Yoshiwara, the grand Entertainment District of Edo, was home to countless pleasure houses, but three stood above the rest:
[Kyōgoku House]
[Tokitomi House]
[Ogimoto House]
Of them, the most prestigious was Kyōgoku House, where the renowned courtesan Waranhime—better known to the Demon Slayer Corps as Daki—reigned supreme.
Daki glided through the corridors of Kyōgoku House, her graceful steps echoing faintly. Wherever she passed, servants and attendants froze, their bodies trembling before quickly stepping aside.
Not out of respect—out of fear.
Daki's temper was infamous throughout the district. She despised the old, the ugly, and the clumsy. A single misstep, a glance out of turn, and her foot would slam mercilessly into a person's ribs.
Even the proprietress dared not provoke her.
She ignored the bowing, trembling staff entirely, her beautiful face blank as her thoughts spiraled elsewhere.
"The bait's been set… so why hasn't the Demon Slayer Corps taken it yet? Don't tell me they didn't bite—no… impossible. My instincts never lie. They'll come… they'll come crawling right into my web. And when they do… I'll tear them apart. I'll devour them all!"
Her red lips curved into a cruel smile.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro had gathered Zenitsu, Inosuke, and the others as ordered. Though none of them trained quite as insanely as Tanjiro himself, his determination had rubbed off on them all—each had grown noticeably stronger.
Strong enough that, in any other era, they could have been Hashira. But this was no ordinary era—this was the generation just beneath the might of the Demon Slayer Corps' legendary Warring States predecessors.
Chika led the group toward Uzui Tengen's residence.
The Sound Hashira stood outside, arms folded, waiting as if expecting them.
"You're quicker than I thought," he said, a grin tugging at his lips.
"Of course. Since everyone's here, let's go."
Tengen nodded approvingly, sweeping his gaze over the assembled team—until his eyes landed on Nezuko.
"…?"
The girl stared right back at him, sharp and tense like a cat bristling before a rival predator.
Tengen tilted his head. He couldn't imagine why Chika's little sister looked ready to bite him.
…Eh, not worth worrying about.
"Anyway," he muttered, turning away. "Let's move."
A faint unease tugged at him—the kind of feeling honed through countless missions.
Mission start!
"Follow me," he said simply.
With a powerful thud, Tengen's foot struck the ground, and his figure blurred out of sight.
"So fast!" Tanjiro gasped, eyes wide.
But this wasn't the time to gape. Chika inhaled deeply, calling out to the others, "Let's go!"
In an instant, she too vanished from view, followed closely by Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Nezuko.
They had left at sunset—by the time they arrived, night had fully claimed the city.
And truly, Yoshiwara belonged to the night.
Unlike the bustling daytime city, its beauty bloomed under lantern light. The air was thick with perfume, laughter, and the plucked notes of shamisen drifting through the streets.
Crowds swelled shoulder to shoulder. Lanterns painted the wooden houses in gold and crimson. Geisha and courtesans leaned from balconies, their silks glimmering as they waved coyly to passersby.
A city of desire, illusion, and ruin.
Chika's group rode through it all in two rickshaws.
Zenitsu and Inosuke were speechless.
For Zenitsu, the sight was overwhelming—a paradise of beauty and temptation.
For Inosuke, it was pure chaos.
"So many people! All these people!!" he yelled, halfway rising from the seat.
Before he could leap into the street, Chika's hand flashed.
WHACK!
Her chop struck the boar mask square on top.
Even with the headgear, Inosuke's eyes rolled as he slumped back down, dazed but calm.
"Try to look professional," Chika scolded.
But before she could finish, Zenitsu had already gone red to the ears, body trembling as he fixated on a smiling courtesan waving from a nearby balcony.
His hand gripped the rickshaw rail—ready to jump—
WHACK!
Another chop.
Zenitsu froze mid-motion, eyes glazed, drool hanging from his mouth.
Chika sighed through pursed lips. No matter how much she trained them, some things just didn't change.
Tengen, riding in the rickshaw ahead, chuckled to himself. "Well done," he muttered approvingly.
He turned toward Tanjiro and Nezuko sitting behind him and began to explain.
"Yoshiwara is a place that sleeps by day and blooms at night," he said. "For demons, it's paradise.
Most women here were sold into the trade—poverty, debt, misfortune. They work to survive, to buy their freedom, though few ever do.
Among them, the highest rank is Oiran—the courtesans. Their beauty and charm make them prized even by their masters. A true Oiran wields more influence than her house's owner."
The rickshaws came to a halt before a traveler's inn near the center of the district.
Inside, they rented several rooms—and gathered for the operation briefing.
Their mission: locate Tengen's three missing wives who had gone undercover to gather information on suspected demon activity.
Zenitsu, who had heard about this from Chika beforehand, still looked deeply offended.
Three wives?! Three?!
He sulked in silence while Tengen ignored him completely and continued, his expression turning sharp.
"The plan is simple: infiltrate the three major courtesan houses—Kyōgoku, Tokitomi, and Ogimoto—and gather intel from within."
He scanned the group meaningfully.
Then his gaze began to drift toward Chika.
Before he could say a word, she raised her hand with a polite smile.
"Just to be clear," she said sweetly, "I'm not doing that kind of job."
Tengen arched a brow. Fine, fair enough.
His eyes shifted toward Nezuko—
—and the instant he did, Chika was already there, sliding between them with the same pleasant smile.
"And Nezuko isn't doing it either~."
Tengen: "…"