back into place. "Bold words from an ant. Of course, you can't see His glory, when all you see is your little anthill! Blood Demon Art: Spores of Doom." "Erwin! Tatsuo! Move!" From where the two men had touched the demoness a thick green cloud would erupt. Erwins blade and hand erupting, where Tatsuo's feet did much the same. There was no pain, no agony, nothing. No, the cause for concern is that the cloud sought out their faces almost as if alive, seeking entry into their mouths or nose...as if wanting to be breathed in. "Something's wrong...Renji, don't let her touch you!" The Kinoe moved in a rush up the stairs towards the demoness, ducking low beneath a swipe aimed for her chest, only to shoot upright and spin about in an effort to remove the demons head. In a quick motion she leapt away, just out of striking distance and straight for Renji, claws bared. "What was it you wanted out of me? Silence?!" As the Demon landed she stopped short of Renji, stomping a foot into the floor and sending the other end of the floorboard upright in an effort to undo Renji's footing...or even send him hurtling skyward.

Phayne Maxxob Orikanyo​

 

[Orikanyo]

Watanabe Jin


"...A cloud... Hmm..." Jin continued his observation. "...String structure to the body... Instant regrowth of arm... Perhaps more mushroom than demon?" His mutterings were soft, he remained hidden, but began to utilize his scarf. He wrapped it thrice around his mouth and head, tightening to a uncomfortable degree and tieing. It may not keep it out fully, but it will buy him time. Demons can be tricky like that, sometimes they employ odd effects... He was no master, but you learn if you observe...

She doesn't care because her regenerative abilities are high, it's like cutting against a garment being sewn by three when you have one dull pair of scisors.

Precision is required, but her abilities are disruptive. Small wonder she is confident, but such is often used to cover up. A weakness in every power... It will be found... What is here in the temple, and what has been actively removed by her hand? He must examine the surroundings...

 

[Phayne]

Mentions: Akimine ManofManyRoles Erwin Maxxob Jin Orikanyo Tatsuo Archdemon
Facing forward throughout the duration of this initial engage, Renji had remained calm, composed and collected. His breathing was as natural as could be, no hint of disruption between his breaths despite his comrades engaging into battle. Whilst they were quick to act; Renji was quicker to observe; to see and understand the lay of the battlefield. Similar to the week prior, Renji unlike Tatsuo and Erwin had been quite slow to act; the blind slayer opting for a more cautious and observant approach; his stance unchanging even when his comrades were quick to fall prey to the Demonesses sly tricks. Evidently they had fallen prey to the demon's blood arts, the panic in Akimine's voice only serving to confirm that something had gone terribly wrong for both Erwin and Tatsuo.

As if watching a performance unfold, Renji the ever observant audience would begin to reach into his uniform; idle hands fiddling away at several small pouches of powder hidden within. His movements were precise yet subtle; a clear goal in his mind as he began to grab three of the small bags; each held in his free hand and still out of sight to those not paying close attention to him.

"Silence would suffice, your death would be preferred" replied Renji coyly, as the demon landed near him; the slayer wasting no time in stepping to one side as the rising floorboard whizzed past his right ear; momentarily disrupting the dishevelled red hair that loomed over his mask. "Do not mistake me for someone who relies solely on speed and power" taunted Renji, the hand holding the three pouches rising suddenly as he underhand threw them towards the demon. Simultaneously his right hand holding his Nichirin blade had risen so that it was near head level, his arm tensed behind the back of his head whilst the blade was pointed directly at the Demon.

"7th Form: Wrath of Indra....into 4th Form: Dance of the Rakshasa" spoke Renji, his right arm thrusting his blade forward with incredible speed, the resulting thrust causing a sudden wall of wind to fire directly at the Demon standing parallel to him; though she was not the target. A simple attack like that would have done little to affect her, no the targets were the three pouches containing powdered Wisteria, each pouch exploding upon contact and dispersing the toxic powder in each and every direction as a cloud of purple began to permeate the room.

"Toxins are a wonderful thing, aren't they?" questioned Renji. Had the Demoness inhaled the toxin, she'd begin to see Renji's image begin to disperse into several copies; his voice echoing with each and every word he spoke.

7th Form Visuals
4th Form Visuals

​

 

[Kloudy]

---

Akashi Kazuko
(The Shinto Shrine - Outside)​

The woods were as still as they were silent. The air was tight and oppressive, as if squeezed from the gasping lungs of others. There were impressions of faint footprints everywhere, but it was hard to tell from how many and they seemed to go in both directions.

"I suppose that's not very helpful then, is it."

A violet-haired young man stepped past the twisted trees and brambles with conspicuously practised grace. His features were soft and warm, as if looking fondly at an old friend. What Akashi was looking at seemed to simply be a particular patch of crisp leaf-ridden earth. Kneeling, he took a deep breath and placed his hand into the dirt. It made sense now. The footprints were from a struggle; the monks of the shrine had been ambushed outside by several assailants. What's more, from what Akashi could tell by the manner the earth was struck with each step or fallen body, the assailants were physically far stronger than what mere humans could naturally achieve.

And there was the smile, accompanied by that familiar feeling. He could tell what was coming, he could almost sense it like a magnetic pull.

Setting off into the treetops, Akashi leaped from branch to branch as he quickly crossed above the path towards the shrine. The scenes of carnage were given more visual impact as he happened over the view left out at the front of the holy place. It saddened Akashi to see the lives of men go to waste, but his thoughts quickly turned away to the more pressing issue of his next course of action. His job was simply to slay the demon presence at this shrine. It was not specifically defined what it was exactly he was to fight. With so little information, it was of great relief that Akashi noticed more signs of disturbance at the shrine's door. Not only was it slightly ajar, the footprints running up to it indicated a large group of what were possibly humans. Akashi wanted to believe they were humans, as the opposite was a thought that was certainly cause for alarm. Akashi believed that humans and demons were meant to slay each other, but that didn't mean he wanted his turn to be slain anytime soon.

Jumping down from the tree he had been crouched in, Akashi lay his hand on the ground to confirm his deductions before tensing slightly and raising his head. Something was off. The mission was to defeat the demons at the shrine. That didn't necessarily mean all the demons were actually inside the shrine currently.

Maintaining his kneeling position, hand on the ground, Akashi closed his eyes and concentrated on his senses. He focused less on his hearing and smell. Soon all he could sense was feeling. In his mind, he reconstructed a mental image of his surroundings and everything within it that moved. He could feel the presence of the demons that had already engaged the slayers within. One in particular felt entirely foreboding. He pushed his field out more to its limits, encapsulating a 100m radius around him.

"Hmm? Now what could that be...?"

ManofManyRoles