“Lady Tamao, do we have to save her? Isn’t she a demon? She is bound to reveal to that guy your whereabouts and put you in trouble! We should leave her be!” 

“She’s not a Demon,” Another, much softer voice said, and the first voice let out a voice of surprise as if they heard something unbelievable. 

“How is that possible?! Her hands were broken, her body was all but tied up in a knot, and look at her now?! She’s as good as new! How can she be a human?!” 

“I didn’t say she was human either,” The softer voice said, “At least…not a complete human.” 

“Wait, is that even possible? Something like that? I haven’t heard of any hybrids?” 

“That’s because there aren’t any; only she can tell us who she is. What she is.” 

The two people in the room, Demons, looked like a young boy with pale green hair and lavender eyes, while the other was a young woman with dark brown hair and dark purple eyes. 

The two of them watched the young girl with blonde hair, sleeping, fluttering eyelids as they opened, revealing a dichromatic set of eyes, one scarlet, the other green. 

She watched the two of them, her eyes staying on one, shifting to the next, calmly, trying to hide the bit of the panic in them before she sat up, “Where…am I?” 

“You are in my hideout, so you don’t need to worry about anything. Are you feeling better?” The dark purple-eyed woman, Tamayo, kindly asked her with a smile. 

“Yes, if you are, you should leave,” Yushiro, the boy, rudely said, looking at her. 

“Hm…No…” The girl parted her lips, closing them, lying back down on the makeshift bed, keeping her palms on her forehead.

Regarding where she was, she truly didn’t understand where she was. She knew that she wasn’t in the world where she was born anymore, and how could she be sure of that? Without going outside? Because it was her father who told her he was sending her to a different world. 

She had barely closed her eyes when a virtual screen appeared in the darkness, and cute chibi figure with black hair, and scarlet eyes, wearing a suit pulling himself up from outside the screen. He barely managed to stand, wiping the non-existent sweat from his forehead, “Phew, that was tough. Hey sweety!” 

‘Dad?’ 

“Hehe, smart. I was sure you would speak out loud and make the two suspicious.” 

The girl rolled her eyes inside her head, hoping he would see it, ‘I read enough books to know not to do that. Are you here? Like really here?’ 

“No, love. More of a chauffeur, but to help you out. I did create this system.” 

‘Really? I have a system?!’ The girl barely managed to curve her lips into a grin, ‘What does it do?! I love you so much, Dad!’ 

“Yeah, about that. It does…nothing as of now. So…all the best, bye!”

‘Huh?’ The girl blinked in confusion, watching the chibi figure jump down and disappear before a stretched arm came from the darkness, pulling the screen and leaving the darkness behind. 

‘You…that…what was that supposed to mean?! Useless Dad!! You got lazy while building the system, didn’t you?! You fell asleep once or twice!’ 

She shouted inside her head at the top of her voice, feeling it hurt, ‘Ok, think. What do you not know?’ 

‘What world is this? What am I supposed to do? What should I do? Are there particular conditions? Do I do good? Evil? How do I go back?’ 

She felt her head throb even harder, ‘What I know is…I feel the fraction of my strength…and the two beside me are the creature of the Dark for sure. Much like her father. One step at a time…first let’s see who they are and what they want and thank them for saving me.’ 

She removed her hands and opened her eyes, “Thank you…for bringing me in?” 

“You are welcome,” Tamayo smiled at her, letting her process what was going on, “Are you in pain?” 

“Why…would I be in pain?” The girl tilted her head in confusion, only for the boy to rudely tell her. 

“Because when we found you, your body was tied up in a knot. If you were a human, you’d be dead meat.” 

“If you were….” The girl felt her head hurt, blinking, “I am human?” 

As she said, the screen appeared in front of her, showing her a few details. At the top left was Ai Senju’s name, and below it was her race – Half-Human/Vampire/???

“Oh, dear,” Tamayo sighed, stroking her head, “Maybe you should rest a little more, and then we can talk. Are you hungry?” 

The girl, Ai Senju, lay down on the floor, closing her eyes, slowly breathing as she felt two walking out of the room. Once the door closed, she sat up, took a deep breath, and tied her hair in a ponytail before reviewing everything. 

She was born to her mother and father in another world, a Shinobi of Konoha, One of the Legendary Sanin, and her father, a World Traveler. 

After she was born, her parents doted on her, especially her father; he fulfilled her every wish, which was why the last thing she expected him to do was abruptly send her to another world and ask her to find her way back by herself. Who does that?

She wanted to roll her eyes but resisted that urge, puffing her cheeks before lying down on her side. Her eyes shut close, starting at the screen, calling to her father, or whatever this was, ‘Father!’ 

Two cute scarlet eyes peeked from the bottom of the screen as he raised himself from behind, his tiny fingers holding the ledge, “If you call me like that, I will be scared.” 

‘Father!’ Ai held back the smile that appeared on the corner of her lips, narrowing her eyes, “Where am I? Why am I here?” 

The chibi figure didn’t reply but kept smiling, his head tilting from side to side. 

Ai furrowed her brows, ‘What should I do?’ 

‘How do I get back?’ 

‘Will you and Mom come pick me up?’ 

‘What am I supposed to do!!!’ 

The girl felt the panic coming over her, sitting up on the bed so that she could plop down. She turned, burying her face in the pillow, looking at the figure, ‘You are not Dad…are you? Well…even if you were…you’d act like this and not help me.’ 

She let out a troubled sigh, seeing the grin on the figure’s face widen, ‘Dad…did anyone tell you…you are the worst?’ 

The chibi figure raised his head, ‘Only everyone I ever met?’

Ai somehow pushed the screen away, knowing how to do that, and lay on her futon. She waited for minutes, and then impatient, she sat up, looking down at her clothes. She touched the fabric, narrowing her eyes, “Not much behind…50 to 70 years? Although…I can’t be sure….” 

She stood up to look at the Japanese Style room, the candles at the corners, the medicines, with the reddish wallpaper. She opened the sliding door, walked through the hallway, opening the front door, and new hair hit her in the face. 

She breathed in, taking as much oxygen as possible, watching the city, lit up by lights, visible from here, but that is not what shocked her. The familiar yet unfamiliar style of housing caused her brain to hurt. 

It was stressful; she didn’t know where she was, what she should do, and the right thing to do. Everything was filled with so many unknowns, and all she wanted to do was run off somewhere, which is what she did. 

The two behind her weren’t human, and she had no idea what they were or how to handle them, so all she wanted to do was get away from them. She ran and ran through the illusion that was hiding this place and came upon a crowd, talking to each other, walking. 

She ignored the noise, weaving through the crowd as her heart started beating faster and faster until she reached the edge of the city, finally alone. She leaned forward, resting her hand on her knees, gasping for breath. 

She strode towards the trees, hiding behind one before sliding down, burying her head in her knees. 

She felt calm slowly. Her heartbeat became even, tranquil, and her mind became clear. She raised her head, resting her chin on her forearm, looking at the numerous trees as the cold winds blew towards her. 

She leaned back, with her back against the tree, and she made hand signs, but nothing happened. She tried a few more of them, and still nothing, “There is no chakra here….” 

It was like trying to make two batteries connect through an insulator. Although there wasn’t any chakra, she still had her physical strength. No, not only that, since her immense chakra wasn’t active, her vampire physique became more active. 

As for how she got her injuries and how they healed? She had no memories of that.

She gazed at the horizon, asking a simple question, “What would Dad do…?” 

She thought for a moment, thinking about her father and how when he came into their world and was injured, the first thing he did was seduce her mother, and she pressed her lips, narrowing her eyes in annoyance, “Wrong question. What would a mother do?” 

Just asking that question made a smile appear on her lips. Her mother would probably go back and ask the person, the Demons, to tell her everything about the world and then ask about the location of a bar or casino. 

“Gee, none of the two are any help,” she shook her head. Although part two of her mother’s plan wasn’t any help, part one was all she needed for now. 

She barely took a few steps when she noticed the boy leaning against the tree, “Over here, and follow me.” 

“Mm,” Ai gently nodded, following after him, looking around the city and the clothes people were wearing, trying her best to understand this place’s time. She followed him closely inside a secret turn, hidden from others, before entering the house.

“Lady Tamayo, I brought her back!” 

“I can see, Yushiro; thank you for that.” Tamayo smiled at him, and a flush appeared on his cheek. She turned her eyes towards Ai, “Feeling better?” 

“Yes,” Ai politely bowed, “Thank you so much for saving me, and it’s not too much then. I’d like you to teach me more about the world out there….since what I remember is completely different.” 

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Tamayo stepped closer to her, stroking her golden blonde hair, “You look like a foreigner for most parts, half eastern and half western, I guess. Probably not even from Japan. So what you remember is a different country together.” 

“There are different countries?” 

“Which slum did this one come from?” 

Tamayo shot him a look, and Yushiro straightened his body, acting like a good boy, only to hear a chuckle escape Ai’s mouth. He shot her a look, but she didn’t care about it. 

Tamayo welcomed her in, “Come on, rest today, and I’d teach you starting tomorrow.” 

Ai nodded, stepping inside, and since then, weeks passed, and Ai learned numerous surprising things. It was the early twentieth century, and the place they were in was called Japan. There were numerous countries in all directions; Japan was in the east, and the people with her hair color were usually in the west. 

She learned that the Demons originated from one man, whose name Tamayo wouldn’t take. According to her, demons were cursed by that man to not let them take his name. 

Although Tamayo had time to study her blood and understand that she didn’t have any genetic marker of the Progenitor of the Demons, and so there was a high chance that she wasn’t one, there was also a possibility she was something different. 

One other thing that she found noteworthy was that Demons couldn’t go out in the sunlight. It was a good thing when she ran away; there was none. Otherwise, she might have burned to ashes, but she knew she didn’t have any problem going in the sunlight, telling Tamayo. 

They were worried about testing it, but when Ai went and stood under the sunlight without any worry, they believed her, and Tamayo started frowning, warning her to hide her existence from Demons and live as a human as far as possible. 

And so, a month later, Tamayo seemed to have reached an agreement with someone and gave Ai the letter of introduction, “This is a letter of introduction. A Demon Slayer is coming to pick you up, and you will soon be under their gear. Learn the breathing technique; that is the best way to hide your scent from the demons.” 

“Not that she has any,” Yushiro was much tamer after these months. 

Ai took the letter, bowing forward towards them, “Thank you so much. Thank you for everything.” 

Tamayo pulled her in a gentle hug, stroking her head, “Sweet child. You don’t have to be so polite and careful all the time.” 

Ai gently hugged her back, closing her eyes, smiling, “I am not careful of you…I am just getting used to this…sorry.” 

Tamayo smiled, “No need to say…I understand.” 

Ai left their house, their hideout, knowing that they would make a few rounds before coming back here. Once she reached the city’s outskirts, she waited for a few minutes when she heard footsteps. 

Rather than walking around, watching the mud, the grass, the stones, she looked up at the two girls walking, blinking. The girl in front of her was a petite young woman with a pale complexion and large with a gaze of gradient purple. She had black wavy hair that faded to dark purple, styled at the back of her head into a flat yakai-maki bun, fastened with a white, turquoise, and light purple butterfly ornament.

A dangerous smile was on the girl’s face while she leisurely ate dumplings, smiling at her, “You must be Ai Senju. I am here to pick you up.”  

“Oh,” Ai nervously put one leg behind the other, tracing the bangs from the center to the left, covering her scarlet eyes. She tensely nodded, “Sorry for the trouble. It’s good to see you.” 

The girl smiled at her, “Then Ai Senju, let’s go. I will show you where the Hashira gathers.” 

“Hashira?” 

“Hm? I thought you would have known something like that since Master himself asked for you to be picked up. That’s unexpected.” 

“I am not from around here…these Demons and Demon Slayers? I have only heard of them after coming to this land. So forgive me if I am not accustomed to how things are done here.” 

“Oh, a foreigner,” The Hashira walked in front of her, gazing at the night sky and the stars, “I’d suggest you go back.” 

Ai silently walked behind her without replying, thinking of her childhood, the happy days, and the happiness awaiting her there. Maybe her face showed it, so the Hashira who guided her said again, “If you want. I can help you get back.” 

Ai shook her head, “I want to go…but the place where I come from, it’s not possible for just anyone to reach. Moreover…I didn’t come to this land by mistake. I was dropped here by my father…this land… holds my destiny and my way back. I have to see it through….” 

The Hahira walking in front of her observed her without saying anything and turned her eyes forward, “Is that the reason you fight?” 

“No…I am still searching for it….” 

“With that kind of wishy-washy resolve, you’ll die.” 

“In most like case…I will,” Ai breathed in, “But…I have hope. We feed on hope…live off it…don’t we? Say…what did you hope for when you came to fulfill this order?” 

“Hahahaha,” The Hashira walking in front of her put her curled fingers in front of her lips, laughing. She slowly stopped laughing, saying her name, “I am Shinobu Kocho, and I’ll teach you everything you need to know to hunt demons.” 

Ai Senju took a deep breath, stopping, bowing forward while she held the bag’s straps, which had all her clothes in, “I’ll be in your care!”