NOVEL FROG 10- Demon Slayer
-Sagiri Mountain-
As Maegor and the others passed through the portal, they felt no discomfort, only a chill as if entering a very cold environment. That was all. Simultaneously, a robotic voice sounded in their minds:
"Welcome to the Demon Slayer World. To conquer this world, you must successfully complete specific tasks:
- Obtain your own Nichirin Sword,
- Master any breathing style,
- Kill at least 3 Lower Moon Demons,
- Kill at least 1 Upper Moon Demon. If you fail to complete the tasks within 1 year, the Portal will open for Demons, allowing them to journey to your World. Each day spent in this World will equate to 10 minutes in your own world."
Lords and knights from Westeros tried to make sense of the voice in their heads. Maegor looked around and felt relieved seeing it was daytime. According to Maegor, the tasks given by the Portal were not difficult; they could be easily accomplished. He looked back at the point they had exited the Portal and noticed an identical Portal, like the one in Westeros, was appearing here as well, but gradually fading as if it were a mirage.
As everyone pondered their next steps, Tywin Lannister interjected, "Firstly, I assume everyone heard the voice. As you can see, our return chance is closed, at least for now. We must complete the tasks to return. Before hunting Demons, we must gather information about them. It's best we explore and gather information until nightfall."
At this moment, Rhaegar spoke up, "Lord Hand speaks rightly, but he overlooks one thing: do we know the language of the people here? Do they know our language? Lord Hand is right about splitting up to search, but we should divide into groups."
Maegor agreed with Rhaegar's concerns, and at that moment, the voice in his head spoke again: "With the last magical power from the Portal, I have ingrained the languages of this world into your memory. You can communicate with the people here easily. Now, I must recharge myself and won't be able to assist you for a long time, Chosen One."
Upon hearing the term "Chosen One," Maegor's eyebrows raised and an unfamiliar worry crept over him. He knew from his readings and viewings that not every Chosen One reached a happy ending; often, they continued to live with shortcomings in their body or soul after completing arduous tasks.
Maegor thought to himself, "Anyway, there's no need to dwell on this for now. Our priority should be finding Sakonji Urokodaki."
While the visitors from Westeros debated among themselves, Maegor wanted to offer a different perspective: "If there are Demons, there must be Demon Slayers as well. I believe we should first find the Demon Slayers. The Nichirin Sword must be the weapon of these Slayers."
King Aerys remarked, "Maegor is right; we should find the Demon Slayers, but for now, let's follow Tywin and Rhaegar's suggestions. We seem to be on top of a mountain right now; first, let's descend from the mountain and then divide into groups. House Lannister will be one group, House Martell another, and our House Targaryen will be a third group."
Everyone complied with the King's arrangements. In a foreign world, they could trust their own families more than anyone else.
Even before descending from the mountain, the groups formed naturally. House Martell rallied behind Princes Lewyn and Doran, while House Lannister followed Tywin Lannister.
As the other two families started moving ahead, Maegor turned to his own family and the Kingsguard, signaling them to slow down.
Aerys said, "Why are you slowing us down, my son? We should gather information before them."
House Targaryen had promised not to take anything away from the other families that they had obtained in the Portal World. The other families could find themselves in a troublesome situation if they gained an advantage over House Targaryen. Although Tywin Lannister seemed to have made peace with King Aerys on the surface, he is a vengeful and unforgiving dog, as seen from the destruction of the Reyne and Tarbeck families. If given the opportunity, he could destroy all the Targaryen and Martell families here, and even sit on the Iron Throne without any difficulty upon his return to Westeros.
Approaching King Aerys and Prince Rhaegar, Maegor said, "Let them go ahead. When I passed through the Portal, I heard a different voice from what you described."
Aerys and Rhaegar started listening attentively to Maegor, startled.
"The common people know nothing about the Demon Slayers. There's no need to attract the attention of the Demons by fruitlessly investigating. The voice told me that Demons cannot come out during the day because they will die from exposure to the sun. So, we are safe for now, but the Demons hunt primarily at night, and at night, we are their prey. Keep that in mind. According to the voice, this mountain we're on is called Sagiri Mountain, and it mentioned that a retired Demon Slayer lives here. I think we should prioritize finding them first and then decide what to do."
Aerys responded, "Excellent, very good, my son. This information is crucial for us; we need to seize the opportunity to separate from the group and meet the retired Demon Slayer afterward."
The group soon descended to the base of the mountain. There were plenty of plants and trees around, but they couldn't see any village or people.
Maegor stepped forward, "It seems there's no visible settlement right now. Let's split up and start investigating. Lord Tywin and House Lannister can go to the West, Lord Doran and House Martell can explore the South. House Targaryen will head to the East."
Maegor approached the largest tree nearby, drew his swords, and made a deep cross-cut into the tree trunk.
"Let's explore the area for a week. Whatever happens, everyone should return to this point after a week," he declared.
The entire group agreed with the Prince's words and began to bid farewell, dispersing to their assigned directions.
Unnoticed by anyone, a clever-eyed black crow was watching them. As the group departed, the crow took flight towards the mountain. This crow was Kasugai Crow, the familiar of Sakonji Urokodaki.
Maegor walked slowly, keeping an eye on the other groups. About 10 minutes later, the groups were out of sight and no longer visible.
"Now we can climb the mountain again," Maegor said aloud. Prince Rhaegar and King Aerys adjusted their paths upon Maegor's words, while the Kingsguard looked at Maegor with puzzled expressions.
Turning to the Kingsguard, Maegor said, "There's a Demon Slayer on this mountain. We should meet with them first. When we gather in a week, we can introduce the other group to the Demon Slayer, but we should secure the advantage."
Ser Arthur Dayne smirked mockingly, while Ser Barristan and Ser Gerold nodded understandingly. They were Kingsguard, but they understood intrigue as well.
As House Targaryen advanced towards Sagiri Mountain, Kasugai Crow arrived at Sakonji Urokodaki's side and informed him about a group of armored strangers searching for Demon Slayers. According to the crow, this group wore armor and wielded weapons unlike any he had seen before, and their facial features were notably different from those he was accustomed to seeing.
Sakonji Urokodaki curiously donned his Tengu Mask and asked his crow to show him the location of the nearest group. The crow began flying in a specific direction, with Urokodaki leaping from branch to branch to follow. As they neared the base of the mountain, Urokodaki overheard the conversations of people and silently approached.
At eye level with the group, Sakonji Urokodaki saw six men. He noticed they all wore armor resembling the "Three-Headed Dragon" armor. Three of them wore Pure White Capes while the other three wore Blood Red Capes. Those in the Blood Red Capes had distinct hair and eye colors from any he had seen before, indicating they likely belonged to a noble family. The White Capes appeared to be their protectors.
Among the White Capes stood a man nearly as large as Gyomei Himejima, the largest man he had ever seen.
The leader of the group was a young man in the Blood Red Cape, with two swords hanging from his waist. Urokodaki sensed a slight threat from this young man, albeit a small one. He thought that if he learned Breathing Techniques, he could become a valuable Demon Slayer.
He overheard their conversation: "Prince Maegor, is there really a Demon Slayer here?" "I've told you before, Arthur, I don't know. I think we'll find out if we keep searching. What do you think?" "Yes, my Prince."
Sakonji Urokodaki realized the group was climbing the mountain opposite to where his dwelling of Demon Slayers was located. No one outside of the Demon Slayer Headquarters knew about his existence here. Either someone from within the group had leaked information, or this Prince Maegor was remarkably lucky with his guesses. However, he was quite surprised that these strange armored individuals had knowledge of Demon Slayers. The Demon Slayers Organization typically operated in secrecy, protecting the people without them knowing.
Sakonji Urokodaki thought, "If you're looking for a Demon Slayer, then first meet a Demon." Without delay, if the group continued searching, they would find his home by nightfall. Urokodaki called forth his Kasugai Crow, flying high above, and asked if there were any reports of demons in nearby villages.
The crow relayed that there was a village 15 kilometers from Sagiri Mountain where there might be a demon or demons present. According to the crow, the Demon Slayer Headquarters had decided to send Demon Slayers to investigate the village within the week. Sakonji Urokodaki ordered the crow to guide him to the village, determined to capture the demon.
It was Urokodaki who had placed most of the demons on Mount Fujikasane for the Final Selection. As a test to assess the worth of the group searching for him, he decided to have them confront a demon.
House Targaryen spotted a small house in the middle of the mountain as the sun set, and the group was relieved to have found the Demon Slayer before dark. They approached the house and began knocking on the door, but there was no sign of anyone around. Upon King Aerys's order, they decided to open the door.
Inside, there was no one present, and the place was sparse with almost no furniture, adorned with strange masks on the walls.
Aerys turned to Maegor, asking, "Are you sure this is the right place?"
Maegor replied, "There's no way a normal person could live here, father. Look around, we're in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothingness. There's either a Demon Slayer living here or a madman."
Aerys agreed with his son's assessment, saying, "Then let's rest here until the Demon Slayer arrives." The climb of nearly 6-7 hours had worn the King out.
Maegor suggested, "Let's rest until the Demon Slayer comes. Ser Arthur and Ser Barristan, you take the first watch. In two hours, my brother Rhaegar and Ser Gerold will take over. I'll take the final watch, if necessary, until morning."
Ser Arthur and Barristan saluted and went outside to begin their watch. Later in the evening, Ser Gerold Hightower woke Maegor and informed him it was his turn for the watch.
As Maegor stepped out of the house, he noticed the eerie silence under the moonlight.
He drew his swords from their scabbards and planted them in the ground. Though not famous swords, they were two good swords he had bought with the gold dragons he had earned from Qohor. These swords had won him the Harrenhal Tournament.
Maegor knew these swords wouldn't give him an advantage against demons; even a Lower Moon Demon could shatter them.
Maegor began chatting with Mera, recalling memories since he started accessing her. Mera had become almost like an elderly otaku in Maegor's mind, frequently asking about anime or series he had watched.
As the night progressed, Sakonji Urokodaki captured the demon in the village, incapacitating it by stabbing a dagger soaked in Wisteria Flower extract into its abdomen, and brought it to Sagiri Mountain.
When Sakonji Urokodaki approached his home, he saw Prens Maegor standing guard outside. Turning to the Demon he had captured, he said: "Now, inside the house along with the guard, there are six people. If you can kill all six, I will set you free to go. If you attempt to flee, I will kill you immediately."
Upon hearing Urokodaki's words, the Demon began shaking his head wildly. The dagger in his stomach burned him in a way he had never experienced before; no matter what he did, the wound inflicted by the old man's dagger refused to heal. Until now, any weapon that had wounded him had immediately healed him, but the old man's dagger left the Demon weakened.
Sakonji Urokodaki withdrew the dagger from the Demon's stomach and motioned for him to attack.
Maegor, standing guard under the moonlight, suddenly felt the surroundings grow silent. The chirping of insects ceased, leaving only the sound of a desolate wind.
The young Prince cautiously stood up and took his swords. At that moment, someone began walking from under the trees opposite him. The upper part of his body and his feet were bare; his hair was long, and his eyes were like those of a serpent.
After ensuring it was not Sakonji Urokodaki, Maegor began to wait attentively.
As the half-naked man approached, Maegor became certain he was facing a Demon, the first one he had encountered in this world.
The Demon drew closer and glanced at Maegor: "Bad luck for you, handsome boy. I especially hate handsome ones; my fiancée left me for a handsome man. HAHAHAHA I WILL EAT YOU, DRINK YOUR BLOOD, AND DEVOUR EVERYONE I FIND!" he screamed.
"HAHAHAHA, you could barely evade such a simple attack, human. You and your followers will feed me tonight," the Demon mocked.
He lunged again as he spoke, this time aiming his claws at Maegor's right leg. Maegor couldn't evade this attack and for the first time in his life, he received wounds in such a helpless manner. The Demon had opened wounds on the upper part of his leg and then withdrew. Like a cat playing with a mouse, the Demon was toying with Maegor.
Maegor realized he couldn't match the Demon physically. Ironically, this Demon was neither seen in manga nor anime; it was a nameless, unknown Demon. He wondered how powerful the Lower Moon and Upper Moon Demons might be.
Intentionally leaving himself vulnerable on his wounded right side, Maegor goaded the Demon into attacking again. As the Demon prepared to strike the same spot, Maegor leaped back a step and swiftly cut off the attacking arm with the sword in his left hand.
The Demon's loud voice roused the King's Guards and King Aerys and Prince Rhaegar who were resting inside. They equipped themselves and came out, astonished at the scene before them.
Seeing Prince Maegor sever the Demon's arm, the knights and Prince Rhaegar rushed forward. King Aerys cheered at the sight of his son severing the arm of such a powerful creature.
Commander Ser Gerold Hightower of the King's Guard approached Maegor and looked at the Demon with him. "My Prince, you've cut off the creature's arm. Why not finish it off?" he asked.
Maegor pointed his sword at the Demon's severed arm. When the King's Guard and Prince Rhaegar looked again, they saw the severed arm beginning to regenerate.
Maegor was shocked by the speed at which the Demon lunged at him; not even the best knights in Westeros could move so swiftly. He narrowly avoided the sharp claws slashing towards his face by jerking his head back at the last moment.
The King's Guard fixed their gaze with unprecedented seriousness and joined the fight. Ser Arthur Dayne took the lead, wielding his renowned sword, Dawn, to strike at the Demon's head.Formun ÜstüFormun Altı
Ser Gerold swung his massive two-handed sword towards the Demon's waist, while Ser Barristan aimed for the creature's legs to halt its advance. Before the Kingsguard could complete their attacks, the Demon suddenly darted backward as if teleporting, evading the strikes of the three Kingsguard. Seeing their efforts thwarted, Rhaegar dashed towards the Demon, but it redirected its assault back towards Maegor.
"By what audacity do you dare sever my arm, you insignificant insect? I shall relish devouring you," taunted the Demon.
As Maegor prepared once more for a claw strike, a punch to his stomach made him see stars. The Kingsguard attacked from behind, visibly frustrated as their strikes seemed to miss the Demon as if it had eyes behind its back.
Maegor decided again to deliberately expose himself, his arms dropping as if they could no longer bear the weight of his swords. Seeing Maegor visibly weakened, the Demon attacked again. It decided to drive its claw towards Maegor's heart and lunged.
Time seemed to slow for Maegor as he observed the Demon extend its arm towards his heart. He shifted his body slightly, witnessing the Demon's claw narrowly miss his shoulder. Without hesitation, Maegor swiftly severed the Demon's head with the sword in his right hand.
Upon seeing the head fall to the ground, the Kingsguard and Prince Rhaegar breathed a sigh of relief. However, their expressions tensed upon realizing that the Demon's arm had pierced through Maegor.
Maegor shouted, "Hold its head, close Demon’s eyes! It's not dead yet, don't come near!"
Recalling from the Demon Slayer anime, Maegor remembered that Demons could only be slain by sunlight and the Wisteria Flower without the Nichirin Blade.
Maegor turning to King Aerys, he shouted, "Father, you must find and retrieve a purple flower inside! Otherwise, we can only suppress the demon by using force until dawn."
King Aerys immediately began searching Sakonji Urokodaki's house. Meanwhile, the severed head of the demon was screaming, attempting to free itself from Maegor's grasp. Though Maegor, like Kyojuro Rengoku, tightened his muscles in an attempt to contain the demon, he ultimately dropped his swords and embraced the demon.
The wounded Prince called out to King's Guards and his brother Prince Rhaegar, "Come closer, we must hold the demon, there is still time until dawn."
Although Prince Maegor acted as if nothing was wrong, blood was pouring profusely from the wound pierced by the demon. King Aerys' sight began to darken as he searched the house, realizing he could only hold out for half an hour at most, gritting his teeth.
Meanwhile, Sakonji Urokodaki, observing the fight, was deeply impressed by the young Maegor, admiring his intellect and ruthlessness. Urging Kasugai Crow beside him to swiftly go to Butterfly Mansion and summon someone to treat Maegor.
King Aerys finally searched the entire house and found a cluster of Purple Wisteria. The 38-year-old King dashed outside and handed the plant to Kingsguard Barristan Selmy.
Barristan looked at Prince Maegor, unsure of what to do.
Maegor, in a weak voice, said, "Crush the herb and spread its essence on your sword. Must I tell you that too? After spreading the essence on the sword, stab it into the Devil and leave it there."
Barristan Selmy moved quickly with embarrassment. He crushed the herb on the sword with a stone and spread its essence thoroughly.
The tip of the sword, filled with Wisteria Poison, pierced into the Devil as Maegor weakly freed himself from the Devil's grasp and stepped back.
As Maegor retreated, Ser Barristan firmly drove the sword completely into the Devil and left it there.
The Devil, screaming incessantly, was silenced after being stabbed with the Wisteria Poison, rendered almost tongue-tied and unable to utter a single sound. His body seemed paralyzed, unable to move a single muscle.
Maegor took a deep breath and sat down on the stairs of the house. At that moment, a man with a red mask on his face slowly walked towards him from under the trees.
The King's Guards eyed the newcomer cautiously. Without hesitation, the man continued to walk, drawing their swords. Suddenly, as if teleporting, the man stood before Maegor.
Maegor, on the verge of fainting from blood loss, heard the man say, "You have passed my test, and..." before losing consciousness.