Chapter Text
"AHHHHHHH" A scream tore through the dark night, rattling the sleeping birds to flee.
You were walking through the dense forest collecting herbs, only to stop in your track at the loud scream. The owls hooting also stop, sensing the same alertness that you did.
You should've run away, facing the opposite direction. Especially because you were all alone in the dead of night, the forest trees barely allowing any light. Anyone sensible would've done that.
It was dangerous, reckless, but you still moved.
You ran towards the source of noise, your nose scrunching at the smell in the air: a metallic tang you instinctively knew meant blood.
There, laid a demon loomed over a young boy, teeth bared, glowing eyes hungrily fixed on the child. Your stomach twisted—not with fear, which it should have, but with the faint, familiar hunger you had been ignoring for days.
You stepped forward, your steps loud, intentionally trying to grab the demon's attention.
"Hey!" Your eyes lock on the demon in front of you as you unsheathed the makeshift blade you had been using for protection. The demon abruptly looks up, annoyed at being interrupted during his meal.
He studied your frame, scrutinizing your choice of weapon, and smirked in delight at realizing his food willingly came to him with its own feet.
"I'll give you a better meal, so come here and let's play." You taunt the demon.
What kind of demon would he be to ever deny an additional meal?
The demon hissed and lunged, leaving the boy to watch as everything unfolds.
Time slowed. You didn't move, not until he was inches away to slide under its swing. With a flick of a wrist, you struck the back of his knee—careful, precise—and the joint cracked. The creature staggered but didn't die.
Good.
That's when you started moving around, targeting the tendons of its arms and shoulders, each strike guided by an understanding of anatomy that no one in this era should have.
The demon didn't like how you were playing, noticing the pattern as you injure it at certain points, all your hits precise yet not destructive. Why were you drawing out this fight?
As you come closer to cut at the demon's inner elbow, it suddenly pulls back the arm, and kicks forward driving its foot straight at your abdomen. Ugh!!
You're pushed back a few feet, giving the demon some time to heal itself. He crouched down clutching his left arm you injured, like a beast licking its scars. Disgusting... You felt your eye twitch at the pitiful act it was putting on.
The creature finally looked up, flexing its arm back and forth as a test, then lunges forward at the same time you did. Coming much closer to your face than you'd expected which caught you off guard.
'Shit!' You try to retreat away from its reach, but twist your back the wrong way, exposing your side fully to the demon.
It doesn't let this chance go, quickly launching a punch to the side of your face. One that has you flying back. You only stop flying once your back collides with one of the trees.
Your face mask drops, showing your expression twisted in rage as blood rolls down your temple.
I was too lenient.
The demon laughs seeing you slumped on the ground so pathetically, he can see the red dripping down your face, bleeding.
You take a deep breath, getting up slowly from the ground, then suddenly appearing in front of the demon, wiping the smile off its face once he took scent of your blood up close.
"Y-you!" He covered his nose in disgust, his body recoiling at the stench of your blood, finally understanding what you truly are.
Slash, slash. Your wrist made quick move to cut up the demon in an X, making it wrench in pain.
The demon flailed, trying to regenerate, but you were faster. You knew where flesh healed slowly, where regeneration lagged. And you didn't stop attacking.
Finally, it froze, immobilized. Its growl turned to a whine of frustration. You could have ended it—any human would have—but you didn't. You needed it alive. Just enough.
Your stomach growled, reminding you of the animal blood you had collected earlier in the day—venison from a trap. It was enough to stave off hunger, but not satisfy it.
You thought you could hold on a little longer, delay the hunger a bit more, but it consumed you before you can even try to put up a fight.
Crunch.
You kneel down on the ground, and start RIPPING apart the demon. Each noise more gruesome than the other. The demon wails as it notices you sink your teeth in its flesh.
No sense was left in you as you feed on it like a beast. Taking big bites without even trying to savor the taste. You had no time for that. You were just hungry.
You didn't stop until the forest went quiet again.
Not long after, there was nothing left of the demon from how fast you were at your job, only proof of it ever existing was the blood on your hands and face. You'd take care of that eventually as well.
All of it was necessary, precious, and important for your body. As much as you'd like to just vomit all that out, you had no space for disgust when fighting for survival.
That was a hefty meal, should last me a few days. You were about to go on with your road, picking up the satchel discarded behind, you suddenly stop when finally remembering the other figure left in the open space.
"Hic!" The sound of uneven breathing came from the ground, movement startling you to look behind.
The boy was terrified, his legs shaking weakly trying to push them to move but would not budge. He could only crawl back in horror, watching you get closer to him like he was the next meal.
If he couldn't even fight back against that demon, how is he supposed to go against you?
He stopped crawling, already accepting his fate. Instead, he stared up at you wide-eyed. "Who...no, what are you?"
A soft smile adorned your face, taking one more step close and pulling the hilt of your sword upwards to the sky. "Just someone who can help."
SMACK.
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Back at the village, you lay next to the boy and his grandmother after finishing wrapping up his injuries. He had a few scratches from earlier last night, but nothing too major. All the blood you smelled earlier came from the other victims you couldn't reach in time...
If only I'd been faster, you squeeze the fabric of your pants in self deprecation.
Should you really be here right now, wasting time? You were thinking of dropping him off and leaving.
But carrying the child passed out back to his family only to leave him like that wasn't exactly the best look on you. Especially since you are the culprit for his poor state.
Feeling guilty since you are the reason behind the boy's pale complexion, you decide to stay back and treat him. Considering you knocked him out a bit too hard, you needed to wait until he regains consciousness, in case he remembers the events of yesterday. Also to make sure you didn't cause any unnecessary brain damage.
"Is he fine, doc?" The old lady asks you, her hand over yours as she awaits the news of her grandson.
"He's stable, should be waking up soon." And just as you say those words, you hear groaning from the floor next to you. The boy slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings with a bit of confusion.
"Demon..." He muttered, then suddenly shot up scaring the old woman and yourself.
"D-DEMON. I SAW A WOMAN EATING A DEMON!!" He yelled at the top his lungs, while you and the granny had to grab him from the sides to forcefully lay him back down on the futon. Trying to restrain any unnecessary movements.
The boy was still hysterically explaining to his grandmother everything he encountered. Fear and relief both danced in your chest realizing the boy remembered everything down to the notch. Brain damage avoided.
You sighed, before speaking up with a hand raised to cut off the ruckus between granny and child "It seems the boy is hallucinating considering the amount of blood he's lost. If you'd like, I can examine him for a head injury while I'm at it as well.”
The boy finally looked back at you, wondering where he'd seen you before.
Of course, he doesn't know you're that same 'woman' he is talking about, because you're wearing a face mask along with a pair of men's attire covering you up entirely.
It was both for safety measures, and to conceal your identity. In this day and age, it would only bring bad attention to yourself if it's found out that you're a woman traveling all alone without a companion.
"Uhh.. are you, gasp! It's you!!" The boy gasps pointing at your mask in recognition.
"The Crow Doctor with Magical Hands! Or something like that..." Yep, you've made quite the reputation for yourself, if only they can pick a better title instead of that.
"Thank you for recognizing me, you can just call me Haru." You offer him your fake male name, then continue on with examining the boy.
"I see there's a slight bruise to the back of his head," Of course, you already knew, since that was from you striking him with the hilt of your blade.
"—which explains his hallucinations earlier. Otherwise, he looks to be alright. Nothing serious." You conclude, and the granny breathes a sigh of relief at knowing her boy was fine.
"What? No, no, no. I'm not imagining anything, I'm sure of it! I swear I saw a woman eating.. a demon... huh..." He finally ponders his own words, pausing at the perfect time for the granny to lay a hard slap on his back.
"Haha! Do you hear yourself, boy! How hard did ya hit your head to even spout such nonsense." The elder lady gives him a few more smacks, drawing a loud noise from the boy.
"Ouch, Granny!! I'm still a patient!" When she finally stops, he breathes a sigh of relief as he thinks further back to his memories. It's all very clear yet so ridiculous he doesn't even know what to make of this situation!
"Was I really imagining things?..." He mutters.
"It was probably a dream, don't worry about it too much. What's important that you're back and safe with your family." You butt in, trying to gaslight the boy while he's still doubtful of his memories.
Even if you were hiding your identity, you'd much rather keep the rumors to zero than have the demons hear any wind of your doings. That would only put a target to your head.
"Oh..." The boy rubs his head awkwardly, then faces you smiling with his eyes closed. "Thank you for healing me, Haru-San!"
He looks up at you with pure admiration in his eyes, and start listing off all the curious questions he has in mind. All stuff related to your medical knowledge, which you answer as simply as possible for him to comprehend.
"How do you know all this stuff, Haru-San?" He asks, like most other villagers who saw your work did.
"I just do, kid." You ruffle his hair to stop him from questioning it further.
The real answer obviously wasn't that. But seeing you reluctant to answer him, he just huffs and crosses his arms thinking you're just gate-keeping the source of your knowledge.
Every village asked it. Every time, you gave a different half-truth.
Sometimes it was an old master. Sometimes a traveling physician. Sometimes a dead parent who couldn't argue back.
The real answer never fit this world.
Even if you made various excuses to each village, they all knew something was up.
But seriously, how were you supposed to explain that you learned all this from 'college?'
A wandering healer saying she went to 'college' in this time and era, would only raise more questions.
The closest half-truth you can give is that you learned all this from "your father."
You'd been trained in a world where none of this should have existed. Where demons were drawings. Stories. Ink and sound.
Not something that bled in your hands.
But you weren't in that world anymore. You're now in the universe of the famous anime & manga Kimetsu no Yaiba, Demon Slayer.
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"Haru-San! Are you sure you don't wanna spend another night here?" The boy—You later learned his name was Haruto— followed you out to the front of the house, flashing you puppy eyes as he urges you to spend just one more day with him.
You'd only met him yesterday, yet the curious Haruto was already attached to you by the hip. Even going as far as following you to the bathroom once. Had his grandmother not stopped him, you were sure he was about to go in with you at one point.
He reminded you of a little puppy with separation anxiety, which was more creepy than cute in your eyes. But he was a kid, and one that was close to deaths door not too long ago. So you didn't hold him accountable for his clingy actions.
"It's fine. I wouldn't want to impose on you any longer. You've already repaid me for my service." You couldn't waste anymore time here either.
"Nonsense. It's the least we can do considering we only offered you some blood vials in exchange for your treatment..." The old woman spoke up, her hands behind her hunched back as she stood next to her grandson.
"Which is more than enough. Thank you for volunteering, even though you didn't have to do that." You bow to them in gratitude.
"Young man, raise your head! Not only did you heal my grandson's wounds, you even entertained the idiot with his blabbering. It was a delight to have you spend the day here, you're welcome back anytime." She smiled softly at you, her smile lines appearing along with it.
You smiled back, although they couldn't see it. And waved goodbye to the duo, ready to continue on with your journey to the next village.
You hadn't accounted for your stop here originally, your plan was to head straight to Mount Kumotori. But thankfully it wasn't a complete waste. Your stay here was much more fruitful than you'd imagined, landing yourself not one, but two blood donations was amazing.
To them, it might not have been that much, but to you it was a huge deal.
In rural villages like the one you just visited, barely anyone liked the idea of giving their blood for 'charity' as you called it.
They didn't understand the concept, nor were they open to the idea of cutting themselves open to a stranger.
You get their point. But you seriously needed to collect blood samples. You had no desire for moneymaking—not that you would get much from treating broke villagers anyways—and you didn't feel satisfied with the meals they provided. Basically, the best payment they could offer you was blood.
Of course, you couldn't force that upon anyone, and only decided to collect from those who volunteered.
Not only did you get two vials of blood, but you also prevented rumors from spreading of your... eating habit with no other witnesses.
Great. Now you only had one destination to reach. And you need to get there fast. Hopefully, you'll be able to arrive in time considering you wasted a whole day treating another patient.
Tok... tok... tok...
The walking staff you made from a tree branch clicked with the ground as you paced through forest. Meanwhile the wooden case at your hip swung with each step, knocking lightly against your thigh.
You did not sneak, the noise of your staff and satchel deliberate. The forest shall know you were coming.
But more specifically, you wanted the main character to know of your presence that's gonna appear soon.
"Just you wait, Kamado Tanjiro."
I'll do anything to save your family from that blunt-bob-haircut freak.
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