Tokyo's heart, Ginza district, was suffering an untimely savory bombardment.
It was a thick, deep pork lard (lard) feast on a different dimension from the sesame oil smell used in existing tempura (fried food), stimulating humanity's primal appetite.
In front of the Akatsuki Trading Company main store, before a newly set up stall, a crowd had lined up since morning.
"Now now, line up! Special price only today, just 3 sen! Akatsuki's ambitiously introduced new history, the katsu sandwich!"
The trading company's hired perky human clerks shouted at the top of their lungs, skillfully packing freshly fried golden tonkatsu between white bread.
Meanwhile, inside the first floor of the trading company building where sunlight didn't reach, a kitchen filled with heat.
Sizzle! Splash!
Before a huge iron frying pot stood Kiyohime. A kitchen completely sealed without a single window, heat that would suffocate ordinary people, but for her who inherited dragon blood, this was merely a warm breeze.
"Maintain oil temperature consistently. Must be perfect like when Master eats."
"Yes, yep! Head chef!"
As human assistants bustled about sweating profusely, Kiyohime covered her mouth with a fan and leisurely adjusted the flames. Though ventilation shouldn't work and it should be hot, thanks to Tamamo's magecraft, humans only sweat a little at this temperature and ventilation works well.
Under her command, tonkatsu as big as adult palms were fried nonstop and carried to the stall.
Same time, second-floor office.
In a room filled with darkness with blackout curtains drawn, I sat cross-legged, looking down at the street through curtain gaps.
"Hoh, reaction's quite good?"
My crimson eyes hid in shadows avoiding sunlight, but their light was brilliant.
"Mikon! Morning sales alone exceed double that of curry. Modern knowledge and Master's planning are truly cheating."
From the darkness, Tamamo chuckled while flipping through account books using foxfire as a lantern.
"Right. With this money, we'll buy more modern weapons and expand underground facilities like a fortress."
I looked down at my hand. My personal martial power was still only at Lower Moon oni level, lower ranks at that. Not to mention Upper Moons, at a level where meeting a Hashira-level swordsman would make it hard to preserve my life.
Thus I needed money and heroic spirits even more. If I'm weak, I just need to make strong subordinates and an ironclad fortress.
"H-hey! Is this thickness really meat?! Not bricks?!"
"D-delicious! Melts in your mouth!"
Exclamations from the street. Meat whose muscle fibers were cut with a tenderizer with hundreds of blades chewed tenderly despite its thickness. A moment of culinary revolution.
Unfortunately, can't sell frozen tonkatsu, you see. Refrigerator普及 isn't going well yet, and commoners find it hard to buy. Even selling it to be eaten the same day uses lots of oil. Japanese commoners could only use oil freely postwar.
Since flour and oil were distributed as relief supplies, commoners could use it freely from then, before that oil was hard for commoners to use freely.
Even now, oil dishes, frying were高级 cuisine. Originally didn't traditionally eat fried food and started eating due to Western influence. A place where meat eating was prohibited too. Edible oil wasn't mass-produced until after the 1930s, right?
Maybe that's why right after defeat, there was no edible oil so they ate Mobil tempura fried with car waste oil.
In that sense, what we're doing is truly innovation. Selling fried food, meat dishes this cheaply in bulk.
Didn't Inosuke like and frequently eat fried food too? The Demon Slayer Corps has money. The Wisteria House is well-off enough to take care of Demon Slayer Corps members. Their situation is different, it's different by commoner standards.
We thoroughly target the commoner class. And rich people have no choice but to look at our cuisine and eat too. We buy ingredients cheaply through bulk purchases and monopolize the market with cooking methods only we can do.
That's enough. And our trading company becomes famous and customers increase. That's what matters. Brand value is important.
Plus, katsu sandwiches were being sold at various branch stores bearing our trading company's name.
But through the bustling crowd, a heterogeneous presence cutting through air flow appeared.
"Hoh, this is that store making the most noise in Tokyo lately? Quite unsubtly giving off a showy smell."
A giant approaching 2 meters tall. Accessories adorned with showy headband and glittering jewels. Surrounding people made way, overwhelmed by his压倒 presence.
Uzui Tengen.
Seems not yet ascended to Sound Hashira position, but a man with already completed skills as former ninja.
Quite murderous presence.
I tightened my grip on the teacup. Despite hiding behind curtains, the pressure was enough to make skin sting. In a frontal fight at my current level, I'd die.
A fight would be possible, but Uzui originally has exceptional muscle strength and as a ninja, he handles explosions.
But no need to panic. Beside me are family much stronger than him.
"Tamamo. A guest has come. Should show proper manners?"
At my words, Tamamo glanced outside and wagged her tail.
"Oh my, that ninja? Seems quite sensitive... bothersome."
Tamamo yawned as if bothered and flicked her finger.
Fwoosh!
An invisible wave enveloped the mansion. The barrier's intensity increased one level, perfectly blocking underground presence and our demonic aura.
No matter how excellent a ninja's senses, even if his ears are special, they were useless before the White-Face Golden Fur's magecraft.
Uzui strode to the stall front.
"Give me one katsu sandwich. Rumors are buzzing."
Uzui tossed a coin and took the sandwich. Then scanned the entire building with sharp eyes.
Nostrils moved subtly, ears twitched. Attempting to find heterogeneous smell and sound among numerous crowds.
Look all you want. All you'll find is pork lard smell.
I watched that sight interestingly from behind the curtain. Confidence that though my power is weak, the system I built is strong. That was my composure.
Uzui tilted his head.
"Hmm..."
Clearly some suspicious smell (money smell or sense of incongruity), but no oni presence felt at all. Tamamo's barrier was perfect. He soon seemed to give up and brought the sandwich to his mouth.
Crunch!
The moment Uzui bit into the sandwich, his movements stopped dead.
"...!"
His eyes widened. Chewed, and chewed again. The feast of juices exploding in mouth and crispy texture. Overwhelming flavor violence that even temporarily paralyzed ninja's cold analysis.
"This... is showily delicious?!"
Uzui spat out a sincere exclamation.
"Despite this incredible thickness, not tough at all! The breading is artistically crispy, and juices burst out like a waterfall! This isn't an ordinary cook's skill!"
His praise was sincere. When the clerk girl shyly smiled and explained "trade secret," Uzui nodded but didn't let go of suspicion's thread.
He quickly finished one sandwich, wiped breadcrumbs from his mouth. And once again, stared precisely at the second-floor window where I was.
An invisible exchange of glances. I instinctively flinched but didn't avoid. Anyway, you can't see me. As long as Tamamo is here.
"I'll come again next time. Want to see this store's real owner's face then."
That was clear suspicion.
Sharp as expected. But with only suspicion, you can't cut me. Even because of Demon Slayer Corps rules.
Uzui disappeared into the crowd, fluttering his showy cloak.
"Fufu, he left. Quite sharp-acting but ultimately human."
Tamamo chuckled, resting her chin.
"Just a ninja after all. To pierce my barrier, need 100 more years of training maybe?"
"Still broke a cold sweat. Indeed, in a 1-on-1 fight right now, my neck would fly off instantly."
I honestly admitted and let out a relieved breath. Acknowledging weakness is the first step of survival. But my voice held not servility but a bitter laugh.
"But doesn't matter. I have you all. And from now, that guy will become our store's excellent regular customer."
Uzui Tengen, a powerhouse who would later capture Upper Moon 6. But now is just one of my business's funding sources.
"Whether they suspect or not, just don't give them confirmation."
I threw the huge bundle of cash earned today into the safe.
"Eat your fill, ninja lord. The money you paid will eventually circulate and become our trading company's power."
Ginza's night deepened. I am weak, but my empire is strong. The Akatsuki Trading Company didn't shrink even in darkness. Rather, dominating that darkness, leisurely preparing for the coming real war.
Thus time passed as the Demon Slayer Corps showed signs of suspecting our trading company.
1907.
The Kocho sisters' oni hunting began.