Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
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Aoi stood at the main gate of the Butterfly Mansion, her worried gaze fixed on the direction the company was leaving. She remained there, lost in thought for a long time.
In her hand, she gripped her unsheathed Nichirin Blade tightly.
Step.
Her eyes trembled, but after contemplating it for long, she firmly took a step out of the gate.
…
Trees cast swaying shadows as a gentle breeze rustled through the treetops in the night, causing them to tremble slightly.
Two figures were making their way through the mountains with difficulty.
Click.
Loose stones dislodged from the mountain as they walked, tumbling down the slope.
"Nenju-san... are you sure this is alright?"
The woman walking behind the man steadied herself on the loose stones, looking back worriedly at the pitch-black forest behind them.
Her clothes were somewhat tattered. She unconsciously hugged her arms, rubbing them together. The patches on her garments were obvious, and her elbow parts were dirty.
She was a courtesan who had escaped the chaos of the Yoshiwara red-light district riots some time ago. She had thought she'd finally escaped hell, but due to her status and having grown up in Yoshiwara, she had no other skills. She had ended up begging on the streets.
Her eyes, filled with unease, glanced at the man's back. Her voice was hesitant.
"Um, is the Faith HQ really located in the middle of these mountains...?"
She held her hands together nervously, looking ready to flee at any moment.
After all, the woman looked at the lavishly dressed man who held a string of prayer beads.
The idea that by following him to join this faith, she wouldn't have to do anything difficult and could live as she pleased.
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed!
Coupled with the fact they were venturing deeper into this remote area... even the most foolish person would sense something was wrong.
Hearing the woman's words, Nenju's steps faltered slightly.
He thoughtfully moved his prayer beads as he quickly recovered.
"Amitab." His expression softened slightly. He turned back with a smile, offering gentle reassurance.
"Calm your heart to traverse the mortal realm; those who perceive true serenity shall find liberation. That is our cult's teaching. Do not worry."
Nenju's eyes opened fully, faintly reflecting the moonlight in the dark forest.
"The Eternal Paradise Faith HQ is just ahead."
With that, he extended a hand, pointing towards the treetops in the distance.
"Look."
The woman looked in the direction he pointed.
Her gaze passed through the treetops, over the distant, layered mountain ridges. Nestled within the dense forest stood an unassuming structure resembling a temple.
They were brightly lit, a stark contrast to the pitch-black surroundings. If she listened carefully, she could faintly hear sounds of singing and celebration.
Seeing the woman's stunned expression, Nenju averted his gaze, turned back with a smile, and let out a quiet snort.
'Ignorant mortal.'
Then, he strolled forward.
"Once you meet the Founder, all will become clear."
The woman's eyes darted back and forth between the distant temple and the man's retreating figure.
Her pupils trembled. She instinctively wanted to turn away but suddenly caught a glimpse of her own tattered clothes and the tangled, dirty strands of her hair in her peripheral vision.
Echoing in her ears were the words Nenju had said to her while she was begging on the street that day.
"You won't have to do anything hard or anything you don't want to do."
"Live a life of peace and joy."
"This is the cult I belong to—the Eternal Paradise Cult."
She stared blankly down at her worn-out straw sandals.
Slowly, she lifted her head and took a step forward.
...
At a fork road in the forest path.
After a full day of travel, Tanjuro and the others had finally arrived near the temple as night fell.
"Hage-san," Shinobu smiled, calling out gently to their prisoner. "Are we not there yet?"
"What's the rush?" the battered and bruised bald follower muttered reluctantly, his nose stuffy. "We're almost there. It's just ahead."
"Hah?!" Sanemi glared at him furiously. He had several ribbons in his hair arranged in a cute way as his disguise. "What kind of tone is that?!"
He forcefully gripped the man's shoulder.
Before he could continue,
The soft sound of footsteps came closer to their location.
Sanemi shot the bald follower another glare before stepping back to rejoin the group.
Moments later, the man leading the poor woman emerged from the other path.
The two followers locked eyes.
"Sanjō? Is that you!?"
Nenju called out the other's name loudly. He seemed visibly moved, even forgetting to catch his breath for the moment.
"You've finally returned!"
He approached joyfully, momentarily unable to make out Sanjō's features clearly.
He glanced behind the man at the group he's bringing.
Seeing how many his colleague leads, Nenju couldn't help but remark with admiration.
"As expected of you! You always manage to bring back so many high-quality new believers!"
Sanjō glanced back at the group behind him. Seeing no reaction from them, he forced a strained smile. "Yes, I do, haha."
His friend laughed and patted Sanjō's shoulder. "Not being modest for once? The founder has been waiting for you for quite some time."
As he drew closer, Sanjō's face became clearer. The traces of his swollen, bruised features were faintly visible.
Seeing how battered the other man looked, Nenju was taken aback. His voice faltered, and he frowned, taking a step back as he pointed at Sanjō.
"You... how... did you end up in such a sorry state...?"
After looking more closely at Sanjō's grimacing face, he tilted his head in confusion.
Then, from amidst the group behind Sanjō, a figure in a blue kimono suddenly sprang forth.
"Teheheheh!"
Inosuke soared through the air, his blue kimono tightly restricting his movements, but he reveled in his unrestrained display.
Thud.
He landed behind the follower with the prayer beads, throwing his head back with excitement on his made-up face.
"Your lord has arrived!"
He bellowed at Nenju.
"Take my headbutt!"
"What the—?!" Nenju tried to turn his head in surprise, his wide eyes filled with panic.
Bam!
Inosuke's headbutt slammed viciously into the unsuspecting guy's neck!
"Ugh—hack!"
His eyes rolled back. His body staggered, and his head snapped backward.
With a thud, Nenju instantly collapsed to the ground, unconscious. He feebly reached out, trying to reach Sanjō, before succumbing to his fall.
He passed out like a baby.
Sanjō had watched the whole scene unfold in a daze. He stared at his fallen comrade.
He swallowed nervously.
He had thought that once they got close to their territory, he could afford to be a little bolder.
'Looks like that's still a no.' He sighed inwardly.
"Hahaha!" Inosuke stood up straight, a brilliant smile curling on his lips. He clenched his fist.
"How's that? You see how great your lord is now, huh?!"
His eyes brimmed with pride.
This was his headbutt technique, honed by practicing day and night against a tree. A move he had perfected to compete with Tanjirō!
A bump was beginning to form on his forehead.
Smack!
"Who told you to act on your own!?" Tengen appeared behind Inosuke with a dark expression.
He slapped Inosuke on the top of his head.
"Guh!" Inosuke gritted his teeth, clutching his smarting head and sulkily crouching down.
Yet, a glint of defiance towards Tengen hid in his eyes.
"...Huh?"
The shabbily dressed courtesan had been approaching hesitantly. She blinked, staring dazedly at the now-unconscious man on the ground.
"What... just happened?"
She looked bewildered towards Inosuke and his group.
As her gaze fell on the tall, imposing figure of Tengen and the shadowy outlines of the others behind him.
"Eep!" She turned pale with fright, forgetting her purpose coming to this remote forest. She quickly spun around and fled back the way she came, tears forming in her eyes.
'I knew it! Coming here with that guy was a bad idea!'
Tanjuro stood with the group. He shifted his gaze to the fleeing woman.
'A civilian... another one who was tricked into coming here, huh?'
Watching her panicked escape, Tanjuro lowered his head slightly.
He poked the bulge inside his kimono, calling softly, "Gonpachiro."
"Yes?" Gompachirō poked his head out from Tanjuro's kimono, tilting his head in confusion.
Tanjuro pointed towards the courtesan, lowering his voice.
"Follow her. Make sure she doesn't run into any demons."
"Understood!" Gonpachiro nodded, wriggled out, flapped his wings, and soared high into the sky.
The group continued forward, reaching the main gate of the Paradise Faith Temple.
"Sanjō?!"
The gatekeeper, holding a cannon, looked at Sanjō in surprise. "You..."
He hesitated for a moment, then looked behind Sanjō.
At the front were Inosuke and the two Tokito brothers, their faces masks of cuteness.
Looking further back, he saw Shinobu smiling coldly and Obanai with bandages wrapped around his face.
"Well done." After a moment of silence, the gatekeeper nodded at Sanjō with admiration. "As expected of you."
"Heh." Sanjō forced a couple of dry laughs, his voice hoarse. "So, let us through."
The bruises on Sanjō's face were already covered by thick makeup.
"Of course." The gatekeeper nodded and stepped aside without question.
After watching Sanjō lead the group away, the gatekeeper clutched his cannon tightly and resumed his post on the stone steps.
On a nearby location, watching the group walking in.
Tanjuro activated his Transparent World, concealing his presence as he nimbly climbed over the temple wall.
"Hmp! Hmp!!"
Tengen, carrying a struggling Sanemi, hid in a tree, silently observing their surroundings. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the brightly lit, bustling temple.
"These people certainly live flashily," he muttered.
Inside the temple, the glow of lamplight spilled from windows. Numerous silhouettes could be seen raising cups in toast, laughing heartily, and singing loudly.
…
…
Meanwhile.
At the Paradise Faith Main Hall.
Hazy silk drapes hung from the ceiling.
In the dim room, faint moonlight filtered through the windows, piercing the drifting dust particles to form gentle beams of light.
Gilded lotus patterns, stained with blood, were engraved on the walls, shimmering brilliantly.
"Oh my, Akaza-kun actually died?"
Doma sat upright on a soft cushion in the middle of the room, leaning against a large zabuton, his expression one of exaggerated surprise.
Snap!
He opened his folding fan to cover his face, his look of shock masterfully performed.
"I suppose that explains why I couldn't sense his presence. I had thought..."
Doma paused for a moment, then immediately shook his head with a smile.
"Well, if Muzan-sama says so, my senses must have been mistaken."
Before him.
A creature shaped like an eyeball, with roots for a base, supported itself on short feelers.
It stared at Doma.
The creature's feelers swayed slightly, as if it were communicating.
"Huh." Doma straightened up, a long, drawn-out note of surprise escaping him.
"Does that mean, among the Upper Moons, only I..."
He extended his hand, counting on his fingers, staring blankly at his raised index finger.
It seemed all the demons he could recall from memory were already dead.
Doma put away his fan and let out a melancholic sigh.
"How lonely..."
The eyeball before him agitatedly shook its feelers.
"Do not concern yourself with that."
Muzan's cold, displeased voice resonated beside Doma's ear. His tone was impatient, urgent even.
"Is there any news on the Blue Spider Lily?"
Having learned from the previous experience where his consciousness was trapped inside Daki's body, he now stored his vision within Nakime's Blood Demon Art rather than directly controlling his subordinate's body.
After all, controlling a body meant the sensation of pain was transmitted directly.
Doma's smile faded slightly hearing Muzan's inquiries. Even he dared not report bad news flippantly to his master.
"Unfortunately, all the items of similar nature found thus far have already been reviewed by you, my lord."
Muzan fell silent.
Knock, knock, knock.
Outside the room, beside the lavishly decorated sliding door.
A muffled knocking sound echoed, interrupting their conversation.
Doma glanced cautiously at the eyeball-formed Muzan. Seeing no sign of anger, he frowned, ready to reprimand the follower outside for their rudeness.
"Forgive the intrusion, Great Founder."
The follower outside, however, spoke first, his voice trembling.
"Lord Sanjō has returned. He says that—"
The follower gasped sharply, his voice hoarse.
"—He has found the Blue Spider Lily!"
Snap.
The eyeball's feelers twitched violently. Its pupil instantly fixed on the direction outside the door.
…
Kanao stood at the end of the hallway, guarding the entrance.
The follower who had just reported the news lay unconscious on the ground. Shinobu was slowly withdrawing her hand, which had been laced with sleeping powder.
Tanjuro stood beside the door.
Tengen hid within the ceiling space, listening intently to the sounds within the room.
"This is the fastest way to meet the Founder."
Sanjō had grown more brazen, speaking with a laugh.
Sanemi pressed himself against the wall. With one arm around Sanjō and the other hand drawing his blade, the hilt pressed lightly against the man's neck.
His bloodshot eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the door.