Chapter 15 The Infinite Train Starts! Come, Have a Bento First!
At the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, the familiar courtyard was silent.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who had been waiting there, lowered his gaze, keenly sensing the subtle change in Arthur's aura.
"Could it be that—Mr. Arthur is ready?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's usually gentle voice was filled with anticipation.
Arthur took out a shimmering metallic sphere from his embrace and casually tossed it to Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
"Miss Tamayo and I only tested it twice. Considering Muzan Kibutsuji's personality, this is already the current limit."
"So, any new movements regarding the Twelve Kizuki recently?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded in agreement, tapping his forehead with his fingertip, recalling the various messages sent back by the Corps members.
"The whereabouts of the Twelve Kizuki have always been mysterious. The Corps members can only sift through reports of numerous casualties in various places for clues."
Arthur nodded understandingly, motioning for him to continue.
"Outside Shitan Town in the north, a small stream has recently seen frequent drowning incidents among villagers, even being fearfully called 'the ominous Sanzu River' by passing travelers."
"Over in the Red-Light District, Tengen has already sent his three wives to infiltrate and investigate. He believes there might be an Upper Rank demon lurking there."
"And a train in a western town, over forty passengers vanished after boarding it. The newspaper directly used a sensational headline like 'The Man-Eating Train'."
"The Man-Eating Train?"
Arthur's eyebrows rose, and a playful smile curved his lips.
"In an era where demons run rampant, a train actually earned such an honor?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki frowned slightly and added.
"This matter is indeed strange, so I have already arranged for Kyojuro to investigate first. Do you also plan to go see it?"
Arthur nodded in agreement: "After all, this clue sounds the most promising."
"If there's a Twelve Kizuki, great. If not, we'll just make do with the small fry."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki said no more: "Understood. Do you need other Corps members to assist?"
Arthur pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
"Too many people would easily alert the enemy. I'll just take Tanjiro. That child also needs more experience."
...Fast-moving dividing line...
At the train station platform, crowds surged, and the air was filled with the smell of coal and farewells.
Arthur and Tanjiro, who was carrying Nezuko's wooden box on his back, walked through the crowd and soon found the man who shone like a flame—
The Flame Pillar, Kyojuro Rengoku.
"I didn't expect to be on this mission with Mr. Arthur! I will work even harder!"
Kyojuro Rengoku's voice was loud, his eyes shining brightly, and he was carrying two rather heavy large packages.
Such strange behavior caused the surrounding passengers to look away and avoid him.
Arthur looked at the imposing Flame Pillar and raised a hand in greeting.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kyojuro. Did you find anything during your previous investigation?"
Kyojuro Rengoku immediately shook his head and explained.
"I investigated the repair shop. Although I encountered a small problem, I can confirm it has nothing to do with the train disappearance!"
Arthur frowned and pressed: "At the repair shop, did they find any abnormalities with the train itself?"
Kyojuro Rengoku shook his head definitively: "No! They insisted the Infinity Train was safe and sound, which is why it's back in service tonight."
Upon hearing this, Arthur's brow furrowed unconsciously, and his gaze swept across the platform.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the platform a warm red, and people dragging luggage formed a long line, boarding the train one after another.
Even with its limited capacity, this Taisho-era train was now packed with at least two hundred people.
"They specifically chose to operate at night... If that thing is really on the train..."
Arthur murmured, a hint of solemnity on his face.
Kyojuro Rengoku nodded heavily, his expression serious.
"Indeed! We absolutely cannot let tragedy happen!"
After a brief exchange of information, Arthur pulled out Tanjiro, who had been timidly hiding behind him.
"Kyojuro, do you remember this kid?"
Kyojuro Rengoku looked closely, then waved and laughed.
"Of course I remember! The Goukou shounen from the Pillar Meeting! I'm deeply impressed by you and your sister!"
His gaze fell on the wooden box on Tanjiro's back, then he nodded solemnly.
"No need to worry! What the Master approves, I, Kyojuro Rengoku, fully support! Let's work hard together!"
"Yes!"
Tanjiro straightened his body, responding loudly, his eyes filled with gratitude.
Woo—woo!
A long and sharp whistle pierced the twilight, and the conductor waved and shouted at the carriage door, urging the last passengers.
The three no longer delayed and followed the crowd towards the train.
"Speaking of which, Kyojuro."
Arthur glanced at the bulging packages in his hand, his tone puzzled.
"What exactly have you been carrying all this way?"
"Good question! It's premium beef hot pot bento! Mr. Arthur, would you like to try one?"
Arthur: (°ー°〃)?
Eating bento before a mission?
Kyojuro, you're setting up that flag a little too blatantly!
...
Accompanied by the roar of wheels grinding on rails and thick steam, the Infinity Train slowly pulled away from the platform, disappearing into the deepening night.
Trains of this era did not yet have fixed seats, so the three simply found empty spots and sat down.
During their conversation on the platform, Arthur had already experienced Kyojuro Rengoku's loud voice.
But when he placed the two large packages on the small table with a "clunk," tore open the bento wrapping paper, and began to devour his meal—
Arthur truly understood what a "walking noise source" was!
"Umai!"
"Umai!"
Every bite of rice Kyojuro took was accompanied by a deafening exclamation of praise.
His volume was so great it seemed capable of tearing off the entire carriage ceiling.
The passengers in neighboring seats were clearly unable to endure this enthusiastic "culinary symphony" and, frowning, stood up and fled to other carriages.
Arthur reached out and covered Fufu's ears, looking helplessly at the Flame Pillar, who was oblivious to his surroundings.
"I say, Kyojuro, we're here to investigate the man-eating train. Aren't you afraid of scaring the demon away by being so ostentatious?"
"Wouldn't that be even better!"
Kyojuro Rengoku responded with a mouth full of food, his words muffled but self-righteous.
He quickly finished one bento and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Mr. Arthur! If our presence can deter the demon and prevent it from appearing, wouldn't that mean saving over two hundred lives on this train!"
"Isn't that a great thing to be happy about!"
Tanjiro, sitting nearby, nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of agreement.
He wasn't afraid of fighting; he simply didn't want any more innocent people to die.
Kyojuro Rengoku's theory suited him perfectly.
Arthur looked at the pair of typical hot-blooded idiots in front of him, raised a hand to his forehead, and sighed softly.
"Your desire to save people is good; I can understand that."
"But don't forget, as long as Muzan Kibutsuji, the root cause, remains, tragedy will never cease."
Kyojuro Rengoku and Tanjiro naturally understood this principle.
But reality was cruel.
The Demon King was so deeply hidden that the Demon Slayer Corps had found it difficult to track him for hundreds of years, let alone slay him.
Kyojuro Rengoku put down his second bento box, his expression instantly turning serious, his sharp gaze fixed on Arthur.
"Do you have a way... to find Muzan Kibutsuji?"
Arthur shook his head, his tone calm but with a hint of certainty.
"I won't go looking for him; instead, I'll make him come looking for me."
Tanjiro gasped in surprise: "Mr. Arthur! Are you planning to use yourself as bait!?"
Kyojuro Rengoku's face was solemn: "The Demon King's power is unfathomable; that's too dangerous! How confident are you?"
Arthur tapped the table with his fingertip, a confident smile on his face.
"If everything goes according to plan, roughly—seventy percent."
Kyojuro Rengoku took a deep breath, his eyes becoming resolute.
"Understood! I, Kyojuro Rengoku, will fully cooperate with your plan!"
With that, he put away his earlier boisterousness, picked up the remaining bento, and began to eat quickly yet silently, as if he were a different person.
The night completely swallowed the last ray of light outside the window.
A thin, pale-faced conductor appeared silently at the carriage connection. He bowed slightly, but his eyes showed no emotion.
"Good evening, please show your ticket."
His voice had an eerily flat quality, as if it didn't come from a living person.
Arthur's gaze narrowed slightly, and his fingertips moved under the table.