In the forest, a group fled swiftly.
Inside the carriage, Ubuyashiki Kōyō lifted the brocade curtain, gazing back toward the village with deep unease.
"Have the evacuation organizers not returned? Is there still no word from the village?"
His wife, Ubuyashiki Tenmyō, beside him, shook her head. "The children are in the village. Don't worry too much—they'll be fine."
"The feeling in my heart grows stronger."
Kōyō clutched his chest, his face twisted in pain. "This crisis may threaten the Demon Slayer Corps' survival. Kyōkawa and the others are likely in danger… cough, cough, cough…"
Mid-sentence, he spat a mouthful of blood. Tenmyō quickly handed him a medicinal pill, which he swallowed.
As Kōyō's complexion improved slightly, he addressed the youth escorting the carriage. "Onishii, could you return to the village to check? Only four Hashira remain there. Protecting me here is a waste of your strength."
"Please don't say that, Lord Ubuyashiki. Protecting you is my most important duty," the stoic youth replied calmly. "With Kyōkawa and the others there, no demon invasion could cause much trouble."
Could it truly be so?
Kōyō's expression didn't lighten at Onishii's words; instead, his worry deepened. He knew persuading Onishii to return to aid Kyōkawa was futile.
Though he hated to admit it, these youths valued his life above those in the village.
The precedent of Michikatsu Yagatsu loomed large, ensuring Kōyō was guarded around the clock. Even his orders to dismiss his protectors were ignored—his life was no longer his own but tied to the Corps' future.
Now, he could only pray that Kyōkawa and the others could defeat the demon invading the Corps… but was it truly possible?
So much time had passed without a single message from the village. As Lord Ubuyashiki, he could only flee, helplessly watching the children fight demons in the village.
He clenched his fists, rage burning within. When had the Demon Slayer Corps become so feeble?
If he had to pinpoint it, it began with that man's betrayal…
Since that man's defection, the Corps' Hashira had dwindled rapidly. In just a few years, nearly all the previous generation's Hashira perished, forcing Kōyō to protect their descendants. He thought this was enough, yet danger had still found them.
So, is it you attacking the Corps tonight, Ren?
Outside the carriage, the stoic Onishii ran alongside, guarding it. Suddenly, his gaze shot like lightning into the depths of the distant forest.
His heart pounded fiercely, a sharp sense of danger flooding his senses.
It felt as if a beast in the darkness was closing in, and he keenly sensed the hidden killing intent.
Without hesitation, Onishii grabbed the carriage's reins.
A piercing neigh split the sky as the startled horses reared, their front hooves high.
The carriage lurched violently.
Inside, Kōyō stumbled, nearly falling.
Tenmyō, pale with fright, clung tightly to her husband's arm.
"What's wrong, Onishii? What happened?" Kōyō steadied himself and asked.
Onishii's face was grim, his teeth clenched. "Lord Ubuyashiki, I fear we're being targeted." His eyes scanned the surroundings vigilantly, never wavering.
At this, Tenmyō's tension spiked, her fingers digging into Kōyō's arm.
But Kōyō remained calm, gently patting her hand. "Don't be afraid, Tenmyō. Trust in Onishii's strength."
Indeed, this youth named Onishii was no ordinary warrior.
As the Hashira tasked with protecting Lord Ubuyashiki, his prowess stood out among the Corps' elite. In the current Demon Slayer Corps, none dared claim they could defeat this youth in a fight to the death.
Onishii's expression grew solemn as he surveyed the area, his grip tightening on his Nichirin Blade.
The surroundings were eerily quiet, save for the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze, unnaturally clear in the silence. This unnatural calm only heightened the sense of unspoken fear and danger lurking behind it.
Suddenly, he felt an odd sensation beneath his feet, as if an invisible force was dragging him downward. Glancing down, he froze in horror: the solid ground had transformed into a swamp-like sea of blood, viscous and glowing with an eerie red light, pulling his body uncontrollably downward.
Seeing the danger, Onishii acted swiftly, thrusting his Nichirin Blade into the ground to anchor himself and escape the blood sea.
But as he rose, a ghostly black shadow darted toward him like lightning, reaching him in an instant.
The shadow's speed was blinding, too fast for any reaction. A muffled thud rang out as a fist slammed into his chest.
"Gah!" Onishii spewed blood, his body hurtling backward like a leaf in a storm.
He crashed through several thick trees, finally slamming into the ground, kicking up dust.
He lay motionless, his fate unknown.
Inside the carriage, Kōyō had been listening tensely to the sounds outside.
When the crashes and thuds abruptly ceased, his heart sank. That Onishii fell so quickly was beyond his expectations. Trapped in the carriage, he knew nothing of what had transpired outside.
But he knew the worst had come to pass.
"Cough, cough…"
He coughed violently, pressing a handkerchief to his mouth, heedless of the blood staining it. He gripped Tenmyō's hand tightly.
Tenmyō bowed her head, tears falling.
In this moment, Kōyō grew eerily calm.
Hearing footsteps approaching, he stepped out of the carriage. Facing the wind, his frail figure stood resolute against the demon emerging from the darkness.