Disclaimer:

I do not own nor claim all the rights to 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba | Demon Slayer; all rights are reserved to its respective creator, Koyoharu Gotōge. This is purely a work of fiction; names, characters, businesses, events, localities, and occurrences are all extrapolated from the author's writings and imagination or utilized in a fictitious manner. As such, any direct or indirect references to actual entities, dead or alive, or events do not, in any shape or form, resemble the opinions of the author.

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"..." = Dialogue

'...' = Internal monologues

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The gentle gush of a warm breeze engrosses the propinquity with its calming embrace.

The scorching temperatures are working in conjunction with the oppressive humidity in order to contrive the muggiest, most uncomfortable conditions one could possibly encounter in the summer months.

The aroma of a sweet, yet heavy fragrance manifests itself as the remnants of the morning dew.

Beads of sweat are furiously sliding down from the General's forehead. The resulting watery substance soaks the collar of his insulated, wool uniform.

The General has yet to be acclimatized to the unbearable weather of inland Japan, as his duties mostly relegated him to the more moderated conditions of the coastal cities.

But while the General had a difficult time getting accustomed to the new circumstances that now inundated him, his interlocutor seemed to be completely unscathed by the surrounding environment.

General Nobuyoshi Mutō, Special Advisor to the Minister of the Army and Commander of the Eastern District Army, accoutered in a military uniform that—with the emblem of the Imperial Army in full regalia—is furnished with a multitude of medals and other accolades, was engaged in a high-profile meeting.

A meeting with Ubuyashiki Kagaya, the head of the unrecognized Demon Slayer Corps.

"I apologize for this sudden request, General," the phlegmatic demeanor of Kagaya was enough to almost instantaneously lift the tension out of the atmosphere.

"Ah, it is of no concern, Ubuyashiki-dono," General Mutō replied. "After all, communication between your organization and His Majesty's government, even in the absence of formal diplomatic correspondence, is indispensable for a healthy, productive relationship."

The General's hoarse, but authoritative, voice—the consequences of his age and niche—juxtaposed Kagaya's clear, courteous tone.

Such are the byproducts of their respective positions and milieu, as General Mutō's job demands a more magisterial and dominating presence, while Kagaya's legitimacy as leader of the Corps is derived from his ability to garner obedience without intimidation, treat his subordinates with the utmost respect, and deliver orders without coercion.

In other words, the General's military milieu necessitates a more centralized bureaucracy that is dependent on a higher official's ability to carry out orders with force. This means that lower-ranking soldiers are completely subservient to the decisions ascertained by the upper echelon of command.

Meanwhile, Ubuyashiki Kagaya's decentralized chain of command lends more sovereignty and discretion to individual slayers without sacrificing the validity of his supremacy. Thus, his reputation amongst each of the slayers—especially among the Hashiras—is enhanced on a personal level.

Two men with very similar jobs, but very different approaches to its execution.

"Of course," Kagaya politely answered, "it is in our best interests that we maintain this degree of association. His Majesty's government will fend off foreign threats abroad, and we will address the dangers posed by mythical creatures at home."

"Indeed. Now, might I inquire as to why you have requested this conference?" General Mutō asks.

"There is a particular question regarding the contemporary state of our interrelation in these peculiar times that I would prefer to satisfy," Kagaya answers with innuendo.

"If I may, are you referring to the outbreak of war between His Majesty's government and the Central Powers?" General Mutō queries.

"That you are correct, General. I have a few reservations pertinent to the subject that I hope you can answer," Kagaya confirms.

"Of course, Ubuyashiki-dono, I will do my best in that department."

"Thank you. Now, regarding the war, I am au courant with the news that Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu intends to pass a new conscription law—one that aims to increase monthly draft calls by upwards of fifty percent," Kagaya explains.

"Ah, no need to be worried there, Ubuyashiki-dono," General Mutō interjects, "the Supreme War Council has discreetly, with the approval of His Majesty Emperor Taishō, deemed it unnecessary to include the Demon Slayer Corps within the provisions of this new law."

"I am glad to hear that, but, unfortunately, that is not something I am concerned about," Kagaya corrects.

"I see. What troubles you, then?"

"From what I can gather, the objective of this new draft law does not pertain to the war in Europe. Rather, there are clues that the goal of these measures is nothing short of preparations for something else entirely," Kagaya expounds.

General Mutō was a little irked by those assertions, "And what makes you think of that?"

Kagaya grinned slightly, albeit not out of delight or satisfaction, but more along the lines of tacit intimidation, "A few weeks ago, I consigned two slayers to the city of Yokohama. Their deployment was to address the plethora of demon sightings and activity within the area."

"... And?"

"For my standards, they have yet to submit an adequate report," he clarifies.

Another bubble of sweat quietly dropped down from General Mutō's temples, "I believe you are mistaken, Ubuyashiki-dono. Surely, those demon slayers should have completed and sent a report by now."

"You are correct."

General Mutō smirked, "See? Nothing to be worried about."

"Although you are correct that a report has been sent, it is not one of a caliber to which I expect from a Pillar," Kagaya repudiates.

"How so?" General Mutō's face furrowed.

"As I have hitherto mentioned, I have not yet received 'an adequate report'. The letter delivered from the Ministry of Communications, though definitely meticulous in detail, was too pedantic to be considered one sent by a slayer," Kagaya goes further into detail.

"What?" General Mutō was perturbed.

"Surely, you must know, General, intelligence reports in the midst of war are often murky and vague; too little is known about an enemy that you can only kill and not interrogate," Kagaya, in a magnificent display of his eclectic intellect, thoroughly demolishes the faulty report that belied its veracity.

But Kagaya wasn't done yet: "Moreover, you immediately assumed that my children had already submitted something without me mentioning that they were high-ranking Pillars. And yet, you did not seem surprised when I said that the documents did not harbor the 'caliber to which I expect from a Pillar'. In that case, why would you suspect a regular slayer to merit that degree of accomplishment?"

"..." General Mutō was at a loss of words.

"Unless, of course, you already know that they were Hashiras."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya had just brilliantly delineated how the General was deceiving him.

For one, the Ministry of Communications had given Kagaya a feigned report that didn't belong to his subordinates. Despite that, the General lied by asserting that it was Giyuu and Shinobu who had delivered the documents.

Two, despite not informing him that they were Pillars, the General's language and word choice suggested that he was already aware of the slayers' ranking.

So the question would be, why does the General know about either the mission, the report, or the Hashiras? Why does he know such sensitive information that is kept inside the Corps?

General Mutō sighed, "What does this have to do with your entire premise? That the new draft law is a preliminary measure for something else entirely?"

"With all due respect, General, you misunderstand me. The prerogatives of the Demon Slayer Corps lie within fighting demons, not fighting nations. That is an obligation that His Majesty's government is assigned with," Kagaya started.

"But," he continued, "should your superiors attempt to impede upon the functions of the Demon Slayer Corps, then I can only be disquieted by the conduct of His Majesty's government."

General Mutō slightly lowered his head, "So, you do know..."

"Indeed. Otherwise, why would the War Ministry feel the need to demand the removal of my children from the city limits? Perhaps it is because His Majesty's government fears that I might have sent those Hashiras in order to collect information about Military plans and strategies as leverage to be used in future negotiations," Kagaya elaborates.

"I mean no harm in saying this, but we cannot totally trust the likes of you and your extralegal organization, Ubuyashiki-dono. Prime Minister Ōkuma and other militarists within the government harbor a suspicion, irrespective of how credible it is, that the Demon Slayer Corps is conspiring with the likes of China, the West, or the Central Powers against the all-powerful Meiji Government," The General explains.

"There is a common perception that you people want to be free from the shackles imposed upon by the centralized government by means of treasonous activities," General Mutō concludes.

"We have no need for that, as long as our duties are not tampered with," Kagaya replies, "but the implications of your unforthcoming composure and the lack of communication with my slayers in the city means that His Majesty's government is attempting to do exactly that."

General Mutō suspires and then exhales in frustration, "You are one shrewd man, no wonder you are the leader of this Corps..."

He looks up, "The Twenty-One Demands."

"..." Kagaya quietly observes.

"Since the European Empires are distracted by war, the Prime Minister and his cabinet intend to present an ultimatum to China; Twenty-One (21) claims made by His Majesty's government to special privileges in China. If they are not met, we will threaten war."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"Two reasons: One, it is the primary reason why we are restricting the scope of your operations in Yokohama; Two, I can tell it is clear that you do not aspire to undertake anything treasonous."

"I see. What is your rationale for that reasoning?" Kagaya presses.

"Because the fact that you do not know proves that those Hashiras you sent were never deployed for espionage purposes. We feared that the Corps was going to be made aware of this dangerously sensitive information; if released earlier, then it could impair our alliance with the British and damage our international reputation."

"His Majesty's government must be very skeptical of my virtuous intentions," Kagaya remarks.

"Indeed we are. This is why we were afraid of your organization's presence within Yokohama, as it borders the capital Tokyo—where all the plans are being devised," General Mutō answers.

"Is that all there is to it?" Kagaya questions.

"Maybe. I, however, cannot guarantee anything to you, Ubuyashiki-dono. And while it is certainly your objective to slay demons, it is equally certain that others will try their best to hamper your movements," General Mutō forewarns.

Kagaya was unfazed by such statements, "I see."

The General subsequently upraises himself, "I must be off now... I might have bequeathed you with too much information."

"I thank you for your time, General," said Kagaya.

General Mutō formally bows, "Be warned, Ubuyashiki-dono. There are those who are adamant in their beliefs that the Demon Slayer Corps is committing treason and must therefore be wiped out. Suspicions that you are attempting to disseminate information regarding the Twenty-One Demands are proof of that."

"..."

He adds, "I only suggest you vacate the slayers from the city before the likes of rambunctious junior officers or the Kempeitai try anything rash."

"You are quite the trusting officer, General—freely giving me all this intelligence without recompense."

"..."

Kagaya smiles, "Thank you. You are a good man, Mutō-san. I am sure your late brother would be proud of how you have succeeded in balancing the loyalty to your country and the fidelity to your family's legacy."

General Mutō seemed unperturbed, "... It is of no importance. My brother may have been a member of your Corps himself, but I am a general in the Imperial Army. Do not misunderstand, we are completely different..."

Kagaya simply bowed his head in acknowledgment.

The General promptly left, and, upon exiting the household, he was escorted by a military personnel that served as the Minister's attache.

Kagaya listened in silence.

..

..

It was late in the evening, and Ubuyashiki Kagaya sat in solitude atop his abode's wooden veranda—or Engawa.

As the sun made its descent beyond the horizon, the Head of the Demon Slayer pondered the antecedent discussion and its immediate implications.

*Slide*

The Shoji screen door swung open and a figure unveiled himself.

"You have beseeched for my presence, Oyakata-sama," a booming, but also placid, voice called out.

"Indeed, Gyomei," Kagaya gave a soft smile.

Himejima Gyomei, the Stone Hashira, presented a genuflect and respectable bow in the presence of his superior; his left knee was touching the floor, and the right knee was allowed to survey the atmosphere whilst the elbows were resting on the knee.

Gyomei is also considered to be, definitively, the strongest of the nine Hashiras.

"I presume you were eavesdropping on our little conversation?"

"Yes," Gyomei confidently answered, "as per your orders."

"Very good. What are your thoughts?"

"Understood," Gyomei acknowledges the privilege granted to him by his superior, "I believe there can only be one of only five possibilities: One, the Water and Insect Hashiras are being detained by the government; Two, they have been slain in the field of battle; Three, they have not yet completed whatever they may be doing as of late; Four, they have completed the mission and are heading back as we speak; Five, they have completed the mission but are unsure of whether to proceed with submitting the report in light of the governmental restrictions."

"I see, thank you."

"Yes, Oyakata-sama," Gyomei bowed his head.

"It seems our hands are tied. If we initiate any maneuvers near the vicinity, His Majesty's government will erroneously interpret it as a provocation and will duly reciprocate the gesture," Kagaya delineates.

"..." Gyomei remained in his fixed disposition.

"But we cannot simply ignore this threat," Kagaya added with a little emphasis.

"Oyakata-sama, if you pay pardon me for this indiscretion," said Gyomei.

"Go ahead," Kagaya gave his approval.

"I find the initial report filed two months ago regarding the demonic presence in Yokohama to be contradictory," Gyomei asserted.

"How so?"

"According to the status report, these killings have transpired over the course of several decades. Despite that, we, the Demon Slayer Corps, had never been made notified of such major developments. Not even rumors, news, or any other notice about these occurrences."

"Indeed."

"The contradiction is in the timing of this report. There is a possibility that it is a mere coincidence, but I find it to be too fortuitous considering the lack of information on the matter. To put it simply, I find it hard to believe that this knowledge would randomly be transferred over to us in this instance."

"You are correct in saying that there is an inconsistency in terms of the timing," Kagaya acknowledged, "but it is equally important to note that the slaughtering of innocent lives has been a recurring incident there."

"..."

"Until an unidentified individual had filed a status report only two months ago, such tragedy was commonplace in Yokohama—and, yet, there was a shortage of information pertinent to those incidents," Kagaya articulated.

"..."

"This means that someone was brave enough to share this with us. And, therefore, we must be brave enough to address it properly," the kind-hearted facet of the Leader's personality revealed itself.

"Yes, Oyakata-sama."

"As for Giyuu and Shinobu, we must determine the earliest possible time it is safe for reinforcements or additional help to be delivered."

"..."

"Until then, we must pray that they succeed."

"And if they do not...?" Gyomei inquired, a faint hint of dither in his cadence.

"They will. I have full confidence in them. There is a reason why I consigned those two alone; their bond will prove to be of great importance in the outcome of this mission," said Kagaya, his elocution more solemn.

"Yes, Oyakata-sama."

Kagaya lifts his head. And though he is unable to see due to his curse mark, he can still feel the unobtrusive warmth of the setting sun.

"We must have faith in them."

..

..

..

..

..

..

The festival was over.

The pyrotechnical spectacle has already been smothered by the cool air; they were no longer projecting fireworks into the sky.

The streets and alleys of the bustling, bright city were slowly turning dark and empty amid the day's end.

The jubilant spirit of the celebrations—much like the elated atmosphere of a drunken party—has morphed into the sullen, diminished temperament of a typical hangover.

Giyuu was standing right outside Arata Fumiko's—the old lady who is a proprietor and local tax collector—abode. His goal here was to, ostensibly, pay Fumiko the fines they forgot to pay for sojourning there that one night.

But, in reality, he thinks he should put some distance between himself and his partner...

He recalls how they—him and Shinobu—spent their first night in Yokohama at this place.

'Kocho...'

A foul taste in his mouth nullifies his senses. He still can't forget her tear-stained face.

That expression of overt sadness and visceral betrayal.

'What am I doing? She's obviously not going to come...'

He felt utterly dejected, as evident by his downcast eyes and despondent stature.

A great weight was pushing against his head; he was feeling the brunt of his anxieties, fear, and grief pouring onto him all at once.

There was no light anymore. It was all pitch-black.

No light was present in his heart. No hope for him.

He had rejected the only person who could bring deliverance to his sorrowful life. And yet, that same person is destined to not meet the light of some godforsaken day.

But, no matter what excuses he could make for himself, and regardless of Shinobu's plans for the future, he knew that he was at fault.

He didn't deserve her.

She was kind, beautiful, and strong. Someone like her will only get hurt if she's around him.

She deserves better.

A better life, a better future, and a better comrade.

He grits his teeth.

He should apologize to her, he knows that.

But he's too cowardly for that as well.

He knows that he's a lost cause. Always had been, and always will be.

He scratched his right eye. They were still dry from the tears.

'I have to pay the fines... but it appears that no one is home...' he notes.

"You lookin' for someone?" a scratchy, rough voice called out.

Giyuu turns to find a bearded, haggard old man holding a bottle of saké in his right hand.

"..." He didn't respond, assuming that this was some random stranger.

"If you're looking for Fumiko-chan, then I'm afraid she won't be back tonight," the man states.

This piqued Giyuu's interest, "You know Arata-dono?"

"Of course, we've known each other for over thirty years now," he answers.

This man looked and sounded somewhat familiar, but Giyuu couldn't exactly identify him.

"If you're wondering who I am, I'm the drunk bastard who lounges around Fumiko-chan's house," he informs.

'Drunk bastard?' Giyuu remembered that was indeed some drunk, senile old man loitering outside the day he and Shinobu arrived at Yokohama.

He could somewhat recall some sentences espoused by that individual.

"Look Hina-chan, I understand that our son might've doinked your third daughter, but please understand that they are young rascals like we were back in the day!" the old man elucidated with a deluded approach towards the receiving end of this conversation.

"Feeckkk youuu!!!"

"You're the drunk, senile old man...?" Giyuu asked.

"I hate it when people put it like that...." he groans, "But yes, you are correct. Although, I ain't drunk right now."

He holds out his left hand for a handshake, "The name is Yamashita Hayashi."

Giyuu complies and accepts the gesticulation, "Tomioka Giyuu."

"Weren't you with someone else?" he asks.

Giyuu was a little disquieted by the indirect reference to Shinobu, "Ah... She is busy elsewhere..."

Hayashi looks suspiciously at him before relenting, "Alright, no matter then. If you want to come in, feel free to do so; I have the keys."

"Thank you, Yamashita-san," said Giyuu.

"Don't worry about it, I think allowing a patron inside is reasonable enough," Hayashi pulled a key from his pocket and started ambulating towards the front door.

Giyuu slowly followed.

..

..

..

..

Akihiro Yui was sweeping the floor.

*Knock*

'Hm? It must be Kocho-san and Water Hashira-sama,' she sets aside the mop and saunters towards the door.

*Slide*

She opens the shoji screen door.

"Ah, Kocho-san," she greeted jocundly.

"Hi, Akihiro-san..." Shinobu replied weakly with a straight face.

She spoke with a disheartened tone of voice.

She wasn't even trying to put up a facade.

".... Is there something wrong, Kocho-san...?" Yui inquired upon taking a closer look at her face.

Shinobu's hair was disheveled; random strands that hitherto belonged to a fixed coiffure were now slumping down—they were not adhering to an anchored position, as the yakai-maki hairstyle was no longer properly intact.

Her countenance exhibited a dispirited composure, as evident by the lineaments expressing a crestfallen spirit. The facial muscles contrived a doleful look, one that exuded the essence of her depressed soul.

Her eyes were red and puffy. It was abundantly clear that she had been crying.

Yui knew something was wrong.

She scanned Shinobu and then took a peek outside, "Is Water Hashira-sama here?"

Shinobu instinctively bit her lips in regret.

Her brows corrugated into a saddened, heartbroken mien.

Yui prudently surmised that it was best not to inquire any further.

"I've... come to return... the kimono," Shinobu's phonetic pattern was shaking.

"Okay..." Yui nodded.

"Come inside, you look terrible," she proffered.

Shinobu, too mentally weak to protest, reluctantly accepted the offer and promptly stepped foot into the Akihiro residence.

"You can leave the kimono in your room, and I'll leave a set of clothes for you. Otherwise, I think you ought to take a warm bath and get yourself a good night's rest," Yui propounds.

"Thank you..." Shinobu bowed.

"Please, no need for formalities. Just... make yourself comfortable here," the Elder Lady of the Akihiro household, with her innumerable experience in the arts of human interactions and emotions thanks to her longevity, could gather a vague idea as to what Shinobu was suffering from.

Yui could only watch from afar as Shinobu gradually made her way down the hallway and around the corridor to her room.

'Poor child... Something must've happened with Water Hashira-sama...' Yui laments the possibility that the relationship between the two might've gotten sour.

..

..

Even after a nice, long bath, Shinobu couldn't sleep.

As her back lay in a supinated position atop the futon, her beleaguered state of mind was saturated with memories of the past, the present, and the imaginary future she posits will transpire.

What Giyuu said back there in the woods was on repeat in her head.

She couldn't forget them. She could recall every last sentence.

"You've lied to me after all these years, and now you're trying to deceive me even further..."

"Why? Why do you want to abandon everything...?"

"You never cared about me!"

Those piercing words plunged her heart into abject misery.

Not because she herself was hurt, but also because Giyuu was hurt. It was apparent.

The man she was fond of was in pain: He felt abandoned, he felt lonely, and he was shedding tears as well.

She couldn't bear the thought of him being emotionally damaged again.

Not again. Not after everything she saw twenty years into the future.

She would do anything to prevent Giyuu from becoming the hollow shell he is preordained to become.

And yet, it's becoming clear that she's failing.

After everything that has happened thus far, nothing has changed in the end.

Giyuu doesn't trust her.

He scorned her.

He hates her.

But she cares about him. She wants to protect him. She wants to be at his side as much as she possibly can.

She wants to gently stroke his hair and tenderly caress him, telling him that he has nothing to fear and nothing to be worried about. That everything will be alright in the end.

Because she's here.

Because she loves him.

The caliginous nature of the night, especially in the absence of a full moon, engulfs the room in darkness, occluding her range of vision.

She was all alone tonight.

There was no mother to gently lull her into sleep, no father to tuck her into bed, or an older sister to happily converse with before falling asleep.

And there was no Water Hashira she could cuddle with or goad with her feminine charms.

There was no Tomioka Giyuu she could talk to.

He remains to be the last significant presence in her life, but he isn't here.

Will he ever be? After everything?

She didn't know.

She turned over to her side, feeling something ticklish drizzling down from her optical organs.

"..."

"You just want to leave me..."

"Why... would I abandon you... Tomioka...?" she choked.

Her tears soak the pillow, the cataract of droplets are unceasing—like a waterfall.

The teardrops also saturate her very being with an evocation of pure, unmitigated sorrow drenched in the deep, intimate endearment she harbors for this peculiar, but mellow, man.

She couldn't sleep.

..

..

..

..

"Want some?" Hayashi offers a glass of alcohol.

"No thanks," Giyuu replies placidly.

The two were in the kitchen, perched onto the counter seats.

While Hayashi was imbibing a myriad of alcoholic beverages, Giyuu simply sat in silence.

He could still feel the sharp knife of guilt incrementally gnawing away his spirit as if this was a repeat of all the other tragedies he had confronted throughout his life.

Even if nobody is dead or injured, the internal tribulations that have irreparably broken him are anything but harmless.

He languished at the recent developments.

'Kocho... This is all my fault...' Giyuu continues on a path of self-deprecation.

"Was it a woman you love?" Hayashi drunkenly asks—it was clear he had indulged himself a little too much.

"Huh?" Giyuu questioned.

"That look on your face. You appear to be absolutely devastated," Hayashi points out.

"I reckon it's a woman," he adds.

Giyuu ponders the inquisition before answering, ".... Yeah."

"Well, no wonder. A man's rigid, sturdy heart is completely susceptible to the emotional fervor of romance," he remarks.

"Is that so..." Giyuu wasn't interested, he was too preoccupied with thoughts of Shinobu.

"Yeah... It is..." Hayashi's deportment loses some of its lighthearted stances.

"..."

"I know what it's like... when you break her heart... and when she leaves you because of that...." the Old Man wistfully reminisces, his cadence conspicuously displaying the melancholic reflections of his seemingly troubled past.

Giyuu's eyes widened, he wasn't expecting this drunk man—of all people—to diagnose him accurately.

"I... once had a family. It was a happy one. Just the four of us. My wife, my eldest son, and my young daughter..." he begins, his inebriated state permitting him to be loquacious about emotionally volatile subjects one would typically keep to themselves.

Giyuu was closely listening—it could at least distract him from the agony he was undergoing.

"But... one day, our daughter was taken from us... gone forever, never to be returned again..." he was looking down in despair.

"..."

"My wife took my son and left me... She was heartbroken, I could hear her sobs as I desperately begged for her to stay... I let my daughter go, so she obviously couldn't let her son be around with the likes of me..." Hayashi took another sip.

"I see..." said Giyuu.

"But, sometimes, I implore Kami-sama to let me see them again. My wife's beautiful face, my son's lively expression... To let me see my daughter again..."

"..."

"I broke her heart. I failed her. She entrusted me with her happiness, and I returned it with grief. Her actions were justified..."

"... You wife," Giyuu interjected, "you still love her...?"

Giyuu was captivated by this particular story.

Why is that?

Probably because it closely relates to his dilemma with Shinobu; he, too, failed her.

"Of course... I always will," Hayashi answered.

"... Oh..." Giyuu whispered.

'Maybe... I should head for Akihiro-dono's house first thing tomorrow... and apologize to Kocho... I'll make it the most sincere, respectful apology I can possibly conjure up. I would do anything to ask for her forgiveness...' Giyuu, in a feat that surprised even himself, was musing about the possibility of making appropriate amends for a predicament he instigated.

*Thud*

Hayashi, in a fit of rage, angrily banged his fist against the counter.

Giyuu watched him curiously.

"If... If only I didn't agree to that damn contract. If only my daughter wasn't taken away... then, maybe, my wife, my son, and I would be all happy..." he was seething with vitriol.

"If... If... If only Haji didn't take her from me!!" he bellowed.

"Haji...?" Giyuu said, perplexed.

"Yes... The Demon of Shame..."

..

..

..

..

Akihiro Yui, sitting seiza-style in the tea room, was quietly arranging an assortment of papers and maps.

The night was still young, but the sun was completely gone.

Thus, she was compelled to situate a lamp beside her.

She then stopped.

"You may come in, Kocho-san," she answered.

The door slid open and a weary Shinobu walked in.

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep," she said with a feeble voice.

"Don't worry about it. Next time, whenever you're oscillating between whether you should knock or not, you have the full liberty to just simply waltz in," Yui smiled.

"Thank you..." Shinobu took a seat.

Yui puts away the documents and pulls up a plate that was previously positioned on the floor, "Dessert?"

There were rice balls on the plate.

"No, I'm fine," Shinobu politely refuses.

"I'll leave some in case you change your mind," Yui takes a bite from one whilst she places the plate onto the table.

Shinobu merely nodded.

Yui wished to inquire about the whereabouts of Giyuu, and to what circumstances effectuated such a strong, harming effect unto Shinobu.

However, she realized that now wasn't the best time to speak about the point of contention.

After all, only time can—to varying degrees—heals all wounds.

There will be a right time to ask Shinobu, now just isn't one of them.

For now, she can only be assiduous in ameliorating Shinobu's pain.

"So, what do you intend to do tomorrow?" she asks, hoping to lift the mood somewhat.

Shinobu was hesitant at first, as Giyuu's final words to her were pertaining to exactly that.

"Kocho... I... We... We will rendezvous at Arata Fumiko's place," he curtly says.

"I... We..." Shinobu corrects herself, "have to compensate Arata Fumiko for letting us lodge during our first night in Yokohama..."

Yui blinked twice, "Fumiko-san? The local tax collector? You know her?"

Shinobu was a little incredulous, "Yes..."

"Oh... Oh, I see," Yui said, astonished by this fortuity, "now that's fascinating."

"Why's that...?" Shinobu looked at her in bewilderment.

"Well, you see," Yui begins, "Fumiko-san is a very idiosyncratic woman. Essentially, everyone finds her odd."

"They do?" Shinobu was very much astounded by how even Yui was cognizant of this woman.

"Indeed. Not only is she a local tax collector, an administrative representative, and a land proprietor, but also the infamous manager of a well-known brothel in the red-light district," Yui explains.

"She's all of that at once?"

"Hard to believe, huh?" Yui replies, "She has a lot of influence in these parts, despite her seemingly congenial attitude and working class-like lifestyle."

"Yeah, I would've never suspected someone like her to be that distinguished..." Shinobu mutters.

"It all seems out of place... until you come to know her background," said Yui.

"As in, her past?"

"Yep..."

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"Haji? The Demon of Shame? What?" Giyuu was utterly confounded.

"FUCK! I hate that bitch!" Hayashi drunkenly yells.

"Tell me, Yamashita-san, who is this demon you speak of?" Giyuu's slayer instincts were now in autopilot mode.

"Huh?" Hayashi said irritability, "Why the fuck would you want to know?"

"Just tell me," Giyuu replied sternly.

"Okaaay, okaaay, jeeeez. Calm your tits, son," Hayashi relents in his tipsy demeanor.

Giyuu paid close attention to whatever he was going to say next.

Hayashi clears his throat, "Well, basically, you have demons dwelling in this town."

"And?"

"... Tell me, how much do you know about this whole thing?" Hayashi suddenly queries, his outward behavior soberer now.

"Why do you want to know..." Giyuu says back.

"Just for reference."

"... 150 are missing and 20 are confirmed to be dead. That's what I know," Giyuu answered hesitantly.

"Well, you have faulty information then," Hayashi blatantly replied.

"What?"

"It's not 150 that are missing, it's a LOT more. And 20 aren't dead, it's more like a couple thousand."

Giyuu took a few seconds to process that, "How is that possible...?"

"These bastards have been here for at least three centuries now," he informs. "However, they didn't completely devour everyone on sight. In actuality, the demons proposed a compromise."

"Compromise?"

"Yeah. You see, these demons are insanely powerful. They could do all these magical stuff," Hayashi explicates. "So, according to rumors, they can actually grant wishes."

Giyuu could personally attest to how strong at least one of them was.

"Wishes like immortality, the revival of the dead, reincarnation, you name it. Of course, no one actually knows if that's possible or not, as everyone who has gone and asked for it never returned from their underground base," said Hayashi.

'Underground... That explains everything...' Giyuu came to understand why it was the sewers that housed that one demon—Osore—they fought.

"Nevertheless, people have tried asking anyway. But, in return for merely requesting in the first place, the demons would forcibly take sacrifices."

"Sacrifices?" Giyuu queried.

"Yeah. One's selfishness could become your neighbor's undoing... They take everyone: The men, the women, the children, the homeless, the drunk people, and so on...."

"It's the reason why they took away my daughter..." Hayashi added gloomily.

"..."

"That was the compromise. 'Wishes for sacrifices,' is the saying around here. It's kind of like a fucked-up business."

"..." Giyuu continued to listen attentively.

"Even so, people still do it anyway; they want to tap into the innumerable rewards granted by such demonic powers. Everyone wants a piece of that cake, even if lives are going to be at risk for it."

"Why hasn't anyone asked for help after all this time?" Giyuu questions.

"Young man, it ain't as simple as asking for help. These bastards got the entire town and its citizens hostage. Any misleading moves, and BAM! You're fucking dead..."

"Hm..."

"And also because of human nature on its own. NO ONE wants to even call for help in the first place, cause it'll mean that their wishes will never be granted—since either the demons will kill them or a demon slayer will kill the demons. People are just selfish..."

"I see..."

"Yeah... This is why, young man," Hayashi's comportment suddenly turns both somber and serious, much unlike a drunken man.

"You shouldn't trust anyone around these parts—especially the oldies like me. And that also includes the landlady. Beware, I'll tell ya that," it was as if Hayashi was somber all of a sudden.

"The landlady... You mean, Arata-dono?" he inquired, a little unsettled by this revelation.

"..."

"..." Giyuu awaited for another set of information to be divulged.

"..." Hayashi was silent.

"Is that al—"

"So, essentially—" Hayashi abruptly interrupted.

"Oh ok."

"—you've got a total of... of... ah shit, I forgot how many..." said Hayashi.

Though Giyuu was more on the patient side, he was very much annoyed by this drunkard's incompetence.

"Ah wait! Four! There's four of them!" Hayashi shouted.

"Four? Who are they?"

Hayashi sighs, "Osore, Kanashimi, Haji, and Zaiaku-kan."

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"I've only ever met Fumiko-san once," Yui continued, "and that was during some City Council Meeting ten years ago."

"Oh... I thought you two were close considering how you're going on a first-name basis," Shinobu noted.

"That's reasonable, and I wouldn't blame you for thinking like that. Honestly, it still surprises me as well to this day. But, during the meeting, I somehow engaged in a conversation with Fumiko-san," Yui explains.

"What did you talk about...?" Shinobu presses.

"Nothing important. Just small talk. Though, it still lasted for over five hours. Apparently, Fumiko-san found me to be trustworthy enough to not only address each other on a first-name basis but to also talk about her past once I mentioned my deceased husband, Hiroto-san," said Yui.

"What did she say?"

"Fumiko-san was born into a poor, destitute family in the outskirts of Edo—now known as Tokyo—during the waning years of the Edo/Tokugawa Period," Yui starts with the explanation.

She continues, "Combined with her extenuating financial circumstances at home and her exceptional beauty, she reluctantly became the concubine of a local Daimyo, or feudal lord. As a result, she conceived a baby boy during her tenure."

Shinobu nodded.

"However," Yui's voice darkens somewhat, "her child went missing one day. By all accounts, the child was likely to have been apprehended by someone... He was never to be seen again."

'Arata-dono's child went missing... Huh...' Shinobu was dumbfounded by the idea.

"Fumiko-san, in an endeavor that shocked everyone, claimed that it was the Daimyo—the one she was working under—that had killed her child. Of course, no one believed her... but the newly-formed Meiji Government did."

"Ah, right. Because the Meiji government sought to reduce the power and influence of the Daimyos..." Shinobu states, utilizing her extensive knowledge of the period.

"Indeed. So, the government used Fumiko-san's testimony as evidence to indict the Daimyo and confiscate his holdings."

"Uh-Huh..." Shinobu never heard anything of that sort.

"Fumiko-san was no longer a concubine, but she still didn't have her son. From what little evidence could be gathered from this incident, there is little to corroborate the claim that the Daimyo was the one who apprehended her son."

"So, to this day, nobody knows what became of her son...?" Shinobu asks.

"Indeed."

"That's... horrible..." Shinobu couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose one's only child.

"It is. It really broke Fumiko-san. Nonetheless, her involvement in this whole affair actually allowed her to garner clout in the new government despite being a woman," Yui expounded.

"Which... explains her current influence today," Shinobu deduced.

"Precisely. Local tax collector, administrative representative, land proprietor, and brothel manager. All that is because of her shrewdness and past experience with the bureaucracy."

"Hm..." Shinobu was still amazed by how someone she initially deemed to be unimportant is probably the most powerful businesswoman in Tokyo.

"Anyways, it's getting late. You should sleep now," Yui grins.

"Ah.. right... Thank you so much for this information, Akihiro-san," Shinobu gives a formal bow.

"Happy to help."

Shinobu took her leave.

But, as she was making her way to her room, she was left pondering.

'Something about Arata-dono doesn't feel right, based on that description...' Shinobu wondered.

The most damning part for Shinobu was how Fumiko blamed the Daimyo for killing her son. And yet, there was no evidence pointing towards that.

Why would Fumiko suspect the child's father to kill him? Is there information being omitted for personal reasons?

And why does Fumiko maintain a low profile despite her supposedly powerful position and wealth?

A sense of foreboding overtakes her thoughts.

She was worried about Giyuu.

'First thing tomorrow, I should head over to Arata-dono's abode—Tomioka is probably there...'

Although thinking about the Water Hashira ached her heart, Shinobu's dutiful instincts still were strong enough to put a restraint on her emotions.

The mission supersedes all else.

But she still loathed the pain.

She still hated being depressed.

She wanted Giyuu back.

She wanted to see him again.

Even if she thinks that he might hate her.

Even if he doesn't want to see her.

She just wants him.

Because, in the end, she still loves him.

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"There are five in total. Two sons, two daughters, and one father. The one we killed, Osore, is the youngest son," Shinobu explicates.

'Osore... A family of demons.... Four demons plus a Father-like figure... Kocho's observations were accurate...' Giyuu internally notes.

"Who are these demons?" Giyuu presses for more answers.

Hayashi takes another shot of saké, "Osore is the Demon of Fear. He's sort of like the lackey; he is sent to do the dirty work."

"Kanashimi is the Demon of Grief. I honestly don't know much about her. But there are rumors that she lurks in the shadows and spies on everyone... She may even be spying on us now..." Hayashi leaves it on an ominous note.

"Haji is the Demon of Shame. She woos everyone into becoming her subordinate or something... I'm not too sure..."

"And then there's Zaiaku-kan, the Demon of Guilt... No one knows a single goddamn thing about it. Not even if it's a boy or a girl, its role, its whatever. Everybody knows fuck all."

"........ That's it?" Giyuu asks.

"What the hell do you mean 'that's it'??? That's literally everything I fucking know," Hayashi ripostes.

'Hm... Yamashita-san didn't mention the fifth demon... Either he simply doesn't know about it or I'm wrong...' Giyuu makes a mental note.

Hayashi groans then promptly stands and leaves his seat.

He walks away, "I'm gonna get some sleep..."

"I've... I've said too much..." he adds with a conspicuous indication of vacillation and fear.

'..... I should sleep as well,' Giyuu also vacates the premises.

The discussion was brought to an immediate end.

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That night, the Water and Insect Hashiras went to sleep with a feeling of apprehension.

From demons, Fumiko, and other matters, they had too much on their mind.

But, more than anything, they thought about each other.

They worried about what the other thought of them.

They similarly felt guilty about how their actions may have irreversibly damaged their relationship.

They want to reconcile.

They want to be with each other again.

Unfortunately, tonight, they are not within each other's arms.

They are far apart.

And there is a feeling of trepidation that such distance might be commensurate with the growing distance that could be cemented between each other.

They do not know...

They both fear for the worst and pray for the best.

Not knowing what tomorrow will bring.

Not knowing what challenges lie ahead.