Tamayo's hideout was in shambles.
It was because of the attack by the assassins sent by Kibutsuji Muzan, Susamaru and Yahaba.
Tanjiro was desperately fending them off with Nezuko, but the combination of the two demons was powerful.
"Die! I'll offer your head to him!"
The ball thrown by Susamaru flew towards Tanjiro with fierce momentum.
Tanjiro tried to strike the ball down with his Nichirin Sword, but Yahaba's arrow force twisted the sword's trajectory.
'Ugh...! Their coordinated attack is too tricky!'
At that moment.
CRASH!!!
With a loud noise, the mansion's wall was breached, and three black shadows leaped inside.
"Who's there?!"
Yahaba shouted in panic.
As the dust settled, what appeared were three demons with bizarre forms.
Ubume and Kumonojo, who looked like a mature widow, and Kumoeimon, who resembled a spider-like demon.
They were classified as the weakest among Akira's followers, but they were on a different level from ordinary demons.
The giant demon, Kumoeimon, strode towards Yahaba.
"Hey, what are you?! Move aside!"
Yahaba used his arrow technique to try and blow Kumoeimon away.
But the arrow force was pushed back by Kumoeimon's brute strength, failing to move him.
"Weak."
Kumoeimon's fist smashed down directly on Yahaba's head.
SMASH!
Yahaba's head shattered like a watermelon. Without giving him time to regenerate, Kumoeimon stomped on his torso, crushing it to pieces.
It was brutal violence that would take hours for a demon not even of Lower Moon rank to recover from.
"And what are you? Want to play with me?"
Susamaru fired balls from her six arms. But this time, Kumonojo stepped forward.
When he extended his hand, spider webs harder than steel spewed forth from thin air.
"Huh? Wha—?!"
Susamaru's balls got caught in the webs, halting in mid-air. Then, the webs coiled around her limbs like living snakes.
CRACK!
"Aaaah!!"
As the webs tightened, Susamaru's limbs twisted grotesquely. She was pinned to the floor, unable to move.
"Be quiet."
Kumonojo coldly snapped.
In an instant, the situation was resolved.
Not only Tanjiro, but even Tamayo and Yushiro stared at them in a daze.
Then, the most dignified-looking Ubume stepped forward. She bowed her head politely towards Tamayo.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tamayo-sama. We are errand-runners belonging to the Akatsuki Trading Company."
"Akatsuki... Trading Company?"
Tamayo asked with eyes full of wariness.
"Yes. Our Master highly values your exceptional medical skills, so we have come to respectfully invite you."
Ubume smiled softly, but the menacing aura of the two demons standing behind her was a clear threat.
"Are you pursuers sent by Muzan?"
Yushiro growled as he stepped in front of Tamayo.
"Haha, of course not. Our Master sees Kibutsuji Muzan as prey. We are also a new breed of demons who are not under Muzan's control."
At Ubume's words, Tamayo's pupils shook. Demons not cursed by Muzan?
But the fact that they could say Muzan's name without issue was certainly abnormal.
"Our Master said this: 'The unfulfilled wish of Tsugikuni Yoriichi—if you join me, we can achieve it.'"
"!? Yoriichi...-sama..."
Tamayo was shocked. Those who knew that name were extremely rare. No, she thought, perhaps there weren't even five people in this world who remembered it now.
"Our company has vast capital to support your research, medical facilities, and medical experts. If you wish to complete the poison to kill Muzan, come with us."
It was an offer hard to refuse. Killing Muzan. That was Tamayo's centuries-old wish.
Seeing Tamayo waver, Yushiro shouted.
"Tamayo-sama! Don't believe them! The scent of their blood is more evil than the previous ones!"
"We came to make an offer. But..."
Behind Ubume, Kumoeimon cracked his knuckles as he loosened his fists.
"Our Master ordered us to bring you without fail. If you refuse, we'll have to take you by force."
The atmosphere turned hostile. Then, Tanjiro raised his Nichirin Sword and blocked Ubume's path.
"No! Tamayo-san doesn't want to go!"
"Move aside, kid."
Kumonojo waved his hand as if annoyed.
"They are good demons who heal people! I won't allow you to take them by force!"
Tanjiro's gaze was resolute. Even knowing that his opponents were powerful enough to instantly defeat the demons who had saved him, he did not back down.
"Oh? A human defending demons. You're an interesting one."
Ubume looked at Tanjiro with interest.
"But kid, this is adult business. It's not a place for a child like you to intervene."
Ubume's eyes turned cold.
"Move while I'm asking nicely. We're not as merciless as Muzan's underlings, but we show no mercy to those who obstruct our Master's orders."
The situation was on the verge of exploding.
Muzan's pursuers were gone, but a larger, unknown force surrounded Tamayo and Tanjiro.
Tamayo had to choose.
Fight alongside Tanjiro, or accept the unknown offer.
Despite Ubume's warning, Tanjiro did not retreat. He gripped his Nichirin Sword tightly and steadied his breathing.
"Total Concentration... Water Breathing!"
Water trails gushed from Tanjiro's sword.
But his opponents were followers who had received Akira's blood. They were far more powerful and cunning than Muzan's Lower Moon demons.
"Kid, you really have no sense."
Kumonojo sneered as he flicked his fingers.
Spider webs, thin and hard enough to be invisible, instantly coiled around Tanjiro's limbs.
"Ugh?!"
Tanjiro tried to swing his sword, but his body floated in mid-air. The webs tightened around his joints, perfectly sealing his movements.
"Hmm!!"
Nezuko rushed to save her brother, but Kumoeimon lightly snatched her with his giant hand.
"What's this little demon?"
Kumoeimon subdued Nezuko with one hand and threw her to the floor.
An overwhelming difference in power.
But Nezuko charged at Kumoeimon.
However, Nezuko as she is now cannot match Kumoeimon.
His combat power is Upper Moon level.
In terms of strength and defense, Kumoeimon is Upper Moon level. Of course, his regeneration is Lower Moon level, but by using molting, he can regrow severed parts.
Since he's a pure strength type without a separate Blood Demon Art, he falls short compared to Upper Moons, but demons who reach Upper Moon level in physical ability alone are very rare. It was an excellent achievement to reach this level without receiving the blood of a perfect being.
Ubume was about to use her Blood Demon Art to quietly take them away.
"Stop!"
Tamayo urgently shouted.
"Don't touch those children. If you want to take me... I'll go."
"Tamayo-sama! No!"
Yushiro screamed, but Tamayo shook her head.
She knew. If she resisted, Tanjiro and Nezuko, and even Yushiro, would die.
Moreover... curiosity about the Master who knew Yoriichi's name, and the possibility of killing Muzan, were swaying her.
"A wise choice, Tamayo-sama."
Ubume smiled with satisfaction.
"We promise. If you come with us, we'll send these children safely on their way. And your research—our Master will fully support it."
"Understood. But I have conditions."
Tamayo said while looking at Tanjiro.
"Ensure these children can leave this place safely. And... show me proof that your claim about being able to kill Muzan is not a lie."
"Of course. If you come to our headquarters, you'll be able to verify everything."
At Ubume's gesture, Kumonojo and Kumoeimon released Tanjiro and Nezuko.
"Tamayo-san... No... Don't go!"
Tanjiro wept from where he lay on the floor, but Tamayo looked at him with a lonely smile.
"Tanjiro-kun. Take good care of Nezuko-chan. We... will meet again someday."
Tamayo walked into the darkness with Yushiro, following Ubume. A black car engraved with the Akatsuki Trading Company emblem was waiting for them.
After Tamayo and Yushiro disappeared, only Tanjiro and Nezuko remained in the destroyed mansion. Tanjiro slammed his fist on the floor.
"Tsk! Again, I couldn't protect anything!"
He let Muzan slip away right before his eyes, and now even the benefactor who helped him was kidnapped.
His own powerlessness cut him to the bone.
"Akatsuki Trading Company..."
Tanjiro repeated the name. Beings whose allegiance was unknown—whether enemy or ally to the Demon Slayer Corps—but as dangerous as Muzan. He resolved.
To chase Muzan, and at the same time, to pursue the Akatsuki Trading Company to reclaim Tamayo.
"Nezuko, let's go. We need to get stronger."
Tanjiro put Nezuko in the box and set out again. Under Tokyo's night sky, the boy's gaze had hardened even more.
And, in the Akatsuki Trading Company's chairman's office.
"Welcome, Tamayo-san. I've been waiting."
"I am Nagao Akira, chairman of the Akatsuki Trading Company."