A Forbidden TruthThe moment those words were spoken, a subtle tension settled over the room.
Tamayo's expression shifted ever so slightly. To most, it would have gone unnoticed, but before Kokushibo, even the faintest fluctuation in emotion could not be hidden. Beneath her composed exterior, there was hesitationno, something deeper than that. A discomfort born from a truth she had guarded for centuries.
For hundreds of years, she had devoted herself to a singular purpose: to escape the absolute control of Muzan Kibutsuji. Through painstaking research and countless failed attempts, she had gradually altered her own blood, weakening the invisible chains that bound all demons to him. It was not merely a pursuit of freedom, but an act of atonementan attempt to repay, in some small way, the lives she had taken after her transformation.
Kokushibo observed her silently, his six eyes unwavering. He did not need her to confirm it aloud. Her reaction alone was sufficient.
"So it exists," he said at last, his tone low and certain.
There was no visible excitement in his voice, no trace of impatience. Yet the intent behind his words was unmistakable. Unlike other demons who pursued power through instinct or cruelty, Kokushibo's desire was far more precise.
He sought freedom.
Within his body, Muzan's blood flowed like an unbreakable commandan unseen force capable of ending his existence at any moment. Though his position among the Twelve Kizuki granted him a degree of autonomy, that control still existed. Absolute. Unquestionable.
And he intended to sever it.
"I require that method," Kokushibo stated calmly.
Tamayo's gaze sharpened slightly as she studied him. There was no deception in his expression, no hint of hesitation. Only resolve.
"…You understand what you are asking," she replied quietly.
Kokushibo did not answer.
After a brief pause, she continued, her voice steady but cautious. "If you are freed from Muzan's control… what will you do?"
The question lingered between them.
"…Do you intend to oppose him?"
The instant those words left her lips, a faint, almost imperceptible sound cut through the air.
The wooden table between them split cleanly in two.
For a moment, nothing else moved. A single strand of Tamayo's hair drifted downward, severed so precisely that she had not even felt it.
Kokushibo's blade had already been returned to its sheath.
"I suggest," he said evenly, "that you choose your words with care."
There was no anger in his voice, no outward display of hostility. Yet the pressure behind those words was undeniableheavy, suffocating, absolute.
"I seek neither rebellion nor allegiance," he continued, his gaze steady upon her. "I seek freedom."
Silence followed.
Behind Tamayo, Yushiro shifted slightly, his body still weakened from earlier, yet he instinctively placed himself between her and Kokushibo once more. His loyalty was unquestionable, even in the face of an opponent he could not hope to defeat.
Tamayo remained silent for several moments, weighing his words.
Then, at last
"I cannot help you."
Her answer was immediate, firm, and without hesitation.
Kokushibo did not react.
She continued, her voice calm but resolute. "You are still one of the Twelve Kizuki. Even if your goal is freedom, the result remains unchanged. If you are released from Muzan's control, you will become a threat beyond even his influence."
Her eyes met his directly.
"I will not contribute to that."
The room fell into a heavy stillness.
Kokushibo regarded her quietly. From her perspective, her decision was entirely logical. A being like him, unbound and unrestricted, would represent an unpredictable danger to both humans and demons alike.
Trust was not something that could be given lightlyespecially not to him.
"…As expected," he said at last.
He rose slowly to his feet, and with that simple motion, the atmosphere shifted once more. Not violently, but undeniably. The weight of his presence pressed against the room, forcing Yushiro to tense instinctively.
In the next instant, Kokushibo was standing before him.
Before Yushiro could react, his collar was seized, and his body was lifted effortlessly from the ground. His limbs moved instinctively, struggling against the grip, but the difference in strength rendered any resistance meaningless.
Kokushibo did not tighten his hold. He did not injure him further.
He simply held him there.
"Your companion," he said calmly, his gaze never leaving Tamayo, "is your weakness."
Yushiro's expression twisted with anger and frustration, yet he could do nothing.
Kokushibo continued, his voice steady and devoid of emotion. "If I wished, I could destabilize his blood with a single action. Not grant him strengthbut destroy the balance that allows him to exist as he does now."
The implication was clear.
Not death.
Something worse.
Tamayo's expression tightened almost imperceptibly.
"Stop."
Her voice was softbut firm.
Kokushibo did not move. He waited.
Seconds passed.
The silence stretched.
Then
"…I will assist you."
The words came slowly, as though forced past resistance.
Yushiro's eyes widened in disbelief. "Lady Tamayo!"
She did not look at him.
Her gaze remained fixed on Kokushibo.
"But you will follow my conditions."
Kokushibo released Yushiro without hesitation. His body fell to the ground, unsteady but intact.
"Speak."
Tamayo steadied herself, regaining her composure. "The method is incomplete. Even now, I am still refining it. If applied to you, it will not produce immediate results. The process will take time to fully sever Muzan's influence."
Kokushibo remained silent.
"…Approximately one year."
The words settled heavily between them.
A long time.
Yet Kokushibo did not hesitate.
"Very well."
Tamayo paused, clearly not expecting such a swift acceptance.
"You will begin immediately," he added.
There was no impatience in his toneonly certainty.
After a brief moment, Tamayo turned and moved toward a concealed section of the room, retrieving a small container. Within it lay a carefully prepared compound, the result of years of refinement.
"This is not the completed treatment," she explained. "It is the foundation."
She extended it toward him.
Kokushibo looked at it briefly, then back at her.
"And during this period?" he asked quietly.
Tamayo met his gaze without flinching.
"You will remain hidden," she said. "And you will not kill indiscriminately."
The condition was clear.
Necessary.
Yushiro stiffened slightly, uncertain how Kokushibo would respond.
For a moment, Kokushibo said nothing.
Then
"…Agreed."
The answer was simple. Final.
Tamayo's expression softened only slightlynot in relief, but in cautious acceptance.
A fragile balance had been formed.
Not trust.
Not alliance.
But necessity.
Kokushibo took the container in hand, his gaze lingering upon it for a brief moment. Such a small object… and yet it held the possibility of severing the one chain even he could not break through strength alone.
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the exit.
The night awaited.
And with it
The beginning of something that would reshape fate itself.