CH. 3: Kocho Shinobu

Aiden looked at the insect Hashira Shinobu before him with some astonishment.

He actually met a Hashira already?

He thought he would have to get to the Demon Slaying Corps before bumping into even an actual Demon Slayer!

Although he had just been chased by a Demon, this luck seemed...not bad? Or did the system spawn him in this place deliberately?

"Ara, don't look at me with those eyes! I'm not some weird person!" Shinobu elegantly bowed: "Let me introduce myself, I am Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira of the Demon Slaying Corps."

Seeing Aiden still looking a bit blank, Shinobu continued.

"Our Demon Slaying Corps is not some weird organization! Although unofficial, we are a proper demon slaying group! I'm sure you know what demons are right? Just like the one you killed earlier.

They used to be humans too, but after becoming demons they lost their minds, becoming violent and bloodthirsty, even starting to prey on humans. All we can do is kill them, so they can no longer harm people. But in the end, they are still a pitiful group of creatures."

After speaking, She couldn't help sighing, as if she was truly regretful for the demons' fate.

Aiden looked at her black-lined.

Pitiful?

If you really thought they were pitiful, you wouldn't be trying to dig out their eyeballs and pull out their intestines!

If he hadn't read the original work and knew how much hatred and hostility Shinobu held towards demons, he might have been fooled by this facade.

Seeing Aiden standing there silently lost in thought, Shinobu suddenly smiled.

She quickly vanished just before his eyes and appeared on his left as she softly blew into his ear. "Hey! I still don't know your name!"

Aiden felt his whole body tingle! The floral scent coming from the person beside him rushed straight to his brain, making him feel dizzy.

But even so, he still forced himself to stay calm, stubbornly turning his head away.

"My name is Ken-kenshi Tanaka!" Aiden replied with his head turned. He blurred out a Japanese name he knew from his past life.

Shinobu covered her mouth and laughed lightly like a girl succeeding in her mischief, taking two steps back to widen the distance between them.

"Mr. Tanaka, can I take a look at your sword?" She suddenly said.

Aiden thought for a bit, then after putting the Demon sword Senjin back in its sheath, he handed it over, while not forgetting to warn. "Be careful, this sword breaks easily! Although...it doesn't really matter if it breaks..."

He wanted to see if she can actually feel anything about the sword. The system didn't give him much information, even then he can feel that this blade is not simple. After all, it killed a demon which can only die from a Nichirin sword or sunlight.

"I know!" Shinobu took it with a light laugh. "I saw with my own eyes when you broke the sword and pieced it back together!"

Saw it with her own eyes!?

Aiden quickly realised hearing this. "Didn't you only just arrive here?"

"Nope! I got here when you first stabbed the demon's neck with your sword!"

"....."

"So you were just watching the show the whole time?" He was speechless.

"Don't say it like that! It's because you were really strong! Even though it was just a small little demon, you still relied on your own ability to defeat it, so I felt there was no need for me to make a move at all!"

Aiden listened with a blank look on his face, if he was really strong he wouldn't have gotten beaten up like this!

His chest still stung right now!

"Could it be...you are angry?" Shinobu revealed a troubled expression. "If so, I really am very sorry! I was hoping to get along well with Mr. Tanaka!"

"..."

The acting was poor, but in the end Aiden just sighed and said: "Alright nevermind, also, just call me Kenshi."

"Okay, kenshi!" Saying that she again giggled a little.

"..."

Aiden was speechless, what had he done to offend this hashira? Why was she messing with him like this?

Shinobu laughed lightly, no longer looking at Aiden's aggrieved expression, focusing her attention instead on the Blade in her hand.

From the first moment she saw this sword, she knew it was no ordinary weapon, it was even better than any nichirin swords she had seen before.

So when she saw the demon blade Senjin, she felt her heart skip a beat. Just like when she saw a demon!

And when Aiden reattached the blade...

Shinobu's shock could no longer be expressed in words.

So after the demon died, she went up to chat with him, wanting to borrow the sword to examine it closely.

She had prepared many excuses, but unexpectedly the other party readily agreed.

This child seemed to have an inexplicable trust in her...and seems to be a bit naive.

Shaking her head, She pulled her thoughts back from wandering, once again focusing her attention on the Sword, then raised her hand and gripped the hilt.

The instant she touched the hilt, her hand holding the sword involuntarily trembled a bit. However she didn't feel anything other than that.

Aiden who was closely observing her expression, seen her shock.

After pausing a moment and contemplating somthing, he still asked: "Did you feel it?"

"Feel what?" Shinobu hid her shock and asked.

"Did you feel a slight tingling sensation or something like that." He asked.

She thought for a moment and shook her head. "Very unfortunate, I did not feel any sensation."

"Then why did your hand tremble just now?" Aiden pointed at Shinobu's hand still holding the sword.

Shinobu shook her head, furrowing her beautiful brows: "I also don't know, but I did not feel any tingling sensation ... However I sensed somthing - it was.... rejection, and my hand shook involuntarily." Saying that, her eyes slightly narrowed.

Rejection?

He was a bit surprised, could it be that the Demon blade Senjin could recognize masters?

Or was it because it was taken out by the system, so only he as the system owner could use it?

At this time, Shinobu made a "shing" sound as she drew the sword out.

The Sword was revealed in full once more.

Under the moonlight, its blade emanated a faint bluish purple glow.

She was amazed by this beautiful scene, unable to help but gently caress the gorgeous blade.

There were also web-like veins on the blade, making it look as if it had been shattered before.

But when Shinobu's fingers brushed over it, the blade was exceptionally smooth.

"So beautiful!" She couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

This sword was outstanding in its looks, weight, length and forged material.

If it was brought to the swordsmith village, it would probably cause quite a commotion!

Shinobu couldn't help but think this.

Soon, she put the sword back in its sheath and returned it to Aiden.

"Does this sword have a name?" She asked.

"Demon blade Senjin." Aiden replied looking at the sword.

"Demon blade Senjin..." Shinobu murmured softly, then smiled radiantly again

"I see..."

She lowered her head seeming to be pondering something.