In Ubuyashiki Kagaya's study, Kamado Tanjiro and Tō stood straight before his desk, holding a report handed over by the Kakushi.
The paper detailed recent changes in the Entertainment District—within just one week, the once-divided brothels had been unified under a single mysterious figure.
The new overseer had established strict rules, abolished the buying and selling of people, and even set limits on the conduct of customers. The district's atmosphere had shifted drastically, yet no one knew who this man truly was.
All they knew was that he ruled with both ruthlessness and precision. His subordinates called him Mushiki-sama.
"This Mushiki-sama's appearance is far too suspicious," Kagaya said calmly from his wheelchair.
"The Entertainment District was once the territory of the former Upper Moon Six. Now that it's suddenly united, it's possible this Mushiki is a new agent sent by Muzan. The two of you have previously infiltrated the district and are familiar with its layout. Your mission this time is to investigate—confirm Mushiki-sama's true identity and determine whether he's connected to the demons. But do not act recklessly. If you sense danger, send a crow message immediately, and I'll dispatch a Hashira for support."
"Yes!" both answered in unison, their voices steady and resolute.
After leaving Headquarters, Tanjiro and Tō headed straight for the district.
When they reached the gates of Kyogoku House, both froze. Their old disguise tactic—dressing as courtesans—was useless now.
Security at the gates was tighter than before. A new sign hung beside the entrance: "Applications for courtesans require a neat appearance and refined manners."
Their faces were bare—Shinobu had long since forced them to wash off the ridiculous makeup from before. Even so, Tō's short pale-blue hair and Tanjiro's bright red locks drew instant attention.
They looked nothing like proper courtesans. The moment they approached, a guard barked at them, "Hey! Move along! You don't meet the requirements—don't waste our time!"
Tanjiro blinked. 'What's next, do they ask for social insurance too?'
"What now?" Tō muttered, scratching his head impatiently.
Tanjiro thought for a moment, then reached into his robe and pulled out a small coin pouch—inside were the few silver coins Giyu had once given to the Kamado family. He'd never had the heart to spend them.
"We'll pose as customers," Tanjiro whispered. "Customers won't be stopped at the gate. We can observe Mushiki-sama up close."
Tō's eyes lit up. They found a tailor's shop nearby and bought two plain cotton kimonos. Tanjiro tied his red hair under a dark headscarf, and Tō pressed his short hair flat to appear as ordinary townsmen.
Once properly disguised, they returned to Kyogoku House. This time, the guards didn't stop them—they walked straight into the main hall.
Inside, the hall looked much more orderly than before. Though there were still many guests, the noise was subdued. The attendants moved gracefully, their demeanor calm and professional—gone was the rowdy air that had once filled the place.
They chose a quiet corner to sit, planning to discreetly ask about Mushiki-sama. But their stiff movements drew the attention of a nearby samurai.
He was one of the guards Giyu had stationed after unifying the district—responsible for maintaining order and monitoring suspicious visitors.
"You two," the samurai said, narrowing his eyes, "you look unfamiliar. First time here?"
Tanjiro started to reply, "We came to listen to the shamisen," but Tō blurted nervously, "We're here to find… someone!"
"Find someone?"
The samurai frowned, his tone hardening. "By order of Mushiki-sama, suspicious individuals are not allowed to wander freely inside. You'll come with me."
Before they could explain, the samurai had already grabbed their arms and was marching them toward the rear courtyard.
They had planned to investigate quietly—but their lack of experience had betrayed them instead.
Inside the back room, a man in a dark kimono sat at a low table, calmly flipping through a ledger.
When he heard the approaching footsteps, he slowly looked up.
Tanjiro and Tō froze in place—the black kimono with dark wave patterns, the faint blue markings across his cheeks, and those dark-blue eyes they could never mistake… it was their teacher. It was Giyu.
"Sensei!"
Tō broke free from the guard's grip, rushing forward, but Tanjiro grabbed his arm. He had caught it—a faint trace of demonic scent beneath the familiar herbal fragrance. His chest tightened. He couldn't move recklessly.
Giyu's expression didn't change. His eyes were as still as frozen water, showing no sign of recognition. He raised a hand, signaling the samurai to step back. His voice was cold. "Who are you? What business do you have with me?"
"Sensei, you don't remember us? I'm Tō! This is Tanjiro!"
Tō's voice trembled, eyes reddening. "You… you were supposed to be gone! How are you here?"
Giyu's fingers tapped lightly on the table, his gaze sweeping over them. His tone remained flat. "You must be mistaken. My name is Mushiki. I'm not whoever you think I am."
"That's impossible!"
Tō's voice cracked. "You look exactly the same! The way you talk, the way you look—it's you! You must have your reasons, right?"
Tanjiro stepped forward, his voice shaking. "Tomioka-san, your scent… it's one we know. You're—"
"Enough."
Giyu's cold voice cut through his words. A faint, sharp glint flashed in his dark-blue eyes. "The Entertainment District has its rules. Don't ask what you shouldn't. Don't recognize who you shouldn't. You two were acting suspiciously. By the rules, I should deal with you now—but since it's your first offense, I'll let you go. Leave, and don't ever set foot here again."
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "And tell whoever sent you—stay out of the district's affairs."
The words hit like ice water, freezing both Tanjiro and Tō where they stood.
Tō tried to protest, but Tanjiro held him back. He'd noticed something—when Giyu spoke the word rules, his fingers tapped the table three times.
That was their old emergency code—"safe, there's something deeper."
And when Giyu mentioned "the one who sent you," it was clear he knew they were acting under the Master's orders. It couldn't be a coincidence.
"We understand. Sorry for the disturbance."
Tanjiro bowed slightly, pulling Tō toward the exit.
Tō stayed silent until they had left the district. Then he turned, frustration in his eyes. "Tanjiro, why didn't you let me say more? That was our sensei! Why won't he admit it?"
"He's not denying us," Tanjiro said, stopping in his tracks. His expression hardened with certainty. "When he tapped the table three times—that was his signal. It meant 'safe, there's something deeper.' And when he said 'the one who sent you,' he was confirming he knows Oyakata-sama sent us. He's warning us not to expose him."
Tō froze, his mind racing back to that moment. "So you mean… sensei's pretending not to know us? Because he's hiding something?"
"Most likely." Tanjiro nodded. "There's demon scent on him, but no hostility. He even tried to protect us—told us to leave before we got dragged into trouble. We need to report this to Oyakata-sama right away."
Without another word, they both drew a deep breath, activating Total Concentration Breathing, and sprinted through the night toward Headquarters.