Chapter 31 Chapter 31 "...It hurts..."

A chilling wind and cold rain.

Opportunities to fight Upper Moons are few and far between, and each time, regardless of victory or defeat, many members of the Demon Slayer Corps are sacrificed. Now, everyone has only suffered minor injuries and killed Upper Moon Six, which can be considered a great thing in a sense.

However, there was no obvious joy on the faces of those present; instead, the atmosphere grew increasingly solemn.

Giyu Tomioka saw clearly the words carved in the demon's eye, and it was precisely because he saw them so clearly that he became even more acutely aware of his own powerlessness.

Upper Moon One, Kokushibo, joined the Demon Slayer Corps during the Sengoku period but later defected and became a demon. He has been missing ever since, and some even suspect that he was killed by his younger brother, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a hundred years ago.

Now, he has suddenly appeared in Yoshiwara, and his only purpose is to take Aori away. As if he had some concerns, Kokushibo did not even stay in Yoshiwara.

In a match between masters, the winner can often be decided within a few moves. Giyu Tomioka does not consider himself a master, but Upper Moon One Kokushibo is clearly much stronger than any opponent he has ever faced before.

There's simply no comparison.

The girl, who was being held captive by Upper Moon One, was pleading for his help. Her petite and frail body was trembling, and she was struggling with her hands and feet, but she was easily subdued.

She was left with only her wide-open eyes staring at him in fear, a look of deep-seated... dependence, as if she firmly believed that no matter what difficulties she encountered, Giyu Tomioka could help her solve them...

Next, he swung his sword to defend himself.

The sound of metal clashing was very crisp. My body shifted its position in the air to absorb some of the impact, preventing me from flying far away like a kite with a broken string.

Giyu Tomioka's Nichirin Blade hadn't broken in a long time. The craftsman who forged it was highly skilled. This blade, which had been with him for many years without much damage, emitted a faint sound of strain from within the moment of clash.

A sharp pain, as if his right arm were broken, shot through him. His hand, gripping the hilt of the knife, trembled uncontrollably. Yoshiyuki Tomioka tightened his grip, his face expressionless.

He charged forward with all his might, while Upper Moon remained stationary, still able to launch such a powerful counterattack. If this continued, the outcome would be self-evident.

Besides, Aori is still in his hands, and Giyu Tomioka doesn't want her to suffer even the slightest harm.

The scene of the terrifying demon and the weak and pitiful Aori together was truly painful for Giyu Tomioka to see.

Fortunately, what he needs to do now is stall for time, as Sabito and Uzui Tengen will be arriving soon.

No matter how hard he tried, Upper Moon One couldn't just sit idly by and wait for people to surround him. Giyu Tomioka grabbed his sword and rushed forward, blocking the demon's escape route at the perfect angle.

The moment he took his first step, tiny, crescent-shaped blades swept in from all directions, each one carrying the power to sever bones, making it impossible to defend against.

Giyu Tomioka had to retreat again, barely dodging several fatal cuts, ignoring the stinging pain from his flesh being torn open all over his body.

—No, the ghost just wanted to distance itself from him!

Upon realizing this fact, Giyu Tomioka's pupils contracted, and a clear sense of urgency appeared in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and charged forward once again.

With a sharp clang, the blade snapped completely in two, and the oncoming attack once again forcefully pushed back the approaching figure.

In the darkness, across the collapsing building, Giyu Tomioka seemed to meet Ori's gaze. The girl seemed to sense something, and she frowned and shook her head slightly.

It seems to be saying... just ignore her.

That last look was like a sharp sword piercing deep into Giyu Tomioka's chest, as if a huge hole had been torn open, letting in gusts of cold wind.

********

For ordinary people, it was like the end of the world. The people of Yoshiwara who saw the ghost were questioning their existence, while those who didn't think that an earthquake had really occurred.

Unlike the noisy surroundings, the black-haired swordsman was surrounded by a dark aura, like a volcano that had been suppressed for a long time, as if it would suddenly erupt at any moment.

Anyone could see how tense he was.

—Aori was taken away by Upper Moon One. That's absolutely terrible news.

It's too late to chase after them.

Upper Moon One left so quickly that the continuing rain cleverly dispersed his scent, and with his deliberate concealment, even Tanjiro Kamado, with his extremely keen sense of smell, couldn't determine the direction he went.

Everything points to an unbearable outcome.

"Mr. Tomioka, it's all my fault..."

Tanjiro Kamado looked grim, his tone tinged with guilt. He felt he bore an undeniable responsibility; if he hadn't been too weak to rescue Ori immediately, the current situation wouldn't have arisen.

Unlike his companions who were unaware of the truth, Tanjiro Kamado was overwhelmed by guilt.

The Pillars present were not seriously injured, but the three boys who were not Pillars all had deep wounds, and blood was still gushing out, filling the air with the smell of blood.

Before Giyu Tomioka could speak, Sabito patted Tanjiro Kamado on the shoulder, suppressing his own anxiety. "Tanjiro, this has nothing to do with you."

Sabito took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and broke the silence with his voice, "Calm down, Giyu!"

Since he was the only one present who faced Upper Moon One, he was undoubtedly the most affected. Therefore, Sabito could understand Giyu Tomioka's feelings. He turned to face everyone and briefly relayed the information.

"…………"

“I see.” While stopping the bleeding on the boy’s arm, Uzui Tengen listened to Sabito recount the orders given to them by their lord. He pondered for a moment, then looked around at everyone. “...We must prepare for the worst.”

The worst that could happen is finding A-Zhi's body, or... even finding the body would be a luxury.

Yes, the Demon Slayer Corps members must maintain this kind of clear-headed, almost ruthless thinking, not because they are cold-blooded, but because only in this way can they avoid more casualties.

However, upon closer examination, the whole matter is actually full of doubts.

Onibutsuji Muzan appeared in Yoshiwara.

The ribbon, which was originally one with the demon, did not return to her body to strengthen itself when Upper Moon Six began to lose ground. Instead, it chose to continue guarding A-Zhi, with no other intention than to have another purpose.

The Ribbon Demon was waiting for Upper Moon One, who had kidnapped Aori, whom he had never met before, for reasons unknown. This brings to mind the earlier mention that "Aori's ancestors may have known Yoriichi Tsugikuni and knew the secret to destroying demons."

If A-Zhi is truly that person's descendant, then Upper Moon One might actually know her. But if A-Zhi only knows the "secret to destroying demons," then Ribbon Demon has a very high chance of killing her directly.

After all, Tanjiro Kamado didn't discover Ori's predicament immediately, giving Ribbon Demon many opportunities to strike. In that case, it wouldn't have been as simple as just kidnapping her now.

Therefore, besides the "secret to eliminating the demon," A-Zhi must be hiding other secrets about the demon's plot, thus connecting the entire storyline.

The broken blade still reflected a cold light. His anger-filled mind regained some clarity, and Giyu Tomioka exchanged a glance with his reflection. After a moment, the sword was sheathed again.

His brows were furrowed, his black hair was disheveled, and the muscles all over his body were so tense that they ached. "We need to report the situation to our lord as soon as possible."

Azhi must be terrified right now...

********

Ah Zhi is sick.

Ultimately, she has been carefully nurtured all these years and has never experienced any major upheavals. It would be a miracle if she didn't get sick after being caught in the rain and frightened.

The rain continued to fall, pattering against everything outside the house, while the interior was isolated into a slightly quieter space.

Kokushibo sat upright. After learning that Aori did not have that memory, he became less aggressive and regained his dignified and reserved demeanor.

Not wanting their relationship to become too tense, Kokushibo stopped pressing them and instead closed his eyes to rest at a distance. By the time he realized something was wrong, Aori was already burning up with fever.

The girl leaned against the wall, her forehead damp with sweat, her porcelain-like cheeks flushed an unnatural red, one hand loosely gripping her haori, the other hanging limply at her sides.

Her eyes drooped listlessly, her wet eyelashes clung together, and even in her drowsy state, they trembled restlessly. Her lips, made even more crimson by her pale face, resembled those of a weak, alluring ghost.

—The fragility of life is vividly demonstrated in Azhi's case. A high fever could take her life. At this moment, she is like a flower about to wither.

Kokushibo's gaze deepened. He pulled the sweating Aori into his arms with one hand, his palm touching her forehead, the burning heat of which was even more pronounced in comparison.

"Ugh..." Perhaps sensing danger, Aori's body began to tremble. She curled up in Kokushibo's arms, her voice weak and filled with grievance, "...I feel uncomfortable..."

Her eyes, which had been soaked in tears for a long time, had obvious dark circles under them, which were even more obvious against her fair skin. She glanced at him with half-open eyes, her breathing shallow and deep, as if she was about to stop breathing.

If left unchecked, fragile and insignificant humans will likely face only death.

"…………"

There were still clean clothes in the wardrobe. Kokushibo took out another piece of clothing and laid it flat on the floor, placing Aori on it. Water was plentiful here, so he took out a towel, soaked it, and stuck it on her forehead.

Kokushibo stared silently at Aori's face. The girl's face was turned to the side, her eyes were slightly red, and her once full and moist lips were dry and pale.

Her slender figure huddled under her coat, leaving only slight undulations. She faced the wall, her delicate shoulder blades as thin as butterfly wings rising and falling weakly, and she let out a few indistinct sobs.

Throughout the ordeal, Azhi remained in a dazed and confused state. In the end, she seemed to lack even the strength to lift her eyelids and closed her eyes tightly.

Physical cooling methods didn't seem to be working. Kokushibo pressed his hand against Aori's burning cheek again, then re-wetted the towel and placed it on her forehead. This time, she only slightly moved her eyelashes.

Even though his soul was parched and his whole body felt like it was being roasted over a fire, Kokushibo was certain that he didn't want Orihime, who had reappeared before him, to disappear.

It rained all night, the sky was dark and gray, and the wind was blowing. It seemed that even when it got light, the sun wouldn't come out.

Kokushibo closed the door and turned to walk into the deep night.

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Author's Note: Currently trying to climb the rankings _(:з」∠)_ Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 23:00:00 on 2023-05-02 and 20:38:10!

Thanks to the little angel who threw the landmine: Chelsea (1).

Thank you to the little angels who watered with nutrient solution: a few lychees, 10 bottles (no comment); 49088585, 6 bottles;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!