Kyoto, Japan
In a grand house near the outskirts of the city, a young man sat reading medical texts. He was pale, with curly hair styled like Michael Jackson's and a predominantly Western hat and white cap.
Suddenly, a figure leaped out of the darkness, squatting barefoot on the white jade balcony railing in a Western-style pose.
He had short pink hair, golden eyes, pale skin, and numerous dark blue tattoos symbolizing sinners carved all over his body. His blood-red nails gleamed, and he wore a crimson-purple shirt, with rosary beads dangling from his ankles.
Judging by the words engraved in his eyes, the intruder was none other than Upper Rank Three: Akaza.
The pages of the medical book rustled on.
Sensing something amiss, Akaza grew slightly tense and respectfully exclaimed, "Muzan-sama!"
The sound of pages flipping stopped.
Akaza's heartbeat abruptly ceased, as if gripped by an uncontrollable force. His face contorted in discomfort, yet he maintained his bowed posture, waiting.
After a few moments...
"Akaza, Doma is dead. He was killed by a man and a woman from the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Yes!" Akaza replied. "Please grant me time, Muzan-sama, and I will surely kill them!"
"Time?" Muzan closed the book and spoke in a low voice. "But they've already arrived in Kyoto."
Akaza's pupils contracted sharply. An overwhelming pain exploded through his body, hurling him against the railing. Cracks spread through the stone, and he fell to the ground, drenched in sweat.
"Kill them tonight. If you fail, do not bother returning."
"Yes!"
Akaza bowed deeply, then stood and leapt into the dense forest, disappearing into the night within moments.
With Akaza's departure, the white stone railing gave way, crumbling to pieces.
The noise caught the attention of the house's mistress.
"Tsukihiko? Are you all right? I thought I heard a commotion in your room."
"It's nothing. Just two pesky rats."
"Should I buy some rat poison tomorrow?"
"No need. These two little pests won't survive the night."
❀❀❀
After relaying the pair's information through a crow and obtaining details about Tamayo from Kagaya, Shun and Kanae arrived in Kyoto.
They knocked on a door, using the code Kagaya had provided, and waited a moment.
*KNOCK* *KNOCK*
Shun knocked twice more and said, "Lady Tamayo, the bird should have delivered my message to you."
"Takema-kun, and Kocho-san, please come in."
After a pause, a mature woman's gentle and elegant voice emerged from the room.
Shun and Kanae exchanged glances before opening the door and stepping inside. What they saw were bookshelves lining three walls, filled with various files and books.
An oil lamp hung from the room's central pillar, casting light that kept the space dim but prevented it from falling into darkness.
By its glow, Shun noticed a large desk in the center of the room. Across from the desk, Tamayo had just placed down a scroll on medical techniques and looked up to greet them.
Under the light, their gazes met, and for a moment, they were transfixed, as if unable to look away.
From Tamayo's perspective:
The young man who entered had a dignified nose, gentle yet passionate eyes, and an aura that seemed to glow brilliantly.
He exuded a mysterious charm, like a divine youth from mythology captivating the attention of goddesses. With a mere blink of his pure eyes, he radiated infinite allure, entrancing women across the world.
Even she, a woman who had lived for over four centuries, had to admit that she had never encountered someone as strikingly handsome as this young man. He seemed like a deity walking among mortals.
From Shun's perspective:
He had to admit that the woman before him was as beautiful as Kanae and Shinobu.
Her appearance was exquisite—long black hair parted in the middle and styled into a low, elegant bun secured with floral hairpins. Her soft lavender eyes radiated warmth, and her red lips stood out against her pale complexion. She wore a dark purple kimono adorned with flowing purple branches and red flowers, complemented by a cream-colored obi around her waist.
Moreover, the elegance she had cultivated over four centuries imbued her with a distinct aura that could momentarily render any man breathless.
But what Shun admired most wasn't her beauty—it was her contributions to the original storyline.
In the final saga, Tamayo's self-sacrificial efforts to inject Muzan with various poisons played a pivotal role. The combined effects of her work, along with Yoriichi's burning scar and Kagaya's earlier explosion, turned the tide of battle against Muzan.
Without her, the Demon Slayer Corps would have had no chance of victory.
Shun broke the silence.
"Kanae, this is the one I mentioned—the only demon worthy of redemption: Lady Tamayo."