The mission in the town was finally over.
At dawn the next morning, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu departed together.
After witnessing Nezuko fight during the battle against the Swamp Demons, Zenitsu's attitude toward Tanjiro became even stranger than before.
At first, he had been horrified upon learning that the cute girl inside the box was actually a demon.
But the moment he properly saw Nezuko's face beneath the moonlight…
his entire worldview collapsed.
"She's beautiful…" Zenitsu muttered blankly, tears streaming down his face. "An angel… no, a goddess…"
Then he learned the most important detail.
Nezuko was Tanjiro's younger sister.
Zenitsu's gaze toward Tanjiro instantly transformed.
"Brother-in-law!" Zenitsu cried while grabbing Tanjiro's shoulders dramatically. "Please entrust Nezuko-chan to me!"
Tanjiro nearly stumbled.
"What are you talking about?!"
Zenitsu immediately reached for the wooden box on Tanjiro's back.
"At least let me carry the box! I'll protect Nezuko-chan with my life!"
Although Tanjiro acknowledged that Zenitsu had indeed protected Nezuko during the mission, there was absolutely no way he would hand his sister over so casually.
"No," Tanjiro replied firmly while tightening the straps on his shoulders. "I'll carry Nezuko myself."
Zenitsu looked devastated.
Meanwhile, Inosuke finally became irritated after watching Zenitsu cling to Tanjiro for nearly half the journey.
He suddenly grabbed Zenitsu by the collar.
"You rice-ball-haired weakling!" Inosuke shouted. "Stop harassing my underlings!"
Zenitsu immediately flailed around in panic.
"Who are your underlings?!"
"If you want to mess with them," Inosuke declared proudly, "then beat me first!"
For once, his logic was strangely consistent.
At that moment, the sound of flapping wings echoed overhead.
Their Kasugai Crows descended together.
"CAW! Proceed immediately to Asakusa in Tokyo!"
"CAW! Investigate suspicious demon activity!"
Zenitsu stared speechlessly at his own messenger.
Unlike the others, his was not a crow.
It was his tiny sparrow, Chuntaro.
The little bird chirped frantically.
"Chun! Chun-chun!"
Zenitsu squinted in confusion.
"Chuntaro… what are you saying?"
Naturally, nobody understood him.
Thus, the three Demon Slayers continued toward Tokyo.
After an entire day of travel, they finally reached Asakusa by evening.
The moment they entered the district, Tanjiro and Inosuke froze in place.
The streets glowed brilliantly beneath electric lights.
Streetcars rattled across rails.
Crowds filled the roads.
Music, conversation, and laughter blended into the vibrant nightlife.
Tanjiro's eyes widened in amazement.
"So bright…"
Inosuke looked around wildly like a mountain beast thrown into civilization.
"What is this place?!"
Seeing their reactions, Zenitsu immediately became smug.
After all, among the three of them, he was the only one familiar with city life.
"That's called a tram," Zenitsu explained proudly while pointing toward the tracks. "A modern form of transportation!"
"And that thing is an automobile. They're still rare, so it's normal you don't recognize it."
Tanjiro nodded repeatedly in fascination.
Meanwhile, Inosuke was staring suspiciously at every passing object.
He looked ready to challenge a tram to combat at any second.
Realizing disaster was approaching, Tanjiro quickly guided the group toward a quieter side street.
Nezuko's box shifted lightly on his back as they moved.
Zenitsu hurried after him, while simultaneously dragging Inosuke away from a food stand he had nearly attacked out of curiosity.
Eventually, they arrived at a calmer street lined with small shops and food stalls.
Tanjiro finally sighed in relief.
At the end of the street stood a humble noodle stall run by a bald owner whose utterly expressionless face somehow radiated terrifying pressure.
The owner glanced at them lazily.
"Noodles?"
"Yes, please," Tanjiro answered politely.
Before leaving, Urokodaki had given Tanjiro enough money for travel and meals, so he decided to treat everyone.
Nezuko, still drowsy from sleeping during the day, sat quietly beside him.
Tanjiro smiled gently while placing a bowl beside her.
Inosuke ignored the stool entirely and sat cross-legged on the ground.
Zenitsu, meanwhile, stared dreamily at Nezuko with hearts practically floating around him.
Just as Tanjiro picked up his chopsticks
his body suddenly froze.
A scent.
A horrifyingly familiar scent.
The smell from the night his family had been slaughtered.
The scent mixed with blood… death… and overwhelming terror.
Muzan Kibutsuji.
Tanjiro's eyes widened violently.
His bowl slipped from his hands and shattered across the ground, broth splashing everywhere.
Without hesitation, Tanjiro leapt to his feet and sprinted into the crowd.
"Please watch Nezuko for me!"
Zenitsu immediately grinned.
"Then I'll stay beside Nezuko-chan forever "
Before he could finish, Inosuke grabbed him by the collar again.
"Tanjiro's in trouble! Move!"
Zenitsu's bowl crashed to the ground as he was dragged away.
The noodle stall owner stared at the broken bowls in disbelief.
Veins bulged across his forehead.
"YOU BRATS!"
Meanwhile, Tanjiro pushed through the crowded streets while following the scent.
Then
he finally saw him.
Tanjiro's breathing stopped.
A small child walked calmly beside an elderly man.
The child wore elegant clothes and appeared entirely harmless.
Yet the scent was unmistakable.
It was him.
Tanjiro instinctively stepped forward and placed a hand on the child's shoulder.
But the moment he did, confusion struck him.
Why… was he reaching downward?
The child slowly turned around.
Large innocent eyes stared up at Tanjiro.
"Um… who are you?" the child asked softly.
Tanjiro froze completely.
At the same moment, Muzan internally exploded with panic.
Those hanafuda earrings.
For a single horrifying instant, Muzan thought he had seen Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself standing before him again.
The elderly man beside Muzan looked confused.
"Young man, is something wrong with my grandson?"
Zenitsu and Inosuke finally caught up as well.
Zenitsu blinked.
"Tanjiro? What are you doing?"
Tanjiro opened his mouth
then closed it again.
The scent absolutely belonged to Muzan Kibutsuji.
There was no mistake.
But the old man beside him was clearly human.
Could Muzan truly disguise himself this perfectly among humans?
Muzan immediately lowered his head and hid behind the old man while pretending to tremble in fear.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zenitsu hurriedly bowed apologetically.
"I'm so sorry!" he said quickly. "Our friend mistook you for someone else!"
Then he forcefully dragged the stunned Tanjiro away.
As they left, Inosuke glanced back suspiciously at the child.
But even his instincts found nothing unusual.
Back at the noodle stall, Tanjiro remained silent and disturbed.
The owner, however, had finally reached his limit.
He grabbed Tanjiro by the sleeve furiously.
"What was that supposed to be?!" he roared. "You smashed my noodles and ran off!"
Tanjiro immediately bowed repeatedly.
"I'm so sorry!"
Seeing Tanjiro being yelled at, Inosuke instantly stepped forward protectively.
"Hahaha! If you want to bully my underling, fight me first!"
Then he punched the owner directly in the side.
Unfortunately
the owner did not move even slightly.
Instead, he slowly turned his head toward Inosuke with terrifying killing intent.
Even the fearless Mountain King felt a chill run down his spine.
Tanjiro panicked immediately and threw himself between them.
"I'm really sorry! We'll order more noodles! We promise we'll eat everything this time!"
The owner narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"…Really?"
"Yes!"
Only then did the terrifying pressure fade.
"Fine," the owner muttered before turning back toward the stall.
Thus, the three Demon Slayers sat quietly and waited for another serving of noodles.
Meanwhile
far away from the bustling streets
Muzan had already returned to his residence with the elderly man.
The moment he entered his room, however, his childish expression disappeared completely.
Cold sweat dripped down his face.
He immediately summoned Nakime.
Moments later, he returned to the Infinity Castle.
Kokushibo was already waiting there calmly.
The moment Muzan appeared, Kokushibo glanced toward him lazily.
"Oh?" he said. "Lord Muzan came back looking rather pathetic today."
Then, without hesitation, Kokushibo pinched Muzan's soft childlike cheek.
Muzan instantly slapped his hand away.
"Stop your nonsense."
His expression darkened.
"Do you know what I just saw?"
Kokushibo pretended to grow serious.
"What happened?"
Muzan's voice trembled slightly.
"Hanafuda earrings."
The atmosphere inside the Infinity Castle instantly became heavy.
Muzan's body shook uncontrollably at the memory.
Meanwhile, Kokushibo inwardly remained completely calm.
But outwardly, he acted perfectly.
His six eyes widened slightly.
"Impossible…" Kokushibo muttered in a trembling voice. "Yoriichi died hundreds of years ago…"
Seeing even Kokushibo react with fear, Muzan finally felt marginally reassured.
At least he was not the only one haunted by that nightmare.