The Entertainment district of Yoshiwara, Kyōgoku House.
Upper Rank Six, Daki, who flourished under the guise of the famed courtesan Warabihime, carefully tended to her flowing black hair. Just moments ago, one of her servants had dragged a freshly captured "meal" into the underground chamber—a typical dining ritual for Daki. Living in the pleasure quarter meant few people could pose a threat to her, but this identity, this disguise, was crucial.
It allowed her to gather information for Lord Muzan.
She stared into the mirror on the table, her gaze lingering on her own reflection. Daki seemed momentarily lost in thought.
"Onii-chan, you'll protect me, right?"
"Everyone else is dead now…"
She already knew about the complete annihilation of the other Upper Moons. The news had reached her not long ago. She felt an involuntary wave of relief—thank goodness she hadn't gone with them. She, so dazzling and beautiful, still had no desire to die.
The demon within her, Gyutaro, didn't respond. He'd heard this question many times already.
Daki didn't expect an answer from her brother anyway. She dabbed at her red lips. While many dismissed her as foolish, she wasn't blind—she knew full well who was strong and who was weak.
"Even Lord Muzan has gone silent…"
Though she could still enter the Infinity Castle, she knew she couldn't return empty-handed. If she failed to produce useful intel from the pleasure district, who knew if Muzan would still deem her valuable?
If not for Gyutaro's analytical mind hidden within her body, she might not have even grasped how precarious their position had become.
"Fine. I'll reduce how often I appear in public for now."
Though she loathed the idea—these outings were how she both gathered intel and hunted for moments of fragile happiness—she understood that caution was now critical.
"How long until I get to destroy happiness again?"
Once a sweet, innocent child, twisted by tragedy and an older brother with a warped worldview, Daki's heart had long been corrupted. She was arrogant, obsessed with beauty, disgusted by ugliness—and nothing thrilled her more than tearing happiness apart.
….
"Yoshiwara's pleasure quarter will be our next target."
Standing beside Kagaya Ubuyashiki, Yohan pointed directly to the heart of the city. Ever since Tamayo had succeeded in walking beneath the sun, Yohan had set his plans fully in motion. The final stage had arrived.
Even Ubuyashiki hadn't expected the medicine to succeed so quickly. When the Pillars saw Tamayo standing in the sunlight, their jaws nearly dropped.
"A demon that can survive under sunlight… This may well be the perfect being."
"Flashy… Flashy beyond belief! Absolutely gorgeous!"
Tengen Uzui smacked his lips in awe. Seeing Tamayo shimmering under the sun, he found her as radiant and flamboyant as himself.
"At last, the time has come to eliminate Muzan Kibutsuji."
Gyōmei Himejima pressed his palms together, speaking with heartfelt emotion.
Everyone understood one truth—demons and sunlight were irreconcilable. Where demons appeared, night reigned. And yet, now there was a demon who walked freely beneath the sun. If even Nichirin Blades were useless against her, then this creature was truly without weaknesses—the very definition of perfection.
"Next, Tamayo and I will head to the pleasure district."
Yohan's plan was simple: appear before Daki and force Muzan to take notice. It was a deliberate provocation—a loud, blatant signal that the Demon Slayer Corps possessed what Muzan had been chasing for centuries. It was bait.
Would Muzan retreat and hide?
Absolutely not.
Yohan, Tamayo, and Ubuyashiki all agreed—Muzan might fear death more than anyone, but he was also the most arrogant. He might endure anything… except one thing.
"There's one goal Muzan has pursued since becoming a demon—true immortality. The end of death itself."
"And if that chance appears, he will throw everything aside to seize it."
The others nodded.
"Then once our preparations are complete, we'll leave the next move to Yohan and Lady Tamayo," said Gyōmei solemnly.
The Demon Slayer Corps still had to finish their intensive training. Headquarters had other arrangements to finalize as well.
Ubuyashiki had already chosen the battlefield for the final confrontation—the Demon Slayer headquarters itself. This ensured a stronger defense and minimized civilian casualties.
"Everyone!"
"We now enter the final phase."
Ubuyashiki's voice rang out with gravity.
Tasks were assigned.
The entire Demon Slayer Corps moved like a well-oiled machine.
Tactics, command, logistics, assault—every division fell swiftly into place. An unprecedented full-scale mobilization had begun. Faces lit with determination. This was it—the fight to end it all.
….
"Relax, Tamayo."
"All you need to do is hold onto my arm."
In the streets of Yoshiwara, Yohan walked with Tamayo at his side. Her hand wrapped around his arm, but her expression was tense.
"Um… Is this okay, Yohan-kun?"
Centuries of solitude had made Tamayo forget what it meant to simply live. Now, she walked under the sun—surrounded by people. Everything felt too bright, too real.
"You're fine. Just enjoy the walk. Forget Muzan. You're here to explore and have fun."
Yohan's tone was soft but steady. Their mission didn't require direct confrontation—they just needed Daki to see Tamayo.
Whether she doubted it or not didn't matter.
Muzan would never ignore such bait.
"Act natural… just act natural…"
Tamayo took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. But her nerves weren't just because of the sunlight or the mission.
It was because she was holding onto Yohan's arm.
"Even though it's the pleasure district, things only really liven up at night. There aren't too many people out now."
Yoshiwara was famous for its distinct purpose. At night, it truly came alive. Though they believed Daki lurked somewhere within the district, exactly which courtesan identity she currently wore still needed to be uncovered.
"So… what now, Yohan-kun?"
"Simple—we go straight in!"
Without hesitation, Yohan pulled Tamayo with him and began asking around for Warabihime. As the most well-known courtesan in the district, it didn't take long before a passerby pointed them to her location.
Kyōgoku House.
The famed establishment was closed during the day, but Yohan didn't plan to wait for nightfall.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"What can I do for you two?"
The proprietress beamed at the handsome man and elegant lady before her. She wasn't new to this business. She could tell—they weren't here for fun. Not during the day, and certainly not with a woman by the man's side.
"Madam, we'd like to ask a favor."
Yohan leaned in and spoke quietly, slipping something heavy into her hand.
"Ahh, of course. Say no more."
Feeling the weight of the bribe, the proprietress's smile bloomed. She waved her hand and turned to head upstairs.
"Wait right here. I'll go fetch her."
"Tamayo, let's go."
Yohan took Tamayo's hand and led her out.
"Wait… Yohan, aren't we here to see Daki?!"