12. Tamayo And Yushiro

"Now. Listen to me! Here's the deal!" the bald vendor barked at them. "My point is this, okay? It's not about the money! What I can't forgive is your lack of intent to eat my udon, all right?!"

"We're so sorry! Please, serve us another bowl!" Tanjiro said quickly.

"So, you're gonna eat it?" the man demanded, eyebrows shooting up.

"Yes!" Tanjiro replied without hesitation.

"You're definitely going to eat it?" the man pressed.

"Yes we will!" Hana said, her voice firm.

"Okay!" He nodded approvingly, then pointed at Nezuko. "You too! If you're gonna eat udon, take off that bamboo thingy first! What is that thing anyway? Take these chopsticks!"

Tanjiro jumped forward. "I'll take her bowl! Two, please!"

"R-right," the man stammered, quickly preparing the orders.

The bowls were ready almost instantly. Tanjiro slurped his noodles, finishing faster than Hana could blink. "Thank you so much for the meal!" he exclaimed.

Hana carefully sipped her udon. The warmth, the flavor it was comforting, grounding her after the chaos of the streets. When she finished, she smiled at the vendor. "Thank you. It was really good!"

"As long as you both liked it, it's all good!" the vendor said, waving them off.

Hana glanced at Nezuko. "Sorry for leaving you behind, Nezuko."

Nezuko's eyes followed them silently as they walked. Suddenly, the girl stopped, sensing something.

"What's wrong, Nezuko?" Hana asked softly, following the direction of her sister's gaze.

Standing calmly ahead was a man with striking black-and-white hair, as though he had been waiting just for them.

"So, you've been waiting for us?" Tanjiro asked.

"I was instructed to bring you to see her" he replied, his tone flat.

"I could've tracked you by scent" Hana countered.

"She's in a place cloaked by a spell" he said. "No way you would find it."

"Cloaking?" Tanjiro whispered, eyes widening.

"Anyway..." He pointed his index finger at Nezuko. "Isn't she a demon? And an eyesore to boot."

Hana stiffened instantly. An eyesore? Did he just say that about Nezuko? Her eyes narrowed, voice trembling with restrained fury.

"An Eyesore?!" Hana's blood boiled. She turned to look at Nezuko, incredulous. "Who would even say that? She's not an eyesore!"

Tanjiro jumped in, face flushed. "Take a look at her features! She's beautiful the town's beauty!"

"Exactly!" Hana shouted. "You must be blind to say such a thing!"

"Who in their right mind would call her an eyesore?!" Tanjiro yelled.

The man shrugged, unfazed. "Let's go."

Hana and Tanjiro followed, shaking their fists and yelling protests. "She's not an eyesore! Not on your life!" Hana said firmly.

Tanjiro added, pointing at Nezuko, "Just look at her! The lighting even makes her glow!"

"Oh, I know what it is! It's this muzzle, right? I'd like you to behold Nezuko without the muzzle!" Tanjiro and Hana muttered the entire walk, defending their sister with a flurry of words.

While they spoke, the boy they were talking to suddenly vanished, making them all glance toward where he had last been.

Ahead, the black-and-white-haired boy motioned them forward. "Hurry up. Before someone comes," he said, disappearing behind a wall.

The group reached a house hidden in a quiet alley. "Get over here," he instructed. "While no one's here. Make sure you don't offend her in any way."

Hana and Tanjiro exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

He leaned close, voice low. "I don't care what happens to you two. I just brought you here because she insisted."

"R-right," Tanjiro muttered.

Inside, they were led to a room. The boy knocked on the door.

"Come in," a calm, lilting voice responded.

The door opened, revealing a woman with striking lavender eyes Lady Tamayo alongside the woman.

"I have returned," the boy announced.

"Welcome back," Tamayo said gently.

"I'm sorry that we left you to take care of things just now" Tanjiro said.

"How is the lady?" Hana asked, eyes filled with concern.

"She'll be fine," Tamayo replied. "Unfortunately, her husband must remain restrained in an underground basement."

"Isn't treating human wounds unbearable for you?" Tanjiro asked sadly.

The boy beside them punched Tanjiro in the chest. "You think demons treat humans while choking back their own drool at the smell of blood??" he snapped.

Hana glared at the boy, pulling Tanjiro toward her.

"Sorry" Tanjiro mumbled, rubbing his arm.

"Stop it. Why would you resort to violence?" Tamayo scolded, making Yushiro look down at his feet and sulk.

Tamayo's voice cut through, calm but commanding. "I never introduced myself. My name is Tamayo, and this boy is Yushiro. I hope that you'll be his friends."

Hana and Tanjiro looked at him as he clenched his fists while gritting his teeth.

'I don't think that's possible,' Hana thought.

"It's not unbearable. I believe it's much easier for me than for normal demons. My body has been altered. I've also removed Kibutsuji's curse..." Tamayo explained.

"C-curse? Altered your body?" Tanjiro echoed.

"Yes. I no longer need to feed on humans," Tamayo explained. "A small amount of blood suffices. I source it ethically never harming the donors."

"It is said that no one but Muzan Kibutsuji holds the power to produce demons. That's basically correct. After more than two hundred years, Yushiro is still the only one I was able to transform into a demon," Tamayo explained.

"You...you transformed him into a demon?" Tanjiro asked, astonished.

"Yes," Tamayo confirmed. "I'm the only one besides Muzan to succeed. Even after two hundred years, Yushiro is the only one I could save this way."

Tanjiro blinked. "Two hundred years... and he's the only one?"

Tamayo continued, "I do not create demons frivolously. Only those terminally ill or gravely injured, and only after asking them if they wish to live as demons."

Hana sniffed the air. 'Her scent... pure. No deception. We can trust her,' she thought.

"Uh," Hana asked, "is there a way to turn demons back into humans?"

"There is," Tamayo replied. "But you must understand the risks-"

Tanjiro stood abruptly, eager. Yushiro pushed him down.

"Don't you dare get close to Lady Tamayo!" Yushiro warned, grabbing Tanjiro and throwing him against the wall.

"Yushiro!" Hana called out, her voice trembling with anger. She stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists. "How dare you hit him like that?"

Tanjiro groaned softly, pressing his shoulder against the wall. "Hana...it's fine..." he murmured.

"Yushiro...." Tamayo said darkly.

"I only threw him, Lady Tamayo I did not hit him," Yushiro said. He let go and sat down, dusting off his pants. "You mustn't do either."

"Yes, ma'am!" Yushiro sat back down.

"Please tell us how" Hana asked.

"For any kind of wound, there's always some kind of medicine or treatment. At this time, I'm unable to turn a demon back into a human, but surely, that too...but to create a elixir" Tamayo began. "I have two favors to ask of you. One permission to study your sister's blood. Two to retrieve blood samples from demons as closely related to Kibutsuji as possible. By demons closely related to Kibutsuji, I mean demons whose powers are more on par with Kibutsuji himself. It won't be an easy task. Are you still willing to go along with my request?"

"If that's the only way, then we'll do it!" Hana said.

"If that happens, that means it won't be just Nezuko. A lot of other people will be saved too, right?" Tanjiro added with a hopeful smile.

"Get down!" Yushiro suddenly yelled, his voice slicing through the tension.

Before anyone could react, two glowing, multi-colored temari balls burst through the wall and began bouncing wildly inside the room. They smashed into lights, shattering them instantly, and left large round cracks wherever they landed.

Two large hands caught the balls belonging to a female demon, her black hair fading into orange at the tips. The other was a male demon, his eyes closed and a large beaded necklace draped across his chest.

"Did you decide how to kill them?" the male demon asked.

"Vindictively, of course!" the woman shouted, her voice wild with delight as she grinned sadistically. She threw a temari ball with incredible force, sending it bouncing across the room like a deadly beast.

Hana stepped forward protectively, placing herself in front of Nezuko and Tanjiro.

"How did they find us?!" Tanjiro murmured under his breath.

"Hahaha You were right, Yahaba! A building just appeared out of nowhere!" the female demon, Susamaru, cackled.

"The handiwork of a Blood Demon Arts wielder adept at hiding objects," Yahaba replied, his voice full of irritation. "And are those demon hunters accompanied by a demon? What's going on here?"

Hana's eyes narrowed. She stepped slightly ahead of Tanjiro, shielding Nezuko instinctively. "Doesn't matter," she said quietly. "We deal with them. Now."

The temari bounced inside violently, heading toward them with unnatural speed. One aimed for Tamayo, but Yushiro moved in instantly, shielding her body. The impact was brutal. Yushiro's head was severed in an instant, and his headless body collapsed into pieces.

"Yushiro!" Tanjiro shouted, horror flashing across his face.

Tanjiro grabbed Nezuko's hand firmly. "Nezuko! Take the lady sleeping in the back room somewhere safe outside!"

"No!" Tamayo called urgently. "It's too dangerous outside! We have a basement take her there!"

Susamaru's laughter echoed inside the room. "That's one down!"

'She's giving a totally different scent than any of the other demons! Is it stronger? It's a really thick scent! It feels so heavy once it enters my lungs!' Hana thought, her sword ready to strike.

"The demon hunter wearing hanafuda-like earrings...it's you, isn't it?" the demon grinned at Tanjiro.

Hana realized that they were after Tanjiro and stepped in front of him.

Hana stepped forward, placing herself protectively in front of Tanjiro. "If you want to hurt him, you'll have to take me first." she said, her voice low but sharp.

"Miss Tamayo!" Hana called as she saw Tamayo holding Yushiro's injured body. "Please find a place to hide! We'll take care of them."

"Hana, Tanjiro, I want you to fight without worrying about us. We'll be fine without your protection," Lady Tamayo said.

Yushiro began regenerating his head piece by piece. His voice was filled with frustration as he shouted, "Lady Tamayo! Didn't I tell you? We shouldn't get involved with those demon hunters from the start! My Blindfold technique isn't finished yet!"

Susamaru laughed loudly, and four more arms sprouted from her body. Each held a temari ball. "Now then, let's keep playing until morning comes! Until you die!" she roared, throwing her temari with deadly precision.

Hana's instincts kicked in. She ducked under one temari, then rolled aside another. She dodged temari while swinging her blade and avoiding the balls.

The temari bounced unpredictably now, some hitting Tamayo and Yushiro despite their attempts to dodge. Hana turned her head sharply. "Tamayo! Yushiro! Hold on!" She gritted her teeth as another temari came toward her, but she deflected it with her blade, sending it spinning away.

Yushiro barked out instructions. "Look at the arrows dodge them!"

"Arrows? What arrows?" Tanjiro asked, confused.

Yushiro pulled out two pieces of paper and threw one to Hana and one to Tanjiro. They glowed briefly, revealing a strange red eye-like design. Suddenly, arrows appeared in Hana's vision glowing trails that showed the temari's trajectory.

She gasped softly. "I can see it now...This is amazing." Her grip tightened on her sword. "She was using these arrows to control them."

Hana turned her attention to Susamaru. Her movements became sharper, more precise, as she lunged forward again, slicing another temari in half.

Tanjiro shouted orders. "Nezuko, outside! Take care of the demon in the tree!"

The battle spilled outside. Susamaru's laughter rang louder now, her temari raining down like deadly hail. Hana moved with perfect coordination, her sword flashing in the moonlight, cutting through the enemie's assaults. Tanjiro fought beside her while Nezuko covered their tracks.

"Now then," Hana said under her breath, determination burning in her eyes. "Let's finish this."

"Miss Tamayo! Are these two demons closely related to Kibutsuji?" Tanjiro asked.

"Most likely," Tamayo replied.

The demon loudly laughed at Yushiro's earlier declaration. "I don't know what you're scheming, but I won't let you do anything to displease him. You think you're gonna extract blood from us Twelve Demon Moons? Then have at it!" she challenged.

She turned her head slowly, her sharp gaze locking onto Hana. Hana's grip tightened on her sword, her stance steady and defiant despite the adrenaline surging through her veins.

"Don't let your guard down for a second!" Yushiro yelled from inside the house.

"Get rid of that arrow man first! We'll handle the temari woman with your sister!" He added.

"Understood!" Hana said, nodding sharply. She glanced at Nezuko and Tanjiro, her eyes softened. "Nezuko, whatever you do, don't push yourself too hard."

With a burst of speed, Hana dashed forward, her blade cutting through the air. Her body felt lighter, faster every movement sharp and precise. Tanjiro followed closely behind, but Hana arrived first at the arrow demon.

'I swear I'm going to extract their blood. If it means the medicine will be perfected even a minute sooner, I'll gladly fight the demon.' Hana thought.

As Hana reached the demon, the threads of battle shimmered before her eyes openings, weaknesses. But the moment her sword hand shifted, the demon sneered.

"What a grimy little urchin you are." He raised his hand, the glaring eye in his palm fixing on her. "Stay away from me!"

The eye snapped shut, and in the same instant Hana's opening thread shattered. Her eyes widened. What?! The thread was gone?!

An arrow burst from beneath Hana's feet, sending her tumbling forward, her blade cutting nothing but air. In the next instant, the arrows seized her, hurling her violently upward, slamming her against trees, stone walls, and the ground in rapid succession.

Pain bloomed across her entire body.

Her head struck hard with a sickening crack. Blood trailed down her face as her sword slipped from her hand. Her body went limp.

"Hana!" Tanjiro cried.

Hana had fainted.