Kokushibo had made his decision.
After witnessing how little influence Muzan had accumulated within human society despite living for a thousand years, he had finally resolved to take matters into his own hands.
That very night, he arrived in Mito.
The city was quiet beneath the moonlight.
Waiting for him were two of his most trusted subordinates.
Saito Arashi and Kuchiki Makoto immediately knelt upon seeing him.
"Greetings, Lord Kokushibo."
Kokushibo merely nodded before continuing down the street.
Although his appearance remained that of an ordinary human, his thoughts were anything but ordinary.
He was carefully considering how to expand his influence.
Creating more demons through blood distribution?
No.
The idea was immediately rejected.
Muzan had already demonstrated the flaws of such a method.
Too many subordinates eventually became difficult to monitor.
Once their usefulness ended, they were discarded.
Kokushibo had no interest in repeating the same mistake.
As he walked through the bustling streets, lost in thought, Saito Arashi and Kuchiki Makoto followed closely behind.
Suddenly
A woman's angry voice echoed from nearby.
All three demons turned simultaneously.
Not far away, three familiar women stood arguing.
One of them was furiously grabbing another by the face.
"Stop pulling my cheeks!"
"Then stop saying stupid things!"
A third woman stood nearby, desperately trying to calm them down.
"Please stop fighting again!"
Kokushibo paused.
Then a rare smile appeared on his face.
Those women were familiar.
Very familiar.
They were none other than Hinatsuru, Makio, and Suma.
The three wives of the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui.
An idea immediately formed in Kokushibo's mind.
The Demon Slayer Corps had become increasingly active recently.
Information was valuable.
And perhaps these three women could provide some.
As for Kanae…
His expression darkened slightly.
Ever since the previous large-scale battle, he had completely lost contact with her.
Originally, he had intended to keep that connection hidden as a future advantage against the Demon Slayer Corps.
Yet no matter how carefully he searched, he could no longer sense her presence.
The connection had vanished.
For now, however, that mystery would have to wait.
Kokushibo looked toward his two subordinates.
"Conceal your presence."
"Follow them."
Neither man questioned the order.
"Understood."
The two immediately complied.
Unfortunately, the women noticed them far sooner than expected.
Suma nervously tugged at Hinatsuru's sleeve.
"Miss Hinatsuru…"
"I think we're being followed."
Makio immediately cracked her knuckles.
"So what?"
"If they're suspicious, we'll deal with them."
As a former kunoichi, she had little patience for subtlety.
Hinatsuru, however, remained calm.
"We're currently investigating reports of surviving demons."
"We shouldn't draw unnecessary attention."
Makio clicked her tongue but reluctantly agreed.
A few moments later, the three women deliberately entered a narrow alley.
Suma blinked.
"Isn't this exactly how suspicious situations begin?"
Makio rolled her eyes.
"Quiet."
Naturally, they believed they were luring ordinary stalkers into an isolated location.
What they failed to realize was that the individuals following them were demons.
Powerful demons.
Meanwhile, Kokushibo had quietly disappeared.
Because, in his view, there was no reason for the leader himself to perform the entire operation.
After all
What kind of superior personally handled every task?
A moment later, the answer became apparent.
At the opposite end of the alley, Kokushibo appeared.
The exit was blocked.
The three women froze.
Makio immediately stepped forward.
"I've had enough of this."
Without hesitation, she grabbed Suma's wrist and charged.
Hinatsuru simultaneously drew several kunai.
Her stance became perfectly balanced.
"I advise you not to do anything reckless."
"We are shinobi."
Kokushibo stared at her silently.
Then his human disguise faded.
Six eyes opened.
Dark markings spread across his face.
The overwhelming presence of Upper Rank One descended upon the alley.
A demon.
Hinatsuru's pupils contracted.
She immediately turned around.
Behind them, Saito Arashi and Kuchiki Makoto had already revealed their own demonic nature.
The situation had become hopeless.
Makio and Suma fought back immediately.
Unfortunately, the gap in strength was far too great.
Within moments, both women were restrained.
Makio refused to surrender.
Twisting her captured arm, she drew a hidden kunai coated in wisteria poison with her free hand and stabbed directly toward Kuchiki Makoto's throat.
The attack was fast.
Very fast.
But not fast enough.
Makoto effortlessly disarmed her.
The poisoned blade clattered harmlessly onto the ground.
As he prepared to strike again, Kokushibo spoke.
"Alive."
Makoto immediately stopped.
"Understood."
Meanwhile, Hinatsuru reacted with remarkable decisiveness.
Seeing no possibility of victory, she made a choice.
Without hesitation, she turned a poisoned kunai toward herself.
If captured alive, she could become a hostage.
A weapon against Tengen Uzui.
She would never allow that.
The blade moved toward her throat.
Even Kokushibo found himself impressed.
Such resolve was rare.
"Uzui Tengen truly chose well."
His hand rested upon his sword.
Moon Breathing, Second Form:
Pearl Flower Moongazing.
A crescent-shaped slash flashed through the air.
CLANG!
The kunai was instantly knocked from Hinatsuru's hand.
She stared in disbelief.
The difference between them was overwhelming.
Kokushibo lowered his hand.
"You should stop resisting."
His voice remained calm.
"It will save everyone time."
Thus, the captives were taken away.
Several hours later, they arrived at a secluded estate hidden within the city.
The property belonged to one of Kokushibo's human enterprises and was occasionally used to handle inconvenient matters.
Inside the building, Kokushibo remained in a private room.
Outside, Saito Arashi and Kuchiki Makoto stood guard.
Naturally, boredom soon led to conversation.
Saito scratched his head.
"I still don't understand."
Makoto sighed.
"Understand what?"
"Why Lord Kokushibo kidnapped another man's wives."
Makoto immediately smacked him across the head.
"Can you phrase that any worse?"
"They're obviously hostages."
Saito rubbed his head.
"That doesn't sound much better."
The two eventually drifted into discussing entirely unrelated topics.
Mostly their complete lack of success with women.
Compared to them, Tengen Uzui seemed blessed by the heavens.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was considerably more tense.
Kokushibo sat calmly across from the three women.
He observed them silently.
Suma immediately hid behind Makio.
"He's terrifying…"
Makio glared back fearlessly.
If not for her companions restraining her earlier, she would have attempted another attack already.
Only Hinatsuru maintained her composure.
"What do you want from us?"
Kokushibo appreciated her calm demeanor.
"Information."
The answer was straightforward.
"What has the Demon Slayer Corps been doing recently?"
The three women exchanged glances.
Recent activity?
The first thing that came to mind was the chaos caused by Kokushibo himself.
Several Hashira had suffered severe injuries.
The Butterfly Mansion had been filled to capacity.
Even ordinary Corps members had become unusually well-behaved after witnessing Sanemi's increasingly frightening temper.
Unfortunately, none of that helped.
Suma's eyes immediately filled with tears.
"We really don't know anything."
"Please let us go."
The statement stunned everyone.
Makio looked horrified.
Then furious.
She immediately grabbed Suma's hair.
"You idiot!"
"Why are you asking a demon for mercy?!"
The two instantly began arguing again.
"You're hurting me!"
"Good!"
"Makio is violent!"
"And you're stupid!"
Hinatsuru pressed a hand against her forehead.
Only Tengen could normally control these two.
Kokushibo watched the scene in complete silence.
For a brief moment, he almost forgot he was conducting an interrogation.
Eventually, he lost patience.
His flesh blade emerged from its sheath.
The living sword stopped inches from Hinatsuru's face.
The room instantly became quiet.
"Answer me."
His voice grew colder.
"What operation is the Demon Slayer Corps preparing?"
Hinatsuru met his gaze.
She said nothing.
Kokushibo narrowed his eyes.
The blade moved.
A moment later, it pierced her shoulder.
Blood immediately stained her clothing.
Yet Hinatsuru refused to cry out.
Not a single sound escaped her lips.
Even now, she would not betray the Demon Slayer Corps.
Kokushibo observed her for several seconds.
Then he spoke again.
"If you refuse to answer, I may be forced to use you against Uzui Tengen."
The statement instantly changed everything.
Makio and Suma stopped arguing.
Both looked toward him simultaneously.
"No!"
The reaction was immediate.
And genuine.
Kokushibo carefully studied their expressions.
There was fear.
Concern.
Determination.
But no deception.
Eventually, he withdrew the blade.
It seemed they truly knew nothing.
The information he sought was beyond their reach.
For several moments, the room remained silent.
Then Kokushibo slowly leaned back in his chair.
A thoughtful expression appeared on his face.
If the wives knew nothing…
Then perhaps there was only one person worth questioning.
The Sound Hashira himself.
A faint smile appeared on Upper Rank One's face.
"Very well."
His six eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"Then let us ask Uzui Tengen directly."
Whether the flamboyant Hashira intended to cooperate…
Was an entirely different matter.
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