Ch-14

Daki lowered her head and saw a pure white Persian cat circling around her feet, occasionally looking up at her. The kitten was delicate and cute, and Daki felt an urge to bend down and pick it up. But just as she moved, the cat dashed away. Daki's forehead veins throbbed in irritation, but she quickly dismissed it, focusing back on the upper-class passengers around her.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the cruise ship, the Persian cat found its way to Tom, meowing twice. Tom, who was also a cat, understood the Persian cat's message perfectly. Based on its report and his knowledge from the original story, Tom quickly recognized the woman they were observing as none other than Daki, Upper Rank Six of the Twelve Kizuki. Despite Daki's overconfidence, Tom was impressed by how quickly they had pinpointed a demon's presence.

Tom had already established himself as the "King of Cats" on the ship, gathering small animals to act as his scouts. No one paid attention to the animals, making them ideal spies. As the Persian cat delivered its report, Tom offered it a dried fish as a reward. Yet, the cat ignored the offering and instead started circling around him, occasionally brushing its tail against him. It meowed softly and even nudged him affectionately, its eyes filled with interest.

Tom's eyes widened. "What are you doing? I'm your cat king! I'm not just any cat!" he protested, backing away as the Persian cat continued its advances. Confused, the cat paused and looked at him quizzically, as if not understanding his rejection.

Before the situation could escalate, a wealthy woman dressed in elegant attire appeared, scooping the Persian cat into her arms. "Oh, Rose, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" she cooed, lifting the cat with ease.

Rose, however, was reluctant to leave Tom's side, her gaze fixed on him as she struggled in the woman's arms. "Meow~" she protested, trying to jump out.

The woman, noticing Tom, crouched down and gently patted his head. "And who might this little cutie belong to?"

Tom stiffened under her touch, doing his best to remain inconspicuous. As the rich woman carried Rose away, he sighed. "My charm knows no bounds. Whether it's humans or cats, they're all drawn to me. Being this handsome really is a burden," he mused, his voice filled with faux frustration.

Shaking off the encounter, Tom turned his attention back to the mission. The Persian cat, Rose, was no longer available, so Tom enlisted a calico cat named Jack. Jack was a working cat brought aboard to catch mice, making him the perfect undercover agent to monitor Daki. Unlike Rose, Jack worked purely for dried fish, which made the job much simpler.

As the hours passed and day turned into night, Tom and his feline allies continued their reconnaissance. By the second day of the voyage, they had already gathered significant intelligence. But just as Tom was about to act on it, an alarming piece of news spread across the ship.

A wealthy banker's fiancée had mysteriously disappeared. A waiter reported seeing the woman enter the bathroom the previous night, but she never came out. No one had seen her since.

The news caused panic among the passengers. The Infinity cruise ship had a dark history—just two months earlier, a dozen crew members had gone missing under mysterious circumstances. With another disappearance, many passengers were growing increasingly anxious. The crew launched a full-scale search for the missing woman, scouring the ship for any signs of her or suspicious activity.

Hearing the news, Tanjiro wanted to rush to help with the search, but Tom stopped him. "Master Tom, the woman has likely been captured by a demon! We have to act fast before others are harmed," Tanjiro urged, his voice filled with concern.

"I know you're worried," Tom said calmly. "But there's no need to rush. The woman is still alive for now, just being kept as a 'reserve meal.' Our priority is locating all the demons on this ship. If we act rashly, we could endanger more lives."

Tom then laid out his plan. "Based on the information gathered by our animal friends, there are two confirmed demons aboard. One is hiding on the lowest deck, while the other is on the boat deck. You and Giyu will deal with the one below. It has the ability to make people dream, so be careful. But with your strength, you should have no problem handling it. Tomioka and I will take care of the one on the boat deck."

Tanjiro nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Tom had already gathered enough intelligence to act decisively. Now was the time to strike before the demons made their move.

Meanwhile, in one of the luxurious guest rooms on the boat deck, Daki addressed Enmu, her companion and the Lower Rank One demon. "Are your preparations complete?" she asked coldly, her eyes glinting with impatience.

Enmu grinned, an eerie, intoxicated smile spreading across his face. "I won't disappoint you, Lady Daki. The Demon Slayer Corps members aboard are as good as dead."

Daki, her expression unreadable, looked out the window toward the vast ocean. "See that you don't. It's time to remind them of the power of the Twelve Kizuki."