Aoi Kazama's fingertips tapped rhythmically against the translucent blue screen of the System interface.
The Master's body had been ravaged by a curse for years, his condition deteriorating day by day. Shinobu Kocho and a host of other physicians had found themselves utterly powerless against it. If this Rejuvenation Pill could actually help...
The moment the thought crossed her mind, the System panel flickered. Below the description for the Rejuvenation Pill, a new line of small text slowly materialized:
[Note: Only effective against physical trauma and toxins. Regarding root-cause damage from curses, this item can only provide temporary suppression.]
Aoi's finger froze. A wave of disappointment washed over her.
I suppose that makes sense, she thought with a sigh. The Ubuyashiki curse is a manifestation of several hundred years of accumulated resentment. It would be naive to think a single pill could pull it out by the roots.
She continued to scroll down. It was then she noticed a new section on the interface: the Point Shop.
She immediately tapped it. A pale gold panel expanded before her eyes like a shimmering, radiant scroll. The shop was clearly categorized into three major sections: Healing, Combat, and Support.
Her gaze locked onto the Healing section instantly. She scrolled through the list at high speed until she finally found what she was looking for at the very bottom of the page: the Curse-Breaking Flute.
[Item: Curse-Breaking Flute]
[Effect: Carved from thousand-year-old warm jade. The flute's melody is infused with purifying power. When played, it can peel away the layers of ancestral curses and resentment bound to one's bloodline.]
[Exchange Points: 100,000]
Aoi's eyes lit up, but the moment she saw the long string of zeros following the price, the flame of hope died out like a candle in the wind.
She scrolled through the rest of the shop with lingering desperation. Her fingers brushed past items priced in the thousands or tens of thousands, but they were either ineffective against curses or merely treated the symptoms without curing the cause.
"Sigh! I'm still seventy thousand points short. Looks like I'll just have to work harder on those missions."
Still, she decided, she would give the Rejuvenation Pill to the Master regardless.
The Infinity Castle
Inside the shifting dimensions of the Infinity Castle, Akaza had just finished reporting the situation to Muzan Kibutsuji. He knelt on one knee, his head bowed in deep respect.
Muzan looked down at him, his aura instantly shifting into a terrifying combat-ready state. "Akaza, I sent you there to slaughter them all. To make them vanish from my sight entirely. And yet, you failed to kill even a single Hashira!"
Akaza's spine snapped taut. The blood within his veins began to boil instantly under Muzan's command, and a trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth.
He grit his teeth, refusing to let out even a muffled groan of pain. In his crimson eyes, a sea of violent rage surged, yet he forced it down into the deepest recesses of his mind. He knew this was Muzan's warning—a warning that he should not harbor thoughts that deviated from his identity as Upper Moon Three.
"This servant... accepts his failure," he squeezed the words through his teeth, each syllable tasting of copper and iron.
"Begone," Muzan said, giving him a cold, dismissive glance.
Akaza didn't respond. He simply bowed his head low against the floor. Only after that suffocating pressure had completely vanished did he slowly stand up.
"Are you angry because you were hurt by a 'weak' human...?" Aoi's whisper echoed suddenly in his mind.
Akaza lunged forward, slamming a fist into the cold stone wall. He felt as though something was lodged in his chest, an unbearable tightness that made it hard to breathe.
"We didn't lose!"
His chest heaved violently. Emotions he didn't even understand swirled in his bloodshot eyes. Was it anger? Frustration? It felt like neither.
"Damn it..." he cursed under his breath. "She was just a weak human..."
The Butterfly Mansion
"Aoi-chan, are you saying this medicine can suppress Oyakata-sama's curse?!" Shinobu Kocho's voice carried an uncharacteristic edge of urgency. She took the pearlescent Rejuvenation Pill, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Aoi nodded. "It can't eradicate it, but it should at least alleviate the pain."
Shinobu looked down at the pill in her palm, her eyes darkening with emotion. For years, she had scoured every medical text and tried countless formulas, only to watch the Master's body decay further with each passing day. That sense of powerlessness had nearly consumed her.
Now, this tiny pill felt like a sliver of light piercing through a long, hopeless night.
Word spread quickly among the Hashira. During the emergency meeting, Aoi found herself surrounded, nervously fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. Even though the "shameless" System had helped her develop a thicker skin, being the center of attention for this group still made her cheeks flush.
"Can this pill truly suppress the Master's curse?" Sanemi Shinazugawa's voice was frantic. He stared at Aoi, his eyes bloodshot and intense. "The Master's body cannot handle any more strain. If there is even the slightest error with this medicine..."
"I understand," Aoi interrupted him, her gaze unwavering. "I stake my life on it. This medicine will not harm the Master. If anything goes wrong, I will accept any punishment."
Sanemi blinked, stunned. Seeing the absolute certainty in the girl's eyes, the interrogation he had prepared died in his throat.
"Aoi, there is no need for that. I trust you," Kagaya Ubuyashiki's gentle voice drifted through the room. He raised a hand to signal the others to remain calm.
Under the tense gaze of the Hashira, he took the Rejuvenation Pill. The snow-white pill melted the moment it touched his tongue, turning into a warm, gentle current that flowed through his throat and into his limbs.
A faint, healthy color slowly returned to Kagaya's pale complexion. Even the purple scarring that covered half his face receded significantly.
Beside him, Amane Ubuyashiki stood up abruptly. Her steps faltered as she reached his side, her hand trembling as she touched his cheek. Her voice was thick with unshed tears. "Thank God."
"Thank you," she said, bowing deeply toward Aoi. "Over these years, Kagaya has... he has suffered so much."
Aoi rushed to support her, her heart aching for the couple. "Please, Lady Amane, there's no need for that. This is what I should do."
Outside the door, Kiriya Ubuyashiki let out a long breath of relief. He had never told his father that his own body had already begun to feel the creeping influence of the curse. But now, thankfully, everything was finally starting to get better.
After the Meeting
Aoi was heading out when Sanemi Shinazugawa called out to her. He looked incredibly awkward, shifting his weight from side to side. "About earlier... I was too impulsive. I'm sorry."
Seeing his uncharacteristic hesitation, Aoi's eyes twinkled with mischief. She decided to lean into it. "Oh? So you actually know how to apologize? Well then, how do you plan to make it up to me?"
She paused, tilting her head. "How about... you let me kiss you again?"
Aoi let the final word trail off playfully, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips.
Sanemi's face turned a violent shade of crimson instantly, the heat spreading from his ears all the way down his neck. His eyes widened as if she had just suggested something utterly scandalous. He pointed a finger at her, stammering for a full minute without being able to form a coherent sentence. "Y-you! What kind of nonsense are you talking about?!"
Aoi couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into laughter.
She waved her hand dismissively, dropping the act. "I'm just teasing you."
Sanemi finally realized he'd been played. His ears turned an even deeper shade of red. He gave Aoi one final, fierce glare before spinning on his heel and bolting away. His retreating back radiated a palpable sense of "fleeing in total panic."