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Chapter 183: The Death of Tamayo
"My, my. To think I'd find two such adorable little misses here. What a delightful surprise!"
Upper Rank Two, Doma, smiled at Shinobu and Kanae Kochou. His eyes curved into crescents, plastering a sickeningly fake, gentle smile across his face.
In truth, of all the Twelve Kizuki Muzan had summoned tonight, Doma was easily the most reluctant participant. He shared Daki's dietary preferences: he only ate beautiful women. No, 'preference' was the wrong word. Doma merely categorized women as premium items on his menu.
Despite operating as a cult leader, Doma was hollow inside. He held reverence for nothing and acted entirely on fleeting whims, both as a human and as a demon. In the original timeline's Infinity Castle arc, even after deducing that Shinobu's body was saturated with lethal Wisteria poison, he still chose to absorb her. Why? Simply because he felt like it. That exact whim ultimately led to his defeat at the hands of Kanao and Inosuke—neither of whom were even Hashira.
It was this exact hollowness that made Muzan despise him.
In some twisted way, Doma and Shinobu were somewhat similar. Both constantly wore masks of gentle, polite smiles to hide what lay beneath. The difference was that Doma was born empty, whereas Shinobu's emptiness was carved out by the loss of her beloved sister, Kanae. Shinobu had forced herself to mimic her sister's every mannerism in a desperate attempt to fill the void Kanae left behind. In the original story, the only time Shinobu smiled genuinely was in the afterlife, after her soul finally reunited with her sister's.
But things were different now. Suyan's Contract had resurrected Kanae. The void in Shinobu's heart had been filled by both Suyan and Kanae. She was finally capable of opening her heart and smiling brightly again.
However, staring at the monster who had butchered her sister, how could Shinobu possibly smile?
Shinobu clenched her fists and looked at her sister. "Nee-san, is this the Upper Rank who killed you?"
"Yes." Kanae remained calm; after all, she had been given a second chance at life. She studied Doma for a moment before nodding affirmatively. "That's him."
"Nee-san, you know exactly what I want to do right now, don't you?" Shinobu asked, her voice trembling with suppressed rage.
"Of course I do," Kanae replied softly. "Shinobu wants to avenge me, doesn't she?"
"Yes." Shinobu placed her hand on the hilt of her Nichirin Sword. "So, I'm asking you not to stop me."
"Why would I ever do that?" Kanae smiled gently, reaching out to grasp Shinobu's hand. "It's true that I used to hope humans and demons could coexist in peace, and before I died, I begged you not to seek revenge. But my mind has changed. To me, nothing in this world is more important than you, Shinobu. Whatever you wish to do, your big sister will support you."
"Besides, didn't I ask Suyan for that specific ability just for this moment?"
While Kanae's words were comforting, Shinobu remained slightly skeptical. She shot her sister a pointed look, her tone turning slightly accusatory. "It's just that you have a habit of doing... strange things, Nee-san. I was worried you might suddenly change your mind."
"Strange things?" Kanae's eyes crinkled in amusement, her smile radiating warmth.
However, the words that followed were ruthlessly teasing. "Is Shinobu referring to when I sneakily take advantage of her while she's asleep? But I clearly remember Shinobu enjoying it quite a bit. Or is my memory failing me?"
"Nee-san!!" Shinobu practically exploded with embarrassment, her face flushing crimson as she stomped her foot, desperately trying to step on Kanae's toes to shut her up.
Kanae dodged with a light, melodic laugh. "Shinobu's body is so light and soft. When I use it to sleep with Suyan, it feels like I'm floating on clouds~"
Red. Shinobu's face was completely, utterly red. She finally managed to interrupt Kanae's teasing. "Enough! Stop talking!!"
There was no doubt that if Kanae continued, Shinobu would spontaneously combust.
Having been thoroughly ignored by the two sisters, Doma finally began to lose his patience. He tapped his golden fan against his cheek, leaning forward with a frivolous smile. "Say, say, what are you two lovely ladies chatting about so happily? Mind if I join in?"
Hearing this, Kanae and Shinobu exchanged a silent glance. In perfect synchronization, they reached an agreement: it was time to execute Upper Rank Two.
Yes, execute.
Doma's Blood Demon Art was functionally similar to Kaigaku's. One manipulated lightning, the other manipulated ice. Logically, Doma's ability should have been on Suyan's acquisition list.
But it wasn't.
Because Doma was fundamentally hollow. Aside from his appetite for women, he desired absolutely nothing. A trade required a desire to leverage, but offering women in exchange for his Blood Demon Art was entirely out of the question. The only hypothetical leverage they possessed would be to resurrect Kotoha, Inosuke's mother, to use as a bargaining chip. She was the one woman who had nearly filled the void in Doma's heart—the only human he had ever decided to spare and protect until she died of old age.
But when he revealed his demonic nature to her, Kotoha hadn't accepted him. Instead, she looked at him like a monster and fled with baby Inosuke, ultimately choosing death over staying with him. With her passing, Doma's only chance at experiencing humanity vanished.
Faced with such an empty creature, Suyan never harbored any illusions about acquiring his Blood Demon Art. Rather than wasting time on the impossible, it was infinitely better to hand Doma over to Kanae and Shinobu, allowing them to exact their revenge and sever their ties to the past.
Shinobu looked at her sister. "Nee-san, let's go."
"Right."
Both drew their Nichirin Swords. Shing! The sharp ring of steel clearing scabbards echoed through the air. Kanae gripped her sword tightly, her eyes locked on Doma, though she didn't rush forward.
Beside her, Shinobu began to twirl her sword like a baton, much to Doma's confusion.
It was common knowledge that Shinobu possessed the weakest physical strength among the Hashira—so weak she couldn't even sever a demon's neck. She relied entirely on her custom-brewed lethal poisons to kill. Her Nichirin Sword was heavily customized; it was far lighter than a standard blade, lacking a back edge, and the blade itself was hollow. It was less of a sword and more of a gigantic, bladed syringe. The scabbard functioned as a reservoir for her poisons, actively recoating the blade every time she sheathed it.
Twirling the blade wasn't for showing off. It was to thoroughly mix the poisons and ensure the entire blade was evenly coated. The elaborate, spinning motion added a hypnotic, deadly grace to her stance.
"Is this Shinobu's Insect Breathing? It's so beautiful. As expected of my sister," Kanae praised with a warm smile. "I can't let her show me up. I need to get serious too."
Compared to Shinobu's bizarre stinger, Kanae's Nichirin Sword appeared completely ordinary. Aside from its rare pink hue, it was identical to any standard issue blade.
However, as she finished speaking, a vibrant pink glow enveloped her sword. Soon, translucent, illusory flower petals began to drift around the blade, and the air filled with a dense, intoxicating floral scent. This was the unique fusion of her Flower Breathing and the Transmutation Nen she had developed after forming a Contract with Suyan.
"Ah! I remember now! It's you!" Doma's eyes lit up as he recognized Kanae's scent. He clapped his hands together in genuine delight. "I can't believe you're still alive! Oh, I'm so happy! I had to let you go last time because the sun was coming up, but I definitely won't let you get away tonight. I'm going to eat you up!"
Shinobu's hatred for Doma was already boiling over. Hearing his sickening words made her snap completely. Having finished preparing her poison out of sheer habit, she vanished from her spot.
Kanae shook her head with a helpless sigh. She's still as impatient as ever. Shinobu hadn't even waited to launch a coordinated attack; she just charged straight in. Kanae immediately followed suit, blurring out of existence.
When they reappeared, they were mere inches from Doma, flanking him in a deadly pincer maneuver.
"Whoops, that was close," Doma said casually. He tilted his head, effortlessly catching both their blades with his twin golden fans. His tone remained obnoxiously light. "You almost got my neck there. You girls are really capable!"
There was no fear in his voice. He sounded as if he were playfully teasing a pair of kittens, a tone designed to infuriate his opponents.
The next second, the bodies of Shinobu and Kanae dissolved into a cloud of illusory flower petals that scattered in the wind.
"Huh? Fakes?" Doma blinked in surprise. He quickly scanned the area, searching for their real bodies.
Silently, the sisters materialized directly behind him.
Flower Magic: Illusionary Body! Kanae chanted the name of her new technique in her heart. This was the Hatsu she had created by combining her Flower Breathing with Transmutation Nen, heavily inspired by Tamayo's Blood Demon Art. Though it was still a prototype due to her short training time, it was more than enough to fool Doma.
Kanae shot a glance at Shinobu. Shinobu understood instantly. Without hesitation, she unleashed the ultimate technique of her Insect Breathing.
"Insect Breathing! Dance of the Centipede: Hundred-Legged Zigzag!"
Doma instantly sensed the lethal killing intent erupting from behind him. He exhaled a violent blast of freezing air, instantly manifesting a cluster of razor-sharp ice lotuses around his body to act as a shield.
"Fire!" Kanae shouted.
Her Nichirin Sword erupted in scorching, intense flames. She had promised to clear the path for Shinobu, and she meant it. First the illusion to create the opening, and now this—a burst of Transmutation aura converted into pure fire, a technique she had explicitly requested from Suyan to counter Doma's ice.
Despite returning to life with no lingering trauma, Kanae knew her death remained the darkest shadow hanging over Shinobu's heart. Only by allowing Shinobu to personally slaughter the monster who had taken her sister could that shadow be permanently dispelled.
Kanae's flaming blade struck first, incinerating Doma's ice lotuses into steam. She only had enough aura for this single, concentrated burst. The rest was up to Shinobu. If Shinobu couldn't land a fatal blow now, they would be forced into a prolonged war of attrition.
But Shinobu didn't disappoint her. Ignoring the biting cold of Doma's lingering Blood Demon Art, she drove forward with unyielding ferocity. She knew her sister would sweep aside any obstacles, just as she always had when Kanae was alive and Shinobu was merely a junior slayer.
Shinobu unleashed a torrential barrage of thrusts, her blade striking Doma's body like a relentless downpour. In the blink of an eye, she punctured him countless times, leaving his body a mangled, bloody mess. She was venting years of grief, rage, and despair in every strike.
Only when Doma was reduced to a mutilated husk did Shinobu finally stop, gasping heavily for air. It wasn't that she wanted to stop; the explosive technique had simply drained almost all of her stamina.
She sheathed her blade and walked over to Kanae. "Thank you, Nee-san," she whispered.
Before Kanae could reply, a gurgling voice emanated from Doma's shredded body. "I am... Upper Rank Two. Attacks like this..."
"That's enough. You're already dead," Shinobu stated flatly, not even bothering to look back.
"Dead? What nonsense are you spouting?" Doma's voice suddenly spiked with genuine shock. "Wait! Why isn't my body regenerating?! Is it poison? But... how?!"
"It's a bit frustrating to let you die as a human, but I suppose there was no other way," Shinobu said coldly. "Not if I wanted to kill you myself."
"Die as a human? What are you talking about?!" Doma was completely bewildered.
The answer was simple. Shinobu's blade hadn't just been coated in lethal Wisteria poison; it was laced with the Restoration Cure Tamayo had synthesized to turn demons back into humans.
In the original timeline, Shinobu had never used the cure. First, it was incredibly difficult to produce and strictly limited in quantity. Second, wasting it on Upper Rank Two was foolish when it needed to be saved for Muzan, the root of all evil. Third, the Infinity Castle raid had happened too suddenly for the slayers to strategize its use properly.
But with Suyan's intervention, everything had changed. Shizuka's modern medical expertise had allowed Tamayo to mass-produce the cure. More importantly, Suyan was personally handling Muzan, rendering the cure superfluous for the final boss. Thus, Shinobu was given a dose specifically to guarantee Doma's execution.
Shinobu had no intention of explaining any of this to Doma. She turned to Kanae with a brilliant, unburdened smile. "Nee-san, let's go find Mr. Scumbag."
"Ara, ara. Missing Suyan already, the moment the fight ends? As expected of my Shinobu," Kanae teased, overjoyed to see the shadow finally lift from her sister's eyes. True to form, she celebrated by mercilessly teasing her.
Without waiting for Shinobu's reaction, Kanae giggled and walked away.
Shinobu puffed her cheeks and scrambled after her. "Nee-san! Stop saying things like that, or I'm really going to get mad!"
The two sisters walked away, laughing and bickering cheerfully, while behind them, Doma's crumbling human body collapsed heavily to the ground.
....
Elsewhere.
"Finally, an opponent worth my time," Akaza declared, rolling his shoulders and dropping into a combat stance as he locked eyes with Suyan.
As a pure warrior utterly devoted to the pinnacle of martial arts, Akaza lived by a strict code: he never killed women. It didn't matter if they were civilians or Demon Slayers. Secondly, he absolutely despised the weak.
The Butterfly Mansion, primarily a medical facility, was populated mostly by injured slayers—hardly a place to find a thrilling fight. Akaza lived for the thrill of battling strong opponents. Even if the Contracted women were exceptionally powerful, Akaza refused to break his cardinal rule against fighting women.
But seeing Suyan ignite his fighting spirit. Despite Suyan's seemingly unremarkable appearance, Akaza's Blood Demon Art detected an overwhelmingly dense, terrifying battle aura emanating from him.
"Human, you are incredibly strong," Akaza praised. "I have never seen anyone possess such a ferocious fighting spirit. However, a human lifespan is a mere hundred years. It is physically impossible to reach the supreme territory of martial arts in such a short time. Therefore, you must become a demon."
"Become a demon, and you will gain eternal life. You will have all the time in the world to reach the pinnacle."
It was worth noting that aside from his refusal to kill women and his hatred for the weak, Akaza's favorite pastime was fighting strong opponents, chatting with them mid-battle, and aggressively recruiting them to become demons so they could pursue martial perfection together. He was, essentially, desperately searching for a kindred spirit.
Tragically, if the demons were a corporation, Akaza would be the absolute worst HR rep in history. His successful recruitment rate over the centuries remained a solid zero.
"I have no interest in fighting," Suyan shook his head and said evenly. "Let's make a trade, Akaza."
The trade Suyan had in mind was for Akaza's Blood Demon Art: Destructive Death. It was an incredibly unique ability, functioning somewhat similarly to the Nen technique, Gyo. It allowed Akaza to sense an opponent's fighting spirit (Battle Compass), enabling his body to instinctively react to and perfectly counter incoming attacks.
During the Infinity Castle arc, Giyuu Tomioka had unleashed a relentless, torrential flurry of Water Breathing techniques upon him, yet Akaza had effortlessly deflected every single strike with his bare fists. Furthermore, his ultimate technique, Destructive Death: Annihilation Type, allowed him to channel his aura into explosive, omnidirectional shockwaves.
Acquiring this Blood Demon Art would be an incredible boost to Suyan's own Enhancer abilities, or a perfect gift for Rei, Mitsuri, or Nezuko. More importantly, unlike Doma, Akaza actually possessed desires that could be leveraged.
"I prefer to let my fists do the talking," Akaza sighed, massaging his temples. "Trade? I have no idea what you're talking about, and I'm not interested."
"Don't you even want to hear my terms, Hakuji?" Suyan pressed.
"Hakuji?"
Akaza froze. The moment he heard that name, a flash of something cut through his mind, but it vanished before he could grasp it. His instincts screamed that this word was of monumental importance to him.
"Who is Hakuji?" Akaza demanded instantly.
"Still don't want to trade?" Suyan continued slowly. "If you surrender your Blood Demon Art to me, I will help you remember your most precious memories... and then, I will grant you death!"
Among the Twelve Kizuki, Akaza was undeniably the most tragic figure. During the Mugen Train arc, when he murdered the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, audiences worldwide wanted his head on a spike. But during the Infinity Castle arc, after Tanjiro punched the memories back into his skull, he instantly became one of the most sympathetic characters in the series.
Before his transformation, Akaza was a human named Hakuji. He was a street delinquent who repeatedly stole money to afford medicine for his terminally ill father. Guilt-ridden by the burden he placed on his son, his father hanged himself while Hakuji was out. Rather than freeing him, the suicide shattered Hakuji, sending him into a spiral of violence and despair.
That was until he met Keizo, a dojo master who took him in, taught him martial arts, and helped him find his path again. Hakuji even earned the love of Keizo's daughter, Koyuki. He was on the verge of inheriting the dojo, marrying the love of his life, and finally achieving happiness.
Then tragedy struck again. The rival dojo, unable to defeat Hakuji in fair combat, poisoned the well while he was away, killing both Keizo and Koyuki. Driven completely insane by grief, Hakuji marched into the rival dojo and slaughtered over a hundred armed men with his bare hands, leaving not a single survivor.
The sheer carnage and stench of blood drew Muzan, who mistook the massacre for the work of a demon. Impressed, Muzan forcibly transformed him, wiped his memories, and branded him Upper Rank Three, Akaza.
His obsession with strength was a subconscious drive to protect his family. His hatred for the weak was a projection of his hatred for his own former helplessness. His refusal to kill women was a lingering fragment of his devotion to Koyuki.
But right now, Akaza remembered none of this. Suyan's words sounded like nothing more than arrogant provocation.
"Grant me death?" Akaza smirked. "Amusing. If you think you're capable of doing so, then come and try."
"Technique Deployment!"
Akaza dropped into his unique martial arts stance. A brilliant, snowflake-shaped compass instantly materialized on the ground beneath his feet—the manifestation of Destructive Death.
"Guess I really do have to beat his memories back into him first, huh?" Suyan scratched his head.
Moving at blinding speed, Suyan closed the distance and slammed a fist directly into Akaza's face. "Keizo!"
Before Akaza could react, a second punch struck. "Koyuki!"
As he unleashed a flurry of blows, Suyan ruthlessly chanted the names of the people anchoring Akaza's lost humanity.
The effect was instantaneous. Even though Suyan wasn't using lethal force, the names detonated like bombs inside Akaza's skull. He went completely rigid, standing entirely paralyzed as Suyan's fists rained down on him.
Akaza's mind spiraled into chaos. He had no idea why hearing those names caused his heart to clench in absolute agony—an agony far sharper than having a Nichirin Sword shoved through his chest.
Suyan showed no mercy, continuing his brutal assault. "Haven't remembered yet?" he shouted, hammering Akaza's skull. "They're still waiting for you! It's time to go see them, Hakuji!"
Seeing Akaza still locked in a daze, Suyan analyzed the situation. In the original story, Akaza's death was essentially a scripted event. Neither Giyuu nor Tanjiro could actually overpower him. It was only when Tanjiro, fueled by protagonist armor, landed a clean blow to Akaza's head that his memories triggered. Overcome by guilt, Akaza had chosen to destroy himself, resisting his own demonic regeneration to repeatedly obliterate his own body until he died.
Suyan couldn't exactly drag Tanjiro over here to deliver a magic punch. Was he just not hitting him hard enough?
Suyan channeled more aura into his fist and delivered a devastating haymaker directly to Akaza's head.
SPLAT.
Akaza's head exploded like a dropped watermelon.
"How about now?" Suyan stepped back, lowering his fists, and waited for Akaza's reaction.
However, he wouldn't get to see the aftermath. A far more dire situation had just unfolded nearby.
....
Sensing the deaths of Kokushibo, Doma, and Gyokko through their shared blood link, Muzan descended into absolute panic. He had no idea what was happening, but terror gripped his heart. He abandoned his fight with Shizuka, screaming into the void, "Nakime!"
"Die, Muzan!"
A voice, freezing and dripping with venomous hatred, whispered directly into his ear. Before he could even turn around, a hand plunged violently through his chest.
Tamayo materialized from thin air. Utilizing Yushiro's Blood Demon Art to turn invisible, she had crept up on Muzan while he was distracted. In that split second of vulnerability, she injected every single vial of the Restoration Cure she possessed directly into his bloodstream.
Clearly, instead of trusting Suyan to handle Muzan, she preferred to ensure his doom with her own two hands.
"TA-MA-YO!"
Muzan roared in incandescent fury. To think that Tamayo—a demon so weak she didn't even rank among the Lower Moons—dared to orchestrate such a blatant ambush against him. Worse, he could physically feel the foreign substance ravaging his internal systems, drastically inhibiting his cellular regeneration.
Under normal circumstances, he could easily isolate and neutralize the drug given enough time. But he was in the middle of a warzone, his Upper Ranks were dying rapidly, and panic was overriding his logic. He completely forgot to interrogate her about the Blue Spider Lily.
He grabbed Tamayo by the head, his eyes burning with monstrous wrath. "Die!"
"Tamayo-san!" Shizuka cried out, desperately trying to intervene, but she was too far away to bridge the gap in time.
Simultaneously, as Suyan shattered Akaza's head, Muzan crushed Tamayo's skull like a fragile egg.
The very next instant, a blinding flash of red lightning tore across the courtyard.
Suyan materialized directly in front of Muzan. His fist, wrapped in crackling black electricity, slammed into Muzan, sending the Demon King rocketing backward.
Compared to acquiring Akaza's Blood Demon Art, preserving Tamayo's life was infinitely more important. She was a master researcher! Yes, the Restoration Cure was finished, but the Immortality Elixir was still incomplete! Furthermore, Suyan intended to have her reverse-engineer a method to alter demonic dietary needs, turning them into zombies so they could be safely farmed for their Blood Demon Arts back in his apocalyptic world.
How could she just die like this?!
Suyan rushed over and scooped up Tamayo's headless body. "Tamayo-san?! Tamayo-san!!"
"I apologize, Suyan-sama... for our transaction... I must break my word..." A faint, ethereal voice drifted up from the corpse, sounding so incredibly weak that it could fade into nothingness at any second.
"Hey, don't die on me!" Suyan's heart ached terribly as he held her motionless form.
Her final response was a breath so quiet it didn't even finish the sentence. "I'm sorr..."
Tamayo's body went completely limp. Suyan could feel that her life force had entirely extinguished.
Slowly, Suyan rose to his feet. Red and black lightning began to arc violently across his body. His eyes were glacial, locked onto Muzan, who was struggling to stand.
He was absolutely furious. Furious at Muzan for killing Tamayo without hesitation. Furious at Tamayo for breaking their deal. But mostly, he was furious at his own powerlessness in watching her die right in front of him.
Today, it was Tamayo—someone he only had a transactional relationship with. But what if it had been one of his Contracted girls? Yes, the Contract offered a one-time resurrection, but Nen was not omnipotent. What if something even worse happened? Suyan couldn't stand the feeling of things spiraling out of his control.
At this moment, Suyan finally understood a fraction of the despair Shinobu had felt when Kanae was murdered. This unexpected tragedy pushed his rage past its absolute breaking point.
Suyan stared coldly at Muzan. "Muzan, have you decided how you want to die?"
A bone-chilling terror seized Muzan. He felt exactly like he did four hundred years ago, staring into the emotionless eyes of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Ignoring Suyan, Muzan screamed frantically, "Nakime?! Where are you, Nakime?! Are you betraying me?!"
Ever since he had been sent flying by Suyan, Nakime hadn't teleported him back to the Infinity Castle. His mind unraveled into hysteria, concluding that she must have abandoned him to save herself.
"Stop shouting," Suyan said, his voice dropping to a terrifyingly calm register. "I didn't have much time to prepare, but escaping back to your castle from within my domain is an absolute impossibility. So I'll ask you again: how do you want to die?"
What Suyan didn't know, however, was what was transpiring inside Greed Island.
Countless motes of blue light were gathering together, coalescing into a massive, glowing human silhouette. Slowly, an elegant figure stepped out of the light.
If Suyan had been there to see it, his jaw would have hit the floor. The figure was none other than the woman who had just died in his arms—Tamayo.
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