"Yamada-san!"
Tanjiro ran up, his eyes full of awe.
Zenitsu and Inosuke followed behind.
"The demons in the village have all been cleared. However, there are still a few workshops damaged that need help with rescue." Tanjiro reported.
"That's the Kakushi's job, it's not our concern."
Yamada yawned and looked up at the sky. After tossing and turning for half the night, it was already the latter half of the night.
"My mission is over. Let's go back to sleep. Tomorrow, find a blacksmith who hasn't died yet and get your blades repaired."
...
The next morning.
The Swordsmith Village survived the disaster.
Although a dozen swordsmiths were unfortunately killed when Gyokko first infiltrated, because of Yamada's thunderous clearing speed, the village's core forging area and the vast majority of villagers were safe and sound.
The village chief, Tecchin, leaning on a cane and leading a group of villagers wearing Hyottoko masks, lined up outside Yamada's guest room and bowed deeply in thanks.
"Yamada-san, the Swordsmith Village will never forget your great kindness. From now on, as long as you have any needs, all the craftsmen in our village are at your disposal."
"Spare the formalities."
Yamada sat on the veranda drinking morning tea. "Have your people hurry up and repair these three boys' blades. Also, find me some edible matsutake rice. I didn't get enough to eat last night."
"Yes. We will prepare it immediately."
Amidst the busy scene of gratitude, a burly man wearing a Hyottoko mask, carrying two blades in his hands, rushed down from the back mountain in a rage.
Hotaru.
He had been on a hunger strike alone in the mountains last night and had no idea what kind of catastrophe the village had experienced.
Just as he returned to the village, he saw Tanjiro standing in the courtyard.
"Kamado Tanjiro! You bastard! How dare you chip the blade I forged! I'm going to kill you!" Hotaru lunged forward, brandishing his blades.
"Haganezuka-san! Calm down! Let me explain!" Tanjiro ran around the courtyard in a panic.
Yamada sipped his tea, watching this chaotic daily routine, and let out a satisfied sigh.
Upper Ranks four and five died simultaneously.
Sending this big gift back to the Infinity Castle, that old schemer Muzan will probably be so angry that he'll smash several experimental flasks.
— — —
Deep within the Infinity Castle, inside a massive laboratory decorated like a Western-style mansion.
Turbid blue medicinal liquid filled glass beakers, and the blue flames of alcohol lamps flickered quietly.
Muzan wore a neat white lab coat, holding a dropper in his hand, his eyes focused intently on a mutated blood sample in a petri dish.
He was attempting to use different concentrations of drugs to stimulate the demon cells' tolerance to sunlight.
Drip.
A drop of the medicinal liquid fell.
At that very moment, Muzan's movements froze abruptly. His slit pupils contracted into thin lines without warning, and a sudden, inexplicable, violent palpitation came from his heart.
His fingers tightened around the dropper involuntarily. With a crisp "crack," the fragile glass tube was crushed into pieces.
It was severed.
Just a second ago, the cellular connection in his mind with Upper Rank four, Hantengu, was cut off.
Hantengu was dead.
How could this be?
Although Hantengu was cowardly, his Blood Demon Art cloning mechanism was practically unsolvable. As long as his true body, which was smaller than a rat, was hidden deep enough, even if three or more Hashira surrounded and attacked him simultaneously, it would be impossible to kill him in such a short time.
Before Muzan could recover from his shock, another string connected to the depths of his soul snapped.
The life force of Upper Rank five, Gyokko, had completely dissipated.
Less than fifteen minutes had passed between the two's death.
Bang!
Muzan violently overturned the lab bench in front of him. Various precious chemical reagents smashed to the ground, splashing everywhere along with broken glass, and a pungent odor instantly filled the entire room.
"Two Upper Ranks... killed on the same night?"
Muzan gritted his teeth, his pale face slightly twisted due to extreme rage and indescribable horror.
Ever since Gyutaro and his sister's death in battle, the seats of the Upper Ranks had only just become vacant.
He had sent Hantengu and Gyokko to destroy the Swordsmith Village, thinking it was a guaranteed victory, but it turned out to be a suicide mission.
The Upper Rank lineup, which had been stable for over a hundred years, had lost more than half its members in less than a month.
This was definitely not a coincidence!
"Nakime!" Muzan's voice exploded in the empty laboratory, filled with uncontrollable violence.
Clang!
The crisp sound of a biwa pierced through space.
The scene before him distorted, and Muzan was already standing on the crisscrossing pavilions in the center of the Infinity Castle.
Accompanied by the opening of several spatial doors, the remaining three upper ranks were forcibly teleported here.
Upper Rank One Kokushibo, Upper Rank Two Doma, and Upper Rank three Akaza.
As soon as the three of them landed, they sensed the terrifying pressure in the air that threatened to crush them. The killing intent radiating from Muzan was more intense and manic than ever before.
"Muzan-sama?" Doma put away his usual smiling, frivolous demeanor, keenly sensing that something was wrong.
Kokushibo's six eyes narrowed slightly, and he knelt on one knee, remaining silent.
Akaza lowered his head, a strong sense of unease rising in his heart.
Muzan did not speak. He strode in front of Akaza, thrust his right hand out violently, grabbed Akaza by the throat, and lifted him into the air.
"Ugh... Muzan-sama..." Akaza struggled, suffocating, unable to understand what he had done wrong.
"You fool, what kind of trash is in your head?!"
Muzan's five fingers instantly pierced the skin of Akaza's throat, and demon blood surged wildly.
"The information you brought back said that the swordsman who uses lightning and the Flame Hashira joined forces and barely managed to force you back with all their might? Said they only saved their lives by relying on the dawn?"
"Y-yes, I saw it with my own eyes..." Akaza squeezed the words out from his throat with difficulty.
"Then tell me, why were Hantengu and Gyokko killed so quickly during the operation to the Swordsmith Village tonight?"
As soon as these words were spoken, a huge storm surged in the hearts of the three upper ranks present.
Hantengu and Gyokko were dead?! How could this be possible!