A Dangerous DelayKokushibo did not take the medicine.
His six eyes rested upon the small container in Tamayo's hand, unmoving, as if weighing something far beyond its physical form. After a brief silence, he spoke, his tone calm yet decisive.
"A year is too long."
There was no impatience in his voice, only certainty. "Any change to a demon's body especially one connected to Muzan Kibutsuji will not go unnoticed. Prolonged alteration invites scrutiny."
Tamayo's expression tightened slightly. She understood the implication immediately. Muzan's control was not merely a matter of command it was embedded within their very blood. Any irregularity, sustained over time, risked detection.
"I do not possess a method that works instantly," she replied after a moment, her voice steady despite the pressure. "What I have created required decades of refinement. Even this… is incomplete."
Kokushibo remained silent.
The room fell into a brief, contemplative stillness before he finally spoke again.
"…Then I will wait."
The answer came without hesitation.
Time, to him, was not a constraint. Unlike humans, his existence was not measured in fleeting years. As long as he remained within acceptable bounds, as long as he did not draw unnecessary attention, even Muzan would not act against him lightly.
After all
He was Upper Rank One.
The strongest among the Twelve Kizuki.
A PrecautionWithout warning, Kokushibo stepped forward.
Before Tamayo could react, his hand closed gently but firmly around her wrist. Her body stiffened instantly, though she did not struggle recklessly.
Then
A faint sting.
A single drop of his blood entered her body.
Tamayo's eyes widened slightly.
However, unlike the violent assimilation associated with Muzan's blood, this presence was… subdued. Controlled. It did not attempt to dominate her cells, nor did it distort her body.
It simply remained.
Kokushibo released her just as calmly.
"A precaution," he said.
Tamayo stared at him, her expression darkening.
"…You intend to monitor me."
It was not a question.
Kokushibo did not deny it.
"Trust is not something either of us possesses," he replied evenly. "This ensures neither side acts… recklessly."
Tamayo lowered her gaze slightly.
Though resentment lingered, she said nothing further.
She understood.
This was the reality of dealing with a being like him.
AftermathNot long after, Kokushibo departed.
The moment his presence vanished, the tension within the room collapsed with it.
Tamayo's strength seemed to leave her all at once as she lowered herself to the ground, her breathing unsteady. The weight of what had just transpired settled upon her fully.
For centuries, she had evaded Muzan.
And now
She had willingly entangled herself with something just as dangerous.
Nearby, Yushiro watched her in silence, his expression conflicted, yet he said nothing.
There were no words that could resolve what had begun.
Return to the Infinity CastleMeanwhile, Kokushibo moved through the night without pause.
The forest stretched endlessly before him, silent beneath the fading moonlight. For a time, his thoughts remained fixed on the encounter on Tamayo, on the method she possessed, and on the fragile agreement that now bound them.
Then
A realization surfaced.
He had no direct means of returning.
The Infinity Castle did not exist within fixed space. Entry and exit were governed solely by one individual.
Nakime.
Kokushibo closed his eyes briefly.
Without speaking aloud, he directed his intent toward the one who ruled the castle's shifting dimensions.
Moments later
The ground beneath him shifted.
Space fractured.
And in the next instant, he was no longer within the forest.
An Unsettling PresenceHe landed soundlessly upon a polished floor.
The air had changed.
Cold.
Artificial.
Endless.
He had returned.
"Back already?"
The voice came from ahead soft, yet unmistakable.
Kokushibo raised his gaze.
Before him stood Muzan Kibutsuji, his form currently that of a woman graceful, composed, and utterly devoid of humanity despite the elegance.
Kokushibo lowered himself immediately.
"Lord Muzan."
"Rise."
The command was simple.
Kokushibo obeyed.
For a brief moment, silence lingered between them.
Then
Muzan stepped closer.
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"…You encountered her."
It was not a question.
Kokushibo did not hesitate.
"Yes."
Muzan's expression remained unreadable, though her fingers tightened ever so slightly.
"And?"
Kokushibo met her gaze evenly.
"I allowed her to live."
A pause.
The air grew heavier.
"She possesses knowledge of something of interest."
Muzan's eyes narrowed.
"…Speak."
The Blue Spider LilyKokushibo spoke without haste.
"The Blue Spider Lily."
For the first time
Muzan's composure shifted.
It was subtle.
But undeniable.
For centuries, he had pursued one goal above all others: to overcome the sun.
And the Blue Spider Lily was the only known path toward that end.
"What of it?" Muzan asked, his voice lower now.
Kokushibo continued calmly.
"She has gathered fragmented information over the years. The flower does not bloom continuously. Its appearance is rare… and fleeting."
Muzan said nothing.
So he continued.
"It is said to bloom only under specific conditions, and for a very short period. If such information is accurate, then our previous methods of searching may have been… inefficient."
Muzan fell silent.
His thoughts moved rapidly.
Years of effort.
Endless searching.
And yet
Nothing.
Kokushibo observed him carefully.
"Capturing her now would yield little," he added. "Allowing her to continue her movements may produce results more efficiently."
A calculated suggestion.
One designed not to deceive
But to redirect.
A Calculated DecisionTime passed in silence.
Then
"…Very well."
Muzan's voice returned to its usual calm.
"We will observe."
The decision had been made.
For now.
Without another word, Muzan turned away, his form gradually receding into the shifting architecture of the castle.
A New DirectionKokushibo remained where he stood for a moment longer.
Then
He turned.
If time was now a factor, then preparation was necessary.
There were still other members of the Twelve Kizuki to consider.
And among them
One, in particular, stood out.
Doma.
"…Nakime."
His voice echoed softly.
"Take me to him."
The sound of the biwa answered.
Space shifted once more.
And in the next instant
He was gone.