"Since Moriki-san previous sword was taken into safekeeping by Shinobu-san, these Nichirin Blades are newly forged. Considering Moriki-san dual-wielding swordsmanship, the lengths of the two blades are slightly different..."
After sincerely thanking Master Tetsushin ren, Shinichi set off on his journey to Tokyo with his new swords.
In the end, he decided not to bring Tanjiro along.
Though deeply moved by the boy's sincerity and kindness, Shinichi didn't think taking Tanjiro was a good idea.
Miss Tamayo wouldn't disappear without reason—there might very well be a scheme orchestrated by Muzan behind it.
This journey could very well lead to another encounter with an Upper Rank Demon.
Shinichi had no intention of exposing the younger members of the Demon Slayer Corps to such danger.
Preparations for the Hashira Training were nearly complete and soon, the physical training led by the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen, would begin.
Unable to participate, Shinichi could only silently wish for the Demon Slayer Corps members to grow stronger through this training.
Shing!
He partially drew one of the Nichirin Blades hanging at his waist.
The bluish-green blade shimmered with a faint, almost imperceptible glow of vitality.
Shinichi smiled slightly, sheathed the sword and then drew the other Nichirin Blade hanging lower on his waist.
Hum~
The blood-red blade radiated an overwhelmingly fierce aura, its polished surface reflecting sunlight like flowing blood.
"Whether it's the power of justice or the power of evil, all things must be balanced. Power never disappears—it merely changes hands, sometimes for the better."
These words, spoken by the old man Abe as a final piece of advice before Shinichi's departure, suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Click!
The blade returned to its sheath.
Shinichi adjusted his bluish-green haori and with a few swift steps, vanished into the forest beyond the Moriki Conglomerate's estate.
....
Meanwhile, not far from where Shinichi had departed, the master of the Moriki Conglomerate—the wealthiest and most formidable businesswoman in all of Japan, Ryukawa Chinatsu—leaned on her balcony, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Shinichi's figure disappear into the distance.
After a long silence, Ryukawa Chinatsu sighed.
As she stood up, her attentive butler promptly presented a cup of perfectly warmed sake.
But today, she had no desire to drink.
In fact, she only touched alcohol when her thoughts grew unbearably turbulent.
"All of Mitsuyo-sama's hopes rest on Shinichi... And what can I do? What else can I offer besides wealth?"
Ryukawa Chinatsu's sigh caught the attention of the butler.
Before becoming an employed butler at the Moriki Conglomerate estate, this man had once belonged to a prominent noble family in Kyoto and received excellent aristocratic education.
Hearing Chinatsu's musings, the butler couldn't help but speak up.
"Miss Chinatsu, in truth, wealth sometimes holds the greatest power—whether it's purchasing various supplies, enjoying the finest services, mingling with distinguished families... or even..."
"Even what?"
"Even... changing an entire nation!"
As he uttered these words, the butler's voice trembled slightly.
Yet, just as he had anticipated, Ryukawa Chinatsu's expression didn't shift at these "treasonous" words.
Instead, she wore a look of deep contemplation.
"Changing a nation, you say? Kohara, explain further..."
Indeed!
Chinatsu actually harbored such thoughts.
The excited butler, Kohara, immediately poured out everything he knew.
"In the end, it boils down to two things: money and military force."
After listening to Kohara's explanation, Chinatsu felt as if a light had dawned upon her.
murmured to herself, "I see... That could indeed work. If my own abilities are too limited to help Shinichi, then I'll make the entire nation his support. That would surely be better, wouldn't it?"
....
Unaware of Chinatsu's bold plans, Shinichi had already boarded a train bound for Tokyo.
On the train, Shinichi could keenly sense hostility.
In just a few short hours, multiple groups of railway police had come to interrogate and inspect him, seemingly targeting the haori he wore and the twin swords at his waist.
Fortunately, a police officer's ID spared Shinichi much trouble.
However, given the betrayal the Demon Slayer Corps had suffered, even Shinichi—whose heart had grown steadier—sometimes felt sparks of anger flare within him.
Beyond the malice directed at the Demon Slayer Corps, Shinichi's most immediate observation was the instability of society.
Few passengers on the train wore relaxed expressions; most faces were marked by numbness and exhaustion...
Upon arriving in Tokyo, Shinichi's first act was to hurry to Asakusa, heading straight for the alley where he had first met Miss Tamayo.
As expected, by the time Shinichi arrived, the once-elegant building—previously concealed by Yushiro's Blood Demon Art—now lay in ruins, stripped of all cover.
"Damn it!" Shinichi cursed under his breath before stepping into the dilapidated building, hoping to find some clues.
He regretted not bringing Maru-ni along.
With his heightened sense of smell, Maru-ni might have been able to pick up traces of something.
Creak— Pushing open a wooden door, Shinichi was met with the pungent stench of chemicals.
Inside the dim room, shattered glass and broken bottles of all shapes littered the floor, their spilled contents leaving stains everywhere.
"This must have been Miss Tamayo's laboratory," Shinichi muttered, frowning as he endured the acrid air and surveyed the room.
"What is this?"
On the dust-covered table, something indistinct seemed to be concealed beneath the grime.
Shinichi stepped forward, drawing a sheathed Nichirin Blade from his waist and striking it forcefully against the floor.
Thud!!
A dull sound reverberated as an invisible shockwave radiated from where the blade's sheath met the ground, sweeping away the remaining dust on the table.
Instantly, a line of dark red writing became clearly visible before Shinichi.
The familiar hue unmistakably identified it as blood.
But that wasn't the most crucial part.
What mattered was the content of the message—and the signature at the end!
Boom!!
Surging life force erupted uncontrollably from Shinichi's body, billowing his haori and scattering countless shards of broken glass across the room.
"MAITO!!"
His furious roar echoed through the dilapidated building.
In that moment, the same rage Shinichi had felt during the battle in the red-light district resurfaced—that sensation of teetering on the edge of losing control.
His vision blurred, and he couldn't even describe the emotions flooding him: grief, fury, the hatred of betrayal...
Crash!!
His fist smashed a deep crater into the wall.
Panting heavily, Shinichi gradually reined in the violent impulse.
"Maito... I won't... let you get away with this!"
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