Chapter 39: Butterfly Mansion I
The air after the battle with Kyogai was still vibrating with the incomprehensible energy of Gojo's attack. Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu regrouped, the latter two still stunned by the strange display of power.
"Who is this guy, Tanjiro?" Zenitsu whispered, trembling. "His energy is terrifying! He's not a demon, but he gives me the creeps!"
"He's the strongest!" Inosuke shouted, his boar-like head turning toward Gojo. "I want to fight him! I want to see how strong I am against the strongest!" Inosuke lunged again, but Gojo simply appeared behind him, giving him a small shove that sent him sprawling face first onto the ground.
"Easy, boar boy," Gojo said with a smile. "It's not your turn yet. First, we need to get this boy healed." He was referring to Tanjiro, whose injuries, though minor for a Demon Slayer, were evident. "And then, you and I will have a talk about this 'anomaly' and where to find those demons called 'Upper Moons'."
Tanjiro's Kasugai Crow flew toward them, croaking an order: "Butterfly Mansion Hospital! Recovery! Meeting with the Pillars!"
"Butterfly Mansion, huh? Sounds like a recovery place," Gojo muttered. "Perfect. I need a place to investigate quietly."
The trip to the Butterfly Mansion was... an experience. Zenitsu kept complaining about his "bad luck" and Gojo's terrifying aura, while Inosuke tried to challenge everything that moved, including a bush.
Gojo watched them with endless amusement, finding their loud and quirky personalities quite entertaining.
Upon arriving at the Butterfly Mansion, they were greeted by Kanao Tsuyuri and the young attendants. The atmosphere was calm and healing, a stark contrast to the outside world. Tanjiro was immediately taken to one of the rooms for treatment.
Gojo, however, did not go unnoticed. The presence of such a powerful and anomalous individual in such a secluded location soon attracted attention.
While Tanjiro recovered, Gojo strolled through the gardens, sensing the chakra signatures (or "breath energy," as it was called here) of several Demon Slayers, some of them with considerable intensity.
Suddenly, an elegant and serene figure approached Gojo. She was a petite woman with a gentle smile and large, insect-like eyes; her haori resembled the wings of a butterfly. Her aura, though calm, radiated a lethal stillness.
"Good morning. It seems you've arrived at our humble Butterfly Mansion," said Shinobu, the Insect Pillar, her voice soft and sweet. "I am Shinobu Kocho. And you are... Gojo Satoru, am I mistaken?"
Gojo turned, his blindfold covering his eyes, but Shinobu felt an intense gaze on her. "That's me. And you're one of the 'Pillars,' aren't you? I've heard of you."
"Indeed," Shinobu maintained her smile, even though her mind was racing. This man's energy was unlike anything she had ever felt, vast and strange. "We would like to know how an individual without a Hunter Corps uniform or a Nichirin sword can eliminate demons with such ease. And what are you doing here?"
"Oh, right. The questions," Gojo shrugged. "I'm a 'dimensional researcher.' Basically, I fix problems in other universes when they go haywire. And this place... has a very big problem with those demons. And an 'anomaly' that brought me here."
Shinobu tilted her head. "Dimensional anomalies... I understand. You're... from a different place." Her voice held no surprise, only deep curiosity and a trace of concern. She was an analytical mind, and Gojo's existence was a colossal puzzle.
"However, the Demon Slayer Corps operates under strict rules. Your presence here is... unusual. And your power, if it's as great as Tanjiro's reports suggest, could upset the balance."
"Don't worry about the balance," Gojo said with a confident smile. "I am a walking imbalance. But my goal aligns with yours: to eliminate the demons. And, more importantly, to find the 'king' of these demons. I suspect he is the key to the 'anomaly' I must resolve."
Shinobu stared at him. "The king of the demons... Muzan Kibutsuji." A shadow crossed her face. "It is no easy task. No Pillar has ever managed to even come close to him."
"Oh, I know," Gojo laughed lightly. "But I am not a Pillar. And my 'Breath'... is a little different from yours. Let's just say it's more... overwhelming."
Shinobu couldn't stop a chill from running down her spine. This man spoke with a confidence that bordered on arrogance, but which seemed to be backed by boundless power. The Butterfly Mansion, and the Demon Slayer Corps, were about to receive a lesson in the true forces of the universe.