Chapter 2

(POV Zenitsu)

I pushed the door with shaking hand and mess in my head... I didn't hear anything from house except chewing and gulping sound. When I was opening door I really hoped that it was my dad eating something and mom and Haruko just goes somewhere, I really hoped... But when I opened the door, I fell on my knees. My mind stop working, I paled and shivered so much, like I was drenched with water in the middle of winter.

There, in front of my eyes, was grotesque creature. It looked like a mix between mantis and human. From human parts its only had torso and head but legs, arms and mouth were this of a mantis. It's arms were ended with sickle-like green blades. It wear large, blue kimono, clearly to big for it.

It's mouth was smeared with blood and when it's chewed a stream of blood escaped from its mouth and dripped on the floor. I was looking on a dripping blood and then I saw what it was eating...

On the floor, in the puddle of blood lied the body of my father. His body was unrecognizable, I was only able to tell it was him because of his clothes. This monster was eating my father!!! When this information finnaly came to my head I immediately puked everything I've got in my stomach. Tears gathered in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. That monster was disturbed by me and looked in my direction and then I saw it's eyes. I recognize them immediately! Those are the same eyes I saw in the cave earlier!!

Monster: "Hooooh? .... Another dish? Heheheheh, please, wait patiently for your turn and don't make as fuss like that bitch over there."- it said in hoarse voice and probably smile, which make it look even more creepy, and gestured on it's left. Then he returned to his "dish".

I looked when he gestures with fear in my eyes, my body was totally stiff. I looked near the wall and I screamed in horror.

Zenitsu: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!"

Near the wall lied my mother. Her arms and legs were cut off. There was a lot of blood around. I couldn't help it and screamed. I looked at her face, she was terrified and has her lips open, like she tried to scream but couldn't make it.

Monster: "I said wait patiently!! Wait... I hear this voice earlier... It's you! You and that two girls went to my cave and you hit me with the stone in the eye!!- it's shouted at me angrily and glared like it wanted to rip me apart. It's stood up and I finally saw how tall it is. Although thin, it's barely fit in our house.

He came closer to me and kicked me in the stomach. I flew in the air and landed few meters from my house. I started to gasp for the air and coughing violently. If I wouldn't threw up earlier, probably I would now. It walked out and came closer to me again.

Monster: "You know, just killing and eating you wouldn't be enough, no. I know! Why don't we play a game like you played with your friends earlier?! The same rules, no borders, no time limit. I will give you two minutes advantage. One... Two... Three... Four... Better run boy, hehehe."

I was terrified. I was crying. But still I have to run! I have to escape!! I stood up and ignored my shaking legs. My stomach hurt like hell! I started to run in the forest as fast as I can. I ignored pain and tears because of which I couldn't see clearly and keep running straight ahead. I ran straight through the bushes and felt like they cut my face and body. But I didn't stop even for a moment.

I started to remembering all my moments of happiness with my mother, father and Haruko. I cried even more. Just why this all happened?... Wait! Haruko! I haven't seen her at house! Maybe she escaped? Yes!! She definitely escaped! She has to run for help to the nearest town! She was there once with mom, it's an hour and half while walking in slow peace, if she run, she could arrive there in matters of minutes! I have to survive till she back with help! I only hope that Rinko is with her right now.

I encourage myself with this and kept running. I don't know how much time passed, nor did I care. After a few more moments I couldn't take it anymore. My chest hurts while I was panting. I tried to listen if this monster is chasing me but because my heart is beating to loud and quick I couldn't focus enough.

Monster: "I didn't expect that you run this far in just two minutes, hehehehehe."

Zenitsu: "KYAAA!!"

I jumped and screamed in fear. How is it here this fast?! I didn't even heard him! That's no good!! I don't want to die!! I turned in the opposite direction and tried to run but to no vail. It appeared in front of me and blocked my path.

Monster: "It's enough of play. I need to back and report to Muzan-sama. But first, I need food for a road."

It then slashed my chest with its sickle-like hand. Slash landed on my chest but as it slashed me while I was taking step backward it didn't kill me in instant. Still, I tripped over something and force of slash made me fell on the tree behind me. Wound must be deep but not too much. A lot of blood flow out of it. It's hurt like hell!! Oh my God! I'm going to die here!! NOOOO!! When I was panicking this monster speak to me again.

Monster: "You know? I didn't plan to slaughter whole village. I planed to hunt you one by one slowly and regain my strength. But then you... You came to my cave and throw stone at me! I wanted to rip you apart but because of this damn sun I couldn't catch you!! I was furious, I still am!"- it roared madly at the end.

So it's because of me?... All of them die becouse of me? Mother, father, everyone... If I wouldn't run to that damn cave!! I cried again. It's all my fault... It will kill me now. I'm scared! I'm scared of death more than everything. I don't want to die!! Please Haruko, hurry up with this help!

Monster: "But congratulation, brat. You were the fastest of them all. You even ran further than that stupid girl, hehehehehe."- it started to unite his kimono with creepy laugh. Huh? What is it talking about?

When it finnaly untied his kimono it showed me what it's had inside. Clouds have revealed the moon which lightened whole area. I losed all strength in my body. All light escaped from my eyes but I didn't cried anymore, there is no more tears in me.

Zenitsu: "H-Ha-Haruko-neesan...?"

Inside of his kimono were few, cut off heads, all of them were those of children's. I knew them all. They all were my friends. And among them was my sister... No.. No, please noo.. Now I'm sure. There's no help, no hope. And it's because of me..

I started to lose consciousness. I lost all strength in my body, even wound stopped to hurt me. But still, I am afraid. I'm so afraid. I don't want to feel pain, I don't want to die. I can barely hold my eyes open. I heard like it's coming for me. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth.

And then, I heard very fast footsteps. It was coming in ours direction.

???: "Breathe of Thunder, Fourth Form: Distant Thunder"

I heard elderly voice and after that I heard a thunder next to me.

Monster: "Aaaaaah! Demon slayer?!"- It screamed in pain. I felt like someone is standing in front of me. I force myself to open my eyes and looked what happened.

In front of me stood a short old man, with wooden leg and katana in his hand. He was facing that monster. Nex to me lied monster's sliced off arm. Its started to slowly disappear after a few moments.

Monster: "Grrrrrr.... Die you fucking old man!!" - it screamed in rage and throw himself at old man. It's swing his now fully regenerated arm. Old man stood there calmly and released a lot of air that formed a stream of steam.

Old man: "Breathe of Thunder, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash."

Old man suddenly disappeared from the spot in yellow flash and he appeared behind monster while sheathing his sword. Second later I heard something akin to thunder and monster's head slide from its neck. Monster was confused and shocked at the same time.

After a moment, whole body of monster disappeared with his head. I looked at the old man who's looked at me in the same time but my eyes refuseed to stay open. Darkness embraced me and I losed consciousness.

________

(POV Old man)

Hooh? It seems like this kid is still alive. I better treat his injuries quickly or he wouldn't make it. I also need to take him to town. Haaaah, I'm too old for this...

________

(POV Zenitsu)

Zenitsu: "Ummh... Uuummmhhh... Mom cover a window please, this light can't let me sleep... Moooom!... Mom?" - I felt sunrays on my face and this woken me up. Damn I had the worst nightmare in my life... Haaah, hopefully it was just a bad dream.

Mum didn't respond to me so I tried to stand up but

Zenitsu:" Aaaah!"

I immediately screamed in pain. I looked down and saw my whole chest in bandages. I touched my face and felt dressing on my right cheek. I hurriedly look around and realized that I'm not in my old room. In this room are futon in which I currently lie and small table with four pillows around it.

So.. So it wasn't a dream... They all died yesterday... No.. NOO!! Tears streamed down my face. They are no more with me. .. I remembered my father when he drunk a little and started joking around and then my mom stroke him with fan and reprimanded him. Haruko and I laughed at that. We were really happy. But.. But there aren't going to be another happy things like that. Then the images of their's bodies popped in my head. My wound started to hurt more and more.

I heard footsteps outside the doors and someone opened them. I recognized him from yesterday, he saved me from that monster.

Jigoro: "I see you finnaly awake, kiddo. I thought you will sleep for few more days judging from your injury and fatigue. Oh by the way my name is Jigoro Kuwajima, you can call mi Ji-san if you want."

Jigoro was a very short, elderly man with visible forehead wrinkles and large, slanted eyes, as well as a straight scar with even six prongs running along his right cheekbone. He had notably bushy eyebrows and a large moustache, as well as slick white hair that he wore smoothed down to puff out around the base of his head, with what would've been a fringe also swept back away from his face. Jigoro was also missing his right leg, with a wooden peg taking its place. He also had a sheathed sword on his side and wooden cane to help him while walking.

Zenitsu: "It was you who saved me yesterday right? I-I wanted to thank you." - I said and bowed my head.

Jigoro: "No, no, it's okay kiddo. And umm... That was three days ago..."

I snapped my head and looked at him with a shock in my eyes. Three days?? I have slept that much? I looked at my bandaged wound and touched it only to hiss in pain.

Jigoro: "Oi, oi, don't touch that! Although it's not a deep wound it still can reopen if you kept bugging it."

I retreated my hand and looked at him. I asked him after a few seconds.

Zenitsu: "Wha-what happened with my village? My neighbours?...My fa-family?" - Last part almost stuck in my throat.

He sighed and answered me.

Jigoro: "Haaaah... I'm sorry kid.. I hired few more men and they helped me to bury them a day after I found you in the forest."

I stopped tears from fall and gripped the blanked as hard as I can. After I calmed a little I spoke to him again.

Zenitsu: "Th-Thank you Jigoro-san.. Ca-Can you take me to them?"

Jigoro: "Of course, kid. But first you have to eat something and take a bath. I will also looked at your injury if it recover without troubles. After that we can go" - he said to me after telling me what we would do earlier. And man, he's right, I'm hungry as hell.

° ° °

(POV 3rd person)

After a bath and breakfast they left the inn. They are currently in town few miles from Zenitsu's village. It's his first time here but he didn't actually care about that. Sometimes people looked at Jigoro-san, more precisely at his wooden leg. He didn't bother at all those stares and kept walking beside Zenitsu. And he have to admit, although this old man is crippled he's faster than him! He have to struggle to keep up with him and his wound didn't help him with it. Jigoro seems to noticed that Zenitsu have problem to keep up and sometimes they stop for a few moments.

After an hour and half he asked old man what kept bugging him for some time.

Zenitsu: "Jigoro-san, can I ask you something?"

Jigoro: "Yeah, what ya want?"

Zenitsu: "Ho-How did you know what happened in my village? I can't imagine an Old man walking in the forest in the middle of the night aimlessly." 'And in your state' - he thought while looking at his wooden leg.

*BANG*

Zenitsu: "Ouch!"- he covered his forehead with his hands.

Jigoro: "Don't think rudely about me brat!" - he said loudly while waving his wooden cane in threatening manner.

Zenitsu: "I-I'm sorry!"- he said with tears in the corner of his eyes.

Jigoro: "Haaah.. Four days ago at night I was returning from meeting with certain people. I stayed at night in the inn near the end of the city. When I walked out to take a walk around the town, I heard a commotion at the entrance of the town. Big crowd gathered around little girl. She begged for help and said that a 'monster' started to killing in her village. Everyone thought she was talking about a bear or something but noone dare to go there after seeing nasty wound on her back. I decided to check what is happening and run to your village. After I saw dead bodies, I heard your scream in the forest and you know the rest."

The image of certain purple eyed girl popped in Zenitsu's mind. He feared the answer but still he asked Jigoro.

Zenitsu: "...Wh-What about her? Is she okey?"- he asked with with little hope in the eyes.

Jigoro: "I'm sorry kid... She lost too much blood..."

Zenitsu felt like something punched him in the guts. His heart started to hurt but he didn't said anything more. He only clenched his fist hard and kept walking. None of them speak until they arrived at meadow with beautiful, purple flowered tree.

Zenitsu recognized this place, after all he played here all his life. Beside the tree lied several graves. He stopped for a moment when he saw them. He started to shaking uncontrollable. Jigoro said he should go there alone, he would wait for him here. Zenitsu didn't said anything and slowly walked in front of the graves. He stopped a meter from them and dropped on his knees. He lowered his head in the way that his bang covered his eyes. His body started to shaking and tears streamed down his cheeks.

Zenitsu: "... I'm sorry... Everyone... I'm so sorry..."

° ° °

After almost an hour Zenitsu returned to where Jigoro was waiting. When old man saw his red eyes he could only clenched his hand in frustration. 'Another lives were taken, another innocent child turned into an orphan. Everything because of thats bastards...' Jigoro thought while looking silently at Zenitsu. He decided to ask something the young boy.

Jigoro: "I know it is not the best moment to asking this, but you planned what would you do from now on?"k

Zenitsu: "... I.. I don't really know... I probably will look for some job at the town or become a beggar..." - he said after some thoughts. He didn't really know what to do. He never thought that someday he would be left without everything... Without anyone..

Jigoro looked at the young boy and, as if he decide something, he nodded and again spoke to Zenitsu.

Jigoro: "Tell me Zenitsu... Do you want to become a Demon Slayer?"

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Here is a chap, I hope you liked it. Comment what you thinking about it. Next chapters will be about the demon slayers things, you know, breathe styles, training, running from Jigoro, more training etc.

Also please write if you prefer romance or Harem but only with 2 girls. And please don't write something like 'Harem will destroy whole history!' etc. Harem can be wrote as good as romance if written properly and not with 'tens' of girls.

I prefer only two because it will be easier to handle that much and all girls can have even 'screen time', not like in novels when MC have 15+ girls and most are tottaly forgotten or had the same characters.

And pleeeease, can someone tell me how to make "Creator's Thoughts" at the end of chapter? I'm total noob...

Next chap probably on Tuesday evening.