Thanks @ItsKaiden for the request! Part 2 will come out soon as well
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The Akai Bara was a vicious clan built on seven years of spilled demon blood. Our numbers might’ve been small but we were all noble in our cause of slaying the monsters that threatened mankind. Among them, I had risen in my strength to become a formidable enemy to even the toughest of demons. Through the Akai Bara clan, I had become a force not to be reckoned with.
As I sharpened my sword in the silence of the forest, I was aware of a shift in the night air. It was such a small change that I had brushed it off with a meaningful shrug. My instincts were dependable and didn’t warn me of any danger that I was in. Whatever had caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand had already moved on from me. It shouldn’t be of any concern to me and so I kept on sharpening with a free mind.
The silence and privacy from my clan granted me a few precious moments that weren’t meant to be wasted on paranoia. With this breath of fresh air, I was able to clear the stress I’ve been carrying for days now. Since my clan was so small compared to other organizations, we were expected to do the work of several people. It left me worn along with the punishments I’ve been receiving nonstop lately from my master.
The sharpening of my blade halted for a moment as I had to take a calming breath to steel my nerves. It was expected of me to always perform at my best when it came to the slaughter of demons and if I made even the slightest mistake then I was promptly abused for the sake of discipline. The master would always find out even the slightest slips of my hand or clatter of my sword and he delighted in leaving me battered and bruised for it. There wasn’t much I could do to protect myself from his attacks in those cases if I wanted to continue to thrive in my clan.
A small breeze washed over me, making my body tense up. The familiar metallic scent of death carried itself through the forest and to me just seconds before I heard a high pitched wail that had me on my feet and prepared for battle in no time, sprinting in the direction where my clan resided. Fear coursed through my veins, mixing with my blood to leave me in a panicked daze. Something had been out here with me earlier, the same feeling I had brushed off rushing back to me tenfold again the first body I stumbled upon.
Clenching my teeth at the massacre laid out before me, I recognized my fallen comrades even with their mutilated bodies being the only remains they had. An assortment of demons were crawling through my clan’s home, striking down anyone who stood in their way. My limbs had gone frozen and still at the despairing sight of defeat. The few people that had been alive mere seconds before were now gasping their last breaths before their chests went completely still.
The sound of growls and sword cutting through flesh caught my attention, my head lifting in the direction of what sounded like victory to find my master clashing with an all too recognizable figure. I’ve only met Muzan, the king of demons, once before but it hadn’t been a pleasurable experience. He had slaughtered my old friends years ago in cold blood and I could never forget his blazing red eyes that seemed to look into my soul.
Watching him advance on my master sent chills through my body but I managed to maintain self control enough to think my actions through. Grief flooded my mind and chest as I looked around my home, everyone dead with my master ready to meet his end as well. I was the only honorable Akai Bara member left to withhold this legacy. My master was no honorable or kind man, flashbacks of all the abuse I had endured from him shaking me up and even as I felt a strong sense to jump into the battle between the two kings, I knew that as a glorified pawn there was nothing I could do to help him even if I wanted to. All I could do now was save myself to ensure revenge later on when I was strong enough to defeat Muzan. And I swear I’ll be the one to kill him.
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After I spent a few grieving weeks in a nearby village that took me in, it didn’t take long before I was back on my feet and ready to avenge my fallen clan. Each day, I spent time running through old training exercises to be at the top of my game. I knew I couldn’t get far on my own so when I heard of a demonslayer corps that involved an entrance test of battle and survival, I knew I had to sign up even if it meant I’d lose my life.
The test was actually fairly easy considering all the experiences I’ve had beforehand. Surviving wasn’t only effortless but I was once again thriving in the demon infested environment as I cut down all of them that I spotted. There were even times when I went out of my way to slaughter particular demons I knew were lurking in the shadows. Nobody told them that I was the king of the darkness and that they didn’t stand a chance between me and my sword.
Throughout the test, I had unleashed my own technique I had developed in my earlier years called Dark Breathing that involved various manipulations of shadows. Through violent slashes and stealthy maneuvers, by the end of the test I had killed seventy demons. Supposedly the master of the demonslayers had heard of my results and had been impressed enough to promote me instantly to a hashira, one of the leaders of the corps.
Now I stood in front of my new alliance headquarters, nervous to have a new master while still carrying the legacy of my Akai Bara comrades. Their ghosts still haunted me but they encouraged me along this new path. My hand brushed along the sheath of my sword encouragingly and with a gentle breeze that felt like a promise washing over me, I stepped into my new life with high hopes and an open heart.
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