The atmosphere in the reception room was somewhat somber because of that long-forgotten history.
Sabito was still reeling from the immense shock of the name "Yoriichi Tsugikuni". He looked at his companion with a complex expression, as if he were looking at a living legend.
Tamayo's gaze never left Giyu Tomioka; the mixture of curiosity and anticipation in her eyes was almost overflowing.
Only Yushiro stood there, arms crossed, glancing sideways at the two uninvited guests, his expression growing increasingly hostile.
His gaze first swept over Sabito, and seeing the other's shocked expression, as if he had never seen anything like it before, he curled his lips in disdain.
"You country bumpkins, how could you mere mortals like you possibly understand Tamayo's story?"
Then, his gaze fell on Giyu Tomioka, who had remained calm throughout, and his displeasure instantly surged.
That guy!
Tamayo was just sharing such an important secret with him! And he still has that sour look on his face, like the whole world owes him money!
This guy is the one who made me lose face in front of Lady Tamayo! First, he had his arm chopped off in one move, and then he was dismembered into pieces in one strike!
Utter disgrace!!
With both old and new grudges surging up, Yushiro could no longer hold back.
He suddenly stood up, pointed at Giyu Tomioka's nose, and in front of everyone, unleashed all the anger he had been holding in all night!
"You! You always have that indifferent, sullen face, like everyone owes you money! You're so annoying!!"
The sudden roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, exploded in the quiet reception room!
The moment the words left his mouth, time seemed to stand still.
Sabito's mouth opened slowly, staring at Yushiro in shock, his eyes filled with terror as if to say, "Brother, are you crazy?"
Tamayo covered her forehead, letting out a desperate groan, lamenting that her centuries of education had utterly failed at this moment.
She looked at Giyu Tomioka with trepidation, fearing that this unfathomably powerful young man might draw his sword and chop Yushiro into even finer pieces at the slightest provocation.
However, to everyone's surprise -
Giyu Tomioka merely frowned slightly.
He raised his head, his icy blue eyes calmly meeting Yushiro's angry expression.
I just watched, without saying anything.
The moment Yushiro met that gaze, his body stiffened involuntarily!
In an instant, a terrifying image flashed through his mind: he was in the alley, being instantly dismembered into dozens of pieces by the continuous, azure-blue blades!
A chilling sensation shot from my tailbone straight to the top of my head!
"He... he's not going to pull out his sword and attack me again, is he?!"
Yushiro panicked, and the courage he had just mustered instantly deflated; even his hand pointing at Giyu began to tremble.
Just when the tension was high and everyone thought blood was about to spill, Giyu Tomioka spoke up.
He looked at Yushiro, his expression serious, and said earnestly in a statement of fact, devoid of any emotion:
I am not disliked.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Sabito, Yushiro, Tamayo were all petrified.
The three people's expressions were perfectly synchronized at that moment, all turning into a (⊙_⊙) look.
Their eyes were wide open, as if they were looking at some rare treasure in a museum, staring blankly at the utterly upright-looking Giyu Tomioka.
The Sabito's brain completely shut down.
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
He was the Scream inwardly. He had known Giyu for so many years, and this was the first time he had ever discovered that his companion's thought process could be so bizarre!
Yushiro was utterly incredulous. He even forgot his fear, his finger trembling as he pointed at Giyu, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
"This guy... can't he understand human language?! I was clearly cursing at him!"
"Cough cough..."
Finally, it was Tamayo who reacted first. She broke the strange silence with a light cough and began to try to smooth things over.
"That... Mr. Giyu, he's really quite special!"
She forced a gentle smile, and in her eyes as she looked at Giyu, besides awe, there was also a hint of... helplessness.
"But speaking of which," Tamayo changed the subject, steer the conversation back on track, "Mr. Giyu's physique is indeed very special. Just now in the alley, you seemed to have a very unique attraction to people like us..."
She carefully chose her words and continued, "If possible, I would like to have a vial of your blood drawn for testing. Perhaps we can discover some key information for fighting Muzan Kibutsuji, and maybe we'll gain some unexpected insights."
Upon hearing this, Giyu glanced at Tamayo, then at Sabito and Yushiro who were still petrified beside him, and finally, he calmly nodded.
"Can."
Seeing that he agreed, Tamayo breathed a sigh of relief.
She immediately took out professional blood-drawing equipment from the medicine cabinet in the room.
Giyu silently rolled up his sleeves, revealing his well-defined, muscular forearm.
The sharp needle pierces the skin and enters the blood vessel.
Crimson blood, tinged with a faint golden hue, slowly flowed into the syringe through the slender tube.
At the very moment the blood started flowing!
A sudden change has occurred!
An indescribable, incredibly fragrant aroma suddenly burst forth from the tiny pinhole, instantly filling the entire room!
That wasn't the smell of blood.
It was an aroma a hundred times more enticing than any top-grade spice or any exquisite delicacy, an aroma originating from the very source of life!
"!!!"
Tamayo and Yushiro's bodies trembled violently at the same time!
Their pupils dilated instantly, and the string of reason snapped with a "bang"!
All their thoughts, all their reason, all their restraint were completely overwhelmed by that fragrance at that moment!
Only one thought remained, an instinct roaring wildly from the depths of the soul, from every single cell—
Drink it!
Drink that blood! Devour it! Make it yours!
"Huff... huff..."
Tamayo's breathing became extremely rapid. Her gentle and beautiful face flushed uncontrollably with two sickly red patches. Her eyes were glazed over, and her body was burning hot, like a drunk patient.
Her hand holding the syringe was trembling violently, and several times she almost lost control and wanted to put the syringe directly into her mouth!
Meanwhile, Yushiro, standing to the side, behaved even worse!
His eyes had turned completely blood red, and a clear liquid was even uncontrollably dripping from the corner of his mouth. He was making low, guttural growls like a wild beast.
He stared intently at the tube of blood being drawn out, every part of his body convulsing with extreme craving!
If he hadn't still had a sliver of loyalty left for Tamayo, he probably would have pounced on her already!
"Hey! You two... are you alright?!"
Sabito was also startled by this sudden turn of events. He looked at the two ghosts who suddenly seemed strange, instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword, and became wary.
Only Giyu Tomioka remained seated there with a blank expression, as if none of this concerned him.
After quite a while, the tube of blood was finally filled.
Tamayo abruptly pulled out the needle and, with all her might, locked the vial of blood, which exuded a deadly allure, into a specially made metal box.
"Bang!"
The aroma was shut out the moment the box was closed.
Tamayo and Yushiro seemed to have all their strength drained away, and they collapsed at the same time.
Tamayo leaned against the table, panting heavily, her kimono soaked with cold sweat. Yushiro, on the other hand, knelt on the ground, his hands supporting him, his body still trembling with fear.
That's... that's terrifying!
Tamayo stared at the metal box, her eyes filled with lingering fear and shock.
After a long while, she calmed her racing heart, looked at Giyu Tomioka with the eyes of someone looking at a monster, and spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Mr. Giyu... are you... a possessor of Marechi?"
"Marechi?" For the first time, a look of confusion appeared on Giyu's face.
"Yes," Tamayo explained, forcing herself to stand up straight, "Marechi is a type of human whose blood has an immense allure to demons. The value of ordinary Marechi is equivalent to that of a hundred ordinary people. But your blood... is probably the Marechi of Marechi; its value might even exceed that of a thousand, ten thousand ordinary people!"
"I see."
Giyu nodded. He finally understood why Tamayo had that strange reaction when she saw him in the alley.
"I need some time to test your blood," Tamayo, looking at him with utmost seriousness. "In the meantime, could you and your companions please not leave Asakusa? I have a feeling that your blood might truly be our hope in defeating Muzan!"
"Good."
Giyu readily agreed.
He stood up, pulled up Sabito was still in a daze beside him, and turned to walk towards the door.
"Then we won't bother you any longer."
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Yushiro finally got up from the ground. He helped Tamayo up and asked worriedly, "Lady Tamayo, are we just going to let them go like that? What if they..."
"They won't." Tamayo shook her head, looking at the doorway with a complicated expression. "That boy, he's not that kind of person."
Stepping out of the villa and back onto the brightly lit street, Sabito finally came to his senses.
He couldn't help but ask, "Giyu, are we just leaving like this? What if those two ghosts manage to escape?"
Giyu did not answer; his gaze fell on the huge wooden box behind Sabito.
"Won't."
He shook his head and said in a calm tone.
"Give the item to Hidden. Next, we'll be hunting demons in Asakusa."
No sooner had they finished speaking than several masked members of the Kakushi Division appeared silently behind them.
Giyu pointed to the large box on Sabito's back and ordered the leader of the Kakushi Division members, "Take this to Hanaya and give it to Kanae Kocho."
"Yes!"
The Kakushi Division members received the order and stepped forward to take the box.
However, Sabito, standing to the side, erupted first!
"You bastard!!"
"It's clearly you who wants to pick up girls! And give them gifts! Why am I the one who has to do all the carrying and hauling?! Did I dig up your family's graves in my past life?!"
"Giyu Tomioka! You cold-looking guy with a secretly horny heart! I despise you!!"
When confronted with his companion's accusations, Giyu simply glanced at him calmly.
Then, he took out the check for ten million from his pocket and stuffed it into Sabito's hand.
Hush money.
After saying that, he turned and walked deeper into Asakusa without looking back.
Only Sabito was left standing there, dumbfounded, clutching the light yet heavy check in his hand, which fluttered in the night wind.