Icy Flames- Rengoku Kyojuro-Demon Slayer/ Kimetsu no Yaiba

52

I sighed while walking into the inn in this town and was greeted by the local inn keeper.

"Hello dear, welcome! How long will you be staying?"

I held up my hands to indicate the amount of days and place the fee on the table to which the woman gleefully pulled the key off the hook and placed it into my hand. The character on the door indicated the room number so it should be simple for me to figure out the door number.

I walked through the decorated halls of this establishment to see a plethora of ink wash paintings of various flowers across the walls. Of course, flowers were the sign of happiness and joy.

I stopped at the room before me and inserted the key into the lock sliding the door to the side against the frame.

I walked in and placed my belongings in one corner. Soon I looked around the room and began to investigate. It seemed as if it was an ordinary room. Nothing peculiar...

I soon pulled out a piece of paper and ink brush and began a brief report on the situation thus far.

It was clear that this town was off by a lot. Not a single person was made aware of the massacre by anyone.

Once the letter was finished, I emitted a small whistle out. I turned to see my crow at the window ceil looking towards me with his head turned slightly.

"Send this to the master," I whispered, "let him know that you will be staying with him for a while as this mission is much more dangerous than anticipated and that I need to act as if I am mute. Having you around will draw suspicion"

"Hai," the bird gaked.

Once the letter was secured on the bird, it was off. Luckily, it was a bit cloudy so my bird would blend right in with the clouds of the night, and not draw any attention.

"Interesting that they bought you here alone."

Fear became a tangible, living force that crept over me like some hungry beast, immobilizing me; my brain, holding me captive. The the sharp voice grabbed my attention.

I slowly turned around to be met with those infamous six sclera in deep hues of red and his irises of yellow with the middle pair has a mark of upper rank one in kanji was starting down at me. He embodied pure evil and yet his features looked so soft and enchanting in the moonlight that was seeping from the open window.

I didn't have my blade as it was against the wall on the other side of the room. He could essentially try to slash at me and yet he remained still just watching me.

"Are you the reason why?"

"No."

He simply took a seat down on the ground, leaning himself against the door frame while watching as I only remained still and looked at him.

"Why are you here?"

"The same reason you are. This demon you and I seek isn't apart of of Lord Muzan's army and is de facto."

"Why are you telling me this?"

He only stares at me. I can tell he sensed the discomfort coming from me. I didn't know how demon sense were but I delineated that they were stronger than ordinary humans meaning that he could possibly smell my fear that was permeated my scent, and head my heart pounded in my chest.

"To make the search much faster than it has been for the past month I had been deployed here." He answered with the familiar tone of indifference... coldness like I have heard when we cross path, "it was good you didn't interact with the locals verbally, you would have been under their spell."

My eyes widen as the words that left his mouth. Communicating with the locals...triggers a spell.

"It is clear you know something is off with this town with every individual only smiling and not showing any other expression especially with the recent attacks happening in neighboring villages."

My gaze only sharpened at him. He knew a lot of information.

He rose from his position and turned his back yet didn't move.

"There is still more information to collect from this town so play your cards right or you will end up a corpse in these outskirts."

As quickly as I blinked, he was gone.

For hundreds of years, demons and slayers had been enemies. Yet, the highest ranking upper moon ultimately proposed to work together to gather information. Indicating that the situation was much more serious than expected .

I turned my attention back out the window and quickly understood why he left. the rays of the morning sun prodded him to flee, as the sun didn't make it possible for him to walk through the day.

I tilted my head upwards and took a deep breath in.

It was essentially a good thing that Rengoku or any other Hashira didn't company me in this mission. Besides, it was best that I didn't see his smiles-the smiles he had when we both confessed to one another and when he was talking to that waitress.

7 Months later

Nothing has changed in this town. The residence and villagers still remained the same. Not a single piece of news spread to this town from neighboring towns. If anything, this town acted as if it was in its own utopia.

The only nuisance in this town was the kid I had ran into the first time I had arrived. He made it his mission to learn more about me through simple cues as he assumed I was mute.

I didn't want to get close to the kid or anyone in this town as a matter of fact. Their smiles that fell upon their lips, gave an ominous aura.

My eyes glance down at the kid to see he was looking up at me giving me his widest, silliest smile as if he was trying to make someone else giggle or laugh.

Persistent on trying to get me to crack a smile and make a sound-yet I know...he couldn't get me to smile no matter how much he tried, there was only three people in the world who could get me to smile and yet...if I come face to face with one of them, I may be bet with uneasiness and frown. Time has passed between us...he could possibly be with that girl by now...

My body bumped into a person. As I turned around, I glanced down to see a small canteen on the floor and their face soaking wet. I reached my hand out to try and apologize without having to say the actual words until my brows furrowed. The person before me eyes widen and mumbled -help me.