"Benimaru! I want 30,000 Orcs mobilized from the army, plus 5,000 from the Security Force. That's 35,000 total."
"They'll be coming with me to the New World. The remaining Security Force stays behind in the Great Jura Forest. On top of that, get word out to the other race leaders in the forest."
"Tell them to have their forces ready and on standby. We move when I say."
Kaito sat at the head of the room, issuing one order after another.
"Yes, Kaito-sama!"
Benimaru gave a firm bow.
"That's everything from me. Rimuru, anything to add?"
Kaito glanced over at Rimuru, seated beside him.
"Nope! Alright everyone, you heard Kaito! Let's give it everything we've got!"
"Yes!"
"Meeting adjourned!"
The next day · Town Entrance
"So this is the [Dimensional Gate]?"
Shizu gazed at the softly glowing white portal before her, unable to hide her amazement.
"Hehe, pretty incredible, isn't it? Nothing quite like seeing it for the first time!"
Kaito watched her reaction with an unmistakably smug grin, looking every bit like a kid who couldn't wait to show off his new toy.
"Could I use it to go back to my original world?"
Shizu's eyes stayed fixed on the portal as she asked.
"Ah... probably not. The [Dimensional Gate] picks up anchor points for different worlds on its own. If you've never been to a world before, there's no anchor point to lock onto, so you can't travel there."
A brief flicker of disappointment crossed Shizu's face. She let out a quiet breath, then turned to Kaito with a small smile.
"I see... Well, it's fine. I don't think I have anyone waiting for me back there anymore. Shall we get going, Kaito-sama? I still need to track down teachers for the children."
"Right then, let's head out!"
With that, Kaito led the group through the [Dimensional Gate] and into the Demon Slayer World.
Demon Slayer World · Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters
"We came straight to the headquarters, huh."
"Being back here feels like it's been a lifetime."
"Your family's not even in this world anymore, boy. You're not getting sentimental on us, are you."
"I'm allowed to have feelings about it!"
Everyone who stepped through the [Dimensional Gate] took one look at the familiar surroundings and let out a quiet sigh.
"Is this where Kagaya-sama and the others are from?"
Shizu took in the architecture, striking in how familiar it felt, and turned to Kagaya, who had just stepped out beside her.
"Haha, that's right, Shizu. This is also where I first encountered Kaito-sama." Kagaya smiled gently. "Back then, his presence alone was enough to suppress the entire Demon Slayer Corps. Not one of us could even think about fighting back."
Shizu looked at Kaito with wide eyes. She hadn't expected to hear something like that.
"Okay, I'll admit I wasn't exactly subtle back then, but that's all ancient history. Can we please not dredge it up?"
Kaito scratched the back of his neck, visibly awkward under her stare.
He'd only just gotten his power at the time, and sure, maybe he'd let it go to his head a little. But he'd mellowed out a lot since then. Hadn't he?
[Are you sure? What about the Lizardmen incident?]
'That has nothing to do with you!'
"Haha, fair enough, I won't ask."
Kaito turned to face the rows of assembled Demon Slayer Corps members and raised his voice.
"You've all got one week. Find the people we need and bring them back however you have to. I don't care about the details, just make sure everyone's back here and accounted for in seven days. Got it?"
"Understood!"
"Good. Dismissed."
Kaito walked into the main hall, picked out a comfortable corner, and lay down without ceremony.
Tracking people down was his subordinates' problem. He'd make a pass around the world at some point and stock up on supplies.
For someone who could lap the entire globe in under an hour, naturally he was going to squeeze in as much rest as humanly possible.
Shizu stepped into the room after him and watched him go completely horizontal in the span of about three seconds. Her understanding of what people meant by the "Duo of Idleness" took on a whole new dimension.
"Kaito-sama, I'm heading out."
"Sure. Stay safe out there, though honestly, there's probably nobody in this world who could give you trouble."
Kaito waved her off without even lifting his head.
"Understood. Goodbye, Kaito-sama."
Shizu gave a small nod and walked out.
Kagaya, who had come in alongside her, spoke up as well.
"Then I'll be on my way too, Kaito-sama. I have a feeling my old friends will be able to help quite a bit."
"Go ahead. Just be back before the week is up. And watch yourself out there."
"Of course!"
Demon Slayer World · Five Days Later
"Okay, this has to be enough. I feel like I could feed tens of millions of people for five years with all this."
Kaito looked over the enormous pile of supplies crammed into his system space and thought, 'Mom would be so proud. No one's going hungry on my watch.'
He had spent three full days doing absolutely nothing at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters before it finally dawned on him, on the morning of the fourth day, that he actually had a job to do.
Without Sakuya around to keep him on track, Kaito had well and truly let himself go.
The next two days, he made up for lost time by systematically looting the entire world.
The granaries, armories, and factories of every major nation experienced what could only be described as an unprecedented catastrophe.
The resulting global theft became the greatest unsolved mystery in the world for the next hundred years.
The most widely accepted theory, in the end, was that the affected countries had been raided by extraterrestrials. Which was, in a certain sense, entirely accurate.
"Alright, time to head back."
The century's greatest thief returned to his beloved Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters with a mountain of supplies, and then proceeded to spend the remaining two days doing absolutely nothing Ψ(￣∀￣)Ψ.
"Ahh, life is good."
Kaito had his legs crossed, the oldest cola he'd swiped in one hand and a manga in the other, and he meant every word.
"Haha, you really don't have a care in the world, do you, Kai-chan!"
A warm, familiar voice broke through his peace. Kaito glanced up and blinked.
"Oh! Kanae, you're all back!"
"Hmph! Unlike some people, the rest of us were actually working!"
It was indeed Kanae Kocho and the others, just returned from the Butterfly Mansion where they'd headed on day one.
"Oh ho, getting a little bold, aren't we? Looks like someone's asking for Divine Retribution!"
Kaito disappeared and reappeared right behind Kocho Shinobu before she could so much as react, and his signature move connected perfectly.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
The classic scene unfolded: Kocho Shinobu hunching forward with both hands over her head.
"You bully! Nee-chan, are you just going to let him do that?!"
"Haha, you know how he is, Shinobu."
Kanae Kocho hid her smile behind her hand and stepped in gently.
These two were something else. Every single time they ended up in the same space, it was guaranteed to turn into a scene.
"Wuwu, Nee-chan is taking his side now! She doesn't love me anymore!"
"Hmph hmph! Pitiful Shinobu, you are no match for this sovereign! Wahahaha!"
"Pfft!"
Kanao Tsuyuri, who had been standing quietly at the edge of the whole exchange, finally cracked, a small, startled laugh escaping her before she could catch it.
"Okay, okay! Kai-chan, leave Shinobu alone already! Keep it up and she's actually going to cry!"
"Hehe!"
As the little group carried on bickering, more Demon Slayer Corps members began trickling back into headquarters from different directions.
"It looks like I've walked in at an interesting time."
Kagaya stepped into the room and took everything in with his usual quiet smile.
"Perfect timing, actually."