The hot springs of the Swordsmith Village were universally recognized by members of the Demon Slayer Corps as the finest sanctuary for recuperation.
The spring water here was rich in special minerals. Not only could it wash away the fatigue left by battle, but it could also nourish the swordsmen's bodies, working wonders on lingering internal injuries.
Tanjiro carefully set the box containing Nezuko beside the pool, then submerged himself in the steaming hot spring and let out a sigh of bone-deep satisfaction.
"Ahh! I'm alive again!"
The warm spring water enveloped his body, easing every inch of his muscles. The exhaustion and soreness left by that brutal battle in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District seemed to dissolve and evaporate little by little in the swirling steam.
Unlike Tanjiro, who had completely relaxed, Uesugi Sasuke simply leaned quietly in another corner of the hot spring, his eyes closed, letting the water soak his well-defined body.
He made no sound, like a sculpture that had blended into the night. But a closer look would reveal that even the air around him seemed to vibrate ever so slightly with his breathing, at an extremely subtle frequency.
He was using this rare moment of peace to regulate the chakra in his body, which had become somewhat disordered after he forcibly activated Majestic Attire: Susanoo.
All was peaceful. All was quiet.
Until a lively voice, clear as a silver bell, broke the silence.
"Wow! What a wonderful hot spring! Here I go!"
With that cheer, a figure leaped into the hot spring with an incredibly light, nimble movement.
Splash!
Water splashed everywhere.
It was a girl with long hair that faded from cherry blossom pink to grass green, its ends woven into several thick braids. Her smile was as radiant as sunshine, filled with an