Chapter 54 – Hiratsuka Shizuka, the Stealthy Observer!
Night had fallen.
Yukinoshita Akira changed into an all-black outfit, one designed for maximum ease of movement under the cover of darkness.
Even though modern cities were bathed in artificial light, dark clothes still had their use—especially when navigating narrow back alleys and shadowy corners.
"...You're heading out again?"
Just as he opened the door, Akira found Yukinoshita Yukino stepping outside.
Her usual school uniform was nowhere in sight. Tonight, her long hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, and she wore only a thin set of pajamas. Under the dim light of the porch lamp, she looked like a freshly bloomed lotus swaying on the surface of still water.
"Be careful, okay?"
"I will."
Akira gave a small smile as he met her gaze. Maybe—just maybe—something was starting to grow in his heart.
Even he couldn't fully understand how a woman who had once drowned in the pain of love could now go so far in pursuit of hope.
But he knew this much—for Yukino, he was that hope.
"The young master is departing again this evening?" his chauffeur asked, already in position.
"Downtown. Specifically, Chiba's Commercial District."
"Understood."
The car pulled away smoothly as the engine purred to life. Seated in the back, Akira quietly reviewed the intel he had collected.
Over the past two months, five people had gone missing in Chiba's bustling commercial zone. All five vanished without a trace—right from inside their own stores.
Since then, the district had been partially closed for investigation. Five disappearances in just two months—yet calling them murders felt inaccurate.
At each scene, they'd found signs of struggle, scuffed furniture, broken shelves, bloodstains. But not a single body.
At first, the police treated them as violent kidnappings. But two months passed without any ransom demands or leads, and the theory began to collapse under its own weight.
If it was truly a kidnapping, where was the motive? Why no demands?
No suspects. No remains. No witnesses.
It didn't make sense.
But to Yukinoshita Akira, who had reviewed every detail of the case, the answer was all too clear.
This was the work of a demon.
Humans were prey. And prey left no remains.
Bones? Meaningless. While a human killer might struggle to destroy a corpse completely, a demon could reduce one to ash with ease.
Erasing the evidence? Child's play.
"Sir, we've arrived at the commercial district."
"Thanks. Wait for me here. If I'm not back by midnight… you can go home."
"Understood, Young Master."
Akira stepped out of the vehicle and into the bustling streets.
Despite the recent incidents, the area was still crowded. The government would never let rumors of demons—or unexplained deaths—leak to the public. Widespread panic would tear through the city like wildfire.
And so, the rest of the district had reopened. The crowds had returned. People chatted, shopped, laughed, and walked with purpose under the neon glow of city life.
Akira sighed quietly to himself.
If not for the convenience of the modern era and its concentrated populations, a scene like this would've been unthinkable a few centuries ago.
But for demons, this place was paradise.
The perfect hunting ground.
As he moved deeper into the district, he picked up on a faint, sickly-sweet scent.
The smell of a demon.
It was subtle—but unmistakable.
"...Huh? Isn't that Yukinoshita Akira?"
Across the street, a certain woman had just exited a trendy restaurant, dressed in a smart blouse and skirt.
Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Another failed group date. Another waste of makeup.
This time, it wasn't even the guy who rejected her. She walked out.
He was unemployed, living off his parents, and had the audacity to bring up anime figures mid-conversation. She didn't mind hobbies—everyone needed an escape.
But jobless at nearly thirty? Living at home with no drive?
Unforgivable.
Now, he was slumped unconscious at a table inside.
She might've knocked him out.
Well, maybe he'd learn something from it.
As she stepped outside, grumbling to herself, her eyes caught something strange—Akira, walking alone down the street, a sword bag slung over his back.
No friends. No destination.
Just him.
Curiosity kicked in hard.
So, she followed.
Akira didn't notice.
With the crowd bustling around him, it was nearly impossible to track individuals—and besides, his mind was already fixed on something else.
A hunt.
His senses sharpened. His gaze scanned every storefront, every alleyway, every flicker of shadow.
In the world of Demon Slayer, Tsugikuni Yoriichi was an unmatched legend—born with power beyond imagination, destined to destroy Muzan Kibutsuji.
He had said it himself: Perhaps I was born into this world solely to kill that demon.
In an era that gave birth to demons, a warrior would also rise to end them.
That was Yoriichi.
Though he failed in his one and only encounter with Muzan, that legacy lived on.
And now, with Yoriichi's template imprinted onto him, Yukinoshita Akira had inherited more than just skill—he had instinct.
And that instinct led him away from the light and into the shadows.
All the while, Hiratsuka Shizuka kept her distance, ducking behind signs and vending machines like a stealthy spy.
It didn't take her long to realize: he was searching for someone—or something.
As a teacher, following a student in secret definitely crossed a line. But reason had long since flown out the window.
If it was just a friend, fine.
But if it was a girl...
Then she had a problem.
After all, Akira was engaged to one of her students.
Sneaking out at night to meet another woman? That wouldn't stand.
Not on her watch.
And so, she justified it—this was her moral duty as a teacher.
Probably.
After several turns, Akira finally stopped.
They had crossed three city blocks, leaving the restaurants and bars far behind.
Now, they stood before a quiet, unassuming apartment building.
The scent was thick now. It clung to the walls. It poured from the cracks.
The demon was here.
Without hesitation, Akira stepped forward and entered the building.
Watching from a distance, Hiratsuka Shizuka clenched her fists.
"This is insane! He's bold enough to walk into a place like that?! I've never even—N-no, that's not the point! This is serious! He's getting a full lecture from me tomorrow!"
She stood frozen in place, a whirlwind of emotion raging inside her.
Jealousy.
Frustration.
And something else she wasn't quite ready to admit.
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