"The Upper Moon has waned. Gyuttarou is dead."

This was Muzan's first words after all the upper moons have gathered after a long time.

"Can that really be so?" Douma asked.

"My apologies. I brought Gyuttarou in, so.. How should I amend? Should I gouge out one of my eyeballs?"

"That's not necessary. You may keep your eyeballs. I suspect Gyuttarou would lose. Daki was a hindrance as I thought. If Gyuttarou had fought at the begining then he would have won."

Muzan flipped a page in his book.

"But it doesn't matter now. You're all worthless. But that's fine. I don't expect much from you, anyway."

"You're saying bad things. Have I ever failed your expectations?" Douma asked with a smile.

"You still haven't put the Ubuyashiki family to the grave. You still haven't found the blue spider lily. But what do I expect? It can only be found during day. And I had to find out this information on my own? You're all useless. What am I even keeping you all for?"

Veins started to bulge from Muzan's face.

"I no longer know why all of you even exists."

"Aiee!!"

"Please forgive us!"

"I'm not good at detective work .."

"I have no excuses."

"Lord Muzan! I'm different! I have information!"

"I detest change."

Muzan's held Gyokko's severed head in his hand.

"I prefer unchanging. A perfect state, unchanging forever. This first death of an upper rank in 113 years. It displeases me immensely. Don't ever convey such unpleasant information like that so gleefully again." Muzan demanded with authority.

"From now on, you must struggle with desperation. It seems I have been too soft on you just because you were my upper ranks."

"Gyokko, when the information is confirmed, go there with Hantengu."

"And Akaza, the location?"

Akaza bowed his head.

"Yes, I have determined their location, Muzan-sama."

•••

Tanjiro was recovering from his health after the aftermath from fighting Daki and his brother at the Red Light District. Inosuke had woken up seven days before him while it took him one more week to get out bed due to the injuries he sustained.

He remembered the fight with Daki and Gyuttarou.

He hoped that wherever the siblings are, they made up. For now, everyone was recovering at the Butterfly Estate. Tanjiro was also thinking about Nao. Where could they have gone?

Who was the White demon?
He was worried. He couldn't get over the fact that a demon was walking under then sun in broad daylight.

Upon seeing that demon who was so white, he couldn't moved. He immediately realized the difference in their strengths. Seeing the overly white appearance of the enemy and how their entire appearance contrasted with the entire surrounding, was like seeing a scene straight out of a fairytale.

Tanjiro felt frustrated that he could not do anything to help Nao.

The other Hashiras were troubled and Uzui Tengen, the Sound Hashira has now retired after having lost one arm. Their decrease in manpower after losing two Hashiras in a row had dealt a major blow to the Demon slayer Corps.

Morale has been affected by a lot.

Tanjiro even had to go to the Swordsmith Village to find Hanegazuka because the latter didn't want to give him a sword.

He met with the Chief and the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji as well as a person in his batch, Shinazugawa Genya, who seemed to be related to the Wind Hashira.

"That'd mean he's Shinazugawa's little brother, right? But he told me he didn't have one. Maybe they don't get along. That's so tragic."

Tanjiro couldn't help but agree. There were some circumstances he couldn't ask from a mere stranger but Mitsuri was friendly so the Love Hashira was very open when talking.

"I joined so I could find a gentleman who would marry me for life!" Mitsuri gushed while blushing.

It was a weird reason but good thing Tanjiro was not the first person to have this reaction. He was also glad to receive support from the Love Hashira. It meant a lot for him and his sister.

"Kanroji-sama, your sword will be done soon."

"Aww. Looks like I have to go now."

"Tanjiro-kun, I don't really know if we'll see each other alive again but let's just do what we can."

"You survived a battle against an upper moon. That's already a great battle experience."

"Thank you so much! I still have a long way to go. I will work harder than ever."

After getting news about a sword from the Love Pillar, Tanjiro headed out. He even met the Mist Pillar, a boy that looked about the same age as him but surrounded by a mysterious atmosphere.

Compared to the angelic appearamce, Tanjiro did not expect the boy's sharp tongue and complete lack of sympathy to a swordsmith of the village.

"Compared to you, a Hashira's role is more important. I don't have time to talk about dumb stuff."

"This doesn't sit well with me!"

Tanjiro had slapped the boy's hand out of frustration. But some things were simply not resolved so easily. Eventually, after defeating the mechanical doll, Tanjiro found a sword hidden inside its body.

The rusted blade was taken away by Hanegazuka to be polished.

However, the arrival of two Upper Moon changed everything.