The two Kakushi carrying Chinatsu and Tanjiro ran swiftly, though, strictly speaking, their task was merely to carry the pair to the next transfer point. They did not actually know the route themselves. The ones truly guiding them were the Kasugai Crows specially trained by the Demon Slayer Corps.
The Kasugai Crows flew ahead, and the Kakushi followed behind. Yet the Kakushi were puzzled to find that this time, the crows kept an unusually large distance from them, almost as though they were afraid of them. Even when they sped up to close the gap, the crows simply flapped their wings faster.
How strange.
Confusion showed on the Kakushi's faces. They even wondered whether the Kasugai Crows disliked them because they smelled odd.
The dislike was real, but it was not directed at the Kakushi. It was directed at Chinatsu, whom one of them was carrying. After the Final Selection, every combat member of the Demon Slayer Corps was assigned a Kasugai Crow. Chinatsu alone was the exception.
Still, being carried on a Kakushi's back as they ran was a rather peculiar experience. At least, that was what Chinatsu thought. On the way to the Swordsmith Village, they changed carriers seven or eight times. From morning to noon, then on into dusk, one Kakushi after another carried them until Chinatsu and Tanjiro finally reached the village entrance.
The Swordsmith Village lay somewhere deep in the mountains. Wooden houses built in a distinctly traditional Japanese style stood amid lush trees that concealed them from view. It certainly was well hidden.
Chinatsu removed her blindfold and earplugs, while Tanjiro removed his blindfold, earplugs, and nose plugs. The instant they came off, Tanjiro felt as though he had come back to life.
After all, the sharper a sense was, the more one relied