Akaza gazed at the brightly lit district of Yoshiwara, feeling nothing but boredom.
To him, this was the most prosperous place he had encountered in a long time, yet it was utterly devoid of strong warriors. If it weren't for the search for the Blue Spider Lily, he wouldn't have bothered to stay for even a moment. But following the Master's orders—rumors of the flower having surfaced here recently—he was forced to linger.
Akaza was dissatisfied. A few days ago, he had killed a Rank B member of the Demon Slayer Corps, but an opponent of that level was no different from the "trash" found on the roadside. It hadn't even served as a proper warm-up.
Normally, Akaza wouldn't bother with a killing intent toward an enemy so far beneath his own strength. However, that particular slayer, despite being terrified to the point of nearly fainting, had still managed to swing his sword and execute a technique. From that moment on, Akaza had acknowledged the weakling as an opponent. He would not insult a warrior by holding back; to do so would go against his code.
In the blink of an eye, he leaped down from the tree branch. He was currently wrapped in a long, hooded cloak that shrouded his entire body. Even during the day, this garment possessed a slight ability to ward off the sun—not a perfect solution, but enough for emergencies.
He was currently on the outskirts of Yoshiwara, where candlelight rarely reached at night. As Akaza walked through a narrow alley, his ears twitched.
About forty or fifty meters away, two men were eyeing a wooden shack with murderous glints in their eyes. They watched the woman and child inside, their voices trembling with a mix of fear and greed.
"Boss, that drug of yours really works. Once it kicks in a bit more, we'll head in. We'll stab the man first, then sell the woman and the kid to the brothels. But before that... can I have a go with the woman first...?"
The man didn't finish his sentence, but the lewdness in his tone laid his intentions bare.
The other man didn't object, simply nodding coldly. "It's your turn this time. After we kill the man, you go have your fun while I ransack their food and valuables. If there's time left, I'll take a turn too..."
The man's words ended abruptly. He felt his vision suddenly begin to spin, only to see a very familiar, headless corpse reflected in his sight. He recognized it immediately—it was his own body.
Seeing his companion stop mid-sentence, the other man felt a surge of confusion. He instinctively turned his head, only to feel a spray of warm liquid across his face. Before he could react, his throat was gripped by Akaza.
The man couldn't even squeeze out a plea for mercy before Akaza tore his throat out. He threw the body to the ground and crushed the man's head underfoot like a ripe watermelon.
Feeling the sticky sensation beneath his sole, a look of disgust crossed Akaza's face. He shook his foot to fling off the foul residue, then walked away without looking back, whispering into the moonlight.
"Disgusting wretches. Using such filthy, underhanded methods."
Even Akaza didn't know why he felt such a visceral hatred for these low-life tactics.
Before leaving, he glanced at some clothes hanging out to dry by the wooden shack. They were washed clean and seemed to carry a faint floral scent—perhaps the inhabitants had used wildflowers to scent them.
Seeing this, a wave of sadness washed over Akaza's heart, though he couldn't say where it came from. It was as if... as if he had smelled a similar fragrance before, or seen a similar scene in the past.
But he could remember nothing. He continued to walk aimlessly toward the outskirts, his expression dazed, moving like a living corpse.
A thousand lights flickered under the moon, but not a single one was lit for him.
Meanwhile, in Mei's home, Izumi Kiyowa was grimacing in pain as Rengoku Mujuro applied medicine to his wounds.
"Young man! Don't move! Otherwise, this medicine will be wasted!"
"Mr. Rengoku! What kind of medicine is this?! Why does it feel like you're rubbing salt into the wound?!"
"It's a special gold-sore ointment developed within the Demon Slayer Corps! Not only does it heal wounds rapidly, but it also strengthens your physical foundation, allowing your latent potential to be developed further! It hurts, but it is well worth it!
"Also," Mujuro continued, "since you killed a demon earlier, your body is inevitably tainted with its scent. For the time being, I'll be staying across the street. I won't be far, just in case other demons decide to attack. Once everything here is settled, I am confident you will choose to join us!"
Kiyowa didn't reply immediately because Mujuro had just dumped a fresh pile of yellowish-brown powder onto the gashes on his back.
Mei watched Kiyowa as he writhed in pain. While she felt a pang of sympathy, she couldn't help but find it a little funny. So, even the formidable Kiyowa had a side like this?
While he didn't look as majestic as he did during the fight, this version of him felt more "real." To Mei, the previous Kiyowa had seemed almost too good to be true, like someone who only appeared in dreams. But this version made her feel a sudden, quiet desire to hold onto him.
She instinctively reached out, wanting to take his hand, but snapped back to reality just in time. Seeing her fingers nearly touching his skin, her face flushed red. She lowered her head and stole a few quick glances at him, her eyes darting away like a dragonfly skimming the water's surface.
The medicine was soon applied. Mujuro laughed and slapped Kiyowa's shoulder, then warned them once more not to go out at night. Despite their attempts to have him stay, he headed straight for the door, leaving them with one final remark:
"Yoshiwara is not yet at peace. New demons may have arrived. If I rest for even a moment longer, another person might fall victim to them. You two just focus on resting."
Watching his retreating back, Kiyowa felt a surge of emotion. In this world, there really are people who put the greater good above their own interests...
Once Mei had locked the door and barred the window with a long wooden plank, Kiyowa spoke to her softly.
"Mei... there's something I want to discuss with you. It's about how we're going to make a living from now on. Come over here and sit..."
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(83 Chapter- Ongoing)
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