The dim glow of candles flickered inside Tamayo's secluded house, casting shadows across the room as Bell and Tanjiro sat across from the demon doctor. Tamayo's assistant, Yushiro, stood silently nearby, his gaze shifting between Bell and Tanjiro with mild curiosity and irritation.
"So, you're telling us you've been studying demons to find a cure?" Tanjiro asked, his brows furrowed. The soft light reflected off his Hanafuda earrings, a reminder of his connection to the Kamado family and the burden he carried.
Tamayo nodded, her gentle voice calm but serious. "Yes. For over two centuries, I've worked to find a way to reverse demon transformations, but Muzan's blood has made it nearly impossible. His essence permeates every part of a demon's body. The only way to even begin developing a cure is to collect blood from the most powerful demons—those who have absorbed more of Muzan's essence: the Twelve Kizuki."
Bell crossed his arms, leaning against the wooden frame of the room. "The Twelve Kizuki? That sounds like Muzan's inner circle."
Tamayo nodded. "Exactly. They are divided into Upper and Lower Moons, with the Upper Moons being far more powerful than the Lower ones. But even the Lower Moons are formidable. Their blood contains more of Muzan's essence, and with enough of it, I may be able to find a way to cure Nezuko."
Tanjiro's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at his sister, who had been sitting quietly next to him. The thought of a cure—a way to bring Nezuko back—was almost too good to be true. He tightened his fist. "I'll do whatever it takes to gather the blood you need."
Bell looked at Nezuko with a gentle smile. "We'll help in any way we can. You've got allies in this fight."
Before Tamayo could respond, the atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically. A dark, sinister presence suddenly washed over them, causing Tamayo's eyes to widen in alarm.
"They're here," she whispered. "Muzan has sent his assassins."
A loud crash echoed from outside, shaking the walls of Tamayo's house. The door was blown open by a surge of force, and two figures stepped into view. The first was a woman with four arms, dressed in a flowing red kimono and holding a series of temari balls. The other was a man, his eyes replaced by two eerie, glowing hands, and his expression cold and emotionless.
"Tamayo!" the woman sneered. "You traitor! Lord Muzan has sent us to deal with you and these pests!"
The two demons were Susamaru and Yahaba, handpicked by Muzan for their loyalty and deadly abilities. Susamaru grinned, tossing one of her temari balls in her hand. "I'll make this quick and fun!"
Bell unsheathed his sword, its red glow illuminating his determined face. He had spent weeks training with Tanjiro, mastering the Sun Breathing technique that had been passed down through the Kamado family. His muscles were honed from years of experience fighting monsters and gods, but now they were enhanced further by the breathing techniques of this world. His power had grown exponentially since arriving here, and he was ready.
Tanjiro, his own katana shimmering in the candlelight, stepped forward with Sun Breathing coursing through his body, his heart pounding in anticipation. "Bell, take Susamaru. I'll handle Yahaba."
Bell nodded, his eyes never leaving the four-armed demon. "Understood."
With a flash of movement, Tanjiro dashed forward at blinding speed, his sword slashing through the air as he targeted Yahaba. The demon, who manipulated arrows of force with his hands-for-eyes, was caught off guard by Tanjiro's sheer speed. Before he could react, Tanjiro's blade cut clean through his defenses, the heat of the Sun Breathing overwhelming him.
Yahaba stumbled back, blood spilling from his side as his face twisted in disbelief. "How... how can you be this fast?!"
"I've trained for this," Tanjiro said, his voice steady but filled with anger. "You won't hurt anyone else."
Meanwhile, Bell lunged at Susamaru, dodging the rapid barrage of temari balls she launched with incredible force. His body moved with an effortless grace, the Sun Breathing technique enhancing his strength and agility far beyond what it had been before. With a single swift motion, he closed the distance between them, his sword flashing as he sliced through her defenses.
Susamaru's eyes widened as Bell's blade effortlessly severed her head from her shoulders. Her body fell to the ground, her final thoughts filled with horror. Master... you sent me to die...
Bell stood over her, his sword dripping with blood, his expression calm yet resolute. "Not even close to a challenge."
Tanjiro, in the meantime, had overwhelmed Yahaba. His sword moved like lightning, and with a final Sun Breathing form, he sliced through the demon's neck. Yahaba's head fell to the ground, his expression frozen in disbelief.
As the bodies of the two demons disintegrated into ash, Tamayo stepped forward, her eyes wide with awe. "Incredible... to see such power from demon slayers so young."
Yushiro, standing at her side, could only nod, still shocked by the display of strength. "They made quick work of those two... even though they were some of Muzan's assassins."
Tamayo then motioned to her invisible cat, who swiftly collected the blood samples from the two fallen demons before disappearing once again.
Bell wiped his sword clean, turning to Tamayo. "Will that be enough for your research?"
Tamayo nodded. "It's a start. But you'll need to collect more blood from the stronger demons. Especially from the Twelve Kizuki. Their blood will hold the key to developing a cure."
Tanjiro sheathed his sword, still catching his breath from the fight. "We'll do it. We'll find the Kizuki and get you the blood you need."
Tamayo smiled softly. "I believe you will."
Later that day, Tamayo briefed them further on the Twelve Kizuki's hierarchy, explaining the differences between the Upper and Lower Moons. The Lower Moons, while not as powerful as the Upper Moons, were still formidable enemies. Each one possessed unique abilities that could pose serious threats to even the most skilled demon slayers.
As night began to fall, Tanjiro's crow provided them with their next mission—a cursed manor where a powerful demon was rumored to reside. As they made their way toward their destination, they stumbled upon a bizarre scene in the woods.
A boy with striking yellow hair was repeatedly asking a girl to marry him, much to her growing annoyance. She slapped him with some sort of pamphlet, her patience clearly running thin. Bell and Tanjiro approached, both of them puzzled by the scene. The boy, who had hearts in his eyes, was undeterred by the girl's rejection.
"Marry me, please! I'll do anything!" the yellow-haired boy pleaded, causing Bell to raise an eyebrow.
Tanjiro sighed, pulling the boy away from the girl. "Stop bothering her."
The girl, now free from the yellow-haired boy's harassment, turned her gaze toward Bell. Her annoyance immediately melted away, replaced by a lovestruck expression. "You... you're so handsome..."
Bell offered her a charming but gentle smile. "Sorry about that. As compensation for the trouble, I'll give you a kiss. Anywhere you want."
The girl blushed deeply, and after a moment of flustered thought, she pointed to her hand. Bell leaned down and gently kissed her hand, and she nearly swooned on the spot.
While Bell was busy charming the girl, Tanjiro had finally managed to talk sense into the yellow-haired boy, who was still weeping over his failed marriage proposal. "You can't just ask random girls to marry you," Tanjiro scolded.
"I thought she was the one!" the boy wailed.
With that ordeal behind them, they continued toward the cursed manor, arriving to find two frightened children standing outside. They were shaking in fear, tears streaking down their faces as they explained that their sibling had been taken into the house by a monster.
Tanjiro knelt down, speaking softly and reassuringly to the children. "Don't worry. We'll bring your brother back. I promise."
The children, comforted by Tanjiro's kindness, nodded and pointed toward the ominous mansion looming ahead.
Inside the mansion, they were met with the terrifying presence of the Drum Demon. Bell and Tanjiro fought their way through the shifting rooms, encountering the yellow-haired boy, Zenitsu, and a wild, boar-headed fighter named Inosuke. Bell quickly informed Zenitsu that the boar-headed figure was, in fact, a man, much to Zenitsu's horror.
In the end, Bell and Tanjiro defeated the Drum Demon, a former Lower Moon, and collected his blood. As they left the manor, Tamayo's cat reappeared, collecting the blood sample before vanishing into the night.
With the mission complete, the group regrouped outside the manor, the children reunited with their sibling. As they prepared to move on, Bell looked at Tanjiro, a determined glint in his eyes.
"The Twelve Kizuki don't stand a chance," Bell said confidently.
Tanjiro nodded, his resolve stronger than ever. "We'll stop them. And we'll find a cure for Nezuko."