Jason Helms vs. Subarashi

[Konrad Raab]

3 RP Limit for singles (REGARDLESS OF SHOW)

Deadline: 5 pm ET Saturday, July 25, 2020

[Subarashi]

Voices in the darkness! The hunter's arrival!

The van rocked back and forth as it took another sharp turn up the hillside road. Subarashi was very glad that their journey was coming to an end, and from the sharp furrowing of her brow, he could tell that so was his partner. Kaguya-dono had been in a foul mood ever since it was decided that the two of them would be working this case together. She had pleaded with Master Yamamoto, saying that she could handle a hunt like this on her own, but their Master didn’t like to repeat himself. She’d been taking it out on Subarashi ever since. 


It started before they’d even departed. “You’re late, idiot,” she had said. Which was wrong. Subarashi had made it a point to show up forty-five minutes prior to departure, wanting more than anything to prove himself. It wasn’t his first demon hunt, but it was the first time he’d been partnered with someone as powerful as Kaguya-dono. She had still beaten him to the platform of their Shinkansen speed train. They boarded from their base of operations in Yokohama and at break-neck speed, headed west across the country. Kaguya-dono barked the plan to Subarashi over the course of a few minutes and then ignored him the rest of the way. The speed train took them past Kyoto and then south, beyond Osaka. It was a long journey, during which Subarashi spent most of his time in quiet meditation. He only opened his eyes a few times to see what Kaguya-dono was doing. Every time he did, she opened her own eyes and glared at him, as if to ask what he thought he was looking at. 

After disembarking from the speed train, they met up with a short, older man named Toshio, who had a bright smile that touched all the way to his eyes. The friendly old man definitely knew Kaguya-dono, and she introduced Subarashi as her “Hisho,” which meant secretary. She thought Subarashi didn’t know that, and he was about to say something when Toshio started chiding her for being a brat. Subarashi snickered at that and Kaguya-dono had shot him the most vicious glare. After the pleasantries they’d loaded up into Toshio’s cramped little van, and headed for the small mountain village where their hunt would take place. 

It was a long, bumpy ride and the air conditioning in the van was not working. The thick summer air in eastern Okayama made Subarashi miserable and sweaty, but he would never voice these complaints. He looked over at Kaguya-dono, whose forehead was slick with sweat as well. He was about to ask her if she wanted a water bottle when Toshio piped up from the front.

“Yama-jii sure does have you two working far away from home, doesn’t he?” he said, looking at them in his rear-view mirror. 

“Yes,” Subarashi started, “this was a request from a personal friend of his. So he sent Kaguya-dono and myself all the way out here to handle it. I’m really honored to have been chosen.” Toshio’s eyes lit up upon hearing Subarashi’s perfect Japanese, as though he hadn’t expected the American to be able to speak. Kaguya-dono gave a loud huff at Subarashi having spoken ahead of her. 

“Master Yamamoto seems to think this mission will be difficult, which is why he didn’t just send me. The request was also marked urgent.” Kaguya-dono said. Subarashi watched her as she spoke with the same quiet admiration as always. Subarashi’s feelings for Kaguya-dono were perhaps the worst kept secret at their dojo. Her disdain for him, however, was no secret. 

“Well I wish I could offer some information up, but the people in this village you’re headed to, they generally keep to themselves. Deal with their problems on their own. So for them to seek help from outside, from Yama-jii, it must be something bad.” Toshio said. 

Subarashi grinned. “Well, ‘something bad’ just happens to be our wheelhouse, right Kaguya-dono?” Toshio chuckled from up front, raising an eyebrow.

“What my hisho means is that we will handle whatever it is that’s harming this village.” Kaguya-dono said, before glaring at Subarashi. He put his head down. 

The rest of the trip went rather fast. Before long, Toshio’s van came to a stop at the base of another incline. 

“I am very sorry, but this is as far as I can take you two. You’ll have to hike the rest of the way up. Shouldn’t take you more than another half-hour.” Toshio said. 

Kaguya-dono assured him it was no issue and they got out, gathering their backpacks and their weaponry. They each buckled their swords to their waists and slung their bows and arrows over their shoulders. After bidding Toshio farewell, they turned and started their ascent up the mountain path, Kaguya-dono at the lead. 

“I hope you won’t be complaining about journeying on foot.” she said. 

“Not at all. I had to skip my routine this morning so this is a decent replacement.” he said. Subarashi’s morning routine was a solid three mile up-hill run, followed by an hour or more of swimming. Even with the added cargo, this wouldn’t be a challenge.

“Good. We’ll be doing a lot of walking through paths like this and also through forest terrain. I hope you can keep up.” 

“Yes, I’m sure I can.” 

“And let’s also be clear that once again, we are doing things my way. If, for some reason, I actually do need the backup that Master Yamamoto insisted I bring, I will call on you. Until that point, you are to stay behind me and out of my way.” 

He finally wanted to argue. This was not Subarashi’s first hunt, or even his second. He knew what he was doing, and there was a reason Master Yamamoto had sent him to give Kaguya-dono backup. He wanted to tell her all of this, that he was fast becoming an accomplished demon slayer in his own right. 

“Yes, Kaguya-dono.” was what Subarashi said. They continued the rest of their trek in silence. The further they went, the less obvious the path became. Lush vegetation seemed to devour what man had made, reclaiming the path for nature. Birds chirped all around them and insects buzzed. Though quite far away from civilization, this place was very alive. It was a welcome change for Subarashi, who had spent most of the last three years bouncing between Tokyo and Yokohama. He took a deep breath of the fresh air and trudged on. 

It was then that he felt the unpleasant phantom weight of eyes watching him through the forest. They were being observed. And tracked. His heart rate increased and his hand inched toward the hilt of his sword. He kept quiet but he wanted to let Kaguya-dono know. She was walking in front of him still, her pace hadn’t changed and her eyes were still forward. He thought about how to let her know without also alerting the one stalking them. 

“Subarashi, how many demon hunts have you been on, now?” Kaguya-dono said, startling him. It was an odd question that she should have already known the answer to, but it didn’t surprise Subarashi that she hadn’t followed his career very closely. 

“This is my fifth.” he replied, unable to keep the tension from his voice. 

“I don’t think that’s correct. I think you’ve been on two. One to the west of Yokohama and one to east Kyoto.” she spoke in an assured tone, and all of that was completely wrong. He was about to argue when he realized what she was actually trying to say. She knew they were being watched, and there were two sets of eyes. One to the east and west of them. Subarashi nodded. Of course she already knew. 

“Yes, you’re right. And I did far better on the mission to east Kyoto.” he said, letting her know that he would take on the opponent to the east.

“Agreed.” was all she said before whirling into motion. In one instant she had knocked an arrow, aiming to the west, and the arrow whistled as her bow thrummed. There was a loud yelp from somewhere in the trees. Subarashi drew his bow and knocked an arrow, aiming in the other direction, but he was unable to pin down the location of their other attacker. He waited, holding his breath until shouting came through the trees.

“Stop! Stop! Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot, we’re not enemies!” The man appeared with his hands in the air, no weapon in sight. Subarashi still kept his bow trained on the stranger, ready to shoot if he made a single false move. 

“Very brave of you to follow and watch us if you knew who we were. Stupid, but brave.” Kaguya-dono chided as she kept her bow poised in the direction of the man who was still screeching from her previous effort. 

“We know! We know! You’re the hunters that Tousen-sama said would come, but we had to be sure. Some of the village is already compromised! You could have been backup for the demons!” he said, nerves creeping through his voice.

“If the village is already compromised, how do we know that you aren’t backup for the demons?” Kaguya-dono asked. 

“They aren’t.” Subarashi said after inhaling, deeply. He could smell the very human scents of fear and sweat permeating this stranger. Ever since he’d awakened to this new world of demons in the darkness, Subarashi’s sense of smell had become an incredible asset. Subarashi lowered his bow. After assessing things a bit further, Kaguya-dono did as well. She marched off into the trees and a moment later returned, being followed by another man who looked remarkably like the first stranger. Twin brothers, perhaps? They wore dark blue traditional Japanese garb, including sandals. They each had short, dark hair and friendly eyes. The one Kaguya-dono had shot was less friendly, but she’d only shot him through his sleeve and pinned him to a tree. His name was Mizuki, and his brother’s was Ryota. They introduced themselves and explained that they had been sent to lead the demon hunters into the village on an alternate route, so as to not alert any demons of their arrival. It seemed smart to Subarashi but Kaguya-dono laughed. 

“If our arrival would send a lesser demon skittering back to its masters, that would’ve been a good thing. Easy to track right back to their hole. And even better if they found out who I was. It might make the demons flee altogether.” she said. It sounded like pure arrogance, but there was much truth to it as well. Demons preferred to do their work in the dark, and they liked to avoid direct conflict as much as possible. You didn’t last in the mortal plane for hundreds and thousands of years by picking every fight that came to you. And Subarashi imagined that the name “Kaguya” wasn’t one that any demon wanted to hear. He watched her speaking to the brothers and thought about the times he’d seen her in action. She had more demon exorcisms to her name than the next five hunters combined. She was elegant and beautiful in battle, with a style that Subarashi wished to emulate, even if that was impossible. They had sparred once or twice and both times Kaguya-dono had refused to allow Subarashi to fight comfortably. Her precision and fluid motion overtook him with ease. And that was without a sword. With her blade, she was even more deadly. 

However, as Ryota and Mizuki explained, the demons with a foothold in their village has crossed a line. They had apparently been taking children. This made Kaguya-dono’s laughter dissipate. Subarashi’s own expression hardened as he thought about this. Just chasing the bastards away was no longer an option. They needed to find them, defeat them, and get these children back as fast as possible. They agreed to follow the twins and headed out through the forest, moving much more quickly than before.

—

Mizuki and Ryota led them through the backyard of Tousen-sama’s modest home. The backyard was centered around a stone fountain, the air filled with the sounds of trickling water pouring frm the mouth of a massive fish that seemed to stare at Subarashi. All around the fountain were various flowers, making the place burst with color. This was in stark contrast to the stern expression on the man who greeted them at his back door. 

Tousen-sama looked to be about the same age as Master Yamamoto. His white hair matched their master’s, and his beard was even longer. He stood with a cane gripped in his right hand, but he appeared very stout. Subarashi wondered if the cane was just for show. 

“Thank goodness you’re here.” His voice was gravelly and weary. With a nod of his head, he dismissed Mizuki and Ryota who both bowed to him, and then to Subarashi and Kaguya-dono. They both disappeared back into the forest. Tousen-sama beckoned them to come inside. 

“I can’t thank you enough for coming.” he said as they took off their shoes and took off their backpacks. The scent of tea filled the place and it made Subarashi’s mouth water. He had learned to love an awful lot about this country since his arrival, and tea was still one of his favorites. He and Kaguya-dono followed Tousen-sama into his living room, where they seated themselves on mats on the floor surrounding a square table, where the tea was set. Scrolls adorned the walls, and there were several bookshelves situated sensibly around the room, with sculptures of various animals atop them. Some more flowers sat in pots on end tables through the room. Tousen-sama apparently had a green thumb. They began having tea as Tousen-sama started to brief them on the situation. It was a grim one. 

Tousen-sama painted them a picture of an evil arriving at their small mountain village and permeating things with a slow drip. Most of the older villagers could tell something was wrong right away. When you live somewhere all your life, you get a certain feel for the aura of the place, and when something befouls that aura, people take notice. But this demon was a dangerous sort. Before it was discovered, it began recruitment, and all too quickly it was no longer operating alone. After gaining allies within the village, it began with simple theft. Stealing food, items, livestock. Once it had the villagers sufficiently rattled, it began its true mission. Taking the children. Once the first child had disappeared, Tousen-sama had sent word to Master Yamamoto. There were now three children missing. These details filled Subarashi with rage. A particularly nasty demon he’d exorcised back in Yokohama had been preying on children. It upset him so much that he didn’t even realize he was clenching his fists. He wanted to go out right now and confront the thing. 

“You understand, these people are like my family, and they’re all terrified. Some have left. The brave ones, they’re staying but they are afraid to leave their houses in the evening. The animals can all feel it, they’re all spooked. The hens have stopped laying eggs. The horses all but refuse to work during the day. I fear that if I had waited any longer to call on Master Yamamoto, it would’ve been too late.” Tousen-sama said. 

“Well it’s not too late. And we’re going to stop whatever is doing this, I promise you. We should get to work right away.” Subarashi said, without thinking. Once again, he noted the older man’s surprise at his Japanese, and a hint of admiration crept into the old man’s weary features. He looked over to see if Kaguya-dono was going to reprimand him for something, but he noted that she too was clenching her fists. Her jaw was set, firmly. She looked angry, but determined.

“I agree. We will begin our work right now, Tousen-sama.” she said, and Subarashi thought it must have been the first time she had ever agreed with him on something. Tousen-sama thanked them again and assured them that they could stay and sleep in his house, with access to all of his food. He also said that Ryota and Mizuki could be at their beckon call, but Kaguya-dono assured him that wouldn’t be necessary. She basically dismissed the master of the village, and the owner of the house they were staying in. The two demon hunters set about preparing for what was looking to be one of the most dangerous jobs they’d ever taken on.

They arranged their gear in silence for the most part. Subarashi opted for gloves and light clothing, the same as Kaguya-dono. He strapped his sword belt on and enjoyed its familiar weight on his waist. After slinging his bow and arrows over his shoulder he began rummaging through is pack and found the last piece he needed. It was the most powerful weapon in their entire arsenal. Master Yamamoto had taught every full fledged demon slayer how to make the concoction on their own, and Subarashi’s was his own special blend that worked best for him. Some slayers liked to smoke theirs, others liked to blend it together and drink it with tea, which was a method Subarashi also enjoyed. However, his blend was best dipped into his lip and chewed like tobacco. 

The slayers called it Demon Reach. It was a medicine of special properties that Master Yamamoto claimed opened up your perception of the world and allowed you visage into the demon realm. It hyper focused your mind and made it so the denizens of the darkness could no longer hide in plain sight among you. Subarashi smiled as he popped the lid off his special blend.

“Unnecessary. Put it back.” Kaguya-dono said. Subarashi raised an eyebrow. 

“Um. Why?” he said. 

“We’re doing reconnaissance first. The situation is more complicated than I anticipated, going in for a fight immediately is not the best course of action. One of the demon’s subordinates will have been lazy and left a trail somewhere. We find it, follow it back to wherever they are hiding, formulate a plan of attack that also allows us to free prisoners. And then we act. Demon Reach may not be needed at all.” she said. This was not an argument in her opinion, it was just the way things were to be. Subarashi bristled. 

“Okay, but what if we encounter demons and they engage us before any of that happens. We should be ready.”

“And we will be. Ready to subdue them and either use them as bait, or make them lead us back to their lair.” 

“You want us to be ready without using the one main advantage we have over them?” 

“Yes. You aren’t afraid, are you?” Kaguya-dono asked, without mockery in her tone. It was an honest question, and the answer was one Subarashi had to honestly think about. 

“No. I promised myself I wouldn’t be afraid anymore.” he said.

“Good. I’ll be out back. Finish getting ready and I’ll meet you out there.” Kaguya-dono slung her bow over her shoulder and strode past him, her footsteps silent as she passed. Subarashi watched her go out the door, waited a moment, and then put a dip of his Demon Reach into his mouth. 

She had her way. He had his. 

—

It had been about an hour since they’d set out. Mizuki had told them of a cave far to the north of the village, up past a waterfall. Some villagers had heard wailing coming from the general area, but none had dared to venture very far, and Subarashi could tell them it was a wise decision. 

The entire place reeked of demon. The Demon Reach had fully kicked in and he could sense demonic energy everywhere throughout the forest. He was hyper aware of it as he and Kaguya-dono stalked through the lush wilderness. There were without a doubt multiple demons present in the area, their distinct scents imprinted themselves in his nostrils and Subarashi vowed that he’d follow them like a bloodhound. The pair passed a cliff side that harbored a majestic waterfall, whose basin led into a much larger river, which eventually poured into a lake that was the village’s main water source. The sound of the rushing water would’ve normally made Subarashi feel calm, as he loved to sit and meditate under rushing water. But this entire mission had taken on a dark, tense feel. He would’ve been on edge, but the Demon Reach allowed all of his senses to be focused on their mission. Find demons. Slay them. 

It was at that thought that Subarashi saw it. A demon, watching them. Its energy buzzed with anger. All at once he drew his bow and knocked an arrow. Kaguya-dono turned to look as she heard Subarashi’s movements. Her eyes widened.

“Wait, don’t!” 

But it was too late, Subarashi loosed the arrow and it whistled through the air as his bow thrummed. It struck with vicious precision and the demon’s head fell with more angry buzzing. Subarashi knocked another arrow, ready to strike again. 

“Fucking idiot!” Kaguya-dono shouted, grabbing him and pulling at his arm. 

“What?!”

“RUN!”

“Why?!”

The buzzing was getting louder and louder, despite the headshot this demon wasn’t dead.

“Idiot! Suzemebachi!”

And Subarashi’s stomach dropped. It hadn’t been a demon at all. It had been a nest of something that while not quite demonic, may have been just as dangerous. The suzemebachi. Murder hornets. And they were swarming toward him. He dropped his bow without thinking and turned with Kaguya-dono to run. 

This was the worst case scenario in Subarashi’s mind. What he didn’t want to happen. He had been so hopped up on wanting to prove himself to Kaguya-dono that he had jumped the gun and put the entire mission in jeopardy. Hell, even their lives were in danger now. The hornets were faster than them anyway, and with this terrain it was only a matter of time before they were caught. Subarashi thought of ways to get out of this, and there simply weren’t any. He would have to atone for his mix-up. He stopped and turned, drawing his blade. 

“Kaguya-dono, run. I will hold them off!”

She yelped something in response, but Subarashi’s Demon Reach aided mind became hyper focused on the sounds of the vicious little insects coming to kill him. What had been loud buzzing became each individual wing flap. He exhaled and prepared for battle. 

The first hornet came straight at him and his muscles jerked almost involuntarily as he sliced it down. The next two came rather straight on as well, he moved like lightning, making quick work of them. More followed and Subarashi danced with his blade through the forest. There was no wasted motion as he slaughtered the winged monstrosities. Each slice was a kill. His confidence and focus rose, but it had been a trick. 

The murder hornets were smart and that first wave had been a diversion to lure Subarashi in. The first sting came from behind, getting the back of his neck. He’d never been shot before but he imagined the pain was something close. He reached back and crushed the offending hornet, but another one caught him on the arm. He screamed in white hot pain, jerking his blade in the direction of the next wave of attackers, felling a few more, but the fight was fast becoming an impossible one as he weathered three or four more stings. They were all over him now. There was a loud BANG sound and suddenly the area filled with blue smoke. Subarashi was yanked by his collar off his feet by someone with incredible strength. He looked up to see it was Kaguya-dono, dragging him out of the smoke bomb she’d set off. He coughed and winced. The insects were briefly distracted but the pheromones their stings gave off would be easy enough for them to follow. Why hadn’t Kaguya-dono just ran away? 

They arrived at the edge of the cliff they had passed earlier as Subarashi’s consciousness waned from the pain of his multiple stings. Kaguya-dono stopped and listened. The buzzing was following them. She looked at Subarashi, then at the river below. 

“Idiot.” she said, disappointment dripping off the word. And then she flung Subarashi off the cliff, down into the water. The splash brought Subarashi a moment of icy clarity for his pain addled brain, but that was brief. He sunk into the river, fading into unconsciousness. He had time to hear another loud splash and see Kaguya-dono swimming down toward him before the darkness claimed him. 

—

And in that darkness, he saw the very things he hunted. Demons, cackling. All their forms dark and fuzzy, blending in with the blackness. 

There were other faces, too. Some people he’d helped save, and some he didn’t recognize. 

Then, a wrestling ring. Demons surrounded the ring, and they chanted in their foul unintelligible language. In the ring was a man, broken. The demons started to clamber through the ropes, to swarm him. The man sat, accepting his fate. He wouldn’t call out for help, this was a man of pride. And even if he called, his face seemed to say that he knew no one would come. The demons began their feast.

—

Subarashi sat up as soon as his eyes opened. The pain was immense in seven or eight places, and in each spot was a welt. He grimaced and looked around. He was back in Tousen-sama’s house. A sleeping bag had been laid out on the living room floor and he had been set on it. He felt the back of his neck. His wounds had been treated. 

“Fuck.” was all he could think to say. Night had fallen, and a light drizzle of rain began to fall. Subarashi tried to stand and winced. 

“You should rest, young one.” Tousen-sama’s voice came from behind him. The old man sat in a rocking chair, a long pipe protruding from his lips. 

“Where is Kaguya-dono?” Subarashi replied, standing up fully now. 

“She left shortly after treating your wounds. Has been gone about an hour. You are very lucky to be alive.” 

Subarashi ignored him after seeing that his uniform had been set to dry, hanging up on a pair of wooden chairs. He started putting the clothes on, wincing as the cloth touched his wounds. 

“Kaguya wanted me to remind you that you already lost your bow in the forest, your sword at the bottom of the river, and very nearly your life to the suzemebachi. She said that you should rest here while she handles the rest of the mission.” Tousen-sama said as Subarashi finished dressing. He could hear the words in Kaguya-dono’s voice and it made his heart sink. This was the worst case scenario he could’ve possibly imagined. His chance to prove himself to Kaguya-dono, Master Yamamoto, and the rest of the dojo altogether had just gone up in spectacular smoke, quite literally. For a brief moment he thought that maybe he should listen. A chorus of self doubt began to sing its song in Subarashi’s head. It was a song he remembered well, it had followed him all his life.

Then he looked at Kaguya-dono’s backpack and saw her own Demon Reach, peeking out of her bag. This meant that despite the commotion with the murder hornets, Kaguya-dono had picked up a trail and she was ready to fight the demons. 

“Tousen-sama. May I have a cup of tea?” he asked. Tousen-sama was up almost immediately, heading to the kitchen. Subarashi walked over to Kaguya-dono’s bag and picked a packet of her Demon Reach out. She drank hers with tea. And Subarashi figured he ought to give it a try. 

—

It hadn’t taken him long to pick up Kaguya-dono’s scent. She was very good at not leaving a trail, but once he’d smelled the Demon Reach tea which was likely still on her breath, it was easy to track her through the forest. She had gone in the same direction as they had earlier. Past the cliff and the waterfall, and then turning to the east at the point where Subarashi remembered shooting the nest. Subarashi combed the spot for a moment, looking for his bow. It wasn’t there. Either Kaguya-dono had taken it or someone else had. 

He moved through the forest for a bit longer before the scent started to grow stronger, as well as the scent of several demons. And then he came upon the scene of a scuffle. There was blood. It smelled distinctly human. Kaguya-dono’s. She had walked into a trap. His heart raced. He picked up the pace and kept following the trail, the foul stink of demon growing stronger and stronger as he walked. And then he found the cave. 

Voices, and light came from within, and he easily spotted the demon sentry keeping watch. Only one. He could deal with that. 

The situation was dire. If they had taken Kaguya-dono alive, she was either unconscious, tied-up, or both. That meant in order to take on the multiple enemies within the cave, he would need to get her free, and his blade was currently resting at the bottom of a river. He thought about what to do for a moment before a loud scream came from within the cave. He would have to improvise. 

The demon sentry was felled with a vicious standing sidekick. He’d never heard Subarashi sneaking up from behind and just as he’d been about to raise the alarm, he was met with a foot to the jaw. Subarashi quickly dragged the demon into the bushes and went about taking his clothes. He dressed himself up in the makeshift disguise, which was easy because the demon had been wearing a hood. He stood up, completely changed, and thought about how best to look… demonic. He screwed his face up in an uncomfortable grimace, and growled, baring his teeth. 

It would have to do. 

He entered the cave. Creeping alongside the walls, he did his best to keep himself hidden as he followed the voices. It didn’t take long before he heard another loud scream. They were torturing Kaguya-dono. He moved faster. 

Before long he came upon the source of the light, a bright fire around which stood three figures. Subarashi ducked and hid behind a rock. There were two demons that were about his height and then another hulking monster of a demon who must have been near seven feet tall. They were circled around a wooden stake, which Kaguya-dono was tied to. She was bound at both her feet and her wrists, and also around her throat. One of the medium sized demons was laughing and taunting her with a knife. Subarashi also noticed that on the floor of the cave, bound and gagged, were no less than three children. He also noted Kaguya-dono’s sword, leaned up against the wall of the cave. 

The demon bent in to start carving on Kaguya-dono again when Subarashi improvised. 

“Help!! Help!! Demon hunters! At least four of them, surrounding the mouth of the cave!” Subarashi shouted in as much of a high-pitched demonic voice as he could, before falling forward and bowing at the feet of the demons who whirled and drew blades as soon as he approached. He kept his head down so they couldn’t get a good look at him. 

“Idiot, why not just sound the alarm?” said one of the medium demons, annoyed. The demons were moving away from Kaguya-dono and toward the cave exit, though. This was good. 

“B-b-because I didn’t want them to know that I knew?” Subarashi said, trying his best to sound afraid. He felt a hand grab the scruff of his neck and pull him up. The demon peered into his eyes and the jig was up immediately. 

It all happened in a whirl. The demon tried to grab Subarashi by the throat, but Subarashi spun away from his hand, stealing his knife from where he’d stashed it. In a fluid motion, Subarashi spun and threw the knife toward Kaguya-dono’s feet, slicing the rope that bound her there. While Subarashi had been providing the distraction, Kaguya-dono had slid a small throwing knife down one of her sleeves and cut her hands free. The second medium sized demon lunged at Subarashi with his sword, but with her hands free, Kaguya-dono flicked her throwing knife. It caught the demon in the arm and made it yowl in pain as Subarashi threw his shoulder into it, knocking it to the ground. Subarashi flung himself toward Kaguya-dono’s sword as she produced another throwing knife and cut herself free at the neck. Subarashi grabbed her blade and tossed it to her. In a flash, the most dangerous demon hunter in the world had gone from subdued to armed. 

“I told you three when you had me trapped, to kill me then and there.” she said, drawing her blade. “You’ll never get another chance.” 

The two medium sized demons held their blades toward her and Subarashi got the feeling that he’d been forgetting something before he was slammed into with the force of a boulder. 

The big demon shoulder blocked him into the side of the cave and he saw stars as he hit and dropped to the floor. The behemoth lumbered toward him and ripped him up to his feet by his shirt, but Subarashi whirled out of the clothing and free from the beast’s grip as steel sang throughout the cavern. Kaguya-dono took on the two medium demons, and it looked like the big guy was all his. Sudden pain shot through Subarashi’s body as it remembered the stings he’d already taken. He took a deep breath as the hulk ran at him, its fists raised in a double axe-handle. Now was not the time to feel pain. 

His focus returned as he spun out of the way of the blow, spinning and kicking the beast’s calf with lethal precision. The demon stumbled forward with a grunt, swiping with a bear sized paw but clutching at only shadows as Subarashi dodged and spun through with another kick to the same calf. The demon fell to a knee and came up as Subarashi fell back. The beast came toward him now with a slow, cautious limp. Subarashi waited for it to take another step on the bad leg before launching into action. He ran forward, then dodged right as the thing swung for a punch. He leapt up, and kicked off the side of the cave, spinning with a heel kick to the side of the beast’s head. The monster stumbled away but didn’t fall. Subarashi kept his motion forward, hitting a stomp to the beast’s shin. It roared in pain and came up with an uppercut that was much faster than Subarashi anticipated. He barely got his arms up to block as the blow sent him soaring. 

He skidded to the ground, but in one motion he kipped back up and faced the wounded beast. With its wheels taken out, its already slow movements were more predictable than ever. Subarashi started taking it apart. 

He dodged in and out, striking with kicks, trying to focus on its legs. The behemoth couldn’t touch him. This was Subarashi’s element. Bigger, slower opponents. Subarashi’s strikes were lethal, filled with venom. The frustrations of the day began to fill his mind and he found himself roaring back at the demon with every blow he landed. Before long his opponent was staggering, barely able to stand. Subarashi let out a scream and charged it. He hit the monster with a vicious shoulder tackle and drove it back. The monster hit the cave wall with a thud and a grunt. Subarashi roared out again, lifting it up onto his shoulders, and in a spinning motion, SLAMMED it to the ground. Subarashi growled and stepped back as the demon, clearly shaken at having someone smaller lift and slam it like that, tried to get its bearings. It sat up.

It should have stayed down. With another defiant scream, Subarashi ran forward and struck the thing with an absolutely vicious knee strike to the head. Subarashi felt the demon’s lights dim as he dealt the finishing blow. He stood over the unconscious beast, triumphant. Then he turned to help Kaguya-dono. 

The two demons she’d been fighting were already out on the ground, unconscious and bleeding. Their swords were literally shattered. Kaguya-dono stood, watching Subarashi with interest as he breathed heavily. She nodded to him before turning to untie the children. Subarashi felt and then saw the demonic energy possessing the three men pull out of them and leave, with a loud hissing sound. It was a process he’d watched many times before. The one he’d been fighting would likely be okay. He didn’t know about the ones Kaguya-dono had dispatched. He walked toward her to help untying the children. 

“Mission accomplished?” he asked. 

“Not quite. These were underlings. Their boss had already left the area before we got here.” she said. Subarashi frowned. 

“How did he know to flee?” 

“I don’t think he did. I think he had just accomplished what he set out to and moved on to whatever he has planned next.” 

Subarashi liked the idea that their coming arrival had spooked the demon and made it leave. That gave him comfort, but it was likely not true. He sighed. They hadn’t gotten the demon they wanted. But at least they had accomplished something good. 

—

Tousen-sama and the rest of the villagers had wanted to throw them a carnival feast after they had returned. The men that had been possessed insisted on it, even the big one that Subarashi had bludgeoned with kicks. But such is not the way of the demon hunter. 

We seek peace, not praise. 

This was a core tenet. And so Subarashi and Kaguya-dono had packed their things and left in the night, without so much as a goodbye. Subarashi had thought the walk into town was going to be long and arduous, but somehow Toshio’s van was waiting for them at the end of the path. The pair of demon hunters were too tired to question it as they loaded up into the van and before long they were bidding Toshio farewell and boarding the shinkansen back to Yokohama. They both collapsed into their seats and it wasn’t long before Kaguya-dono was asleep. Subarashi thought that even sleeping, she looked like a badass, before nodding off himself. 

—

You did well.

The voice in the darkness had a quiet hiss behind it, as though it came from the mouth of a serpent. 

Of course, my subordinates were never meant as anything other than a distraction. If you couldn’t beat them, I would have been very disappointed. 

There was a low chuckle, and the smell of demon became overwhelming. There was now a face in the darkness, far away. It grinned. Its slithery whisper of a voice was everywhere though. 

The old man is past his prime, and your girlfriend isn’t as strong as she thinks. You, however, will be a fun challenge. 

A pause. Another chuckle.

And when I break you. I will take everything. I think I’ll start with him. 

A light turned on, and it showed the wrestling ring from before with the broken man in it. 

I can’t wait to watch you try and save someone that doesn’t even want to be saved.

Laughter now. The center of the ring began to swirl with the darkness, becoming a hole. The broken man started to sink. He never lifted a hand and just let it happen. Everything went black. 

—

Subarashi and Kaguya-dono both woke with a start as their train reached its stop. Yokohama. Home. Subarashi had a headache and was very distracted as he gathered his things and got off the train without so much as a word. Kaguya-dono followed and hurried to keep up. They exited the train station and Subarashi went in the direction of his apartment. Kaguya-dono caught up to him and walked alongside him. 

“Why are you going this way?” he asked. She huffed for a moment, as though searching for something to say. Or rather, searching for a way to say it. 

“Subarashi-san, I—was wrong about you. You fought well. Thank you.” Kaguya-dono said. She stopped walking and expected Subarashi to do the same, but he didn’t break stride. He didn’t even look up. This was the first time Kaguya-dono had called him anything other than ‘idiot’ and on top of that she had just validated him with the highest form of praise a demon hunter could expect to get. And he didn’t break stride. She had expected him to blush and stutter like a schoolboy. And he didn’t even look up. 

“I did what I had to. Goodnight.” 

He rounded a corner and left her standing there, bewildered. 

—

Master Yamamoto’s dojo operated out of the top floor of a sizable office building in downtown Yokohama. The room was surrounded on all sides and also roofed with glass, so that the lighting from outside was natural. The prevailing thought was that Master Yamamoto wanted his students to train in the light. From the dojo, it was easy to see Yokohama harbor, as well as planes lifting off from and descending into Haneda Airport. The sun shined bright down on the day’s class, which was filled with the sounds of exertion as they sparred with one another across the floor of the dojo. Some wrestled and grappled on mats, while others engaged with wooden swords that clacked together. 

The Master himself engaged in a bit of spirited sparring. He had insisted that his star pupil rest herself after just returning the night before from a difficult mission, but she was bullish. Kaguya came at him with her wooden sword, and the old man did his best to dodge and parry her efforts. Her technique was off today, and it bothered Master Yamamoto. She seemed to be upset about something and it radiated off of her. It was very unusual. Master Yamamoto stepped inside after a parry and with a flick of his wrist, tilted his wooden blade down and then up, yanking Kaguya’s sword out of her hands, before stepping to the side with a smile. 

“What ails your mind today, child? You lack sharpness. I told you, you should be resting.” he said. Kaguya huffed and marched over to her sword, kicking it up to her hand from the ground using her foot. She turned to continue her assault when the door to the dojo opened. Action stopped all around her.

Since joining the demon hunter dojo, Subarashi had been the first person to every single lesson. He had always arrived early, dressed and ready. So it was very odd for everyone in the room to see him arrive late, and in street clothes. He carried a large backpack, and his face was somehow very sad. His eyes met Master Yamamoto’s and he looked away for a moment, then back up. Subarashi set his jaw in determination and walked toward the old man who had taught him so much. With a deep, deep bow, he began to speak.

“Master Yamamoto, I apologize for being late.” 

“Subarashi-san, you are not late. You and Kaguya-san were both excused from the lesson today after yesterday’s mission. Although judging from the bags under your eyes, it seems neither of you will ever get past the beginner’s lesson on how to rest properly. Foolish children, as always.” Master Yamamoto said, grinning. Subarashi took a deep breath. He looked as though he was trying to figure out exactly what words to use next.

“Master Yamamoto, I don’t know how I can possibly thank you enough for all that you’ve done for me. You took me in, saved me from a dark path, and opened me up to my true mission in this world, I—,” Subarashi faltered for a moment, his voice catching in his throat. He continued, “—so I have to apologize again. Because I have to leave the dojo. I don’t want it to be permanent, but I have to leave for a while.”

There was an audible gasp from around the room. Most of the demon hunters had not resumed their training and were listening with intent. Kaguya-dono looked as though she’d been punched in the gut. A tear fell down Subarashi’s cheek as he continued to explain.

“All I can say is that there is someone in America who needs my help. He’s in deep trouble, and no one else will help him. He won’t even ask for help. I am the only one who can do it.” he said. And then waited. Master Yamamoto never stopped smiling at him. Subarashi had expected some sort of anger, or at least moderate surprise. But no. The old man spoke.

“Once again Subarashi-san, you are mistaken in thinking that you need to apologize. Your mission is your mission, child. Go, help your friend. Save those who need saving. Our job here at the dojo is not to cage birds, it’s to teach them how to fly. You already know how.” Master Yamamoto said. Subarashi looked as though he were about to full-on sob. 

“Master Yamamoto. Thank you. Thank you so much. Here, I will return the uniform you gave me, and-” 

“Nonsense, child. Keep it. Wear it with pride. We will be proud to have someone representing us all the way across the ocean.” 

Everyone stood still for a moment, letting the weight of that sit in the air. Subarashi finally nodded. 

“Right. Thank you. Everyone, thank you so much.” Subarashi said, turning to leave with a wave. He put his head down and said goodbye as the rest of the dojo muttered out faint goodbyes. Everyone was still kind of in shock. All too quickly, Subarashi left the room. There were quiet murmurs as the sparring sessions started to resume. 

Kaguya stood with eyes wide, her fists clenched. Master Yamamoto looked at her and chuckled.

“Well, child? Are you going to go say goodbye?” he said. 

She gritted her teeth and dropped her sword, chasing after Subarashi. 

She caught up to him down on the street. He was walking to a bus stop, probably going to take a bus all the way into Tokyo so he could leave on a flight from Narita. She balled her fists up as she marched toward him. 

“Hey! So you’re just leaving us? How could you!” she yelled. Subarashi turned to see her, and then looked down. 

“You use us for training, learn how to fight with our weapons, learn how to make Demon Reach, and then suddenly you’re out, just like that? It’s not fair. Master Yamamoto needs promising young students like you, and you’re just taking off after finally developing into a legitimate hunter. It’s not right!” she kept scolding him. He kept his head down, taking the abuse. 

“Kaguya-dono…” Subarashi trailed off. She folded her arms and huffed. After months of calling him an idiot and talking down to him, here she was saying he had promise after praising him the day before. 

“I should have thanked you, too. You saved my life after I almost blew the entire mission. But besides that, you’ve given me a goal to strive for this entire time. From the first day I set foot in the dojo, I wanted to be just like you.” he said. And a tint of red flushed through Kaguya-dono’s cheeks. 

“Fierce, disciplined, intelligent. You’ve been my idol for the past few years. And in my pursuit of your greatness, I have improved so much. And it’s also thanks to you that I have to take this next step.” he said. Kaguya-dono raised an eyebrow.

“Because above your skills as a fighter and your rigid adherence to discipline is an unwavering commitment to protecting the ones you care about most. Especially the ones who can’t protect themselves. And that’s what I have to do now.”

They stood quietly together as people walked past them, talking on their phones, going about their lives. Kaguya-dono knew he was right, and recognized what an immense compliment Subarashi had just given her. She half-smiled as she thought about what to say. Deep down she knew he was right, as much as she wanted to fight it. If there was someone he felt this strongly about protecting, she was in no position to try and stop him. She thought about what a great example Subarashi had been to everyone at the dojo training below them. She thought about how she’d only ever called him an idiot and treated him with derision. Kaguya-dono realized she was upset at herself, far more than she could possibly be at him. She sighed.

“Good luck. Be well. Come back to us safe. And if you ever need anything.” she said.

“I know. I’ll call.” 

Another moment passed and they said their goodbyes. Kaguya-dono turned and headed back up to the dojo. Subarashi turned and waited at the bus stop. They were both entering new chapters of their lives. For the first time in several years, those chapters would be apart from one another. 

—

Hours later, Subarashi sat on a flight headed from Tokyo Narita airport to LAX. They had been in the air for some time and Subarashi was riddled with anxiety and self doubt. The demon’s voice from his dreams crept into his mind, telling him he was making a big mistake. That America was no longer his land. That he couldn’t protect anyone. The only reason he had found success as a hunter was because he could fall back on the likes of Master Yamamoto and Kaguya-dono.

He shook his head and took a swig of water, trying to think of a way to cheer himself up. Or at least, get his mind off the goodbyes he just said and the difficulties of the mission ahead. He reached down to rummage through his carry-on bag and pulled out his iPod Classic, 160 GBs and a pair of well-worn headphones. There was only one song that could help him at a time like this. He put his headphones on and scrolled through his iPod to find it. Finally, the opening guitar strums of a familiar tune filled his ears, and his mind cleared.

I hopped off the plane at LAX
With a dream and my cardigan
Welcome to the land of fame, excess
Am I gonna fit in?

Plan of action was simple. He would need a disguise. Too many people would recognize him in this country and it would inhibit his hunt. Furthermore, demons finding his identity could hurt people he cared about in both countries. A whole new persona and a disguise would be bare minimum.

Jumped in the cab, here I am for the first time
Look to my right and I see the Hollywood sign
This is all so crazy
Everybody seems so famous!

He would need to get travel and accommodations. Sleeping in a car didn’t bother him and before joining the demon hunter dojo, he had picked up some rather unsavory skills. One of them was hot-wiring vehicles. 

My tummy’s turnin’ and I’m feeling kinda home sick
Too much pressure and I’m nervous
That’s when the taxi man turned on the radio
And the Jay-Z song was on, and the Jay-Z song was on
And the Jay-Z song was on!

After that, a simple call to Supreme Championship Wrestling would be enough to broker at least a development contract. He was sure he would have to do some sort of formal tryout, but it would be a breeze. If anything, all of his skills had improved. 

So I put my hands up, they’re playing my song
And the butterflies fly away
Nodding my head like yeah
Moving my hips like yeah

And from there the mission would become simple. Wait for the demon to make its move. And when it did? Teach it an extremely valuable lesson that it could take back to the underworld.

I got my hands up, they’re playing my song
You know I’m gonna be okay
Yeaaaaaah, it’s a Party in the USA!
Yeaaaaaah, it’s a Party in the USA!

Subarashi smiled for the first time in a while. He was headed home. 

—

Jason Helms. I do not know you, and I am not going to pretend that I do. But I have known many like you in my time. Arrogant, but well-meaning people who let their guard down and let the devil in, so-to-speak. You have been blessed and fortunate that the demon attacking your head is not a particularly strong one. You are also lucky that I’m here to save you from it. 

Your Rise to Greatness should have been an easy one. You should have arrived at the building, offered words of encouragement for your brother before his clash in the main event, and then settled in to watch the fireworks of the show. Instead you find yourself rubbing at your temples, trying to mentally ward off something that shouldn’t have been allowed in the first place. Something that I now have to deal with. 

I came to Supreme Championship Wrestling as a hunter. My quest, my goal, is a demon much more powerful than you could ever imagine. This demon is the one who called me here, goading Subarashi the demon slayer into a fight it thinks I can’t win. Its hubris has doomed the demon in your head, Jason. Because while your demon may not be my final target, it has still found itself within my cross-hairs. How unfortunate. 

I speak now, to the demon infesting Jason Helms. You are a parasite. You are not normally worth my time, but because you have foolishly shown yourself to me, I have no choice but to obliterate you and rescue Jason from your occupation. I am not unfair, however. I give you a chance, knowing that you have a deadly demon hunter taking aim, to save yourself. Leave Jason’s head at once, and vow never to harm him or anyone like him again. And give to me all the information you have about the greater demon beast lurking in the shadows of SCW. If you follow these orders, I will allow you to pass back to your world unharmed. 

If you choose not to accept my generosity, we will then have to do battle. And trust me, I almost prefer this option. Why, you might ask? Because on the grandest stage of them all, I will get to show the rest of your demonic ilk what it’s like to cross paths with someone like me. I will use my abilities to strike fear into your black little hearts. It will go up as a roaring cry that you hold no dominion here. You’ll know that as long as you linger in our world, you will be hunted. 

Jason didn’t consent to exorcism by fire, obviously these were the demon’s words coming out of him. But this is okay, I have other methods. At the end of our battle, I will Change the Heavens with my Tachi: Kaiten, a maneuver so vicious and lethal that I’ve not had a demon withstand it yet. And after I’ve sent you crawling back to the hole you crawled out of and Jason wakes up, I’ll help him to the back and we’ll watch the rest of Rise to Greatness together. Normally I would then bill him in full for services rendered, but I have been feeling very generous.

That’s right, SCW, let it be known that Subarashi is offering your first exorcism half off for this month only! This is a super special offer and is not in any way influenced by the fact that I’m living out of a Subaru at the moment. Don’t turn your nose up at this, because let me tell you, demonic exorcisms, like most things these days, do not normally come cheap! 

So yes, Jason, I hope that after we’ve sorted you out and gotten the demon out of you, we can have a word as potential allies. And that maybe one day our paths can cross in the ring just as friendly competitors. I fear that Rise to Greatness will not be that day, and I’ll have to use force. For that I’m sorry, but I know that you will understand one day. I truly do look forward to that.

…before wrapping up this advertisement, let me speak openly to the demon who called me here. Away from those I love and the place where I belong. I hope you watch Rise to Greatness very closely. I hope that somewhere through the hubris your brain starts to scream at you as I’m taking the demon in control of Jason Helms apart. I hope that deep down within your charcoal soul, you feel the fear creep in. On Sunday, demon, I show you and all those that are like you that you’ve made a grave, grave mistake. 


素晴らしい