Shinobu Kocho just quietly guarded Kyojuro Rengoku, watching Lexon confront Akaza and Doma.
She had originally wanted to go and help Tanjiro's side.
But to stay on guard against Doma, and to protect Kyojuro and the unconscious passengers behind her, she had promptly stopped that thought.
When Doma stood up and looked this way, Shinobu's entire body couldn't help but tremble. Her hateful eyes stared intently at Doma, and her slightly shaking arm was on the hilt of her Nichirin Sword.
The image of Kanae Kocho slowly dying in her arms flashed through her mind...
'Sister...'
She had already prepared to fight to the death.
But what Shinobu hadn't expected was for Lexon's figure to suddenly appear in front of Doma, slashing at him several times and forcing him back.
In their few exchanges, Shinobu had already realized that the Upper Rank Three demon named Akaza was already incomparably powerful. Even Mr. Rengoku's all-out attack hadn't been able to do much to him...
'The Upper Rank Two demon named Doma, who killed my sister, is a rank higher than Akaza. He must be much stronger...'
'And Lexon, who can pay attention to the Upper Rank Two Doma while simultaneously suppressing the Upper Rank Three Akaza... how strong must he be...'
Shinobu felt her impression of Lexon's strength being refreshed yet again.
'I'm already a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, yet I'm still as powerless as before.'
A look of frustration appeared on Shinobu's face.
In the next moment, she saw the Upper Rank Three Akaza once again use that immensely powerful move he had used against Mr. Rengoku.
"Watch out!" she couldn't help but cry out to warn him.
Then she breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Lexon use a technique to dodge.
But when Lexon was knocked to the ground from mid-air, her worried heart was once again in her throat.
"Bang."
Shinobu personally witnessed the pot at Lexon's waist shatter.
'That was the container Lexon used to hold Gyokko with his Blood Demon Art...'
Before she could react, the figure of Gyokko appeared, and from his mouth, a ferocious and terrifying arm suddenly emerged.
'What is that??'
Shinobu didn't understand. She had never seen this technique when she had dueled with Gyokko before.
In fact, it was only natural that Shinobu hadn't seen it. After all, this was a situation that would only occur when the curse Muzan had hidden in a demon erupted.
Next, with the sound of a biwa, not only did Lexon's figure vanish, but the two Upper Ranks he was fighting also disappeared.
'What happened? Where did Lexon go?'
Shinobu was shocked and uncertain, a bad premonition in her heart.
"Miss Shinobu..." Tanjiro's voice came.
Shinobu turned her head to look and saw Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Nezuko supporting each other as they walked towards her.
Except for Nezuko, their bodies were covered in wounds and bruises. It was clear they had been through a very tough battle.
"The demon we were fighting suddenly disappeared!" Tanjiro said to Shinobu.
'That demon is gone too?'
The ominous premonition in Shinobu's heart grew stronger.
Lexon and the demons he was fighting had all disappeared, and the demon Tanjiro was fighting had also disappeared...
But everyone else was completely fine...
[Muzan Kibutsuji will definitely act with Lexon as his target, to seize what he desires.]
Shinobu suddenly remembered the words the Master had spoken at the Hashira meeting.
'If this time was a part of Muzan Kibutsuji's plan...'
'Lure Lexon to battle... do everything possible to lower his guard... find an opportunity... the arm extending from Gyokko's mouth to grab Lexon's arm as a medium...'
'That "twang" of the biwa was undoubtedly a Blood Demon Art that served a teleportation function.'
'Using the medium to transport Lexon to a specific place.'
'In that case, what would be waiting for him in that place?'
At this thought, Shinobu's face suddenly turned somewhat pale.
'Muzan Kibutsuji... all the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki... and possibly even other demons...'
Her mind became unsettled, and even her body began to sway a little.
'Lexon... Lexon...'
'He fell into the enemy's hands to save us...'
"Is Mr. Rengoku alright, Miss Shinobu?" Tanjiro asked worriedly, looking at the unconscious Kyojuro Rengoku.
"He's fine..." Shinobu's reply was a little weak.
"That's good," Tanjiro said with a smile. But as he spoke, he smelled the "unease" and "sadness" emanating from Shinobu.
"Did something happen, Miss Shinobu?" Tanjiro couldn't help but ask with some concern.
In his eyes, everyone was fine.
No passengers were injured, the demons had disappeared for some reason, and he, Zenitsu, and Inosuke had not suffered any life-threatening injuries in the battle. Mr. Rengoku was fine, Miss Shinobu's condition was also good, and Nezuko, who had suddenly arrived with Miss Shinobu, was also completely fine.
So he didn't know what Shinobu was feeling uneasy and sad about.
Tanjiro had been in a fierce battle with the demonized Youmei the whole time and had no mind to care about anything else. He had only known of Shinobu's arrival because of Nezuko's appearance, so he didn't know that Lexon had also come.
"Lexon... he's been captured," Shinobu said, a sentence that astonished Tanjiro.
"Lexon came too, Miss Shinobu?" Tanjiro asked anxiously. "What do you mean he's been captured?"
In his heart, Lexon already occupied a very important place. He was an extremely important, big-brother-like friend.
But now Shinobu was telling him that Lexon had been captured by a demon. How could he not be anxious?
"Mmph, mmph, mmph," at his side, Nezuko also showed a worried expression, humming to express her anxiety.
"We need to find a way to save Lexon now," Shinobu didn't answer Tanjiro's question, but instead told him what action they should take now.
Next, she beckoned with her hand.
Immediately, a Kasugai Crow flew from the distant sky and landed on her hand.
"Mugen Train, encountered Upper Ranks Two and Three. Rengoku is unconscious. No passenger deaths. Lexon teleported to an unknown location by a Blood Demon Art."
She explained the situation as briefly as possible, then had the crow transmit the information to the Master.
She didn't know what to do next, so she wanted to immediately pass the information to the Master and let him make the plan and give the commands.
Under the candlelight, after listening to the news from the Kasugai Crow, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was silent.
"My dear..." at his side, Amane Ubuyashiki looked at him with some concern.
"Sigh..." Kagaya suddenly sighed, a sad expression on his face. "So this is the price for preventing Kyojuro's death..."
He faced the fish-belly white of the dawn gradually appearing on the horizon, illuminated by the slowly emerging light.
But he couldn't feel a trace of light in his heart.
"We can only hope that Lexon can escape with his own abilities."
Kagaya hoped, yet was full of worry.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]