"Uh… what are you guys doing?"
Chiba Yo asked Tengen and the others in confusion.
The current situation was somewhat like Tengen being caught kidnapping children, so Chiba Yo didn't listen to Tengen.
"He's a kidnapper! Help us!"
Nakahara Sumi, who was clutching Tengen's leg, cried out loudly to Chiba Yo.
"You guy…"
At this moment, Tanjirou had just returned from a mission outside. Hearing Nakahara Sumi's shout, he immediately prepared to headbutt Tengen, but seeing that Chiba Yo and Zenitsu were also there, he temporarily stopped.
"Quickly release those girls!" Although he didn't headbutt Tengen, Tanjirou still shouted loudly at him.
Hearing Nakahara Sumi and Tanjirou's words, Tengen became even more enraged.
"You stupid brats!" Tengen first roared at Nakahara Sumi, making her scream, and then, ignoring Tanjirou, he loudly explained to Chiba Yo: "My next mission requires female members who can infiltrate the Entertainment District. These two aren't Successors, so I don't need to notify Kochou Shinobu to deploy them. But the other three idiots insisted on trying to stop me!"
After hearing Tengen's words, Chiba Yo understood the whole situation. Then he pointed at Naho and said, somewhat puzzled, "But this little girl isn't a Demon Slayer Corps member."
"That's right! Naho isn't a member!" Nakahara Sumi immediately chimed in.
"She doesn't even have a uniform!" Terauchi Kiyo also added.
Hearing this, Tengen grabbed Naho, who was tucked under his arm, and looked at her, realizing it was true.
"Then I don't need her."
With that, Tengen let go, and Naho fell to the ground.
"Naho!"
Terauchi Kiyo and Nakahara Sumi quickly hugged Naho.
"And Kanzaki-san, she hasn't agreed to you!" After Naho was released, Nakahara Sumi shouted at Tengen again.
Tengen Uzui's veins bulged on his forehead upon hearing this, and he roared at them, "You stupid brats, don't push your luck! I am a Hashira; I can freely deploy ordinary members! And I'm taking her to carry out a mission! If you join the Demon Slayer Corps and are afraid to go on missions, what kind of swordsman are you?"
Kanzaki Aoi, who was slung over Tengen's shoulder, broke out in a sweat when she heard Tengen's words. She closed her eyes, her heart filled with anguish. She had joined the Demon Slayer Corps because her family was killed by demons, but after passing the Final Selection, she was unable to step onto the battlefield due to her fear of death. Eventually, with Kochou Shinobu's permission, she remained at the Butterfly Mansion to become a logistics and care provider.
Not being able to go to the battlefield had always been a knot in her heart, but she had always been extremely diligent at the Butterfly Mansion, caring for injured members, organizing rehabilitation training, and serving as a chef to cook for the members.
She did her utmost to do everything she could for the Demon Slayer Corps.
"You can't say that, Uzui-san. Kanzaki-san works tirelessly every day caring for injured members, organizing rehabilitation training, and also serving as a chef to cook for the members.
What she does for the Demon Slayer Corps is no less than what swordsmen on the battlefield do, right? Aren't her actions also fighting alongside us? Even if she's in the rear, she's still fighting against demons with us.
I think it's better not to force others."
Chiba Yo frowned and spoke to Tengen.
Chiba-sama…
Kanzaki Aoi, who was being carried by Tengen, opened her eyes upon hearing Chiba Yo's words, deeply moved.
Tengen was somewhat speechless after Chiba Yo's words, but he still didn't put Kanzaki Aoi down.
"It's easy for you to say. If I don't take her, what about my mission?" Tengen asked Chiba Yo.
"Uzui-san, weren't you a ninja before? Then you should be very skilled at disguise, right? Since you need a woman to infiltrate that Entertainment District, why don't you disguise yourself as a woman and infiltrate it?"
Chiba Yo suggested to Tengen.
He actually had no idea what the Entertainment District was. In the past decade or so, he had never encountered the term, but from Tengen's description, he could guess that it was probably a place only women could enter.
"Are you serious, you guy…"
Tengen's eyelid twitched when he heard Chiba Yo's words. It wasn't that he lacked confidence in his makeup skills, but that he didn't want to disguise himself as a woman. Moreover, with his tall and muscular build, it would be difficult to disguise himself as a woman.
"First, my flamboyant and sturdy physique isn't easy to disguise as a woman. Besides infiltrating the Entertainment District, I also need to gather information as quickly as possible. I don't have enough people alone; three would be about right."
Tengen fiddled with the long chain of jewels hanging on his forehead, the gems clinking together with a clear, pleasant sound.
Tengen skillfully avoided considering the option of disguising himself as a woman.
"Indeed, that does make it difficult. There aren't many female swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps, and finding them directly right now would be quite hard…"
Chiba Yo heard this and felt that Tengen's words made sense.
"We'll go with you!"
Just then, Tanjirou, who had been holding back for a while, shouted.
Chiba Yo and Tengen Uzui both looked at him. Zenitsu had returned with Chiba Yo and was currently beside Tanjirou.
"Although I just got back, I have plenty of energy, so I'll go with you!"
Inosuke had also returned at some point, and the three of them gathered together.
Zenitsu originally didn't want to go, but after hearing that the location was the Entertainment District, he changed his mind. As almost the only person present besides Tengen who knew what the Entertainment District meant, he was quite looking forward to this mission.
"Then come with me, but you must remember not to disobey my orders! Let's go." Tengen heard this, released Kanzaki Aoi, and agreed to Tanjirou's request. Then he led Tanjirou out of the Butterfly Mansion.
"Thank you, Chiba-sama."
Kanzaki Aoi, now released, came to Chiba Yo and thanked him sincerely. Her inner conflict had been resolved by Chiba Yo's words just now.
"It's nothing, I merely spoke the truth," Chiba Yo said to her with a smile.
Just then, a Hidden member came to Chiba Yo's side.
"Chiba-sama, the Master has summoned you."
"Alright, I'll go now." Chiba Yo responded, and then immediately rushed to the Master's Estate.
Inside the Ubuyashiki Estate
Kagaya lay on the mat, his eyes bandaged, while Amane knelt beside him, attending to him.
Entering the room, Chiba Yo saw Kagaya lying down, and his mood became heavy at that moment.
"Master…"
Chiba Yo knelt on one knee and greeted Kagaya.
"Yo, you've arrived… I apologize for calling you right after you finished a mission…"
Kagaya spoke, his voice as gentle as ever, but with a hint of weariness. Hearing his voice made Chiba Yo feel a little sad.
"Recently, the Demon Slayer Corps has detected what appears to be the presence of an Upper Rank within your patrol area…"