The misty steam hovered above the hot spring pool, and the sound of splashing water indicated someone entering the pool.
Hatsune removed his clothes, wearing only white swim trunks, his chest bare. Holding his Nichirin sword, he walked into the pool, the warm water enveloping him.
Fukada cautiously followed behind him. Seeing the scars all over Hatsune's body, he couldn't help but gasp in shock.
The young man looked only eighteen or nineteen, yet his body was nearly covered in scars. What kind of brutal life had he endured? No wonder he was so indifferent.
Hatsune sat down in the pool at the closest position to the women's side on the right. The warm water submerged his chest, and he placed his Nichirin sword on the stone platform behind him, within easy reach.
Fukada sat down next to Hatsune.
"Hatsune, are you there?" A gentle voice from Nae came from the women's side shortly after they sat down.
Hatsune softly hummed in response.
Hearing his reply, Nae's face blushed with a shy smile. Her full breasts were hidden beneath the water, seemingly about to burst out of her red belly band.
The hot spring indeed had a magical effect, washing away the fatigue of the past few days and bringing a sense of indescribable comfort.
The "culprit" did not appear for a long time. In the first half of the night, the three remained vigilant. In the latter half, Hatsune used his breathing technique to enter a meditative state.
To Fukada, it seemed as if he had fallen asleep. Indeed, he was sleeping, but in a meditative state, maintaining his sensory perception. Any unusual temperature change would instantly wake him.
This method helped Demon Slayer Corps members maintain sufficient physical strength and energy during battles. However, Fukada, unaware of this, was terrified.
Sleeping while the "culprit" could appear at any time was beyond his comprehension. Recalling what Nae had said yesterday, he concluded the two were inexperienced novices.
Fukada regretted his decision to follow these two novices to catch the "culprit." He had initially thought the young man had an extraordinary aura, only to find it was all superficial.
He wanted to wake Hatsune but hesitated. In the end, he decided to wait until the "culprit" appeared to wake him up.
The night passed uneventfully. When they left the hot spring inn, Hatsune and Nae looked refreshed and energetic, while Fukada had dark circles and looked exhausted.
Fukada assumed they had just been lucky.
They spent three more peaceful days like this.
Privately, Fukada did not dare to speak directly to Hatsune. Instead, he found Nae and subtly warned her not to sleep at night, to remain vigilant, and hoped she would pass the message to Hatsune.
Only then did he learn from Nae that Hatsune was not simply sleeping. Demon Slayers had a unique resting method.
Fukada listened in confusion. He didn't fully understand Nae's explanation but didn't dare to persuade further. After all, he was just a minor "hidden" member, forced to continue bathing with the two every night, feeling uneasy.
Finally, on the fourth night, an unfamiliar presence entered the hot spring inn.
That night, as the three walked through the lobby corridor as usual, Hatsune sensed two cold presences hidden in the misty pool. He recognized these presences all too well.
Demons!
It was confirmed that those girls were indeed killed by demons.
There was a demon in both the men's and women's pools. Why they remained invisible, Hatsune couldn't understand for now. Perhaps their ability to stay hidden allowed them to kill the girls silently.
Hatsune grasped the hilt of his sword, releasing a burst of cold air, freezing the surrounding steam into ice shards that scattered around.
The demon in the men's pool moved, creating ripples in the water but then inexplicably settled back into the pool.
Such strange behavior left Hatsune puzzled. Even more baffling, the demons showed no intention of attacking.
Could it be that demons also liked soaking in hot springs?
These two demons were different from any Hatsune had encountered before. They seemed highly intelligent, remaining indifferent to the presence of three living humans, which only piqued his curiosity.
"What's wrong? Did you sense something?" Nae, gripping her sword hilt, looked warily at the misty pool. Besides the water and steam, there was nothing else.
Fukada, arms crossed, shivered in a corner.
When the cold air burst from Hatsune, Fukada finally realized this young man had some real skills.
It was so cold that he tried to stay away from Hatsune. But hearing Nae's question, he reluctantly moved closer, fearing an ugly monster might suddenly leap from the water.
"Nothing," Hatsune said, releasing the sword hilt and dispelling the cold air, returning to normal.
Under the puzzled gazes of the other two, he walked into the men's changing room, undressed, and nonchalantly entered the men's pool, sitting in his usual spot but staring at a corner of the pool.
What were these two demons up to?
Nae and Fukada joined him in the pool, as if nothing had happened.
As time passed, the two demons in the pool remained motionless.
Hatsune guessed his earlier action had alerted them. He closed his eyes, entering a meditative state, pretending to lower his guard.
To Hatsune's surprise, the demons did nothing until the next morning.
Just before dawn, Hatsune suddenly smelled a strange fragrance, making his head feel heavy and his consciousness uncontrollable.
Realizing something was wrong, he quickly grabbed his Nichirin sword to retaliate but found himself unable to move. The strange scent had rendered him limp and powerless. Looking at Fukada, he saw him already unconscious.
Fear gripped Hatsune, similar to his encounter with the demon at Fujikasane Mountain three months ago. No, it was even more terrifying. At least then, he could still fight back. But now...
Hatsune clung to the edge, trying to stand and adjust his breathing, using cold air to stimulate his senses, but with little effect.
He regretted not attacking the previous night, giving the enemy a chance.
The sound of splashing water came from the pool. Although he couldn't see the demons, the moving ripples indicated something was there.
Hatsune thought the demons were finally going to attack, but to his shock, the "things" climbed out of the pool, leaving a trail of wet footprints before disappearing into the hot spring inn's lobby.
By the time Hatsune regained his strength, the demons had vanished.