"I don't want Mom and Dad to keep fighting because of me."
To be honest, Yuko felt a bit heartbroken.
Because she couldn't do anything about it.
As the saying goes, even the most upright official cannot judge family matters. Should she go in and beat the man up?
And then what?
After she left, would the man think his wife had called for help and abuse her even more?
Kill him?
What a joke.
Leaving aside the fact that his crime didn't warrant death—in this era, a man was the backbone of the household. No matter how much he beat or scolded his wife, she still depended on him to survive.
If this man died, how would the woman go on living?
Especially in a slum like this.
Yuko said gently and helplessly, "This… sister probably can't do that."
"How could that be…" The light in the girl's eyes dimmed visibly.
Suddenly, the arguing inside the house stopped. Footsteps approached.
The door was yanked open.
Yuko stood up.
"Who are you?!" A man in patched clothing stood at the doorway, glaring at Yuko with hostility. "What are you doing lurking around my house in the middle of the night?"
"Trying to steal something?"
The girl hurriedly blocked Yuko, waving her hands as she tried to explain to her father, "No, no, it's not like that!"
"This older sister—"
"Get lost! Stop hanging around my door!"
The woman inside followed closely behind the man, watching Yuko just as cautiously.
Yuko suddenly thought of a solution.
Though she wasn't sure if it would work…
She abruptly drew the blade at her waist. The sharp, ringing sound of steel being drawn exploded by the man's ear.
He hadn't even noticed the weapon before.
"What—what are you trying to do?!" The man backed away in terror, instinctively shielding his wife.
So… there was still a way.
Cults really did ruin people.
Yuko sighed softly and swiftly ran the blade across her fingertip.
With a flick of her finger, several drops of blood flew straight into the man's eyes.
Struck suddenly, the man cried out as he frantically rubbed his eyes. "What is this?!"
The icy chill burned into his vision.
The woman, trembling, stepped forward.
"What do you want?"
"There's nothing valuable in our house."
Yuko calmly flicked blood into the woman's eyes as well.
Seeing Yuko draw her blade, the girl panicked despite their earlier peaceful conversation.
"Big sister, please don't kill my parents!"
Yuko sheathed her sword and patiently explained, "My blood might let them see you."
The girl froze.
At the same time, the chilling sensation in the parents' eyes finally faded.
They opened their eyes and looked toward Yuko—then suddenly noticed the girl beside her.
The man murmured in disbelief, "Kyoko…"
As if reunited after a long loss, the woman opened her arms in joy. "Kyoko, come here!"
Kyoko rushed into her mother's arms in tears of happiness. Her parents could finally see her again.
The man suddenly came to his senses and shouted angrily, "You little brat! How dare you run back by yourself—"
Before he could finish, he saw Kyoko pass straight through his wife's body.
Both parents froze in place.
Yuko's calm voice drifted through the air. "The cult you sent her to—the leader is a demon that devours people whole."
Their bodies stiffened violently.
There was no need for Yuko to say anything more.
The three of them embraced one another. Though they could not feel each other's warmth, their faces were soaked with tears.
Yuko turned away and pulled the door shut from outside. That would be enough for tonight.
This family clearly wasn't in a state to communicate properly. She would come back tomorrow.
On the way home, Yuko quietly reflected.
The Eternal Paradise Cult… she would likely have to visit it after all.
Just now, she had found the meaning of her own existence.
Even if she couldn't kill Doma, she at least had to uncover his Blood Demon Art.
The reason she feared changing the plot so much was because she only half-understood it.
If she knew little, she could change things without burden.
If she knew a lot, she could change things precisely.
But knowing only fragments made every step difficult.
In that case, she would investigate all the high-ranking demons in full detail.
Especially the Upper Ranks.
Among them, the one she understood the most was Kokushibo.
There was also the white-haired female demon she often saw in short clips—the one involved in Tanjiro's famous scenes—but she knew nothing in detail.
And then there was the Upper Rank Third, who looked like a martial artist and fought with pure hand-to-hand combat.
Beyond that, she knew nothing.
If she could uncover all this information, then when the Taisho era arrived, she might be able to help the Demon Slayer Corps more effectively.
At the very least, plans could be arranged more precisely, instead of relying on "plot armor" and hoping the enemy would make mistakes.
But a new problem arose.
How was she supposed to gather that intelligence effectively?
She wasn't worried about the address—the man who personally sent Kyoko away had to know it.
But was she supposed to infiltrate the place?
With this face?
She could slightly adjust her physique and height, but she couldn't change her appearance.
If she went in with this face and Doma truly was an Upper Rank, he would probably react immediately.
Disguise herself and sneak in… then locate him and fight?
That seemed more reasonable.
As Yuko walked through the slum streets, voices suddenly reached her ears from ahead.
She approached quietly.
...
"Excuse me, I heard there have been incidents of demons abducting young girls around here. Do you know where it happened?"
Before her stood a swordsman wearing the Demon Slayer Corps uniform.
Had he been lured here by false information?
The vagrant being questioned shuddered violently, his face full of fear.
The swordsman's eyes lit up—there was something here!
"Just now!" the vagrant stammered. "A female demon!"
"What?!"
"Over there! I saw her myself—her eyes were glowing red, and she chopped off a man's—"
He pointed into the distance, his gaze turning hollow.
The swordsman urgently grabbed his shoulder. "Chopped off what?!"
His head?!
"Demon—"
"?"
"A demon!!!" The vagrant's face collapsed in terror as he turned and ran.
An icy chill surged up the swordsman's spine into his skull. He could sense it clearly.
Something was watching him.
Blood-red eyes—vicious beyond compare.
Incredibly strong. A demon far more terrifying than anything he had ever encountered.
Could it be—
Kibutsuji Muzan?!
The overwhelming presence stabbed directly into his nerves. Was he about to die on his very first mission?
The swordsman swallowed and quietly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Gritting his teeth—
"Wind Breathing, Fourth—"
Yuko lightly chopped the back of his neck with a single hand strike.
His face froze in terror, his eyes rolled white, and he collapsed limply to the ground.
What the hell was that?
Yuko grabbed the back of his collar and looked down at herself.
She hadn't purposely concealed her presence… nor had she released any aura.
So why had he been scared like that?
---
Currently at chapter 270 for advance chapters
https:// ko-fi.com/rabi08