"Didn't these three just leave my place not long ago? Why are they coming back to the Butterfly Mansion to stay?"
"Your words make me feel ashamed, Miss Shinobu. I took them with me to face the enemy, but I was too careless and let them directly face the Blood Demon Art of Lower Rank One. All of them fell under its hypnosis. Although Nezuko Kamado's Blood Demon Art dispelled it, he is still Lower Rank One, the strongest demon they have ever seen. Therefore, I'm worried they might have some lasting side effects, so it's better to have them observed here."
Suzuki Makoto handed the sleeping Zenitsu Agatsuma to the three little girls of the Butterfly Mansion. They were quite happy that Tanjiro and the others were back. Even Aoi Kanzaki just grumbled about how careless they were, while deftly starting to examine them.
"Congratulations, you've eliminated another of the Twelve Kizuki, and this time it was Lower Rank One. In just a few short months, you've eliminated half of the Lower Rank moons, plus nearly a hundred regular demons—that kind of efficiency surpasses even what the Mist Hashira was capable of back then."
The smile on Shinobu Kocho's face was no longer as intense, but it was filled with sincerity.
"The goal is still a long way off. Where have all the Upper Rank demons hidden themselves? It can't be that they're lining up, waiting for all the Lower Rank demons to be killed before they come out, right?"
At that moment, having failed to rendezvous with Enmu despite rushing all the way—thereby completely ruining Muzan's encirclement plan—Mr. Akaza, Upper Rank Three, was being severely punished by his unscrupulous boss.
Unfortunately, Suzuki Makoto was of course unaware of this scene. He was still troubled that his Nichirin Blade had not changed at all. However, at least he had not yet faced the Upper Rank moons and their boss, Muzan, which gave his heart something to look forward to.
Perhaps the turning point lies with them, he thought.
"Mr. Suzuki, you seem to have an unusual passion for killing demons, but I don't see the influence of hatred in you. May I ask... how do you manage that?"
"I don't kill demons out of hatred. I simply want to expel every last one of these man-eating demons from this world."
Suzuki Makoto shrugged.
"When people come into this world, they are already destined to face infinite suffering. Anyone who adds to that suffering, whether human or demon, should be mercilessly swept away like trash."
Shinobu Kocho nodded slightly, hiding her face in the shadows.
So it's just such pure kindness?
I'm so... envious.
"Would you like a cup of tea, Mr. Suzuki?"
"Won't I be disturbing your work, Miss Shinobu?"
"Of course not. This way, please."
The two walked into Shinobu Kocho's small house. The poison workshop was not nearby; after all, it contained toxic and harmful substances and couldn't be prepared too close to the injured.
On the table was a pot of tea and a cup of cold tea. However, Shinobu Kocho did not use this pot to pour tea for Suzuki Makoto. Instead, she took out a new pot, brewed fresh tea, and poured a new cup for him.
"Please, have some."
After saying this, Shinobu Kocho picked up her own cup, preparing to drink the cold tea.
A hand pressed down on Shinobu Kocho's teacup.
"Mr. Suzuki?"
The man's expression was grave. Shinobu Kocho tried to pull her hand back but found it was still pinned.
"Mr. Suzuki, although there's an exercise in rehabilitation training where we take turns snatching a teacup, if you splash this water on my face right now, I will get genuinely angry."
"There's something wrong with this tea."
Suzuki Makoto warned in a low voice.
"The concentration of wisteria flowers in here is higher than usual. It was clearly added by someone else. Although wisteria is far less harmful to humans than to demons, long-term excessive intake will definitely have an effect. I don't sense a demon's presence, so it seems someone has secretly sided with the demons and has even infiltrated the Butterfly Mansion!"
Hearing Suzuki Makoto's words, Shinobu Kocho pressed her lips together. She was flustered for a moment, unsure whether to tell him the truth.
"How could someone secretly side with a demon? Aren't you overthinking it, Mr. Suzuki?"
"No. This time, while searching for Lower Rank One, we discovered that many people were actively helping that demon, from train staff to ordinary civilians. It's clear these high-ranking demons are no longer just brutes who fight alone; they're starting to systematically use humans to achieve their own goals."
Suzuki Makoto was now brainstorming. The Butterfly Mansion wasn't far from the Ubuyashiki Estate. If a demon's servant had found this place, it meant the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters was completely exposed and enemies could attack at any moment.
"You check the Butterfly Mansion and the surrounding area first. I'll go back and report this to Master Kagaya. We must immediately begin transferring personnel and supplies. Once everyone has been moved, I'll stay behind and prepare a trap for those demons."
With that, the man stood up, ready to leave with decisive speed.
"Wait, Mr. Suzuki! There are no demons, no demon servants, and no one poisoned my tea. The wisteria flower extract... I added it myself."
Seeing that she could no longer hide it, Shinobu Kocho could only reveal the whole truth.
"You added it yourself? You're the expert on poisons. Don't you know that wisteria is also harmful to the human body? Why would you do such a thing?"
Suzuki Makoto stood there very seriously, staring at Shinobu Kocho.
"I... I have to do this. Otherwise... otherwise, I won't be able to avenge my sister!"
The young woman's voice trembled, but her will was resolute. She met Suzuki Makoto's gaze without flinching.
"So this is why you've been so angry? An anger that doesn't lessen in the slightest, even with a smile on your face?"
"You can see it too? I suppose that's not surprising. After all, Tanjiro started training his perception after listening to your teachings. Your own perceptive abilities must be even stronger, Mr. Suzuki."
Shinobu Kocho took a deep breath, composing her emotions.
"Ever since my beloved sister was brutally murdered by a demon, whenever I see others cry because a demon has taken someone precious from them, whenever I hear their desperate screams, this rage just keeps building and swelling inside me... Mr. Suzuki, you once said that I always talk about 'getting along with demons,' right? But in truth, that was my sister's dream."
"My sister was so gentle and kind that even as she was being killed by a demon, she pitied it. I can't understand that. But it was my sister's dream, so I must carry it on. My sister loved my smile, so I will always keep smiling. She hoped for a future like that, so I will also continue to think about how to make such a future a reality!"
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