Too many disgusting things

The atmosphere between Tetsuya and Shinobu was silent, no one started the conversation and the two of them just looked at each other. Feeling uncomfortable with this atmosphere, Shinobu approached Tetsuya and tried to start a conversation.

However, Tetsuya had opened his mouth first.

"You ... Are you the one who killed this Oni ...?" Tetsuya said while turning his eyes towards Kioo's corpse lying on the ground. Hearing Tetsuya's question straight to the point, Shinobu nodded her head while smiling, she then said to Tetsuya.

"Um, it's me, what's wrong? Did I accidentally steal your" prey "?" Shinobu replied, and slipped a question to Tetsuya. However, Tetsuya just shook his head.

"No, it's nothing." He then focused his attention on Kioo's corpse that was slowly disappearing, it had an abnormal purple hue all over his body. There were no meaningful cuts, which made Tetsuya conclude that Oni in front of him was currently dead not because of an ordinary sword slash.

After thinking about the possibility, Tetsuya finally reached a conclusion.

'... poison. 'Tetsuya thought.

Meanwhile, Shinobu also continued to observe Tetsuya. She was still curious, why someone who is not a Demon hunter could have Nichirin hanging on his waist. The Nichirin that is used by the Demon Hunt Corps to kill Oni, is made of special metal whose access and retention are fully managed by them.

Because of that, Shinobu asked Tetsuya in front of him.

"Ano ~ I guess ... you're not a demon hunter right?" Asked Shinobu, heard Shinobu's voice, Tetsuya came out of his mind and answered Shinobu's question.

"No, for now, I'm not a demon hunter," Tetsuya answered.

Hearing Tetsuya's answer, Shinobu tilted her head in confusion.

' For now... ? Does he intend to take the Final Examination ...? 'Shinobu thought, but she did not ask Tetsuya and returned her focus to Nichirin on his waist.

"Then, where did you get the white Nichirin from your waist, don't tell me you stole it from another demon hunter?" Said Shinobu with a sharp look.

Hearing he was accused of stealing Nichirin from another demon hunter, Tetsuya was not angry, because he thought there was no reason for him to be angry with Shinobu just because of such an accusation. With a deadpan expression, Tetsuya said while shaking his head.

"No, this Nichirin was given by my teacher to me," Tetsuya said, and Shinobu did not feel that Tetsuya was lying, so she believed and apologized to Tetsuya.

"Looks like you didn't lie, I'm sorry for accusing you." Said Shinobu while slightly lowering her head.

"Don't worry about it." Tetsuya shook his head, then walked past Shinobu while saying.

"Instead of that, we should immediately save a few people inside, I'm still feeling some life, even though it is very weak." Said Tetsuya, without stopping his steps towards a deeper cave.

Hearing that, Shinobu only nodded and turned around, then followed Tetsuya from behind.

A few moments later, the two of them had arrived in front of a place that looked like a small room in the cave, from inside, came a rotten and fishy odor that mixed up, creating a foul, pungent odor.

Smelling that smell, Shinobu closed her nose and furrowed her brows.

'This stench ...'

Regardless of the disgusting aroma coming out of that small space, Tetsuya entered without any hesitation, until he finally stopped after seeing things in front of him. Seeing that, Shinobu who was still covering her mouth and nose also stopped in confusion, before she looked forward.

She gaped at the sight in front of her.

What Shinobu and Tetsuya saw at the moment could only be described in terrible words. Even though the cave is very dark, and ordinary people will find it difficult to see what's in it, as swordsmen who have trained hard in perfecting their vision, Tetsuya and Shinobu can see clearly what is hiding in the darkness of the cave.

Now Tetsuya knows where the abducted women and children are placed. Blood flooded the surface of the cave, torn flesh scattered throughout the room. Young women are seen struggling without even wearing a single garment, but they are still alive.

Incision wounds and blows filled their entire bodies, and some of them were even nailed to the wall using a kind of iron stuck in their hands. Even though they were still alive, none of them made a sound.

As if they want to die but they can't. There are no bodies of children visible, indicating that they have been eaten up.

Shinobu felt her stomach rumble and tried to take out all the contents inside. Although she had seen countless deaths during her time as a demon hunter, including those closest to her, but the sight she was seeing right now was too cruel.

This is even worse than death itself.

Suddenly, the temperature dropped dramatically, Shinobu felt her body shiver from the sudden cold.

'Why does the temperature suddenly become cold !? 'Shinobu thought in surprise before she finally looked sideways and saw Tetsuya whose body was trembling slightly and his hands clenched. Terrifying killing intent flooded the room, which made Shinobu feel like her neck was being strangled.

'This ...' Shinobu was stunned when a terrifying black aura came out of Tetsuya's body, Shinobu felt extreme numbness, and she could not move her body at all, Tetsuya looked as if he had lost consciousness, his vision was dark, and Shinobu felt that if he did not realize the young man in front of him, a terrible thing would arise.

However, a voice suddenly rang out.

"H-help me."

And, in an instant, the whole atmosphere was tense in the cave subsided, the black Aura also stopped seeping out from Tetsuya's body, and Tetsuya regained consciousness when he heard that voice. He then hurriedly approached the woman who had a soft voice.

Taking a bag of water, Tetsuya gave it to her. Tetsuya's mind had also calmed down, even though he was still trying to bury his anger.

Meanwhile, Shinobu was breathing heavily while escaping the Tetsuya's killing intent.

'This child ... He is dangerous ...' That's all that Shinobu can deduce from Tetsuya, even though Shinobu knows that Tetsuya is not a bad person, but he raises a dangerous feeling that is not even emitted by 12 Moon Demons.

However, finally, Shinobu ignored the disgusting aroma and joined Tetsuya, helped the surviving women, and evacuated them out of the cave.

...

The sun had risen quite high, on a sunny morning, a sad atmosphere enveloped the entire village, Tetsuya finally found the body of Inoda which only left his head and neck, he then buried it near the village along with the bodies of the other villagers.

The remaining women have also been evacuated, although they look more like an undead than humans, there is no light of life in their eyes, except for a few people. Meanwhile, at the village gate, Shinobu and Tetsuya were seen chatting.

"I have already contacted the headquarters so that they send help." Said Shinobu with a serious expression to Tetsuya, she thought it would be too rude for her to smile at a situation like this.

"Is that so ... will they be moved to another village?" Tetsuya asked Shinobu, who responded with a slight nod.

"Um, letting them live in the village where their family was slaughtered will only make their trauma never disappear, so we will evacuate them to various villages, so they can start a new life there." Said Shinobu.

Tetsuya just quietly heard that, because he agreed with what Shinobu said. Then he turned and walked away.

"You want to go ...?" Shinobu asked.

"I'll be late for the Final Examination if I don't go now, you know what I mean," Tetsuya answered without stopping, he left with a bad mood.

Hearing that, Shinobu was silent, before she finally opened her mouth again, and said to Tetsuya who was already quite far away.

"Meet me as soon as you pass the Final Examination," Shinobu shouted loudly enough for Tetsuya to hear, but Tetsuya just ignored her and kept walking, what he saw last night, made his life goal clear again.

He clenched his fist with a sharp look at the horizon.

'Tck, shit! '