The Crow's Master (Kimetsu no Yaiba Fanfic)

Chapter 29

Why? Why were there others here? The demon thought as he stared at the two dead bodies before him. He didn't want to eat them, he only eats animals. He didn't know why but the sight of Kakushi in the area of the mountain made him sick. He felt upset and a seething rage began to fester and boil inside him for some reason. He's spent years trying to remember where it was for some reason. This place, was important to him. He felt the air shift in a familiar way and immediately dodged to the left.

" The hell?" He knew that voice. Who was it? Who's trying to kill him? " Why's the demon dressed like a Kakushi?" The man before him wore a white haori with violet patterns, his hair was a mohawk tied in a ponytail and that silver blade, he knows it well. The demon stared for a bit, feeling a sense of excitement surge within him. This man, was connected to him.

" Do I know you?" The demon asked curiously. The man took a step back when he spoke, there was alarm in his brown greyish eyes. " You know me?" The man was shaking his head softly. The demon tried to figure out if it was a no or if he's in denial.

" Arakawa-san!" Another Kakushi called from behind. He had a seal in his hand and looked like he wanted to tell the demon slayer something. That's right, the man in front of him was a demon slayer. The demon knew that he wasn't just any demon slayer either, the man was special.

" Arakawa...." The demon muttered the name, letting it roll of his tongue. " Arakawa...Hisao..." Hisao turned to him with a face full of surprise. " I know you..." The demon muttered slowly as a smile began to form. They were friends. Close friends. " I'm your...Kakushi...." The demon started to smile wider. " Hisao-san, you remember me, right? You haven't forgotten me, have you?" The demon asked in raised voice, both nervous and excited.

" Kija..." Hisao muttered. Kija felt relieved hearing his own name again, he'd forgotten it for so long that it didn't even occur to him. He was a Kakushi, Hisao's Kakushi. Hisao's only Kakushi. Yet there were others here, aren't they? " What happened to you?"

" What happened to me?" He felt rage boil inside him the longer he looked at the other Kakushi and Hisao. " What happened to you? You replaced me?!" The demon screamed. " I remember now, I spent so long trying to come back but I didn't even know. Now I know it was to return to you." The demon began as his eyes bore into the Kakushi behind Hisao. The bandages on his arms and legs began to unravel as he spoke. " I was your Kakushi...you told me I was your Kakushi."

" Kyo, get back to the others." Hisao instructed him, seeing very well where this was going. Kyo couldn't speak, the hate that radiated from the demon felt bottomless, he was going to die. " Kyo!" Hisao said in a louder tone, snapping him alert. " Get back to the others. That's an order!" Kyo took a couple steps back before running back to warn everyone else what was going on. The demon lunged in Kyo's direction but the path was blocked by Hisao. " Breath of Feathers, sixth form : Dancing sparrow." The bandages moved like extra limbs for Kija, pulling him back as he dodged into the trees. " Don't hide, Kija." Hisao told him.

" Hiding?" Kija mused with a crooked laugh. " Me? Tell yourself that you stupid shut in!" He swiped the air with the binds, missing Hisao and getting some of it cut.

" I want this to end quickly, Kija." He told him as he cut through two more pieces of cloth. " Come here, I'll make it quick." He couldn't let his emotions get the best of him here. Nezuko was different, she never killed any humans but Kija has.

" You're really going to kill me...aren't you?" Kija asked him with a grave voice. Hisao moved quickly but missed, cutting off the demon's hand. Kija retreated further back into the trees, looking at his hand in disbelief as it grew back slowly. " You're not joking...." It was pure luck that Kija was a bit familiar with the breath of Feathers. " But, you're the one who replaced me....you....you're not my Hisao." Kija declared darkly.

Kyo ran with all his might, he didn't want to die tonight. He needed to warn the others, quickly. " Everyone get inside!" He announced, notifying the danger the demon upholds. A demon who was a Kakushi was never heard of before and one that worked with the Crow Master at that.

" Where's Hisao-san?" Aoi asked him as everyone strengthened their barriers and prepares the blades to fight. " Kyo-san, where's my master?"

" He's fighting the demon at the foot of the mountain. Get inside, it isn't safe." She knew something was wrong if he behaves in such a way.

" Why? Hisao's a pillar. Who is this demon?" Aoi questioned him as Gin flew close to her. " Gin?" The crow was crying, which was astonishing on its own. But Gin never cries.

" You were my friend." Hisao agreed as they fought. " But now you're a demon and you've killed all those people. Have you no remorse?"

" Speak for yourself. I heard them talking." Kija spat at him. " You're no better than me! I thought it was a lie so I killed them for saying you killed a man. But look at you, you're trying to kill your own best friend!" Hisao was driven back by the attack as he blocked it. " We're supposed to look out for each other." Kija scolded him, making him falter and barely avoid one of the bandages, cutting the corner of his cheek. " We grew up together." Hisao prepared for the next attack.

" Breath of Feathers, seventh form : Grace of Crane." Kija was almost mesmerized by the form but he recognized it too well. A memory of it made him boil with anger as he did his best to avoid the attack.

" You idiot." He growled. " I named that form!"