BOOMM!!
The roar of the explosion immediately filled the street. Heat and shockwaves generated from the bomb set off and destroyed the surrounding area into ruin and dust.
The trio caught off guard, who were the closest to the explosion, were blown away by the air wave.
Tanjuro stabbed Kusabimaru into the ground, steadying himself as he was more prepared than the others.
A black and huge figure caught from the corner of his eyes as he looked up at the roof.
There it was.
It seems they don't need to look for it.
The demon itself hunted them out.
"Kyojuro-san!!"
Mitsuri covered her nose and mouth as she called out to Kyojuro, who was the closest to the bookstore.
Panic spread to the pedestrians as they were blown away by the sudden shock wave. Some of them were buried under the rubble.
"Are you okay, Kyojuro-san!?" Mitsuri shouted as she spotted Kyojuro. She made her way to him.
"I'll come help you!"
"NO! Don't come over!"
Kyojuro wiped the blood and soot from his face. He quickly stood up and reached out his hand to stop Mitsuri in her tracks.
"It's dangerous!"
"Eh?" Mitsuri was confused but not stopping in her advance.
Tanjuro had to quickly pull her back by her arm, cause...
Bang!
Whoosh!
A spiraling copper bullet shoots through the air, grazing Mitsuri's hair.
The shiny surface of the bullet reflected Mitsuri's astonished expression as it flew and imbedded itself into the concrete ground.
"!?!"
Mitsuri's face turned pale at the sudden brush with death. She looked at the bullet hole that would have been in her head just seconds ago. That was too close!
"Kukuku..."
"Look who I found."
On the roof across the street.
Rokuro was lying and holding the sniper rifle he uses in his hand. His excitement was evident in his face.
"I've been waiting for this day for so long."
He pulled the bolt back and ejected the spent cartridge with a trembling hand.
Clang.
The copper shell fell to the ground, still sizzling hot.
Click.
Rokuro loaded the second bullet quickly. A ferocious grin split his face.
"Today! Is the day I will get my revenge!"
His eyes reflected the image of Kyojuro, though it was overlapping with another. His index finger was ready to pull the trigger.
"Go to Hell! Rengoku Shin—cough! Cough, cough!"
Before he could shoot, Rokuro's eyes suddenly rolled back into his head, and his body twitched all over.
—?!!
Then, the demon seemed to have changed his entire demeanor. Its expression was nervous and flustered as its eyes flickered away from Kyojuro.
And staring straight at Kamado Tanjuro, who pulled Mitsuri away.
His pupils contracted and trembled. His breathing became rapid.
FoUnd Him..!
---
---
---
—Location: Infinity Castle—
"!!"
Muzan was wearing a white shirt and transformed himself into a child to spend some time reading a book.
The warm atmosphere seems so permeated through the room that it even makes Muzan relax. He deserves it after his night full of stress.
He was sitting in a rocking chair when he got the stimulus from Lower Moon Two.
"That damned bastard!!"
He reached out and covered one of his scarlet pupils, his tone heavy with extreme hatred and anger.
His injured arm still hasn't healed, and it barely closed the slash wounds together.
He saw that Bastard's figure in the vision that he shared with Lower Moon Two!
He may have only caught a glance at the figure, but Muzan recognizes that red hair everywhere!
It's definitely him!
Since their clash, Muzan had not left the Infinity Castle for two whole nights. Tonight is the third.
Rage veins pop up on his neck and up to his face. Muzan took a deep breath and forcibly took control of Lower Moon Two's free will.
He hasn't been idle these past two nights. He thought deeply and concluded that the Bastard that was haunting him could not be measured by the standard of the ordinary slayers.
'Since there is a majestic immortal being like myself, it's reasonable to have/train someone to be like HIM.'
Although,
The meeting at that house.
Muzan raised his pitiful hand. A trace of gloom flashed in his eyes as he remembered he can't do a lot of work because of his injuries.
His scarlet spider lilies' eyes slowly closed as he contacted the one that has the strength to solve this matter.
---
---
---
—Location: The Kamado Family House—
In the mountain where this story starts.
The Kamado house is now empty, with snow piled up on the roof and the surrounding land. The charcoal kiln was abandoned, and the bone-chilling cold seems to have seeped into every corner of the house.
Swish!
Kokushibo appeared in front of the entrance to the house. Complete with the snake-like pattern haori and katana made of flesh and blood.
"Is this the place...?"
Kokushibo opened his six eyes, revealing the unsettling blood-red sclera, shining brightly in the dark.
"The place where Muzan-sama saw... Yoriichi..."
He looked around and found no sign of life in the vicinity.
Kokushibo activated the Transparent World as a habit to hide himself. He doesn't know why, but...
In his heart, he felt... anxious. A sense of unease that has kept growing since he arrived in this house.
He reached out and placed his hand on the worn old wooden door.
Creak...
The door produced an unpleasant sound as it moved, and he was greeted with a pitch-black room. There was no sign of human activity.
Kokushibo walked in and inspected the whole room. Even though it's dark, his demon eyes see much more clearly than human eyes or with the help of a candle in the room.
Seeing that he found nothing, he relaxed his posture and exhaled softly.
"There's nothing to—"
However, his eyes noticed an anomaly in one of the walls.
Click. Swish!
Kokushibo didn't hesitate and casually cut a square shape in the wall.
Pieces of wood and stone fell off to the floor.
It seems he found a hidden compartment.
Kokushibo thrust his sword and stabbed the object hidden inside and brought it out.
It was a cloth, an old kosode made for a child with dark red coloring.
Kokushibo's eyes widened in shock, his brain struck by lightning as he recognized the clothing hanging from his blade.
Old memories surged to the forefront of his mind, stopping him in his act as he came to a realization.
This cloth...
Is the same as the one his brother, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, wore as a child.
The Kamado family's house is the former residence of Yoriichi and spouse 300 years ago!