NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Search for Tamayo
"I hope you don't mind me keeping you," Kagaya said, his voice as gentle as ever.
Neither Zhou Yi nor Makomo had any objections.
"This time, I want to hear your opinions on demons."
What did they think of demons? Should all demons be eradicated?
"Of course, we must exterminate them all," Makomo answered without hesitation.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Ever since mastering Ice Breathing, Makomo's strength had grown significantly.
Kagaya turned to Zhou Yi, seeking his perspective.
"Perhaps some demons are kind-hearted. I'd spare such beings, but they're exceedingly rare—one in a million."
Hearing this, Makomo immediately understood Zhou Yi's intent.
She grew anxious. If Kagaya weren't present, she might have acted out!
How could Zhou Yi say something so foolish during a Demon Slayer Corps meeting?
To her surprise, Kagaya's reaction defied her expectations.
Hearing Zhou Yi's words, Kagaya's eyes lit up as he nodded repeatedly.
Makomo: ???
Aren't you the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps?
"Excellent! With your mindset, I can entrust this mission to you!"
Kagaya was so moved he began to cough violently.
Hearing the commotion, the shoji door slid open, revealing a white-haired girl.
"Father, are you alright?"
"Father!!!"
Makomo covered her mouth, staring at Kagaya Ubuyashiki in disbelief.
"You... You... already have children?"
"I'm sorry; my health has always been poor. Yes, I currently have 5 children; they are quintuplets."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki quickly recovered and glanced at the two of them apologetically.
"Father, you must take care of your health," the little girl said obediently, offering him a cup of hot water.
"Thank you, Hinaki. I feel much better now."
"Let me introduce her to you—this is my eldest daughter, Hinaki Ubuyashiki."
"Hinaki, these two are the newly appointed Hashiras. This is Zhou Yi, the Water Hashira, and this is Makomo, the Ice Hashira."
After the introductions, Hinaki politely greeted them and stepped aside. Makomo and Zhou Yi both nodded in acknowledgment.
"Now, back to the topic at hand," Kagaya Ubuyashiki said, his expression turning exceptionally serious.
"This mission is something only you, Zhou Yi, can accomplish!"
Zhou Yi straightened up. "I'm listening!"
"You need to find a woman named Tamayo. Remember, you must not harm her."
Find a woman? That didn't seem too difficult. Why would it require a Hashira?
Makomo's doubts were soon addressed.
"Her identity is rather special—she is a demon."
"Explain your intentions clearly to her, and she will tell you what to do next."
A demon? And they couldn't harm her? This sounded absurd!
"Master, I..."
"I understand. Leave it to me." Zhou Yi interrupted Makomo's protests and accepted the mission outright.
Ding! New Mission Unlocked: 'The Fugitive's Whereabouts'
Mission Description: Tamayo has been evading Muzan's pursuit for nearly a century. She has recently appeared in the Asakusa district. Find her before Muzan does!
Mission Reward: 10,000 Exchange Points
The system was generous! A whole 10,000 points—on par with the rewards for saving Obanai and Kanae.
As expected of the woman who dared to poison Muzan!
------
The moon hung high in the sky.
After a warm dinner hosted by Kagaya Ubuyashiki, Zhou Yi and Makomo found themselves stepping out into the night.
Makomo walked silently ahead, ignoring her junior.
"Senior, are you angry?"
"No!"
Then she must be angry.
"Senior, you're upset because you don't understand why I took on this mission, aren't you?"
"I couldn't care less about you."
Zhou Yi thought of a way to explain. "Have you ever considered this possibility?"
"What possibility?"
"What if there's a demon who has never eaten a human and often helps the people around them? Would you kill it?"
"This..." Makomo was immediately stumped.
Kill it? But the demon is clearly kind and hasn't eaten anyone.
Don't kill it? But it's still a demon!
"That's a ridiculous assumption! All demons eat people!" Makomo quickly refuted the illogical premise.
True, there were no such demons at present.
"What if there's a demon who, due to some accident, mistakenly killed someone, deeply regretted it, and vowed never to harm another human—and they succeeded? Would you kill them?"
Makomo was once again unsure.
Zhou Yi pressed on.
"What if the demon modified themselves so they only needed a small amount of human blood to survive and even helped us fight demons? Would you kill them?"
"No..." Makomo finally made her choice but quickly realized the implication. "Are you saying this Tamayo is such a demon?"
"From the master's demeanor, it seems highly likely." Zhou Yi thought fast, crafting his explanation while avoiding revealing his foreknowledge.
"How do you know that?"
"I heard rumors during my journey that such a demon exists in the Asakusa district."
Perfect! Phrased as hearsay, it would be hard to verify.
Makomo turned around, closing the distance between them step by step, staring directly into her junior's eyes until their noses were nearly touching.
"Don't do this again! Next time, tell me everything!"
"Of course."
Satisfied, Makomo looped her arm around Zhou Yi's and started walking toward their lodging.
"Senior, where are we staying tonight?"
"Follow me inside! Since Master left me in your care, you need to take responsibility!"