Chapter 9- Asakusa

Inosuke and I were trekking lightly when we saw a traditional Japanese gateway, it read over it that this was the district of Asakusa, Tokyo. Seeing this, Inosuke and I ran, we had a bet going on who reached their first. We ran at breakneck speeds, thankfully Urokodaki-san's box was super light, and I was on par, even slightly faster than Inosuke with it on, we crossed the gateway and immediately began arguing.

"Haha, Inosuke, I'm faster than you, boar-head!"

"Kamakodo, I won that race!" 

We kept walking through the neon-lit streets of Asakusa, the streets were clogged with people, even now, in the night. We pushed and shoved past people until we both stopped in our tracks, we had both sniffed out something, something we couldn't avoid, something that was too powerful to resist.

UDON! UDON STAND!

Inosuke and I shoved and kicked our way through the mass of people, I kept my scythes covered by my haori, technically weapons were not allowed here. Eventually, we completed the swimming course that was the mass of people and reached the Udon stand, sitting down, I let Inosuke catch his breath while I ordered, "Hey, two bowls of Udon noodles please." "No problem sir, it'll be five minutes, 150 yen!" "Arigato Gozaimasu!"

We waited patiently for the Udon, I say patiently, but I was arguing with Inosuke the whole time. "Kamadongo Senpichuro!"

"No, how would you like it if I said your name wrong Samosake!" 

"It's Inosuke!"

"Samosake Sassibara!" 

"Kamago Lanpincharo!" 

"Samosake!"

"Lanpincharo!"

"Samosake!"

"Lanpincharo!"

We were interrupted by the arrival of the Udon, "Here you go young men, two bowls of Udon!" 

"Itadikamsu!" was the last thing we heard as the table dropped into silence for about a minute as Inosuke and I slurped up the Udon. We gave him our thanks, well I did, Inosuke wanted him to be an underling. We left the stand and walked about if there was a dem- 

Wait, that stench, that vile, foul stench. I could see that Inosuke could sense it too. The same stench that was at my house where my parents were murdered, the scent of the demon king, the scent of the one, Urokodaki-san had warned me about, the stench of him. Kibutsuji Muzan. 

I turned and so did Inosuke, "Kamago, what is that smell?" I silenced Inosuke with a look and motioned to him to follow, "It's the strongest demon himself, Muzan!" I followed after the scent, Inosuke following quietly behind me, the scent led me to a family walking, a man, his wife, and their baby. He was wearing western-styled clothes, white trousers, a blazer, and a hat that reminded me of a man from the West, Jackson Michael. No Michael Jackson! 

I walked up to the man, my hand on my red scythe, if this was Muzan, I wasn't taking any chances. I walked up to him, "Muzan Kibutsuji, turn and face me!"

The man turned to face me, his pale white features coming into play, red eyes in his sockets, scanning me up and down before frowning at my face, he then proceeded to look shocked, he was staring at, my earrings as if he had PTSD. He recovered quickly, "Do I know you?" 

"You killed my family!" 

"I'm sorry, that could not be me, I'm a harmless citizen of Asakusa!" 

For the first time since I met him, Inosuke barged in with the voice of reason, "Renjiro, you can smell it too, he's too strong, too powerful for you, we will get another chance when we're stronger!" 

I nodded at Inosuke, he was serious, he even got my name right for the first time, "Muzan Kibutsuji, today you walk free, but if tomorrow comes then you're mine!" I turned and walked off with Inosuke. 

<Muzan POV> 

Hmmmm, Hanfuda earrings, and that stupid mark, is he? No, that man didn't have any descendants, did he? Well, if I have killed his famalam recently then this must be a Kamado, Kamado Renjiro, if I am his to kill tomorrow then that means, tomorrow must not come. 

"Dear, I must go to the toilet, wait here!" the lie was well rehearsed and used with multiple other people. 

I walked into an alleyway and snapped my fingers, two demons, that lousy arrow one I made last year and the ball-throwing one. Hehe, Renjiro, let's see what you've got!"

<Renjiro POV> 

I sat down at a bench, Inosuke squatted on it, I looked at him, "Thanks for bringing me back to my senses back there Inosuke!" 

"Any time, Vice-Captain Kamabogo Denjiro!" 

I didn't facepalm as usual but smiled, we got up and found an inn to stay at during our time here, it was 1400 yen for a room and we paid and walked in. Futons were laid out for us and we went down for food before sleeping, Inosuke and I stuffed our mouths with Tempura and then left for sleep. 

I dreamt last night, well I don't know if memories can be counted as dreams, I watched my father, Kamado Tanjuro, as he slipped on his haori and walked out into the icy cold, all the while breathing in and out, "Suuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" and breathing out "Fuuuuuuuuuuu!" I remember my little self running out to my father as he finished his dance, I can even remember the moves now, "Father, Why do you neglect your health and do this dance every time!"

"Renjiro, my boy, there is a style of breathing, where you can transcend all feeling, where the cold won't bother you, and your feelings, emotionally and physically will be under your control!" 

With that, my dream came to a close and I woke up, and the sight scarred me forever, it was Inosuke standing over me, looking down, "Renpachiro, some woman wants to see you, she smells like a demon, and she has a femboy with her!"

"Ehhhhhhh, Im not a femboy!" a voice shouted. 

I sat up and dressed, attached my weapons to my waist, and walked out with my hand on the hilts of each of my weapons, followed by Inosuke. We ran down the stairs and met with the woman. "Hello, I am Kamado Renjiro, this is Inosuke Hashibara, why would you like to see us, and why do I smell demons on you two." 

"My name is Tamayo, and this is my companion Yushirou, and you smell demons as we are demons."