Chapter Thirty Six: The Red Light District (part one)
After months of grueling training and waiting, Tanjiro was finally ready to get back on the field. He had received his new Nichirin Katana from his Swordsmith Haganezuka during training and now he will finally get to teast it out. Tanjiro and Nezuko were out on a mission, they were hunting a Mantis Demon, the siblings had chased the demon out of a mountain shrine and had cornered the beast into a shed, Tanjiro let Nezuko slay the demon, she killed the monster using Water Breathing Fourth Form:Striking Tide. As they were returning from their mission, Tanjiro and Nezuko heard Aoi crying for help!. The Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui had arrived at the Butterfly Mansion and he was forcefully kidnapping Aoi and Naho. Kiyo and Sumi were crying and begging Tengen to release Aoi and Naho, while Kanao was panicking, her superior was trying to kidnap her friends and Shinobu wasn't there to help!. Kanao was going to toss a coin to decide what to do, but suddenly she remembered Tanjiro's words...to follow her heart,so she unexpectedly stopped Tengen in his tracks, attempting to pull Aoi and Naho free.
Kiyo and Sumi tried to help Kanao, but they did little more than inconvenience the far more powerful Hashira. " Let them go Tengen!" said Tanjiro. Seeing that Tanjiro had arrived, Tengen quickly let Aoi and Naho go, Tengen had spent the last six months training with Tanjiro, he saw what the young man was capable of and he didn't want to get on his bad side. When Tanjiro asked why he was trying to kidnap the girls, Tengen explained that he needed some Demon Slayers to accompany him on a very important mission. "Well Aoi and Naho are not members of the Demon Slayer Corps so they won't be much help, we will join you instead" said Tanjiro as Zenitsu and Inosuke suddenly appeared, the two had came back from their solo missions and they were ready for more!. As they were leaving the Butterfly Mansion, the four stood behind Tengen waiting for orders, as Zenitsu marveled at Tengen's immense stature, Inosuke impatiently asked where they were going. " The number-one spot in Japan that's dripping with lust and desire. A super flashy place. The Red Light District where demons reside." said Tengen in his usual flamboyant tone.
Tanjiro and Nezuko were aware of what a red-light district was but Inosuke wasn't which made Zenitsu flustered at his ignorance and naivety."I'm a king! You four are trash! That's the first thing you need to pound into your heads! Drive it in! You're to turn into dogs it i tell you to! Turn into monkeys if i say so! Hunch over and rub your hands together, constantly pander to my every whim and suck up to me with every fiber of your being! And let me repeat I'm a king!" said Tengen, Zenitsu couldn't believe what Tengen was saying, Tanjiro asked Tengen what kingdom he rules over, Tengen answered that he is the king of flashiness and festivals, Inosuke joined in and called himself to king of the mountain, only to confuse Tengen even more and infuriate Zenitsu even more, he was annoyed by their brash confidence. Tengen decided to lead the mission and run ahead, his speed amazed the four Demon Slayers.
The party had arrived at their destination, and Tanjiro and Nezuko looked on in wonder at everything new and unfamiliar to them. Tengen instructed everyone not to stray, the four immediately left him to look around, angering the Sound Hashira. Tengen explained that they are in the Yoshiwara-Red light District. Inosuke was ecstatic at the numerous people, while Zenitsu became infatuated with the women beckoning him, causing the Hashira to chase after the two to keep them on track. Tengen explained that the district only becomes active at night, making it ideal for a demon to hide in. In a Wisteria House Tengen instructed the four to look for his wife while he gathered intel on the potential demon, Zenitsu angrirly refused to cooperate, believing that the Hashira was sending them out to find a bride for him, only for Tengen to clarify she has been gathering intel as well. When presented with the letters that Tengen's wife had written, Tanjiro believed that she had been undercover for a long time, only for Tengen to correct him by saying he has three wifes, this made Zenitsu lose his mind, making Tengen punch him in announcing at his antics.
Reading the letters, Tanjiro questioned what was meant by "Not to stand out" Tengen informed the group that their job is to disguise themselves. Tengen stated that his first attempt to investigate the district was as a customer, which proved unsuccessful. The Hashira then sent his three wives to three different houses to gather information, Suma at the Tokito House, Makio at the Ogimoto House and Hinatsuru at the Kyogoku House. Inosuke barked out that Tengen's wives might be dead, causing Tengen to punch him angrirly as well, and then an attendant arrived with a box of womens make up and hair accessories. Nezuko did everyones makeup. She did Inosuke first since he was the easiest due to his feminine and delicate face, then she did her brother Tanjiro, who was also easy to do, then she did Zenitsu and finally she did her self, Tengen was amazed by Nezuko's work, she made everyone look extremely good, they all looked like super models!.
Tengen presented the four disguised Demon Slayers to the Tokito House, hoping one of them will be taken in and began the mission. The owners of the Tokito House were breath taken by their beauty, the house's madam happily agreed to take one in, she was taken aback by Tengen's charm and handsomeness, and with that, Tanjiro who was under the cover name "Sumiko" was taken by the Tokito House. As Tengen, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke were walking the streets of Yoshiwara, the group of Demon Slayers were frequently stopped, so many houses wanted to take in the remaining three especially Nezuko and Inosuke but Tengen turned them down since none of them were from the houses that they were targeting. As the Hashira and young Demon Slayers continued to walk they witnessed the Tokito House's Oiran a beautiful woman named Koinatsu and her Yūjo courtesans walking her to her next client through the process of "Oiran Dōchū/ Oiran Walk".
Zenitsu asked Tengen if she was his wife, that earned him another annoyed punch from Tengen, and then a woman, a chaperone to the Ogimoto House suddenly approached Nezuko and Inosuke, the woman asked if she could take Inosuke. "please take me with her!...she's my sister" and she's deaf, she needs me!" said Nezuko lying and pretending to cry, the woman felt sympathy for them, this girl really loved and cared about her sister, so the woman didn't want to separate them so she asked Tengen if she could take them both, and Tengen obliged so Nezuko and Inosuke under the cover name Inoko were taken by the Ogimoto House leaving Zenitsu the last one to be taken.
At the Ogimoto House, Nezuko and Inosuke's makeup was removed, and the attendants were shocked at how beautiful Nezuko and Inosuke were even with out makeup!. The house was glad that they took them for such a cheap price, though they were shocked at "Inoko's" muscular frame. While at the Kyogoku House where Zenitsu is, the Demon Slayer put on an amazing and stellar Shamisen performance!, aided by his Total Concentration Breathing Constant and his enhanced sense of hearing. The house girls talked about the newcomer's instrumental talent and commented on her beautiful appearance, they were also smitten by Tengen who had brought Zenitsu to the Kyogoku House and gave him the cover name "Zenko". The madam of the Kyogoku House believed that Zenko would rise quickly, she noted that Zenko's performance was driven by anger "To get back at the man who abandoned her" said the Kyogoku House madam. Zenitsu furious at Tengen's humiliating treatment of him, swore he will become the top Oiran of Yoshiwara.
At the Tokito House, Tanjiro was hard at work doing various chores. As he was lifting a set of gifts to another story, he overheard some girls talking about the recent death of the Kyogoku House's madam. They also spoke to him about "Ashinuke" the act of a prostitute leaving her home with out paying her debts over love, mentioning a recent Oiran named Suma had done so. Tanjiro suddenly remembered that Suma was the name of one of Tengen's wives!. Koinatsu Interrupted their chat, telling them to stop spreading rumors and added that it was uncertain what became of Suma. Koinatsu thanked Tanjiro for bringing her gifts, including a bag of orange ame-honpo candies up to her room. Tanjiro tried to ask of Suma really committed Ashinuke, causing Koinatsu to be alarmed by such a sensitive question. Realizing this, Tanjiro lied and claimed that Suma was his sister. Tanjiro was an honest person, he never lied to others, but unfortunately, in this case lying was necessary to protect his cover. With great difficulty Tanjiro spat out that he had came to the district looking for her and Tanjiro reassured them that Suma would never leave so suddenly, and Koinatsu confirmed that, commenting that she was a seemingly grounded girl without any hint of being in love with a man.
Tengen armed and ready, was on the roof tops scanning the district for any trace. Though the area was quiet, he couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty, believing the demon they were hunting was an Upper Rank. While in the Ogimoto House, Inosuke became annoyed by the kimono that he was forced to wear, hampering his senses. While Nezuko and Inosuke were wandering the halls, they overheard some attendants talking about Makio, they remembered that she is another of Tengen's wives. The attendants were very worried about Makio, she had been ill and unable to leave her room for some time. Nezuko and Inosuke decided to head in the opposite direction of where they came, but when one girl called out to Nezuko and "Inoko" Nezuko handled the situation since Inosuke was instructed by Tengen not to speak due to his hunky voice, but what Nezuko and Inosuke didn't know was that behind the door that they had walked past a woman was being tortured and bound by long sashes, and the demon was asking her about the letters she was writing and who she was writing to, and addressing her by her name Makio.
Author's Note: we got some big stuff coming up so stay tuned!.