The village was eerily quiet when Tanjiro and Saitama arrived. The usual warmth and scent of wood smoke were missing, replaced by the sharp metallic tang of blood in the air. Houses stood with shattered doors, the earth stained crimson, and somewhere in the distance, a faint clattering sound echoed — like bones rattling in a hollow drum.
Tanjiro stepped forward cautiously, his senses flaring. "There's… something strange about this demon's scent. It's different from the demons I've fought before."
Saitama, hands in his pockets, yawned. "Eh. As long as it doesn't take too long. I need to get back before the sale ends."
Tanjiro sweat-dropped. "Saitama-san, this is serious! People could still be hiding somewhere. We have to save them!"
"Yeah, yeah." Saitama scratched his bald head lazily. "Let's just find the guy and get this over with."
A loud crack split the air as the ground in front of them erupted, a twisted figure rising from below. The demon was hunched, its body covered in bones stitched together like armor, with long spiked ribs jutting from its back like spider legs. Its face was obscured by a cracked skull mask, but its gleaming eyes peered through the cracks, filled with malice and hunger.
"Lower Moon Five — Kogai, the Bone Collector." Tanjiro's hand flew to his sword. "This demon… It's strong."
"Lower Moon Five?" Saitama repeated, looking unimpressed. "That's pretty far down the list."
Kogai's jaw cracked open into a twisted grin. "So the Demon Slayer Corps has sent… a child and a bald fool? Muzan-sama truly underestimates me."
"Who's the bald fool?" Saitama's eye twitched slightly.
Kogai ignored him, turning his focus to Tanjiro. "You reek of the Hinokami Kagura. Good. Your bones will make a fine addition to my collection."
Tanjiro stepped forward, stance shifting into Water Breathing, First Form. "Saitama-san, stay back for now. Let me—"
"Actually, I'll go first," Saitama said, casually walking past him.
"Wait! You don't even have a sword!" Tanjiro protested.
"Don't need one." Saitama stood face to face with Kogai. "Hey, Bone Guy. Are you gonna fight or what?"
Kogai roared, bones shooting out from his back like jagged spears aimed at Saitama's chest. Tanjiro tensed, ready to step in — only to freeze as Saitama swatted the bones aside like they were nothing.
"Huh." Saitama inspected his hand. "Not even sharp."
Kogai's grin faltered. "What…?"
"Alright, my turn." Saitama raised his fist. "Consecutive Normal—"
Before Kogai could react, Saitama flickered forward, his punch landing squarely in Kogai's gut.
BOOM.
The entire street exploded into dust and rubble, Kogai's body folding like paper before he was launched through four buildings and embedded into a distant hill. Tanjiro stood frozen, mouth hanging open in pure disbelief.
Saitama dusted off his glove. "Done."
"…That was a Lower Moon…" Tanjiro mumbled in shock. "In one punch…"
Kogai's bones began to regenerate, his form twisting back together from the fragments left behind. "Fool… I'm not that easy to kill! I am Lower Moon Fiv—"
SMASH.
Saitama appeared beside him in a blink, casually chopping Kogai's head off with the edge of his hand. "Stop talking so much."
The demon's head tumbled to the ground, his body collapsing into dust seconds later. Saitama yawned again. "Man, even for a discount fight, that was too easy."
Tanjiro stared at the empty space where Kogai once stood, trying to process what just happened. This bald man, who didn't even know about Breathing Techniques, had just annihilated a Lower Moon faster than any Hashira ever could.
"Saitama-san…" Tanjiro said softly. "Are you… really human?"
"Pretty sure." Saitama shrugged. "Anyway, you got a grocery store around here?"
Tanjiro's brain short-circuited.
Before they could leave, Tanjiro's crow swooped down, its voice hurried and panicked. "Urgent message! Upper Moon Six — Kagenami — is approaching this village! Prepare for battle!"
Tanjiro paled. "Upper Moon… already?!"
"Another one?" Saitama sighed. "At this rate, I'm gonna miss every sale."
"Upper Moons are completely different from Lower Moons!" Tanjiro said desperately. "They're stronger than you can imagine! This isn't something to take lightly!"
"I didn't take the last one lightly," Saitama said. "I even used Consecutive Normal Punches. That's two whole punches."
Tanjiro was pretty sure his soul left his body for a second.
Suddenly, the air grew colder, shadows twisting unnaturally at the edge of the village. A new figure appeared — Kagenami, tall and slender, his body stitched with shadows that flickered like living threads. His empty sockets glowed faintly, and his voice came as a whisper that cut to the bone.
"Muzan-sama sent me to test the bald anomaly."
Saitama cracked his neck. "Finally. A mid-boss."
Tanjiro's heart pounded in his chest. An Upper Moon battle was no joke — even with Saitama here, there was no telling what tricks this demon had. But before Tanjiro could warn him, Saitama casually walked forward again.
"Alright, Thread Boy. Let's get this over with."
---
End of Chapter 6