Kyojuro Rengoku Ice Heart And Flame Soul

| Chapter Three | Flame

I left headquarters and headed home. Fighting that demon was tiring after a long day. I wondered where my next mission would take me. The mountains of my last mission were beautiful. I enjoyed the fresh air and cool breeze of the mountain village.

My ability to sense temperature changes around me was more useful the colder the place I was at. And that village was a perfect candidate for it. I wasn't very fond of heat. It made it harder to tell when somebody was nearby.

Walking back to my home, I was thinking about my training the day before. Why couldn't I become faster? I needed to speed up, but I needed more motivation. Simple training wasn't enough. Experience was the only way I'd improve.

I needed a mission. And Korin, my crow, wasn't bringing me any missions. I was fortunate to go on the mission with the Hashira.

A Hashira. I was reminded of that one I met yesterday. I forgot his name, but I remembered Rengoku said he was the Wind Hashira. What was Wind Breathing was like? Not that I'd go ask him about it. He was one that I would not get along with.

"Rika!"

I turned and saw my crow flying toward me. A smile lit up my face. A mission! I was happy to be receiving one. No doubt that I'd end up exhausted, but I might have the chance to see Rengoku.

My smile disappeared. Wait. Why was that thought in my head? Why would I be eager to see Rengoku? No. I wouldn't allow excitement for that. We were not friends. I only wanted to satisfy his desire for answers, and perhaps he would leave me alone.

"Your goal is to destroy the demon that's haunting the village and targeting the elderly. Go south!" Korin said.

I changed direction and went on my way to where my crow was guiding me. I was wondering if this was a solo mission or if another demon slayer would meet me.

"Korin, is this a solo mission?" I asked her.

"No! Another demon slayer will be there! You are to work together and eradicate the demon!" She said.

I sighed. I would have preferred to do it alone. What if it was Rengoku again? I didn't want to be slower than him. I already showed him how weak I was by clashing swords with him. If I was faster, it would have never happened.

But my running speed could not be outmatched. If I started running now, I would make it before Rengoku. He recently left headquarters, and perhaps was sent to the same village as I. Yes, I would arrive before him and show him that I was much faster than he was.

I planted my feet and kicked hard, sprinting away. Korin was startled, but she flew faster after me. The other demon slayer wasn't in the village when I arrived. If it was Rengoku, he'd see how fast I really was.

After some time, I felt the temperature of somebody approaching me. My gaze fell upon a demon slayer that I didn't know. I was disappointed that it wasn't Rengoku. No, I wasn't disappointed. I wouldn't be. There was no reason to. Whether or not it was Rengoku, I'd be annoyed with who I was working alongside, anyway.

I decided to get this mission done quickly and not ask who the slayer was. He wasn't important, and we would probably never cross paths again. People probably thought the same of me.

We worked together well enough to find where the demon was lurking. It made a home on the outskirts of the village and preyed on unsuspecting elderly travellers.

The village would be safe. The other demon slayer was a Water Breathing user. And it was quite beautiful, but he didn't seem powerful. Even so, he distracted the demon enough that I could charge forward and decapitate it while it was trying to dodge attacks from whoever this guy was.