Demon Slayer : The Silent Journey-Chapter 174: Tables turned

[3rd POV]

"Although I must admit, you kids sure are impressive," Akaza said.

The words sank into their skin like cold, venomous needles. The atmosphere shifted, and it became nearly solid. Suffocating every breath they tried to take.

The remnants of their battle with Kaigaku felt distant now. That was a fleeting victory swallowed by the overwhelming presence of the demon before them.

He looked human, more human than any demon they ever met. But his aura and presence were the least inhumane. It was pure demonic, it was malice in the form of a man.

Their faces turned blue from the lack of air. They were breathing but they were afraid to breathe too loud - to breathe out of line - and with the rapid pounding of their heart, they lacked oxygen.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

They knew they were alive only because of the whims of the demon and they didn't want to do anything that could change that fragile whim.

They knew that their life was truly hanging by a thread.

..

..

Or was it?

"I am glad that even demons could see the potential of our new generations," a voice as sweet as nectar came from the opposite direction.

Her voice was gentle, yet it cut through the suffocating tension like the sharpest blade. The moment she spoke, Tanjiro and Kanao gasped as though freed from an invisible grip.

They turned their head and they saw the Flower Hashira standing at the very edge of the roof. Her posture was effortless as if she was some fairy unbound by gravity.

Where she was standing was the part of the roof that was no longer supported by walls, by all means the tiles should collapse and she should fall. But she looked as light as a feather.

From her easy stance, you could tell that she had been standing there for as long as Akaza was sitting on top of the wall.

Both of them had been there to witness the fight, their presence keeping each other away from interfering with the fight.

"Lord Muzan did say that humans were posing a threat, I guess that held some truth," Akaza said with a stretching grin.

Pleasant chukles that sounded more like a melody, "Only a threat? Believe me, they would be strong enough to kill a demon like you in a few years," Kanae said from her place.

"Truly? The chance alone makes me want to spare them for a few years and see what they become," Akaza said and there was a new edge to his voice.

"Funny, you speak as if they are not under the protection of a Hashira," she said and the aura around her shifted sharply to match the edge in his voice.

She was illuminated by the moon, her delicate figure radiated power and beauty. Her haori fluttered in the night breeze, the soft lavender hues barely disturbed by the chaos surrounding her.

She was like a moonflower on top of a mountain. Something ethereal.

For the two kids below her, she was an unbreakable shield. Where once fear had seized them, now calm settled in its place. It was as if her presence alone had woven a shield around them, keeping them safe.

"I don't like fighting women," Akaza said, "But for such a fine warrior I will make an exception,"

The demon lept off from the wall and landed on the earth with a thud that seemed to shake the entire compound. It was not only a feeling anymore, demonic energy literally started oozing off his body as he walked towards the Flower Hashira.

Kanae also lept off from the edge of the roof. The speed of her fall seemed unartuarally slow, she landed with grance, barely disturbing the sand beneath her feet.

Her haori and hair also fluttered just enough to make her look like a flower swaying in a gentle breeze.

"Kanao, Tanjiro," she said, words came fast but they did not sound hurried, "Leave this place,"

They barely had time to move away before the fight began. Kanae and Akaza met in the middle and the demon threw a powerful punch that tore off a chunk of the earth with its raw shockwave.

His attack was directed away by a gentle tap of a katana.

How could a soft swing affect such raw devastation? It was a question reality itself asked.

That was the kindest start of the battle.

*SHIIIIIIING!!!*

*BOOOOOOM*

The earth screamed, the air cried and iron sang.

"What...?" Tanjiro and Kanao paused and gawked as the environment was ruined in seconds.

White lines appeared everywhere, it was Kanae's sword reflecting moonlight with its razor edge. Multiple balls of red appeared before they exploded, those signify the explosion caused by each attack from Akaza. The atmosphere was cut and detonated.

Such power, Tanjiro could not believe what he was seeing. They were so strong, so far ahead compared to where he was.

He was only a few meters away from the battle but the distance might as well be measured in lightyears. It was like they were fighting in a completely different dimension.

A dimension he would not survive for a second.

"Lady Kocho...."

"Come! We have to leave," Kanao snapped out of the moment and dragged him towards the central hall.

The Hashiras finally made their move. There was nothing else normal Demon Slayer like them could do.

Muzan Kibutsuji sent his best to eliminate the Demon Slayer Corp.

But to do so, they first had to go through them.

The pillars.

...

...

"You did not think this through did you?" Giyu asked as the demon he was fighting slipped out of his senses once more.

The fight was not intense but tricky. Omburo was the exact opposite of Akaza, while the other was raw destruction, this one was silent poison.

So Giyu had a lot of time to taunt even though it was not his style.

There was a sudden explosion towards the northern section of the Butterfly compound. A fight likely broke out but Giyu did not pay any attention to that.

It was strange, even for his usual stoic self to look so unworried about the situation. His eyes had a deeper reason to be calm than his usual detachment.

"You think you are predators trapping prey," Giyu said, describing the situation.

Rui had already covered the entire vicinity with his webs and Enmu also surrounded the place with mist that would put anyone to sleep. Even Kasuagai crows could not fly out of the place. Everything was trapped.

"You think you are still the predators but it hasn't been like that for a while now. The dynamic has been changing ever so slowly since the new generation of Hashiras gathered," Giyu said and then took a sudden turn to his left. He barely caught the flash of the demon.

"It started with the Stone Hashira Gyomei, then Tengen Uzui. Me and Kanae became pillars next, followed by Sanemi, Seiji, and Rengoku. After that Shinobu, Mitsuri, Muichiro and Obanai complete our ranks. That is eleven pillars in one generation, the most in history," Giyu said calmly but heat was rising in his tone.

"The dynamic finally flipped on the night of the Failed Purge. The Demon King ran and ever since then, demons were no longer the predators,"

The sound of multiple whistles echoed through the air. The sound climbed the layers of the atmosphere until it exploded in brilliant lights in the night sky.

Fireworks. There were lots of them.

Hundreds flew in the air every second and exploded in light so brilliant it became as bright as day. The demons knew in an instant what that was.

A signal.

To whom?

To the eleven Pillars of humanity and every Demon Slayer available.

"The truth is....:" he said and a smile finally spread his face under the brilliant fireworks.

"You are prey baited out by the predators," he said. "It's simple really, it's even in the name. You are demons,"

"And we, Demon Slayers,"

*BOOOOOM!!!!*

Omburo finally came out to clash with Giyu in full force. There was no longer tricks, there was no longer hiding. The situations have changed completely and they must too.

They need to kill them fast before more arrive. They couldn't fail.

..

...

//////////////////////

All around Japan, in a world that was yet to be polluted by light, the bright Fireworks could be seen for miles upon miles. And even if many Demon Slayers did not see it, the Kasugai crows flew out to send the message,

Among the people who saw the fireworks, a pair of purple eyes also turned towards the Butterfly Mansion.

..

..

[IMAGE]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stones. I'd appreciate it if you kept me above chainese translations plzz.

Author : Okay fuck whatever my editor said. I will return back to my original writing style. Im tired of this lethargic writing style, I don't care if it's more professional.

LOL, just ranting because he is not here.