[Kochou Kanae X OC] Kimetsu no yaiba -Twin Butterfly

Chapter 6 - Mount Tsurugi

It took Naoto twelve days to reach mount Tsurugi, he needs to hitchhike a passing farmer with their wagon or cart, and continue his journey by foot through a dense forest. After a long journey, finally, Naoto stood at the foot of Mount Tsurugi.

As far as he can see, the mountain is covered in snow and rocks, there is not too many trees and vegetation growing. It's too dry, Naoto is wondering how his new Master Reigen could live in a place like this. Forget about living here, he can't even find a place to search for food here and the nearest village is twelve-hour from here.

Now that he looks at the snowy mountain again, it looks very big and intimidating. There is a sense of insecurity in his heart. The pathway looks very dangerous, one wrong step he can fall and that will be the end of his life.

Braving himself, he started to hike the mountain and search every possible place of this mysterious master lives on this mountain. Since Kagaya never said anything about Reigen exact location, he needs to find it on his own. He keeps searching for days and nights.

It's cold, even colder than he thought it would be. Three-layer of clothes can't completely protect him. The cold air makes it very hard for him to breath, it feels like his lung got frozen. It's very hurt just to breathe.

Naoto grows weaker each day, his dry mouth cracked and the blood froze. He keeps staggering with every step he takes. His clothes are dirty from the dry blood caused by the sharp rocks, and his feet are bleeding. He keeps thinking about Tanjirou and Nezuko, it becomes his fuel to keep moving. He needs to keep moving or he won't be able to protect them.

He already runs out of food to eat, he only survived this long by eating an insect under the rocks and went down the mountain to fetch water in the river.If he is lucky, he will found some animal to hunt for its meat. But in this winter there is no such animal to hunt, and right now he is starving. He underestimated mount Tsurugi too much.

Flow sense can lead him out from danger, but it's no omnipotent. It can't find people. Even after two weeks, Naoto can't find his new master whereabout.

Nightfall, Naoto decided to go to the top of the mountain once again to scan the area. But he almost ran out of energy, he slowly crawled his way to the top. It hurts, all of the sharp rocks and stone grazed his body as he crawled.

Suddenly a small figure stood not far in front of him. Naoto looked up at that figure, the moonlight is bright today so Naoto can see his face. It was an old man with a hunch back, his head is bald, and he got a very long beard that touches the knees. The old man wore black haori with golden patterned lotus.

The old man walked toward Naoto with a long spear as a walking stick. Standing right in front of the dying kid, Naoto slowly looked up and saw his face. There is a lot of wrinkles on his face, and his pitch-black eyes are cruel like darkness that can swallow everything.

His heart trembled, cold sweat started to flow and he could feel his sense telling him to run away. Because in front of him is none other than death itself.

Naoto gulped and weakly asked.

"Master Reigen?"

The old man didn't answer his question, however, he didn't deny it either, which confirmed he is indeed Reigen. Instead of answering Naoto's question, he asked back with a cold and heavy voice that can make people with weak hearts tremble in fear.

"Kid... Are you searching for power?"

"... Yes..."

"Why?"

"I don't... want to become someone powerless... I hate myself for it... My weaknesses."

"Then Die..."