Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
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-Location: Infinity Castle-
"Hmm..."
Muzan was anxiously sitting upright in his chair. He wore a suit lining this time and supported his elbows on the armrests. His scarlet eyes stared straight ahead into the void.
His sharp black nails tapped the chair irregularly.
He kept shifting in his chair, never at ease.
After sending Hantengu and Gyokko to the swordsmith village, he never dared to check on them...
The tapping of his fingernails stopped.
'No, I just didn't notice...'
He paid no attention to the thoughts of his demons. He didn't want to take over and find himself being burned again.
But... this way... he couldn't find out how things have developed.
Leading to his anxiousness attack right now.
What if that guy didn't go to the swordsmith village...
...what if the swordsmith village plain actually grows blue spider lilies...
The anxiousness and indignation were too much for one's own heart; he has seven of them!
Muzan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He slowly opened them as he glanced to his side. "Nakime." His cold voice rang out.
The girl in question immediately sat up straight; sweat broke out of her forehead as she sat ready with her biwa to do her lord's bidding.
"I'm here, Muzan-sama."
After Muzan thought about it for a while, he finally ordered Nakime. "Call over Gyokko and Hantengu."
"Yes, m'lord."
Nakime gently stroked the string of her biwa twice.
Dang!
"Gah!"
A mouthful of blood spurted out of Nakime's mouth. She held her biwa in shock and looked at Muzan in fear.
If she wanted to teleport a specific demon, she had to get Muzan-sama's permission first and then obtain the specific location of the demon in question through the blood connection of the Demon King.
Her biwa allowed her to use her Blood Demon Art to transport people into the Infinity Castle.
However, her recent attempts had resulted in failure.
For Nakime did not sense the connection to Hantengu and Gyokko anymore from Muzan's blood.
She straightened up. Her hand picked up her bachi, the tool used to pluck the biwa strings, as her huge single eye looked on to Muzan.
"Muzan-sama...why didn't you...tell me the location of those two...?"
Nakime was extremely flustered and timidly glanced in the direction of Muzan. The man simply didn't respond to her in any way.
She swallowed the rest of the blood threatening to spurt out. Her desire to survive made her think of thousands of ideas that flashed through her mind.
'...Is this... a test for me?'
Nakime's eye twitched uncontrollably.
'That's not right... I've already been promoted to Upper Moon. If I still have the same function as before, what's the point of my existence as an Upper Moon!?
This is a test. A test to prove myself valuable!'
She plucked the strings of her biwa again, putting more power into the act. She was determined to successfully summon the Upper Moon Three and Four with her own power!
"Guhg!" Another mouthful of blood sprayed out.
Seeing Nakime collapse after her second attempt, Muzan immediately understood what happened.
Slowly pulling his legs up, he wrapped his arms around his knees and sat on the chair while his body gradually shrank itself into that of a child.
His face was so stoic, but his eyes tell a different story.
Muzan silently changed the number in Nakime's eyes from [six] to [four].
A long time passed.
"Cough cough..."
Nakime finally regained her consciousness back as she looked around in a daze. The wooden floor in front of her was plastered with dark red colors.
She was shocked to find that the power in her body was soaring up.
She frantically raised her head to look at Muzan's resting place.
But there was no figure there at all.
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-Location: Butterfly Mansion-
When Sakonji and Tanjuro locked eyes, they were both stunned for a moment.
Sakonji's muscles tensed subconsciously by the arrival of Tanjuro, because... he didn't feel the man's presence at all!
Sakonji's attention was focused on the Tokito brothers, who made their presence known.
Just from that distraction, he completely failed to notice the person in front of him.
If it wasn't for the fact that Tanjuro hadn't concealed his appearance and Sakonji had felt the momentary hostility from Tanjuro, Sakonji would have thought the man was just another piece of furniture.
"Father!"
Tanjiro called out in surprise, a happy smile on his dirty face. "Have you forged your sword?"
His son's voice rang in his ears, and Tanjuro snapped himself back to the present. He shook his head and smiled back.
"No, I just came back first."
'Father?' Sakonji was stunned and finally put his guard down as he observed Tanjuro in detail.
The man really was similar in appearance to his son, along with the scar on his forehead.
So that's how it is.
Although Sakonji didn't see the sickly man that Tanjiro described, there was no doubt that the two were related.
"...Are you the Kamado patriarch?" Sakonji asked. His eyes finally settled on Tanjuro's own.
Tanjuro smiled as he took off his hand from Kusabimaru's hilt. "Yes, I am. Nice to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my family when I couldn't, Urokodaki-san."
To avoid his family getting killed, Tanjuro had used Tomioka Giyu's name to have Kie and the kids stay at Urokodaki's residence.
So many things have happened since then that he forgot to thank Urokodaki directly.
'Oh, I forgot to apologize to Tomioka-kun too.' Tanjuro suddenly remembered.
Sakonji just nodded. He hasn't been idle either. He had heard rumors and news from the Corps, along with the recent Upper Moon One being repelled.
His gaze went past Tanjuro and saw the Tokito family.
Kaoru was looking around curiously.
While the young Muichiro was staring at Sakonji's face with wonder. He pointed with his finger.
"Brother, look..."
"Strange people are everywhere, you're right!"
Sakonji's ears twitched slightly as his brows furrowed.
As if noticing Sakonji's gaze, Yuichiro quickly covered his brother's mouth with his hand and bowed apologetically to the tengu man.
"They'll be staying at the Butterfly Mansion for the time being." Tanjuro followed Sakonji's gaze and turned his head to explain.
"They're a family that lives near the swordsmith village."
Without hesitation, Tanjiro stepped up to meet the Tokito family.
"Do you need me to help you settle in?" He asked warmly as he took the luggage from Soichiro's hand.
"It must have been tiring walking all the way here."
"Follow me; I know where the vacant rooms are." He turned around and smiled as he signaled the family to follow him.
Soichiro was a little dazed seeing the infamous Kamado smile. Only after being nudged did he notice that the luggage in his hand had been taken over. 'What a capable child.'
Then he hurriedly chased Tanjiro and took the luggage back. "Thank you, I can carry my own things..." He said back warmly.
But Tanjiro refused to let go with righteous indignation.
"Don't worry." He noticed the condition of Soichiro's broken straw sandals and stained mud.
"I'll get your luggage to your room in perfect condition!"
As he spoke, he gave Soichiro a look that said, 'Trust Me!'
Yuichiro and Muichiro looked at each other.
The two of them felt a warm presence in front of Tanjiro—the presence of a big brother.