𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳

24. THE PAST MUST DIE

*Although following canonical storyline, many dialogues is omitted in later chapters as if you've read this far already understand this information in the conversations has been spoiled by Sakurai.

「初心」

Sakurai could not remember coming so close in one stroke to death. Suddenly, her four hundred years paled in comparison to him, her confidence was failing.

She was going to face Muzan without possession of her past or future after already being brought to her knees by this one.

What had brought Sakurai to this single, cataclysmic moment over the span of 400 years?

When Sakurai was born, Ren Sakiya and her husband rejoiced with the whole of the swordsmith village. Her eyes were bright like the sea, oddly shaped like foxes, and whiskers tickling at her cheeks. She didn't cry, and they feared a still birth, but as her mother stroked her head, she began to wail and the first breath of relief was sighed.

Her fox-like features were not shared by her sister, making her more of a mystery to her parents as she grew. Once at the age of three, she had encountered a demon while wandering outside the barrier and her mother feared as she and other swordsmen had hunted for her restlessly.

Sakurai's first encounter with violence was fighting for her life then, attacked and nearly eaten. With her neck nearly snapped, she gripped at the demon's hands for dear life as she was beginning to lose her vision. The oxygen cut off to her brain thought she had maybe hallucinated when her hands began to burn through the demon's. His head was cut off by her mother, and she was taken back quietly into the village.

Another time was when she had been playing with her sister, running around the temple and mistakenly breaking a clay plot that had sealed a demon horror inside.

Sakurai sought to protect her younger sister, and her will burned the demon away.

Blessed by Amaterasu, they said. Sent to protect us, sent to defeat the demons, sent by the gods, blessed, a great warrior priestess. She is special. She can help us, she can do anything.

Sakurai did anything for them. Sakurai never considered her happiness, or what she wanted to do. She didn't want to disappoint this supposed legacy she'd been born into. Sakurai had barely felt anything until she had strangled a demon at the barrier and met Yoriichi as he chased it. He watched her foot come down and crush it's head, and it didn't regenerate. He too, saw greatness in this child. One who shared his burden, one who was born amazing.

He told her great stories of roaming the lands, and the subject of his birth. Sakurai realized she could be like him, she wanted to be like he was and begged him to teach her.

Those moments, when no one could judge or watch, she'd relish in her kills—the blood and pain she'd exert had her joyed. Sakurai had found her identity, without a god, without a birthright. She didn't care if it was wrong, she had found wholeness through Yoriichi, she had begun to think of things and people as "hers".

Michikatsu would pat her head in praise. For every sense of self she'd been deprived of, she never cared for praise. Especially as it was shielding jealous and power-hungry feelings. Even so, he fought demons. That's all Sakurai cared for.

He left her sister and master to be killed, abandoned Ubuyashiki, betrayed his comrades. He, Muzan, and Sakurai were the only left of the corrupted root. Michikatsu had to go first.

However, Sakurai must do it on her own terms. No longer being the god's vessel, no longer sharing birthright and glory with Yoriichi. She must slay him here for her friends now, before she payed another thought into her trail of vengeance. Because they were "hers".