The Crow's Master (Kimetsu no Yaiba Fanfic)

Chapter 23

" Here it is," Haga presented to me the blade, the carvings upon the scabbard were still done with the same ominous style by the same artist that drew the patterns on my haori. They say the artist was from a land further down south, which was why her patterns were so unique. I unsheathed the blade and tested a couple swings, it was light and felt like an old friend greeting me again. " The fan blades are taking a bit more work. We've only finished one so far." I inspected the fan blade, slight changes were made on the engraving but the hilt and shape remained. I smiled at her. " Well?"

" It's beautiful. Perfect for my successor." I told her as folded the blade again. The sound of a bell echoed, Haga and her apprentices looked around with worry. " What was that?" I asked her.

" The village is being attacked." She stated as she quickly began ordering her apprentices to gather their blades and tools. A fish like creature crashed through the wall, inits many arms were the broken bodies of other sword smiths and demon slayers. It reached out to grab one of her apprentices with gurgled growl.

" Breath of Feathers, seventh form : Grace of Crane." I watched as the creature fell apart into many pieces, releasing its captors and allowing the Kakushi to aid them. " I'll be off now. Also," I held up the complete fan blade. " I'll need to borrow this."

" Wait, you can't!" One of her apprentices screamed after me. " It needs to be a complete set!" She complained as Haga consulted her. I ran through the greenery and somehow found Mitsuri running alongside me.

" Arakawa-san! You're here too?" I signaled to the monsters up ahead and we split up, clearing the town as best we can before anymore people could die. Mitsuri was able to save the chief in time before he could be crushed by the largest fish monster. " Tecchin-sama!" She called as she caught him from falling. I caught a couple other guys who fell from the monster's grasp. the chief was injured but alive.

" Kanroji, you have to go where Tanjiro is." I told her as my crow informed of their situation. " Listen, you're literally stronger than me and younger. Please, they're going to die." I added before she could protest. " I'll take care of things here just go." She nodded and followed my crow to their location. I prayed that we weren't too late. As I dealt with the monster fish, all of a sudden they just withered away. Someone must've cut the demon's head off. The crows led me to where Muiichiro was with two other sword smiths and a young boy. " What the hell happened here?" I asked the Mist Pillar.

" I killed the upper moon five." He said simply. Looking at the marks on his face, I was immediately reminded of Tanjiro's marks. Those marks, whoever receives them has an incredible increase in abilities. Those kids, have achieved the 'marked' state. " I'm fine." He answered when we asked if he was alright. " I need to go to Tanjiro." I caught him as he fell.

" The poison must've reached his heart." I concluded. " How are you three holding up?" I asked them. With the bare knowledge I have on treating people, I tended to their wounds. That kid was lucky to be holding onto that hilt. Rengoku's hilt. Looking at it, I remembered the brief talk we had. We had a drink and talked about my heinous crime. It felt great to be able to talk about it properly with someone. This was before he left for that cursed train. I saw Muiichiro shed a couple tears as he looked at the hilt. That man really knows how to leave his mark during his life.

" Hey, you're that guy, right?" Kotetsu asked me as I wrapped his arm. " The one that killed a human." He didn't say Kakushi, he said human. Every demon slayer has killed, but has either of them actually killed a human? Not that I know of, no. I suppose, that makes me no better than the demons.

" Please ignore this kid!" Kanamori said to me as he covered Kotetsu's mouth. " He's got a bad having of saying what he wants, please excuse him." I only sighed and smiled.

" Yeah, that was me." I admitted as I completed the bandage. " I was in a bad place, which is not an excuse. I'm a murderer, that's a fact. But the only reason I'm not punished yet is because I'm the only one fit to train the crows. Therefor, my punishment was delayed. Once my successor completes her training, she will immediately replace me. As for me, I will compensate the man I killed by committing seppuku." They all looked at me carefully if I were joking. " That is a promise I must fulfill." Tanjiro's crow informed us where they were, which was nearby and about to fall off a cliff. We followed it and found Tanjiro on the ground, he was trying  to go after the demon ahead of him. Muichiro took the sword Haganezuka had been sharpening and chucked it towards Tanjiro. He yelled for Tanjiro to use it and Haganezuka protested. With it he was able to cut the demon's head off.

" Wait..." Muiichiro muttered as Tanjiro turned to help Nezuko. " It's still alive." Nezuko threw her brother to the demon as the sun was starting to rise. I ran down to cover her as Tanjiro beheads the demon. For a moment, I thought I had been too late. Her face was burning and she was going to die. But she didn't, her face healed and her muzzle dangled on one end as I helped her up. It was astonishing. She was alive.