And so, Ikenouchi Maki, worried about her master and also her own future, left one day with only a little money remaining from what she had spent.
Yes… one of the reasons she couldn't hold back was actually… she was almost out of money.
But the bigger reason was that she was worried about her master's safety.
Even if her master, such a strong person, could still encounter trouble, adding herself might not even be enough to fill a tooth gap…
But… but she absolutely had to go!
What if, what if I'm the only one missing?
I, Brilliant Gale, am no weakling! I am a great powerhouse who will fight against immortal despair!
Besides… if master is gone, how will I get back?
She had to go find him! Absolutely!
Spending all her money on a backpack full of food, water, and other supplies, Ikenouchi Maki embarked on a journey that Fang Wuwei would surely slap her twice for if he knew the reason.
Aren't you just purely driven by curiosity…
Ikenouchi Maki, carrying a large backpack full of supplies, walked out of the village she had been staying in and began her true Other World journey, filled with excitement.
Having never truly left this world, always staying within the boundaries Fang Wuwei had set for her, she began to experience all the beauty this world offered for the first time.
Such beautiful flowers… such tall trees… such cute stray cats… oh no, why are you being mean to me? I'm unhappy ￣へ￣
Time quietly passed; Ikenouchi Maki had departed at noon, and time flew by. In the blink of an eye, the sun was setting, and the twilight sunlight spilled across the land. Ikenouchi Maki, facing this beautiful sunset, arrived at a new village.
The difference was that this place was extremely small; rather than a town, it was more of a village. Although it was small and simple, everyone was so warm…
There were only some elderly people and children in the village. It was said that the older young people had all gone out to work, leaving only their parents and children in their hometown as a reminder.
Everyone was so warm. When they discovered Ikenouchi Maki, who had come from afar, they naturally welcomed her warmly. The children in the village also gathered around her, watching non-stop—while it wasn't unheard of for outsiders to stay here, it was still extremely rare.
Although it was getting late, the enthusiasm of the children and the elderly did not diminish due to the cold of the night…
The children were merely curious, but the elderly saw the reflection of their own children in Ikenouchi Maki, even though this girl was a bit young.
Ignoring Ikenouchi Maki's continuous waving of her hands, the elderly filled Ikenouchi Maki's backpack to the brim with their homemade dried rations, catching Ikenouchi Maki off guard. She blushingly and gratefully accepted this generous gift, filled with warmth and longing.
Perhaps, these were originally prepared for their own children.
The children in the village also began to gather around…
"Big sister, big sister, your clothes are so pretty—"
"Big sister, you're so tall—"
"Big sister, big sister, what's the outside world like?"
"Big sister, my mom and dad said they'd be back for New Year's, how much longer until New Year's—"
Surrounded by a group of children, Ikenouchi Maki was a bit flustered… she wasn't good at dealing with children.
Until…
"Big sister, big sister, what's your name?"
Ding! Very quickly, Ikenouchi Maki's eyes lit up.
"I am Brilliant Gale from the Other World! To fight against immortal despair, who intends to destroy the world, I came to this world with my powerful master. Currently, I am looking for my master. My master has only encountered some obstacles. I will go help him regain his strength, and then we will defeat the enemy together!"
Ikenouchi Maki had secretly practiced her self-introduction more than once, but unfortunately, she didn't have any comrades at her school… Now that she finally had a chance to show off the great Brilliant Gale, she wouldn't give up this opportunity.
"Wow! So amazing!!"
"Big sister, big sister! What is Brilliant Gale?!"
"The Other World! What is the Other World?!"
"Haha, you want to know? Then I, the great Brilliant Gale, will tell you all about it…"
The elderly, sitting together under the big tree in the village not far away, watched Ikenouchi Maki and the children harmoniously. They watched her sitting on a stone, proudly and proudly saying things they didn't understand.
Although it was a bit silly… but who knows? Besides, aren't the children happy listening to it?
But soon, looking at the rapidly setting sun, with only a little afterglow spilling onto the treetops, and the moonlight gradually climbing into the sky, the elderly stood up and called their children—
"Stop playing, go home quickly! There will be demons eating people at night!"
"Demon!"
Hearing this word, Ikenouchi Maki instantly snapped awake. She suddenly realized that because of her impulsive decision, she was now probably in an extremely dangerous environment—her master had once said that there was an organization called the "Demon Slayer Corps" in her previous location that could protect her safety, but here? There… certainly isn't one!
She had seen the Demon Slayer Corps. Not to mention witnessing the so-called "Flame Pillar" erupt in that terrifying train, instantly cutting down hundreds and thousands of tentacle attacks. Her master had also taken her to meet that powerful, fire-like young man after leaving the train. He was a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, a combatant specifically fighting demons.
So powerful, she was immediately filled with longing. If Fang Wuwei hadn't been watching nearby, she probably would have immediately joined the Demon Slayer Corps to learn that mysterious sword art that attached flames to the blade.
If only there was a wind-based one…
That's what she thought at the time, but now, she no longer believed that.
Demons, such terrifying creatures. The Flame Pillar had said that only specially trained individuals could fight demons, and these people were the Demon Slayer Corps. But here, in this small village, where was there any Demon Slayer Corps?
Shaken awake by the word "demon," and with all her enthusiasm extinguished, Ikenouchi Maki suddenly understood what she had done. She had left the safe environment her master had spoken of and was now exposed to this terrifying world.
"Grandma… is it… is it true that there are demons here?"
"Hmm?"
The elderly woman Ikenouchi Maki asked turned back with a surprised look. Hadn't this girl been saying she was some kind of "Brilliant"… what was it again, and how powerful she was?
Could it be… she was the legendary demon hunter who specialized in hunting demons?
But after just one glance, the elderly woman knew she wasn't. At this moment, Ikenouchi Maki was trembling with fear. How much she regretted it now, why did she run off on a whim? Wasn't this just asking for trouble~
Curiosity killed the cat, Woo…
"Hahaha… child, don't worry. Although there have always been rumors of demons in this area, the demons have never appeared. Even us old bones have never seen one~"
The elderly woman understood. She had just been teasing the children, what a good girl…
The elderly woman reached out her hand, and Ikenouchi Maki immediately bent down slightly and lowered her head, allowing the grandma to touch her head. The grandma smiled even more happily at this sight, what a good girl…
The grandma patted Ikenouchi Maki's head, her face full of affection. She liked this child very much; she reminded her of her own daughter's cute appearance when she was little.
"Child, don't worry. You can sleep at grandma's house tonight. Don't be afraid, we're not afraid…"
"Grandma… I am… I am Brilliant Gale! I won't be afraid! If… if demons really appear, Woo… I will protect you all!"
"Good, good… Haha, good child…"
As night fell, the entire village became silent. Not even lights were on, and everyone in the village, young and old, slowly went to sleep.
But this night was destined to be sleepless, because in the distant darkness, a pair of red eyes suddenly appeared, emitting a terrifying blood-red glow, staring at everything within the village…