"A demon has been spotted to the west. Based on initial assessments, it is likely one of the Twelve Kizuki. I am currently en route to Yoshiwara. I cannot yet determine the speed of the creature, so please proceed with caution. Do not act on your own until I arrive."
This was the message brought to Rengoku Wajuro by the Roaring Hashira, Minami Nami. Looking at the crow perched upon him, Wajuro nodded slightly. He reached into his robe and produced a few small pieces of dried fish he had prepared earlier, offering them to the bird.
"Thank you for your hard work. Give my regards to Lady Minami. I will keep a close eye on the situation here. Be careful on your return journey; those demons harbor a deep hatred for Kasugai Crows."
"Thank you for the warning, Lord Rengoku. Please be extremely careful in your coming actions as well. So many Hashira have been sacrificed lately, and the Master's health continues to decline. I simply feel... I feel the Corps needs someone like you now more than ever..."
Minami Nami's crow was named Chochomaru. Her voice always carried a trace of sorrow, echoing the desolate chill of the night.
Wajuro gently stroked Chochomaru's head, his tone soft and reassuring. "No matter how dark the night, the dawn will always come. The Demon Slayer Corps will not perish. New members are growing stronger every day. Have faith in them!"
Hearing his words, Chochomaru's eyes welled with tears. She gave a polite bow and took flight, her wings beating against the air.
Once the crow had vanished, Wajuro looked down the silent street. The night breeze remained warm. Without a moment's hesitation, he stepped directly into the deepest shadows. Death was never something to look forward to, but dying for a cause was something that always inspired hope and resolve.
On the other side of Yoshiwara, Akaza stood in a remote, secluded courtyard. At his feet lay a bundle of bedding that he had accidentally knocked to the ground.
The pristine white futon was now stained with a bit of dust.
Looking at the bedding, Akaza felt a strange, inexplicable sense of guilt. He bent down, hung the futon back up, and began to pat away the dust. His movements were fluid—even his technique for shaking out the fabric was oddly professional.
Upon completing the task, an indescribable sense of fulfillment and satisfaction washed over him. A fleeting image of a woman's gentle smile flickered through his mind.
But the vision lasted less than a second before vanishing. Akaza couldn't even grasp the features of the woman's face before he forgot her existence entirely.
He disliked this feeling. With a slight spring in his step, he leaped into the air, landing as light as a bird upon a tree branch.
A slimy, viscous voice drifted toward him, carrying a heavy stench of fish.
"Oh my, oh my If it isn't Lord Akaza? It's been quite a while The last time we met was fifty years ago, wasn't it? You look just as healthy and powerful as ever~"
Akaza did not like Gyokko. He detested anyone who relied on cowardly tricks. Gyokko lived to provoke others, using bizarre techniques to whittle away an opponent's fighting spirit. Akaza loathed that style of combat.
Standing on the branch, Akaza remained as steady as a rock; not a single leaf stirred beneath his weight. He didn't even grant Gyokko a direct look. His golden eyes held no warmth, only pure disgust.
"Gyokko."
Akaza's voice was icy, laced with blatant loathing. "I don't care for your greasy tone. If I remember correctly, Lord Muzan didn't order you to come here. What do you intend to do by trespassing into my mission territory?"
Gyokko was unbothered by Akaza's hostility. To someone like Gyokko, who viewed anyone lacking an appreciation for "art" as a mere philistine, Akaza was just another brute. In Gyokko's eyes, besides Lord Muzan and himself, everyone else was a fool devoid of a single artistic bone in their body.
Consequently, Gyokko merely let out a series of gurgling, distorted laughs, sounding like someone drowning.
"Hee hee hee Lord Akaza is as strict as ever. However, I've come with important news News regarding a 'Hashira'."
At this, Akaza's eyes shifted slightly. Still, he did not speak, waiting for Gyokko to continue. His interest in a Hashira far outweighed his interest in Gyokko himself. Although the Hashira of recent years had been mediocre, they still provided a bit of entertainment for his long, immortal life—enough to be called "opponents."
"Just tonight, I saw it through one of my pots!"
Gyokko gestured with his distorted, fin-like hands. "Silvery-white hair, a cold gaze... if I'm not mistaken, that should be the Roaring Hashira. Judging by her speed, she is likely still on her way to Yoshiwara and should arrive in two days. If you are interested, Lord Akaza, I think we could hunt her together. As for my fee for sharing this information, I want her head and limbs. My recent creations have hit a bit of a bottleneck..."
Akaza cut him off brutally. "I accept the intelligence, but consider it the price for your unauthorized entry into my territory. I will handle the Roaring Hashira alone. Once she is defeated, you can do whatever you like with what's left. I won't interfere."
Gyokko's grin widened even further. "Is that so? How wonderful. But please, Lord Akaza, try to be careful when you strike. I wouldn't want to receive nothing but a pile of... Oh, I forgot. You don't kill women or children, Lord Akaza. That means I should receive some excellent live material."
Akaza remained silent, ignoring Gyokko.
Regarding his refusal to kill women and children, he had his own logical explanation: women might give birth to the strong, and children might grow into the strong. Yet... for some reason, Akaza always felt the reason he spared women went deeper than that.
He shook the thought away. The Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps were powerful, and most were opponents worthy of a fight.
"Lord Muzan dislikes it when we cluster together. Since you've intruded on my mission, you will be the one to explain it to him later. Furthermore, we shall not act in concert from here on out; that would only displease him further. Tell me the approximate location of the Roaring Hashira, and I will lie in wait. As for the remaining demon slayers within Yoshiwara... you can have them."
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(89 Chapter- Ongoing)
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