The sky was just beginning to brighten. Outside the cabin, the storm had finally passed, leaving only a biting chill that seeped through the cracks in the door.
Tomioka Giyu sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation, when a soft knock at the door stirred him.
Kazehaya Jin stood at the entrance, holding a clay bowl. Inside were two hard, stale wheat cakes.
"You're awake? These are leftovers from yesterday. I warmed them up a bit—have some to fill your stomach," Kazehaya said gently, handing him the bowl.
"I need to go to the back mountain to gather herbs. The snow just stopped, and some cold-resistant plants are best picked now. If you want to look for that Blue Spider Lily you mentioned, you can wander around nearby. Just don't go too far—the mountain paths split in many directions. It's easy to get lost."
Giyu accepted the bowl, feeling the faint warmth radiating through the clay.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "I heard the Blue Spider Lily blooms only at night. It might not appear during the day, so I'll wait until evening to search."
It was an excuse he made on the spot—reasonable enough to match his supposed goal, and a good way to avoid unnecessary encounters during daylight.
Kazehaya thought for a moment, then nodded knowingly. "You're right. Some plants only grow or bloom at night. For example, the Nightglow Grass only shines after sunset. Then stay inside and rest for now. I'll be back around noon. We can make some herbal soup together to keep warm."
With that, he slung the basket onto his back, grabbed the hatchet by the door, and stepped out into the pale morning light.
Giyu sat by the hearth, staring at the stale cakes. They were hard and tasteless, no different from other human food he'd forced himself to eat before.
His stomach churned faintly with discomfort, but he chewed them slowly anyway—to keep up appearances, and because the lingering warmth of the bowl reminded him of the candy Shinobu once gave him. That faint memory of warmth settled softly in his chest.
After finishing, he closed his eyes again, sitting still beside the flickering fire, and began meditating.
Outwardly, it looked like breathing practice. In truth, he was organizing his thoughts—Muzan's suspicion, Tamayo's medicine, Obanai's coded messages.
Something about Kazehaya felt significant, though he couldn't explain why. Especially when the man spoke about "herbs" or "medical books"—his calm focus carried the same air as Tamayo, gentle yet sharp.
Around midmorning, the door creaked open. Kazehaya returned, carrying a half-full basket of herbs. His face was flushed from the cold, and beads of sweat glistened on his brow.
"Had good luck today," he said cheerfully. "Found plenty of snow ginseng and ice chrysanthemum—excellent for treating cold ailments."
He dumped the herbs onto the floor and began sorting them skillfully.
"Did you stay inside all morning, Tomioka-san?" he asked without looking up.
"Yeah. Just resting here," Giyu replied, opening his eyes to watch him work.
Kazehaya continued separating leaves and roots, speaking casually, "By the way, Tomioka-san, I never asked—what do you do for a living? And why risk your life climbing this mountain in a blizzard just to find that Blue Spider Lily? It sounds like a rare herb. Does it have some special purpose?"
Giyu paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I travel a lot. I just happened to hear about the legend of the Blue Spider Lily…"
"I just wanted to find it and take a look. It's nothing special."
He couldn't reveal his identity or mention Muzan, so he had to keep his answers vague.
Kazehaya Jin didn't pry further. He just smiled lightly. "Makes sense. Some people like chasing after rare, strange things. I'm not like that. Spending my life here in the mountains, gathering herbs and healing people—it's not a bad way to live."
After sorting the herbs, he sat across from Tomioka Giyu, poured a cup of hot water from the kettle beside the fire, and said, "My ancestors were doctors, too. They once ran a clinic in the city. But they offended a noble, so the family had to flee and hide. In the end, they settled here in the snow mountains."
Giyu's pupils contracted slightly. "Ancestors were doctors," "offended nobles," "fled and hid"—those words struck something in his mind.
He remembered what Tamayo had once said—that the first person who turned Muzan into a demon was a doctor. That doctor was later hunted down and killed by Muzan himself.
Could Kazehaya be related to that doctor?
The thought flashed across Giyu's mind, but he quickly suppressed it.
No… that would be too much of a coincidence. And with Muzan's cautious, vengeful nature, he'd never have let that doctor's descendants live this long.
"Did your ancestors leave behind any medical books?" Giyu asked, pretending to sound casual.
"They did," Kazehaya nodded, standing up and walking into the back room. A moment later, he returned with a small stack of old, yellowed books in his arms.
"These were passed down in my family. They record the uses of countless herbs. I rely on them for gathering and treating patients. But I've searched through them all—there's no mention of any Blue Spider Lily."
Giyu took one of the books and flipped through it. The pages were fragile, the ink faded. The brush-written text mentioned plants like "snow ginseng," "ice chrysanthemum," and "angelica," along with their drawings.
He turned a few pages—indeed, nothing about the Blue Spider Lily.
"Actually," Kazehaya said suddenly, his tone carrying a touch of regret, "there's one more book that's been passed down—called Compendium of a Hundred Herbs. My father told me it recorded almost every medicine known to man. Not just common herbs, but rare and mystical ones too. Unfortunately, during a family split a generation ago, that book went to a distant relative. I have no idea where it is now."
Giyu's heart stirred. Compendium of a Hundred Herbs?
If what Kazehaya said was true, that book might contain records of the Blue Spider Lily—or even clues about demons, such as a cure or a way to reverse transformation.
It was an important lead. He had to remember it.
"Can I ask you a favor?" Giyu said.
Kazehaya looked at him in surprise. "What is it, Tomioka-san?"
"Could you visit that relative and copy the book for me? I'll pay you for your trouble."
Kazehaya waved his hands quickly. "No, no, that's not necessary. I was already planning to go after the snow melts to make a copy myself. It's part of my family's duty. You don't need to pay me, Tomioka-san."
He smiled. "Once I find it, I'll go through the book and see if it mentions the Blue Spider Lily. If it does, when you come back to the mountains next time, I'll let you know."
"Thank you," Giyu said sincerely.
Kazehaya's kindness and warmth brought a rare comfort to his cold, haunted heart.
For the next half month, Giyu pretended to go out searching for the Blue Spider Lily each night. In truth, he wandered aimlessly across the snowy mountains, only picking a few ordinary wildflowers to show as "proof." Each time, he simply said, "Still haven't found it. I'll keep looking."
Kazehaya never suspected anything. Every day, he went out to gather herbs and returned at night to chat. Sometimes he told stories about life in the mountains; sometimes he taught Giyu how to identify herbs.
Eventually, Giyu decided it was time to return. He had stayed long enough—it was time to report back to Muzan.
That night, he packed his things and quietly pushed open Kazehaya's door.
Kazehaya was fast asleep, a faint smile on his face.
Giyu hesitated, then pulled out a small piece of gold from his robe and placed it beside Kazehaya's pillow.
It was all the money he had left—and as a demon, he had no use for it. It was his silent way of showing gratitude.
He didn't wake him. He just closed the door softly and walked out into the snow-covered night.
Moonlight shimmered across the mountains, the cabin fading slowly behind him.
Giyu looked back once, whispering to himself, "I hope next time we meet, I'll be free of this fate."
Leaving the mountain, he headed straight for the Infinity Castle.
He knew he had to be careful when reporting—he couldn't say he'd found the Blue Spider Lily, but he couldn't claim he hadn't searched either. He needed to sound convincing—like someone who had tried his best but failed.
At the dark heart of the Infinity Castle, Muzan hovered in midair, crimson eyes fixed on him.
"So, your trip to Mount Kongo… how did it go? Did you find the Blue Spider Lily?"
Giyu bowed deeply. "Reporting to you, Lord Muzan—I searched the mountain for half a month, from the summit to the caves below, but found no trace of the Blue Spider Lily. The local villagers say it's just a legend, something no one has ever truly seen. It must be false."
Muzan was silent for a while.
Giyu felt his chest tighten as he waited for his reaction.
Finally, Muzan spoke with faint disappointment. "So be it. The Blue Spider Lily isn't easy to find. I've been searching for hundreds of years, yet still no clue. It doesn't matter. Time is on my side. You'll return to the Entertainment District for now—keep watch over the Demon Slayer Corps' movements.
Also, Akaza encountered a Hashira in the western region. You'll assist him. Make sure those pests from the Demon Slayer Corps are crushed."
"Yes, Lord Muzan."
Giyu bowed again, then quietly left the chamber.
…
Leaping swiftly through the forest, Giyu's mind was full of questions.
Why were the Demon Slayers encountering Upper Moons so often lately? Why Akaza again?
Could Muzan have planted a spy within the Corps—someone feeding him locations to set traps for the Hashira?
And who was the Hashira fighting Akaza this time?
When Giyu arrived at Akaza's coordinates, he heard a booming voice echo through the trees—Uzui Tengen.
His eyes gleamed with wild energy, his twin Nichirin cleavers clashing with a sharp metallic screech.
Across from him, Akaza's expression burned with admiration and fighting intent.
"Hey, Tengen! Become a demon!"
Uzui smirked, spinning his blades in dazzling arcs. "You want this flamboyant man to turn into something as filthy as you? Keep dreaming! Watch closely—this will be a flashy performance!"