Two whole weeks passed, I recieved a delivery from Tamayo containing a few records of Jujutsu that I had missed when I had visited. I read them during patrols of Kyoto.
Mitsuri had stuck by my side for several days before she was called away on an urgent mission toward Tokyo. At least… it sounded urgent from how Urara had sounded. The poor crow's little legs had been shaking when it relayed the message.
A kiss farewell, and a promise to meet up after in my new mansion was all that was exchanged between us. We didn't need anymore words, as sappy as it sounded, the love and affection between us was pretty solid.
I eventually found all I could in the records Tamayo had sent. There was no direct mention of Kenjaku, though there was a rumour of Seimei finding a strange disembodied brain that he exorcised with the help of some unnamed Jujutsu sorcerer.
It was kind of funny to think that Kenjaku had more than likely been jumped by a bunch of background characters and a legendary Onmiyogi.
It was one less headache I had to deal with in the future. Though I did wonder what that meant for everything else. Kenjaku was undoubtedly the reason that a lot of Jujutsu Kaisen happened.
'Whatever… I should go visit the Butterfly Mansion. It's been a while. Wonder how Kanae, Shinobu, and the others are doing?' I thought as I walked out of Tamayo's hidden residence.
A small flare of Cursed Energy and I teleported myself to the Butterfly Mansion.
The flower Hashira was sipping tea on the Veranda when I appeared. She didn't so much as blink at my sudden appearance.
"Satoru-kun…" She addressed me with a smile.
"Kanae, how are things?" I sat next to her.
"Oh, things have been fine, Shinobu is out on a mission. Aoi is tending to some wounded Slayers with the others."
"That's good to hear," I hummed, "how about the training? How's Tanjiro doing?"
"Hmm?" She set the teacup down, "your Tsugoku has been surprising everyone with how fast he's adapting. His friends are no exception. Though a bit cowardly Jiguro-sans student, Zenitsu, is keeping up and that strange kid with the Boar mask is no slouch either."
"Huh, so that old man came here to find Zenitsu?"
"Mhm," she poured herself another cup, "he has been keeping a close eye on Zenitsu."
"That's good."
I thought back to when I had saved Jiguro from making a dumb mistake. It was nice knowing that he had taken my words to heart.
"What about you Satoru-san?" Kanae asked.
"Oh I've been alright, I proposed to Mitsuri a while ago, so I suspect you should be hearing her talk about it if she hasn't already."
Kanae smiled, "That's wonderful! Rengoku-san has told me about his former Tsugoku and how she had been rather… hopeless when it came to love."
I chuckled, "Yeah, well people are a bit stupid. How no one snatched her up before I came along is a mystery to me."
We sat in comfortable silence for a bit, then that silence was broken with the arrival of Tengen Uzui. He looked a bit panicked despite his best efforts to mask his expression.
"Kanae, I need to borrow Aoi and the other girls." He demanded.
'Huh? Is this what I think it is?"
"Ara? What for Tengen-san?" Kanae responded with a tilt of her head.
"A personal matter," Uzui stepped past us, not waiting for an answer, "are they inside?"
"Tengen-san, if you can't tell me what this is about, then I'm afraid that I can't let Aoi, Sumi, Kiyo, or even Naho leave with you."
Tengen grit his teeth, frustration now clear, "I- it's my wives, they've disappeared during an investigation in the disappearance of women in the Entertainment district."
Before Kanae could respond I spoke up, "Hoh? Entertainment district eh? I could help out if you want…"
Tengen looked shocked, seemingly surprised that I had been present the whole time.
"No… I need girls to infiltrate the Oiran houses."
I stood up at my full height, even at 6'3" (190cm), Uzui was still a few inches taller. I addressed him as if I was talking to a child.
"Uzui… you do realise that if women are disappearing in the 'Entertainment' district along with your wives, that this is the clear signs that a demon is involved right?"
He opened his mouth but I raised my hand, "Especially if your wives are as capable as you, not to mention the lack of investigation from the local authorities."
"That's why I need a woman to go investigate, so that they can find where this demo-
"So that they can go risk their lives? No… we have three Hashira here, I say we go and crash the place. Have Kagaya evacuate the civilians or something."
"I- Oyakata-sama doesn't need to burden himself with this."
"Hmm… then-
"Guys…" Kanae interrupted, we turned to her, "there's a new issue."
She was holding a Kasugai crow, specifically Mitsuri's Kasugai crow. Evident by the clover shaped crown it she was wearing on her head. Kanae prodded the crow.
"Hurry! Hurry! Mitsuri is in danger… Hurry! Hurry! She's been captured."
My whole body tensed, this didn't feel like a coincidence. I held out my arm, Mitsuri's crow landed on it, and did a few nervous hops.
"Urara… what happened?" I asked, my voice steady despite the emotions I was feeling.
"Mitsuri was returning from her mission. A demon grabbed her and ran towards Yoshiwara." Urara responded in her small voice.
"That's the Entertainment district." Tengen added.
I clenched my jaw, 'Looks like some fuckers wanna find out.' "Urara, this happened last night?"
"Hai! Mitsuri sent me to inform Oyakata-sama of her success but she was grabbed. I barely managed to escape."
"We need to go, now." Tengen didn't bother trying to grab Aoi. He stepped forward, ready to rush forward.
I nodded, "I'll be right behind you," then I turned back to Urara, "inform Kagaya… Tengen and I will deal with this."
Urara gave my hand a soft peck, "Save master Kanroji…" then she flew off towards HQ.
I glanced at Kanae, "Mobilise the Kakushi in that area, have them evacuate as many of the civilians as they can. I have a feeling this will get messy."
Kanae confirmed with a quick nod before dashing inside the Butterfly Mansion. I turned to the distance, my thoughts swirling. I had confidence in Mitsuri's strength, I had no doubt that she would hold out.
'Daki, Gyutaro… one of the last of the Upper Moons… if so much as a hair on Mitsuri's head is out of place… not even Gege Akutami can asspull a plot device to save your asses.'
[Scene Break]
I caught up with Tengen just as we reached the edge of Yoshiwara. I hadn't been to this district yet, I couldn't teleport without risking an accident. Uzui glanced at me before we moved forward.
"The sun is setting soon, no doubt who ever took our women will be out and about."
"So… how do you plan on doing this?"
"My Shino Mice reported an underground network of tunnels. I dismissed it at first, but I believe that this is where they're likely keeping the victims they haven't devoured yet."
'Huh… he isn't a muscle bound idiot…' "Right… then loud and brash or sneaky breeky like."
Tengen grinned, "So long as it's flashy… the Kakushi have almost finished evacuating the civilians."
"Huh… that was fast, did they use an excuse?"
Uzui nodded, "They evacuated the main part of the town with claims of a gas leak."
'Wait there's gas? I guess it is a pretty big town and it is close to Tokyo…'
"Let's go…" Tengen said after a moment, "let's get our women back."
[Scene Break]
The heart of the district was a ghost town when Uzui and I stepped foot in it. The Kakushi had done a good job of getting people out. I glanced around at the empty shops and homes.
"We should split up, we can cover more ground." Tengen suggested.
"Scream if you need help." I teased as he dashed off.
I chuckled when he flipped me the bird behind his back. I hands in my pockets and sent out a mental probe. Mitsuri was close, but the 'signal' from the cursed energy I planted on her was faint.
'Damn… underground huh? Can't blast my way through without hurting potential hostages.'
I looked around, trying to spot the house that Inosuke had found the tunnel entrance at in the anime. It took me some time but I found it once I removed my sunglasses. As I stepped towards it, I felt the air shift next to me as something collided with my Limitless.
Turning my head slowly I spotted a figure dressed in regular Demon Slayer attire. He had shaggy black hair and a haori, his nichirin blade making sparks against my barrier. An evil grin formed on my face.
"Well, you certainly saved me the trouble of looking for you."
Kaigaku froze.
[Scene Break]
Tengen Uzui ran through the empty streets of Yoshiwara. His blades gripped tightly in his hands, his ninja training working in overdrive as he tried to find any sign of his wives.
'Hinatsuru, Suma, Makio… where are you?' Thoughts of his wives flashed through his head as he ran from house to house.
As he exited another empty house a shadow at the end of the street shifted. The demon stepped into the flickering lamp light revealing herself. Pale skin and long white hair. Her obi sashes floating around her as if they had a mind of their own.
He saw the letters engraved in her eye and silently thanked the Kakushi for doing a great job at evacuating the town.
'…an Upper Moon, here? Satoru was right… thank Kami the streets are empty… I might have to get a little flashy.' He thought to himself.
"Finally… a Hashira," the demon sneered, "you're uglier than I expected."
Tengen's jaw tightened, "You're beautiful for a demon, unfortunately that mouth of yours isn't very flashy…"
Her eyes narrowed but he pressed on, "Where are my wives? What have you done with all the women you took?"
The demon giggled covering her mouth like a courtesan hiding a secret. "Why would I tell someone so… unworthy?" She asked mockingly, "Maybe they screamed, maybe I made them pretty ribbons, or maybe I'll show you their corpses."
Tengen shook his head, "Then we have nothing to talk about further."
He blurred forward, Sound Breathing enhancing his speed beyond normal. His twin sword flashed as he landed beside her just as her head slid from her neck.
"Not the flashiest… but it'll d—
The demons body didn't turn to ash like he expected. Tengen's muscles tensed as he spun around to glance at the demons still form.
'Damn… I knew it was too easy for an Upper Moon.' Tengen cursed.
"Oniisaaaaan!!!" The demons disembodied head screeched.
Then, from her shadow a figure crawled out. Muttering something in a gravelly voice that made Tengen's instincts flare.
"Ne, Ne… nee-chan… what the hell are you doing? You got sloppy again."
The new demon was hunched, grotesque with an emaciated body like a corpse, green mottled skin stretched taunt over his bones.
The demon crouched and picked up the crying head before reattaching it on the female demon's body. Uzui's hard trained instincts screamed at him that this new demon was dangerous.
"I hate you… I really hate you… you hurt my sister…" Gyutaro muttered angrily.
Blood sickles formed in the male demon's hands as he slowly turned to Tengen. A malicious smile tinged the demon's face as his eyes scanned Tengen.
"Guess I'll have to cut this one to pieces for you too nee-chan."
Uzui got ready to dodge whatever attack this demon would launch at him. His muscles coiling with charged energy. The demon shot forward, much faster than Tengen expected.
Tengen raised his blades to block the attack, but then a voice called out to them, cheerful as if walking into old friends at the market.
"Hoh? Uzui… you didn't tell me we were having a party?"
The charging demon jumped back and landed next to his sister. Uzui quickly glanced behind him where Satoru was slowly walking towards him from.
Satoru stepped into the light, his piercing blue eyes glowing slightly under the lamps. He was dragging what Tengen would have thought was a corpse if it wasn't the faint groaning noises coming from the body.
"Sorry I'm late…" Satoru dropped the body he was dragging and glanced at the trio staring at him, "had to deal with some noisy trash on the way."
Uzui blinked, as far as things went this wasn't the craziest thing he'd seen tonight. Normally he'd have been annoyed that his fellow Hashira had given a flashier entrance than he did, but now the playing field had been evened out.
Two Hashira against two Upper Moons…
He liked those odds.
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Question: Smut or No?
Smut:
No Smut: