Under the dim glow of the streetlamp, Tamayo could finally see the two figures sitting on the bench clearly. A handsome young man with a wicked, chilling smirk playing on his lips sat there. Leaning against his shoulder was a breathtakingly beautiful girl draped in a coat, her eyes tightly shut in a deep sleep.
'Demons!'
Even though the two looked entirely harmless, Tamayo's expression instantly darkened. She couldn't possibly mistake that hair-raising, bone-chilling sensation. But it was strange—they were so close, yet she hadn't detected their presence until he actually spoke up.
'Is his Blood Demon Art geared toward concealing presences? Are they His subordinates? Looks like it's time for me to relocate again.'
As these thoughts raced through her mind, sharp claws grew from her right hand. She prepared to slice open her own skin to activate her Blood Demon Art.
"Hold on a second, Miss Tamayo!" Tetsuya called out.
Tamayo froze for a split second.
Tetsuya looked at her with a serious expression. "We're here to seek your help."
Tamayo frowned. Without hesitation, she dragged her claws across her arm, letting the blood trickle down her skin. It was common knowledge that demons were masters of deception; she wasn't naïve enough to just take him at his word.
The thick, metallic scent of blood diffused into the air. With her Blood Demon Art primed and ready, Tamayo finally felt a tiny sliver of security.
Tetsuya just chuckled. Tamayo's Blood Demon Art relied on the scent of blood to plunge targets into an illusion, but trying to use Genjutsu in front of a Sharingan was like trying to teach a fish how to swim!
Completely unaware of this, Tamayo asked, "How exactly can I help you?"
Tetsuya glanced at Kanae. "This girl was turned into a demon due to an accident. But unlike normal demonification, some unknown changes seem to have occurred in her body. I was hoping you could examine her."
Tamayo shifted her gaze to Kanae, and her pupils instantly constricted. 'A Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps!'
She didn't recognize Kanae personally, but the girl's breathing rhythm gave her away immediately. Such a profoundly advanced mastery of Breathing Styles could only belong to a Hashira-level swordsman.
A Hashira turned into a demon—it brought back some very unpleasant memories for her. Hundreds of years ago, a certain Moon Hashira had also become a demon, dealing a devastating blow to the Demon Slayer Corps.
That explained everything. Both of them were powerhouses who had mastered Breathing Styles; suppressing their auras to sneak up on her would be a piece of cake.
'Should I believe them?'
Tamayo's heart filled with doubt and apprehension. Whether they were Demon Slayers or His subordinates, they were incredibly dangerous to her.
Tetsuya wasn't in a rush. This wasn't a matter of whether Tamayo believed him or not; it was a matter of her having no other choice. Over the last few days, they had thoroughly scouted the surrounding terrain. The moment they cornered her here, she had nowhere to run.
Sharingan: Genjutsu!
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Blood Bewitchment: Scent of Illusory Blood, Visual Dream!
Tetsuya and Tamayo's eyes met. In that split second, both of them activated their abilities simultaneously.
In Tetsuya's vision, bizarre, dizzying, and vibrant patterns blossomed all around him.
He let out a cold scoff. His eyes flared with a brilliant crimson light as a majestic surge of ocular power poured out wildly. Back when he wasn't sure if he could save Kanae, his overwhelming sorrow had significantly enhanced his Sharingan's power, pushing it incredibly close to the three-tomoe stage.
The two blood-red tomoe spun frantically. His potent ocular power swept away the illusions like a fierce autumn wind scattering fallen leaves, instantly restoring the world before him to normal.
The same couldn't be said for Tamayo.
Her eyes clouded over as she stood frozen in place. Her face twisted in a severe internal struggle; she had clearly realized she was trapped in an illusion, but she simply couldn't break free.
Several minutes later, the crimson glow in Tetsuya's eyes faded, finally releasing Tamayo from the Sharingan's Genjutsu.
"Haa... Haa..."
Clarity returning to her eyes, Tamayo's legs gave out, and she collapsed to her knees. A look of sheer terror washed over her face. Just a single glance from him had plunged her so deeply into an illusion that she was utterly powerless to escape.
'How terrifying. Even the Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki might not possess this kind of power,' she thought.
"Tamayo-sama!"
Yushiro came sprinting over like a madman, completely disregarding his own safety. Like a fiercely loyal guard dog, he threw his arms wide open, shielding Tamayo behind him.
"Do you understand your situation now?" Tetsuya smirked coldly.
Tamayo remained silent. It wouldn't be difficult at all for this young man to take their lives, let alone the fact that he had a demonified Hashira-level swordsman with him.
Tetsuya smiled inwardly. The most efficient way to gain someone's trust was to display overwhelming strength. As long as he made the other party realize their lives were no longer in their own hands, they would have no choice but to believe whatever he said.
And now, it was Kanae's turn to take the stage.
Kanae’s long eyelashes fluttered as she woke up from her slumber. Seeing the highly guarded expressions on Tamayo and Yushiro's faces, she immediately knew what had happened.
It was time for her to play along with Tetsuya—the classic good cop, bad cop routine.
"Hello there. I am the Flower Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kanae Kocho," Kanae said softly.
Compared to the naturally wicked Uchiha... err, the menacing Tetsuya, Kanae’s sweet, warm smile was far more likely to invoke goodwill.
"Hello," Tamayo replied.
The tension in Tamayo and Yushiro's faces visibly eased. Kanae smiled gently.
Over the last few days, thanks to Tetsuya's explanations, she had learned quite a bit about Tamayo. She was one of the only two demons in the entire world to have broken free from Muzan Kibutsuji's control. The other fugitive, Yushiro, had been turned into a demon by Tamayo herself.
By heavily altering her own body, Tamayo only needed to consume a tiny amount of human blood to survive, completely eliminating the need to eat human flesh. Her profession as a doctor provided her with a convenient way to procure that blood. Because she hadn't killed a single person in centuries, Kanae's impression of her was incredibly positive.
Stepping forward, Kanae used a gentle tone to explain the true purpose of their visit: a physical examination.
Now certain that the two truly harbored no ill intent, Tamayo breathed a sigh of relief. She completely understood their approach. Between demons, trust was a fragile thing built entirely on strength.
"How dare you hurt Tamayo-sama! This is absolutely unforgivable!" Yushiro flared up aggressively. But before he could even finish his sentence, Tetsuya casually tossed a Genjutsu his way, instantly silencing him.
Right at that very moment...
A single, plum-red eye materialized in both Tetsuya and Kanae's minds. It darted around observantly, as if trying to peer straight into the deepest depths of their souls.
'What is this feeling?!'
Both Tetsuya and Kanae were instantly on high alert.
...
On the outskirts of a city, inside a massive, luxurious villa.
A tall, exceptionally handsome young man stood before a bookshelf. He idly flipped through the thick tomes, trying to find even the slightest scrap of useful information.
A cold, apathetic look dominated his face. A trace of impatience flickered in his plum-red eyes, but he forced himself to suppress his mounting fury. After all, a thousand years had already passed.
But as time ticked on, the inherently moody young man grew angrier the more he thought about it. Thick veins began to bulge across his forehead.
Just as he was on the absolute brink of exploding into a violent rage...
Suddenly, as if entering a state of absolute clarity, the fury melted away. A wicked, malicious smirk curled his lips as the image of a certain woman reflected in his pupils.
"Tamayo... you know how much I loathe traitors!"