The day Hoshiki Ruri, the 'Fire Pillar', met Shinazugawa Sanemi, the 'Wind Pillar' was one of those nights.

The one were demons go out to eat humans.

Yes. Those kind of nights.

It all started when she was young.

Ruri was small, incredibly small for a girl and at the age of ten, she could still be mistaken as a five year old which was very inconvenient for someone who lived alone with her sick brother. Afterall, without any parents to care for her and her sibling, they were left to fend for themselves.

And it was at this juncture that Ruri, at the early age of five, decided to study medicine and poison. She also did a lot of side jobs during her young age even though she was hardly paid for her work. But money was money and she did everything to care fo her brother.

When she was eight, she was able to help her brother overcome his sickness. He was a demon slayer and a genius in his own right. Hoshiki Ruki trained day and night and was able to master the Breath of the Sun, whom he later taught to Ruri when she turned ten.

But Ruri was never interested in violence or fighting. She was a rare breed, a pacifist who disliked war and anything that might shed unnecessary blood through fighting. Instead, she resorted to using medicine and herbs to care for her brother, Ruki, and to all the sick elderly she encountered.

There were times when she was greatly underestimated because of her height and age but Ruki always came to back her up.

But as a demon slayer who slayed demons from place to place, Ruki would not always be there on time to help her sister.

So with great reluctance, Ruri decided to learn to use the sword to protect herself.

Talent runs in the family is what they say.

For Ruri's case, she was the greatest exception. She was a prodigy in swordsmanship and with minimal supervision, she was able to use the sword at the age of ten.

And at the age of ten, Ruri first used her sword against her own code.

"If that's how you repay people from helping you then I feel really sorry for the poor soul who's going to marry you, Manta-san!" Ruri shouted as she threw the rock near her offender's head. Her aim was infinitely accurate for a prodigy and almost anything she did was done with perfection.

Suffice to say, Ruri was an anomaly who thrived at anything she did.

"Y-You... little brat!"

Ruri ducked before the man could grab her. She slipped between his legs and ran as fast as her short legs could take her. But running away from an old unmarried man was an easy feat for a Breath of the Sun user.

Losing him was easy.

"Brat, you shouldn't be out here. It's dark. Where's your mother?"

Yes. Losing an old unmarried man in the crowd was easy but facing a grown boy with an attitude problem was another story.

Ruri huffed. "Listen here, old man. I'm not a brat. I look short but I'm ten! Go away! Hmph!"

"W-What did you just say to me, you gaki?! I'm not an old man!"

Hoshiki Ruri and Shinazugawa Sanemi were not friends from the very start. They were simple children who argued with each other before a friendship blossomed between them. And as time passed, it developed into a bond that could only be understood by them.

Ruri stuck her tongue out. "Onii-chan said not to talk to strangers. Especially the ones with white hair! Onii-chan says they kidnap kids and do nasty stuff. I'm not gonna let you kidnap me!"

"Whaa...?" Sanemi looked at her weirdly, still annoyed but as he processed the girl's words, he understood what she meant.

He crossed his arms. "My hair is white but I'm not gonna kidnap you. I'm not interested in a child. Besides, we're too young for that!"

Ruri looked at him suspiciously. "So old man, are you saying that you'll do it when we're a bit older? *gasp* Onii-chan was right! You people are so shady!"

"Huh..?! N-No way! What the fuck are you saying?! And my name is Sanemi! Not old man!"

Ruri just stared at him.

"What..? Why are you looking at me like that?" Sanemi asked, unnerved by her look.

"You said a bad word just now."

"Eh?"

"You're weird. I'm gonna go."

It would have been pretty normal to let her go but Sanemi who was the oldest of seven children in his family and the eldest brother among his four brothers and two sisters couldn't just let a small child like her go alone in the middle of night without anyone to accompany her.

In hindsight, he should have just walked away and let this strange girl go but rumors of strange creatures and wolves prowling in the night reached his ears.

Although it was bothersome, he decided to accompany her in the night.

This night was probably the first time Shinazugawa Sanemi witnessed something incredible in his whole life.

And it all started with the strange child who was soaked with blood.