"Mitsuba, what did you say just now?"
"I mean, does Lord Muzan need me to take care of Elder Brother Yoriichi for you?"
Facing Muzan's disbelieving gaze, Mitsuba repeated once again.
Unlike Muzan, Mitsuba had always believed in the existence of gods from beginning to end.
Therefore, she was more convinced than anyone in this world that Yoriichi was definitely the Child of God, and his birth was definitely to kill Muzan.
And because of this too, she had always been certain that Yoriichi would firmly walk down the path of slaying demons, unaffected by anyone.
So from the start, Mitsuba had never thought of persuading Yoriichi like she did with Michikatsu, to persuade Yoriichi to become a demon as well.
Not even for a moment.
Because this was simply impossible.
The gods in heaven would absolutely never allow Their sharpest blade to become a puppet under the Demon King's control.
From the moment she decided to become a demon, Mitsuba had already prepared herself mentally to stand on the opposing side with this Elder Brother Yoriichi of hers.
She would not hope for luck, nor would she resent anything because of this.
Elder Brother Yoriichi had his mission, and she, also had her own desires.
She had sworn that from now on, she would definitely live for herself.
She could absolutely no longer sacrifice herself to fulfill others' paths.
Even if this person was her former blood relative.
"Mitsuba, you... can you defeat that monster?"
"What a heartbreaking attitude, Lord Muzan..."
Deliberately putting on a sad expression on her face, facing Muzan's spontaneous doubt, Mitsuba smiled mysteriously:
"You should know, right? My Blood Demon Art actually has another... completely different usage."
After these words fell, Mitsuba spoke no more, only smiling as she gazed at Muzan, and Muzan did the same.
Perhaps in outsiders' eyes, the two of them were now facing each other in a daze, but Michikatsu beside them knew that this was Mitsuba conducting a consciousness dialogue with Muzan.
[A completely different usage, huh...]
Without any intention of deliberately prying, Michikatsu only sat silently to the side, quietly waiting for their exchange to end.
[The abilities Mitsuba showed before were already so powerful, and this turned out to not even be her full strength...]
[She actually... still has a trump card hidden?]
"That's exactly right, Lord Muzan."
Quickly ending her consciousness dialogue with Muzan, Mitsuba continued with a cheerful smile:
"If my Blood Demon Art is used flexibly, even facing Elder Brother Yoriichi, I also have extremely high confidence in being able to defeat my elder brother.
Of course, this opportunity only comes once; once failed, I absolutely cannot have a second chance..."
"No!"
However, before Mitsuba could finish speaking, Muzan interrupted her. He almost instantly frowned and said sternly:
"This method is too risky! Mitsuba, you don't understand at all how terrifying that monster is! The method you mentioned is purely gambling with your own life!"
"Eh—but I think..."
"Enough! This matter is discussed up to here; in short, I disagree!"
"Yes~ obedient~"
Seeing Mitsuba's indifferent attitude that could be described as perfunctory, Muzan's mind suddenly turned, and he added:
"Don't think about trying secretly behind my back!"
"Yes yes yes..."
Once again being perfunctory, not waiting for Muzan to continue on this topic, Mitsuba quickly shifted the subject.
"Right, Lord Muzan, while you were recuperating, I kept thinking—as the Demon King, shouldn't you prepare some loyal subordinates for yourself?"
"Loyal subordinates?"
"Yes."
Successfully diverting Muzan's attention, Mitsuba jumped down from the wall, raised her index finger, and seriously explained:
"I understand that in your past five hundred years, Demon Hunters have always been a very weak group—no Breathing Styles, no Demon Slayer Marks, no Transparent World...
They could only rely on their fragile bodies and ordinary Nichirin Blades to engage in life-and-death battles with demons with a vast disparity.
During this period, even a demon that seemed extremely weak to us was a great threat to Demon Hunters.
But now, all this has changed because of Elder Brother Yoriichi's arrival.
The Breathing Style he created, along with the accompanying Demon Slayer Marks and Transparent World, have indeed given Demon Hunters, to a certain extent, the power to match most demons.
Considering the Ubuyashiki clan's bloodline is not severed, the Demon Slayer Corps will surely 'rise from the dead' in the future. In such a situation, I personally believe that Lord Muzan, you should also appropriately create some powerful demon subordinates of your own.
And let these subordinates attract Demon Hunters' attention on your behalf, confront them, even completely eliminate them in your place—rather than, as before, you personally showing yourself outside, constantly being closely watched by those Demon Hunters..."
"Mhm, this is indeed a very good suggestion..."
Facing the suggestion Mitsuba put forward, Muzan subconsciously nodded in acknowledgment.
Don't mention it—after being cut by Yoriichi, Muzan already had similar thoughts in his mind.
After all, the human world was indeed too dangerous.
Who knew when another monster like Yoriichi might suddenly pop out?
So, rather than waiting for some day in the future when going out, to be suddenly ambushed again by some "Yoriichi the Second" who looked completely ordinary but was equally astonishingly strong...
Muzan felt it would be better for him to be a bit more low-key...
Of course, this wasn't because he was afraid of Yoriichi.
He just felt that, after all, as the Demon King, how could he not have a single capable demon under his command?
Right?
Look at Ubuyashiki next door—looking like he was about to die from illness, yet still had quite a few people under him. In comparison, wouldn't this make him as the Demon King look shabby!
This was the proper bearing a Demon King should have; this was him building a new order for the demon race, understand?
Yes, exactly like that.
Repeat once more—he was not afraid of Yoriichi.
As the powerful Demon King, as the creature closest to perfection in this world, he feared no human; only humans feared him. Don't get it wrong, understand?
At most, he was just a bit wary...
"Then Mitsuba, do you have any ideas about this?"
"I do I do I do! First is the name!"
Her face instantly showing a brilliant smile, Mitsuba immediately sat down beside the stone table and said fluently:
"While Lord Muzan was recuperating, I seriously thought about it—since we demons can only appear at night, how about we call them... the Twelve Kizuki!"