Morning arrived in Asakusa, the first rays of sunlight rising through a haze of city smoke. The bustling atmosphere chased away the exhaustion from Ryo Anzai's frantic night of running.
He dropped into a seat at a food stall and rubbed his stomach.
"Boss, a bowl of noodles, please."
Even as he waited, the lingering fear from last night crawled up his spine. The man who prided himself as a straight male with a tough heart had just survived a night of misery that no one would believe. Fasting, he once thought, should help cleanse the body. Not trap him into gastrointestinal suffering.
After angrily finishing his meal and muttering to himself about how fasting should come with a warning label, Ryo walked the streets searching for his target.
Compared to smaller towns and remote villages, Asakusa really was something else. Vendors lined the street shoulder to shoulder. The cries of hawkers mixed with the ringing bells of rickshaw drivers. The scent of rice cakes and crispy tempura drifted through the air, invading nostrils with relentless charm.
Ryo spent the morning visiting several pharmacies and medical clinics. Every response was the same. Either the shopkeeper stared in confusion or eyed him with suspicion.
No one had heard of Tamayo.
He clicked his tongue and muttered, "Like finding a needle in the ocean."
If Tamayo had successfully hidden herself for hundreds of years beneath Kibutsuji Muzan's watchful rule, aided by Yushiro's Blood Demon Art, then she was no ordinary demon. Finding her would never be easy.
He sighed, but then something clicked in his mind. A bold, almost ridiculous idea.
If he could not find her, then he would let her find him.
For the next several hours, a strange rumor began to circulate through the busiest streets of Asakusa.
A young traveler asking for help. Face full of worry. Voice soft and trembling.
He whispered to anyone who would listen.
"Sigh. My older brother has fallen victim to something evil. Whenever he gets hurt, his wounds heal on their own. He can even walk in daylight like a normal person but..." His voice would trail off, as if fearful of what he knew.
"But what?" people would press, curiosity drawn like moths to flame.
Ryo would lean closer and murmur, "He cannot live without human blood. If deprived too long, he goes mad with pain."
He always added the final part with just enough despair to hook the listener.
"We have visited many doctors. All helpless. They say the disease appears in ancient texts, something like a lost soul. If someone could cure him, my family would pay any price."
The rumor spread quickly. At first, just a curiosity among street vendors. Soon, the imaginative tongues of gossipers twisted it into a tale of a bloodthirsty monster hiding in the neighborhood.
Some dismissed it as nonsense.
Others swore it must be a demon.
People pointed him toward hidden shrines and elusive healers, hoping to rid themselves of a frightening mystery.
Ryo's performance was flawless. He strolled through the streets repeatedly, seeding the rumor as evenly as planting seeds in a field.
Taking into account Tamayo's hatred of Muzan and her devotion to medicine, she would not be able to ignore this. She would come. She had to.
He walked with hands behind his back and allowed himself a smug grin. But then another thought arose.
Yushiro was a demon created by Tamayo herself. He was not controlled by Muzan. If Ryo found the Blue Spider Lily first and allowed Tamayo to turn him into a demon, then what?
Infinite life. A system that could enhance him endlessly. No more worrying about running out of strength or time. He could become a JoJo-tier life form. Immortal. Invincible.
His heart began to race, thrilled by the idea of skipping ahead of Muzan and claiming ultimate power.
Then the system poured a bucket of ice water over his dream.
[Dumb Host, wake up. Stop dreaming.]
"What? Do you plan to forbid my transformation into a demon?"
[No. But think. Try using your brain.]
"System, you dog. You absolute mutt."
Ryo caught himself mid-insult as realization struck him.
Yes, Yushiro was transformed by Tamayo. He had a Blood Demon Art. He was free from Muzan. But that did not mean the process was simple or easy.
Yushiro had met Tamayo over two hundred years ago. In all that time, Tamayo had treated countless patients. Many of them would have begged for eternal life if possible.
Yet only Yushiro and Chachamaru succeeded. Two. In centuries.
Muzan could turn someone into a demon with a simple gesture because his blood was potent and concentrated. Tamayo, having modified herself to break free of Muzan's control, had far less of that power.
Transforming demons back into humans also required tremendous time and effort. The stronger the individual, the longer the transformation would take.
Ryo was no ordinary human. He was a demon slayer apprentice with breathing techniques.
The chance of success would be painfully low. The time required unbearably long.
The system yawned lazily:
[See? You are not completely hopeless. If this loophole existed, Tamayo and the Demon Slayer Corps could have turned every Hashira into a demon before the final battle. No casualties. Yushiro could simply convert them back afterward.]
Ryo rolled his eyes.
"So you are a diehard fan of the original story."
[Of course. Where do you think I learned the phrase Destroy All Demons?]
Ryo groaned. Shortcut denied. Reality struck again.
He needed to train. Grow stronger. Slay demons. Level up like a normal player.
Time passed. Evening fell. Lanterns flickered to life along the streets.
Just as Ryo sat down for another bowl of noodles, a stern youth with teal hair and a permanent scowl appeared beside him.
"I heard you are seeking a doctor for a strange illness."
Yushiro's voice was flat and cold.
This was it. Showtime.
Ryo instantly adjusted his expression, feigning desperation and hope.
"You know someone?"
"Follow me."
Yushiro turned without waiting. Ryo rose and followed closely.
They wove through twisting alleys. The world around them subtly warped. Colors dimmed. Light bent unnaturally.
Yushiro's Blood Demon Art concealed their presence perfectly.
The stone wall ahead rippled like disturbed water and then parted. The last noise of the city disappeared behind them.
A hidden residence stood in silence. Tall trees surrounded it, thick enough to block daylight if needed. The gate was open.
She stood there.
A woman in a simple kimono, long dark hair gathered in a graceful knot. Her face serene. Her presence elegant but heavy with sorrow. Like a whisper from centuries past.
Before Yushiro could introduce them, Ryo raised his voice.
"Lady Tamayo. I have long admired your work."
Those gentle eyes widened. She stepped back instinctively.
Demon Slayer? Or Muzan's assassin?
Yushiro reacted faster than thought.
"You fool!"
He lunged with fury, but Ryo slammed him to the ground, pinning his hands behind him. He planted his foot firmly on the youth's back. Yushiro choked, unable to move an inch.
Ryo did not spare him a glance. His focus was solely on Tamayo.
"If you attempt any Blood Demon Art, I will kill him."
His tone was firm, cold as the blade he drove into the ground beside them.
"Stop. Let him go."
Tamayo's voice trembled. Her hidden hands slowly emerged from her sleeves in surrender.
"Do not mind me. Lady Tamayo, run."
Yushiro's voice cracked with desperation.
He would rather die than see her harmed. His devotion was absurdly pure. Ryo could not help but feel a strange mix of amusement and discomfort watching it.
Like discovering a cheat code to someone else's romance. The feeling was new. Peculiar.
A few tense seconds passed. Then Tamayo exhaled heavily.
Run? Where would she go?
A hunter who had found her name and home was not easily shaken off. She was trapped between humans and demons. Hunted by both. Her eternal existence was a lonely one.
"You win."
Her voice was quiet, defeated.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
Ryo eased his foot slightly. His expression softened but confidence remained.
"I am not here to kill you. I came to propose a deal."
Tamayo stared, suspicion written plainly across her face.
Ryo smiled faintly.
"I want to destroy Kibutsuji Muzan."
The air froze. A forbidden name spoken aloud. Tamayo's heart clenched painfully.
Every Demon Slayer wanted Muzan dead. That was obvious.
But for Tamayo, this was personal. She had become a demon under Muzan's curse. In hunger and madness, she had devoured the husband and children she once loved. She carried that guilt for eternity.
Her existence was driven by one purpose. Revenge.
Ryo continued.
"Strength alone will not defeat Muzan. I need your expertise. I need you to create a medicine that can turn demons back into humans."
His voice grew firm with conviction.
"That is the only way to weaken Muzan's power at its roots. That is the key to his downfall."
The room fell silent, their breaths the only sound.
For the first time, Tamayo truly observed Ryo Anzai.
Not a hunter with blind hatred.
Not a reckless fool seeking glory.
But someone who dared to imagine a future Muzan could not control.
A future built on hope rather than despair.
A future where demons could be saved instead of damned.
Whether he could achieve that future remained unknown.
But the determination in his eyes was real.
Very real.
And Tamayo felt something bloom inside her.
A spark she had not allowed herself to feel in centuries.
Hope.