Infinity Castle
Kibutsuji Muzan sat upon the high platform,
his expression darker than thunderclouds.
Inosuke's arrogant face—
and that line, "What do you take life for?"—
was like a thorn driven deep into his heart.
He wanted to kill.
Wanted to tear that bastard to pieces.
But he didn't dare.
The temptation of the Blue Spider Lily,
the shadow of Yoriichi Tsugikuni—
forced him to swallow this humiliation whole.
"Damn it…
that wretched little piece of trash."
Muzan's gaze drifted downward, settling on the corner of the platform.
There lay a newly born demon—Lower Rank Six.
Masasaburō.
He still looked like a six-year-old child,
except his skin had turned bluish-gray, his limbs twisted unnaturally.
He lay prone on the ground, murmuring over and over:
"Mom… Mom…"
Muzan narrowed his eyes, a cruel smile curling at his lips.
If he couldn't touch Inosuke—
then he'd make those around him pay.
He would make Inosuke understand
the price of defying him.
Muzan stepped forward and brutally planted his polished leather shoe onto Masasaburō's face.
"Hey,"
Muzan's voice was smooth, seductive.
"Brat.
You don't have a mother anymore, do you?"
Masasaburō shuddered violently and lifted his head in confusion,
those vertical pupils filled with haze.
"Mom… Mom is in the Pure Land…
The Divine Child said so…"
"Heh."
Muzan sneered, grinding his heel harder until bone cracked beneath it.
"The Divine Child?"
"That lying Divine Child… his family lives quite happily, you know."
"A doting father, a loving mother.
Fine food, luxurious clothes."
"And you?"
"You poisoned your own mother, turned into this monster,
and now you lie here being crushed under my foot."
"Aren't you angry?"
"Don't you think…
this is unfair?"
Masasaburō froze.
Something snapped inside his muddled mind.
"No… the Divine Child didn't lie…
Mom is in the Pure Land…"
Smack!
Muzan impatiently slapped him, blowing half his head apart.
Blood and gore splattered.
"Idiot."
Muzan crouched down, watching as Masasaburō's head rapidly regenerated.
"I already told you—
only by staying close to me do you reach paradise."
"Do you really trust that Divine Child who treated you like a monkey?"
Muzan extended a finger and pressed it against Masasaburō's newly formed forehead.
"Don't you want your mother to truly go to the Pure Land?"
"I'll tell you how."
"Go kill the Divine Child's mother."
"As long as you kill the woman named Kotoha,
your mother… will truly reach the Pure Land."
"R-really?"
Masasaburō's eyes lit up.
"As long as I kill her… Mom can go to the Pure Land?"
"Of course."
Muzan smiled in satisfaction.
"Go, my Lower Rank Six."
"Go deliver a grand gift…
to our young lord."
Clang—
The biwa rang out.
Masasaburō's small figure vanished into the depths of Infinity Castle.
Muzan straightened, staring at the now-empty corner, malice and delight surging together.
"Inosuke…
when you see your beloved mother reduced to a corpse,
you'll finally understand
what I take life for."
Edo—Tokyo in the Taishō Era
After several days of travel, the three boys arrived at the place mentioned in Akaza's letter.
Though night had fallen, the city was ablaze with lights.
Lanterns lined the streets, vendors shouting nonstop.
"Whoa! This is Edo?!"
Tanjiro's eyes sparkled.
"It's even bigger than Asakusa! What's that smell? It's amazing!"
"That's grilled squid, idiot!"
Inosuke shouted, stuffing his mouth full.
"Eat up! We still gotta pick a present for Third Uncle!"
Zenitsu, meanwhile, stared unblinkingly at the passing beauties.
"So many pretty ladies…
This place is heaven—
Ow!"
Inosuke kicked him square in the backside.
"Stop embarrassing us! Move it!"
The three of them darted through the bustling streets like unleashed puppies,
buying all sorts of random things.
"This! Super-spicy shichimi pepper! Third Uncle'll love it!"
"How about this scarf? It's embroidered with 'Strongest'!"
"Or a lucky cat? I mean… that broken dojo doesn't look like it gets much business…"
Finally—
Late at night.
Arms full of bags, they sneaked down a narrow, secluded alley following the address.
At the end stood a shabby dojo.
Paint peeling, walls worn.
"Wow…
It's really rundown…"
Zenitsu muttered.
"Does anyone actually come here?
This looks like a haunted house!
And in an alley this creepy—Third Uncle's business sense is terrifying."
"Shut it!"
Inosuke shot him a glare, straightening his collar with a mischievous grin.
"Ready? We're giving Third Uncle a surprise!"
"I'll yell 'dojo challenge,' and we rush in together!"
"Uh… maybe that's not a great idea…"
Tanjiro hesitated.
At that moment—
Inside the dojo.
Akaza, sitting cross-legged in meditation, twitched an ear.
As Upper Rank Three, his perception was terrifyingly sharp.
He'd heard those three brats chatting from three kilometers away.
Especially the blond kid's complaints—
veins bulged on his forehead.
"Run-down? Haunted house?"
"Hmph… tasteless little brat."
Akaza opened his eyes,
yet an uncharacteristically gentle smile tugged at his lips.
He stood, brushed dust from his clothes,
walked to the door, cleared his throat, and deliberately called out in a calm, expectant tone:
"Is anyone there?"
"So late at night…
could it be disciples coming to seek instruction?"
Outside, the three froze.
"Shh! Don't make a sound!"
Inosuke clamped a hand over Zenitsu's mouth.
Creak—
The door flew open.
"DOJO CHALLENGE!!!"
Inosuke, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu leapt out together, holding up shichimi pepper, a scarf, and a lucky cat.
"Third Uncle! Surprise! Bet you didn't see this coming!"
Akaza stared at the three idiots.
At their dazzling, ridiculous smiles.
The expression of fake surprise he'd prepared completely collapsed.
"You three…
absolute idiots."
He scolded them with a laugh, eyes burning slightly.
He opened his arms and, for the first time, pulled the three noisy troublemakers into a hug.
"Welcome…
to my dojo."
Yoshiwara Entertainment District
The most dazzling, decadent place of the night—
bright as day even at midnight.
Daki walked in front, clad in a kimono,
strutting like a proud peacock while acting as tour guide.
"Look! That's Kyōgoku House! I used to be an oiran there!"
"That's Tokito House! Their madam was stingy as hell!"
"And that one! Best taiyaki in all of Yoshiwara!"
Kotoha walked behind, holding Nezuko's hand, eyes filled with wonder.
"So this is Yoshiwara… it's beautiful."
"Miss Ume, you're amazing—living here before."
Hearing the praise, Daki's cheeks flushed, sweetness blooming in her chest.
So…
this place I hated so much…
with Auntie Kotoha here, it doesn't feel so bad.
As long as someone's with you…
even this can be scenery.
Gyutaro followed behind like a bodyguard, shoulders hunched, eyes sharp.
Anyone who dared stare at Kotoha too long was scared off by his glare.
Then—
A group of drunken men staggered over.
Seeing Kotoha and Daki's beauty, they grinned lewdly.
"Well damn! These ladies are fine!"
One reached out to touch Kotoha's face.
"How about a drink with us, sweetheart? What's your price?"
Kotoha gasped and stepped back.
Whoosh!
Before that filthy hand could touch her—
A black shadow flashed.
Crack.
The man's wrist snapped instantly.
Gyutaro stood in front of Kotoha, blood sickle at the man's throat, voice icy.
"Huh…?"
"Looking to die?"
"Who gave you permission…
to touch her with those filthy hands?"
"Aaaah! My hand! My hand's broken!"
The other men grabbed nearby objects and rushed forward.
"Bastard! You hurt our buddy!"
"Smash him!"
"Don't move."
Daki turned, her obi fluttering without wind, eyes ferocious.
Bloodshed was seconds away—
When an icy wind appeared out of nowhere, plunging the temperature to freezing.
"Oh my…
what an eyesore."
A light, drifting voice sounded from above.
A man in cult robes, golden fan in hand, sat smiling atop the roof.
Dōma.
He'd been there all along.
"Daring to harass my Kotoha-chan…"
His smile held no warmth.
With a gentle flick of his fan—
Whoosh.
Countless tiny ice crystals shot out.
The men froze mid-step, then were blasted away as if struck by an invisible force,
slammed straight into the filthy gutter.
"Go roll somewhere far away~"
Dōma instantly suppressed his presence and melted back into the shadows.
He clutched his chest, utterly intoxicated.
"Ahhh… too cool!"
"This feeling—yes! This is it!"
"Kotoha-chan must be totally swooning over how handsome I was, right?!"
"Even though she didn't see me…
this is romance! This is deep love!"
On the street—
Kotoha covered her mouth in surprise.
"Just now… what was that…?"
She seemed to sense something and looked up at the rooftop.
There was no one there—only the moon.
Yet her lips curved into a gentle smile.
"You silly Dōma…"
"Following so closely and calling it 'letting me relax.'"
"It's fine, Miss Ume, Mr. Gyutaro."
Kotoha took their hands, soothing them.
"Let's go. Don't let those people ruin the mood."
"Yeah!"
Daki nodded energetically, spirits restored.
"Come on! I'll take you to the best taiyaki place!"
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