Chapter 23 "It's bad news."...
Recently, some incidents have occurred that are more or less related to A-Zhi, and this name, which was previously known to only a few people, has been exposed to everyone in this way.
Giyu Tomioka and Sabito suddenly realized this.
After their brief visit that day, they left the shop and first went to the landlady who had broken her promise to emphasize a few things before heading off to their next missions.
Giyu Tomioka and Sabito, who finished their mission in no time, went back to report and then bumped into the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, and three young boys who were on their way to Yoshiwara for a mission.
Because this ghost is very good at hiding, it's much easier for Aori at the Tokitoya than for the boys to blindly search for information.
Emotionally, a defenseless girl should be kept away from such things as much as possible, since she can't even protect herself. However, rationally, no one is more suitable than her.
The demon was well hidden and very cautious; at least, Giyu Tomioka and Sabito had never noticed its presence before, despite traveling to and from Yoshiwara so many times.
If this isn't resolved quickly, more people will perish, but with the Sound Pillar Yu Sui Tian Yuan present, nothing should go wrong.
Giyu Tomioka and Sabito suppressed their worries and told Tanjiro Kamado that he could ask Ori from the Tokitoya for information, and that due to the shortage of manpower, it would be impossible to mobilize so many Pillars for such a mission.
Unexpectedly, in such a short time, Giyu Tomioka and Sabito encountered something related to Ori again, and this time she was the main character.
Oori seems to be related to Yoriichi Tsugikuni from the Sengoku period, the founder of Breathing Techniques and the strongest member of the Demon Slayer Corps.
The lord gave this guess, and he ordered Yoshiyuki Tomioka and Sabito to bring Aori back from the Tokitoya.
Aori is a very fragile creature, a fact that Giyu Tomioka and Sabito had long agreed upon.
After receiving Fujikasayama's "final farewell" in person, they didn't have much time to rest. Besides visiting Mr. Urokodaki, the girl's fate also became a problem.
They did try to find her family, but they never heard of any family that had lost a prostitute.
The reason for this search is that when I first met Azhi, her clothes were really exquisite. The style and pattern of her clothes were not something that ordinary families could afford, and the fabric was also the kind that old-fashioned families usually use.
In short, having nowhere else to go, Aori stayed at the Butterfly Mansion and kept a low profile most of the time.
However, she must have lost her memory and was filled with distrust of the unfamiliar world. In addition, the first person she met was Giyu, and out of a chick complex, she subconsciously paid more attention to him.
She always hid very carefully behind the crowd and rarely came forward. She was small in stature and could easily be overlooked if you weren't paying attention.
Sabito's real in-depth conversation with Ori happened by chance. He had just returned from a mission and heard the news that Giyu Tomioka was seriously injured.
According to the acquaintance "Yin", he was unlucky. During his operation, he happened to encounter two ghosts fighting over territory. As a result, the two ghosts, who were fighting fiercely, decided to kill him first.
Even though they were among the strongest members of their cohort, they were actually just the lowest-ranking members of the Demon Slayer Corps, and it would be extremely difficult for them to deal with two demons at the same time.
While Tomioka Giyuu was unlucky, he was also incredibly lucky to receive support from his seniors. After returning to the Butterfly Mansion for a check-up, it was discovered that he had a broken right arm and four broken ribs.
The doctors present were shocked because he was calm despite his serious injuries, acting as if nothing had happened.
When Sabito arrived at the recuperation room, the black-haired swordsman must have just taken his medicine. These kinds of treatments usually contain some pain relievers and sleep aids, and he was fast asleep.
Sarutobi didn't intend to wake him; he just sat in the chair for a while before preparing to leave.
However, just as he stood up, he heard a soft footstep.
It was so subtle, like a kitten tentatively exploring with its paws.
However, what the visitor didn't realize was that even though she had subconsciously tried to keep her movements to a minimum, her footsteps were still very noticeable to someone who had practiced breathing techniques.
In short, to Sabito, who was indoors and unaware of the situation, the commotion made him very suspicious, since no one here would be acting so suspiciously.
He slowly stood up, his gaze sharpening.
The door was suddenly pulled open a little, and after a few seconds, a small head slowly peeked out, like a nimble little rabbit.
But this alertness is only on the surface; inside, this rabbit is a fool.
She was far too oblivious; she didn't even notice there was another person in the room. Sabito didn't bother to hide himself much, simply moving to a less conspicuous spot.
—It's A-Zhi, the little girl he met at Fujikasayama. After he and Giyu went their separate ways to carry out their missions, they didn't see each other face-to-face much anymore.
She's stupid; she has absolutely no inclination to do such sneaky things. Even if she tries to hide it, it's useless; she'll be caught in no time.
The little girl was wearing a pristine white dress, the uniform of the Butterfly Mansion nurses. It seemed she had stayed here to help. Sabito noticed that she was carrying a tray, and on the tray was... what should be carrot salmon.
A faint aroma of food filled the room.
She placed the tray on the coffee table next to the hospital bed and stood silently to the side, her petite body trembling slightly, showing that she was very scared.
Sarutobi hadn't intended to scare her.
Aside from the unseen internal bone injuries, Giyu Tomioka's forehead and limbs were wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, which would be quite frightening for an ordinary person.
He assumed that Azhi was frightened by the terrible scene and wanted to interrupt her gaze, without considering how frightening his sudden appearance was.
“He’s alright…” Sabito hadn’t finished speaking.
Azhi turned around in a panic, exclaimed in surprise, and then quickly covered her mouth as if realizing something.
Looking up at him, she resembled a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, but she wasn't aggressive at all. Instead, she stood there with her mouth slightly open, unsure of what to do, looking bewildered.
After a long while, he sluggishly took a few steps back, his eyes wide open.
Sabito regretted calling out to her because of her flustered appearance, and even wondered if his heavy breathing would disturb the girl in front of him.
His behavior was practically a prank.
For once, Sabito felt embarrassed by his own actions. He subtly blushed and pointed to the door, whispering, "Let's talk outside."
"…………"
After leaving the house, the girl seemed to realize that she was being suspicious. She put her hands behind her back and pouted like a child who had done something wrong: "I didn't do anything bad."
Like a wilted little cabbage.
“I know.” Sabito’s gaze fell on her face, paused briefly, and then pointed to the spot near her ear. “It’s dirty there.”
I didn't see it clearly from a distance, but there was a small patch of black ash on the girl's face. It was applied unintentionally, and her fingerprints were clearly imprinted on it.
Thinking of the radish and salmon on the tray, Sabito immediately understood what was going on.
Azhi touched the spot he pointed to, still confused. Her snow-white fingertips immediately turned black, and she realized that she had walked here from the kitchen with a face covered in cat-like markings.
Her face was burning red as she thanked him while wiping her cheeks.
Sarutoo breathed a sigh of relief, then asked in a puzzled tone, "Why not just give it to him?"
It's just delivering food, there's no need to be so cautious.
Seemingly sensing the goodwill he was conveying, the girl blinked and lowered her guard.
She tilted her head, frowned slightly as if thinking about something, and then said in a cute way, though she herself wasn't quite sure, "Mr. Tomioka... seems to dislike people getting close to him."
She was quite a distance from the hospital bed, not to mention that she carefully closed the door when she left, so it was impossible for them to hear anything.
The rabbit was even more puzzled. "How could this be?"
The little girl paused for a moment, then carefully counted on her fingers, listing them one by one: "Last time Mr. Lin said he… and another time Ms. Ito said…"
She was referring to the people who frequently visited the Butterfly Mansion's "Hidden" guild. It was because of this that Sabito realized that Giyuu had unknowingly offended so many people.
It's not so much that she offended him, but rather that people were afraid to approach her. It's amazing that she was able to find out Yiyong's preferences under these circumstances.
Sakurato's eyes crinkled as he couldn't help but laugh out loud. "He didn't mean that."
From then on, the relationship between the three of them gradually became closer.
Sabito and Giyu Tomioka kept going on missions, and compared to other team members of the same level, their levels rose very quickly. At the same time, they also faced more dangers.
Before A-Zhi left, they would receive meals and amulets prepared by her before going out. When they returned to the Butterfly Mansion to recuperate after being injured, she would watch them take their medicine with teary eyes and then lecture them on how to be careful...
Such days did not last long.
Society is constantly changing, and cannibalistic demons are lurking here. Continuing to isolate themselves from the past would be a huge obstacle to the development of the Demon Slayer Corps.
To solve these kinds of problems, it is necessary to have dedicated personnel to be in charge of intelligence work in various places.
Ori isn't exactly a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, but she stepped up when the Corps needed her. With her pretty face, no one could be more suitable than her.
Yes, it was only at that time that Sabito realized that Ori was very beautiful.
Her delicate skin was so fair it was almost transparent, and her clear, bright eyes were without a trace of impurity, always gazing at you with a subtle, shimmering light.
In our past interactions, he never labeled people based on their appearance, nor did he have any intention of judging others' looks.
Before parting, Sabito saw Aori curl her fingertips and touch her cheek, looking a little embarrassed. "Maybe I'll be more useful there."
…………
The fact that A-Zhi, whose memory is simple and pure, and who is usually weak but has a bit of resilience, might actually hold the biggest clue to eliminating the demon is a very stark contrast.
Without lingering, Giyu Tomioka sent Kasugai away ahead of time so that Aori could prepare to leave. His fingers were loosely clenched and hanging down, and he looked somewhat absent-minded.
Giyu Tomioka voiced his doubts: "Does Ori... really know?"
Strictly speaking, Giyu Tomioka and Sabito didn't know much about Ori's past, since they first met on Mount Fujikasa when she was already a teenager.
She had no idea about her past, as if she had just arrived in this world, and was completely innocent and pure.
So many years have passed, and she doesn't seem to have changed much. She has never recalled her previous memories to fill the gaps of the past ten years.
Sabito glanced at him, then looked up at the night sky, his expression unchanging: "It would be best if Aori knew, but it's alright if she doesn't. Things won't get any worse."
Yes, things can't get any worse. Ultimately, it's just a possibility; nobody knows what will happen next.
The Demon Slayer Corps has been fighting demons for so many years, and it will not stop because of setbacks such as "not being able to solve the secret", nor will it give up the possibility of "solving the secret".
However, in a sense, it's a good thing that Aori can take this opportunity to leave the Tokitoya and stay in a safer place in the future.
********
The journey was winding and tortuous. Suddenly, rain began to fall from the sky, the moonlight dimmed, and dark clouds churned, brewing an even greater storm that was about to break.
Giyu Tomioka and Sabito wore raincoats, which inevitably affected their speed.
Perhaps because he was thinking too much, Sabito had a feeling that something bad was about to happen, and a faint shadow fell over his heart.
"That... is that Uzui's Kasugai crow?"
Yoshiyuki Tomioka looked up at the sky. It was actually very difficult to spot a black crow at night, but this raven was soaked with rain and flying very low, which is how he spotted Uzui Tengen's mark.
As if seeing a savior, the scabbard swooped down into Sabito's arms like a small cannonball, squawking excitedly and revealing the letter hidden on its leg.
A cold wind howled, rustling the leaves and casting ghostly shadows on the trees. The flesh-haired swordsman's face was blurred, and his voice was low as he said, "It's bad news."
"...The demon hiding in Yoshiwara might be an Upper Moon demon, and...Muzan Kibutsuji has appeared in Yoshiwara."
A note from the author:
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The buff is fully stacked, but after thinking about it, I still need to lay the groundwork a bit. I definitely will in the next chapter!!!
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