Listening to his words, Aoi felt a surge of genuine anger. Excuse me? How can you insult a demon like that? Ume was a wonderful girl—how could he call her a "hindrance"? Besides, even if she was, she was still Gyutaro's precious sister. This guy was clearly just a cold-blooded monster who didn't understand the first thing about family!
Taking advantage of the fact that he couldn't see her, Aoi flipped him a very indignant middle finger.
It was a small gesture, but Kokushibo, standing right beside her, caught it immediately.
He shot her a sideways glance, a warning so sharp it practically radiated from his six eyes.
Aoi instantly turned into a model citizen, sitting obediently by his side to continue eavesdropping on the "meeting."
Muzan shifted the topic abruptly. "Is there any word on the Blue Spider Lily?"
The atmosphere among the Upper Ranks grew even heavier.
Seeing their silence, the corners of Muzan's mouth curled into an extremely faint, ice-cold arc. The smile didn't even come close to reaching his eyes. "What use do I have for any of you? For hundreds of years, I have given you endless time and countless opportunities. And yet, what have you shown me?"
"I no longer understand the point of your continued existence."
Hantengu was so terrified he began scurrying across the floor like a frightened insect, his voice trembling. "Mercy, my Lord! Have mercy!"
Kokushibo spoke in a deep, resonant tone, "I have... no excuse."
Aoi fought the urge to laugh. She hadn't expected to find a master of workplace gaslighting in the demon world. Muzan's style of leadership was beyond ridiculous—he didn't provide resources or incentives; he just gave them empty promises and constant belittlement. If it were her, she would have walked off the job ages ago. These demons really had incredible patience.
Muzan continued his relentless berating from his pedestal, tearing into the Upper Ranks until they seemed worth less than nothing. Hantengu had shriveled into a ball, not even daring to lift his head.
"Muzan-sama! I am not like the others. I have already grasped a piece of intelligence that will surely help you take another step toward your ideal!" Gyokko poked his head out of his vase, his voice bubbling with excitement as he sought approval.
In the next blink of an eye, his head was in Muzan's hand. "Do not dare to bring me unconfirmed information in an attempt to seek favor!"
"You had all better work more desperately from now on. It seems the title of Upper Rank has made me far too indulgent with you."
"Gyokko. If the information is true, go with Hantengu." With that final command, his figure vanished from the hall.
Once Muzan had departed, Doma looked down at Gyokko's head, which had been tossed onto the floor. He cupped it in both hands, a smiling expression on his face. "Gyokko-dono, what is this intelligence? I want to go too! Can you tell me?"
"Please?"
Aoi wanted to know, too. She shuffled forward quietly, her eyes glued to Gyokko's nauseating face.
Before Gyokko could speak, half of Doma's head was obliterated by a punch from Akaza. "The Lord gave you no orders. Stop your prattling."
The next moment, Kokushibo moved. In a flash, Akaza's clenched fist was severed. "Enough, Akaza. You have gone too far."
Akaza let out a muffled grunt and stepped back half a pace, his expression unchanged. Fine veins of flesh sprouted from the stump, and within seconds, a new hand had fully regenerated.
He glared at Kokushibo, hostility swirling in his eyes, but he ultimately held back. The strength of Upper Rank One was far beyond his own.
Doma clutched his newly reconstructed head, his eyes crinkling into a smile. "My, my! Kokushibo-dono is as impressive as ever. Though I did let him hit me on purpose just now—after all, Akaza-dono can't actually beat me."
"I am not concerned for you. I am concerned for the breakdown of order and the lack of respect for hierarchy," Kokushibo said, his back to the two of them.
He sounds like a stern, old-fashioned patriarch, Aoi thought, her shoulders shaking as she suppressed a giggle. She desperately wanted to see him actually lose his composure; it would probably be hilarious.
Beside them, Gyokko spoke up quickly. "Nakime! Quickly, send me and Hantengu to the location!"
The words had barely left his mouth before both their figures vanished.
Wait! Don't go! I still don't know where the location is!
Aoi reached out a desperate hand in vain.
Her heart sank. After watching the show for so long, she hadn't even managed to touch the fringes of the actual intel.
Kokushibo glanced at the dejected Aoi with an unreadable expression. He turned his gaze to Akaza, a final warning in his voice. "Do you understand, Akaza?"
"I understand. I will definitely kill you!" Akaza snarled, staring fixedly at Kokushibo's back.
"Is that so? Then apply yourself." In the next instant, Kokushibo vanished from the room.
As he left, Aoi was pulled out of the dream state. She rubbed her aching temples and immediately sat down to pen a letter to Oyakata-sama.
Not long after, another emergency Hashira meeting was convened. Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked at Aoi with a grave expression. "Are you certain the Upper Ranks have obtained information regarding our location?"
Aoi nodded. "I didn't hear the specific details of the intelligence, but I know Muzan has dispatched two Upper Ranks to the site."
"What?! You saw Muzan?!" Sanemi Shinazugawa bolted upright, his movements frantic. "Are you hurt?!"
The concern had slipped out instinctively. By the time he realized what he had said, he found every single Hashira's gaze fixed squarely on him.
Shinobu Kocho covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "My, it seems Shinazugawa-san is quite concerned about his comrades."
Sanemi's face turned a violent shade of crimson. He sat back down, looking completely flustered and out of his element.
Aoi smiled and continued, "Yes. In the dream, Muzan appeared in person. He also mentioned the Blue Spider Lily; it seems to be extremely important to him."
Kagaya's fingertips tapped lightly on the table, a slight frown marring his brow. "The Blue Spider Lily... For Muzan to seek it so desperately, he must have sensed some kind of opportunity."
"We must not let him find it!"
"By the way, Aoi—do you know the characteristics of those two demons?"
Aoi snapped back to attention and nodded. "The ones sent are Upper Rank Five, Gyokko, and Upper Rank Four, Hantengu. Gyokko's true form is hidden inside a porcelain pot. Hantengu looks like a hunched-over old man, very cowardly in appearance. However, since they are Upper Ranks, their strength is surely formidable."
Kagaya nodded, gave a few final instructions to the group, and adjourned the meeting.
Instead of going home, Aoi headed straight for the Butterfly Mansion. She wanted to check on Tanjiro and the others; they had been unconscious for nearly two months since the battle in the Entertainment District.
She pushed open the infirmary door quietly. As soon as she stepped inside, she saw Tanjiro sitting up.
His face was still pale, but the deathly stillness of his coma had vanished. His amber eyes were scanning the room with a touch of bewilderment.
"Tanjiro! You're awake!" Aoi rushed to his bedside. "How do you feel? Does anything hurt?"
Tanjiro blinked, startled by the flurry of questions, but then his eyes softened into his usual warm, gentle smile. "Aoi. I'm okay."
"Thank goodness..."
At that moment, a Kakushi walked in carrying a tray with a piece of cake. Seeing Tanjiro awake, he froze for a second before shouting at Aoi, "He's awake! Why didn't you call someone?!"
"Everyone has been worried sick! I don't care about rank right now!"
With that, he ran to the door and began yelling for the others.