After many hours, Uzui was leaking blood from his mouth and covered in bruises, yet he wore a manic grin. On the other hand, Sasori had a sly smile and appeared uninjured. His disheveled clothes and unkempt hair were the only evidence of his long fight.
"You're not getting tired, are you?" Sasori asked, his smile widening.
"Not a chance!" Uzui replied, his grin stretching further. "It's been a long time since someone kept up with me."
Uzui thought about Rengoku. While Rengoku was an excellent sparring partner in kenjutsu, he was more of a specialist with the sword. In hand-to-hand combat, Rengoku fought like a kindergartner.
"Are you two still fighting? It's been almost four hours," Shinobu said, walking into the training room.
"It has? Hmmm. I should probably get home before Makio attempts to drop-kick me again for being late," Uzui muttered the last part to himself.
"I'll be heading home. It was a good fight, Sasori," Uzui said, nodding respectfully before turning to leave.
"Not bad yourself," Sasori replied, making Uzui laugh as he exited.
"Looks like you two are getting along," Shinobu said with a small giggle.
"I suppose," Sasori said, looking thoughtful.
"Say, Shinobu, remember at Mount Natagumo when you attacked Lower Moon Five? You poisoned him?" Sasori asked, sounding contemplative.
"Hmm, yes. That's how I fight. You see, I'm not physically strong enough to cut demons' heads off, so I have to use different methods like wisteria-based toxins," Shinobu explained.
"Is it possible to inject enough poison so that the demon can regenerate from it, but it's still strong enough to re-destroy the new tissue?" Sasori asked.
"You mean a cycle of destruction and regeneration that would repeat indefinitely? If so, yes, it would be possible," Shinobu said as they walked to her office.
"Do you think if this cycle happens to a demon, they would eventually lose sentience? They can regenerate from the injuries, but they won't recover the memories. So it is possible," Sasori said.
"What do you mean they won't recover their memories?" Shinobu asked.
"The brain is where memories are stored. If the poison keeps destroying the brain and it keeps regenerating, but the memories are lost each time, the demon might eventually lose its sense of self," Sasori explained.
"Hmm, that's an interesting theory," Shinobu mused. "It would mean that while their body remains functional, their identity and consciousness could be gradually eroded."
"Exactly," Sasori said. "It's a cruel method, but it might be an effective way to neutralize a demon without killing it outright."
Shinobu nodded thoughtfully. "It's a concept worth exploring. We might learn more about demon biology and possibly find new ways to fight them."
As they reached Shinobu's office, they both pondered the implications of such a technique, realizing it could change the way they battled demons.
She opened the door and walked in, with Sasori following shortly. Shinobu reached for a vial filled with a purple liquid.
"What is that?" Sasori asked curiously.
"This is my wisteria-based toxin," Shinobu informed as she moved to stand in front of a blackboard covered in diagrams and equations.
"Now all we have to do is figure out how much we need to use on a demon—not enough to kill it, but still strong enough to destroy its brain, yet slow enough so the demon can regenerate," Shinobu explained, tossing Sasori a piece of chalk.
"I'm assuming we have some data to work with?" Sasori inquired as Shinobu grabbed a couple dozen books and placed them on the table before them.
Sasori picked up one of the books, noticing the author's name—Shinobu Kocho. "You wrote all of these?" he asked, impressed as he read the titles.
"Of course. I need to keep a record of all my discoveries," Shinobu replied proudly.
"'Demon Biology,' 'Demon Psychology,' 'Common Demon Habits and Traits and How to Take Advantage of Them,' 'Ways to Track a Demon.' You studied demons," Sasori remarked, sounding impressed.
"Of course I did. As they say, know your enemies as if they were an old friend," Shinobu said, making Sasori raise an eyebrow.
"Well, let's get to reading," Sasori said, grabbing one of the books and beginning to read.
"Yes, yes, but..." Shinobu trailed off, walking to the radio in the corner of the room. "What better way to torture our minds than listening to music while at it?" she suggested, switching the radio on.
"The prominent radio host Nana Takahashi has been apprehended for numerous charges including kidnapping, torture, murder, attempted murder, theft, and arson. She was on track to become the first woman to face the electric chair. However, Nana Takahashi managed to escape prison three days ago. We urge everyone to exercise caution, and if you happen to encounter her, please report it to the nearest authorities immediately," the radio broadcast, breaking the silence of their study session with a sobering news update.
"Looks like no music," Shinobu said sounding disappointed. "Oh well, let's get to reading," Shinobu said, turning the radio off.
-Next day 2 AM-
Aoi had woken up to grab a cup of water when she noticed the lights in Shinobu's office were still on and the sounds of talking could be heard.
"Shinobu-sama, what are you doing at such a late hour?" Aoi asked, opening the door to reveal Shinobu writing on the blackboard like a madwoman and Sasori injecting some of Shinobu's wisteria-based toxins into three different vials.
"Oh, Aoi!" Shinobu exclaimed, sipping from her mug filled with coffee. "How have you never introduced me to coffee before? I don't feel the slightest bit tired!" she said, taking another sip.
"What are you two doing?" Aoi asked, looking bewildered at the scene.
"We're conducting an experiment," Shinobu replied with an excited glint in her eye. "Sasori and I are testing different concentrations of wisteria-based toxins to determine the optimal dosage for our new strategy against demons."
"At this hour?" Aoi asked, still incredulous.
"Science never sleeps, Aoi," Sasori said with a sly smile, carefully labeling each vial. "We're trying to find the balance where the toxin is potent enough to continuously damage a demon's brain, but not so strong that it kills them outright."
"Exactly," Shinobu added, her enthusiasm undiminished. "If we can perfect this, it could revolutionize our approach to dealing with demons. We're on the verge of a breakthrough."
Aoi sighed, rubbing her temples. "Why don't you just make it potent enough to kill the demon?"
"Aoi~ My sweet little Aoi~ You're missing the bigger picture!" Shinobu exclaimed, grabbing Aoi's shoulder.
"The bigger picture?" Aoi asked, immediately regretting it.
"Yes, just think of it. With this, I can give that monster the agonizing death he deserves! AHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Shinobu began laughing like a maniacal witch.
Aoi quickly put her hand over Shinobu's mouth to stop her laughter. "Quiet, people are still sleeping. And you wonder why I don't give you coffee," Aoi said, shaking her. "And why are you acting like you're drunk?"
"I may or may not have spiked her drink," Sasori said, opening another book.
"You what?" Aoi asked slightly screaming. "You spiked her coffee with alcohol?! That's not good for the human body!"
"Not alcohol. Whiskey," Sasori clarified
"We don't have whiskey. Where did you get it from?" Aoi asked.
"I had it," Sasori replied.
"You're saying you carry whiskey with you everywhere?" Aoi asked, slightly concerned for Sasori's health.
"Yep," Sasori said. "And don't worry about her. I made sure the drink wouldn't hurt her internal organs. She'll just have a bad headache and some vomiting."
"I guess it could be worse," Aoi said as Kanao entered the room, wearing her training robes and holding a wooden sword.
"Kanao, what are you doing?" Aoi asked, releasing Shinobu, who immediately took another sip of the Irish coffee.
"Training," Kanao replied.
"At this hour?! Go take a shower and then go straight to bed," Aoi said with authority in her voice.
Kanao nodded and left the room. "And you two wrap this up and go to bed," Aoi said, heading to her room to prepare medicine for Shinobu for when the coffee wore off.
"I guess we should," Shinobu said, yawning as the coffee began wearing off. "So, what do we have?" she asked Sasori.
Sasori placed three different-sized vials in front of them and began writing on the blackboard.
"Okay, so we calculated the amount we need to give to the demon depending on the level of the demon," Sasori said, drawing the three vials on the blackboard and then arrows pointing to different words.
"The smallest vial is for regular demons. The middle one is for Lower Moons. And the biggest one is for Upper Moons. We're confident about the amount we need to use on regular demons. And thanks to you keeping records of slayers who encountered any of the Twelve Kizuki, we can estimate how much to use on the Lower Moons," Sasori continued.
"But when it comes to the Upper Moons, we have nothing. The numbers we have on them are basically guesswork," Sasori said.
"Well, we don't have any records of anyone who encountered any Upper Moons and made it out alive," Shinobu said, frowning.
"Now we only need to test it," she continued.
"Excellent," Sasori said, his ideas coming into place. "You're going on a mission with Iguro tomorrow, right? You can test it then."
"Ah yes, I was informed I have a mission but not the details," Sasori said, pocketing the vials.
"He didn't tell you?" Shinobu asked.
"Uzui stopped him before he could tell me anything," Sasori replied.
"Of course he did. Well, Iguro doesn't sleep, so you can probably find him near the large tree in the garden," Shinobu said, pointing out the window at the large tree.
"I see. Well, thank you for your help, Shinobu," Sasori said, grabbing a few vials from each batch and sealing them away.
"Yeah, no problem," Shinobu said, sounding sleepy. "Well, I'm going to bed." She left the office, heading to her room.
Sasori walked to the large tree, finding Iguro leaning against it, looking at a bouquet. "Hello," Sasori said, making Iguro jump.
"WHO THE HELL ARE—oh, it's you," Iguro half-screamed, surprised by Sasori's sudden entrance. "What do you want?" he asked.
"I am curious about the mission we have," Sasori said.
"Oh, yeah. We're infiltrating a betting exchange," Iguro said.
"A betting exchange?" Sasori asked, intrigued.
"Yep, but not a normal betting exchange," Iguro replied. "Normally, people bet for items. This is where demons who want a 'normal life' go to satisfy their natural cravings."
"So they are buying humans instead of hunting them?" Sasori asked, intrigued.
"Bingo. The betting exchange is being held by a man who was arrested for slave trading but got out of jail by bribing the judge. He has recently started holding betting exchanges in non-discrete locations that you can only find out about on the black market, specifically from the section that sells blood, human organs, and such. That's what our informants say, but we could be wrong since we only heard about it from the organ section. That's why we can't just rush in," Iguro explained.
"I see," Sasori said, thoughtfully. "When will we be going?"
"The betting exchange is being held at 10 pm so we got time but where it's held is quite a distance away so we will be heading out at 5 pm," Iguro said, making Sasori nod.
"Just be careful," Iguro said, "We can't afford any mistakes. These demons are cunning, and if they realize we're onto them, they'll disappear before we get the chance."
"Understood," Sasori said, nodding. "I'll be ready."
Iguro nodded back, "Good. Get some rest. We'll need all our strength for tomorrow."
With that, Sasori headed back to his quarters, mentally preparing for the mission ahead.
Iguro looked at the flower bouquet in his hands as Kaburamaru slithered down the tree, climbed up Iguro, and wrapped around his neck.
Kaburamaru looked at Iguro, then at the flowers, repeating the motion. He focused on Iguro, hissing at him. One might translate it as "You still haven't given her the flowers?"
"Don't look at me like that..." Iguro said, but Kaburamaru's eyes narrowed. "Okay, fine. I will give her the flowers." Kaburamaru nodded, looking as proud as a snake could be.
"Soon," Iguro added. If Kaburamaru could slap Iguro, he would, if not for the simple fact of Kaburamaru being a snake.
-Later at the designated time-
Sasori was waiting at the gates of the Demon Slayer Corps, keeping an eye on the surroundings. Iguro arrived shortly after, looking slightly agitated. "You're on time. Good, I hate waiting," Iguro said as they began to walk.
"I don't like to wait and I don't like to keep others waiting," Sasori replied, walking beside Iguro.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Good rules to give yourself," Iguro commented, about to continue when his attention was diverted by a woman with pink hair that faded into lime green at the halfway point.
"Oh shit," Iguro muttered, his voice sounding panicked. He turned back and attempted to run, but Mitsuri called his name, stopping him in his tracks. "Oh, Iguro-kun! Hello!" Mitsuri said, running up to them with a bright smile.
Iguro's shoulders slumped in resignation. "Hi, Mitsuri," he said, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"How are you doing?" Mitsuri asked, her cheerful demeanor contrasting with Iguro's unease.
"I'm fine," Iguro said, his tone a bit gruff. "Just heading out on a mission with Sasori here."
"Oh, a mission? That sounds exciting! Be careful out there," Mitsuri said, her concern genuine.
Sasori watched the interaction with mild amusement. "We will," he assured her, sensing the awkwardness between Iguro and Mitsuri.
"Thank you, Mitsuri. We'll be back before you know it," Iguro said, trying to sound confident.
Mitsuri beamed. "I'll be waiting! Good luck, both of you!" She waved them off, her energy infectious.
As they continued walking, Iguro let out a sigh. "Sorry about that," he said to Sasori. "Mitsuri can be... a bit much sometimes."
"No problem," Sasori replied with a slight smile. "It's good to have people who care about you."
Iguro nodded, though he still looked slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, I suppose."
They walked in silence for a few moments before Sasori spoke again. "So, about the mission. Any last-minute details I should know?"
Iguro cleared his throat, focusing back on the task at hand. "Just remember, this isn't a typical mission. We're not just fighting demons; we're infiltrating a network. Stay alert and follow my lead."
"Understood," Sasori said, his demeanor serious. "We'll get it done."
As they approached their destination, the atmosphere grew tense with anticipation. The upcoming mission would test their skills and resolve, but they were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Mitsuri was walking to her compound when she spotted a bouquet of flowers in front of her door. She bent down, picking up the bouquet, a smile spreading across her face as she admired the vibrant colors and delicate arrangement. She looked around, wondering who could have left them there, but found no one in sight.
Bringing the flowers closer to her face, she inhaled their sweet fragrance and noticed a small note tucked among the stems. Carefully, she unfolded it and read the message:
"For someone as beautiful and strong as these flowers. - ???"
Mitsuri's cheeks flushed a delicate pink as she clutched the note and bouquet to her chest. "I wonder who gave me these flowers?" she whispered to herself, feeling a warmth in her heart.
"It was the creepy one," Urara, Mitsuri's Kasugai crow, said, landing on her shoulder.
"Creepy one?" Mitsuri asked, not sure who Urara was talking about.
"The one with the dual-colored eyes," Urara clarified.
"Oh, Iguro-kun... He isn't creepy," Mitsuri said, "He is cool!" She clarified as she entered her compound, which had many vases with different colors of flowers.
"I don't have any vases to put this in," Mitsuri said, looking around. "Unless~," she said, smiling as she opened her closet and pulled out a vase with different patterns and colors of gold.
"I've never seen that vase before," Urara said, looking at the vase.
"This is a special vase," Mitsuri said, placing the flowers in the vase.
"What do you mean 'special'?" Urara asked.
"This is a family heirloom," Mitsuri explained. "If you are gifted flowers and place them in this vase, you and that person are guaranteed to get married in the next life."
Urara tilted her head, considering this. "That's a beautiful tradition."
Mitsuri nodded, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Yes, it is. And it makes these flowers even more special." She placed the vase in a prominent spot in her room, where she could see it every day.
"Thank you, Iguro-kun," she whispered, feeling a sense of happiness and hope for the future.
-At the location-
Iguro and Sasori stood atop a building, looking down at a man guarding the door to the betting exchange. The night was quiet, save for the occasional murmur of distant voices and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. The guard seemed alert, occasionally glancing around, his posture rigid.
"Do you want me to knock him down?" Sasori asked, looking at Iguro.
"We can't let them know we're here," Iguro replied, his voice low and measured. "We have to pretend like we're here for the betting exchange. Blend in and gather as much information as possible before making any moves." He said as they spotted a fancily dressed man and woman, who were wearing animal masks that covered their upper faces, walking down the alley toward the exchange.
"Looks like they're here for the exchange," Sasori noted.
"The guard hasn't spotted them yet. Now's our chance," Iguro said as the two of them leaped down from the building, landing silently on the ground.
Iguro landed in front of the couple, and Sasori landed behind them. "Who the hell are you!" the man demanded, pointing at Iguro. The woman attempted to retreat, but Sasori stopped her and swiftly knocked her out.
"What?!" the man exclaimed, turning around to look at Sasori. Iguro took that chance to lunge at the man, kicking him towards the walls of the alley.
"Search them," Iguro ordered as he began to search the man. Sasori began to search the woman.
"I got nothing," Sasori reported.
"Me neither," Iguro said, sounding disappointed. "Did we just knock out a random couple?" He didn't notice Sasori stealthily pocketing the woman's wallet and jewelry.
"No one dresses like this for a normal gathering, plus they're wearing masks," Sasori pointed out.
"Masks..." Iguro said, removing the man's peacock mask and turning it around. Hidden inside the mask was a small emblem.
"Look at this," Iguro said, showing Sasori the emblem. It depicted a stylized hand surrounded by intricate patterns, a clear indication of their involvement with the exchange.
"Interesting. This must be some kind of pass or identifier," Sasori said, examining the emblem closely.
"These two are human," Iguro noted. "So demons aren't the only ones here. We need to find out who is a demon and who isn't."
"I see," Sasori said, removing the woman's rabbit mask and putting it on. Iguro donned the peacock mask as well.
"Let's get going," Iguro said as Kaburamaru emerged from within his clothes. "Looks like someone's finally awake," Iguro remarked, noticing Sasori's annoyed expression.
"What's your problem?" Iguro asked.
"Apologies, it just reminded me of someone," Sasori replied.
"Who?" Iguro inquired, curious.
"A former partner who attempted to kill me before he left," Sasori explained.
"Okay... I see," Iguro said, slightly taken aback.
Disguised, they approached the entrance of the betting exchange. The guard, seeing the masks and emblems, nodded. "Your site number is 23," he said, allowing them entry.
Inside, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation and tension. Wealthy humans and demons mingled, masked, and cloaked in secrecy. The room was dimly lit, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their flickering lights reflecting off the opulent decor.
"We need to blend in and gather information," Iguro whispered, his voice barely audible through the mask. "Observe and listen. Find out who's running this place."
Sasori nodded, his eyes scanning the room. They moved through the crowd, careful to avoid drawing attention. The room was filled with whispers, muted conversations, and the occasional nervous laugh.
"Let's split up," Iguro suggested. "We can cover more ground that way. Meet back here in an hour."
Iguro agreed and headed toward the bar area, while Sasori moved toward a group of masked individuals engaged in a heated discussion.
At the bar, Iguro overheard a conversation between two men discussing the exchange rates for different types of humans. "The younger, the better," one man said, his voice dripping with malice. "They fetch a higher price."
Iguro's blood boiled, and what made him even angrier was the man's unmistakably human face. He forced himself to keep his composure, making a mental note of the man's mask—a wolf—and continued to listen.
"They do. But considering the softness of their skin, I wouldn't mind spending money to get my hands on them," said a man wearing a goat skull. His lower face was covered by a piece of cloth that Iguro noted was made of human flesh.
"Old man, the only reason you're still allowed to enter the betting exchange is because you're rich. Don't risk it by wearing that," a man wearing a forge mask said, pointing at the flesh mask covering the man's lower face.
"Oh please, they won't do anything," the goat-masked man said, ignoring the warning.
Iguro strained to find anything about the man that might hint at him being a demon, but the man was human. As much as Iguro wanted to intervene, it wasn't his job to serve justice to humans.
Instead, he focused on gathering more information. His eyes scanned the room, taking note of the various individuals and their masks, cataloging their faces and conversations for future reference. This place was a den of depravity, and while he couldn't act on his own, the information he gathered would be invaluable for a coordinated strike.
Iguro's mind wandered back to the mission. "We need to find the demons," he reminded himself. As much as the cruelty of the humans disgusted him, his primary target was still the demons involved in this sinister trade. He glanced around, searching for Sasori amidst the crowd, hoping he was having better luck identifying any demonic presence.
Meanwhile, Sasori approached the group he had targeted. They were discussing what the main attraction might be.
"What do you think the main attraction will be?" asked a man wearing a pig mask.
"Probably someone attractive," replied a man wearing a panda mask.
"I heard it's inhuman," added a woman with a badger mask.
"What do you mean inhuman?" Sasori inquired, trying to gather more information.
"That's preposterous! We are here to buy humans, not random animals," the man with the pig mask said indignantly.
"What are you going to do with the humans you buy?" Sasori asked, trying to maintain a casual tone.
"For pleasure," said the panda-masked man and the badger-masked woman in unison.
"Such narrow-minded people," the pig-masked man scoffed. "They are the perfect workers for a mining business. Just give them a piece of cloth and beans to sleep in, and they will work," he said, sounding proud of himself.
"Not to eat them?" Sasori asked, making the three of them look at him with surprise.
"What are you, a cannibal?" the panda-masked man asked. "Not that we're judging you. Trust us, we've heard weirder stuff," added the pig-masked man.
"I wouldn't mind you eating me~," the woman said in a flirtatious tone.
"Not interested," Sasori said, walking off.
The two men began to laugh lightly at the woman's failed advance. "The only reason he refused me is because of this stupid badger mask!" the woman said, sounding annoyed.
"Yeah, sure~," the man wearing the panda mask teased.
Sasori moved away, his mind whirling with the new information. He needed to find Iguro and share what he'd learned. As he navigated through the crowd, he kept an ear out for any more useful snippets of conversation. He eventually found Iguro near the bar area, subtly signaling for him to follow.
"Let's find a quiet spot to talk," Sasori whispered. They moved to a secluded corner of the room, away from prying ears.
"I found out they're planning something with inhuman creatures," Sasori said. "And these people are buying humans for various purposes—pleasure, labor, you name it."
Iguro nodded, his expression serious behind the mask. "I'm beginning to think they aren't even any demons here."
"There has to be at least one," Sasori said, focusing his chakra to try and detect someone with more chakra than the average human of this world.
"I think I found someone," Sasori said, making Iguro raise an eyebrow. "How?"
"I can sense life force, and I found someone with an abnormal amount," Sasori explained, discreetly pointing at an attractive woman wearing a lavish kimono and a fox mask, flanked by two men—one wearing a crocodile mask and the other wearing a spider mask.
"She could still be human with abnormal life force, so we can't rush at her, but we should keep an eye on her," Sasori suggested. Iguro nodded in agreement.
"Let's—" Iguro began, but the lights suddenly turned off, and the only illumination came from a spotlight focused on an attractive man wearing a flaming mask. He was dressed in a pink suit and cloak, his presence commanding attention as he stood on a stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats! The betting exchange is beginning!" the man announced.
"I guess we should get to our seats," Iguro said as they made their way to their table, marked with the number 23 on the chairs and table.
"Number one on the list, we've got a discreet samurai!" the man on stage declared as a chained-up man was brought in. He looked wounded, flanked by two other men wearing hyena masks who held him by chains and seated him.
"Starting at 50,000 Yen!" the man in the flamingo mask announced as people in the crowd raised signs with their numbers embossed on them, shouting different amounts of money.
Sasori kept his eye on the woman, who didn't even give the samurai a second glance, instead returning to the wine glass she was holding.
"Looks like I was wrong about her," Sasori remarked.
"She could be a picky eater," Iguro said, watching as the bids continued. The man in the flamingo mask called out, "Sold to number 7 for 60,000 Yen!" as the samurai was led away.
"Next up, we have a set of twin sisters, aged 14, strong and healthy!" the announcer declared as the spotlight shifted to reveal two terrified girls being dragged onto the stage both of them were only wearing a small piece of cloth to cover themself.
Sasori scanned the crowd, noting the different reactions. Some looked eager, others indifferent. The woman in the fox mask, however, glanced at the twins with concern.
"She looks concerned... for the children?" Sasori said, sounding a bit intrigued.
"60,000 Yen!" the man wearing the wolf mask said, raising his number.
"80,000 Yen!" the man wearing the goat mask said, lifting his sign with his number.
Iguro's blood was boiling. He had to do something; he couldn't let those two get their hands on the children.
Iguro was about to lift his sign, but the woman wearing the fox mask went before him.
"120,000 Yen!" she said, raising her sign and giving the men in the wolf and goat masks a disgusted look.
The man in the wolf mask gritted his teeth, but the man in the goat mask only gave her an eye roll as he lifted his sign.
"150,000 Yen!" he said.
"200,000 Yen!" the fox-masked woman countered immediately, her voice firm.
The goat-masked man paused, clearly agitated. "250,000 Yen!" he said, glaring at the woman.
"300,000 Yen!" the woman in the fox mask declared without hesitation.
The room fell silent for a moment, the tension palpable. The goat-masked man clenched his fists, his face twisted in anger, but he didn't raise his sign again.
"Sold to number 18 for 300,000 Yen!" the announcer declared, gesturing toward the woman in the fox mask.
Iguro and Sasori exchanged glances. Iguro was relieved, and Sasori was curious about the woman's motives.
"I don't think she's a demon," Iguro said. "No demon has a heart."
"Well then, no one here is a demon. Just humans buying other humans," Sasori replied, sounding a bit bored.
"We have to do something to stop this," Iguro said, his tone venomous.
"Not our job," Sasori said as the announcer introduced the next item.
"The next item on the list is a skilled blacksmith, capable of forging weapons of the highest quality," the announcer said as a man with a defeated expression was dragged onto the stage.
Iguro clenched his fists, his anger barely contained. "We can't just stand by and do nothing."
Sasori ignored Iguro as he made eye contact with the blacksmith. For some reason, Sasori felt he knew the man. Releasing his chakra, Sasori tried to sense if he had encountered the blacksmith's chakra before.
Sasori's eyes widened suddenly, recognizing the man. "Shit," Sasori muttered, getting Iguro's attention. "What is it?"
"That's one of the blacksmiths from the swordsmith village," Sasori said, as Iguro looked at the blacksmith whose eyes never left them, gleaming with desperation.
Iguro lifted his sign. "200,000 Yen!" he called out, making everyone look at him.
The announcer, not seeing anyone else lift their signs, declared, "Sold to number 23 for 200,000 Yen!"
As the transaction was finalized, Iguro turned to Sasori. "How the hell did one of our blacksmiths get caught?" he asked as the announcer introduced the next item.
"We'll find out soon enough," Sasori said, his eyes narrowing as he watched the stage. "We need to get him out of here and get some answers."
The blacksmith was brought to their table, still chained but now hopeful. Sasori and Iguro quickly led him to a more secluded corner of the venue. "We need to keep a low profile," Iguro whispered as they guided the blacksmith.
Once they were out of earshot of the main crowd, Iguro leaned in. "How did you end up here?" he asked the blacksmith.
"I was ambushed," the blacksmith replied, his voice shaky. "They took me by surprise and brought me here to sell."
Sasori glanced around, ensuring no one was watching them. "Who took you? Was it humans or demons?"
"Humans," the blacksmith said. "And worse, they were demon slayers." His words made Sasori raise an eyebrow.
"Impossible," Iguro said, his voice filled with shock.
"Yes. I was told to make a sword for a slayer named Ryunosuke," the blacksmith explained. "When I went to deliver it, I was ambushed by him and another slayer. They beat me, tied me up, and brought me here."
Iguro's mind raced. "Ryunosuke... I don't recognize the name. This is troubling."
Sasori nodded, deep in thought. "We can't deal with this here. We need to get him to safety and report this to the higher-ups. If there are corrupt slayers, we need to root them out."
The blacksmith nodded, still visibly shaken. "Please, get me out of here."
"Excuse me, gentlemen, please return to your seats," a man wearing a hyena mask said, stepping in their path.
"We are leaving," Iguro said firmly.
"Sorry, but you can't. Now, please get back to your seats," the man in the hyena mask insisted.
"Why not?" Iguro asked, his annoyance clear.
"If we let people leave before the auction ends, they might report us to the police. Besides, trust me, you don't want to miss the main attraction," the man said with a sinister grin.
"We can strong-arm our way out of here," Sasori whispered to Iguro.
Iguro shook his head. "We will head back to our seats," he said, guiding the blacksmith and Sasori back.
"Why are we going back?" the blacksmith asked.
"There could be others like you. If there are, we need to get them out too," Iguro replied.
Sasori noticed the woman in the fox mask glancing at him. When they made eye contact, she shifted her attention to the twins sitting next to her, offering them a small smile as they ate from the menu.
Sasori also noticed the man in the goat mask staring at him. The man's gaze lingered on Sasori's skin before returning to the stage.
As they resumed their seats, the auction continued.
"Time for the main attraction!" the announcer declared. Two people were dragged onto the stage—a petite young woman with long, dark brown hair and large, gentle eyes that initially had no pupils, only a haze of lavender that faded to dark purple, and a young man of short stature with pale skin and sharp, lavender eyes. His hair was neatly styled, shading from dull and light green to black.
Both were barely clothed, with large steel collars around their necks and small steel cages encasing their heads. Chains bound their bodies, and two men in Demon Slayer Corps uniforms entered the stage holding the chains.
"Today, ladies and gentlemen, we present real demons brought to you by two skilled demon slayers!" the announcer proclaimed.
Iguro's eyes widened, his fury barely contained. "This is beyond corruption," he whispered to Sasori. "This is treachery."
The auction hall was filled with gasps and murmurs. Bidding started quickly, with numbers escalating at a rapid pace.
"We need a plan," Iguro said. "We need to win the bid, we can't let anyone else get their hands on those two."
"Agreed," Sasori said, his eyes narrowing as he watched the escalating bids.