"How is it? Are you full?" Yoriichi frowned slightly at the shriveled animal corpses scattered across the ground. "If not, I can catch another one for you."
"No need. I'm not that hungry anymore—I'll go out again tonight." Hiru wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "At least I'm not so hungry that I'm going mad anymore. But somehow, instead of feeling like a man-eating demon, I feel more like some monster that only drinks blood and never gets full… Though I guess that's a good thing?"
Yoriichi tapped one of the dried-up carcasses lightly with his sword's scabbard. "Indeed. You seem different from any demon I've met before. Some demons do like the taste of blood, but none could drain it completely dry… maybe you're just dehydrated?"
"I'm not sure. I can test it when we get back…" Hiru looked wistfully toward the rising sun. "I accidentally stumbled on a way to create a demon and ended up turning myself into one.
But to be honest, aside from knowing a few demon weaknesses, I don't really understand them at all. Once we return, I can finally study properly—after all, I can experiment on myself now...
You should rest too, Brother. A human body can't compare to a demon's. You'll need your strength tonight, or you won't last."
"This little fatigue is nothing." Yoriichi shook his head and sat by the cave entrance, holding his sword. "You rest as well. We'll head back together tonight."
"Alright!"
The man and the demon stayed in the cave until nightfall before setting off. When Hiru led Yoriichi back to his house, Yoriichi immediately began sealing off every crack of light on the second floor, turning it into a place of total darkness.
Watching him, Hiru sighed helplessly. "Brother, you don't have to go that far. I can stay in the basement…"
"The basement is too dark." Yoriichi kept covering the windows. "Bring your things upstairs. I'll handle the rest."
When persuasion failed, Hiru obediently went to move his belongings. He soon realized that since becoming a demon, his strength had more than doubled—something that left him oddly emotional.
It took them the whole night to finish setting up.
As Hiru arranged his experimental tools, he suddenly called out, "Brother, can you come here for a moment?"
"What is it?" Yoriichi walked over.
Hiru held out his finger for him to see.
Yoriichi examined it closely, puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"I just touched some Wisteria poison—the kind that kills demons," Hiru said seriously. "But it didn't work. Or rather, it barely had any effect."
Yoriichi's gaze swept over Hiru from head to toe. After a moment of silence, his eyes flicked toward the sword at his waist. "A special kind of demon…"
"No, wait!" Hiru immediately noticed the intent in Yoriichi's eyes and took a nervous step back. "If you cut off my head, I'd still die! I'm not that special—I can't survive a fatal blow like that…"
But Yoriichi's sharp, alert gaze stayed fixed on Hiru's torso. His long fingers absentmindedly brushed the sword's hilt.
Hiru swallowed hard, trembling slightly as he raised his left hand. "If… if you want to test it, cutting off a hand should be… fine, probably…"
"Let's talk about it after you've eaten enough." Yoriichi sighed and finally looked away, turning to leave. "Finish up and get some rest."
Feeling like he'd just dodged death, Hiru let out a long breath. "No wonder the swordsmen who passed by always praised you so much, Brother. Just being looked at by you is enough to make my heart stop...
Wait—so I really survived turning into a demon? Unbelievable. If I remember right, I only lived because Big Brother… Kokushibo stopped that man from killing me, right?
Hmm… That man said he was Kokushibo's boss? Then he's the one who turned Brother into a demon?"
Hiru looked around at the candlelit room and the cluttered piles of tools and daily goods. He sighed softly. "Not needing to sleep is nice, I guess… but I really did enjoy watching the sunrise and sunset. Ah—being human was so much better."
Meanwhile, Yoriichi, resting downstairs, couldn't calm his mind.
He remembered that when he first met Hiru, his weak point was still his neck. But now, as a demon whose organs should have been no different from a human's, Hiru had grown an additional heart—one radiating immense vitality. That meant Hiru was no longer a demon who could be slain by decapitation alone. Now, his heart would also have to be destroyed—and this change had happened in just one night.
Was keeping him here really the right choice? Once I destroy the source of all demons, will I still be able to kill Hiru?
Yoriichi couldn't stop the doubt creeping into his thoughts.
For now, I'll wait and see. At least he doesn't need to eat humans. At least he still remembers being human. At least… he's still my brother.
Renewing his resolve, Yoriichi looked around the cluttered first floor and got back to work—he needed to let in as much sunlight as possible. That way, when he left during the day, he wouldn't have to worry about Hiru sneaking from the second floor to the basement, then escaping outside.
At night, he would keep watch himself, to prevent any accidents.
I can't afford to relax.
While moving furniture, Yoriichi also considered how to push his training further.
Life passed peacefully for half a month. Each night, Yoriichi and Hiru hunted beasts together. Thanks to the pair's efforts, the creatures of Rakusha Mountain were practically wiped out—unlucky enough to cross paths with the brothers and meet their end.
Except for the first day, Hiru would always stop after drinking most of the beasts' blood. During the day, Yoriichi would take the drained carcasses—looking merely bled dry—to the nearby town to exchange for money and buy supplies. After all, an outbreak of desiccated animal corpses would be difficult to explain.
After two weeks of hunting, Hiru finally escaped his hunger. His body's demonic features had receded, appearing human once more.
But if one looked closely, his pupils were no longer round—they had become regular octagons. When his emotions shifted, the eight edges would contract inward, forming a sharp cross shape.
Everything seemed to be improving, yet Yoriichi grew more uneasy. In his perception, another brain and heart had appeared inside Hiru. That meant the number of his vital points was decreasing.
"Brother, will you come with me tonight to hunt a few demons? I have some ideas I want to test." Hiru stood in the shadows of the second floor, gazing at Yoriichi, whose figure was outlined by the faint morning light. In his eyes flickered a hint of envy he didn't even realize.
"Alright." Yoriichi nodded. "There aren't many beasts left around here anyway. Once we've taken care of the nearby demons, we'll move."
"Oh, right! One more thing!" Hiru crouched at the top of the stairs, eyes gleaming expectantly. "I want to eat strawberry daifuku."
"Hm?" Yoriichi paused mid-cleaning. "Aren't demons unable to taste human food?"
"But I can at least look at it, smell it, and imagine the texture! Drinking blood all day is driving me insane. Even if it tastes amazing to me now, I still want to change things up a bit!" Hiru clasped his hands together. "Please, please—when you sell the beast meat, buy me some strawberry daifuku!"
Yoriichi couldn't help but laugh at his pitiful expression. "Alright, I'll remember. If I can't find any today, I'll go earlier tomorrow and get some for you."
"Mm! Thanks, Brother!"
When Yoriichi watched Hiru disappear into the darkness, his smile slowly faded. Lately, there had been whispers—Kakushi operatives investigating Rakusha Mountain. He had to move Hiru soon. Traveling by day would be faster, but Hiru...
Would he really have to ask a carpenter to build a coffin?
A swordsman traveling with a coffin—just the thought sounded suspicious.
Yoriichi sighed as he took out his sword maintenance kit and began cleaning his blade. "What should I do… If the Kakushi find out, it'll be troublesome."
The Kakushi were a branch of the Demon Slayer Corps, responsible for gathering intelligence on demons. Though he hadn't formally joined the Corps, Yoriichi often received their information and support without cost. Unfortunately, now…
He couldn't be as selfless as the other demon slayers.
Yoriichi stared into the gleaming blade.
As his reflection stared back at him, he exhaled softly.
My heart truly is ugly.