Shinobu was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected the crow to return with news so quickly.
She noticed the letter tied to it's leg. Just as she reached for it, it spoke in human language.
"The master says to bring Sukuna to see him."
Hearing this, her hand paused mid-reach. She hadn't expected the master to ask her to bring Sukuna to him.
She had thought the master would at least observe Sukuna for a period of time before meeting him.
Sukuna didn't seem particularly surprised to hear the word master. Given the era and the nature of this samurai organization, it made sense.
Still, he was somewhat interested in this "master" Shinobu spoke of—the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. He was curious what methods the man used to make swordsmen willingly risk their lives to kill demons.
Shinobu removed the letter and read the more detailed message left by Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
In the letter, Kagaya Ubuyashiki stated that he was willing to trust Kyojuro Rengoku's judgment and Shinobu's description. He intended to meet Sukuna in good faith. He also mentioned that Amane Ubuyashiki and others opposed his decision.
He explained his reasoning. From Shinobu's description alone, he could already guess Sukuna's overwhelming power and his ability to walk in daylight. That alone ensured no demon could compare to him—maybe not even Muzan.
While he did not expect Sukuna to become an ally in destroying demons, he at least hoped Sukuna would not stand against the Demon Slayer Corps until their long-held wish to eliminate Muzan was fulfilled.
But Ubuyashiki also admitted that he saw a possibility of Sukuna becoming an ally, based on the agreement Sukuna made with Kyojuro Rengoku.
Thus, he asked Shinobu to bring Sukuna back and accommodate his requests as much as possible along the way.
In truth, there was more he did not write in the letter. He no longer wanted to see any more swordsmen die at Sukuna's hands. If sacrifice was necessary to appease him, Kagaya wanted to be the one to do it—since he could no longer fight and did not have much time left.
Seeing Shinobu reading the letter intently without responding, even ignoring Kazumi beside her, Sukuna grew impatient. He walked over, snatched the letter, and read it himself.
It didn't take him long to finish. He had no particular feelings about it, though his estimation of the family head rose slightly. The man seemed quite self-aware. Communication probably wouldn't be too difficult.
Through him, ordering the swordsmen to gather information on Breathing Techniques would be much easier. And with the demon intel they had, both his bath preparations and his search for Muzan would progress faster.
Although the letter contained nothing particularly sensitive, Shinobu couldn't treat Sukuna like an ordinary person. She watched him anxiously, afraid the letter might provoke him.
After finishing, Sukuna casually tossed the paper back toward Shinobu and started walking on his own, speaking as he went.
"Stop standing around. Let's go."
Shinobu caught the letter and quickly fell into step beside him. She asked cautiously.
"Aren't you going to rest here first?"
Sukuna turned his head, frowning in confusion, as if asking why he would.
Shinobu wisely fell silent, realizing there was no chance of stopping. They would be traveling again tonight.
To be honest, even as a Hashira, Shinobu's stamina was far inferior to Sukuna's, who seemed completely tireless.
Since first encountering Sukuna and fighting him, aside from the brief time she spent changing clothes at the safe house and the short stop at the shop to eat, she had been on the road without rest.
Having accepted the rules of this world, Sukuna turned his attention to crow still perched on Shinobu's shoulder, and asked, "Hey, where are the demons?"
It tilted her head. After deciding that Sukuna seemed important to both Shinobu and the master, she quickly answered.
"Southeast. There are demons to the southeast!"
Sukuna looked at Shinobu for confirmation. "Well? Is it on the way?"
Shinobu didn't respond immediately. Sukuna's question caught her off guard. The fact that he had voluntarily asked where demons were left her momentarily dazed. For a moment, he seemed like nothing more than a dedicated, hardworking Demon Slayer Corps swordsman.
Efficient at killing demons, indifferent to everything else, requesting the next mission immediately after completing the current one—aside from his past killing of Hashira, anyone would think he was an exemplary Corps member.
Shinobu knew it was just a coincidence.
It wasn't that Sukuna was kind or good-hearted. It was simply that his goals overlapped with the Demon Slayer Corps'. Humans and swordsmen were simply too weak for him, so he focused his attention on demons. If the positions of humans and demons were reversed, it would likely be a different story.
But for now, this situation didn't seem like a bad thing for them.
Seeing Shinobu staring blankly at him without answering, Sukuna spoke with clear irritation.
"Hey!"
"Ah... I'm very sorry! It is on the way." Snapping back to reality, Shinobu quickly apologized.
"Good," Sukuna said, looking at Crow. "Go. I need more demons. Stronger ones. Understand?"
It stared at Sukuna, seeming to understand, then nodded. She took off from Shinobu's shoulder and flew into the sky.
Night fell. Occasionally they passed travelers heading back toward the town.
Hadn't they heard that demons dwelled in the mountains at night? Choosing to travel at such a time—the onlookers could only marvel at Sukuna and Shinobu's nerve.
Meanwhile, at the spot where Sukuna had killed the Swamp Demon, the Handball Demon Susamaru chewed on the corpse of the man once named Kazumi. She asked her companion, the Arrow Pattern Demon Yahaba, who was crawling on the ground searching for clues.
"Can you see it? This is our last chance to make up for failing that great one's task earlier."
Susamaru was referring to the task Muzan had given them earlier: bring back the one who killed the Hashira.
"Of course I know that. And eat more neatly—don't splash anything on me."
Yahaba raised one hand, using the eye in his palm to glare at Susamaru as he complained.
"I know, I know. So did you find them?" Susamaru wiped her mouth and pressed.
"Found them. They're heading southeast."
Yahaba looked at the arrows on the ground and answered Susamaru excitedly.
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