|| 𝒀-𝑶-𝑲-𝑨-𝑰 || 𝑲𝑵𝒀 𝒙 𝑶𝑪 ||

Chapter 6: Moon Demon

{3rd person POV}

A few weeks after the latest Final Selection, Rei sent out her crow, Yuki, to scout out a specific burgundy-haired male. Once her crow was gone, she resumed to what she was doing. She was getting ready for a mission that Kagaya entrusted her a day before.

Demon activities has been seen in a village nearby the current Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji's, estate. She went on a 3-day mission, leaving her estate in the hands of multiple kakashis taking care of it. Rei had already succesfully wore her uniform when somebody knocked on door that separates her bedroom from the mansion's hallway. When she opened the door, she was met with one of the oldest daughters of the Ubuyashiki family. Ubuyashiki Hinaki.

"Rei-san, father has requested your presence." Hinaki said to her 'older sister'. Everyone in the Ubuyashiki family treated Rei like she was born in their family. The children treated her like she was their older sister, while Kagaya and Amane also treated her like she were their daughter.

{Rei's POV}

While getting ready I was thinking if Yuki managed to find Tanjirou's location. As I was in my own world, someone knocked on my bedroom door causing me to break my trance. I walked towards it and carefully opened it, right outside my door was a smiling Hinaki. "Rei-san, father has requested your presence." She said to me while moving aside, making way for me. I nodded and smiled back at her.
'I wonder why Kagaya called me..', I thought to myself.

While walking to Kagaya's room, I walked into something, well, more like someone. I looked up to see an unfamiliar face. It was a man with fire-like hair while wearing a huge smile on his face. "I'm so sorry for walking into you, I didn't see where I was going." I apologized while bowing. The male wholeheartedly laughed and brought out a hand.

"Its all right, young lady! But I must ask, what are you doing in Oyakata-sama's mansion? Are you perhaps here to take another mission?" The male questioned me, still wearing his bright smile. I took his hand and dusted off my haori, "Well Oyakata-sama has called me in for some unknown reason." I told him a half lie while walking past him.

The fire-like male walked behind me and managed to catch up. "Well, I am Rengoku Kyojuro, the current Flame Hashira!" He exclaimed while his thumb was pointing towards his chest. "Tamotsu Rei. For short, call me Rei." I introduced myself, not looking back at him. While talking, we didn't notice that we have arrived infront of Kagaya's room.

Rengoku knocked on Kagaya's door. At first we thought he wasn't there but we suddenly heard a faint "Come in" from the inside of the room. I slowly opened the door to see Kagaya seating crossed-legged infront of a tray of homemade green tea.

I sat infront of Kagaya with Rengoku following behind me. "I see you two have met. I called you both here today beacause I want Rengoku to join Rein on her mission. Is that alright with you Rei?" He asked me. I nodded indicating that it was alright. Rengoku was rather excited knowing that he would be coming with me to my mission. After the quick talk with Kagaya we were on our way to our mission.

We were quietly making our way there, passing some fellow demon slayers making their way back to the headquarters. Me and Rengoku arrived rather quikly to the destinated location. While walking around the village I noticed that the streets were rather empty, so I decided to use one of my breathing forms.

I stopped walking and tightly grabbed the hilt of my sword. "Yokai Breathing, 6th Form: Enenra" I chanted, after saying that a smoke-like creature appeard infront of me. 'Scout out the area. Check if there are demons roaming around.' I ordered the monster of smoke and darkness, Enenra. He nodded and dissappeard out of sight. I caught up to Rengoku who was cautiously looking around.

"Did you find anything?" I asked him. He shook his head in response. We continued walking until I heard Enenra's voice telepathically talking to me. 'Rei-sama, a member of the twelve moon demons has been spotted in a nearby alleyway.' He informed me. I froze up immediately hearing that a member of the twelve moon demons was here. I had never encountered a moon demon even before and after I became the hidden Yokai Hashira.

"Rengoku-san." I called out to my partner. He looked back at me and asked what was wrong. "I think we should split-up for now, we would have a better chance in finding the demon causing this." I lied to him. He nodded and started walking away. After that I didn't wait any longer and headed straight where Enenra was.

I arrived there as quickly as I could and saw Enenra hidding in the shadows a little bit far from the demon. I went closer to the smoke monster and asked, "Do you know what rank it is?". He replied shaking his head still looking at the demon, feasting on a man.

I grabbed my sword and ran towards it, Enenra following behind. The sun was already setting, which was an advantage for me and Enenra because he usually grows stronger when it is dark. I signaled Enenra to encase the demon when I tell him telepathically.

Enenra ran straight towards the demon while I was running away, trying to gain some momentum. As I was already far enough, I ran back towards where the demon and Enenra was to faintly see the both of them attacking and dodging each others attacks. I was close enough to see that Enenra was about ti get hit so I immediately signaled him. 'Encase him now Enenra!' I ordered him. As soon as he heard that and encased the demon, I saw Rengoku standing behind a building with an astounded face. 'I guess he got worried.' I thought to myself.

After gaining the momentum I wanted I jumped then flipped to keep the momentum and sliced the demon's head off with a brutal and strong slash. As the demon head fell off, I swiftly floated down to the ground to see the demon's head disintegrate into dust. I turned around to see Rengoku staring at me and started walking in our direction.

{Rengoku's POV}

As soon as Rei left I grew suspicious of why she suddenly wanted to split up and immediately ran away. So I followed her, after running for a while she suddenly came to a halt while I hid behind a building to shield my body from her eyesight. But as soon as she stopped I noticed a smoke-like creature beside her. It looked at her for a moment and went back to looking through an alleyway. I carefully walked towards their direction and saw a member of the twelve moon demons devouring a man.

I was suprised to see that the creature helped her find this demon. But while I was watching it devour the man, a shade of magenta quickly passed by. Rei passed by me and didn't even notice. I saw her running at fast pace that I even could never do. After seeing Rei come back in almost a second, I looked back to the creature and saw it attacking the demon.

Then in a blink of an eye an instant, smoke had encased the demon trapping it in pure darkness. I was amazed at how the monster encased the demon in one swift movement but I was sure that Rei was the one who controlled the smoke-like creature.

As my eyes were glued to the the demon trapped inside the case that the creature made, I saw a glimpse of magenta jumping off the roof and flipped over to I guess contain the momentum she gained from running. I was astounded to see her fight a moon demon, its almost like I idolize her even if she wasn't a hashira. Seeing her strongly fight the moon demon made me feel this warmth in the pit of my stomach. While thinking of this feeling, I didn't notice that I was staring at her and started walking to her direction.

{Rei's POV}

Rengoku started walking towards us as I just stood there waiting to see what would happen. Then in a moment, he wrapped me around with his arms, hugging me. "That was amazing Rei-chan! What a splendid fight!" He exclaimed pulling away from the hug while me and Enenra sweatdropped. 'He sounds like Nurikabe.. for sure..' we both thought at the same time.

"Thank you for the compliment Rengoku-san." I thanked him. He wholeheartedly laughed and placed a hand on my shoulder. He nodded. I could also notice a slight blush on his face. I smiled at him while nodding. We started running back to Kagaya to report that the mission went succesfull. After reporting, Kyojuro said that he had to go meet up with someone. I was somewhat feeling bitter that he had to go meet up with someone but I can't force to stay.

After telling Kagaya the whole moon demon situation, I told him that I had to go to bed sooner or later. So helped him into his futon and left him to rest.

I entered my room and started changing out of my demon slayer uniform into a pastel blue kimono. I slipped into my futon and blowed out the candle beside me and drifted off to dreamland.