"Gripping the hilt with great force?"
The moment Tamayo finished speaking, everyone in the room eagerly drew their Nichirin Blades and began attempting to activate it.
"Strange, I don't feel like anything's changing..."
Clutching his Nichirin Blade for dear life, Sabito looked up at his completely unchanged blade, then exchanged glances with Giyu and Makomo beside him—whose blades were equally unchanged.
"Miss Tamayo, are you certain you haven't forgotten any steps?"
It wasn't just him. The Nichirin Blades held by the remaining Kanae, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and the others showed no change either. Even Tanjiro, who practiced Sun Breathing, was the same.
"No, that was exactly how he explained it to me."
Shaking her head slightly, Tamayo continued:
"In fact, during the Sengoku era hundreds of years ago, the only demon slayer who truly awakened the Crimson Red Blade... was him alone..."
"What do you mean? Are you trying to say this so-called Crimson Red Blade is some kind of exclusive ability belonging only to that Child of God?"
"I am merely stating facts. It was so hundreds of years ago, and it remains so hundreds of years later. Facts are simply facts."
"You—!"
"In that case, everyone, during your battles going forward, you might try adding some... resolve."
Interrupting the argument between Tamayo and Sanemi Shinazugawa, Ubuyashiki looked at everyone with a smile:
"Just as you previously awakened your Demon Slayer Marks and Transparent World, try adding some resolve during battle. I believe that may lead to success..."
The moment Ubuyashiki said this, everyone in the room fell silent once more.
Yes. Resolve.
The previous battles had already proven this repeatedly.
For demon slayers, as long as they possessed resolve—as long as they held the determination to overcome demons at any cost—they could smoothly obtain power far exceeding their own.
Demon Slayer Marks and Transparent World were both this way; presumably, the Crimson Red Blade would be no exception.
After all, the gods were on their side.
"Amitabha, Miss Tamayo, may I ask you a question?"
Perhaps because Tamayo had once detoxified him, Gyomei Himejima—who was equally determined to slay every demon in this world—treated Tamayo with far better attitude than Sanemi Shinazugawa.
"Since you can similarly develop corresponding medicines to counter Muzan's abilities, why do you not attempt to use similar methods to also counter Tsugikuni Mitsuba's Blood Demon Art?"
"Because I have already made such attempts in the past."
Tamayo replied calmly.
"That time, I nearly killed her. If I tried again, she would never fall for it."
Medicines must be injected into the opponent's body to take effect.
The same trick might work on Muzan, but using it to deceive Mitsuba again was absolutely impossible.
Hearing this, everyone in the room fell into silence once more.
Tsugikuni Mitsuba—she was like an insurmountable heavenly chasm blocking the Demon Slayer Corps' path. For hundreds of years, not a single demon slayer had successfully crossed it.
Could it be that they could only place all their hopes on Kanae, praying that she truly could kill Tsugikuni Mitsuba?
As if sensing this frustration in everyone's hearts, Tamayo spoke once again:
"Everyone, I believe you must redefine what 'victory' means."
"What do you mean?"
"There is something you may not yet know. Hundreds of years ago, when that Child of God severely injured Muzan, Tsugikuni Mitsuba—like me—also broke free from Muzan's control."
With that calm tone, Tamayo revealed a crucial new piece of intelligence.
Though she had never personally gone to verify this with Mitsuba, Tamayo was certain this was the truth.
Because even she herself had broken free at that time. There was no way Mitsuba, who was far more powerful than her, could have failed to do so.
The current Muzan actually could not arbitrarily decide Tsugikuni Mitsuba's life or death.
Tsugikuni Mitsuba was also remaining by Muzan's side of her own volition.
"In other words, even if we ultimately succeed in killing Muzan, Tsugikuni Mitsuba will absolutely not die along with him."
"What?!"
This was undoubtedly intelligence the Demon Slayer Corps had never obtained, never even considered.
Tsugikuni Mitsuba and Muzan were not one entity? Didn't this mean that even if they managed to kill Muzan through tremendous hardship, as long as they couldn't personally kill Tsugikuni Mitsuba, she would ultimately be able to...
"That is why I said you need to redefine the standard for 'victory.'"
Tamayo repeated this sentence once more.
"What is victory? Is it victory as long as you can kill Muzan, or must every single demon in this world be completely slain before it can be considered victory?"
"What difference is there between these two?"
"There is a difference."
Suddenly raising her head, her gaze falling upon Kanae sitting opposite her, Tamayo explained calmly:
"If killing Muzan alone is victory, then you only need to have this Miss Butterfly convince Tsugikuni Mitsuba to abandon any attempt to rescue Muzan, to choose to stand by and watch the battle between you and Muzan.
"Compared to having her find some way to kill Tsugikuni Mitsuba, this difficulty is undoubtedly much lower.
"As for slaying all demons in this world... honestly, I personally do not believe this Miss Butterfly truly possesses such capability.
"From any perspective whatsoever, I cannot see Tsugikuni Mitsuba choosing to commit suicide, or waiting to be killed by others.
"You do not understand her. Anything else might be possible, but this alone—she absolutely would not wish to experience again..."
Tamayo's eyes lowered. What she was thinking of now was Mitsuba's final night as a human—that collapsed, despairing Mitsuba who could only silently wait for death to arrive.
Want Tsugikuni Mitsuba to commit suicide?
That was fundamentally impossible.
The Tsugikuni Mitsuba who would truly commit suicide had already died on that night.
"Miss Tamayo, it seems you believe that allowing a demon like Tsugikuni Mitsuba to continue existing is not something unacceptable?"
Among the people, Sabito suddenly spoke up.
He had already sensed that from the beginning, Tamayo's words had consistently carried the implication of having them "abandon Tsugikuni Mitsuba and focus on exterminating Muzan."
"This is merely the most reasonable choice I have made based on the current situation."
Not denying this, Tamayo explained calmly:
"Since none of us can kill her, why can we not choose to avoid her and concentrate on dealing with our primary enemy?"
"So what you're saying is, it doesn't matter if this demon continues to live?"
Glancing sidelong at Tamayo as she spoke these words, Sanemi Shinazugawa sneered:
"Hmph! As expected, a demon is a demon!"
Completely unconcerned with his mockery, Tamayo simply lowered her head and spoke to herself:
"Tsugikuni Mitsuba is different from ordinary demons. She bears no hatred toward humans, has no bloodlust, and harbors no desire to rule the world.
"Therefore, in my view, compared to Muzan and those other demons, if she alone could continue living... this is not something I find unacceptable...
"Of course, this is merely my personal opinion."
Looking at everyone with those slightly weary eyes, Tamayo's tone remained as calm as ever.
"I am merely offering a suggestion. As for what you ultimately decide to do, that is for you to decide."