"Yushiro, that is enough." Tamayo's calm voice rang out.
"But Lady Tamayo, we're demons. How can we go to the Demon Slayer Corps and walk straight into a trap?"
Tamayo shook her head. "Since Yuko said so, there won't be any danger."
Yushiro was so anxious his head felt like it was about to burst. That woman was far too cunning!
She was taking advantage of Lady Tamayo's trust to spout nonsense.
Unable to see even a hint of the composure befitting someone with centuries of experience, Yuko rubbed her temple, ignored the frantic Yushiro, and looked at Tamayo.
"The current head of the Demon Slayer Corps is named Ubuyashiki Kagaya. He's a man with extraordinary personal charisma."
"I made contact with him two years ago. He accepted my identity very calmly."
A ripple finally appeared in Tamayo's usually tranquil eyes. She said in surprise, "A person like that actually exists?"
"Yes. Without a doubt, that head is on the same side as we are."
Tamayo nodded slightly. "I understand. Then we'll set out tomorrow night."
"Yushiro, please go and pack for now."
"Lady Tamayo~" Yushiro hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself in the end. He could only nod. "I understand."
After Yushiro left, Tanjiro opened his mouth hesitantly and spoke.
"Um… Miss Tamayo…"
Tamayo looked over in response.
"Is there any way to turn demons back into humans?"
Tamayo answered calmly, "There is."
Tanjiro's expression stirred, and he hurriedly asked, "Then—"
Tamayo interrupted him. "No matter what the illness or injury is, there is always a corresponding medicine and treatment."
"However, at this stage, I still cannot turn demons back into humans."
"But I will definitely continue researching a cure."
Yuko's lips twitched. Wasn't that just meaningless rhetoric?
Since when had Tamayo learned to talk like this?
"Speaking of which, Yuko." Tamayo suddenly changed the topic. As she called Yuko's name, she turned and opened a drawer.
Yuko asked in confusion, "What is it?"
Tamayo turned back with a syringe in hand. "Your blood should be extremely valuable for research."
"…Be gentle."
Thanks to the advancement of technology, many things that were previously impossible had now become achievable.
With microscopes and other precision instruments, it was now possible to observe changes in cells within the blood.
For someone like Yuko—who was a demon yet had overcome sunlight—she was nothing less than the perfect experimental subject.
...
On the other side, amid the bustling traffic of the city, Kibutsuji Muzan—who bore a striking resemblance to Michael Jackson—gently gave a few words of instruction to his wife and daughter before turning into a narrow alley.
After taking care of a few drunkards, Muzan snapped his fingers.
"What are your orders?"
A male and a female demon appeared out of thin air before him and dropped to one knee.
Muzan's expression shifted between light and dark. "Bring me the head of the demon slayer wearing hanafuda earrings. Understood?"
"Yes, my lord!"
Just as the two demons were about to depart, Muzan suddenly spoke again.
"Wait."
Both demons lowered their heads respectfully.
In Muzan's mind appeared the image of that figure wearing a bamboo hat, with only long hair flowing out.
For a moment, it eerily overlapped with the figure from several hundred years ago—the one who had charged straight at him with a crimson blade in hand.
At that instant, every cell in his body trembled.
That woman… that boy…
What connection did they have with that monster?
"Beside that demon slayer, there is also a woman with long crimson hair. Bring me her head as well."
"Yes, my lord!" A qualified subordinate accepts any command without question.
"With your current strength, you're probably still no match for that woman," Muzan said coolly as he looked down at them. "Consider yourselves honored. I will grant you the power of the Twelve Kizuki."
At these words, both demons couldn't help but lift their heads in joy.
A bloody tentacle burst from Muzan's body and shot into the backs of their necks at lightning speed.
As it writhed, something seemed to be injected into them. Both demons collapsed onto the ground with twisted expressions, their murky auras rapidly swelling and expanding.
Moments later, they raised their heads in ecstatic delight.
"Thank you for granting us your blood, my lord!"
"Go. I want to see their heads."
"Yes, my lord!"
After the two demons vanished with a sudden flash, a contemptuous sneer spread across Muzan's calm lips.
"Tch. What a pity my Upper Ranks are not here. If even one were present, there would be no need to fear that woman."
To think he had to waste his blood nurturing two pieces of trash.
Muzan's expression darkened terrifyingly.
That monster… could it be that it still has descendants?
Impossible. Back then, he and Kokushibo had slaughtered all who knew the truth.
Even if these two Lower Ranks–level demons couldn't defeat her, at the very least they had to uncover her true situation.
Even after several hundred years, the shadow that monster cast over him had still not faded.
...
"That should be enough for storage for now."
Tamayo pulled the pillow out from under Yuko's arm, injected the collected blood into a nearby test tube, and placed it into an exquisite medicine case along with the others.
The case was already filled with rows of crimson test tubes.
Yuko lay slumped over the table, staring at her rolled-up pale arm. Her lips had gone somewhat white, and her legs were trembling so badly she didn't even have the strength to stand.
Looking at the full case of results, Tamayo nodded in satisfaction. She then turned to Tanjiro, who looked slightly dazed.
"Tanjiro, may I collect a small amount of Nezuko's fresh blood as well?"
"Nezuko is able to recover her strength through sleep, and she hasn't become more violent due to hunger. Her blood might have an extraordinary effect."
Tanjiro stared in horror at the rows of bright red test tubes in the case, then at Yuko, who was still sprawled over the table, not yet recovered.
She'll die!
Nezuko will die!
She'll absolutely die!!!
Tamayo said gently, "It's alright. Only one very small tube of Nezuko's blood will be enough."
Tanjiro hugged Nezuko tightly, trembling all over. "R… really?"
Miss Yuko looks like she's about to die.
Tamayo smiled and nodded. "Of course. Yuko's blood is especially valuable as a reference, so I took more…"
Boom!
A sudden deafening explosion rang out as the wall shattered on the spot. Rubble flew everywhere, and a cloud of dust billowed up.
"Cough, cough." Tanjiro shielded Nezuko and waved away the dust in the air while shouting to the side, "Miss Yuko! Miss Tamayo!"
A pale arm sliced through the drifting dust, still gripping a temari ball in its hand.
Tanjiro cried out in delight, "Miss Yuko!"
With her other hand, Yuko quickly pulled the white cloth back over her neck and turned around. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine." Tamayo had almost instinctively assumed a defensive posture, but with Yuko standing in front of her, she hadn't been injured at all.
Yuko lowered her gaze slightly, looking at the temari ball in her hand, which was trembling restlessly.
The force… was a bit too strong.
"Lady Tamayo!!!" Yushiro's voice rang out as he rushed in from outside at full speed.
When he saw that Tamayo was completely unharmed, he finally let out a breath of relief.
---
Currently at chapter 393 for advance chapters
https:// ko-fi.com/rabi08