"What is this?"
Haruto was busy adjusting the position of the snacks Amane had prepared for him, placing them into his backpack, when Kagaya Ubuyashiki caught sight of a handgun wrapped in flannel that had tumbled out from the bottom.
He held it in his hand, examining it for a while; the pistol's sleek, streamlined curves made him fall into contemplation.
"The bullets are specially designed to be infused with Wisteria poison," Haruto said, taking the Browning, ejecting the magazine, and showing him the custom bullets. "The warhead will explode after embedding itself in a demon's body, then inject 0.5 ML of Wisteria poison. Although it's not a large amount, the combined total from an entire magazine is certainly not small. And..."
He weighed the gun in his hand. "It's not heavy, so even someone with little strength can pull the trigger. Master, times have changed. This thing is really effective."
"Is it a gift for me? Because my body is frail?" Kagaya took the gun and gestured with it; it truly felt very comfortable in his hand.
"..." Haruto looked at him without speaking.
"..." Kagaya looked at him without speaking either.
"I can give you another one..."
"Alright, stop talking." Kagaya put the Browning back in his hand. "Go on, go on. Aren't you leaving yet?"
"I actually..."
"Hurry up and go! If you don't leave now, give me back the snacks; I'll eat them myself."
Haruto slung the backpack onto his back and replied loudly, "I'm leaving now! Master, please take good care of yourself!"
Kagaya lowered his gaze, watching his retreating figure, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
Times have changed. Should he also make some new adjustments to the Demon Slayer Corps' offense and defense against demons?
Outside, Kanae was comforting Sanemi, who was so frustrated he was angry at himself.
Haruto's smile grew wider and wider, Sabito was also smiling, and Giyuu was still in a daze.
Oh, these lovely people of the Demon Slayer Corps... how wonderful it would be if they could live long and happily.
The Browning was still given to Kochou Shinobu. Haruto told her to practice her aim with regular bullets, just like Sanemi.
"Practicing at the Butterfly Mansion is too loud. Perhaps I'll have to wait a while, until my sister returns, before I find another place to practice."
"Returns?" Haruto raised an eyebrow. Sanemi shifted his gaze from the ohagi, only Giyuu was still smiling at his exclusive bowl of salmon daikon.
Okay, good. Now everyone from Mt. Sagiri can smile.
"Yes, there seems to be a demon hiding in Santama, Tokyo Prefecture, possibly related to a religion. Several swordsmen who went to investigate have disappeared."
Kanae nodded, placed a bowl of fish soup in front of Sanemi, and smiled gently at Haruto: "It's alright, I'll be very careful."
"Hmm, caution is always best."
For a Pillar-level Swordsman to be dispatched, it was likely that this demon definitely existed and its danger level was not low.
Shinazugawa, on the side, lost interest in his ohagi after hearing Kanae's words.
After lunch, Haruto rushed back to Mt. Sagiri. He still had to patrol his jurisdiction that night.
By the time he finished his patrol, it was already bright. He pushed open the door to his room; two of the three neatly laid futons had been put away, leaving only his own futon lying lonely in the middle.
Sabito and Giyuu had each been assigned their own jurisdictions. While they wouldn't move away from Mt. Sagiri entirely, the time they spent there would become less and less.
"Ah, busy, everyone's busy. Being busy is good, though..."
He shook his head, placed his nichirin blade on the rack, and was about to doze off in his futon when scrolling bullet comments suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[K-A-N-A-E—]
He suddenly opened his eyes.
[Hashira of Food is sleeping, Wind Pillar is roaring, Stone Pillar is crying, the two Water Pillars are on patrol. Everyone is doing ordinary things, only Kanae walks alone towards death.]
[Don't go, Sister Kochou! That's Douma!]
[I can't watch anymore! Crocodile tears are cheap, but are the Crocodile's family's swords also cheap?]
[Sister, I still prefer Shinobu's smile... After Sister died, Shinobu rarely smiled anymore...]
[Shinobu is going crazy, Sanemi is going crazy, I'm going crazy too...]
Haruto sat up, wrapped himself in his haori, grabbed his sword, and kicked open the wooden door.
Douma? He knew that name.
Upper Moon Two, Douma, the one who turned Keita and Mihoko into a Ushi-oni and a Nure-onna!
Was Kanae's target for this mission him?
Would Kanae die by his hand?
A Lower Moon could make people so miserable; encountering a high-ranking Upper Moon, would there not even be a chance to escape?
What if he joined her? Two Pillars, would they have a chance to fight?
Over the years, the Demon Slayer Corps had gathered too little information about the Twelve Kizuki. Let alone crucial information like their Blood Demon Arts, they didn't even know the individual names of the Twelve Kizuki, let alone compare their combat strengths.
Haruto's heart pounded, but his steps dared not falter for a moment. Rushing from Mt. Sagiri to Santama, Tokyo, would take a lot of time, so he had to quicken his pace.
Changing things that haven't happened yet... it must be possible!
...After inquiring with the surrounding Kakushi about the specific area where the demon appeared, Kanae walked towards the nearby village.
"All the deceased were followers of the Eternal Paradise Faith. It seems the problem lies with this strange religion," Kanae exhaled softly. Looking at the dark sky, she felt a constant unease in her heart, a bad premonition.
Eternal Paradise... just by the name, it didn't sound like a legitimate sect.
Moreover, to entrust an eternal paradise to faith in an unknown deity was far too false.
Her footsteps fell on the packed earth of the village. In the night sky... there seemed to be the scent of blood.
Muffled sobs drifted into her ears with the breeze. Kanae's heart tightened, and she quickened her pace, rushing towards the source of the sound.
"Lord Cult Leader... please forgive me... please spare me..."
"Oh my, why are you crying so much? Let me send you to paradise—wasn't that your prayer? I'm merely fulfilling your wish~"
Inside the messy room, a beautiful young girl with a delicate face lay prostrate on the ground, tears and snot streaming down her face. Her limbs were weak from fear, making her unable to crawl out to seek help.
No... even if she crawled out, no one would come to save her.
The minds of everyone in the entire village were controlled by this monster called the "Eternal Paradise Faith"!
Even pleas and cries would be seen by others as being unworthy of enjoying the advent of paradise, and they would be exiled to hell.
And that cult leader, worshipped as a divine incarnation by countless followers, this handsome and ethereal man who often wore a carefree smile... he was the true demon who had crawled out of hell!
She was just a poor wretch whose mind was clouded by beauty and faith; her sin did not warrant death.
The girl desperately reached out her hand towards the door.
Please save me... who can save me... In the center of the room, a man wearing a Western-style kimono and a triangular hat, as handsome as a deity, stood there with a gentle and warm smile.
He had rainbow-colored irises and soft, white-oak hair. The curve of his lips seemed meticulously designed.
"Oh my, don't run so far Since you're unwilling... then I'll just have to come over"
He slightly raised his head. Illuminated by the candlelight in the room, his beautiful rainbow eyes were carved with the characters "Upper Moon" and "Two" respectively.
Upper Moon Two, Douma.