As the Demon Slayer Corps successfully broke out of Kyoto, the situation within the city was laid bare for the world to see.
Four cities had fallen into demonic lairs, and demon attacks on humans, like a blizzard, fueled widespread panic, pushing societal order to the brink of collapse.
Aside from the Demon Slayer Corps, human weapons were largely ineffective against demons.
With only a few hundred members scattered across various regions, the Corps was overwhelmed by the sheer number of demons, unable to keep up with the purge. As a result, villages and towns fell in droves, triggering waves of refugees.
The Hegemon's power hadn't even fully infiltrated, yet the Demon Slayer world seemed already on a countdown to doomsday.
Stationed outside Kyoto, Zenitsu looked dazed. "How did it come to this?"
Genya, usually critical of Zenitsu, opened his mouth but said nothing.
Having confirmed Kyoto had become a demonic lair, the Demon Slayer Corps couldn't ignore the city full of demons. Thus, they stationed Zenitsu and Genya, two Hashira, outside the city to signal any anomalies to the others.
Not only Kyoto but the other three demonic lairs were each guarded by two Hashira.
Though demons were rampant elsewhere, attacking humans relentlessly, they paled in comparison to the threat posed by the demons in these four lairs.
If the demons from these lairs spilled out, it would be a true catastrophe.
At that moment, Genya suddenly stood, looking into the distance.
Zenitsu asked, "What are you looking at?"
Genya pointed. "Someone's coming this way!"
"At a time like this, who'd come to a place like this?" Zenitsu followed Genya's gaze and saw two figures approaching Kyoto.
As they drew closer, they recognized two mysterious figures wearing masks and red-cloud cloaks with hoods.
Genya blocked their path. "Hey, don't you know what this place is? Stay back!"
Zenitsu added, "Get out of here while you can!"
One of the cloaked figures spoke. "Genya, Zenitsu, stand down."
"You're… Haku?" Recognizing Haku's voice, Genya and Zenitsu were stunned.
Before Haku could respond, Sasuke, beside him, snapped impatiently, "Let's go. Why waste words with these guys?"
Undoubtedly, the figures before Genya and Zenitsu were Haku and Sasuke, tasked with infiltrating Kyoto to find the mysterious figure possibly hiding within.
Haku gave a wry smile, then ignored Genya and Zenitsu, following Sasuke toward Kyoto.
Watching the two head toward the demon-infested city, Genya and Zenitsu exchanged bewildered glances.
After a moment, Zenitsu said, "That was Haku, right?"
Genya replied, "Seems like it. But what's he doing? And who's that with him? Why are they going into Kyoto? That's suicide!"
Outside Osaka, Nezuko and Kanao sat silently around a campfire.
Suddenly, Kanao spoke. "With so many demons, can we really kill them all?"
Nezuko hesitated, then nodded firmly. "We absolutely can!"
At that moment, footsteps approached from the distance. Nezuko sprang up, drawing her Nichirin Blade. "Who's there!?"
Kanao stood warily as well.
The four demonic lairs were now infamous, and nearby residents had long fled. Aside from demons, no one—nor even wild animals—should be here.
By the campfire's light, they saw two figures: masked, clad in hooded red-cloud cloaks.
"Who are you?" Nezuko asked, puzzled.
She sensed the life force of living beings, meaning they weren't demons, but she couldn't fathom who else would dare approach this place besides the Demon Slayer Corps.
One of the cloaked figures spoke. "B, I didn't expect anyone to still be guarding this place."
The other replied, "D, every world has brave souls who defy the odds. Nothing strange about that."
Clearly, these were Karin, codenamed "B," and Yakumo, codenamed "D."
Their mission, like Haku and Sasuke's in Kyoto, was to infiltrate the demonic lair and find the mysterious figure potentially hiding there.
After Karin's words, Yakumo nodded. "True."
Ignoring Nezuko and Kanao by the campfire, they headed straight for the city.
Nezuko's heart skipped a beat. "Who are you two? Don't go further—there are countless demons in there!"
Yakumo turned back, smiling. "We're here for the demons."
Her casual tone, paired with the eerie Hannya mask she wore, gave off an unsettling vibe.
It wasn't until Karin and Yakumo had gone far that Nezuko and Kanao snapped out of their daze.
Kanao asked, "Should we stop them?"
"Let's follow and see," Nezuko said, her expression grave. Her instincts told her these two were strong, but she couldn't guess their identities.
A similar scene unfolded outside the third demonic lair.
Neji and Kimimaro paid no heed to Inosuke guarding the lair. With a flash, they brushed past him and the others, charging into the third lair.
Only after their figures vanished into the night did Inosuke scratch his head, belatedly muttering, "Did something just pass by?"
Outside the fourth demonic lair, Shion stared at the pitch-black city, nervously asking, "Is it really full of demons?"
"Yes," Shinji nodded lightly.
Shion swallowed hard. "We're really going in?"
"If you're scared…" Shinji glanced at her, saying coolly, "you can stay outside."
Shion protested, "I-I'm not scared!"
Shinji smiled. "Then let's go meet an old friend."
With things as they were, Shinji decided to act decisively, summoning all organization members to sweep the four demonic lairs simultaneously.
He needed to capture the mysterious figure and extract the necessary information before the Hegemon's infiltration deepened, or he risked drawing its attention.
Entering the city, Shinji didn't slow down, speeding straight toward the city center. He instructed Shion behind him, "No matter what happens, stay close to me!"
"Understood!" Shion nodded firmly.