After saying goodbye to Tengen Uzui, Aoki went to see the other Pillars one by one.
Even though he didn't need to fight anymore, he took pity on their eager faces and sparred with them all.
Then, to their satisfied yet regretful expressions, he took back the space marks.
Butterfly Mansion.
Space rippled, and Aoki appeared.
Tap tap tap.
As soon as he landed, urgent knocking sounded at the door.
"Mr. Aomura, Mr. Aomura, are you back?"
Aoki walked over and opened the door. Kanae Kocho stood there.
"Miss Kanae, what a coincidence. I just got back."
"No coincidence!" Kanae shook her head. "I've been here several times."
Aoki looked at her anxious expression. "What happened?"
Kanae Kocho said seriously, "Gyokko has been sighted!"
"Gyokko?" Aoki perked up. This was a big catch. "Where is he?"
Kanae Kocho said quickly, "According to the report from a Demon Slayer, Gyokko appeared at a small coastal pier in the south recently."
"And now?"
"Unknown."
"Unknown? What about the Demon Slayer who found Gyokko?"
Kanae Kocho looked sad. "He sacrificed himself. The Kasugai Crow brought the message back!"
Aoki wasn't surprised.
Gyokko was called the shame of the Upper Moons, but he could still easily defeat a basic Pillar. Ordinary Demon Slayers had almost no chance of survival if he found them.
"Where was the pier where Gyokko appeared?" he asked.
Gyokko was the second-lowest ranked Upper Moon, but he was cruel and arrogant.
Besides Muzan, Gyokko looked down on everyone else. Even though his location was exposed, he might not have gone far.
Kanae Kocho told him the location.
"There!"
Aoki's brow relaxed.
Good.
He had a space mark nearby. He could get there quickly.
But did Gyokko still like to be by the sea?
Before becoming a demon, Gyokko lived in a fishing village by the coast. He liked collecting dead fish bones. His parents were fishermen. His life was tied to the ocean.
After becoming a demon, his Blood Demon Art was also closely related to fish and the ocean.
Human obsessions had a huge impact on demons. Even Upper Moons couldn't escape them.
This was something he had overlooked.
Did other Upper Moons have similar habits?
If so, where would Kokushibo and Hantengu often appear?
Aoki's thoughts flashed, but he didn't explore them further.
Catching Gyokko was more important now. He would worry about Hantengu and Kokushibo later.
Aoki took out a pile of space marks. Some were wooden boards, some were parchment. They were all portable and easily destroyed.
"Miss Kanae, please give these to Master Ubuyashiki. Let him distribute them to suitable Demon Slayers."
He had planned to go himself, but meeting Kagaya Ubuyashiki was troublesome.
The longer he waited, the less likely he was to find Gyokko.
He had to give them to Kanae.
It didn't make much difference.
The plan was set. Preparations were ongoing.
His meeting with Kagaya Ubuyashiki didn't matter much.
"Okay!" Kanae Kocho quickly took the space marks.
Aoki added, "You can leave one at the Butterfly Mansion. If anything new happens, tear it to notify me."
"I understand!" Kanae Kocho said.
"I'll go first," Aoki said.
Then, Shinobu Kocho walked out. "Take me with you."
Aoki looked at her. He didn't argue. He nodded. "Okay!"
Shinobu Kocho was strong enough to be a Pillar now.
She could last a while even if she met Gyokko.
She wouldn't need to fight if it was a battle.
But the main task was searching. More people were better.
And they had to be strong enough, like Shinobu Kocho.
Ordinary people would be killed by Gyokko instantly. They wouldn't be useful.
"Shinobu, be careful! If you meet Gyokko, don't be reckless. Ask Mr. Aomura for help immediately."
Kanae Kocho looked serious.
This wasn't a small matter.
Even Pillars were in danger against an Upper Moon.
As her sister, she didn't want Shinobu to go on such a dangerous mission. But as a Demon Slayer, she couldn't tell Shinobu to give up.
The only good thing was that Shinobu was with Mr. Aomura.
"Don't worry, Sister!"
Shinobu Kocho said seriously. She wouldn't risk her life by being reckless when she had a strong helper.
Aoki grabbed Shinobu Kocho's arm, nodded to Kanae Kocho, and they vanished.
Kanae Kocho stood there for a moment, then left.
She had a very important mission today. Otherwise, she would have gone with Mr. Aomura and Shinobu.
...
The waves crashed tirelessly against the rocks, making a whoosh sound. The air smelled faintly of the sea.
Two figures appeared silently.
Shinobu Kocho looked confused, but she quickly recovered. Her face changed, and her eyes were full of wonder.
"Is this spatial teleportation?"
She had just blinked, and she was at the seaside from the Butterfly Mansion.
The sudden change of scenery was more shocking than she expected.
Aoki ignored Shinobu Kocho's reaction and looked into the distance.
The night sea was black as ink. The stormy ocean was like an abyss that swallowed everything. It was nothing like its daytime beauty.
A small village sat on the coast ahead, with a small pier and a few fishing boats.
The village was brightly lit, but there was no sound. It was eerie.
Shinobu Kocho looked away from Aoki and at the strange village.
"Is that where Gyokko appeared?"
Aoki nodded. "It should be there."
Shinobu Kocho said, "Why is there no sound?"
Aoki didn't speak, looking grim.
Shinobu Kocho suddenly understood. She trembled, her expression turning grim. She looked at Aoki in disbelief.
"The smell of blood! A strong smell of blood!" Aoki said.
Shinobu Kocho slowly clenched her fist, her eyes full of anger. "Did Gyokko kill everyone in the village?"
Aoki didn't answer. He said, "You stay here."
"No! I'm going too!" Shinobu Kocho looked at him firmly.
"Okay!"
Aoki looked at her and said nothing more.
Whoosh!
Huge bat wings spread. He picked up Shinobu Kocho, flapped his wings, and they shot into the sky, flying towards the coastal village.
---
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