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Yoshiwara, Kyōgoku House.
Tengen had changed out of his Corps uniform, shed his usual flamboyant attire, and was now dressed in a crisp suit, wearing a top hat and carrying a cane. He strode directly through the main entrance.
Obanai, pretending to be his attendant, followed closely behind, mimicking his every step.
"Welcome, esteemed guest!"
The madam, dressed in elaborate and flashy robes, seeing Tengen's wealthy appearance, immediately rushed up to him with enthusiastic warmth.
"You seem to be a new face, sir. Is this your first time visiting our Kyōgoku House?"
She quickly closed the distance to stand right in front of Tengen.
Tengen reached up, removed his top hat, and gave a reserved nod.
"My, my!!"
The madam immediately exclaimed upon seeing Tengen's face.
"What a handsome gentleman!!" She patted her chest with exaggerated movements. "You will surely be immensely popular! This Mama-san worries her girls might fall head over heels competing for your affection!!"
Facing the madam's praise, Tengen's face revealed an expression that took it as a matter of course.
"..."
Obanai quickly lowered his head before he couldn't help but let his disgust show on his face.
The madam continued warmly, "Guest, our Kyōgoku House is full of beautiful girls, absolutely worthy of you. Would you… like Mama-san to recommend one for you?"
"Is that so?" Tengen raised a hand to loosen his tie. "Would even your Oiran, Warabihime, be available?"
"So this guest has also come for Warabihime?"
The madam wore a look of understanding, retracted the enthusiastic smile from her face, turned her head to take a drag from her cigarette, then looked back at Tengen.
"That would depend on your sincerity, guest. After all, Warabihime is the star attraction of our Kyōgoku House."
"Sincerity, is it?"
Tengen nodded, turned around, and stretched out his hand to Obanai.
"Kotarō, bring out the letter and gift I prepared for Miss Warabihime."
"Yes, boss."
Obanai handed over the box he had been holding carefully.
"Then, I'll entrust Mama-san to convey my sincerity to Warabihime."
Tengen passed the ornately wrapped box to the madam, then put his top hat back on and turned to leave without the slightest hesitation.
"I will return tomorrow. I hope to hear good news then."
"Please go slowly, guest." The madam held the box, chuckling. "Mama-san also looks forward to you and Warabihime having a wonderful meeting tomorrow, hehehe."
...
At the Wisteria House not far from Yoshiwara, Kaito waited for the return of Tengen and Obanai.
"Say, Mr. Onmyōji."
Tengen, once inside the room, couldn't wait to take off his neat suit. Now, holding a brush and paints, he faced a mirror to apply his familiar eye makeup.
"Are you sure that thing will pique a demon's interest?"
"Not sure." Kaito sat leisurely to the side. "However, it's worth a try."
"Ha?"
Having finished his makeup swiftly, Tengen put down his brush, threw on his haori, and sat down opposite Kaito.
"Why all the trouble? Since we already know the demon is there, why don't we just sneak in and cut her down?"
He turned to look at Obanai, who was sitting nearby.
"What do you say, Iguro?"
Obanai didn't speak, but Kaito could see agreement with Tengen in his eyes.
"You should have a little more patience."
Kaito maintained his unhurried demeanor.
"If we can confirm my conjecture, perhaps afterwards we can find a way to lure out Kibutsuji Muzan, don't you think?"
Tengen was taken aback, then asked, "Are you sure?"
"Like I said just now, I'm merely trying something." Kaito smiled. "If you want to talk about certainty, I'd say about seventy to eighty percent. So it's very much worth trying, isn't it?"
"In that case."
Tengen and Obanai exchanged a glance, seeming to reach a decision.
"We'll follow your lead this time."
"Then I thank you both for your cooperation." Kaito nodded. "Everything is now set. We just have to see if that demon will actually come tonight."
...
The moon reached its zenith in the night sky; all was silent and still.
A stunningly beautiful woman, scantily clad, arrived treading the moonlight, swaggering unabashedly as she stopped right outside the main gate of the Wisteria House.
"It stinks!!"
She looked at the dense wisteria blooms within the compound, covering her nose in disgust.
Creeeak.
The gate to the residence suddenly opened.
"Hmm?"
The beautiful woman quickly retreated a distance, becoming wary.
"To think she actually came?"
Kaito, dressed in pristine white sokutai (hunting robes), walked out slowly, fanning himself with a folding fan.
"This…" He glanced at the characters engraved in the beautiful woman's eyes. "...Upper Rank Six, Miss Daki?"
"Who are you?" Daki's face changed dramatically. "How do you know my name?"
"Keke." Kaito chuckled lightly. "It seems Miss Daki was quite fond of the gift you presented, Mr. Uzui."
"Did she follow the scent here because she liked it so much?" Tengen abruptly erupted from the ground behind Daki.
"I truly never expected an Upper Rank demon to take the bait so easily."
"Demon Slayer Corps?"
Daki turned to look at Tengen, then back at Kaito.
"So, this is a trap for me?"
"Demons are avaricious, ugly creatures like this." Obanai jumped down from a tree on the other side, staring at Daki with eyes full of disgust.
"The moment they get their hands on something good, they throw all caution to the wind, craving more without considering the consequences!"
"Ugly??"
A vein bulged on Daki's forehead as she pointed at Obanai and began cursing vehemently.
"You call me ugly?! You short-statured, snake-playing, gloomy bastard! A guy who covers his face because he can't show it to people, you actually say I'm ugly?!!"
Witnessing Daki's reaction, Kaito's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help but interject, "No, I believe Mr. Iguro was not commenting on your appearance."
"What do you mean?"
Daki turned her glare back to Kaito.
"It means…" Obanai tightened his grip on his Nichirin Blade and stepped forward. "No matter a demon's outward appearance, its heart remains like the filthiest garbage, utterly foul and polluted!"
"You bastard!!"
Just as Daki turned her head to curse at Obanai, a slashing attack, sinuous as a snake, rapidly extended from behind her towards the front.
"Serpent Breathing, First Form: Winding Serpent Slash!"
Her severed head, flying through the air, exactly caught sight of the short snake-handling bastard sheathing his sword ahead.
"This is an Upper Rank?" Obanai turned around to watch Daki's head fall from mid-air, his tone puzzled. "Did we get something wrong?"
"Utterly unflashy!!" Tengen crossed his arms and nodded. "How can someone this weak be an Upper Rank?!"
Kaito also widened his eyes in surprise.
The next second, Daki's piercing, mournful wails suddenly pierced the night sky.
"Ah!! Bastards!! I've been cut!! I've been cut!!! I'll kill you!!! I'll kill you all!!!"
"Something's wrong!!"
Obanai's eyes focused sharply, and he tightened his grip on his Nichirin Blade once more.
"Her body isn't disintegrating at all!!"
"Oh? Still alive even after having your head cut off?" Tengen drew the twin swords from his back with a reverse grip.
"Hey, is it this cockroach-like vitality that got you your Upper Rank status?"
"Ah!!!"
His answer was another ear-splitting shriek from Daki.
"Brother!! Brother!! Someone's bullying me!! Kill them!! Kill them all!!!"