Cataclysm // Demon Slayer Deku

Breath of Life, Pain of the Soul

Kagaya's POV:

I maintained a small smile as I walked along the path through the DS Corps graveyard, filled with fallen warriors of centuries past. The humming of birds in the sky acted to calm myself down slightly.

The caring warmth of the rays of sunlight quickly transformed into a scorching heat, filled with malice the deeper I walked through the graveyard.

My mind already had all the answers, fully prepared for what or who I'd meet not too far along the concrete pathway. 

The only regret I felt at the moment was that the one who would bring my life to an end made himself known far too soon.

"So you're the Master," a voice spoke up from not too far in front of me.

My gaze fell on a young man who was crouched down in front of a tombstone, his piercing red eyes glued onto it. "So this is how it happens, Gushiken?" I muttered underneath my breath.

"This is him," I thought to myself. "The demon king. Tanjiro Kamado."

He rose to his feet, head turned in my direction, gaze stilling onto me.

My smile dropped, eyes narrowing as I rested my right hand on the hilt of my katana, taking several steps back in preparation for an attack.

Tanjiro Kamado only stared at me, arms crossed, what seemed to be—

"A katana?" I thought, incredulously.

I frowned. The sun was still out, glowing with an intense heat. And yet...

"So Yushiro-San was correct," I thought to myself, slowly unsheathing my blade. "He truly is unaffected by sunlight."

"That would mean that my blade is meaningless."

"How did you find this place?" I questioned the seemingly immortal demon king, making sure to keep my distance.

He blinked once, gaze narrowing.

"We'd be here for a while if I were to go into everything I had to do in order to narrow down on this location," Kamado responded. "It's been several centuries since I've personally attacked a demon slayer location. Never have I found one that housed the Ubuyashiki family."

"And I suppose that is why you're here. To kill me? To destroy my family?" I inquired, raising my katana slightly up higher. "Was using Dragon to wreak havoc on Tokyo a part of your plan to dwindle our numbers before coming here yourself?"

The demon king had the audacity to seem upset at the accusation, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he did so.

"Not at all. What the previous Lower 1 did was entirely out of my control. I had no part in what happened that day. However, I do admit that what he did was effective in harming the DS Corps as a whole," he responded.

I narrowed my gaze at the demon king, the most powerful creature to have ever existed, the unfortunate pinnacle of strength.

"Yet you decide to confront me where so many of my children have been buried and laid to rest. Do you wish to undermine their sacrifices? Disrespect their gravestones? If so, I'll do everything in my power into preventing that from happening."

Tanjiro shook his head. "I simply wanted to see what you've lost, see how many have been lost on your side. I watched as Dragon faded away into nothingness, and believe me when I say that I'm glad he has been taken care of. He was nothing more than a nuisance."

We both stood quite for a few moments, neither of us making even the slightest sound. I was the one to finally break the loud silence.

"A nuisance? If he was truly a nuisance, surely you would've dealt with him long ago," I commented, not buying into the demon king's supposed dislike for Dragon.