After dinner, Nezuko and Hanako joined Aoi and the other girls in their room, a change from their usual sleeping arrangement.
On the other side, Takeo, Shigeru, and Rokuta rested in their previous room, separated from their sisters by Aoi for reasons they were not allowed to know.
As for the newcomer Nayuta, she slept with Kanao tonight because of Shinobu's absence. Meanwhile, a carefree Mitsuri had already drifted into sweet dreams after eating her fill. She was exhausted from training all day, after all.
Tucked under the futon, a still-awake Nezuko opened her eyes and rolled onto her left side. Her pale cheeks flushed red as the day's memories flooded back vividly. How lovingly her Onii-chan had cared for her. Pressing her lips together tightly, she felt her heartbeat quicken and butterflies stir in her stomach.
'I did naughty stuff with Onii-chan…' She thought with clouded eyes, covering her burning face in embarrassment. 'O-Onii-chan… He… He drank all of t-that… ahh.'
The hot place between her legs tingled suddenly.
'Mm… Why does it still feel so g-good there…'
Pressing her thighs together and rubbing them gently, she closed her eyes while thinking of her charming brother. 'Will Onii-chan do it again if I ask him nicely…'
With the awakening of her lust and desires, Nezuko had unknowingly begun to grow greedy.
…
On the way.
After just four hours of nonstop travel, Tanjiro and Shinobu entered the boundaries of Nagoya.
A plan to defeat Upper Moon Two had been made between them. It was less a detailed strategy and more a set of decisions: who would do what depending on how the situation unfolded.
The biggest concern was human life.
Because the demon had built his own cult, he might use his followers as shields to escape if he sensed danger.
An immortal-like Upper Rank demon fleeing from a fight was ridiculous to imagine, but Shinobu had seen and experienced it once before, so she factored it into their planning. She had already realized that demons were afraid—no, terrified—of Tanjiro for some reason. During the Hashira Meeting, they had been told that the first Breathing Style user of the Sengoku period had nearly killed Muzan. Perhaps that fear had been passed down to every demon since.
And now Tanjiro wore that person's earrings and had inherited his legacy. Simply his presence was enough to scare off any demon, whether ordinary or one of the Twelve Kizuki.
Maybe even Muzan himself would tremble at the sight of him…
A few minutes passed quickly.
A crow suddenly descended from the sky and landed on Shinobu's shoulder. It was an ordinary Kasugai crow, not her personal one.
"To the east! There's a big village up the hill, caw! The demon's over there, in the large manor!"
With that, it flew off. Shiori cawed, "I'll watch from above, caw! Good luck!" before chasing after the other crow into the sky.
Tanjiro glanced at Shinobu's expressionless face and spoke softly, "Don't make that face. It will be over before you realize it… Mark my words."
'…' Her expression shifted. Releasing a heavy sigh, she nodded. "You said your sword is a natural nemesis of demons. I'd love to see it with my own eyes."
Chuckling, he willed it forward. The black metallic wrist guard swiftly transformed into a deep black, menacing sword gripped in his right hand.
Dark mist seeped from its edges, radiating absolute threat.
Shinobu noticed engravings on the blade's surface that she couldn't read. Tanjiro had told her the previous night that it read "Heavenly Demon Sword," which had unnerved her.
So the sword was demonic?
Then why was it being wielded by Tanjiro, who was clearly human?
She couldn't make sense of it.
Suddenly she felt the sword vibrate in his hand.
"It located the demon too. Let's move quickly…" He said, excitement clear on his face. He launched himself toward the location like a gust of wind.
'…Excuse me?' She wore a dumbfounded look and followed silently.
That sword told him what!?
…
Hikari Village.
Hundreds of houses glowed with bright lanterns, making the village look glamorous from every direction.
The darkness of night was banished by the villagers' efforts, while spiritual enlightenment was granted to them by Kenja-sama!
Their wise Lord who watched over them in moments of darkness, guiding them toward the one true Paradise.
Spread across the slope of the hill, the village had stood for centuries. Kenja-sama was said to have been born here and had led the people to live with joy, serenity, and peace of mind ever since.
Besides living peacefully, all two hundred and fifty limited members of the Faith were required to revere their true Deity for hours each day as instructed by Kenja-sama—the Deity who had shown him the path of true enlightenment!
Kenja-sama's abode stood at the top of the hill inside a holy shrine, surrounded by a pristine lake, blooming lotuses, and trees heavy with colorful flowers.
It was a picturesque location worthy of their Lord's residence.
Inside the grand manor, only the most senior and trusted members of the Faith were permitted to live, along with the women who personally served Kenja-sama.
It was the greatest honor anyone could aspire to.
At that moment, a black shadow devoid of presence raced toward the village, covering vast distances in a single step.
With neither fighting spirit nor aura, it entered the village unnoticed by a single soul and ascended the hill to reach the top in barely two seconds.
Tanjiro's nose twitched. He locked onto the demon's scent coming from the manor. It was definitely there—likely in the dungeon, since no evil presence lingered in the residence itself.
At least forty people were inside the manor, he realized.
'Shinobu's just behind… She'll evacuate them while I stall Douma.'
Sensing she was about to arrive, Tanjiro moved at once.
With Selfless State active, he vanished from his spot and reappeared inside the luxurious manor like a ghost. A quick glance revealed a main hall decorated with flowers, cushions, and iconography. It was likely where the demon preached his nonsense to followers.
Perceiving his surroundings, he shifted position and rushed toward the scent and the disgusting aura rising from below.
Tanjiro reached the large entrance to the underground. It was a dungeon.
The stench of rotting bones wafted up from the opening.
'How many people has this bastard killed by now? No… wasn't he obsessed with females…'
Eyes narrowed with a cold glint, Tanjiro vanished into the dungeon.
…
"There, there~" Deep inside the dungeon, a rainbow-eyed man brushed dust off a human skull with a delighted smile. For decades he had done it with that same smile, until it became habit.
He did this because he had nothing better to do—not out of love.
The so-called emotion had been foreign to him since birth.
Placing the skull back on the shelf, he picked up another and began cleaning it. "Ah~ Are you happy now~? See, I came to see you, right~? It shows how much you all mean to me, mm~"
Pressing the skull to his cheek with crescent eyes, his lips stretched from ear to ear. "I see, I see~ You love me too, mm~ I'm so pleased. Let's stay together forever, okay~"
Returning the skull to its place, the man moved to the center of the vast dug-out chamber, where a beautiful pot held another human skull.
Leaning forward, he gazed at it with a visible blush and touched it gently. "Kotoha-chan~ Did you miss me~? I missed you a lot, you know…"
Tears slipped from his eyes even as he kept smiling. "Let me clean you, okay…" Sobbing, he reached to pick up the skull when he suddenly turned and sensed something unexpected.
His eyes widened, lips parting. 'I couldn't sense him… Even now?'
The only reason he noticed anything was a tiny shift in the air.
The dungeon was illuminated by naturally glowing rocks, so there was no complete darkness.
Even so, the rainbow-eyed man with platinum blonde hair and a blood-red stain at the top of his head could see everything clearly.
The boy before him was strangely unusual…!?
'Mm?'
Suddenly his body shook violently.
Hanafuda earrings. Flame-like mark. Cold, emotionless eyes. Long hair. And that… that presence—!
Clutching his head tightly, every cell in his body recalled memories he wasn't aware he had.
'Lord Muzan's cells are scared!?'
Even as his whole body trembled, only a creepy smile spread across his face.
"Are you perhaps the one who fought with my lord?" he mumbled aloud.
Beside him, Tanjiro scanned the thousands of skulls and the sudden, bizarre mission that had popped up. Hearing Douma's apathetic question, he sighed inwardly.
'Fuck this...'