Aoi Kazama was still a bit dazed from the Kakushi's shouting. By the time she snapped out of it, Kiyo, Sumi, Naho, and Aoi Kanzaki were all standing by Tanjiro's bed, their eyes brimming with tears.
"I'm just so glad you're awake! Everyone got hurt because they went on that mission for me!" Aoi Kanzaki wailed, her face a mess of tears.
"It's okay," Tanjiro said weakly, offering a small smile. "Is everyone else alright?"
A nearby Kakushi stood with his arms crossed, answering with an uncertain shrug. "That blonde kid returned to duty the day before yesterday. He's already out on a mission—though he went very much against his will."
"I see. And what about Inosuke?"
"Inosuke... was in critical condition for a while."
"His injuries were incredibly dangerous," Aoi Kanzaki added through her sobs. "The toxin had spread through his entire body, and Total Concentration Breathing wasn't enough to stop the bleeding."
Tanjiro stared up at the ceiling, his gaze drifting aimlessly. "Is that so? Then... is that Inosuke crawling on the ceiling right now just a hallucination?"
Following Tanjiro's gaze, everyone looked up in unison. There, clinging to the rafters like a mountain cat, was Inosuke, staring down at them.
"What on earth are you doing up there?!"
Inosuke let out a boisterous laugh. "Gwahahaha! I'm impressed you spotted me, Gonpachiro!"
Tanjiro offered a helpless smile. "Well, I am lying on my back, after all."
Inosuke dropped down, landing nimbly on the edge of the bed with a boastful huff. "I woke up seven days earlier than you! I'm the superior man!"
"That's wonderful. You're amazing, Inosuke," Tanjiro replied. His voice was still thin with exhaustion, but his eyes shone with genuine relief.
Being praised so directly made Inosuke a bit bashful, but he kept his chin tucked high, acting as haughty as ever. "Naturally! My body is forged from iron! I'm not like you, sleeping your life away!"
Aoi Kazama reached out and patted Inosuke on the shoulder. "Alright, that's enough. Let Tanjiro rest; he just woke up and he's still very weak."
Inosuke huffed, but surprisingly, he stopped his posturing. "Fine, fine. I get it."
A week later, Tanjiro had made a full recovery and was throwing himself into his rehabilitation training with his usual intensity.
One afternoon, while stretching, he paused to ask, "By the way, did my new sword ever arrive while I was asleep?"
"The sword?" Sumi and Kiyo's expressions instantly soured at the mention of it.
"Haganezuka-san sent a letter... do you really want to read it?"
Tanjiro nodded earnestly. "Yes, please!"
"I will never give you another sword." As he read the letter—which practically vibrated with lingering resentment and murderous intent—Tanjiro swallowed hard. "This is bad."
"You can say that again..."
"Why the long face, Tanjiro?" Aoi Kazama walked over with a plate of freshly sliced apples, handing it to him. Her eyes drifted to the crumpled letter clutched in his hand.
Tanjiro sighed, looking like a dejected puppy as he handed her the parchment. "Haganezuka-san is furious. He says he won't forge a blade for me no matter what."
Aoi scanned the letter. The calligraphy was pressed so hard into the paper it nearly tore through; every sentence screamed Hotaru Haganezuka's rage. Phrases like "To break a blade is to break our bond" and "A swordsman who doesn't treasure his steel is unworthy of a sword" made even Aoi break into a cold sweat on Tanjiro's behalf.
"Well..." Aoi handed the letter back. "Haganezuka-san is the type who's all bark and no bite. If you talk to him face-to-face, he might soften up."
"Maybe you should go to the village and talk to him in person?" Sumi suggested.
"The village?"
"The Swordsmith Village!"
"Am I allowed to go?" Tanjiro's eyes lit up, his head snapping up with renewed hope.
Kiyo scratched her head, looking a bit hesitant. "Technically, yes. But the location of the village is a closely guarded secret. Besides, Haganezuka-san is still in a foul mood—he might actually chase you with a hammer if you show up."
"I don't care!" Tanjiro doubled down, clenching his fists with resolve. "Even if I get hit, I have to go and apologize. It's my fault for not protecting the sword."
Just then, a system notification chimed in Aoi's mind:
[Ding! Swordsmith Village side-story detected.]
[Quest Triggered: Journey for a Blade. Accompany Tanjiro Kamado to the Swordsmith Village.]
[Reward: 10,000 Points. Do you accept?]
A quest? The last time a side-quest triggered was during the Entertainment District, and that involved an Upper Rank. Was this mission going to involve demons too?
Aoi narrowed her eyes in thought. Wait! Could the intel Gyokko gathered be the location of the village?
Of course! The Swordsmith Village was the most vital logistics hub for the Demon Slayer Corps. The Nichirin Swords forged there were the only weapons capable of killing demons. If the village's location was exposed to the Upper Ranks, the consequences would be catastrophic!
Aoi's heart sank, and her expression turned grim. She looked at Tanjiro and said firmly, "I'll go with you."
After returning to her quarters, Aoi immediately drafted a letter to Oyakata-sama.
She briefly explained Tanjiro's intent to apologize to his smith, then pivoted sharply to her theory: that Gyokko and Hantengu had likely discovered the village's location and were planning a strike on the Corps' most critical support pillar.
Once the letter was finished, she summoned a Kasugai Crow, carefully tying the message to its leg. "Deliver this to Oyakata-sama as fast as you can," she whispered.
The crow cawed twice and took flight into the night.
Aoi soon received a reply. Oyakata-sama stated he would have the Hashira move in secret to monitor the area without alerting the enemy. In the meantime, he gave Aoi and Tanjiro permission to proceed to the village as planned.
The following day, Aoi and Tanjiro met two Kakushi at the gates of the Butterfly Mansion.
"Oyakata-sama has approved your request," one of them said. "I will be your guide."
"Please put these on," the second Kakushi added, handing them each a blindfold and a pair of earplugs.
Tanjiro and Aoi complied. "What are these for?" Tanjiro asked, his voice muffled.
"Blindfolds and earplugs. The village's location is strictly confidential. We will be carrying you there."
"Eh?!"
"And since you have such a keen sense of smell," the Kakushi added, not missing a beat as she shoved plugs into Tanjiro's nostrils, "you'll be needing these nose plugs too."
Tanjiro touched his nose, letting out a muffled, nasal sigh. "I see. You're worried I'll memorize the scent of the path."
Aoi, meanwhile, was struggling to hold back a laugh. The two of us look like we're trying to cosplay Gojo Satoru.
She bit her lip to stay quiet as a Kakushi hoisted her onto their back. As she felt herself being lifted off the ground, she gave a small, experimental wiggle.
The Swordsmith Village was the lifeblood of the Corps; its secrecy was paramount. No single person—not even the guides—knew the full route. The Kakushi worked in a relay system, swapping out at set points to ensure the secret remained safe.
After a long, jarring journey of being passed from back to back, they were finally told they could remove their gear.
As Aoi pulled off the blindfold, her eyes adjusted to the light.
"Whoa! Is this it? Is this the Swordsmith Village?"