Chapter 106: Infiltrating the Red-light District (Two in One)

...

Until the moon had climbed to the zenith.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu left the blacksmith village.

In the yard, there was only an empty wooden box left.

After Tsugikuni Michikatsu left.

"What is... that?" Hiding in the room, Kotetsu, who was shrinking, carefully poked his head out and looked in the direction of the yard.

...

After a long time.

In the brightly lit town.

The street lights on the roadside lit up, spreading warm light all around, and on both sides of the street were Western-style stone buildings.

Clang, clang.

"It's near here..."

Tsugikuni Michikatsu, carrying a puppet wrapped in snake-patterned feather weave on his shoulder, casually looked left and right, walking on the street.

The puppet's joints slightly collided with his walking movements, making a click-click sound.

He didn't care about the astonished gazes of the passers-by.

Sniff.

His nose twitched slightly.

He directly entrusted the Tokito family to the Demon Slayer Corps, not fully trusting them.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu firmly believed that since hundreds of years ago there were people like him in the Demon Slayer Corps who only pursued power and abandoned everything else, there must be such people now.

So, he made a new flute and left it to them.

The flute contains his blood.

"Toot——! Toot——!"

The lit Ford car honked its horn on the street, ran past with a clang, and immediately attracted Tsugikuni Michikatsu's attention.

This place is close to Tokyo, naturally more developed than the mountains.

He remembered that after the last fight with Gohachiro.

The arm that was cut in half by that red sword took a long time to fully repair.

And the arm he dropped seemed to have been intercepted by others and the blood was stored somewhere.

As a demon, especially the former Upper Rank One, Tsugikuni Michikatsu, has the ability to sense the location of his blood.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu was searching, walking along the street for a while.

Plop.

Suddenly, he stopped.

He turned his head, his gaze looked to the other side, at the end of the dark alley.

——That is a wall.

But in his perception.

That is a house.

...

Meanwhile.

In Tamayo's house.

Second floor.

"...What?"

Yushiro, who was holding a tray with a teapot on it, walking steadily, suddenly turned his head towards the direction of the door.

His eyebrows furrowed, his eyes became serious.

After hesitating for a moment,

Yushiro's hands loosened, and the tray in his hands suddenly fell to the ground, and the scalding tea spilled all over the floor.

Plop!

"Tamayo-sama!!" He shouted loudly, striding forward, running towards the stairs:

"It's bad!!"

When he rushed to the entrance of the stairs.

Squeak——!

His foot, wet with water, slipped violently, making a piercing noise, and he suddenly lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Bang!!

"Cough!!" Yushiro looked anxious, unable to get up in time, he hurriedly rolled down the stairs.

Then...

Bang!

He landed heavily on the last step of the stairs.

"A demon has broken through my blindfold technique..." He shook his head, gritted his teeth, instinctively held onto the stair railing, trying to stand up.

But...

A huge shadow had already enveloped him.

Yushiro's body suddenly froze, cold sweat dripped down his forehead, his neck stiffly raised slowly, looking forward.

The cold wind of the night blew on his face—the door of the house had been opened unknowingly.

And standing in front of Yushiro.

It was Tsugikuni Michikatsu, expressionless, carrying a puppet.

Gulp...

Yushiro's pupils shrank sharply, his eyes widened and trembled, his hand gripping the stair railing tightened, he swallowed nervously.

It was that... Upper Rank One.

He must hurry...

— Tamayo-sama...

—Run!

Creak...

The sound of the wooden door being pushed open came from the other side.

Tamayo's puzzled voice came:

"Yushiro, what's wrong?" Her voice was soft, her upper body leaned out of the door:

"I heard a lot of noise..."

She put down the plate in her hand, which contained a turbid white precipitate—that was something she extracted and cultivated from Tanjuro's blood.

In an instant.

Yushiro, Tsugikuni Michikatsu, Tamayo.

The three of them looked at each other.

...

...

Butterfly Mansion.

Night.

Creak...

Tanjuro picked up the kunai embedded in the wooden wall, one by one.

The sword part of the kunai was slightly purple—that was the extract of the Wisteria flower, which has a paralyzing effect on demons.

Plus, the entire Ninja hand is made of the material used to make Nichirin Swords [Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand], which can barely replace the function of Nichirin Swords.

"As compensation for cutting off my gorgeous hair."

"Answer me a few questions, how about it?"

Uzui Tengen gently stroked his hair with his fingers, the gemstone hair ornament reflected the moonlight, he was leaning against the wall, looking at Tanjuro on the side:

"You..."

"You're a Ninja, aren't you?"

Tanjuro squatted on the ground, glanced at him, and then continued to load the kunai into the slot of the Ninja hand:

"I used to be."

He didn't lie.

Seeing this.

—So that's how it is.

—Everything is explained.

Uzui Tengen's gaze rested on Tanjuro's face, which didn't have much expression.

From the first time he saw this guy, that weak appearance.

Probably, it's the same as himself.

He wants to break the concept that has been instilled since childhood, but very confused in his heart, and finally completely fell into decadence.

He understands very well.

After encountering a demon, the idea of wanting to atone for sins arises, and the feeling of cheering up again.

—He also understands.

Uzui Tengen thought about the few times he met, Tanjuro's face was getting better and better.

In his view, this is a sign that Tanjuro has come out of the past.

And.

He hasn't seen this guy's other expressions except for this stiff face.

—Has the cruel training of the Ninja numbed him?

In his mind, Uzui Tengen couldn't help but think of his younger brother.

He once wished so much that his younger brother could understand his thoughts and break the shackles with him, and no longer become such a twisted person.

Unfortunately, his younger brother has completely become a killer without self.

Thinking of this...

Uzui couldn't help but feel a sense of empathy for Tanjuro.

Beside him.

"?"

Tanjuro was loading the kunai, he sensed the gaze of Uzui Tengen next to him, and turned his head with some doubts.

At this moment.

Uzui Tengen's frown deepened, his face was gloomy, and he asked the question he had always wanted to ask.

"Which noble family of Ninja are you from?"

He had thought that the Uzui family was already The last Ninja family that was numb and cruel.

Ninja, this twisted way of life that destroys the common sense of the world, should have disappeared long ago.

In the past, Uzui Tengen had even thought about whether he should take action himself and completely exterminate the Uzui family.

Thinking about it, he also mentioned a few surviving Ninja tribes that he guessed:

"Koga-ryu? Mochizuki family?"

At this time, Tanjuro had all the kunai stuck in the slot, he stood up and walked past Uzui Tengen.

He gave an answer that the other party had never thought of.

"Ashina-ryu."

After saying that, he walked away quickly.

Upon hearing this.

Huh?

"—Ashina-ryu?"

Uzui Tengen stared at Tanjuro walking past him, he repeated the other's words, and the gloomy expression on his face gradually became puzzled.

Not until he watched Tanjuro slowly walk out of his line of sight.

He blinked his eyes, scratched his head in confusion, and his eyes were full of thought:

"...Which school is Ashina-ryu?"

He, who had been trained as the last Ninja since he was a child, had memorized all the other Ninja schools early on.

But—he had never heard of any Ashina-ryu.

Just as he was full of doubts in his heart and was about to catch up and ask in detail.

Plop.

A figure with yellow hair, standing straight, passed Uzui Tengen, and walked from the first floor of the Butterfly Mansion to the courtyard.

It was Agatsuma Zenitsu.

His nose was still hanging a big snot bubble, his eyes were red, and he looked like he had just cried.

However—

Uzui Tengen opened his mouth slightly, surprised to see Agatsuma Zenitsu walking steadily into the courtyard and starting to practice with his wooden sword.

From beginning to end.

Agatsuma Zenitsu, always had his eyes closed.

Whoosh!

Even at this moment, when he was swinging his wooden sword to practice swordsmanship, he looked like he was asleep.

"...What a strange person."

After sighing such a sentence, Uzui Tengen hurriedly chased in the direction where Tanjuro left.

...

...

The next day.

In the courtyard.

The Tokito brothers and a few children from the Kamado family have already mixed together, training against each other.

The progress of both sides is very obvious.

In a short period of time, Yuichiro has been able to easily defeat four or five Hinoe Rank swordsmen at once.

If he trains harder...

Perhaps, he already has the strength of a Hashira at this moment.

Under the eaves.

Tanjuro was sitting, he received a reply from Ubuyashiki.

Although he knew that Daki was hiding in the Yoshiwara flower street.

But specifically where in the Yoshiwara flower street, Tanjuro was not sure.

He need to survey on the spot.

Creak——

He spread out the envelope, and his gaze swept over the content.

At this time.

"Caw!" Gohachiro shouted, attracting the attention of others in the courtyard, he shouted:

"Oyakata-sama has ordered!"

"Tokito Muichiro! Tokito Yuichiro!"

The two people who were called by name wiped the sweat from their heads and looked puzzled at the crow on the roof.

"According to the judgment of the Hashira! Both of you already have the strength to pass the final selection!"

"Thank you both for choosing to join the Demon Slayer Corps!"

"Please go to the second floor of the Butterfly Mansion to receive your uniform!"

"Caw! That's all!"

Upon hearing this.

Bang——

"What?!" Tadaichiro opened the window on the second floor, looked up at the roof, he pointed at himself somewhat frustrated, and wondered:

"What about me?"

"Caw!" Gohachiro looked down at Tadaichiro, just made a "Caw" sound, and didn't say much.

Seeing that the crow didn't heed his meaning, Tadaichiro's expression became more depressed:

"Eh——?"

Tanjuro, sitting on the first floor, withdrew his gaze and continued to look at the envelope in front of him.

In fact.

It's just that Tadaichiro hasn't been training in swordsmanship these days——he's been spending all his time with his wife.

The Hashira naturally didn't have time to observe his strength.

Being promoted to a member as an exception requires the approval of most of the Hashira.

Just as Tanjuro's gaze swept over the words [Choose a Hashira to accompany you nearby] in the letter.

Step.

A robust figure stood in front of Tanjuro, the tall body immediately blocked the sunlight, causing the words on the letter to be immediately shrouded in shadow.

Tanjuro looked up slightly.

"Hmph."

Uzui Tengen laughed proudly, he tilted his head back, the gemstones shone in the sunlight, he looked at Tanjuro with utmost confidence, his mouth curled up:

"How about it, a new mission?"

He lowered his head:

"The gorgeous me currently has no mission."

"Hmm?"

He laughed confidently, hinting at Tanjuro in his words.

——Ubuyashiki, also gave the Hashira who are in the Butterfly Mansion the task of going to the red-light district, they have the right to refuse.

But, they have no reason to refuse.

...

Soon.

Tomioka Giyu, Tanjuro, Uzui Tengen, the three of them, stood at the door of the Butterfly Mansion.

Tomioka Giyu's face still had the red mark from the bandage, very conspicuous.

In the past few days, after crushing the Hand Demon to ashes, he felt much more comfortable in his heart.

There is a feeling of [I finally passed the final selection].

When standing with other Hashira, the uncomfortable feeling is also much less.

At this time.

Uzui Tengen only felt his forehead throb.

——Why is it a mission with Tomioka.

"Hey, you two."

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, he looked at the two people next to him with two hooked gold curved swords on his back.

Creak...

A well character protruded from his forehead, he suddenly stretched out his finger, pointed at the expressionless Tomioka Giyu, and Tanjuro with a frown, and shouted:

"Can you not look so gloomy, like you're mourning!"

Slap!

He suddenly slapped his hand on Tomioka Giyu's face, then rubbed his face, trying to correct his expression into a smile:

"Come on! Smile!"

Upon hearing this.

Tomioka Giyu turned his head to the side, gently broke free from Uzui's hand.

Then.

Creak...

He looked at Uzui and showed a smile that was uglier than crying.

?

Uzui Tengen blinked his eyes, he let go of his hand, immediately decisively retreated two steps, and said mercilessly:

"It's too ugly, a bit disgusting, you better not smile in the future."

!!!

Tomioka Giyu opened his mouth slightly, showing a surprised expression.

This is the first time he has been scolded so directly, except for Obanai and Shinazugawa.

He was depressed and was deeply hit.

On the side of the two.

Tanjuro was slowly waving to his family.

...

...

By the time the few of them arrived at Yoshiwara red-light district, it was already evening.

Yoshiwara red-light district.

Although the sky was already dark, the entire street was brightly lit, and the bustling lights gradually lit up as time passed.

The red-light district, which is close to night, has begun to bloom its own brilliance.

The pedestrians standing in front of the store were crowded.

Step, step.

The three of them changed into loose bathrobes.

But it doesn't affect the fight.

Tanjuro pinched his left arm, the Ninja Hand was still on, and Kusabimaru was just covered by the large bathrobe.

"Upper Rank demon... is it hiding in the red-light district that only wakes up at night."

Uzui Tengen's hair fell down, all the makeup on his face was removed, revealing that extremely handsome face, he was looking left and right, talking to himself:

"That's really suitable."

He had suspected the Flower District before, but after some investigation, he found nothing.

Just as he was thinking about letting his wife sneak into the Flower District for a deep investigation, Tanjuro appeared.

As Uzui Tengen was thinking about how to gather information,

He noticed.

Tanjuro, who was next to him, was staring straight at a certain direction.

"Uzui." Tanjuro stood on the bustling street, he said softly:

"Use the Transparent World to sense that direction."

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