But to Goto, this felt like a pardon from death. How could he dare argue any further?
He scrambled to his feet, hurriedly fastening the blindfolds and nose plugs onto Tanjiro and the others, then respectfully gestured for Rin to proceed.
"L-Lord Rin, please stay close. This part of the route is quite complicated.. we'll need to cross several mountains…"
"Just lead the way. Enough talking."
And so, a rather strange procession set off.
Goto took the lead, carrying the bound and sensory-blocked Tanjiro as he dashed through the forest. Zenitsu and Inosuke were similarly carried and relayed between other Kakushi members along the way.
As for Rin, he followed behind at an unhurried pace, as if he were simply out for a leisurely walk.
No matter how the Kakushi demonstrated their stealth techniques, weaving through pathless mountains and forests while constantly changing routes and guides, Rin remained within five meters of them at all times.
Not even his breathing was disturbed.
Under the Sharingan's perception, this seemingly labyrinthine path was as clear as a straight line drawn across blank paper.
Time passed quickly during the journey.
Day and night blurred together.
When they finally crossed the last mountain ridge shrouded in dense fog, a faint scent of sulfur, mixed with the warmth of hot springs, drifted toward them.
"Lord Rin, we've arrived."
The Kakushi responsible for the final leg stopped and removed the blindfolds and nose plugs from Tanjiro and the others.
Tanjiro took a deep breath. His sense of smell, dulled and disoriented from being blocked for so long, quickly returned to normal.
He opened his eyes and looked down.
Nestled within the surrounding mountains, a neatly arranged village lay quietly at the bottom of the basin.
White steam rose throughout the village—the unmistakable sign of natural hot springs.
Deeper within, several tall chimneys continuously spat out sparks, and the faint, rhythmic clang of hammering echoed through the valley day and night.
This place was the cornerstone of the Demon Slayer Corps' battle against demons—the birthplace of every Nichirin Blade.
The Swordsmith Village.
"What an incredible village! The air is filled with the scent of burning iron and charcoal!" Tanjiro exclaimed.
Rin stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the quiet village from above.
To ordinary eyes, it was a peaceful haven.
But through Rin's Sharingan, an extremely subtle presence had already begun to spread through the mountain forests surrounding the village.
"It seems those rats can't wait to join the game anymore."
The cold wind at the edge of the cliff swept past as Rin withdrew his gaze from the distant forest.
The scarlet in his eyes faded, returning to a deep, pitch-black calm.
Although the Sharingan had already picked up faint traces of demonic presence along the outskirts of the valley, the aura was scattered and carefully concealed.
It was clear that the scouts sent by Kibutsuji Muzan were still probing the perimeter, with no intention of launching a full-scale assault just yet.
Since the prey is still preparing for battle, there's no reason for us hunters to stand here freezing in the wind.
Rin stretched, turned around, and patted Tanjiro on the shoulder. "Let's go. We've come all this way—we might as well enjoy a hot spring and shake off the fatigue."
"Eh? Aren't… aren't we here to repair our swords?" Tanjiro blinked in confusion.
"Sword repair is the swordsmiths' job. What does that have to do with you?" Rin couldn't be bothered to explain the concept of balancing work and rest, and strode down the mountain path.
Goto of the Kakushi had already completed his task of guiding them. After giving a respectful bow, he quickly vanished into the forest.
Descending the winding stone steps, the closer they got to the bottom of the basin, the stronger the scent of sulfur and iron became. The surrounding trees, warmed by the natural hot springs, were shrouded in a thin veil of white mist, giving the place an almost ethereal atmosphere.
As the four of them stepped onto the main road of the Swordsmith Village, a group of villagers wearing Hyottoko masks approached them.
Seeing Rin walking at the front, a short elderly man leaning on a cane immediately hurried forward, his voice beneath the mask filled with enthusiasm and respect.
"Oh my, what an honored guest! I never expected the Special Executive Officer personally appointed by Oyakata-sama, Rin-sama, to visit us. I am the head of the Swordsmith Village, Tecchin Tecchikawahara. Please forgive me for not coming to welcome you sooner."
Although the old village chief barely reached Rin's waist, as the one responsible for the Demon Slayer Corps' weapon supply, his status was no less than that of the Hashira.
Rin glanced down at the frail-looking old man, who seemed like he might be blown away by the wind at any moment, and waved his hand casually. "No need for formalities, Tecchikawahara-san. I mainly came to reforge the scrap metal these three brats are carrying. And I heard the hot springs and matsutake rice here are good, so I figured I'd take a little vacation."
"No problem at all, no problem at all! It is the Swordsmith Village's honor to serve you." Village Chief Tecchin nodded repeatedly.
Not long ago, when Haganezuka Hotaru forged that special straight sword for Rin, all the senior craftsmen in the village had witnessed the quality of the top-grade tamahagane used.
Later, when news spread that this man could kill an Upper Rank demon in an instant without even needing a Nichirin Blade, the swordsmiths became both respectful and wary of him.
"Um… Village Chief!"
Tanjiro quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply. "I'm very sorry! My name is Kamado Tanjiro. During the battle on the Mugen Train, my blade was chipped. May I ask if Haganezuka-san is here? I would like to apologize to him in person and ask him to repair my sword!"
At the mention of the name "Haganezuka," the surrounding swordsmiths wearing Hyottoko masks all shuddered at once.
Village Chief Tecchin sighed and tapped his cane against the ground. "That fellow… when he heard you broke your sword, he got so angry he grabbed two kitchen knives and went around the village looking for you to fight. When he couldn't find you, he ran off into the mountains and started a hunger strike. We haven't been able to find him since."
"A… hunger strike?!" Tanjiro broke out in a cold sweat, swallowing nervously.
"Forget about him. He'll come crawling back once he gets hungry enough." Rin cut off the pointless discussion. "Old man, prepare the largest guest room you have and bring out your most expensive dishes. We've come a long way—my stomach's already empty."
"It's all ready. Please follow me, Rin-sama."
Under the village chief's personal guidance, they passed through the clanging workshops and arrived at a high-end Japanese-style room halfway up the mountain, with an excellent view.
Sliding the door open, they found the tatami already laid out with a lavish meal.
Grilled matsutake mushrooms releasing an enticing aroma, top-grade wagyu sashimi marbled like snowflakes, and several jars of sake brewed from mountain spring water.
"Wow! It looks amazing!"
Inosuke ignored all etiquette, yanking off his boar mask and tossing it aside. Bare-chested, he rushed to the table, grabbed a slice of wagyu, and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling as he chewed, "So good! I've never had meat this tender before!"
Zenitsu didn't even bother complaining about his aching legs. His eyes lit up as he picked up his chopsticks. "Wuwuwu, going out with the boss is the best! This food is a hundred times better than the patient meals at the Butterfly Mansion!"
____
12 Advance chapters:Patreon/slept01