The train station was eerily quiet in the dead of night. The only sounds were the occasional creaks of the Mugen Train as it rested in the maintenance yard, awaiting its inevitable return to service. Inside, a lone conductor was busy wiping his brow and checking compartments to make sure everything was in order.
That's when he heard it.
A sharp, sinister laugh echoed from the darkness.
"Ahh... you shouldn't be here, human," came a voice as chilling as a freezer aisle.
The conductor froze, his heartbeat doing a marathon in his chest. He slowly turned around—and there, lurking in the shadows, was a terrifying figure. Glowing crimson eyes, sharp claws, and—wait for it—a slasher smile.
Before he could say, "I knew I should've taken that vacation," the demon lunged.
SLASH!
Blood splattered the train like an abstract art exhibit. The conductor's body crumpled to the floor, leaving behind nothing but a very dramatic, "I regret not booking that extra coffee break."
Meanwhile, at a cozy soba shop...
A nervous Demon Slayer sat across from Kyojuro Rengoku, the most flamboyant man you'd ever meet, in a shop filled with the comforting aroma of sizzling noodles. Kyojuro was practically vibrating with enthusiasm, like a kid in a candy store.
"Come, sit! A meal shared is a meal enjoyed!" Kyojuro yelled as he slammed his hands on the table, nearly sending his chopsticks flying. The Demon Slayer, unsure whether he should be honored or terrified, nodded meekly.
"I... I came here because my Kasugai Crow directed me—"
"And your crow has excellent taste!" Kyojuro cut him off, devouring an entire bowl of soba in one go. "DELICIOUS!"
The chef leaned in conspiratorially. "They say a demon, a 'Slasher,' has been terrorizing people near the Mugen Train…"
Kyojuro's eyes gleamed with fiery intensity as he raised his chopsticks. "Then I shall investigate. No demon shall go unpunished. And no one messes with my noodles!"
At a quiet train station, Fuku, a young girl with a not-so-impressive bento box stand, stared at the passing, empty street. Her grandmother, trying her best to calm the worried girl, declared, "Don't worry, Fuku, demons only come at night! So it's perfectly safe to sell bento boxes."
But Kyojuro and his new Demon Slayer companion arrived and...
"GOOD DAY, LITTLE ONE! WHAT A FINE SELECTION OF BENTO!" Kyojuro boomed so loudly that even the pigeons in the vicinity had to file noise complaints.
Fuku stared up at the ridiculously loud man. "I don't believe in demons," she muttered, looking suspiciously at the stack of bento boxes.
Kyojuro chuckled heartily. "That is a wonderful belief! But whether they exist or not, I will ensure you are safe!"
And just like that, he bought every single bento box in the entire stand.
"WHY?!" Fuku gawked in disbelief as Kyojuro stacked the boxes into his arms like he was on an episode of Supermarket Sweep.
"For the Demon Slayer Corps, of course! Proper nutrition is the key to strength!" Kyojuro said, holding a bento in each hand like a true food connoisseur.
Kyojuro's investigation took him to the Mugen Train's maintenance facility, where the chief engineer, looking slightly frazzled, explained that the train had a reputation for being a "man-eating train."
"Great, another picky eater,"Kyojuro muttered under his breath as the engineer mentioned the Mugen Train's return to service.
Just then, a scream pierced the night air.
A young boy rushed past, with a demon in hot pursuit.
The Slasher Demon, marked with glowing red eyes and sickle-like claws, laughed maniacally. "I'm FAST, and I'm HUNGRY!"
SHING!
Kyojuro's blade sliced through the air and stopped the demon cold. "That's far enough," Kyojuro declared, his voice like molten steel—and maybe some paprika.
The demon cackled, licking his claws in an exaggerated fashion. "You look tasty, Flame Hashira! Let's see who's faster—me, or you!"
With that, the demon bolted towards the train station, leaving Kyojuro to follow at his usual, impossibly fast speed.
Fuku stared in horror as the Slasher Demon appeared, snapping his claws toward her throat.
"Such a small, weak human," the demon sneered—classic villain line.
But just before he could make his move, Fuku's grandmother HURLS a bento box straight at the demon's face.
SPLAT!
Rice and fish exploded all over the demon's eyes like a food fight gone horribly wrong.
"WHO THROWS FOOD?!" the demon roared, clawing at his now rice-covered face.
Fuku attempted to escape, but the demon quickly grabbed her ankle. "LET ME GO!" she screamed, flailing like a fish out of water.
And just in the nick of time... Kyojuro arrived, slashing through the air.
"SHING!"
Kyojuro sliced the demon's Achilles tendon, saving Fuku from her ankle-tugging nightmare.
"You should never harm a child," Kyojuro said, fire flickering in his eyes—and a little spicy dramatic flair.
The demon grinned through his pain. "Let's see who's faster—Flame Hashira or ME!"
And with that, the demon lunged forward, claws blazing.
But Kyojuro was already in motion.
"FLAME BREATHING, FIRST FORM…"
The moment the demon reached him, Kyojuro's blade ignited in a fiery blaze.
"SUN FIRE!"
SLASH!
A single blazing arc of fire sliced through the demon's neck in a stunning display of grillmaster precision. The demon's body crumpled, his head rolling off like a very bad bowling ball.
"I... I was supposed to be faster..." the demon muttered, blinking in disbelief as his body started to disintegrate.
"I guess I'm just that fast," Kyojuro replied smugly, wiping his blade on his haori like it was just another Tuesday.
Fuku's grandmother gasped, clutching her chest in awe. "You remind me of another Flame Hashira from years ago. He saved my daughter and me from a demon."
Kyojuro smiled warmly. "That was likely my father. It is my family's duty to protect others... and to always bring snacks."
Fuku watched him in awe. "You're amazing!" she whispered.
Kyojuro grinned, taking a triumphant bite of a bento. "That's what I do!"
As the Demon Slayer Corps arrived to clean up the mess, Kyojuro turned to them and said, "The Slasher Demon is no more, but the real threat remains… The Mugen Train is still hiding a stronger demon."
The next day, as the Mugen Train prepared for departure, Kyojuro boarded the train with his bento boxes in hand, ready for the next round.
As the train began to roll, Kyojuro heard an uproar outside.
"YOU CAN'T STOP ME! I'M THE KING OF THE MOUNTAIN!" Inosuke yelled, head-butting the side of the train.
"SHUT UP, INOSUKE!" Zenitsu yelled back.
"WHY AM I EVEN HERE?! TANJIRO, SAVE ME!" Inosuke wailed dramatically.
Kyojuro chuckled. "The next battle is near…"
The Mugen Train began its journey, steaming ahead toward its destiny.
🔥 TO BE CONTINUED… IN FLAMES! 🔥