One day, two days... Seven days passed quickly.
Aoki looked up at the sky.
Light gray clouds covered the sky. Fine rain fell, and the air smelled of damp earth.
It was raining.
And it looked like it would rain for the next three days.
The days with the strongest sunlight were over.
The blue spider lily hadn't bloomed.
"I guess I'll have to wait until next year," Aoki said and stood up.
He wasn't too disappointed. He had been prepared.
He hadn't wasted his time.
He had been practicing Space Mark Traverse at night, since the blue spider lily only bloomed during the day.
He could use it well now.
He had also made a few space marks.
Aoki looked at the weeds that were the blue spider lilies one last time and prepared to leave.
He didn't think about moving them.
The blue spider lily needed a special environment. There were probably only a few in the world. It was almost impossible to transplant them.
If nothing else happened, the blue spider lilies wouldn't be harmed for two hundred years, according to the original story. There was no need to do anything.
"Mr. Aomura! Mr. Aomura! Mr. Aomura!"
A familiar voice called from outside the flower field. Aoki turned.
A young man and woman were waving to him, smiling brightly.
It was Tanjiro and Nezuko.
Tanjiro had come three times in the past week.
He said their family was doing better because of the money, and he wanted to teach him the Hinokami Kagura quickly.
Aoki had spent his days learning the Hinokami Kagura.
It wasn't going well.
He hadn't felt any effect after seven days, even with his body control.
Maybe he wasn't suited for Sun Breathing.
Aoki walked out and met the Kamado siblings.
Tanjiro asked, "Are you leaving, Mr. Aomura?"
Aoki said, "Yes. The days with the strongest sunlight are over. The blue spider lily didn't bloom. I'll have to wait until next year."
Nezuko looked up at him, her eyes curved like crescents. "We bought a lot of food yesterday. Stay for dinner, Mr. Aomura!"
They walked back, talking. They reached the Kamado family's house in the evening.
Aoki refused their invitation to dinner.
Kie Kamado said, "Are you leaving so soon, Mr. Aomura? It's not safe in the mountains at night. Why not wait until morning?"
"I have something urgent. I have to leave now!"
Aoki said, "But don't worry, Madam. I'll visit often. I hope you won't mind."
He still needed to learn the Hinokami Kagura. He would be seeing the Kamado family often.
He wasn't lying about having something important to do.
He needed to take the Kamado family's blood to Tamayo for research. He needed to place space marks in different places as teleportation points.
He needed to discuss how to use Space Mark Traverse to kill demons quickly with Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
He had many important things to do.
He wouldn't have stayed here so long if the blue spider lily didn't bloom at a specific time.
Kie Kamado smiled. "Of course not! You're welcome anytime."
Aoki waved to Nezuko.
"Mr. Aomura."
Nezuko ran over.
Aoki took out a jade pendant. One side had a complex diamond pattern in silver. It looked beautiful and mysterious.
"I made this charm myself. It's for you. Wear it. Break it if you're in danger."
"Thank you, Mr. Aomura," Nezuko said, taking it with both hands, her face flushed.
Aoki waved goodbye and turned to leave.
The Kamado family watched him go.
After Aoki disappeared, they gathered around.
"Sister, what did Mr. Aomura give you? Let me see!"
"Wow! It's so pretty."
"I want to see! I want to see!"
Nezuko looked worried. "Be careful! Don't break it!"
Kie Kamado watched, smiling. "Mr. Aomura seems to like Nezuko a lot."
She didn't think much of it.
They were too far apart in age. Also, Mr. Aomura wasn't just kind to her oldest daughter. He was close to both her oldest children.
"Yeah!" Tanjiro smiled.
Kie Kamado called, "Okay, everyone, stop playing. Dinner's ready. We have a lot of meat today!"
The children's attention turned to the food. They gathered around Kie Kamado.
Their family had always struggled because Tanjiro's father was sick. They rarely ate meat.
Nezuko carefully put away the jade pendant, smiling.
"Nezuko, come eat!" Tanjiro waved.
"I'm coming!"
Nezuko skipped over.
Aoki moved quickly, taking long strides. He left Mount Kumotori.
He reached the small town he had passed before. It was quiet, without lights.
"I wanted to buy some sake."
Aoki looked regretful. He was about to leave when he stopped.
It was drizzling. The night was dark.
But with his demon vision, he saw a strange eyeball appear on the street.
"What's this?"
Aoki felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
The eyeball turned, meeting his gaze.
The large character "Six" was clear in the pupil.
"Is that Nakime? Six? Upper Moon Six?"
Aoki's eyes narrowed.
Had Muzan promoted Nakime to Upper Moon Six?
What about the Demon Slayer Corps?
Had they been destroyed while he was away?
At the same time, in Infinity Castle, Nakime looked up sharply.
"Master Muzan, I found the traitor!"
Muzan, who had been sitting calmly, stood up, releasing a powerful aura.
"Excellent! We finally found him! Proceed as planned!"
"Yes!"
Nakime replied, plucking her biwa.
Clang clang!
Aoki's heart skipped a beat, thinking the Demon Slayer Corps might have been destroyed. But he quickly dismissed the thought.
It wouldn't be hard for the Demon Slayer Corps to find him.
Someone would have told him if they had been destroyed.
Then, a figure appeared suddenly.
He was covered in criminal tattoos, with pink hair and golden eyes.
"Akaza?"
Aoki was surprised.
"Traitor!"
Akaza attacked Aoki without hesitation.
---
Hello there ShixT9 here, caught up already?
Extra Chapters in my patreon right now go check it out.
patreon.com/ShixT9
Don't forget to drop stones and a good review if you like the story so far ^-^