At the Butterfly Mansion, the moment Raiden returned, Shinobu Kocho pulled him in for a full examination.
Lying on the bed, Raiden watched as Shinobu handled her instruments and inspected his body, a hint of confusion crossing his mind.
Shouldn't Shinobu be at the Hashira meeting right now? Why was she here?
"Has the Hashira meeting ended?"
"Not yet. Shinazugawa and Iguro are out on a mission, and you, as the Sound Hashira, were absent. Master Kagaya decided to postpone it."
Shinobu gently pressed against one of Raiden's wounds, already covered in a thin layer of scabs. A flicker of surprise passed through her eyes.
According to Raiden, this injury came from his battle with Upper Moon One earlier that morning. Yet the rate at which it had healed made it look far older than it actually was.
It was almost fully healed.
His recovery speed was abnormal.
Not just that, his muscle density was also unusual, nearly comparable to Mitsuri Kanroji's. It was difficult to imagine both traits existing in one person.
"Shinobu, are you done? I feel completely fine."
Noticing the way her gaze lingered, Raiden spoke up. He had no intention of becoming her test subject.
"It really is remarkable. If you hadn't told me, I would have assumed this wound came from the Swordsmith Village."
"I also heard about what happened there. Thank you."
Shinobu straightened, stepped back, and bowed deeply in a formal gesture of gratitude.
"It is a shame I could not kill him myself, but knowing he is dead is enough."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
Unlike her usual polite expression, this one was genuine, soft, and filled with quiet relief.
Even without relying on his senses, Raiden could tell it came from the heart.
So that was it.
Because he killed Doma.
Raiden waved his hand casually. "Seeing you smile like that, Shinobu, makes it worth it. Doma didn't die for nothing."
Shinobu froze slightly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
A voice echoed in Raiden's mind.
A new skill had been acquired, Dance of the Bee Sting, True Thrust.
Raiden was not surprised. The shift in Shinobu's attitude had been obvious the moment he arrived.
Now he understood why.
Leaving the treatment room, he focused briefly on the reward.
Dance of the Bee Sting, True Thrust.
It was the technique Shinobu used to pierce Doma's eyes.
Useful, though not transformative. Compared to his current strength, it would refine his precision rather than increase his power.
Following a narrow path, Raiden made his way to the backyard where Tanjiro and Zenitsu were recovering.
Aside from Inosuke, who only suffered minor injuries, both of them had taken serious damage during the Swordsmith Village battle.
Zenitsu had fractured his shin from overusing Thunderclap and Flash, while Tanjiro suffered dislocated ribs.
"Tanjiro, when do you think Raiden will be back?"
Zenitsu stared at the ceiling, clearly bored.
They had just returned from the Swordsmith Village, yet Raiden had already gone on another mission, and didn't even take him along.
"I don't know when Raiden will be back, but if you don't drink your medicine, Aoi is going to lose her patience."
Tanjiro glanced at the medicine on the cabinet and sighed.
Getting Zenitsu to take his medicine had become a daily struggle. Somehow, Raiden managed it effortlessly.
Just as Tanjiro was thinking about it, he noticed someone approaching.
"Open your mouth."
Raiden appeared beside Zenitsu's bed in an instant.
"I'm not drinking that, it's too bitter..."
Zenitsu began to protest, then froze when he saw Raiden standing there.
Wasn't he on a mission?
Taking advantage of the moment, Raiden calmly slipped the spoon into Zenitsu's mouth.
"You're old enough to handle medicine without a fuss."
"Raiden, is your mission finished?"
Tanjiro asked.
"Yes. It wasn't much, so it ended quickly."
Raiden answered while continuing to feed Zenitsu, offering no further details.
There was no point mentioning Kokushibo. Since he hadn't killed him, it would only worry them.
"Still, that's incredible. You defeated two Upper Moons in the Swordsmith Village and went out again right after."
Tanjiro's voice carried a trace of admiration.
He had fainted shortly after Raiden dealt with the enemy. Everything he learned came from other Demon Slayers.
Two Upper Moons, including Upper Moon Two, Doma.
And Raiden killed them.
They had passed Final Selection together, yet the gap between them kept widening.
"Tanjiro, you played a major role too. If you hadn't held on, the Swordsmith Village would have suffered serious losses."
"Mmm... and me too!"
Zenitsu raised his hand while swallowing the medicine, clearly dissatisfied.
He had nearly destroyed his legs using Thunderclap and Flash twice.
"Yeah, you did great too. Now finish the rest."
Raiden spoke casually, feeding him the last spoonful.
"What about Inosuke? How is he?"
Raiden had left early to deal with Kaigaku, so he hadn't checked on him.
"Inosuke, he..."
"The great me is right here! What do you want?"
Before Tanjiro could finish, Inosuke burst through the window and landed inside.
Glass shattered across the floor.
Seeing Inosuke full of energy, Raiden immediately relaxed.
"Isn't there a door right there?"
Zenitsu and Tanjiro both twitched, already used to this behavior.
"That butterfly woman can't control me."
Inosuke snorted.
"Perfect timing, Rayan. Try my improved Beast Breathing."
Without waiting for a response, he leaped onto Tanjiro's bed and charged forward.
A dull impact followed.
Zenitsu and Tanjiro instinctively covered their heads.
Raiden's grip had gotten stronger again.
"You two rest. I'll take him for a while."
Smiling slightly, Raiden grabbed the unconscious Inosuke and walked out.
Inosuke's ninety-eighth challenge had ended in complete defeat.
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