Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Early that morning, Kasugai-rabbit delivered an order, requiring Shinobu Kocho to head to Shinobu in the west as soon as possible to meet up with the Water Pillar, Giyu Tomioka.

According to reliable intelligence, the area around Mount Myoko in the Shinetsu region may be the headquarters of the Eternal Paradise Cult, which the Demon Slayer Corps had been paying special attention to before.

Several recent disappearances of young women have all led to clues pointing to this area.

Considering the Mugen Train incident, although it was committed by a lower-moon demon, an upper-moon demon was lurking behind it all...

The clues to this incident came suddenly, and it was unknown what kind of crisis might exist, so the lord asked the two of them to investigate together.

If the situation becomes unfavorable, a retreat can be initiated immediately without engaging in combat.

During this time, Shinobu Kocho also stayed at the Rengoku family home to observe Kyojuro's recovery and carried out some tasks such as providing guidance at the nearby sanatorium.

Once the order was given, she needed to leave.

Having basically figured out how the Flame Breathing works, Asuka plans to return to Hayama to visit her master.

Upon learning that Shinobu Kocho was to undertake a mission that might involve Upper Moon demons, she changed her mind:

"I'll go with you."

"This... Asuka, you've only just recovered from your injuries, there's no need to push yourself."

"I don't think it's too much of a stretch." He said seriously, "The Upper Moon demons are very strong; you are no match for them."

"...Mr. Asuka, could you not be so direct?"

Although Shinobu Kocho was smiling, her eyes twitched slightly, and her smile wasn't as warm anymore.

When she's with Asuka, she doesn't have to always be gentle, otherwise she'll get so angry at this guy who's just as taciturn as Mr. Tomioka that she'll suffer internal injuries.

After conveying this temporary decision to Lord Ubuyashiki, the three embarked on their westward journey.

You asked why there were three people? That's because Shinobu Kocho's stepson, Kanao Tsuyuri, was also specially summoned to accompany her on the mission.

After Tanjiro and Kanao opened up to each other, the girl has become much more talkative.

At least, it's not like the birds can say anything and get no response anymore.

So the three of them said goodbye to the Rengoku family and boarded a train bound for Shinetsu Province.

Although Asuka had developed some resistance to this mode of transportation, it was so convenient that it would only take a day to reach her destination, so she silently followed Shinobu Kocho onto the bus.

The train carriages were much busier during the day than at night, with three people crammed into the same row of seats. It was the first time Asuka had ever seen such a sight.

He couldn't help but wonder if he could have saved so many passengers on the Infinite Train...

"Asuka, you haven't been having nightmares lately, have you? Your sleep has been quite stable these past few days."

Seeing that Asuka seemed a little uneasy, Shinobu asked casually.

The three of them sat in the same row, with Kanao on the inside and Shinobu Kocho sandwiched in the middle.

Fortunately, both of them were quite petite, so even when the three of them sat together, it wasn't crowded.

Asuka shifted slightly to give her some space, while she herself half-straddled the aisle: "...Since experiencing the nightmare of the Lower Moon, I'm much better, at least not as uncomfortable."

Asuka has been thinking a lot about that dream lately.

Nightmare's Blood Demon Art may have been accidentally triggered by Aizen's projection deep within his own consciousness.

Perhaps it's because Aizen is the reason the nightmares exist, or perhaps, as that person said, the spiritual pressure that he is constantly unsealing is the root cause of the recurring nightmares.

In short, since that battle in the spiritual world, Asuka has rarely dreamed of those non-existent fantasy worlds, or the past and future dreams of those around him.

As for the future, he didn't know whether Aizen would ever appear again.

"Speaking of which, I heard that the Lower Moon uses... a magic trick that can create beautiful dreams?"

With so many people talking, Shinobu Kocho didn't mention using Blood Demon Art to avoid attracting unnecessary attention.

Asuka nodded: "Unfortunately, I didn't have any pleasant dreams, but instead encountered people I didn't want to see."

"Haha, could it be Mr. Tomioka?"

"...Of course not, they're enemies."

"You should continue taking the traditional Chinese medicine for a while to recover your energy..."

"...Excuse my intrusion, gentlemen..."

Just as Shinobu Kocho was entrusting Asuka with these instructions, a man's voice, tinged with concern, suddenly came from the opposite side.

The three of them looked in the direction of the sound at the same time.

The person who spoke to them was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his early forties.

He sat between two burly, bearded farmers, his thin frame draped in a dark brown suit, making him look somewhat out of place.

The man wore round-framed glasses, had a mustache, and a gentle gaze: "Excuse me for interrupting your conversation."

He sat much more upright than the two burly men beside him, his hands somewhat awkwardly folded on his knees, a thick, hard-covered medical book resting beneath them, striving to maintain decorum in the crowded environment.

"I was sitting here and overheard you two talking about nightmares, and I noticed this young man seemed a bit uneasy..."

"As a doctor, perhaps it's an occupational hazard; seeing someone suffering from illness makes me want to ask a few more questions..."

Feiniao gave him a deep look, looking at the stranger who had suddenly struck up a conversation with some wariness.

"Really? You're a doctor?" Shinobu Kocho's reaction was different; her voice was filled with respect.

She also comes from a family of pharmacists and has a natural affinity for medical staff.

The other person nodded slightly and carefully took out a simple leather document holder from the inner pocket.

This action caused him to poke the burly man next to him, making him somewhat embarrassed and repeatedly apologizing. He then unfolded his document folder to show Shinobu Kocho:

"Sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Fujino Genkuro, a rural doctor, you could say."

"Judging from your attire and demeanor... are you a young couple traveling together?"

Upon hearing this, Asuka didn't react much, but Shinobu Kocho was taken aback, a blush creeping onto her gentle smile. Even Kanao, standing to the side, cast a curious glance at her without making a sound.

Shinobu Kocho waved her hands repeatedly: "No, no, you've misunderstood. We...we're colleagues and friends, no..."

Dr. Fujino realized he might have said something wrong, and embarrassed, he carefully put away his identification before looking at Asuka: "I was being presumptuous. By the way, young man, may I ask about your condition?"

"Hmm." Asuka glanced at Shinobu Kocho, then nodded.

Do your nightmares involve palpitations, night sweats, or extreme fatigue? Do you experience gastrointestinal discomfort, fever, or other symptoms before bed?

He asked very detailed questions, mostly from the perspective of Western clinical medicine. Even Shinobu Kocho felt that she had learned something new and quickly wrote it down in her notebook.

"...Hmm, I think I understand. I suggest that in addition to traditional Chinese medicine, it would be best to go to a modern hospital with complete facilities for a check-up."

"You can try drinking some chamomile tea before bed during this time; it has a calming effect," he sincerely suggested, and then wrote a prescription that looked like scribbles on a piece of sticky paper. "When you get to a big city like Tokyo, you can go to a pharmacy and have them take a look at my diagnosis; it might be helpful."

"Thank you so much." Shinobu Kocho took the prescription and smiled. "I'll make sure he's careful. By the way, are you also going to Shingoshi?"

Dr. Fujino gently put away the paper and pen: "That's good. This time, we took advantage of some rare free time to visit relatives in Nagano Prefecture."

"I've always made a living in Sendai and Tokyo, and I haven't been to the Shinetsu region much. I've heard that the snow scenery there is beautiful, so I'm thinking of staying for a while to see the local customs and culture."

His tone carried a sense of tranquility and longing for nature, even though he was still trapped between two burly men and unable to move.

"That's really fate. We were also planning to go to Mount Miaogao over there."

"Mount Myoko? That's a great choice! They say it's 'Little Fuji,' and it's associated with the legend of the Snow Woman. It's definitely worth a visit!"

The two chatted casually, and the originally tedious bus ride passed by quickly.

Having started talking, Shinobu leaned forward slightly, subtly guiding the conversation with a tone as if sharing a secret:

"Mr. Fujino, since you have relatives over there, I wonder if you've heard of a sect called the 'Eternal Bliss Cult'? I've heard it's quite popular."

"The Eternal Bliss Cult?!"

The gentle smile on Fujino Genkuro's face vanished instantly, as if he had been stabbed hard by something.

His brows furrowed tightly, the corners of his mouth turned down, and his originally gentle gaze suddenly became unusually complicated.

His gaze held a mixture of obvious disgust and deep worry.