A person in Japan, a sword that soars to immortality.

Two days later.

Kotama-ya, 21-chome, Asakusa-cho.

This izakaya has been here for many years, and it is said that the proprietress is a gentle, beautiful, and kind woman.

To ensure that people returning home at night don't go hungry, this shop never opens during the day, only after sunset.

Inside the small house, Tamayo had a white headscarf wrapped around her head, dressed like a townhouse woman.

After she finished wiping the last table, she took the rag and went inside.

After passing through the entrance hall, the kitchen, and her own inner room, she finally arrived at the storeroom of the little pearl house.

With a whoosh, the sliding door opened, plunging the warehouse into darkness. But Tamayo, as if she had night vision, precisely located the candlestick and lit it.

As the flames lit up, the darkness covering the glass test tubes and beakers gradually faded away.

"We're running out of blood again." Tamayo frowned slightly as she looked at the last bit of blood in the test tube. Then she sat down and began to review her research notes.

After a long while, a faint sigh traveled through the bottles and jars, finally lingering between the rafters.

For centuries, her research on medicine to turn demons into humans and on poison to target Muzan has progressed very slowly.

Since that day when she was rescued by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, she has lived a life of hiding and running in order to learn more medical knowledge and to escape Muzan's pursuit.

While traveling to western Kyushu, she met two other demons who were once human doctors, and helped them break free from Muzan's control and become like herself.

"I wonder if those two children from the Kazama and Yukimura families have figured out a medicine that can turn demons back into humans..."

dong dong dong.

A faint knocking sound interrupted Tamayo's thoughts, but she did not get up and continued her research.

It's still daytime outside, so it must be humans coming to find her. In this situation, to stay as hidden as possible, she usually chooses to ignore them.

Just then, Tamayo picked up the test tube containing the last bit of demon blood, preparing to carefully pour it into the beaker, but at that moment...

Squeak~~~~！！！

The sound of a sharp object scraping against the door frame rang out, like fingernails scratching a blackboard.

Tamayo shrugged, her neck hunched, her eyes tightly shut, her lips pressed together, and her hands trembled slightly. As a result, the last drop of demon blood fell to the ground and disappeared along the crack in the floor.

"asshole!!!"

Whose kid is this anyway? I'm going to beat your butt to a pulp today!

Tamayo rolled up her sleeves, revealing her smooth, white forearms, and stormed toward the door. As she passed the entrance, she casually put a straw hat on her head.

"How rude! How could you..."

"How can you use Blood Demon Art to steal someone else's medicinal herbs? Don't you think so, Miss Tamayo?" A lazy and playful male voice came from behind.

Tamayo hid behind the door, tilting her head back, her small fists slightly clenched at her chest, staring blankly as a tall, handsome man with a face brighter than the sun, but eyes that seemed to burn with endless karmic fire, ready to annihilate all enemies, walked in.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Yamada Asaemon Taichi. The purpose of my visit today is to recruit you into my service."

Taiichi frowned slightly, his hand resting on the golden thunder sword Futsu-no-Mitama. He exuded an aura that could not be refused. He stood to the side in front of Tamayo and turned his head to speak slowly.

"Ah! Huh?"

Tamayo tilted her head, looking completely bewildered.

at the same time.

Tama County, Hibara Village.

Doma, sitting cross-legged on the lotus throne, rested his chin on one hand, looking utterly bored.

Before him stood a samurai with a chonmage hairstyle, kneeling on the ground with his hands clasped together in prayer.

"How many times is this today? So boring... I wonder what Taiichi is doing now..."

"I humbly beseech the Lord to bless me, so that I may defeat Yamada Asaemon Taichi in the Edo Tenka-sai (National Festival) Imperial Examination, thereby becoming famous throughout the land, revitalizing my family, and successfully marrying..."

Ok?

Douma's eyes suddenly lit up, and the corners of his mouth slowly began to turn up. Then he raised his other hand, extended his index finger, and interrupted the samurai's prayer:

"Samurai, what do you say you're going to Edo for?"

"Ah? My Lord, I'm going to participate in the Imperial Examination! I'm going to defeat Yamada Asaemon Taichi! I'm going to become famous throughout the land!"

"Hehe." Douma smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits, his mouth widening to reveal two sharp teeth, and said to the samurai, "Taiichi is not someone you small fry can mess with. It's really infuriating."

After saying this, to the samurai's bewildered gaze, Doma made a horizontal slash with his finger.

Swish!

The Ice Princess, who had appeared behind the samurai without anyone noticing, suddenly waved her fan and swept it across his neck.

Blood splattered onto the ceiling, and a few drops landed on Doma's face, but he remained smiling, cradling the samurai's head in one hand, and chuckled as he said:

"I helped Taiyi get rid of a small fry; he'll probably thank me..."

"How about I... go and take a look at Edo?"

"Although the adults tell us not to leave our designated area without permission, it doesn't really matter~"

......

evening.

The area surrounding Edo Castle, specifically the Kamiyashiki district.

The original Okayama Domain daimyo residence's signboard has been removed and replaced with the name Yamada.

Beyond the courtyard paved with white sand, you can see inside the main house, where Sachi and a bewildered Fu Zhi are sitting obediently on the tatami mats.

At this moment, the two were dressed in haori and hakama with tattoos on their backs. However, compared to Fuchi, who looked nervous and seemed afraid to touch anything, Sakiri appeared very natural, just like the lady of the house.

"Sister Zoche, I want to go back."

Fu Zhi twisted around, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

"No, Taiyi hasn't returned yet."

With her eyes lowered and her expression calm, Zoche exuded an air of elegance. She poured the boiling water from the clay stove next to her into the teaware one by one, rinsing them.

Just as Fu Zhi's eyes darted around, trying to come up with another excuse, the sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

Zorche then slowly got up, went to the threshold, sat down facing outside the house, and waited for Taiichi's return.

Fu Zhiye got up, went to the threshold, put on his straw sandals, and stood outside the door of the main house.

"Haha, Zuoqie, Fuzhi, look who I brought back!"

"Taiichi, who did you bring back? Someone we know..." Sakiri looked up and saw Tamayo, who was hiding behind Taiichi, with her little fists in front of her lips, wearing a purple floral embroidered kimono, and looking at him timidly. He was stunned on the spot.

Then, those once bright and lively eyes instantly turned into dead fish eyes, while the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably, and she muttered to herself:

"It really is someone we know,"

"What are you thinking about now?" Taiyi reached the threshold of the main house, took off his shoes, and sat down in the place where the head of the family was seated. After taking a sip of tea, he picked up his teacup and said:

"This Miss Tamayo is a renowned physician I invited to work with Fu Zhi on medicine preparation. She is... someone who can save your lives."

After taking a small sip, Taiyi looked up, taking in everyone's gaze, and then smiled and said.