And so, having stumbled upon Tamayo's trail, Yushiguro began scouring Tokyo's Asakusa district, intent on capturing her alive to present to Muzan Kibutsuji.
As Yushiguro searched, the system pinged Horitake, who was racing toward Tokyo, with an update: Ding! Friendly reminder: Tamayo's accident has occurred, but her crisis has not yet manifested. The system estimates the crisis will occur within 48 hours.
Forty-eight hours, my foot! Horitake fumed mentally. The last second of 48 hours counts as 'within,' and so does now! Can't you give me a precise countdown like my first mission?!
Ding! The butterfly effect is unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unfathomable.
Not that nonsense again! Get lost!
After venting at the system in his mind, Horitake picked up his pace, hurtling toward Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Yushiguro prowled Asakusa, hunting for Tamayo's whereabouts.
On the other side, Tamayo and Yushiro, having treated the sick girl, returned home, blissfully unaware that Yushiguro had set his sights on them.
A night passed without incident.
Tamayo and Yushiro sensed nothing amiss.
Yushiguro hadn't found Tamayo yet, but he'd narrowed his search radius.
Unable to roam in daylight, he resolved to continue his hunt come nightfall.
Horitake, meanwhile, reached Asakusa by morning.
The district buzzed with vibrant activity, its prosperity hinting at the future metropolis it would become.
Horitake had no time for sightseeing. He scaled the tallest building in Asakusa, gazing out over the city while activating his spirit vision to survey the district.
Why climb so high? Could his spirit vision zoom in to see every distant corner?
Not quite—his vision wasn't that advanced.
But it could pierce illusions, seeing through deception to reveal truth.
Horitake vaguely recalled that Tamayo's Blood Demon Art could manipulate minds and create illusions. She used this ability to cloak her estate in a barrier, hiding it within the city.
By scanning Asakusa from above, Horitake could spot any area shrouded in illusion—likely Tamayo's hideout.
"Found it!"
His eyes locked onto a spot that shimmered with an uncanny, dreamlike quality.
With a leap, he vaulted off the building, forgoing subtlety. He bounded from rooftop to rooftop, racing toward the anomaly.
Fortunately, his movements were discreet enough. Asakusa's busy residents, heads down in their daily grind, rarely looked skyward, and Horitake went unnoticed.
He landed lightly on a rooftop, gazing at the houses below.
On the surface, they were ordinary residences, indistinguishable from their neighbors. But…
"Spirit vision!"
Activating his ability, Horitake saw through the facade. A Blood Demon Art barrier concealed the true scene.
Through his vision, he pinpointed a weak spot in the illusion and slipped inside, undetected by Tamayo, who maintained the barrier.
The scene shifted. No longer a cluster of modest homes, the area revealed a grand estate with a sprawling courtyard.
From a corner, Horitake surveyed the estate's elegant decor, chuckling to himself. "Well, Miss Tamayo's done well for herself these past few centuries. An estate like this in Asakusa? As far as I know, only the Ubuyashiki family could afford such a place. Regular folks wouldn't stand a chance."
He scanned further. "As expected, the estate's huge, but the first, second, and third floors are empty during the day. Miss Tamayo must be… there, the basement!"
Using his spirit vision, he detected a vast underground area. In the daylight, two demonic presences stirred below.
"Not bad, Miss Tamayo," he murmured. "Their auras are definitely demonic, but distinct from others. That must be the difference between demons who only need blood and those who crave human flesh. And it looks like Miss Tamayo hasn't encountered any danger yet. I'm not too late."
Muttering to himself, Horitake approached the entrance, ready to knock.
He paused, hand raised, and tapped his head. "Ugh, I'm treating Miss Tamayo like a human. It's broad daylight—do I expect her and Yushiro to answer the door? Barging in would be rude! I may not have a crush on a centuries-old demon, but storming in would tank my first impression. First meetings matter."
Glancing at the blazing sun, he reconsidered.
Better not meet Tamayo just yet.
As a Demon Slayer, showing up unannounced could spark misunderstandings. Plus, it was daytime—convenient for him, but not for them.
He'd wait here, like a hunter stalking prey, until Tamayo's crisis emerged. Once he resolved it, she'd likely be more than willing to meet him.
Decision made, Horitake leapt lightly to the third-floor balcony, settling against the wall to rest his eyes.
He'd traveled all night without sleep, and his energy was waning.
To be in top form tonight, he needed to rest.
Why not sleep? The lesson from Mount Fujikasane lingered. He'd let his guard down during the day once, and Mitsuri had nearly been attacked.
Wary of repeating that mistake, Horitake kept vigil. Though he appeared to rest, he monitored the estate's surroundings, occasionally using spirit vision to check on Tamayo's safety in the basement.
Yushiro's safety? That was incidental. He didn't carry Tamayo's importance.
The day passed like this.
Though he didn't sleep, resting his eyes restored much of Horitake's energy.
As the sun set, his spirits lifted.
Lately, he'd noticed signs of sleep displacement syndrome—aka staying up all night. It was unavoidable. Demons prowled at night, so Demon Slayers fought at night and rested by day. Over time, his schedule had flipped.
The sun sank fully, and darkness reclaimed the city.
Tokyo's nights were unlike any other.
From the balcony, Horitake marveled at the distant lights, a nascent city that never slept.
Yet, artificial lights couldn't rival the sun. Demons felt no discomfort under lamplight, and no matter how bright Asakusa glowed, they'd emerge.
Perched on the estate's balcony, Horitake waited patiently, a hunter biding his time.
The system's 48-hour deadline ended tomorrow morning. Tonight was his last chance—Tamayo's crisis would surely manifest.
Time ticked by. Tamayo and Yushiro didn't venture out tonight, instead continuing their research in the basement.
Horitake waited, his patience unwavering.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, locking onto the courtyard.
At the courtyard gate, a pot had appeared, unnoticed until now.
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