Chapter 254: A vase
Shinobu
The eerie silence of the village weighed heavily on Shinobu as she walked through the empty streets, her keen eyes scanning every corner. Her grip tightened on her sword as a faint rustling echoed in the distance. She couldn’t shake off the unnerving feeling that something was watching her from the shadows.
This place was unlike anything she had encountered in her eight years as a Demon Slayer. Not a single living soul was in sight, but the stench of demons was thick in the air, clinging to every surface like a dark fog. The absence of humans wasn’t the strangest thing—it was the sheer number of demons in one location, and their peculiar behavior.
Demons typically didn’t cooperate. They were selfish creatures driven by primal instincts, often turning on each other when their paths crossed. The rare exceptions, such as Rui and his fabricated "family," were anomalies. Rui was a Lower Moon, so his authority over other demons made some sense. But here, the demons were weaker, more ordinary, yet they moved with purpose, attacking in organized groups. It defied everything Shinobu thought she knew.
As another gust of wind swept through the deserted streets, Shinobu’s eyes drifted to Alex, walking ahead of her. He strolled casually, hands in his pockets, as if this cursed village were no more threatening than a stroll through a meadow. His expression was relaxed, his gaze distant, as though he were entirely uninterested in their mission.
Shinobu frowned. For someone of his caliber—someone who had effortlessly defeated most of the Hashira in mock battles, herself included—he could at least pretend to take this seriously. Each time a demon attacked, Alex dispatched it with a nonchalance that bordered on infuriating. It was as though the very act of fighting bored him.
"Does he think this is all a game?" Shinobu thought bitterly, her lips pressing into a thin line. She wasn’t sure why his attitude irked her so much, but it did. There was something about his carefree demeanor that clashed with the gravity of their work.
Yet, for all her irritation, she couldn’t deny his strength. Alex had proven himself more than capable, cutting down demons with a skill and efficiency that rivaled, if not exceeded, the best of the Demon Slayer Corps. His movements were precise, calculated, and impossibly fast. Still, Shinobu found it difficult to trust him fully.
Her reasons for inviting Alex on this mission were murky at best. Maybe she hoped to learn something from him—some secret technique or insight that could make her stronger. Or perhaps she was still trying to figure him out, to uncover the truth behind his immense power and enigmatic nature. Whatever the reason, she wasn’t entirely comfortable with him yet.