Sometimes, Mizuki might not even realize how intimidating her words are.
Listening to Mizuki speak, she mentioned that Tanjirou possesses a unique aura that draws people near him.
But Tamayo really wanted to say... You are the same, Mizuki... If it weren't for you, I might not have been able to smile and make it this far.
A gentle smile appeared at the corner of Tamayo's mouth: "Mizuki, you truly don't put Muzan in your eyes..."
Mizuki countered, "Do I need to regard a rat in the gutter?"
Tamayo curled her lips: "But I don't think you sound very confident."
Kochou Shinobu secretly chuckled nearby.
The atmosphere, which had been solemn just a moment ago, was abruptly lightened.
She felt that Mizuki also had a talent for livening up the mood.
Mizuki, blushing slightly, insisted, "Protecting you is definitely not a problem."
What a joke!
Back then, Yoriichi chased and hacked at him wildly, yet he still couldn't kill him. No matter how powerful Muzan is, could he possibly be stronger than Yoriichi?
Tamayo shook her head: "If that time truly comes, I hope you can seize the opportunity I create."
Instead of wasting a great chance just to save her.
Although their main strategy for slaying Muzan was the 'delay tactic,' dragging it out until sunrise.
But if they didn't deplete most of his stamina beforehand, it would be difficult for anyone to stop Muzan if he wanted to flee near dawn.
Therefore, even with the delay tactic as the primary strategy...
...they must still fight Muzan with the intention of cutting off his head, rather than simply trying to delay time as much as possible.
They must even expend his stamina, even at the cost of their lives.
Just to strip away that sliver of life he might possess.
Mizuki was not persuaded, and stated earnestly, "Tamayo, my words will not change."
Her pair of crimson double pupils were, predictably, resolute.
Tamayo sighed inwardly. If it were Yushiro, he probably wouldn't contradict her like this, right?
To prevent Tamayo from saying anything else about'sacrificing herself,' Mizuki decisively called out, "Yushiro."
*Swish.*
The door slid open, and Yushiro's figure appeared in the hallway. But unlike before, he simply stood outside the door without saying a word.
Mizuki asked without turning her head, "Where are the medicines?"
Yushiro did not speak.
Tamayo watched, secretly laughing inside.
How could Yushiro possibly listen to you?
Mizuki's expression was calm: "If you think what Tamayo said is right, then suit yourself."
"..." After a moment of silence, and under Tamayo's slightly widened gaze, Yushiro pulled out the medicines and handed them to Mizuki.
Under Tamayo's look of astonishment, Yushiro slightly averted his gaze.
Mizuki casually rummaged through the medicine box twice and stuffed it into Kochou Shinobu's arms.
She casually explained, "To prevent you from prematurely injecting the medicine into yourself and attempting to use yourself as bait, I thought it best to take it away."
Tamayo:???
No, she actually hadn't thought that.
She had only planned to use Yushiro's Blood Demon Art to deliver a fierce blow to Muzan when he wasn't paying attention.
However, considering that the outcome of both scenarios was being crushed by Muzan, there seemed to be no discernible difference.
Mizuki stood up: "Shinobu, let's go, I'm hungry."
The corner of Tamayo's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
She clearly just didn't want to talk to her anymore, yet she could use "being hungry" as an excuse.
"Mhm, let's go back." Kochou Shinobu slung the medicine box onto her back and gave Tamayo an apologetic smile.
Yushiro, who hadn't said a word, volunteered: "I will see them out."
You should know, this guy used to practically write his displeasure—no, he *did* write his displeasure on his face and spoke it aloud—whenever he saw them.
Let alone this kind of proactive gesture of seeing guests off.
This is unbelievable.
As Yushiro led the two outside, Tamayo suddenly called out, "Wait, Mizuki."
Mizuki stopped, lifted her chin towards Kochou Shinobu, signaling for them to go ahead.
"What is it?"
Tamayo watched Yushiro and Kochou Shinobu's figures disappear down the stairs, and said hesitantly, "Yushiro... he has changed a lot."
Mizuki glanced sideways and remarked inexplicably, "Recently, you haven't been calling him 'that child' much."
Tamayo froze for a moment, then fell silent.
Was she unaware of Yushiro's feelings for her?
No, Yushiro had never concealed the fact that he liked her.
It was just that she herself couldn't move past the past.
As if sensing her silence, Mizuki slowly spoke: "Tamayo, I won't advise you to let go of the past, but you've already done very well. There's no need to sacrifice yourself anymore."
Tamayo closed her eyes slightly: "I offer the same words to you."
"Of course. I certainly don't intend to die just yet."
Tamayo sighed, raising her gaze to Mizuki: "The human transformation medicine needed for Nezuko is also in the medicine box."
"Given her current condition, she should be able to return to being a normal human, just like Yae's father."
Mizuki fell silent.
Tamayo ignored her expression and continued: "Although I don't quite understand why you are so insistent that Nezuko will be helpful to us in slaying Muzan."
"But I have studied Nezuko's recent blood, and without a doubt, her cellular evolution is similar to yours in some respects."
"This is likely because both of you consumed the blue spider lily."
"In other words, it might not take long for Nezuko to overcome the sun... or perhaps, she has already overcome the sun."
"However, Nezuko does not possess strength as great as Mizuki's. If Muzan were to learn Nezuko's information, we would instead be constrained."
Because then Muzan would have two targets, and they wouldn't have enough energy to handle both sides simultaneously.
Tamayo's words stopped there, but Mizuki understood that Tamayo hoped she would inject Nezuko with the human transformation medicine.
Mizuki slightly curled her fingers: "I understand. I will ask Shinobu to inject her."
"Mhm."
...She had actually been thinking about this matter too.
Should she trust the memories of her previous life, which she had almost forgotten?
Or should she trust her own judgment—the judgment necessary when facing a formidable enemy in this current situation?
Even though centuries had passed, and even though the memories of her past life were already hazy, Mizuki still retained the high-dimensional perspective of a Transmigrator.
If she told others about this, they would probably unanimously agree that Nezuko should be turned back into a human.
Which meant she could have prevented Nezuko from suffering this kind of pain.
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