Yoshiwara, the Entertainment District.
In a deserted corner, several members of the Demon Slayer Corps gathered in a tight circle.
"The demon showed up. I could feel the stench, super thick," Inosuke spat, still fuming. "But some brat got in my way while I was chasing it, and I lost it."
He clenched his teeth.
"If I see that brat again, I'm knocking him out and throwing him into the mountains!"
"Inosuke!" Tanjiro snapped, cutting him off. "We're Demon Slayers. We exist to hunt demons. We don't hurt civilians. If we do that, how are we any different from them?"
Inosuke waved him off, stubborn as ever.
"Fine. But that demon was seriously strong, and it's got some crazy hiding trick. The moment it gets even a little distance, I can't find it anymore."
"So it really is an Upper Rank," Tengen Uzui murmured, staring toward the far end of the district, conflict twisting in his eyes.
He had already changed back into his Demon Slayer gear. Two Nichirin cleavers with circular notches were strapped across his back.
"This is on me. Your friend… he's not coming back."
"Y-you mean… Zenitsu?" Tanjiro's voice shook, disbelief written across his face.
They were all here, but Agatsuma Zenitsu was nowhere to be seen.
Tengen nodded, his tone heavy.
"We lost contact last night. I can't sense his presence anymore. By Corps protocol, if someone goes missing for more than twenty four hours, they're considered fallen."
He exhaled slowly, as if each word scraped his throat.
"I misjudged things. Not just once. Especially when it comes to my wives. You should leave."
He flicked his hand at them, dismissing them, then stood.
"An Upper Rank is not a fight you can participate in. This is my burden."
He vanished in a blur, leaving only his voice behind.
"If I can save your companion, I'll try. But… don't get your hopes up."
The three of them exchanged stunned looks.
"An Upper Rank…" Tanjiro whispered. "Are we really not allowed to help? Zenitsu… he can't really be in danger, can he?"
He turned to Vincent Fox. The strongest among them.
Vincent Fox shook his head.
"Tengen said twenty four hours. It's been less than ten since contact was lost. Nothing is decided yet."
He looked at them sharply.
"Instead of panicking, we move."
"But…" Tanjiro hesitated, doubt wrestling across his face. "Tengen said this isn't a battle we can take part in."
"Bullshit!" Inosuke exploded.
He thrust out his right hand. As he tightened his fist, a single character flashed on the back of it.
Kanoe.
"We're Kanoe now. Fourth from the top, counting upward!"
The Corps ranks ran through ten levels.
Kinoe, Kinooto, Hinoe, Hinoto, Tsuchinoe, Tsuchinoto, Kanoe, Kanoto, Mizunoe, Mizunoto.
They had once been at the very bottom.
Now, after the last battle and repeated missions, they had climbed.
"Alright," Tanjiro said, resolve hardening. "Tonight I'll go to your house, the Deybonya. If there's a demon there, you wait for me!"
Smack!
Inosuke slapped Tanjiro on the head.
"I just told you there's a demon at Deybonya. We go now!"
He started smacking him again, furious with how slow he was.
"Ow, ow, stop hitting me!"
Tanjiro begged him off, then hurriedly explained.
"If it's only at Deybonya, that's simple. But if a demon kills people there, how do they clean up the blood? I think there's a hidden passage or something. A way to move without leaving traces."
"…That makes sense," Inosuke muttered, finally catching on. "Then the demon you and Zenitsu ran into could be the same one."
"So it might be," Tanjiro agreed.
Watching them, Vincent's thoughts clicked into place.
He had a direction now.
But at this stage, he needed to confirm it with his own eyes.
"First, we gear up," Vincent Fox said. "Get your Nichirin blades back. If we run into a demon unarmed, we'll be dead before we can blink."
"Good point!" Inosuke nodded immediately.
They split up.
Inosuke returned to his assigned room, planted his feet, then launched upward.
"Boar Rush!"
Boom!
His head smashed straight through the ceiling.
"Rats! Bring me my swords!"
From the dim space above, two extremely muscular mice emerged, each holding a Nichirin blade.
They were trained by Tengen specifically for this kind of work, to help them keep their cover.
The moment Inosuke got dressed and pulled on his boar mask again, it was like he had come back to life.
"Damn demon! I'm coming!"
Elsewhere, Tanjiro changed back into his Demon Slayer uniform and carried Nezuko on his back as he headed to Koinatsu Oiran's room.
"Koinatsu-sama. Sorry to bother you. I'm leaving Tokito House."
He set a cloth bundle on the floor.
"Could you please give this to the owner? It's to cover the expenses and meals I've been given these past days."
Koinatsu turned at the sound of his voice.
"Little Tan… that outfit…"
She stared at his uniform and the box on his back, confusion flickering across her face.
"Because I was disguised as a girl, I kept these clothes hidden," Tanjiro said carefully. "But I'm actually a boy. There are many reasons. Please don't take offense."
"I know," Koinatsu replied.
"Huh?" Tanjiro froze, completely thrown.
"I could tell at a glance," she said gently. "And from your voice."
She stepped closer, smoothing the edge of his collar with a tenderness that made Tanjiro's throat tighten.
"I don't know what happened, but it must be something serious."
Her eyes softened.
"You really want to save your sister, Suma, don't you?"
"Yes!" Tanjiro answered without hesitation.
"I'm not lying. I will save Suma-san, and everyone else who disappeared!"
Koinatsu smiled faintly, then fell quiet.
After a moment, she spoke again, still smiling, but with something heavy behind it.
"Then thank you. I can rest a little easier."
She brightened, her smile suddenly radiant.
"But… I'll be leaving too, in the next couple of days. I never thought someone would want to marry someone like me…"
"Really? That's wonderful!" Tanjiro said, genuinely happy for her.
Yet the worry in her eyes did not fade.
"That's exactly why I'm more worried about everyone who's staying," she confessed. "Suma and the others disappearing always felt suspicious, but I never had a way to investigate…"
Tanjiro sniffed, catching the faint scent of guilt on her.
"There's nothing you could have done," he said firmly. "Please don't blame yourself."
Koinatsu smiled and looked straight into his eyes.
"Little Tan… I don't want you to disappear either."
Tanjiro's smile softened, heartfelt.
He bowed low, offering his farewell with full sincerity.
"Goodbye, Koinatsu-sama. We'll meet again. I know we will."
Before the last word even settled, he was already gone.
Koinatsu turned back to her mirror, calmly painting her delicate makeup.
Then footsteps sounded behind her.
"Hm? Did you forget something?" she asked, without turning.
A woman's voice answered.
"That's right."
A pause, silky and cold.
"I need to eat you first… before I forget."
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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