"You're not seriously planning to check out the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, are you, Ryuji-sama?"
Ryuji's intrigued expression immediately put Shinobu on high alert. If there was one thing that concerned her most right now, it was him—his thoughts, his intentions, and how to keep him safe.
She'd been closely monitoring even the slightest shifts in his expression, so she noticed the change right away.
"That's right, Ryuji," Mai chimed in, folding her arms. "Even if we are going to investigate, shouldn't we at least prepare properly first?"
She was just as curious about this so-called Night Parade. From the way Shinobu described it, these weren't foreign invaders but native yokai—monsters she believed she might even know how to deal with better than Ryuji. Still, her instincts warned her that he had no intention of just sitting back and watching.
"I am interested, yes," Ryuji nodded.
From what he could tell, the yokai involved in the Night Parade were likely the same ones that had once invaded the 7 Days to Die world—only now, they had taken on new forms. If that were true, then one of two possibilities existed: either they had adapted to this world and grown stronger, or they were still adjusting and temporarily weaker.
Either way, understanding their current state would be crucial to devising a strategy for navigating and surviving this world.
After all, slaying these monsters seemed to directly replenish strength—and possibly even grant power-ups.
While he suspected that such boosts might eventually be retracted by the world's system, that didn't mean they weren't useful in the short term.
"The Demon Slayer Corps does have an official plan for handling the Night Parade," Shinobu interjected smoothly, cutting off his momentum. "For now, let's just rest. We can wait for the proper timing."
Her real goal was to buy time—she needed to report Ryuji's abilities and value as quickly as possible so the other Hashira could come and offer protection.
Turning slightly, she glanced at her adoptive sister, Kanao Tsuyuri, standing quietly nearby.
"Come now, I'll take you both to your rooms," Shinobu said. "If you need anything, just let me or Kanao know."
She stood up and led the two through the compound.
The rooms she arranged weren't luxurious—just modest, clean quarters. But what caught Ryuji's attention was the names engraved on the doors nearby: Uzui Tengen. Tomioka Giyu. That meant they were in the Hashira's quarters.
Not far off, towering above the complex, stood a grand castle tower. And at the top of that tower… was a man wearing a crescent-moon crest on his forehead.
Ryuji noticed him the moment they stepped outside. The man had been watching them.
Still, since he didn't sense any hostility, Ryuji didn't pay him much mind.
When they reached their rooms, Shinobu looked mildly surprised that neither Ryuji nor Mai had brought any luggage. She quietly returned to her own room and brought out two futon sets.
"Ryuji-sama, aren't you going to set up your bedding?" she asked, blinking as she saw him toss the futon carelessly to one side and sit down with a notebook in hand.
"Is there a need to rush?" he asked, glancing at the sky outside. "It's still early, isn't it?"
Shinobu nodded but offered a gentle explanation.
"Tonight might be a Night Parade night. It's best to get some extra rest. Most people find that if they fall asleep early, they can get through the night safely. So it's become common practice to sleep earlier than usual."
"That's basically like pretending the danger doesn't exist," Ryuji muttered. The whole thing felt like one of those weird urban legends—if you didn't see the yokai, they didn't see you. Go to sleep early, and you'd be safe.
"But wouldn't sleeping too early just mean you wake up earlier? Wouldn't that just leave you staring at monsters for half the night?"
Shinobu shook her head slightly, her expression calm as she answered.
"That may be true, but when it's almost dawn, people naturally feel calmer. It's the long stretch of darkness in the early night that breeds anxiety and fear. And the more afraid you are, the more mistakes you're likely to make. So sleeping early helps reduce panic and the likelihood of exposure."
She was speaking from bitter experience—lessons paid for in blood.
Ryuji looked at her face, then nodded. "Alright."
Of course, he had no intention of sleeping tonight.
He fully planned to go outside and test the strength of these yokai himself.
Still, he got up, walked over to Shinobu, and inhaled the soft floral scent that lingered on her as he picked up the futon she'd brought.
He began unfolding it on the tatami floor.
But Shinobu tilted her head slightly in confusion.
He was laying the futon directly on the tatami without using the linen underlay she had provided. Not only would that cause it to slip, but being on the ground floor meant moisture could seep in overnight.
She'd brought that cloth for a reason—yet Ryuji had treated it like mere wrapping.
He hadn't even bothered sweeping the floor.
"Typical man…" she sighed internally, watching as he plopped down, completely unbothered.
Still, she got up quietly to help him.
She hadn't jumped in earlier because, technically, they were still "strangers." Even if they had already agreed to a certain... transaction, emotionally, she still felt unsteady.
It wasn't regret.
Just… uncertainty.
After all, entrusting her future to a man she'd only met for a day—one who openly admitted to wanting many wives, no less—was no small thing.
She hadn't even gone on a proper date with him.
He just wanted to jump straight to the final step.
Still, she knew the truth. Marrying Ryuji—offering herself to him—was the only logical choice if she wanted to bring back the Demon Slayer Corps and avenge her sister. Even if he couldn't revive her sister, reviving fallen comrades could give them precious information.
So when she saw him laying the futon so carelessly, not even bothering to smooth out the wrinkles, she let out a small sigh.
But perhaps… this was the opportunity.
If she was truly going to become his wife—not just a tool for fighting demons—then she had to start acting like it.
And maybe, just maybe, that could begin… with making his bed.
Her heart thumped in her chest. Her cheeks flushed red. She knew perfectly well this wasn't a big deal—Ryuji could easily fix the futon later if he wanted.
But for her, this was a first step.
Her first step toward becoming his wife.
Forgive me… Mai-san.
She whispered the thought silently in her heart, stood up, and walked to where Ryuji was seated. Then, reaching out, she gently picked up the futon.
But perhaps due to nervousness—or bitterness—her words came out strangely.
"Ryuji-sama, you really don't know how to make a bed, do you? No wonder you need so many wives."
Shinobu didn't even know what she was saying at this point.
Maybe it was the resentment speaking.
Not toward Ryuji, really.
Just… the frustration of marrying a shameless, lustful man who wanted a whole harem, a man she'd known for only a day, who hadn't even courted her, yet expected to sleep with her.
And Ryuji—
Completely missed the meaning behind her words.
"Ah, yeah, I'm not really used to setting up Japanese-style bedding. Is there something I should be doing differently?"
Truth be told, he really had no idea what to watch out for when sleeping on tatami.
Lately, he'd either been sleeping in the sea or in Vivi's palace. Even when he visited Erina's place, her family used Western-style beds. Despite the traditional Japanese aesthetics of their home, it was incredibly Westernized in practice.
"No problem. Allow me," Shinobu said gently, smiling as she knelt down and began to redo his futon.
Ryuji didn't think much of it. He just nodded casually.
"Thanks. I'll leave it to you."
To him, it was just a small thing. Since Shinobu had already agreed, then by the customs of this world, she was essentially his fiancée. If she'd been mentally ready, he'd have had her on the futon already—not just the bedding.
So for him, having her make his bed was no big deal. A given.
Shinobu worked quietly, smoothing the futon, kneeling with her back to him.
Ryuji, meanwhile, had an unobstructed view of her graceful figure—the tight, curved lines of her body beneath her Demon Slayer uniform. Especially her hips, which were surprisingly wide—clearly the "childbearing" type.
Her curves were beautiful. Visually perfect. And he could just imagine how good they'd feel in his hands.
"Five feet tall, busty, and with hips like that…" Ryuji murmured to himself.
Shinobu had no idea how defenseless she looked right now. And Ryuji, unbothered, enjoyed the view—fully appreciating the contrast between her petite build and those unexpectedly full curves.
He watched how her breasts softly bounced under her clothes as she leaned forward, how her tiny feet shifted subtly in their tabi socks.
If he wanted, he could kneel right behind her, grab those perfect hips, and—
Well. You could imagine the rest.
Shinobu felt his gaze and almost wanted to run away.
But she took a deep breath.
This was her choice. She'd decided to do this. And so, despite the urge to flee, she stayed.
But her movements became more restrained. More self-conscious. She held her body still, and that only made Ryuji more excited.
Because now… she had that irresistible, conflicted look of someone trying not to be noticed. That mix of shyness and implicit invitation—it was intoxicating.
His fingers began to twitch.
And then—
SMACK.
A heavy object thudded against the back of his hand.
"Your eyes are way too pervy! Give Shinobu-san a little respect, will you?!"
Ryuji turned around.
Standing there, somehow without him noticing their approach, were Mai and Kanao—both holding scrolls labeled "Flame Breathing," "Water Breathing," and other techniques.
He looked down at the object that hit him.
A scroll labeled "Thunder Breathing."
"…What's this?" he asked, ignoring the accusation completely.
"It might be rough on the body, but these breathing techniques can boost your combat power,"
Mai said directly, clearly uninterested in his ogling.
"I have to admit, these are pretty useful techniques."
She and Kanao had apparently gone out to gather what they could. What used to be closely guarded secrets of the Demon Slayer Corps had, due to the world's transformation, now spread far and wide. So acquiring these scrolls had been easier than expected.
He casually unrolled the scroll and nodded.
It wasn't of much use to him.
Breathing techniques were meant to refine and unlock one's latent strength, relying heavily on powerful lungs and cardiovascular function.
And yes, Ryuji's lungs were absurdly strong—likely better than anyone else in this world.
But there was a catch.
His Flame Manipulation and Water Manipulation techniques both required unique breathing patterns.
That was why he could never use both simultaneously. He had to switch between them.
Still, it wouldn't hurt to skim through the scrolls and pass the time.
Night soon fell.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ryuji found his chance. He slipped out alone, heading for higher ground to observe this Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.
Ryuji figured that as long as he was alone, escaping wouldn't be a problem.
After all, these so-called yokai hadn't been slaughtering humans indiscriminately. That meant they feared something. They were holding back.
And if they feared the strength of the people in this city… then things weren't unbeatable.
Even if he did run into something he couldn't beat, he had the advantage of conceptual lifespan. Worst-case scenario, he could retreat to another world and recover.
At most, he'd end up heavily wounded. No big deal.
It was with that mindset from the rooftops, he saw a strange scene unfolding:
People were hurrying home in a panic. Even those who tripped dared not speak—just picked themselves up and ran. The hustle and liveliness of daytime was completely gone.
Those same wealthy men who earlier lounged around surrounded by courtesans? Now they were huddled up tight, clutching their weapons and stealing fearful glances at everyone else on the street.
At the city gates, squads of Demon Slayers ushered people inside—many clutching hoes, spears, or whatever weapon they could find. Soon, even the street patrols disappeared entirely.
But not completely.
In the distance, a few kilometers away, Ryuji spotted lights and activity— People were still active out there.
He squinted and realized: that was the checkpoint he'd passed earlier.
He hadn't noticed it before, but there were several shrine gates—those traditional torii arches—in between the checkpoint and the city.
The people over there looked uneasy, sure… but nowhere near as terrified as those in the city.
"Tch. And here I thought this place had its act together. Turns out it's just the last binge before collapse."
He narrowed his eyes, analyzing the contrast.
"Over there… is it just superstition? Or maybe the invasion warped reality, and superstition now works?"
He tapped the railing beside him thoughtfully.
"If that place doesn't need to go into hiding, maybe these things really can't cross a certain distance. A few kilometers might be enough to keep the 'yokai' at bay?"
The whole thing fascinated him.
But just as he continued watching from the top of the wall, he sensed two distinct breaths rapidly approaching.
He turned—and saw Mai and Shinobu rushing toward him.
"Ryuji-sama! Please, come back quickly! The yokai will appear any moment now!" Shinobu called, slightly out of breath.
But Mai didn't bother with warnings.
"You didn't bring me? Seriously?!"
She'd been waiting for this—waiting for him to sneak out so she could tag along. And now he just ditched her?
Was he mocking her?
Ryuji gave a calm nod.
"Yeah. I wanted to test the strength of these so-called Night Parade monsters. Doing it solo makes more sense."
He turned to her, blunt as ever.
"Bringing you along would just slow me down. Sure, you've got enough energy to protect yourself, but compared to me? You're way outclassed."
In his mind, there was no one in this city stronger than him.
Mai wasn't weak, per se. She had solid martial skill. But in terms of raw destructive power? She didn't come close. And she didn't have any truly special powers.
Unlike him.
He had Dragonfire—a flame unlike anything else.
It wasn't just regular fire. It was a magical, high-concept flame—effective in nearly every scenario. Ghosts, gods, demons—curses. It wasn't some flashy trick; it was an all-purpose, combat-grade elemental force.
In fiction, dragonfire was always legendary. It could forge divine weapons. Cleanse evil. Ward off curses.
And in his case? It wrapped around his entire body at will, healed his wounds, and protected him from almost any sneak attack.
That was why he could charge into things headfirst.
Mai, on the other hand? She'd just be in the way.
"The hell you just say?!" she snapped, hands on her hips. Her generous assets bounced with every motion, drawing his eyes before he could help himself.
"Ryuji-sama," Shinobu cut in firmly, sensing where this was going, "the scale of the Night Parade varies. Sometimes it doesn't appear at all, but when it does—it can be devastating. If you truly wish to investigate, wait until we have enough people ready."
Her voice held a rare urgency.
She wasn't worried about the parade itself.
She was worried about Ryuji.
He was too valuable—too vital to their future. He could revive fallen Demon Slayers. He was overwhelmingly strong. He wasn't someone they could afford to lose.
So for Shinobu, keeping him safe came first. Above all else.
~~~~~~~~~~
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