Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while since the last chapter. I was trying to figure out how I will improvise these following scenes involving the Entertainment District Arc now that I'll be adding in Rengoku. This chapter is just where Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitu meet Uzui. The following chapters will have Rengoku being added. So look forward to that!

Chapter 6

On his way back to the Butterfly Mansion, Tanjiro was met with Haganezuka. He chased Tanjiro all night to early daybreak. With the help of Aoi, Tanjiro managed to slip away from Haganezuka.

The next day, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu started training again. Then soon right after, Tanjiro had a small mission. He and Nezuko fought against a demon that looked like a mantis. They quickly finished it off and left with no trace that they were there.

Now, during the afternoon, as Tanjiro was minding his own, he heard screams coming from outside the Butterfly Mansion. He walked out to find Aoi screaming for help. She was in the arms of someone very muscular and very flashy.

The three small girls, Naho, Sumi, and Kiyo, along with Shinobu's Tsuguko, Kanao Tsuyuri, were struggling to stop the older man from taking Aoi.

Seeing the situation, Tanjiro reacted immediately. "What are you doing!? You can't do that to young girls! Put them down, you jerk!"

All of them paused and stared at Tanjiro. Tanjiro looked at them confused. He wasn't sure if they were swarming around him or being held captive.

"He's kidnapping those girls!" one of the three girls cried out.

"Shut your mouth!" the older man replied, extremely irritated.

Angered, Tanjiro raced over to headbutt the older one but the older one suddenly vanished in front of him. Tanjiro fell to the ground, managing to have one of the girls land on him.

"Are you alright?" Tanjiro asks.

"Yes." the girl replies.

Tanjiro helped her up but then looked up when he heard the older man speak.

"You're a fool. I'm Lord Tengen Uzui, a former shinobi... a man known around here for his resplendency. Did you think I'd fall for one of your vulgar headbutts?" Uzui said.

"You let them go right now! Lousy kidnapper!" Tanjiro said.

The other girls agreed, calling Uzui names.

"Show some respect! Who do you think you're talking to! I'm your superior! A Hashira!" Uzui yelled at them.

"Well, I don't acknowledge you as a Hashira! Hmph!" Tanjiro said, then making a face at the Hashira.

"Don't give me that face! And why should I care if you don't acknowledge me?! You bottom feeder! Did your brain fall out of your head, or what?!"

"I'm taking these two because I need female Corps members for a mission! And I don't need any permission to take anyone who's not a Tsuguko!"

"Naho isn't even a member of the Corps!" Sumi cried out. "Look! She's not wearing the uniform!"

Uzui held up Naho to look at her. She whimpers.

"Never mind." Uzui said as he drops her from the rooftop he was on.

Tanjiro ran to catch Naho. Still angry, Tanjiro yells at Uzui once again. "What kind of brute just throws people!?"

Ignoring what Tanjiro said, Uzui continues to speak. "For now, I'm just going to take this one on my mission, not that she looks very strong. But somehow she is a Corps member, at least."

"Everyone has their own personal strengths, so don't be so insensitive and make comments like that! Give us Miss Aoi!" Tanjiro said.

"Good grief. You're really that lame. No wonder the Demon Slayer Corps is getting weaker and weaker. They're recruiting wimps like you who whine about everything."

Triggered, Tanjiro looks down, trying to keep his cool. Once he is collected, he looks back up at Uzui with a determined look in his eyes.

"What if we were to go in place of Miss Aoi?" Tanjiro asks.

"What do you mean "We"? Uzui asked.

Then on both sides of the Butterfly Mansion gate, Zenitsu and Inosuke showed up. They leaped off and landed next to Tanjiro.

"Who the heck are you two?" Uzui said. "Got something to say?"

"I may have just got back from training, but I've got plenty of power to spare." Inosuke said. "I'm ready for whatever you got."

Despite shaking in nervousness, Zenitsu spoke up to Uzui. "If you know what's good for you, you'll let Miss Aoi go, you hear me? You may be a giant muscular monster, but I'm... not... going... to back down, nuh-uh!"

Uzui stared at the three. Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu ready themselves in case Uzui did something disrespectful again.

"Alright, fine. Guess I'm taking you three with me instead." Uzui said.

Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu stared at him in shock.

"But if only you three obey my every command!" Uzui said.

Now, the three were standing in front of Uzui, Uzui's back facing them.

"He's huge." Zenitsu said.

"Okay, so where are we going, old man?" Inosuke asked.

Uzui turned to the three. "The flashiest spot in Japan that's teeming with lust and desire... a hotbed for demons, the Entertainment District."