Kasugai Crows.
The crow system was formally established by the Ubuyashiki Family, who have led the Corps for over 300 years, was extremely powerful. With Kasugai crows, communication and mission assignment were easy.
Some crows were even capable of sensing demonic powers, though that was unique to a certain breed, the kind that did not belong to a rural outpost like Kakudonate.
Still, with six demons breaking through the city, the commotion woke them, allowing for the Kusagai crows to alert the demon slayers.
"Attack!", they shouted, "Attack!"
"Two demons have attacked the southern gate", another communicated, "Taichi, Rengoku, you have been assigned to kill them"
Similarly, Eiji and Ren moved to the northern gate.
They were not veterans. They were Kanoto (third rank) demon slayers. The number of demons they had killed could be counted on one's hands. They had never expected their uneventful patrol to end up like that.
"Do you think it is related to the fall of the Night Hashira?", Ren asked
Eiji shook his head: "Nonsense. Focus on the mission"
Ren continued, however, as if the fear made him more talkative than usual: "What kind of demons would try to attack an outpost like Kakudonate? This is basically suicide. Senior Hideo is not to be scoffed against after all"
However, when they arrived at the scene, their hearts came in heavy thud-thud sounds.
They had found Senior Slayer Hideo near the broken well.
Or what was left of him.
Hideo, a solid Tsuchinoto (fifth rank), laid in a spreading pool of blood. His uniform was shredded. His eyes were pitch black, lifeless, yet still open.
His blade was snapped clean in two, several feet away.
The killing blow was a single, tremendous impact that had caved in his chest. The sheer force of it was horrifying.
"Oh? They sent more?", the voice of the assassin reverberated.
It was none other than Gekido. The leader of the pack. A proud monster. His muscular body, the blood on his hands, and the fingers in his mouth all pointed to one thing.
He was the demon who had done this.
The one who killed Hideo.
His torso showed a deep cut, but it only showed on his cloth. His body had long since recovered.
The moon was still high in the sky.
"Ren?", Eiji spoke, "Run. Run back to the outpost. Ask for help"
"But..."
Eiji cut him: "RUN! THIS IS A FREAKING MONSTER! HE KILLED HIDEO. DO YOU THINK WE CAN HOLD HIM OFF UNTIL SUNRISE? THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL WE CAN DO THAT!"
Ren's face was drenched in tears. Complex emotions went through his head. Humiliation at seeing the outpost commander dead when the assassin lived. Guilt at seeing his friend Eiji sacrifice himself without leaving him a way to help.
And more importantly...a feeling of deep weakness because even when his mind was filled with rage, he could not help but want to run. He could feel the demon's strength. The apathy in his eyes. The eyes that saw him...and Eiji as nothing but prey.
He turned around. Closed his eyes.
Eiji would die. But he would not die for nothing.
Ren started to sprint in the opposite direction. Towards the outpost.
Towards reinforcements.
"First Form: Sharp Feather Draw!", Eiji shouted, using the Crow Breathing Style.
Gekido blocked the fast blade as if it were a branch: "Oh? Crow Breathing Style? It is the same technique the old man was using"
Eiji shouted: "You monster! Senior Hideo was the master of the Crow Kakudonate Dojo. We all learned from him! A swordsmanship passed down from generations to generations for the past hundred years! Don't you dare look own on us!"
As he shouted, he revealed the second form of the swordsmanship, quickly moving from left to right, attempting at tricking Gekido's eyes
"Second Form: Murder's Fleet Steps"
But Gekido was faster still. His claws saw through the fleet steps, and accurately grazed Eiji's chest.
*SPLASH*
'Too strong. Too fast for its size', Eiji thought
Gekido charged. It was not the swift dash of a Fleet-Step, but a terrifying, ground-shaking bull rush that gave the illusion of slowness until it was too late.
Before Eiji could react, his heart was pierced by Gekido's claws.
A simple, straightforward and overwhelming attack.
"Huh?", Eiji muttered, "How...is it...possible?"
Gekido let him finish. Seeing the desperation in his eyes, he shouted like a madman: "Magnificent! Magnificent! Magnificent!"
And proceeded to devour his heart fresh from harvest.
A familiar figure came out of the shadows.
His subordinate. A female demon. Shaped to his desires. Strengthened from his blood.
Janshin.
Her left hand held the severed head of Ren. Eiji's companion, who was sent to ask for help. But he did not make it. A trail of blood was left behind her.
"Master...", Janshin spoke without showing any emotion, "As expected, there is another demon in the vicinity. But it has not shown itself yet"
"Oh?", Gekido said, "Interesting...Our 'family' has not grown in a long time after all. If he is worthy, I shall turn him into one of us"
"MONSTER!", another demon slayer pair emerged from the street, their blade bloodied and steady in face of danger
"They just keep coming", Gekido smirked, "The demon can wait. Let's take care of these weaklings first"
"Yes, master", Janshin spoke as she rushed towards the demon slayers.
The Kakudonate Attack had just begun, yet it had already turned the peaceful city in a bloodbath.