Chapter 14

Time relentlessly crept forward, and twilight had already thickened. Kazami, trailing behind Xander and Tanjiro, couldn't shake off the thoughts about what the two were whispering about.

"Senior Xander , I sense a new smell!" Tanjiro's words interrupted Kazami's musings and cut through the air.

Upon hearing Tanjiro, Xander understood that the demon was about to make a move.

"Senior Xander ! The scent has gotten stronger! The demon has appeared!" Tanjiro suddenly lifted his head, his eyes gleaming.

"You're in front, go!" Xander commanded briefly.

"Yes!" Tanjiro nodded.

In an instant, they were racing down the street, flying past the intersection. Their sudden swiftness bewildered Kazami, and recalling stories he had once heard, he whispered to himself, "Could it be? Are all these tales about demons and the Demon Slayer Corps true?"

Soon, Xander and Tanjiro found themselves in a narrow alleyway.

"Here he is, right here!" Tanjiro was carefully inspecting the walls, clutching the Nichirin blade in his hand.

Xander did not interfere with Tanjiro, allowing him to concentrate on searching for the demon. Tanjiro followed the trail of the scent until he found the spot where it was the strongest, and with force, he plunged his blade into the ground.

"A-ah!" a cry of pain was heard.

Dust shot up, revealing a dark body of water. From the water emerged a girl in a green kimono. Without hesitation, Xander pulled the girl out of the water, though the hem of her kimono was still torn.

"Tanjiro, you did great!" praised Xander as he pulled the girl free.

Seeing the girl safe, Tanjiro couldn't suppress a smile—they'd made it in time.

A hand emerged from the black water, still holding a piece of fabric torn from the girl's kimono and left behind by Xander.

Then, from the black water on the ground, a demon appeared—a creature in tight mesh clothing with red eyes and three sharp horns on its forehead.

"A demon with supernatural abilities!" Tanjiro was astonished, staring at the demon, which was only halfway out of the water. He hadn't expected to face such a strong enemy on his first mission.

"Where are the kidnapped girls?" Tanjiro asked.

At that moment, the hand of the Half-Swamp demon, scratched by Tanjiro, was gradually healing, and the demon let out a sinister grinding noise.

"Then I'll ask you two questions!" Tanjiro began to ask his questions, but the grinding noise from the Swamp demon grew louder, and then it fully submerged in the black water, disappearing.

At that moment, Kazami arrived and, upon seeing the half-emerged Swamp demon, screamed in horror.

"This type..."

"Yes, this type is a demon," Lin Guang confirmed.

"No way, can this really happen..." Kazami looked at Xander in fear.

Xander didn't reply but handed the girl he was holding to Kazami:

"Mr. Kazami, please hold this girl and stand aside. We'll protect you."

Kazami took the girl from Xander's hands and stepped back.

Seeing Xander standing next to Kazami, Tanjiro was no longer worried about their safety. He focused entirely on the fight with the demon.

"It can appear from any part of the ground, walls, or even out of thin air."

"But the demon can't hide its scent while stealthy!"

"I must find out about Muzan Kibutsuji and how to return Nezuko to her human form!"

Following the Swamp demon's scent, Tanjiro found its location.

"Water Breathing! Fifth Form..."

Tanjiro had already raised his blade to attack when suddenly three dark figures emerged from the ground. Three Swamp demons, identical but with a different number of horns on their foreheads, burst out from the earth.

"Three demons!"

Tanjiro dodged the attack from the three Swamp demons. But they weren't going to let him go.

At that moment, Xander intervened.

"Breath of Ice! First Form! Icy Blade Strike!"

A white blade swept through, leaving a snowy trail behind, and sliced off the arms of the three Swamp demons that had already reached for Tanjiro. Once their arms were severed, they shrank and disappeared into the black water without a trace.

"Senior Xander!" Tanjiro exclaimed joyfully, looking at Xander.

"Tanjiro, did you forget what I told you on Mount Fujikasane? Why are you still so impulsive?" Xander said calmly.

"I'm sorry, I was impulsive, Senior Xander," Tanjiro replied, lowering his head guiltily.

"I know you really want to return your sister to human form, but I hope that during battles with demons, you will focus on the fight. Watch how I do it. Now go, protect Mr. Kazami and the others," Xander instructed.

"All right, I understand, Senior Xander!" Tanjiro gripped the Sun Blade and stood next to Kazami, guarding him from the Swamp demon.

Xander, with the Sun Blade in hand, stood in the middle of the alley, sensing the dampness in the air.

"Due to the Ice Fruit, I can feel the moisture in the air, which means that where there's more moisture, the Swamp demon will appear."

"There he is!"