Upon arriving in Asakusa, Raiden changed his clothes and entered a tavern.
He needed information.
Crowded places always had loose tongues.
Raiden ordered a cheap glass of shochu and took a seat near the corner. He slowly swirled the liquor, listening.
The noise was overwhelming.
Laughter, arguments, footsteps, gossip, all of it crashing together into a chaotic tide. To anyone else, it would have been meaningless. To Raiden, it was a puzzle that only required patience.
Piece by piece, the image of Miss Rei became clear.
Her family was far larger than Raiden had expected and well known in Asakusa.
Not long ago, her husband had been murdered.
No one knew who did it.
After the death, a man calling himself Tsukihiko appeared, comforting Miss Rei and gradually earning her trust.
That trust had grown absolute.
Even the little girl she had with her late husband now called him Papa.
"That's right, I've been helping Miss Rei gather medicinal ingredients lately."
Raiden turned slightly.
A greasy, round-bellied man was boasting loudly to the people around him.
No one believed him.
A family like Miss Rei's had no reason to associate with someone like that.
Seeing their doubt, the man grew anxious.
"Why would I lie? I'm telling the truth. They're looking for something rare, the blue spider lily. The price they're offering is insane."
The crowd reacted mildly.
A medicinal merchant.
Connected to Miss Rei's household.
No direct contact with Muzan.
Perfect.
Raiden leaned closer, filtering the surrounding chatter and piecing together the man's background.
His name was Kōhiro, the owner of a small medicinal shop.
Half a month ago, people from Miss Rei's family had approached him about the blue spider lily.
He did not have it.
But the offered price was high enough that he had spent days searching in vain.
Eventually, he gave up.
Now the story itself had become something he bragged about.
Once Raiden had what he needed, he left the tavern.
His next objective was Tanjiro.
Raiden had never smelled Muzan before. He did not know whether the scent had any special traits.
But Tanjiro's scent was unforgettable.
If he found Tanjiro, he would find Muzan.
Asakusa at night was nothing like the quiet towns Raiden was used to. The streets were packed, loud, alive.
Raiden and Zenitsu moved through the crowd until a familiar scent suddenly brushed against Raiden's senses.
It was moving quickly.
"Did he already find Muzan?"
Raiden followed.
When they arrived, Tanjiro was pinning down a man who was beginning to transform into a demon.
Tanjiro restrained him while glancing back repeatedly.
Raiden followed his gaze.
A figure was disappearing into the distance.
Raiden's nose twitched.
His expression hardened.
Muzan's scent was not rotten.
But it was nauseating in a way that made the skin crawl.
"Zenitsu, help him."
Raiden spoke calmly and stepped away.
As he closed in on Muzan's direction, his heartbeat quickened.
Muzan avoiding direct confrontation was only a theory.
If Muzan decided to act on impulse, Raiden would die instantly.
When Raiden saw Muzan helping Miss Rei into a carriage, he released a quiet breath.
This was the moment.
If he wanted to approach Muzan as Tsukihiko, he had to do it after Miss Rei left.
Without her present, Muzan would be cautious, but not aggressive.
As the carriage began to roll, Raiden rushed forward, pretending to arrive late.
"Miss Rei. Miss Rei."
Muzan turned.
Raiden bent slightly, breathing hard, selling the act.
When the carriage disappeared, Raiden sighed and turned as if to leave.
Muzan's eyes narrowed.
He stepped forward.
"Are you looking for Rei?"
Raiden turned.
Up close, the pressure of Muzan's presence was overwhelming.
The scent was suffocating.
[Kibutsuji Muzan]
[Race: Demon]
[Realm: Beyond Hashira]
[Comprehension: Exceptional]
[Aptitude: Superior]
[Skills: Perfect Mimicry, Blood Curse, Thorn Whip, Giant Arm, Eight-Tube Whip, Five Brains and Seven Hearts, Self-Division, Infant Demon Form]
[Blood Demon Art: Black Blood Thorns, Blood Demon Art: Wide-Area Shockwave]
The panel was obscene.
Every ability refined to its peak.
Raiden forced his breathing to remain steady.
"And you are?"
"Tsukihiko."
"You are Miss Rei's…" Raiden hesitated deliberately.
Muzan nodded, impatience flashing briefly before vanishing.
"Why were you looking for her?"
"I heard Miss Rei is searching for the blue spider lily. I wanted to ask about the price."
The moment those words left his mouth, Muzan's eyes glowed faintly red.
"If you find it," Muzan said quietly, "you may name your price."
Even Muzan could not defy the sun.
He had no choice but to rely on humans.
"Really? Mr. Tsukihiko doesn't seem like someone who would deceive a friend."
Raiden's pulse thundered.
This was it.
"I never deceive friends."
Muzan smiled.
Inside, his contempt burned.
Friends were beneath him.
[Ding]
[Successfully added the Ghost King, Kibutsuji Muzan, as a friend]
[Friend Intimacy: Initial Acquaintance (Insufficient)]
[Random reward acquired]
[Obtained Aura: Ghost King's Presence]
[Fuse now?]
[No]
Raiden suppressed his reaction.
Initial acquaintance, insufficient.
Interesting.
Now was not the time to think.
He needed to leave.
"That's reassuring. I'll do everything I can to locate the blue spider lily. I'll take my leave."
Raiden looked eager, almost desperate.
In Muzan's eyes, it was ambition.
In truth, Raiden was running from something far more dangerous.
---