Demon Slayer: Starting with the Kingdom

In the crucial step of how to poison Mitsuha Tsugikuni, Tamayo first selected two willing demon hunters and injected them with her specially prepared wisteria poison.

Then, they would find an opportunity to let Mitsuha Tsugikuni devour them, thus achieving the goal of poisoning indirectly.

Given that she couldn't get close to Mitsuha Tsugikuni and couldn't get her to willingly take the poison, this was the only feasible solution Tamayo could think of.

"There are two possible scenarios for this."

In response to the Flame Pillar's question, Tamayo slowly spoke:

"The first scenario is that Mitsuha Tsugikuni kills the two demon slayers at the gate as soon as he arrives at the mansion, and then drains their flesh and blood. This is the ideal situation."

The second possibility is that she ignored the two demon hunters and went straight for Mr. Ubuyashiki, who was located in the mansion.

In this situation, it is necessary to make these two demon hunters attack Mitsuha Tsugikuni on their own initiative, forcing her to kill them and devour their flesh and blood..."

"Why is Miss Tamayo so sure that Mitsuha Tsugikuni would devour the flesh and blood of those two swordsmen after killing them?"

"I can't guarantee she will, but I'm certainly confident."

Tamayo provided a detailed explanation for the Flame Pillar's doubts.

"First of all, Mitsuha Tsugikuni has a particular fondness for devouring the flesh and blood of demon hunters, and this has never changed in the past few decades."

Secondly, according to the Demon Slayer Corps' past records, Mitsuha Tsugikuni's eating frequency and timing are very stable.

She eats once a month without fail, always between the 15th and 20th of the month.

And today happens to be the fourteenth day of this month…

"I see!"

Suddenly realizing what was happening, the Flame Pillar instinctively said:

"So, Miss Tamayo, the reason you only had that wealthy businessman inform Mitsuha Tsugikuni today was to disrupt her eating habits this month?"

Tamayo nodded and said in a deep voice:

"Today is the fourteenth day of this month. It has been almost a month since Mitsuha Tsugikuni last ate."

Theoretically speaking, Mitsuha Tsugikuni at this moment is precisely when she is at her weakest relative to the period before and after.

Mr. Flame Pillar, let's make a hypothetical scenario: what if you were Mitsuha Tsugikuni?

If you were in this situation, and you already anticipated that a battle that the Demon Slayer had been planning for a long time was likely to occur next.

Having gone almost a month without food, would you consider giving yourself a little boost before the battle?

Upon hearing Tamayo's question, the Flame Pillar did not answer immediately, because he noticed another piece of information revealed in Tamayo's words.

"Does Ms. Tamayo believe that Mitsuha Tsugikuni has already realized that this is all a trap we set?"

"Mr. Flame Pillar, tonight we are about to face the most terrifying and dangerous enemy for humanity. I hope you will not harbor any illusions."

Tamayo gave the Flame Pillar another serious reminder, and replied earnestly:

"I can't be completely sure that Mitsuha Tsugikuni has already noticed it, but I think it's possible."

Therefore, considering the worst-case scenario, regardless of whether she is aware of our actions, I will arrange our attack plan based on this premise.

"In Tamayo's opinion, is Mitsuha Tsugikuni the kind of person who would knowingly walk into a trap?"

"I am quite certain of that."

This time, Tamayo gave a very affirmative answer.

Recalling her brief journey with Mitsuha nearly a century ago, she said:

"This is not only because she possesses a Blood Demon Art that is so powerful that it is almost impossible for humans to defeat."

More importantly, her personality is extremely similar to Muzan Kibutsuji's; they are both equally arrogant and conceited, and both firmly believe in their own strength.

Therefore, when faced with demon hunters who are incredibly weak in their eyes, they will still step into a trap even if they know it is one.

Because in their minds, they firmly believed that no matter what kind of trap it was, they would be able to overcome it with their own strength!

Therefore, Mitsuha Tsugikuni will definitely come!

She will definitely be there tonight!

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent for a moment.

Tamayo looked at the Flame Pillar, who had once again fallen silent.

"But as I said before, all the steps in my plan are only based on certainty, not absolute certainty."

Even if I have planned the most suitable environment, Mitsuha Tsugikuni may not necessarily act according to my prediction.

Perhaps, she simply changed her tastes this month and started eating other humans ahead of time.

Perhaps she was so arrogant that even knowing there was a trap, she wouldn't bother to replenish her strength before the battle.

Or perhaps, she has become extremely cautious and has chosen to come with other powerful evil spirits.

No matter how detailed our plans are, these uncontrollable risks are something we cannot eliminate.

Therefore, Mr. Flame Pillar, I can now tell you definitively that I am not absolutely certain of the success of this plan to subdue Mitsuba Tsugikuni.

On the contrary, in my opinion, even if we have gone to such lengths, the probability of this operation failing is still greater than the probability of success.

Moreover, regardless of whether our plan to subdue you succeeds tonight, your lord, who is also the bait, is very likely to lose his life as a result.

This is a high-stakes gamble, Mr. Flame Pillar.

We're betting on Mitsuha's arrogance, betting that she'll choose the most advantageous possibility for us from among the myriad possibilities.

This is an extremely insane act. While there's still time, if you want to back out, I will stop everything immediately..."

"No need."

Faced with Tamayo's final warning, the Flame Pillar did not hesitate at all. He simply shook his head calmly, his eyes resolute.

"In this expedition, both our lord and we swordsmen are prepared to die."

"Ms. Tamayo, proceed according to your plan..."

(Open for business, meow~)

Chapter 91 The causal line is "dead".

Returning to the mansion late at night, Ubuyashiki's gaze fell upon the two withered corpses of demon hunters at Mitsuha's feet.

He was actually unaware of Tamayo's detailed plans for tonight.

This is normal, after all, Mitsuha Tsugikuni possesses the terrifying ability to see the causal threads on humans and to trace the past and future along these causal threads.

As a crucial decoy in this plan, Tamayo must confront Mitsuha Tsugikuni alone and delay him for a while, so naturally she cannot tell him the complete plan.

All Ubuyashiki knew was that once the two demon slayers guarding the mansion's entrance were killed, he would have to find a way to delay Mitsuha Tsugikuni for a while before signaling the demon slayers who were already lying in ambush around the area to attack.

Yes, that's all he knew about Tamayo's plan to subdue her.

In fact, most of the details of this subjugation plan were communicated between Ubuyashiki's most trusted Flame Pillar and Tamayo.

This is also to prevent Mitsuha Tsugikuni from spying on cause and effect.

According to Tamayo, causal lines only record "specific things in reality" and not "human thoughts".

Therefore, fundamentally, unless Tamayo directly tells Ubuyashiki the specific details of the subjugation plan, the causal line will never record it.

At that time, even if Mitsuha Tsugikuni saw the causal threads on him, she would at most only know the brief information that "he and Tamayo plotted against her," and would not be able to know the details of the plan.

Therefore, there is room for further operation here.

Humans have always used a variety of methods to transmit information.

Aside from the most direct means like eye contact and words, it might be a tacit glance, a special code word, or a trivial little gesture.

Even the reasoning hidden beneath all of these methods...

Just like Ubuyashiki, even though Tamayo never told him, he could guess that the poison Tamayo prepared for Mitsuha Tsugikuni must have been hidden in the bodies of the two demon hunters at the door.

This is a very simple line of reasoning, but even if he knows it in his heart, what can he do?

Cause and effect are "dead"; they have no thoughts of their own and never try to understand human thought.

It will only rigidly record what has already happened in reality, and will never record the human heart.

Therefore, even though Ubuyashiki already knew that Tamayo wanted to use the two demon hunters to poison Mitsuha Tsugikuni.

But as long as the two of them don't break the ice and directly state the matter, the causal line will never be able to record it.

At the same time, there were also those two demon hunters.

They were also completely unaware of the detailed plans for tonight's attack, and they hadn't even met Tamayo directly.

All they knew was that they had to stay here tonight and do everything in their power to protect the safety of the buruyashiki.

All they knew about the poison injected into their bodies was that it was a special drug developed by the Demon Slayer Corps' doctors that could greatly enhance their potential in a short period of time.

Yes, it all sounds so absurd.

Everything is a disguise, packaged in words and actions.

But even with a past full of lies, when the causal chain begins to record, it will only record these absurd past events in detail.

Because the causal relationship is dead.

It cannot read human thoughts, nor can it distinguish human lies.

It records how humans actually do this thing.

Even if everyone knows perfectly well that you are actually lying.

【Mitsuzuki, you have one foot in the door of death.】

Taking a deep breath, he focused his gaze on Mitsuha, who was smiling in front of him. Ubuyashiki, whose face was covered with cursed scars, also smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Mitsuha Tsugikuni, the Upper Moon One of the Twelve Demon Moons."

Now, let him finish this final act of his life...

"It's incredible."

Looking at the composed Ubuyashiki in front of her, Mitsuha's smile widened.

"Mr. Ubuyashiki, you actually know my name?"

Her pupils instantly transformed into the shape of a datura flower, and at that moment, Mitsuha clearly saw the causal lines on Ubuyashiki's body.

Several months ago, I received a mysterious letter from someone claiming to know information about the Upper Moon Demons, and I decided to meet them at a suburban mansion...

[The letter writer is named Tamayo, who has a blood feud with Muzan Kibutsuji and hopes to cooperate with the Demon Slayer Corps...]

[Having decided to trust Tamayo, the two sides officially began their cooperation, and Tamayo took complete control of the collaboration...]

[As requested by Tamayo, a nationwide search for the blue spider lily has been launched...]

[A portrait of someone named "Tsugikuni Mitsuhide" was received. Tamayo's analysis confirmed his identity as "Tsugikuni Mitsuha," and the expedition officially began...]

[Everything is ready. Send someone to inform the wealthy merchant of the specific meeting place for Tsugikuni Mitsuha...]

[He ordered the Flame Pillar's father to take his child away and led the other Pillars to the mansion to ambush and wait...]

"I see. If it's Tamayo, then everything makes sense."

Instantly understanding all of Ubuyashiki's past and future, Mitsuha's face showed realization.

"I've always been curious about how you knew about the Blue Spider Lily clue. So it really was Miss Tamayo who told you...?"

Although I had considered this possibility, I must admit that I was quite surprised that she would take the initiative to seek your help.

After all, I've always believed that given Tamayo's status, personality, and her opinion of you demon slayers, she should never have taken the initiative to contact you.

Oh dear, it's such a shame that the reunion of old friends after decades will unfold in this way...

"But this is for the best. That lord has been searching for her for so many years. If we can take this opportunity to get rid of her as well, perhaps it would be a rare and good thing?"

"Truly... incredible power..."

Hearing Mitsuha's smiling words, and seeing that she could say Tamayo's name without any warning.

Ubuyashiki, who had previously harbored some doubts, now completely believed in Mitsuha's Blood Demon Art abilities.

This powerful demon before me—she really can see through all the past and future?!

Could such terrifying power truly be born in this world?!