Kiyokawa Izumi had no intention of staying long at Mount Sagiri.
Because he understood very clearly that this place, too, did not belong to him.
The world was vast, yet there was no place to call home, no place to return to.
On the afternoon two days later,
in a small town,
Kiyokawa Izumi stopped in front of an inn with a hot spring. Lifting the faded, bleached-white door curtain, warm, humid air rushed to meet him, and his whole body relaxed considerably.
With money in his pocket, Kiyokawa Izumi decided to find a place to relax.
After leaving Mount Sagiri, he hadn't received any missions. Perhaps it was because the nearby demons had already been cleaned up by the Former Water Hashira.
Feeling he had grown stronger, he had originally wanted to find a demon to practice on. Unfortunately, there was no such opportunity.
For now, he also had no intention of returning to the Butterfly Mansion.
And so, he wandered aimlessly outside.
"One guest? Welcome!"
The Proprietress, wearing an indigo kimono, greeted him with an enthusiastic smile.
Kiyokawa Izumi's gaze swept over the simple yet tidy hall, faintly catching the scent of food.
"A bowl of udon noodles, please."
Having decided to eat first before soaking in the hot spring, Kiyokawa Izumi had just sat down when a pitch-black crow flapped its wings and flew into the shop.
Before the Proprietress could shoo it away, the highly intelligent crow grabbed Kiyokawa Izumi's sleeve with its beak and tugged, trying to pull him outside.
Naturally, the little creature's strength wasn't enough to move Kiyokawa Izumi.
"Sir?"
The Proprietress looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Can't whatever it is wait a bit longer?"
Kiyokawa Izumi wore a helpless expression. Having already sat down, he naturally didn't want to leave—but this little creature was terribly stubborn, gripping his sleeve tightly and refusing to let go.
Afraid it would ruin his clothes, Kiyokawa Izumi sighed helplessly and could only get up.
"Is this enough money? I'll come back to eat later!"
Kiyokawa Izumi grabbed a handful of coins, placed them on the table without asking if it was enough, and hurriedly left... Arriving at a secluded corner, the Kasugai Crow flew to his shoulder, and only then did it speak.
"Southeast southeast! Go quickly, go quickly!"
"Couldn't you have waited until after I ate and soaked in the bath?"
Kiyokawa Izumi was somewhat exasperated.
But the little creature was truly stubborn, just tilting its head and staring at him.
"Alright, alright, alright, I'm going now!"
Kiyokawa Izumi wasn't really averse to this mission either.
Having grown slightly stronger, he was still planning to hunt down some minor demons to practice on... The sky suddenly darkened. A young man and woman in kimonos walked along a country path. The girl carried a dim, swaying paper lantern, her laughter crisp and clear.
"Aren't you going home this late?"
An emotionless voice sounded from behind them. The two were startled, nearly dropping the lantern they were holding.
Kiyokawa Izumi, wearing the Demon Slayer Corps uniform, spoke in a detached tone.
Young people just didn't know their limits.
Hadn't the elders at home ever told them stories about demons?
Daring to stroll on a country path late at night, and without even carrying something like a wisteria flower sachet.
"Who are you? What's it to you?"
The young man instinctively shielded the girl behind him. He seemed to have caught a glimpse of the nichirin blade at Kiyokawa Izumi's waist, his eyes unavoidably turning wary.
"Please step aside!"
Kiyokawa Izumi offered no explanation, merely slowly drawing the nichirin blade from his waist.
The startled young couple instinctively stepped back.
Unexpectedly, Kiyokawa Izumi paid them no mind at all.
He walked past them as if they weren't there and calmly swung the nichirin blade in his hand.
A scream followed. The girl tightly hugged her head, curling into a ball.
"This is a demon. You probably heard similar stories when you were little, right? Man-eating demons that only appear at night.
So, don't go out at night!
Even if you absolutely must go out, bring some wisteria flowers. Demons dislike the smell of wisteria!"
Kiyokawa Izumi sheathed his blade. He didn't even glance at the demon's head that had fallen to the ground, just casually addressed the young man and woman beside him.
"Now, go home along this path!"
Mission complete. Job done!
With an expectant mood, just as Kiyokawa Izumi was preparing to leave, he suddenly heard the sound of a Kasugai Crow cawing overhead.
Are you kidding me?
Don't tell me it's another mission!
I want to eat noodles! I want to soak in the hot spring!
Ignoring the terrified young couple, Kiyokawa Izumi, who was just about to leave, suddenly had his expression change slightly.
He turned his head, looked at the Kasugai Crow standing on his shoulder, his lips moving as he couldn't help but say,
"That wasn't you cawing in the sky just now?"
A figure was hurriedly running from the distance. He wore the same uniform as Kiyokawa Izumi, clearly also a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"?"
Were multiple Team Members dispatched for the same mission?
What's going on?
Kiyokawa Izumi felt something was off—was this mission so difficult that it required multiple Team Members?
That demon couldn't even withstand a single blow from him; it wasn't strong!
The Demon Slayer Corps member, panting heavily, stopped in front of Kiyokawa Izumi.
"Tanaka Kentaro, Kanoe-ranked Swordsman. Was there a demon here just now?"
The newcomer was a thick-set, honest-looking man with a broad, square face. He was a head taller than Kiyokawa Izumi, with an extremely burly build that stretched the Demon Slayer Corps uniform tight.
This man could also be considered Kiyokawa Izumi's Senior, two ranks above him.
But a certain someone had no concept of 'Senior' in his eyes.
"Kiyokawa Izumi. The demon was just killed by me. Is there anything else?"
"You've already dealt with it?" The honest swordsman was slightly taken aback and instinctively asked, "What about the child?"
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140 energy stones-extra chapter