Demon Slayer: The Demon Hunter

Word count: 1300

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...Who paid no attention to what was unfolding below.

With arms outstretched, the wind tousled its clothes and hair, yet it remained there, soaking it all in. Completely oblivious to everything around, including the person walking behind it.

Fujino squinted at the approaching figure, alarm bells ringing in his mind. After battling demons for months, he had learned to gauge their strengths based on his instincts rather than relying on Observe.

This demon exuded power. It was not one to underestimate. 

The demon slowly and deliberately turned around, eyes shut and wearing a serene expression, reminiscent of a child nestled in their mother's arms. A tranquil smile graced its face.

Fujino had a system for classifying demons based on their appearances. Enmu, resembling a spider mother, along with Rui and that terrifying one he encountered by the river—he still shudders at the memory—would all fall into the "beautiful" category.

With chin-length black hair that faded to a red-pink hue at the tips, three square markings adorned its face. It wore a black button-up coat over a white dress shirt, paired with striped gray pants and white heeled shoes.

When the demon finally opened its eyes, Fujino's instincts were confirmed; the dreaded "Lower 1" was etched in its gaze. It made sense—a demon of this caliber was capable of such horrors.

"Hello, it's a lovely night, isn't it?" the demon spoke, its voice soft and low, almost a whisper, yet clear enough to be heard.

Fujino chose not to reply, instead focusing on more pressing matters, such as...

'Observe'

[ —> Lower Moon 1 

Name: Enmu 

Level: 40 

Health: 200/200 

Stamina: 1000/1000]

Callous, cold, and sadistic—these words perfectly describe Enmu. A boy who couldn't tell dreams from reality grew into a doctor who intentionally misdiagnosed his patients for his twisted enjoyment. After becoming a demon, he strived to make a name for himself.

He showed no concern for the impending confrontation or for the human in front of him.

'Eh? Only 200 HP? That doesn't add up; something's off here.' It was true—Enmu was a "Lower Moon" demon, among the strongest, yet his healthpoints didn't reflect that.

Moreover, his level seemed unusually low compared to his rank. Shouldn't Lower Moon 1 be at a higher level than Lower Moon 5?

'Something is seriously wrong.'

It's quite impolite to ignore someone when they're trying to talk to you, don't you think? Here I am, making an effort to engage in conversation out of kindness, and yet you seem determined to insult me, Enmu said, gesturing dramatically as if he were on stage.

"Hey, I take it you're the one who put everyone on the train to sleep, right?" he asked, brushing off Enmu's complaints.

"Yes, that would be me. It's for their own good, you see. Dreams are truly remarkable, something to cherish. I'm helping these individuals by making them experience their deepest, most important desires," Enmu explained.

"Sure, whatever you say, but I bet you'll just devour them afterward," he said, drawing his sword and getting into a defensive position.

But Enmu simply shook his head. "No... not just yet. First, I'll replace their dreams with nightmares, forcing them to witness their loved ones, their hopes, dreams, and ambitions all burn into smoke. Then I'll enjoy watching their faces contort in sorrow and despair. Only after that will I eat them."

Fujino's expression twisted in disgust. 'I should have known this pretty boy was a pervert after all, disgusting scum.'

"I always fight with utmost caution; No matter who you are human, you are still helpless like any other when you are in deep sleep."

The flesh on Enmu's palms quivered, revealing two hideous mouths, each with a long tongue. "You might not look like a demon slayer with that outfit, but I'm not taking any risks. Please, sleep so I can enjoy your suffering," he finished with a twisted grin.

"Not a chance, buddy." He readied himself to attack.

[Objective Updated!

—>★Mugen Train

It seems the "people disappearing" rumor has some truth to it, as they've all ended up in a demon's stomach! The pervert known as "Lower Moon 1" is responsible, and it's your mission to put an end to his train of terror once and for all!

Main Objective: Defeat Enmu

Bonus Objective: Fall asleep no more than 10 times (10/10)

Main Reward: 150,000 XP - 20 points to all stats - (Detection) ability

Bonus Reward: 5 to all stats]

With the quest notification, the fight began.

"Blood Demon Art: Whispers of Forced Unconscious Hypnosis!" The mouth on Enmu's hands opened wide. "Go to Sle—"

But his attack was abruptly interrupted by Fujino. "Wind Blade!"

The powerful arc of wind that he was skilled with shot towards a startled Enmu, slicing off his right arm before he could unleash his attack.

"How?" Enmu's expression turned to one of disbelief; demon slayers typically lacked long-range capabilities, which gave demons like him an advantage. The fact that this slayer could sever his arm from such a distance left him stunned.

He didn't have time to ponder for long before he had to duck under a strike and leap back from another that nearly decapitated him.

As Enmu's right arm began to regenerate, he used his left hand to activate his blood demon art. "Go t—"

He was interrupted once more by another Wind Blade, which severed several of his fingers in the process.

Fujino smirked, a teasing glint in his eyes. "So those mouths on your hands are your blood demon art. If I just cut them off, you'll be completely defenseless."

With that, Fujino charged at Enmu, unleashing a flurry of Wind Blades that forced the demon to retreat, making it impossible for him to use his blood demon art without risking losing his hands.

It didn't take long for Enmu to make a mistake; he lost his footing at the edge of the carriage, giving Fujino the perfect opportunity to strike.

"Wind Blade!" In his rush, Enmu raised both hands to cast his art, a grave error that put him right in the path of the Wind Blade, severing both hands in the process.

Enmu's eyes widened in shock. This was precisely why he had put everyone on the train to sleep, including the slayers—to prevent situations like this from occurring.

Fujino appeared right in front of him, pulling back his right fist. "Precision Strike!" His fist connected with Enmu's face, shattering it upon impact and sending him hurtling away.

Enmu's body tumbled across the top of the carriage, finally coming to a stop near the front by the locomotive. Groaning, he tried to rise, still dazed from the punch.

But then his vision spun wildly, and suddenly the ground was vertical in his sight.

He was decapitated.

Seeing Enmu's lifeless body, Fujino sheathed his sword and let out a sigh of relief. He had anticipated a tough fight, just like the last time he faced a lower moon.

"Phew, at least that's done. Nezuko should wake everyone up now. I'll head to the locomotive and check on the driver. I hope he's not dead... I really hope."

He took a few steps forward but suddenly stopped as a realization struck him.

'Wait a minute. I didn't get any XP from killing him. Don't tell me.' He spun around quickly, his heart racing at the thought; this battle was far from over.

He was then confronted by a mass of pink flesh, shaped like tentacles. It was covered in hundreds of eyes, each marked with the ominous "Lower 5."

He froze at the sight.

"Go to sleep." A force surged through him, causing a ripple in his body. His eyes rolled back, and then he collapsed, his sword clattering to the ground beside him

Fujino had slipped into a deep sleep.

<—>

Taisho-era secrets!

Fujino created a classification system for demons based on their appearance, ranging from "beautiful" to "pretty," "okay," "ugly," and finally "disgusting." The most repulsive demons, such as the hideous demon, the hand demon, and the spider father, are placed in the lowest category. In contrast, demons like the chains demon he battled and the unicorn demon are categorized as "ugly."

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I'm so sorry if this chapter turned out to be short, but my finals are starting tomorrow so I had to quickly write it I get crunched with my studies.

Doesn't mean I'll be on hiatus though, the administration has been generous in giving us days off in between, so I'll be able to write chapters during that time. Stay tuned.