The carriage traveled for three days, finally reaching its destination—the Yoshiwara pleasure district!
A grand archway, bustling crowds, and a riot of lights and colors everywhere.
Within the buildings lining the streets, young women in revealing attire could be seen.
Some, heavily made up, knelt by the doorways of the buildings, while others, adorned in their finest, leaned against the second-floor balconies, casting flirtatious glances at passersby.
Kamatado Tanjiro finally understood what kind of place this was.
Kamatado Tanjiro hesitated, then mustered his courage and said, "Uzui-sama, even as the Sound Hashira, you shouldn't come to a place like this."
"As expected of a child. A man should seize pleasure when he can. By the way, you brats probably haven't experienced much, have you?" Tengen Uzui burst into laughter, then his expression suddenly turned solemn. "Did you think I brought you here for fun?"
Kamatado Tanjiro asked doubtfully, "Are there demons here?"
"Of course!" Tengen Uzui replied. "A place like the pleasure district, though outwardly glamorous, is secretly filled with darkness and cruelty. People's desires are constantly amplified in such an environment, which is exactly what demons love."
Kamatado Tanjiro nodded.
Although Tengen Uzui appeared dissolute, as long as it involved demons, Kamatado Tanjiro felt that this Sound Hashira was quite reliable.
Tengen Uzui continued, "I received word that people frequently disappear mysteriously in the pleasure district, likely the work of demons. So, I dispatched people into the district hoping to find the demon, but they all disappeared."
Byakuya asked, "Disappeared?"
Tengen Uzui glanced at Byakuya. "They vanished."
"Oh!"
Byakuya grinned. It seemed this Sound Hashira had a naive side. He meant they were already dead.
Tengen Uzui went on, "But I believe they are in danger. We must act quickly, or they might truly meet their end."
Kamatado Tanjiro asked, "What should we do?"
"Just follow me," Tengen Uzui instructed.
As he spoke, Tengen Uzui led the four into one of the buildings and said to an elderly woman, "Please help them with their makeup."
Agatsuma Zenitsu asked in surprise, "Makeup? Why do we need makeup?"
Meanwhile, two servants attempted to remove Inosuke's boar mask, only to be met with his resistance.
"Let go! You bastards, let go!"
Tengen Uzui said calmly, "According to our investigation, we've narrowed down several locations, but we haven't found the demon yet. Therefore, you must disguise yourselves as women and infiltrate them. Don't alert them, and find the demons."
Agatsuma Zenitsu asked, "Why don't you go yourself?"
"This lord is the renowned Sound Hashira. Do you think the demons would show themselves if I appeared?"
That made sense; the others couldn't find a reason to refute it.
Since it was related to catching demons, Kamatado Tanjiro conceded. Soon, the four were dragged into a room filled with various cosmetics and even wigs.
A moment later, the four emerged from the room, all dolled up.
And then…
*Pfft!*
Tengen Uzui looked at Agatsuma Zenitsu, who emerged first. He had been sipping his sake and immediately spat it out.
Agatsuma Zenitsu's hair was styled into two small pigtails, his face painted stark white with two circles of rosy blush on his cheeks.
At that moment, Tengen Uzui's first instinct was to draw his sword and slay the boy; it was like seeing a ghost.
Then…
Kamatado Tanjiro walked out, a bow tied on his head and blush on his face…
Tengen Uzui propped up his chin. This one wasn't as jarring to the eyes.
After all, besides the scar on his forehead, Kamatado Tanjiro had a delicate appearance, but he still looked like a man.
As Tengen Uzui was contemplating, Inosuke sauntered out of the room, his boar mask already removed.
And then…
"Wow!"
Tengen Uzui, Kamatado Tanjiro, and Agatsuma Zenitsu exclaimed in unison.
Inosuke hadn't put on any makeup, but his face was that of a beautiful young girl, especially his large, expressive eyes that made him look utterly charming.
However…
"What do you want from me?" Inosuke impatiently tugged at his clothes. "I don't want to wear this stuff!"
This guy had always trained shirtless in the mountains and hadn't changed that habit after becoming a demon slayer.
Kamatado Tanjiro and Agatsuma Zenitsu quickly rushed over to hold Inosuke back.
Kamatado Tanjiro said, "You're a girl now. Girls shouldn't undress so casually."
"I don't care, I don't care…" Inosuke grumbled. "I'm done!"
"So noisy," Byakuya's voice cut in at that moment. "Can't you guys be quiet? My eyebrows are almost smudged."
The air froze. Everyone looked at the person in front of them in disbelief.
A beautiful "woman" stood before them.
Her skin was fair, her black hair was elegantly styled, her complexion was porcelain white, her features were exquisite, and her eyes held an indescribable charm. Her lightly rouged lips parted gently, exuding a captivating blend of desire and purity.
Agatsuma Zenitsu's eyes instantly lit up, and he leaned in, saying, "Sister, what's your name? Where are you from…"
Byakuya grabbed Agatsuma Zenitsu by the neck and tossed him aside.
Byakuya said, "It's me."
Kamatado Tanjiro was greatly shocked. "Byakuya? You're Byakuya!"
Byakuya casually tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Yeah, what's the problem?"
Seeing the stunned glances around him, Byakuya looked disdainful.
What a bunch of uncultured bumpkins. Did they know about the "Four Great Arts of Asia"?
With those skills, even a dog could be made to look beautiful and charming.
Otherwise, why would his world have so many cross-dressing enthusiasts?
"Then it's decided. It's the three of you," Tengen Uzui declared, pointing decisively at Kamatado Tanjiro, Agatsuma Zenitsu, and Inosuke. "You three will infiltrate the Daimonjiya, Tokiya House, and Kyogoku House and find the demon."
"What the heck?" Byakuya exclaimed, astonished. "What about me?"
Byakuya was immediately displeased.
While he disliked cross-dressing, his competitive spirit had kicked in. Wasn't his female disguise better than these three?
"Please!" Tengen Uzui looked at Byakuya with distaste. "The way you look isn't for infiltration; it's for causing trouble! You'll end up stealing all the courtesans' business!"
Hearing that, Byakuya felt it made sense. Infiltration required discretion.
But could he help it?
Was being good-looking a crime?
…