When Raiden returned to the Izakaya, he went straight to his room on the second floor.
Hozhi and the other three were already inside, kneeling in wait. The moment he pushed the door open, they rose to their feet.
Only Danki avoided his gaze for a brief second. The others looked at Raiden with open admiration.
Hirai was settled.
The demons that had tormented them for weeks were wiped out in less than half an hour after Raiden arrived.
"Prepare a room for me," Raiden said calmly as he stood by the doorway. "If any demon appears, report directly to me."
The four nodded at once.
Their talent and potential were ordinary. There was nothing to gain from them. Raiden's attention remained fixed on greater prey, Doma and the demons tied to him.
One month later, Golden Pavilion Temple.
Each night, Raiden sat alone in meditation within the temple grounds. The young monks who swept the courtyard at dawn had grown used to the sight of the white haired swordsman seated in silence.
Night thinned into early morning. A pale light spread across the horizon.
The temple remained serene. Only the soft sound of a broom brushing against stone echoed through the courtyard.
Raiden opened his eyes slowly. His gaze moved between the approaching dawn and the tightly shut temple gates.
Confusion flickered in his eyes.
Had news of the Horned Demon's death reached the Eternal Paradise Sect? Or had they altered the time of their collection?
According to the Horned Demon, another demon should have arrived within a month to retrieve captives. Yet the gates had remained undisturbed.
For several nights, Raiden had stayed within the temple to ensure he missed nothing.
But no one came.
If the Horned Demon had lied at the edge of death, then he had truly been foolish.
Raiden exhaled softly.
"A shame," he murmured. "Still, not a total loss."
On the sixth day after arriving in Hirai, he had broken through to Kanoe rank. Now his strength was stable. With Transparent World and Compass Needle refined, facing Doma no longer carried uncertainty.
The first ray of sunlight struck the golden eaves of the temple roof. The tiles shimmered beneath the dawn.
Raiden rose and stretched lightly, feeling the power within him respond effortlessly.
"I'll remain a while longer," he said to himself. "I'll leave before the events in the Entertainment District begin."
Over the past month, a few demons had ventured into Hirai. None were remarkable. One had briefly caught his interest, though it failed to yield anything useful. That one died the slowest.
At the edge of Hirai's outskirts, two figures crouched behind a rock, watching the distant glow of the town's lanterns.
One demon had writhing tendrils across his face. The other's body reflected faint light like broken glass.
"Boss," the tentacled demon muttered, hunger heavy in his voice. "Do we really have to abandon this place? There are so many people in Hirai. Surely we could take one or two without being noticed."
Since Raiden's arrival, the entire demon presence in Hirai had collapsed.
The Wolf Fang Demon and the others were eliminated within minutes. The news spread quickly. Fear followed.
Hirai had become dangerous.
The Mirror Demon, a minor leader among the local demons, struck the back of the tentacled demon's head with a sharp slap.
"Use your brain," he snapped. "The Wolf Fang Demon was stronger than us. He died in less than half an hour. Do you want to follow him?"
The tentacled demon whimpered, clutching his head. Hunger twisted his expression.
"I am starving," he muttered.
The Mirror Demon's voice turned cold.
"Every demon who tried to hunt here vanished. Food, territory, pride, none of it matters. Survival does. We leave and we do not return."
The tentacled demon swallowed and nodded.
"I understand."
The two demons slipped into the wilderness, abandoning Hirai behind them.
Their departure was not unique.
Rumors of Raiden spread quickly among demon circles. Some dismissed the stories as exaggeration and crept into Hirai anyway.
None of them returned.
Under Raiden's presence, Hirai became forbidden ground.
Two months passed quietly.
Raiden's training did not slow in the peace. Less than a month after reaching Kanoe, he advanced again.
Hashira level.
The breakthrough was different from any before.
He felt each heartbeat with clarity. Each breath flowed with precision. The rhythm of his blood, the shift of air against his skin, even the subtle vibrations in the earth beneath him became clear.
His perception deepened. His control sharpened.
When the surge settled, a calm certainty remained.
Even if Muzan Kibutsuji appeared, Raiden would not fear him.
As for Doma or even Kokushibo, they no longer weighed on his mind.
Yet three months passed without a single sign from the contact the Horned Demon mentioned.
At dawn one morning, Raiden decided he would soon return to Demon Slayer Headquarters and reassess his next move.
Then something changed.
In the cool air before sunrise, his nose twitched slightly.
A faint scent.
Subtle, but unmistakable.
Demon.
Raiden lifted his head, eyes locking onto the tightly closed gates of Golden Pavilion Temple.
Someone had arrived.
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