Aoki looked at the System panel, a silent assessment of his progress.
He hadn't been idle on his way to Asakusa. He'd followed rumors, tracked whispers of demons and disappearances. He'd chased shadows in the night.
But it had been a meager hunt, a few scraps in a vast wilderness.
Information was a precious commodity in this era, a whisper carried on the wind. News traveled slowly, if at all. A tragedy in one village might never reach the next.
Gathering information alone was a slow, frustrating process. He was a lone wolf in a world that favored packs.
"Are there demons in Asakusa?" Aoki murmured, his golden eyes scanning the busy streets, a silent search for the darkness that lurked beneath the surface.
This was a city, a hunting ground teeming with life. It should be crawling with demons.
In the original story, Muzan had found two new servants soon after meeting Tanjiro.
Were those demons here, now?
Even if they were, finding them wouldn't be easy.
Hunting demons in a city was harder than hunting them in the mountains. The shadows were deeper, the prey more elusive.
He couldn't rely on his Hunter instincts. They were useless amidst the human throng.
He didn't have Tanjiro's nose, a supernatural sense that could sniff out demons from miles away.
Aoki walked through Asakusa, a ghost in the crowd, a predator in disguise.
Time slipped away, a silent tide carrying him deeper into the night. The streets thinned, the crowds dispersed, the city exhaling a weary sigh.
He turned a corner, saw two figures walking towards him.
A young woman, beautiful, her long black hair styled in a low chignon, her presence radiating a quiet strength. A young man walked beside her, his short green hair a shock of color against the night, his face a mask of fierce protectiveness. They moved with a grace that belied their true nature, a silent promise of power.
"How convenient," Aoki murmured, stopping in their path.
Tamayo and Yushiro.
In the original story, they were key players in the fight against Muzan, a beacon of hope in the darkness.
Especially Tamayo.
Her medicine was crucial. Without it, Muzan couldn't have been killed.
Aoki hadn't sought them out. He hadn't dared to hope. But fate, it seemed, had a twisted sense of humor.
He'd stumbled upon them, a chance encounter in the heart of the city.
Unlike Aoki's quiet satisfaction, Tamayo and Yushiro's faces changed. Alarm flared in their eyes, a sudden wariness that chilled the air. Yushiro's expression hardened, a mask of fierce protectiveness.
"Tamayo-sama, get away!"
He reached for a talisman, his movements quick, desperate.
"Wait, Yushiro!" Tamayo said, her voice calm, a soothing balm against his fear.
Yushiro couldn't calm down.
Meeting another demon was the worst thing that could happen.
They'd lingered in the city too long, drawn out by the festive atmosphere, a dangerous indulgence.
Then, his hand was empty. The talisman was gone.
Aoki shimmered into view, his golden eyes gleaming in the darkness. "Don't worry. I don't want to hurt you." His voice was soft, a gentle reassurance that belied the power he held.
Yushiro's face twisted, a mixture of rage and terror. He hadn't seen him move.
"Tamayo-sama, run!"
He lunged at Aoki, a desperate sacrifice, a shield against the storm.
Tamayo grabbed his arm, her voice firm. "Stop, Yushiro!"
Yushiro froze, his body trembling with a barely suppressed fury. "But, Tamayo-sama..."
Tamayo shook her head, her gaze unwavering.
Yushiro stepped back, his fists clenched, his eyes fixed on Aoki, a silent promise of vengeance.
Tamayo turned to Aoki, bowed her head slightly. "I apologize for Yushiro's behavior." Her voice was smooth, elegant, a mask of composure that hid the unease within.
Aoki smiled, a flash of teeth in the darkness. "Don't worry about it, Tamayo-san. I've heard great things about you."
Yushiro understood, now. But he was still wary, a loyal guardian shielding his mistress from danger.
Tamayo looked at Aoki, her eyes searching his soul. "If I'm not mistaken... You..."
She paused, hesitant. Aoki gave her the answer.
"You're right. I broke free from Muzan's control. You probably haven't heard much from the demon grapevine lately. I've been making a name for myself." His words were a challenge, a test of their trust.
Tamayo's eyes lit up, a spark of hope igniting in their depths.
Her greatest wish was to destroy Muzan Kibutsuji.
But she wasn't a fighter. Neither was Yushiro. As demons, they couldn't trust the Demon Slayer Corps. They were outcasts, hunted by both sides.
She believed that the only way to kill Muzan was to gather allies, to unite those who shared her goal.
But for centuries, Yushiro had been her only companion.
Until now.
Though they'd spoken only a few words, though she didn't even know his name, she knew. She'd found an ally.
A powerful ally.
She inhaled, steadying herself. "This isn't the place to talk. Please, come with us." Her voice was calm, but her eyes shone with a quiet intensity.
Aoki nodded, a smile playing on his lips. He stepped forward, walked beside her, a silent promise of shared purpose.
Yushiro followed, his face a scowl, his body tense, a loyal guard dog wary of a stranger.
They passed through a wall, a silent transition into a hidden world. The bustling street vanished, replaced by a quiet elegance.
A beautiful two-story house stood before them, a haven of peace in the heart of the city.
Inside, they sat, three figures in a quiet room, the weight of centuries pressing down on them.
Aoki spoke first. "Before we talk, I have a gift for you."
He looked at Yushiro, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Go get three cups."
Yushiro looked at him, disbelief warring with rage.
"Yushiro," Tamayo said, her voice gentle but firm.
"Yes, Tamayo-sama," Yushiro said, his face a mask of resentment. He glared at Aoki, turned, left the room.
Tamayo looked at Aoki, her eyes apologetic. "He doesn't mean any harm."
"I know," Aoki said, smiling.
He was just teasing the boy.
Yushiro returned with three cups.
Aoki took out the Demon Brew Gourd, uncorked it. The scent of sake filled the room, a promise of warmth and shared humanity.
He filled the cups, offered them. "Try it."
Tamayo lifted her cup, sipped. Her body stiffened, a jolt of surprise.
Yushiro's face was incredulous, a silent awe.
Aoki watched their faces, a smile touching his lips.
To humans, demon brew was just sake. Other demons were enemies. He couldn't share it.
The magic of demon brew had been a secret, a joy he couldn't share.
He was like a fisherman with a prize catch, but no one to celebrate with.
Until now.
"The taste... It's been so long," Tamayo whispered, her voice full of emotion.
She hadn't liked sake in life. Now, it tasted of everything she'd lost, and everything she hoped to regain.
It was a precious gift, a bridge across the chasm of their shared existence.
Aoki lifted his cup, a silent toast to their newfound alliance.
This time, Yushiro didn't protest. He lifted his cup with Tamayo, a silent acceptance of the bond that had formed.
They drank in silence, savoring the moment, the shared connection that transcended their monstrous natures.
The cups were empty. The silence lingered, heavy with unspoken words.
The ice had broken.
Aoki spoke. "Let's start with introductions. I'm Aoki. Muzan Kibutsuji turned me into a demon two months ago." His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, a simple statement of a brutal truth.
"I'm Tamayo. This is Yushiro, a demon I created."
Tamayo paused, looked at Aoki's face, curious. "You don't seem surprised."
Aoki smiled. "I said I'd heard great things about you, Tamayo-san. I wasn't lying."
Yushiro had been dying, a victim of a terrible disease. Tamayo had experimented, turned him into a demon to save his life.
Creating demons was Muzan's power.
Tamayo had broken that rule.
She'd done it over two hundred years ago. She'd only succeeded once.
But it showed that the secrets of demons weren't absolute.
They could be broken. They could be understood.
Tamayo couldn't break the code. But science marched on. Medicine evolved.
What was impossible now might be possible later.
Aoki didn't want to be a demon.
Demons lacked human desires. They lost a part of themselves. Over time, that loss could twist them, change them.
But he didn't want to lose his power.
If he could unlock the secrets of demons, could he find a way to have both?
Could he reclaim his humanity without sacrificing his strength?
It was a distant dream, a fragile hope against the darkness.
Demons were an accident, a twisted product of fate.
Unlocking their secrets might be impossible.
Even if it was possible, it would take time. Centuries, perhaps.
---
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