Night Raid (1)

(A/N: Warning, This Chapter Will Portray More Depravity of Demon!)

--- Chapter 38 ---

The dinner.

Well, eventful.

Shinobu and Kanao tried to make each other jealous by feeding Tenma as much food as possible.

So, the entire time, only Tenma and Eri are eating while the young ladies from the Butterfly Mansion glare at each other with invisible electricity.

"Eri is full!" Eri said, patting her stomach.

"It's time for demon-hunting."

"Hmph, you're right, Eri-chan," Shinobu replied, huffing at Kanao.

Kanao also huffed, "Just some demons..."

Tenma laughed bitterly, "Okay, okay, get along... You two."

"Shinobu, tell us how many demons we will kill tonight."

Shinobu nodded and shared her intel. A group of unruly demons led by three high-level demons have been moving from one village to another, manipulating the villager's minds to produce more food for them.

Just hearing the description alone makes Tenma frown.

The key words are "to produce more food" for the demons.

"Apparently, this demon group has been missing from our radar for a while because they erased all the villager's memories and evidence that led to them until one of our members got caught in the net."

"Poor woman, she got forced..." Shinobu wanted to finish her words but remembered Eri was also in the room. She shook her head, thinking Tenma and Kanao should get the gist.

"How disgusting," Kanao mumbled, grabbing the hilt of her sword. "All demons should die..."

Tenma rubbed his chin, "Are you sure there is no commander-level demon in the group? Although high-level demons have Blood Demon Art, they don't have the patience and calmness to execute such a plan."

"If my guess is accurate, this demon group has operated for more than two years. Kuhaku nearly covered Japan, and I don't think the demon group could escape our radar..."

"Unless there is a commander-level demon." Shinobu ended his sentence with a solemn expression. "There is a possibility. However, I didn't detect any tracks related to them."

"They probably knew your identity," Kanao added thoughtfully.

"Your poison can kill commander-level demons so they wouldn't foolishly show themselves to you."

Shinobu pulled a map from her sleeve and rolled it open on the table, allowing Tenma and others to see several red-marked areas. Each red mark means the controlled villages.

"This place!" Eri unexpectedly pointed her finger at the small town named Ebisu, separated by two rivers from the red-marked areas. "I think there are demons there."

Tenma mused, "Why do you think so?"

"The rivers!" Eri grinned. "Demons are predators at night. They like to attack unsuspecting places and leave before dawn."

"If we see from these marks, they controlled villages periodically and visited them one by one."

"But there is not enough time to run away."

"So, they could only cross over the river..." Shinobu realized what Eri implied.

"Ebisu Town." Kanao stared at the map intently.

Tenma whistled, and an eagle came down to their window.

"Scout Ebisu Town for me." He gave the bird a calm look, and the latter nodded, flying to the sky.

Tenma stared at Shinobu, Kanao, and Eri.

"Gear up."

...

...

Three horse shadows appeared under the moonlight. The galloping noise echoed in the forest.

Tenma was riding a horse with Eri, "Shinobu, have the Demon Slayer Corps known about this demon group?"

Shinobu followed beside Tenma and answered unsurely, "They probably did. But the mission issued by the headquarters is only about small-time demons."

"They never say anything about the commander-level demon."

"En (Shinobu's crow) usually updates me on the mission."

"I got it." Tenma nodded calmly. "You're right... They didn't know about the commander-level demons."

Kanao's horse caught up to Tenma. Kanao was envious of Eri's spot but decided to focus on the mission, "If they could hide from our surveillance for so long, the commander-level demon must have a powerful Blood Demon Art."

"A wide-range illusion-type, perhaps."

Shinobu shot Kanao a deep look, "That's feasible. Circulate your Tao all the time."

Kanao smiled faintly, "I always did."

After riding the horses for an hour, they finally arrived at the cliff, looking over two slow-running yet deep rivers. One flowed to the south, and the other curved to the east.

Caw!

A loud eagle's cry rang as it descended from the sky, landing on Tenma's shoulder. Tenma can read the eagle's simple mind and confirm the demon group's existence in Ebisu Town.

In fact, Tenma didn't need the eagle. His nose is already twitching from the foul smell in the air.

"So dark..." Eri used her hands as a scope. "How come a town like Ebisu has no light? There aren't even people patrolling the area."

"No matter how I see it, that place is the villain's lair!"

"This Eri shall banish them to the shadow realm!"

"Pfft." Tenma chuckled in amusement. Since Eri learned under Tenma, she caught one or two words from him and even used them in situations like this.

Even Shinobu and Kanao couldn't maintain a straight face.

"Well, let's send them to the shadow realm indeed." Tenma seized a white Oni mask and put it over his face.

Kanao and Eri also wore similar masks, though Kanao is sakura-colored and Eri is sky blue.

Shinobu didn't wear one because her identity was clear.

As the Demon Slayer, she is technically under the government.

The Ubuyashiki Family holds some weight in Japan, after all.

"Giddy up!" Tenma gently patted the horse below and rushed into the darkness.

Wooosh!

...

Ebisu Town.

The moonlight shone the town gently, removing the darkness.

However, the town still looks desolate.

Street filled with holes, wild weeds, and bones.

This place looks and feels desolate, devoid of life. However, deep underground, a massive gathering of demons was held.

Demons are having a feast!

A bloody aura permeated the cave as various human organs and body parts were 'boldly' displayed on the glass containers. Blood littered the ground, coloring the rocky floor red.

"Hahaha, that foolish Demon Slayer would never catch us!" The high-level demon appeared like a pale, bald human wearing a red yukata. He sat on a throne made of rock, laughing and chewing on eyeballs.

"Kyaa! I'm just playing around with that woman. I don't expect her to get pregnant so fast. Hmm, I wonder what her baby tastes like..." said another high-level demon, appearing like a young woman in a loose purple kimono wrapped by a green sash.

"Tsk, tsk. You guys don't get it!" The third high-level demon clicked his tongue. He appeared to be in his late twenties, having long green hair tied in a low ponytail. He wore a bright orange yukata, pulsating with blood energy.

"The real delicacy is testicle! I had a human chef prepare it for me. She sliced the testicle thinly like sashimi. If you dipped it in blood, slurp. The taste is so goddamn good!"

The first and second high-level demons stared at their fellow comrade with a deep frown. "Shut up, you pervert! You forget the details that the chef is cutting her own son's testicles for you to eat!"

"That's why it tastes so good!" The third high-level demon moaned.

"The guilt and horror on that woman's face after I canceled my Blood Demon Art is so humorous! Too bad she killed herself…"

"I see... You guys really deserve to die." A calm voice disturbed their party.

They instinctively moved their gazes to the dark cave's entrance, hearing footsteps coming inside.

Then, a white-masked figure entered their vision. This figure is tall, easily towering over them.

"Who are you? What happened to the demons outside?" The female high-level demon narrowed her eyes.

"They are busy." The white-masked figure shrugged. "Well, you will be busy too."

"Busy counting your sin, that is..."

Before any high-level demons could react, a white light flashed and pinned the bald demon to the wall.

BOOOOOOOM!!

The cave shook violently.

Crack!

The white-masked figure cracked his neck as a wicked smile formed behind his mask, "Are you ready to dance, scums?"