Are You the Sword's Master, or Am I?

Before he could finish speaking.

Yushiro, his expression grave, immediately stepped forward protectively in front of Tamayo.

Hearing this, Tamayo understood that she had overthought things. She could also sense that Tanjiro bore no ill will, so she calmly said,

"That's right. I am both a demon and a doctor. But what I want is the same as you—to destroy the source of all this, Muzan Kibutsuji!"

"But aren't you a demon too?"

Tanjiro did not believe her and remained suspicious.

This made Yushiro, standing in front of her, look extremely displeased as he scowled.

But Tamayo's expression did not change. Instead, she continued calmly,

"This is because of a personal grudge. I altered my own body, so I do not need to eat people. I only need to drink a small amount of blood, and I have also freed myself from Muzan Kibutsuji's curse."

After hearing her explanation,

Tanjiro took a light sniff and caught a clear scent devoid of lies.

He became convinced that she could be trusted.

Tamayo glanced over the bustling street and continued, "There are too many people here. This is not a suitable place to talk. Please follow me and leave this place first."

At that, Tanjiro looked at the crowds passing by around them and only then realized this, hurriedly replying,

"That's fine, but my sister is still waiting for me on a street at the edge of town. Could you wait for me a moment?"

Hearing that, Tamayo replied with concern,

"Of course. Let Yushiro go with you. Once you find your sister, he can bring both of you to my residence, and we can continue our earlier discussion."

"Okay."

Tanjiro replied with a smile.

As for Yushiro, who had been standing in front of her, his face darkened. He quickly turned and asked anxiously,

"Lady Tamayo, but your safety—"

Before he could finish, Tamayo interrupted him with a wave of her hand.

"Do not worry about me. Hurry and go."

With that said, Yushiro could only obediently follow Tanjiro away.

Meanwhile.

Muzan Kibutsuji, who had left, entered a dim alley alone. That figure remained impossible to banish from his mind!

He muttered under his breath,

"Impossible... That man was clearly dead... This can't be possible. But how else can I explain that posture and those words?

Could it have been Tamayo...?"

Muzan was in turmoil, but he had calmed down somewhat. Facing the pitch-black alley ahead, he suddenly said coldly,

"Whether he is connected to that man or not, he has already discovered my identity. I only need to kill him...

That's right, kill him!"

That was what he said.

But there was one word that defined him: coward!

Otherwise, he would not have hidden himself away and refused to show his face while Yoriichi Tsugikuni was still alive.

Since he could not put himself in danger, he would send his subordinate demons instead!

There just happened to be two nearby.

He would give them some blood and have them test the waters...

His usually sluggish mind suddenly became sharp, and he immediately summoned those two demons.

Are You the Blade Master, or Am I?

In a dark alley.

Muzan snapped his fingers, and two man-eating demons abruptly appeared behind him, kneeling on one knee.

Without even turning around, Muzan said in a low voice,

"Go kill that demon slayer wearing hanafuda earrings. Bring me his head!"

"Yes, sir!"

The two demons answered in unison before vanishing from the spot.

Meanwhile.

Elsewhere.

Tanjiro led Yushiro to a dim street outside the town.

Nezuko was sitting on a bench, dozing off. Meanwhile, the owner of the noodle stall behind her frowned, looking extremely irritated.

Tanjiro's heart tightened at the sight. He hurried over alone, bowed slightly, and said, "I'm terribly sorry. Something urgent came up, so I had to leave for a while. I'll pay right away..."

But the noodle stall owner glared furiously and snapped, "Is this about money? She took one sip of the soup and dumped it on the ground!

She clearly looks down on my cooking!"

Faced with the owner's accusations, Tanjiro said apologetically, "I am truly very sorry. Please give me another bowl of udon. I will definitely finish it!"

Lin Fan watched Tanjiro eat from within the blade.

At the same time, the system's notification sounded in his mind, informing him that he had gained Emotion Points.

But it was just a few scraps here and there. Lin Fan was already sick of hearing it. "System, can't you adjust or turn off this notification sound?

It's really noisy when it keeps going off."

After he spoke.

The system gave its response.

"Ding! Notification sounds can be turned off or adjusted!"

Hearing that, Lin Fan asked,

"Then why didn't you say so earlier?"

"You did not ask."

The system answered bluntly. Lin Fan was momentarily left speechless and could only say gloomily, "Adjust the Emotion Points notification from now on. Do not notify me for individual gains below one thousand."

"As you wish!"

The system automatically adjusted the settings.

Lin Fan then opened his personal panel. Seeing that his Emotion Points were about to reach thirty thousand, he began considering what ability to unlock next.

Outside, under the owner's watchful gaze, Tanjiro wolfed down a bowl of udon before finally being allowed to leave with his sister Nezuko.

They met up with Yushiro, who had been waiting nearby.

With Yushiro leading the way, the three of them left together.

They wound through the alleys of the town until they reached a corner at the end of an alley, with paths on both sides.

Under Tanjiro's watch.

Yushiro, walking ahead, cautiously swept his gaze around with the corner of his eye before heading straight toward the wall in front of him.

Just as Tanjiro thought he was about to crash into it.

Yushiro's figure strangely passed directly through the wall and disappeared from their sight.

Seeing this.

Tanjiro tried extending his hand into the wall. He felt nothing in front of him, and with one step forward, he easily passed through it together with Nezuko behind him.

What came into view was a residence.

Tanjiro could not help exclaiming, "There's actually a residence behind a dead end?"

Yushiro, who was walking ahead, turned back with a gloomy expression and said,

"Listen carefully. If you disrespect that lady, I will never forgive you!"

"Ah?... Okay."

Tanjiro froze for a moment before hurriedly replying.

Only then did the three of them push open the door and enter the residence together.

A brightly lit room greeted them.

Tamayo stood there, seemingly having waited for a long time. Upon seeing them, she bluntly asked the question she cared about most.

"May I ask, do you know Yoriichi Tsugikuni?"

Hearing that name again, Tanjiro could only honestly say,

"I do not know the person you are referring to."

Looking into Tanjiro's clear eyes, Tamayo could tell he was not lying, but she continued to press him.

"Then why did you take on that expression, and why did you say those things to Muzan Kibutsuji? Every movement you made was exactly like Yoriichi Tsugikuni in the past."

That hit the nail on the head, and since Tanjiro did not know how to answer, he had no choice but to ask inwardly, Ashura Maru, how am I supposed to answer this?

Faced with the plea for help, Lin Fan was truly helpless.

He could only reply irritably, "Do whatever you want. Stop asking me about every little thing. Are you the blade master, or am I the blade master?!"

Tanjiro nearly lost his composure.

However, judging by Asuramaru's attitude, could he just say whatever he wanted?

With that thought, he looked at Tamayo before him and pondered for a moment. He had already made up his mind.

"Actually, the person who made that expression just now wasn't me at all—it was the sword at my waist named Asuramaru taking control of me to do it!"

Hearing Tanjiro directly confess everything so honestly, without concealing anything at all.

Lin Fan truly did not know what to say.

Still, Tamayo was one of their own, so telling her was not a big deal.

But after hearing that answer, Tamayo's expression became somewhat blank. She even began to wonder whether Tanjiro was making fun of her.

After all, a blade controlling a person was simply absurd.

Perhaps such a thing could only happen in the mythical tales of legend.

As for Yushiro beside her, his face immediately darkened as he angrily demanded, "Are you mocking Lady Tamayo? Unforgivable..."

He moved as though he were about to teach Tanjiro a lesson.

Fortunately, Tamayo came to her senses and immediately stopped him.

"Yushiro, stop. Do not use violence."

As soon as she spoke.

Yushiro immediately suppressed the anger in his heart and obediently stepped back.

"I understand, Lady Tamayo."

Tanjiro hurriedly explained as well.

"Though it is hard to believe, this is the truth."

His words were firm and did not sound like lies.

Even so, it was hard not to doubt him. Tamayo looked at Akuroamaru at Tanjiro's waist and fell into thought.

After a moment, she asked,

"Then where did you obtain this blade? Could you let it control you once more? I would like to ask it some questions. Is that possible?"