Infinite Train Departs! Come On, Have a Bento First!

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters—the familiar courtyard was silent and serene.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who had been waiting there, lowered his eyes and keenly caught the subtle change in Kashu's presence.

"Could it be—Mr. Kashu, are you ready?"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki's ever-gentle voice was filled with anticipation.

Kashu took a metallic sphere gleaming from his robes and casually tossed it to Kagaya Ubuyashiki.

"Miss Tamayo and I only tested it twice. Considering Muzan Kibutsuji's personality, this is already the current limit."

"So, have there been any recent developments concerning the Twelve Kizuki?"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded in agreement, tapping his forehead lightly as he recalled the scattered reports sent back by the Corps members.

"The Twelve Kizuki have always been elusive. The members can only sift through reports of heavy casualties across the country for traces of them."

Kashu nodded knowingly, signaling for him to continue.

"Outside Stone Pool Town in the north, villagers have recently been drowning in a small stream with alarming frequency. Passing travelers have even fearfully dubbed it the 'ominous Sanzu River.'"

"Over in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, Tengen has sent his three wives in to investigate. He believes an Upper Rank demon may be lurking there."

"And on a train in a western town, more than forty passengers have vanished without a trace after boarding. The newspapers even ran the sensational headline, 'The Train That Eats People.'"

"A train that eats people?"

Kashu raised a brow, the corner of his mouth curving in amusement.

"In an era overrun by demons, a train has actually earned such an honor?"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki frowned slightly and added, "The matter is indeed strange, so I have already sent Kyojuro to investigate first. Do you intend to take a look as well?"

Kashu nodded. "After all, this lead sounds the most promising."

"It would be best if there's one of the Twelve Kizuki. If not, I'll make do with some small fry."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki said no more. "Understood. Do you require additional Corps members to assist you?"

After a brief moment of thought, Kashu shook his head.

"Too many people would only alert the enemy. I'll just take Tanjiro with me. That child needs more experience as well."

The train platform was teeming with people, the air thick with the smell of coal and farewells.

Kashu and Tanjiro, carrying Nezuko's wooden box on his back, moved through the crowd and soon found the man as dazzling as a flame—

The Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku.

"I never expected to be assigned alongside Mr. Kashu this time! I will work even harder!"

Kyojuro Rengoku's voice boomed, his eyes blazing brightly. He was also carrying two rather hefty bundles in his hands.

Such peculiar behavior drew sidelong looks from the surrounding passengers, who moved aside to avoid him.

Looking at the imposing Flame Hashira, Kashu raised a hand in greeting.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kyojuro. Did your earlier investigation turn up anything?"

Kyojuro Rengoku immediately shook his head and explained.

"I investigated the repair yard. Though I encountered a minor inconvenience, I can confirm that it had nothing to do with the train disappearances!"

Kashu frowned and pressed, "So there was nothing unusual about the train itself at the repair yard?"

Kyojuro Rengoku shook his head firmly. "No! They insisted that the Infinite Train is perfectly safe, which is why it was put back into service tonight."

Hearing that, Kashu unconsciously furrowed his brow and swept his gaze across the platform.

The lingering rays of sunset painted the platform a warm red. Travelers hauling luggage formed a long line as they boarded one after another.

Though trains in this Taisho-era world had limited capacity, this one was carrying at least two hundred people.

"And it just happens to be running at night... If that thing really is on board..."

Kashu murmured, a trace of gravity appearing on his face.

Kyojuro Rengoku nodded heavily, his expression solemn.

"Indeed! We absolutely cannot allow another tragedy to occur!"

After their brief exchange of information, Kashu pulled out Tanjiro, who had been standing stiffly and hiding behind him the entire time.

"Kyojuro, do you remember this kid?"

Kyojuro Rengoku looked closely, then waved with a smile.

"Of course I remember! The Kamado boy from the Hashira Meeting! Your sister and you left a deep impression on me!"

His gaze settled on the wooden box behind Tanjiro, and he promptly nodded with solemn conviction.

"There is no need to worry! I, Kyojuro Rengoku, fully support what the Master has approved! Let us work hard together!"

"Yes!"

Tanjiro straightened up and answered loudly, his eyes full of gratitude.

Woo—woo!

The long, piercing whistle tore through the twilight as the conductor waved and shouted from the carriage door, urging the last passengers aboard.

The three wasted no more time and headed toward the train with the crowd.

"By the way, Kyojuro."

Kashu glanced at the bulging bundles in the other man's hands, his tone curious.

"What exactly have you been carrying around all this time?"

"An excellent question! They are premium beef hot-pot bentos! Would you like one, Mr. Kashu?"

Kashu: (°ー°〃)?

Having a bento before a mission?

Kyojuro, aren't you raising a death flag a little too openly?

Accompanied by the roar of wheels grinding against the tracks and thick clouds of steam, the Infinite Train slowly pulled away from the platform and disappeared into the deepening night.

Trains of this era had no assigned seats, so the three simply found vacant places and sat down.

Kashu had already experienced Kyojuro Rengoku's booming voice while they were talking on the platform.

But when the man dropped the two large bundles onto the table with a clunk, tore open the bento wrappers, and began wolfing down his food—

Kashu finally understood what a "walking source of noise" truly was!

"Delicious!"

"Delicious!"

Every mouthful Kyojuro Rengoku shoveled into his mouth came with a deafening exclamation of praise.

His voice was so loud that it seemed capable of blowing the roof straight off the carriage.

The nearby passengers clearly could not endure this passionate "food symphony." Frowning, they rose one after another and fled to other carriages.

Kashu covered Fou's ears in his arms and looked helplessly at the Flame Hashira, who was acting as though no one else existed.

"I say, Kyojuro, we came here to investigate a man-eating train. Aren't you afraid of scaring the demon away by making such a racket?"

"Wouldn't that be even better!"

With his mouth stuffed full of food, Kyojuro Rengoku replied unclearly yet righteously.

He swiftly finished one bento and let out a satisfied breath.

"Mr. Kashu! If our presence can intimidate the demon and keep it from appearing, wouldn't that mean we have saved the lives of more than two hundred people on this train?"

"Isn't that a wonderful thing worth celebrating?"

Tanjiro, beside them, nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of agreement.

He was not afraid of fighting. He simply did not want any more innocent people to die.

Kyojuro Rengoku's logic suited him perfectly.

Looking at this pair of quintessential hot-blooded idiots, Kashu raised a hand to his forehead and sighed softly.

"Your desire to save people is admirable. I understand it."

"But do not forget: as long as Muzan Kibutsuji, the source of it all, remains alive, tragedy will never end."

Naturally, Kyojuro Rengoku and Tanjiro understood that.

But reality was cruel.

The Demon King had hidden himself so thoroughly that the Demon Slayer Corps had struggled to find any trace of him for centuries, much less kill him.

Kyojuro Rengoku set down his second bento box, his expression instantly turning grave as his sharp gaze fixed on Kashu.

"Do you have a way... to find Muzan Kibutsuji?"

Kashu shook his head, his tone calm but certain.

"It is not a matter of me finding him. I will make him come find me."

Tanjiro cried out in alarm. "Mr. Kashu! Are you planning to use yourself as bait?!"

Kyojuro Rengoku's face became stern. "The Demon King's power is unfathomable. This is far too dangerous! How certain are you?"

Kashu lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingertips, a confident smile appearing on his face.

"If everything goes according to plan, around—seventy percent."

Kyojuro Rengoku drew a deep breath, his eyes turning resolute.

"Understood! I, Kyojuro Rengoku, will give my full support to your plan!"

With that, he put away his earlier noisiness, picked up the remaining bento, and began eating swiftly yet silently, as though he had become an entirely different person.

The night completely swallowed the last trace of light beyond the windows.

A thin, pale-faced conductor silently appeared at the connection between the carriages. He bowed slightly, but his eyes showed no emotion.

"Good evening. Please show me your tickets."

There was an eerie flatness to his voice, as though it had not come from a living person.

Kashu's gaze sharpened slightly, and his fingers moved beneath the table.