Kanae escorted all the injured members of the Demon Slayer Corps away.
Meanwhile, Hiru and Sanemi conducted another sweep of the Spider Mountain forest. After confirming that no demons had been left behind, one returned to oversee the nearby jurisdiction while the other headed to Mount Fujikasane to capture demons. Before long, each resumed their duties.
The Demon Slayer Corps moved with disciplined precision, as always.
And yet, in the mountain ranges near the river valley, Kokushibo received an unexpected visitor not long after.
A paper sliding door materialized before him.
Kokushibo lifted his gaze as Doma stepped through it. His eyes remained distant, unreadable.
"Doma… since my departure, there has been no connection between us."
"Oh my, don't be so distant, Kokushibo-sama~"
Doma emerged with a gentle smile, lazily fanning himself.
"We worked together for over a century. That makes us friends, doesn't it~? And friends visiting one another is perfectly natural~"
Kokushibo rose in silence and drew his blade.
Doma instantly retreated half a step behind the doorframe, raising both hands with an airy laugh.
"Now, now~ no need to be so quick-tempered~ I'm here on the Lord's orders, you see. And among the Upper Moons, I'm the only one who's any good at talking, aren't I~?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"And look, Kokushibo-sama—I haven't even used my Blood Demon Art. There's no need for us to fight tonight. You wouldn't want to draw the Demon Slayer Corps' attention here, would you? Not that they're frightening… merely troublesome~"
Kokushibo studied him for a long moment before sheathing his blade.
"What is your purpose?"
"You probably haven't heard," Doma replied, his fan fluttering softly. "About the little commotion your younger brother has stirred up recently."
"…Hiru?"
"Yes, yes~ Little Akiwa has caused quite the disturbance~ The Lord even punished all of the Lower Moons because of it~"
Kokushibo remained still, offering no reaction—only a silent signal for him to continue.
But the longer he listened, the more unsettled he became.
He knew he had given Hiru information—but had it truly extended that far? It had only been fragments regarding the Lower Moons. How had it escalated into a large-scale purge carried out by the Demon Slayer Corps?
And why would Muzan erase the Lower Moons entirely when they were already suffering heavy losses, instead of replacing them? For over a century, Muzan had shown a degree of tolerance toward them. Was he recalling their blood in preparation for something greater?
One question layered atop another.
Yet what disturbed Kokushibo most was the way Doma addressed Hiru.
"…Akiwa?"
"Oh? You truly didn't know?" Doma covered his smile with his fan, his voice light with amusement. "Akiwa and I are very dear to one another—we've already confessed our feelings, you see~ Ahh… I still remember how gently Akiwa cradled me and told me she liked me~"
Kokushibo: …?
"Now, now, Kokushibo-sama~ Are you still listening?" Doma tilted his head, studying Kokushibo's blank expression. "You still carry the Lord's blood within you, don't you? I've come to reclaim it~ Would you not grant me this favor? After all… we may very well become family someday~"
Kokushibo offered no response.
He simply stared at Doma, his expression stripped of all emotion.
Doma did not rush him. He remained standing within the doorway, smiling patiently.
"…Are you speaking the truth?"
Doma's smile only deepened.
"Ehh~ It's all true~ I'd love to cradle Akiwa gently in my hands and keep her by my side forever~ The Lord himself is quite supportive, you know~"
Kokushibo remained silent for a long time.
Then, without a word, he lifted his hand and drew a shallow cut across his wrist.
As the blood fell, a frost lotus formed beneath it, catching every drop.
The ice bloom expanded as it absorbed the blood, its petals gradually staining crimson. Only when it had fully turned red did the wound on Kokushibo's wrist close.
He raised his eyes to Doma.
"It serves me no purpose. Take it."
"Oh my~ I'm so glad we could come to an understanding~ As expected of Kokushibo-sama, always so reasonable~"
With a light gesture, Doma summoned the blood-soaked lotus back to his side.
"Then I'll take my leave~"
The paper door began to slide shut.
But before it could close, Kokushibo's blade flashed forward, stopping it.
"…Wait."
The door slid open again.
Doma regarded him from less than a meter away, his smile unchanged.
"Is there something else, Kokushibo-sama? I still need to return and absorb the blood~"
Kokushibo's brow creased slightly. He stood in silence for several long breaths before finally speaking.
"…What precisely is the nature of your relationship with Hiru?"
"Oh? You're interested?" Doma's tone brightened. "Then I'd be delighted to elaborate~"
Doma spoke at length, brimming with enthusiasm, dragging Kokushibo from one tangent to another. Nearly every sentence revolved around how close he and Akiwa were, how deeply Akiwa cared for him, how fervently Akiwa had pursued him.
By the time Doma finally departed, Kokushibo felt as though his thoughts had been thoroughly entangled.
He could not comprehend what might have transpired over the centuries to lead Hiru down such a path—nor how he could have attached himself to someone like Doma.
[Could this… somehow be why Yoriichi seeks Muzan's death?]
Kokushibo covered the lower half of his face at once, dismissing the thought.
[No. Impossible. He is the chosen one. He would never act for something so trivial.]
[Even if Yoriichi indulged Hiru, he would still understand what is fundamental. Something must have occurred during these centuries… something I do not know.]
A pause.
[Could Yoriichi… have changed as well?]
The deeper he pursued the thought, the more unsettled he became.
By the following night, he could no longer remain seated.
Guided by the mark, he set out to find Hiru.
He required an answer.
Otherwise, even if he were cast into hell, he would find no rest.
...
Completely unaware that Kokushibo was already on his way, Hiru paid another visit to Tamayo to inquire about the medicine intended to restore Tanjiro's human body.
"Based on the blood sample you brought this time, Tanjiro's physical condition is stable," Tamayo said. "However, his assimilation rate has increased again. I'll need to adjust the formula further. Remain nearby for a few more days. I'll prepare the revised medicine as soon as possible."
She set down the report and exhaled softly, a faint smile finally appearing on her face.
"I didn't expect that child to stabilize his blood so quickly through his own internal regulation. It's quite extraordinary."
Hiru gave a small, relaxed smile.
"That entire family is frighteningly gifted. Perhaps some individuals are simply more compatible with demon physiology."
Tamayo shook her head slightly, unconvinced, but did not challenge him. Instead, she asked the question that mattered most.
"Have you uncovered any trace of Muzan?"
Hiru rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Well… it's difficult to say. Recently, many of the Corps' reconnaissance teams have returned empty-handed. Locations that should have housed powerful demons show only residual traces—signs that they once lived there. Muzan has likely enacted another countermeasure. In any case, things have been unusually quiet."
Tamayo sighed.
"Is that so…? And yet Kyojuro mentioned that demonic activity has increased. Groups of civilians traveling at night have been disappearing. He's been so occupied that he hasn't even had time to attend the newest stage performance."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Could it be that this 'quiet' you speak of means Muzan is now wary of you?"
Hiru paused for a brief moment.
Then he laughed.
"Wary of me, huh… That might actually be for the best."
His smile lingered faintly.
"Otherwise… I wouldn't know how to say goodbye when the time comes."