Most people's temperaments lean toward compromise and moderation.
For instance, if you say, "This plague is too dangerous, I'm here to treat others," or if you say, "I have a little money here, I hope you can do me a favor," these patients likely won't cooperate.
But if you say you are a law enforcement officer from Tokyo, and that if they don't confess honestly, they'll all be thrown in prison and end up "dead-dead," they will seek compromise and become willing to talk.
The moment Natsunishi's palm struck.
The man's eyes cleared instantly, and he stopped cursing at his wife. But that wasn't the end of it. After the slap, Natsunishi gave the man no chance to recover. He grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up.
"Idiot, you think silence is going to get you through this?!" Natsunishi continued to shout in that emotionless "interrogator's tone."
"That 'Divine Doctor' is the culprit who made you sick! He told you not to tell anyone carrying a sword? Do we look like ordinary ronin carrying blades to you?"
"We are here representing the government... no, representing the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on a case!"
Natsunishi pointed at his own uniform. Although the man didn't understand the significance of the uniform, he could see that its texture and craftsmanship were far from ordinary clothing.
These two kids... they wouldn't really throw me in prison, would they?
The man faltered. Natsunishi seemed to see the weakness in his eyes and immediately ramped up the pressure.
"Withholding information is the same as being an accomplice! Do you want to go inside and eat pork cutlet bowls and pick up soap?"
Slap!
Another backhanded slap followed. The man's cheeks were now evenly swollen. Balanced.
The fabricated institution, the violent actions, the intimidating rhetoric framing the man as a habitual offender, and finally, the strangely grounded threat. After this combination of blows, the civilian—who had little education and a natural, innate fear of authority—was completely dazed.
His wife was the first to speak.
"Stop hitting him, I—I'll talk! I'll talk!" Looking at her husband's swollen face, she spoke with trepidation. "At... at the abandoned sanatorium on the west side of town! Every time it's midnight, the Divine Doctor comes from that direction!"
"And, and more," the patient added, trembling. "The Divine Doctor isn't tall and is wrapped up very tightly. Also, the hair that shows seems to be white, and the voice... the voice sounds a bit like a woman's..."
After finishing the intermittent confession, the man even fell to the floor in a dogeza bow. His tone was completely different from the beginning. "Please, don't arrest us. We've really told you everything we know."
Natsunishi let go of the man's collar. "Wouldn't it have been better to cooperate like this from the start? Don't worry, take this money and take the medicine prescribed by Lady Kochobu on time. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department will remember your contribution."
He then dropped the "official" act and returned to his usual, somewhat lazy demeanor. It was as if everything that had just happened was a hallucination. He even picked up his wine gourd and took a sip.
Well... it was actually filled with Ramune soda. He turned and raised an eyebrow at Shinobu Kochobu. The meaning was clear: Done.
Shinobu: ≖_≖
You... why are you so skilled at this?!
She looked at Natsunishi, then at the couple who were now huddled together in fear—but had finally coughed up the information—and for a moment, she didn't know how to evaluate the situation. Massaging her temples, she let out a soft sigh. After offering a few words of comfort to the couple, who now looked at her with fear, she grabbed Natsunishi by the wrist and quickly led him out of the house.
"The information is in hand, what are you still standing around for?"
Natsunishi shifted his gaze away from the [Intimidation LV.1] on his status panel and looked at the underage girl beside him.
Shinobu couldn't help but continue her quiet grumbling. "Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department? Pork cutlet bowls? And 'Lady Kochobu'... where did you learn all this nonsense?"
Natsunishi shrugged, looking perfectly natural. "I saw it all in Japanese dramas. Don't worry about where it came from; just ask yourself if it worked."
Shinobu felt both helpless and amused. "It worked. Lord Kuguruma is the most useful of all."
It wasn't just useful; the effect was outstanding. When they left, those two civilians almost tried to press money into her hands instead.
Finally, she looked seriously at Natsunishi. However, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift slightly. "Next time... at least don't actually slap them. it's bad for the Demon Slayer Corps' image."
"I'll try." Natsunishi's reply was devoid of any sincerity.
Truly a person who cannot be measured by common logic, and who acts purely on whim... But also, just as her sister had said, a person who was willful yet... interesting.
By evening, the three met at the agreed-upon location.
"We have a lead, Lord Storm Hashira," Shinobu spoke first. The girl spoke eagerly, like a child seeking credit from a parent. "There's a fellow calling himself the 'Divine Doctor' who can cure patients infected by Blood Demon Arts. He appears at night to treat people and is extremely wary of swordsmen carrying blades. He even specifically warns those he treats not to trust samurai."
The Storm Hashira merely smiled and nodded, acknowledging Shinobu's success.
"I have some findings as well," Igarashi added. "This 'Divine Doctor' doesn't cure patients every time. According to my inquiries, at least eight people claimed to have gone to see the Divine Doctor and haven't been heard from since. It has been ten days since they went missing."
Shinobu frowned slightly. Such a long time... if the opponent was truly a man-eating demon, those people were likely long gone. And the probability of the opponent not being a demon? The three of them knew the answer.
"Let's go take a look together at that sanatorium where the Divine Doctor is said to appear. Conveniently, the sun is about to set. Whether it's a demon or a human doing evil... let's go meet them."
Igarashi looked at Natsunishi. "Kuguruma, remember to protect Miss Kochobu."
Without further hesitation, the three rose and sped toward the sanatorium mentioned by the townsfolk. Even with Igarashi and Natsunishi intentionally slowing down, the young Shinobu still had a bit of trouble keeping up. Natsunishi shot a look at Igarashi, took the medicine box from Shinobu, and lightened her burden slightly.
"Is this the place?"
The abandoned sanatorium looked eerie and sinister in the twilight. However, a flickering firelight shone from a room on the first floor, and shadows were vaguely reflected in the window. They approached stealthily and soon saw the scene inside.
The Divine Doctor was treating a child, and there were several other patients waiting nearby.
"Child, your symptoms are a bit complex. Go to the old room; I'll take a closer look at you tonight." After the child obediently walked away, she called over a thin, frail man.
She looked him over perfunctorily and pressed her hand against his forehead. A faint light-gray color seeped from the point of contact into her fingers, and the man immediately let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
"I feel better! Divine Doctor! You really are a Divine Doctor!"
The Divine Doctor, however, showed no appreciation at all and impatiently told him to get out of the sanatorium. Before he left, she specifically reminded him not to provoke any samurai carrying swords.
"It seems this Divine Doctor is indeed not a proper 'human,'" Igarashi whispered to Natsunishi and Shinobu, who had quietly returned. "Did you find anything on your side?"
Naturally, they did. For instance, the remains of several dead swordsmen and the shriveled corpses of children. Even Shinobu's face was now covered in a layer of frost.
Natsunishi looked at the demon still "treating" patients in the room further away and began to stretch his body.
So... this was one of the Twelve Demon Moons.
[Mukago???] (Lower Rank Five)
Energy Level: 327
┣ Body: 293
┣ Skill: 20
┗ Mind: 14
[Blood Demon Art: Poisonous Spores]
[Blood Demon Art: Sensitizing Lash]
[Blood Demon Art: Decay]
Compared to this status panel... all the demons from before were nothing but trash.