"Indeed."
Nodding in agreement with Kanae's words, Kyojuro proposed:
"In that case, let's take advantage of the time before dark to split up and explore the buildings within this villa separately, familiarizing ourselves with the environment as much as possible.
When it's almost dark, we'll regroup in front of that cinema hall in the villa. How about that?"
Taking out an internal map of the villa from his chest and spreading it open, Kyojuro pointed to the cinema hall within the villa that could accommodate several hundred people, making his proposal.
This cinema hall was located right in the center of the entire villa, roughly equidistant from all areas within the villa—an excellent meeting point.
"Agreed."
Kanae nodded lightly.
[The cinema hall...]
Subconsciously, she recalled the Lower Rank Two that had escaped from her and Giyuu in Tokyo some time ago.
At that time, she and Giyuu had encountered that demon inside a movie theater...
"By the way, Kamado boy, has your Mark successfully spread to other Demon Slayers?"
With the upcoming mission discussion concluded, Kyojuro suddenly turned to look at Tanjiro, who had been sitting quietly beside him, and asked curiously.
Clearly, he was quite concerned about this thing that could greatly amplify a Demon Slayer's power.
If they could spread the Mark to all Demon Slayers as soon as possible, it would certainly greatly improve the overall strength of the Demon Slayer Corps...
"N-not yet!"
Straightening his back, Tanjiro replied loudly, and even recounted all the methods he and Genya had previously tried to make Zenitsu awaken his Mark.
"I see..."
Patiently listening to Tanjiro's account, Kyojuro raised his hand to stroke his chin and reached the same conclusion Kanae had made earlier.
"I think it might be because Agatsuma boy isn't in the midst of battle?"
"Huh?"
A bad premonition suddenly rose in his heart. Before Zenitsu could react, he saw Kyojuro suddenly reach out and pat his shoulder heavily, laughing loudly:
"In that case! Then Agatsuma boy should try acting alone tonight!
After all, if you always hide behind your companions, you'll never gain any experience!"
"Eh?! I don't..."
"Excellent! Then it's decided! Don't be afraid, boy! If you truly encounter a situation you can't handle, use your Thunder Breathing to run to me! I will definitely protect you then!
But before that, you must fight well on your own! Understood!"
"..."
Time thus arrived at evening.
With the arrival of today's last train, Mitsuba, Akaza, and Koyuki finally reached the foot of this villa.
"Oh my~ it's a little snake~"
Standing on the crowded train platform, immediately noticing that figure mixed among the crowd hurrying toward the villa, a smile suddenly appeared on Mitsuba's face.
Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai—she had spotted him.
"Hey, sis."
Beside Mitsuba, the elegantly and handsomely dressed Akaza, together with Koyuki—who had also dressed up carefully—stepped out of the train car.
Also noticing the battle aura far stronger than ordinary humans emanating from Iguro at the first moment, Akaza frowned slightly and immediately asked through mental communication:
[Why is there a Demon Slayer here?]
Didn't they agree this was just a trip for fun? Why would there be Demon Slayers here?
To this, Mitsuba merely smiled and replied:
[This is very normal~ After all, all the Lower Rank demons are in this villa right now. Those Demon Slayers must have already noticed the anomaly...]
[Perhaps, there might even be a very intense battle tonight? How about it? Exciting? Surprising? Unexpected?]
"Hah?!"
Hearing this, Akaza immediately lost his composure.
[Damn woman! You knew there would be fighting and still tricked me into coming?! What if Koyuki...]
[Don't worry, don't worry~ Just leave the fighting to your big sister. I have another purpose for having little Hakuji bring Koyuki here this time. Don't be impatient; you'll know when night falls~]
[I guarantee, it will definitely be a good thing~]
"Excellent! Then let's split up now. You two lovebirds can wander around the villa by yourselves. I have some other matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you.
But~ there will be a free movie in the cinema hall tonight. Remember to meet me there later, alright?"
Ending the conversation, Mitsuba didn't give Akaza any more chance to ask questions. She waved smilingly at the two of them, then vanished into the crowd in a flash.
"This damn woman, still so unreliable..."
Muttering softly under his breath as he watched Mitsuba's back, Akaza let out a deep sigh.
[Forget it, we're already here...]
"Koyuki, let's go in too."
"Yes, okay."
"..."
As night approached, all the forces dispatched by the Demon Slayer Corps tonight had arrived at this Infinity Mountain Villa.
In the plaza near the villa's cinema hall, the Demon Slayers who had been scattered throughout the villa conducting investigations were now continuously gathering here.
"My apologies for being late."
Among them, the belated Iguro walked straight toward Kanae and Kyojuro, who had been waiting here for some time.
He first glanced at Tanjiro and the other two standing obediently beside the other swordsmen, then turned to look at Kanae and Kyojuro, who were conversing in low voices with grave expressions, and asked:
"What's wrong? Did you discover something?"
"Some swordsmen have gone missing."
Without excessive pleasantries, Kanae cut straight to the main topic.
Spreading the map in her hands before Iguro, she pointed to three locations and quickly said:
"The botanical garden on the left side of the villa, the haunted house maze on the right, and that mansion museum on the mountainside.
The swordsmen who went to investigate these three places during the day—none of them have returned."
"You're saying swordsmen disappeared from these three places simultaneously?"
Hearing this, Iguro's expression clearly showed some surprise.
Didn't this mean that...
"Exactly. We speculate that there is likely more than one demon hidden in this villa."
Kanae nodded lightly, voicing the guess in her heart.
"Hmph, so what?"
After brief surprise, Iguro quickly regained his composure. He let out a cold snort and said in that hoarse voice, completely unconcerned:
"They have three demons, we have three Hashira. We can each handle one location."
"No, Mr. Iguro, I suspect that what is hidden in this villa may not be only three demons."
Shaking her head with a grave expression, Kanae looked toward the cinema hall not far away, which had already opened its doors and was admitting visitors.
"Previously in Tokyo, there was a Lower Rank demon hiding in a movie theater that escaped from Mr. Giyuu and me.
I have a faint feeling that this demon likely came to this villa tonight as well..."
"So you mean there are at least four demons hidden in this villa?"
After hearing this, Iguro's expression, which had just calmed down, suddenly became somewhat unsteady again.
He finally understood why Kanae and Kyojuro had shown such grave expressions earlier.
"Don't tell me all those Lower Rank demons came here for a group retreat!"
"Over here, Hakuji and Koyuki~"
While Kanae and the others were exchanging intelligence, what they didn't know was that dozens of meters away on the other side of the cinema hall, Mitsuba was standing there watching them from afar.
[So these should be all of them, quite a lot came...]
Glancing at these Demon Slayers who hadn't noticed her at all, Mitsuba raised her hand and waved enthusiastically toward Akaza and Koyuki, who were walking toward her from the distance.
"Hurry up~ the movie is starting~"