Chapter 28: Hashira Meeting – Who is the Bald Slayer?

The headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps was unusually noisy. All nine Hashira had gathered, their faces ranging from confusion to disbelief as they stared at the hastily written report delivered just hours ago.

Giyu Tomioka, as expressionless as ever, read the document aloud. "...Muzan appeared at a hot spring. Muzan was defeated in under five minutes by… a bald man who claims he's a 'hero for fun.'"

The room fell silent.

"What kind of ridiculous joke is this?" Sanemi roared, slamming his hand on the table. "A bald guy? Hero for fun? Are the juniors writing prank reports now?"

"It's not a joke." A voice came from the door.

Tanjiro stood there, water still dripping from his hair, his uniform partially burned from the aftermath of Saitama's punches. Beside him, Inosuke (wrapped in nothing but a borrowed haori) and Nezuko followed, both looking equally traumatized and confused.

Tanjiro bowed deeply. "It's true. I saw it with my own eyes. Muzan appeared… and that man defeated him like it was nothing."

"Impossible," Muichiro murmured. "Even if it was Yoriichi himself reborn, no one can beat Muzan that easily."

Mitsuri leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "What did he look like? Was he handsome?"

"Uh… he was bald," Tanjiro said awkwardly. "Completely. And plain-looking."

Mitsuri's smile froze. "Oh."

Rengoku, ever the optimist, stood up with a loud laugh. "Bald or not! A man who can defeat Muzan is a comrade worth celebrating! Let us welcome him into the Corps with open arms!"

"Is he even human?" Obanai muttered, suspicion in his mismatched eyes.

"More importantly," Shinobu chimed in with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "where is Muzan now? If this man defeated him, we need to confirm if Muzan is truly dead."

Tanjiro shifted awkwardly. "Well… Saitama-san punched him so hard, Muzan turned into mist and… kind of disappeared."

The Hashira exchanged uneasy glances.

"That's ridiculous!" Sanemi barked again. "Are you seriously telling me some random bald guy stronger than all the Hashira combined just wandered into a hot spring, punched Muzan into smoke, and left?!"

"That's exactly what happened," Zenitsu mumbled, still pale from the experience. "I saw it too. It was like—like fate itself gave Muzan the middle finger."

There was a pause.

Tengen clapped his hands together, eyes sparkling with excitement. "This is flamboyant! A mysterious bald hero stronger than Muzan! We have to recruit him into the Corps!"

"Does anyone know where he went?" Muichiro asked, his voice soft.

Tanjiro shook his head. "He just left saying 'I need a new hot spring' and walked off."

"He didn't even stay to talk?" Mitsuri asked, her tone disappointed.

"No," Tanjiro replied. "He doesn't seem interested in fame or rewards. He said he's just a hero for fun."

"...This is absurd," Obanai muttered again.

Suddenly, the sliding door burst open. A terrified scout stumbled inside, gasping for breath.

"R-Report! Muzan's aura was detected again—this time in the western mountains! But—there's something else! There's… him! The Bald Slayer!"

The Hashira all stood at once.

"Finally!" Rengoku declared, flames practically bursting from his spirit. "Let us meet this legend in person!"

"Let's go!" Mitsuri cheered, already imagining what kind of man could beat Muzan so easily. Maybe bald men were her new type?

Giyu, as usual, said nothing, but the faintest flicker of interest crossed his face.

And just like that, all nine Hashira—along with Tanjiro's group—set off toward the mountains to meet the Bald Slayer, the mysterious man who had shattered the very laws of their world.

But what they would find… was something none of them could have expected.

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End of Chapter 28