Suyan glanced over at Tamayo, who was still standing in stunned silence. He figured he could test his new exploit theory with the girls once they returned to Greed Island; there was no rush. The priority right now was securing a deal with Tamayo for the two specific drugs he needed.
Approaching her, Suyan extended a hand. "Let me properly reintroduce myself. I am Suyan. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Tamayo."
Hearing his voice finally snapped Tamayo out of her daze. The reality of Suyan effortlessly disposing of an Upper Rank demon was still spinning in her mind. She quickly bowed her head, her voice slightly breathless. "L-Lord Suyan. It is an honor."
It had been so many years. Not since Yoriichi Tsugikuni four centuries ago had she witnessed someone crush an Upper Rank with such overwhelming ease. Suyan's casual dismissal of Hantengu's strongest clone mirrored the invincible aura Yoriichi once exuded. It violently plucked at her nerves.
Could it be? Has the world finally birthed another human capable of ending Muzan Kibutsuji? While she buzzed with excitement, Suyan casually began to withdraw his hand. Noticing the motion, Tamayo jolted and hurriedly grasped it with both of hers, her tone fervent. "Lord Suyan, if you have any commands, please do not hesitate to ask!"
Truth be told, she had almost succumbed to despair. Ever since Yoriichi's era, the Demon Slayer Corps seemed to grow weaker with each passing generation. They hadn't managed to kill a single Upper Rank in centuries, and Muzan had systematically wiped out anyone capable of using Sun Breathing. Just as her hope was fading to embers, Suyan appeared. How could she not be overwhelmed with desperate enthusiasm?
Faced with her intense reaction, Suyan was momentarily taken aback. Pausing to gather his thoughts, he didn't immediately state his demands. Instead, he asked, "Miss Tamayo, you witnessed my battle with Upper Rank Four. What are your thoughts on my strength? Do you believe I possess the power to destroy Muzan, much like Yoriichi once did?"
"I... I don't know," Tamayo answered earnestly.
She carefully compared Suyan's display to her vivid memories of the fateful clash between Yoriichi and Muzan. The problem was that their fighting styles were fundamentally different. Yoriichi had instantly obliterated Muzan with a single fluid chain of Sun Breathing, forcing the Demon King to detonate into over a thousand pieces of flesh just to escape. Suyan, on the other hand, fought in a way that felt less human and more demonic than the demons themselves. Aside from using a Crimson Red Blade to trap Hantengu initially, he had dismantled the Upper Rank entirely with raw, terrifying physical might.
Whether it was Muzan or the Upper Ranks, they were all entities she could never hope to defy. The only mystery lingering in her mind was why Suyan had spared the demon, and how he had managed to summon Hantengu's weapons.
Suyan smiled. I don't know? That was a great answer. It meant his display of power had earned her acknowledgment. "You must be curious why I let that Upper Rank go," he prompted.
Tamayo hesitated, then nodded.
"It's simple. I possess a unique ability called Equivalent Exchange," Suyan explained. "As long as both parties agree that the value is equal, anything can be traded. I used the promise of sparing his life in exchange for his Blood Demon Art."
Tamayo's jaw dropped into a perfect 'O' shape, her eyes wide with disbelief. It was absurd. A human capable of plundering a demon's innate magic? No wonder he was so terrifying.
Giving her a moment to digest the revelation, Suyan pressed on. "Miss Tamayo, I know your past, and I know the depths of your hatred for Muzan. I also won't hide the fact that I have the power to destroy him. So... do you want to make a deal with me?"
Tamayo's heart pounded. She had originally abandoned the idea of relying on the Demon Slayer Corps, turning her focus toward developing a drug to revert demons back into humans. Her logic was simple: she could never harm a hair on Muzan's head through martial force. But if she could turn him back into a fragile human, she could finally drag him to hell with her. Medicine was her domain, and she had labored over this singular goal for two hundred years. Yushiro was both a byproduct and a test subject of this desperate research.
She needed a demon to test the drug on. She was perfectly willing to use herself, but if the drug worked, she would lose her eternal life. She didn't fear death; she feared reverting to a mortal lifespan and dying before she could find and drug Muzan. Unfortunately, her progress over the centuries had been as pitiful as the Demon Slayers' kill count against the Upper Ranks.
"Well, let's not be too absolute about things," Suyan said, waving his hand. He pulled Shizuka closer. "Sister Shizuka, bring it out."
"Ah? Oh, right!" Shizuka blinked, rummaging through her pockets before pulling out a small glass vial filled with dark crimson liquid.
"What is that?" Tamayo swallowed hard. The moment the vial appeared, an overpowering, instinctual gravity pulled at her very soul. An intense, maddening thirst clawed at her throat, urging her to snatch the vial and drink it dry. She fought the urge down with supreme effort, looking at Suyan in bewilderment.
"Muzan's blood," Suyan stated calmly.
"What?!" Tamayo trembled. No wonder her demonic instincts were screaming. It was the primal desire to consume the progenitor's blood to evolve.
"With this, your research into the Restoration Cure should see a massive breakthrough, shouldn't it?" Suyan gently nudged Shizuka forward. "And don't let Sister Shizuka's ditzy demeanor fool you. When it comes to medical knowledge, she might be just as capable as you."
Shizuka shot Suyan a mild glare but didn't dispute his claim.
If what he says is true... maybe... maybe I really can create the cure! In that moment, Tamayo completely abandoned questioning how Suyan had obtained the blood. With trembling hands, she reached out toward the vial. To her, it wasn't just blood; it was the ultimate hope of ending Muzan. Even if Suyan wasn't strong enough, or if he shared Yoriichi's terrible luck and never managed to cross paths with the Demon King, this blood changed everything.
She gently traced the glass as if cradling a priceless artifact. "As long as I have this... even if you don't fight Muzan yourself, I swear I will develop the Restoration Cure for you. I swear it!" She took a deep breath, locking eyes with Suyan. "Please, tell me your second demand."
"My second request," Suyan said slowly, "is for you to develop a drug that allows a demon to conquer the sun, completely eliminates their craving for human flesh, and allows them to eat normal food just like a human."
"An Immortality Elixir?!"
Tamayo's reaction was far more explosive than Suyan anticipated. Her eyes bulged, and thick veins bulged against her pale forehead. Had the vial not been conjured by Suyan's Nen to be incredibly durable, she would have crushed it to dust in her grip.
She glared at him with furious, venomous eyes. "You bastard... what do you think life is?!"
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