Tanjiro, Where Are You?!

Sanemi Shinazugawa stared over with fierce eyes and asked suspiciously.

Tanjiro had expected this question, so he immediately explained everything in detail.

"It's like this. Ashuramaru said I've more or less mastered my Breathing Style and wants me to leave headquarters to hunt demons."

Hearing that explanation, Sanemi Shinazugawa was fairly supportive. With Tanjiro's strength, there should not have been any problems if he went out.

"Wait here. I'll personally report this to the Master!" With that, he turned and headed straight into the estate.

Tanjiro waited quietly outside, but he could not help asking, "Ashuramaru, do you think the Master will agree?"

"He definitely will."

Ashuramaru in the blade immediately answered, but then changed the subject. "And please, don't come asking me about every little thing from now on!"

Tanjiro awkwardly scratched his head.

Before long.

Sanemi Shinazugawa appeared again, beckoning solemnly. "Come with me. The Master wants to see you."

"Okay."

Hearing that, Tanjiro hurried forward at a jog.

He followed Sanemi back into the courtyard, but this time, they merely passed through it and entered the estate.

They stopped before a brightly lit wooden door. Sanemi Shinazugawa respectfully announced, "Master, Tanjiro has arrived!"

"Come in."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki's gentle, dependable voice came from within, though it carried far more strength than when he had been gravely ill.

Sanemi Shinazugawa pushed open the wooden door.

The two entered one after the other. Inside was a room brightly illuminated by candlelight, and Kagaya Ubuyashiki, dressed in casual clothes, sat before a folding screen at its center.

He smiled kindly.

"Tanjiro, Sanemi, please sit."

The two sat in seiza on the tatami, the three of them facing one another.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked into Tanjiro's eyes, then at Ashuramaru hanging from his waist, and calmly asked,

"Have you truly made up your mind to leave and hunt demons? Recently, demon attacks have become increasingly frequent. They may very well be bait released by Muzan Kibutsuji, intended to find you.

"Then kill you. There may even be more than one Upper Rank appearing." Kagaya Ubuyashiki voiced his own speculation as well.

He wanted Tanjiro to understand the gravity of the situation. Even with the strength of a Hashira, there was still a risk of death!

But Tanjiro answered with utter determination.

"Master, I trust Ashuramaru's judgment!"

However, Sanemi Shinazugawa beside him could no longer remain seated. He immediately stood and interrupted, "If things are as the Master says, then you absolutely cannot leave Demon Slayer Corps headquarters!

"We can't afford to lose you!"

Compared to Sanemi's forceful attitude, Kagaya Ubuyashiki handled the matter far more perfectly. Looking at Tanjiro, he suggested,

"How about we first ask for Mr. Ashuramaru's opinion? Would you be willing to come out and meet us?"

As soon as he finished speaking.

The blade at Tanjiro's waist sprang free, black mist pouring from it and gathering into the form of a breathtakingly beautiful girl.

Under the gazes of the three people present.

Ashuramaru had long prepared a response. She merely needed to voice her thoughts now. She naturally landed on the tips of her toes.

Her crimson eyes turned toward Kagaya Ubuyashiki, and she calmly explained,

"If Tanjiro wants to grow stronger now, simple training alone is far too slow. Only through constant fierce battles and slaying demons can he rise quickly."

Everyone present understood that point.

But what they truly cared about was Tanjiro's safety, and Ashuramaru offered a reasonable explanation for that as well.

"As far as I know, Muzan cannot monitor every demon at all times. Besides, most demons do not actually know what Tanjiro looks like.

"They may only know a few characteristics, such as those particularly conspicuous hanafuda earrings..."

At that, Kagaya Ubuyashiki understood. "You mean to confuse them with false information. As long as there are enough false leads,

"Muzan will have a difficult time discovering Tanjiro's true location!"

Chapter 61: Tanjiro, Where Are You?!

"That's right."

Ashuramaru gave a calm, slight nod, acknowledging his interpretation.

But Tanjiro stepped forward at that moment and objected, "But many innocent Corps members will die because of me!"

His voice was especially firm this time.

He truly could not accept those members dying because of him!

And his words were not without reason.

But Sanemi Shinazugawa was not about to indulge him. He fixed Tanjiro with a fierce glare and sternly rebuked him.

"Even without you, plenty of swordsmen die hunting demons. Now is not the time for you to be selfish!"

Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki did not immediately reject the proposal. In his view, sacrifices were unavoidable. Over the past thousand years,

how many swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps had died at the hands of demons? If the sacrifice of a small number of people could end all of this once and for all, then it was worth it!

Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki himself was willing to offer up his life for that cause!

Ashuramaru had anticipated this situation as well and had already prepared a solution. Now was the time to say it.

Her crimson eyes swept over the three of them before settling on Tanjiro. Her lips parted as she calmly said,

"Don't worry. No one needs to be sacrificed. As long as you do as I say, nothing will happen!"

Tanjiro finally breathed a sigh of relief. Since Ashuramaru said so, there definitely would not be a problem!

Sanemi Shinazugawa's savage expression eased somewhat as well. Although he could accept members dying because of Tanjiro,

it would naturally be best if casualties could be avoided as much as possible.

As for Kagaya Ubuyashiki, there was no need to say more. No one cared more deeply for these swordsmen than he did. He immediately requested respectfully,

"Please tell us, Mr. Ashuramaru."

With that said.

Ashuramaru did not beat around the bush. She directly told the three of them the strategy she had considered for a long time.

"There is no need for large numbers of people to wear earrings and imitate Tanjiro. It will be enough to have a few swordsmen proficient in Water Breathing wear masks and earrings.

"Scatter these swordsmen across cities throughout the country. Every so often, have one of them slay a demon, then immediately hide and flee.

"A few days later, have another member in a distant city hunt a demon as conspicuously as possible, creating the illusion that Tanjiro has moved to another city for Muzan Kibutsuji.

"I'm only giving you the general idea. As for how to execute it, that is still for you, the master of the Demon Slayer Corps, to decide."

As soon as she finished speaking.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki seemed inspired by her words. If they truly carried it out that way,

Muzan Kibutsuji would inevitably be led around by the nose. And if they handled it properly, casualties would be unlikely.

That way, they could make a grand display in the open to draw attention, while Tanjiro and Ashuramaru hid in the shadows.

They only needed to take the opportunity to hunt the demons that Muzan Kibutsuji normally paid almost no attention to.

That way, even if Muzan Kibutsuji wanted to kill Tanjiro, he would have almost no chance of finding where he was!

Thinking of that, the way Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked at Ashuramaru changed. He truly had not expected her to come up with such a strategy.

The plan was indeed feasible, but Kagaya Ubuyashiki also voiced some thoughts of his own.

"This can indeed minimize casualties, but your safety is the most important thing, Tanjiro. Therefore, I hope to assign three Hashira to accompany you!"

This was already the greatest help he could offer. The Hashira had no shortage of missions themselves, and sending three of them at once

was a decision he had made with great resolve!

But Ashuramaru refused outright.

"There is no need. The more people there are, the greater the risk of exposure. One Hashira secretly protecting us will be enough.

"You can have the remaining Hashira follow those members disguised as Tanjiro. That will also greatly increase the credibility of the deception!"

Even so, Kagaya Ubuyashiki still believed three Hashira should secretly accompany them. Tanjiro absolutely could not be allowed to suffer even the slightest mishap!

But he also knew Ashuramaru's resolve was not something he could sway, so he could only turn his sincere, gentle gaze toward Tanjiro.

Facing the Master's gaze, Tanjiro glanced at Ashuramaru beside him, then turned back and answered with exceptional determination.

"Master, I trust Ashuramaru's judgment!"

At this point.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki knew there was no point saying more. But recalling Ashuramaru's terrifying abilities, perhaps he did not need to worry so much.

He could only sigh helplessly before compromising.

"Since that is the case, then I can only choose to trust you. Now, let us decide which Hashira will carry out this mission."

As soon as he finished speaking.

Sanemi Shinazugawa, who had been silent all this time, swept his fierce gaze over Ashuramaru and Tanjiro in turn.

Then he faced Kagaya Ubuyashiki solemnly, bowed, and respectfully said, "Master, I ask that you send me to carry out this mission!"

Everyone's gaze fell upon him at once.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki met his eyes and could feel his determination. Originally, he had planned to send the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, to carry out the mission.

But faced with that resolute gaze, he chose to yield.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Sanemi."

Hearing that, Sanemi Shinazugawa dropped to one knee and replied respectfully and concisely.

"I will not disappoint the Master!"

At this point.

Ashuramaru's body dispersed into black mist and flowed back into the blade.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki faced the two of them and smiled gently.

"Travel safely."

Tanjiro and Sanemi merely nodded before leaving the room.

After they departed and the wooden door closed.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat alone in the room, watching the flickering candlelight beside him. Determination flashed in his eyes.

"Muzan Kibutsuji, it seems the tide has completely turned in our favor."

At the same time.

Elsewhere, inside Infinity Castle.

After gathering the Upper Ranks for a meeting that day, Muzan Kibutsuji had continued monitoring the demons scattered throughout the land. He also passed Tanjiro's characteristics on to every demon, attempting to find him.

Based on the intelligence transmitted through Muzan's blood, the Upper Ranks had also begun searching for clues on their own.

Once they found Tanjiro, they were prepared to erase him completely!

But after several days without finding any trace of Tanjiro, Muzan Kibutsuji became restless and frantic!

"Why hasn't that damned bastard shown himself yet?! And the Upper Ranks haven't sent back a single message either. Where the hell is he?!

"Don't think you can rest easy just because you're hiding. You must die!"