Yoshiwara Pleasure District — Flower Street
This decadent district, drowning in lantern light and human desire, was the territory of Upper Moon Six.
Beneath the layers of silk, perfume, and laughter, it served as the lair of Daki and her brother Gyutaro.
Tonight, however, the pleasure quarter welcomed a far more dangerous guest.
Upper Moon Two — Doma.
"Lord Doma."
Daki and Gyutaro knelt respectfully on the tatami. Gyutaro's hunched body trembled slightly as he spoke in his rasping voice.
"Will your presence here anger Lord Kibutsuji Muzan?"
Doma reclined lazily on his side, propping his head up with one hand. He waved dismissively, smiling as always.
"Ah~ don't worry about that. Lord Muzan doesn't care about such trivial things right now."
He laughed softly.
"Akaza's death has disappointed him greatly. So greatly, in fact, that he issued an ultimatum."
Gyutaro's single eye narrowed.
"An ultimatum…?"
"Yes~." Doma nodded cheerfully. "If we fail to carry out his command, he may personally dispose of us. Compared to that, Upper Moons cooperating is hardly worth worrying about, don't you think?"
There was a reason such cooperation had always been forbidden.
Kibutsuji Muzan had absolute dominion over demons. With a single thought, he could end their existence. His prohibition against demons—especially the Twelve Kizuki—forming factions was not simply about secrecy.
It was fear.
Fear that his subordinates might unite.
Fear that rebellion—however unlikely—might occur again.
Yes.
Again.
For in the distant past, a demon had once broken free of Muzan's control and opposed him.
Akaza's death, combined with centuries of failure to locate the Blue Spider Lily, had eroded Muzan's patience. For the first time in generations, he had loosened his grip.
Until the Demon Slayer Corps was eradicated, he would allow the Upper Moons to act freely.
"I see…" Gyutaro murmured.
After a moment of thought, he asked, "Then what are your intentions, Lord Doma?"
Daki and Gyutaro owed their transformation into demons to Doma. Their respect for him ran deep.
Doma tapped his fan against his chin, pretending to ponder.
"Hmm~ what should we do…"
Then his eyes lit up.
"I've got it! You two should deliberately expose yourselves. Draw Demon Slayers in."
He clapped his hands lightly.
"And then~ we slaughter them together! Isn't that a wonderful idea?"
"…You want us to be bait?"
Daki tilted her head, but instead of anger, she smiled brightly.
Gyutaro chuckled lowly.
"That does sound… efficient."
They nodded without hesitation.
Elsewhere — An Unknown Location
Two figures stood together in a dark, twisted space.
Upper Moon Four — HantenguUpper Moon Five — Gyokko
Gyokko's distorted body writhed with excitement.
"Lord Hantengu~ I've recently discovered something very interesting. Would you like to have some fun with me?"
Hantengu flinched.
"Oh…? W-what kind of place…?"
Gyokko leaned forward eagerly.
"The village where the Demon Slayer Corps forges their weapons."
Hantengu froze.
"…The swordsmith village?"
"Not confirmed yet," Gyokko admitted, eyes gleaming. "But I found clues. Originally, I planned to investigate alone and destroy it myself…"
He paused.
"But after Akaza's death, I thought—why not be careful?"
Hantengu nodded rapidly.
"Yes, yes! Caution is good! Very good! What if it's a trap…?"
He wrung his hands nervously.
"How about we send others to scout it first?"
Gyokko considered this.
"…That makes sense."
Then he grinned.
"How about some Lower Moons?"
Hantengu relaxed slightly.
"That works… I happen to know where a few of them are hiding…"
Kokushibo's Location
Upper Moon One — Kokushibo — stood alone beneath the moonlight.
After centuries of stillness, he had finally resolved to act.
His plan was simple.
Find the strongholds of the Demon Slayer Corps.
And erase them.
When he had still been human, he had belonged to the Corps. Though the organization had changed over hundreds of years, traces of its foundations remained.
To him, locating them would be effortless.
But just as he prepared to move—
An eyeball with wings descended before him.
Carved into it was the character Three.
"Lord Kokushibo."
A woman's voice spoke calmly.
"I am Nakime. By Lord Kibutsuji Muzan's will, I have been appointed as the new Upper Moon Three."
Nakime—the biwa demon who controlled the Infinity Castle—had always held a position near Muzan's heart. Even before inheriting Akaza's rank, her authority surpassed most Upper Moons.
Kokushibo was not surprised.
"I understand," he said evenly. "Does Lord Muzan have further instructions?"
"Yes."
Nakime continued, "You are to temporarily refrain from acting. When the Upper Moons clash with the Demon Slayer Corps, I will use the Infinity Castle to locate Tsugikuni's hidden position."
Her voice sharpened slightly.
"When that happens… you will move."
Kokushibo closed his eyes.
"…Understood."
He returned to his residence, unfastened the sword at his waist, and sat down to meditate.
Nakime's eye sank into the ground and vanished.
At the Same Time — Mount Sagiri
A young man with deep red hair and crimson eyes stood at the mountain's edge.
A large scar marked his left forehead.
After a year and a half of brutal training, he was finally ready to descend and participate in the Demon Slayer Corps' entrance selection.
From this moment on—
The gears of destiny began to turn faster than ever before.