Chapter 62: Harsh Condition

Chapter 62: Harsh Condition.

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Demon Slayer Headquarters.

Shinobu immersed herself in the letter she had just received from Ace. Her expression shifted with each passing detail, particularly as she read into the demon's abilities.

This letter was actually Ace's mission report, and about how things had proceeded.

As Shinobu reached the final segment where Ace mentioned bringing the demon to Headquarters for interrogation, a subtle tremor of excitement coursed through her. After all, it was the first time in history they would be able to interrogate an Upper Moon. And with the amount of abilities this demon had she would also be able to develop a potential lethal poison with her endless supply of blood.

Alongside extracting information, Shinobu considered the chance to practise procedures on the demon, refining techniques for reversing their transformations, an aspect they hadn't fully explored with Nezuko.

"He managed to capture Daki alive. How?" a soft and melodious voice spoke beside her in shock.

Turning towards the voice, Shinobu found herself face to face with a woman adorned in long, dark brown hair, intricately braided and secured by a floral hairpin. The woman's large, gentle eyes lacked pupils, enveloped in a haze of lavender that deepened to dark purple. Her pale complexion contrasted with notably red lips. She was a very attractive woman.

Despite her initial instincts, Shinobu harbored different thoughts about the woman. In a typical scenario, her status as a demon would have warranted immediate termination. However, after hearing the words of both Tanjiro and Ace, Shinobu was able to lay aside her anger and had petitioned Oyakata-sama to invite the demon to collaborate with them. Surprisingly, Oyakata-sama swiftly agreed, and recently after working together for weeks, Shinobu found herself developing a friendship and respect for this remarkable woman.

Even after her transformation into a demon, she had displayed an impressive ability to control her instincts, refraining from harming humans even after centuries. It was a feat that spoke volumes about her formidable willpower, earning Shinobu's admiration.

"Yes, though he didn't mention how he had done it in the letter," Shinobu replied to the woman.

"He killed her brother, right?" Tamayo suddenly asked in a tense voice.

"Yes, he did. Why are you so tense?" Shinobu responded, puzzled by Tamayo's demeanor.

"Because most Upper Moons can sense when another Upper Moon dies. And since he killed her brother, all of them would surely notice it."

"I know, but what's the problem? Even if they knew, I don't think it matters," Shinobu replied.

"In a normal case, it wouldn't be an issue. However, since he somehow managed to take a demon hostage and bring it with him, those with a stronger blood connection might be able to track his positions. Do you understand now what I am trying to say?" Tamayo explained in panic.

Only then did Shinobu comprehend the implications, and a hint of pallor crossed her features.

"And The ones who would usually have close connections to her blood would be either another Upper Moon or Muzan. And if they successfully trail him, they can easily find the Headquarters," Tamayo continued.

"Or they can just ambush Ace and kill him there," Shinobu added in a tense voice.

"Let's hurry, then, Tamayo-san. I need to go," Shinobu said urgently, seizing her medical equipment and sword without a moment's hesitation.

Tamayo nodded, and helped her in packing the medical equipment, poisons, and the anti-venom. She would have accompanied Shinobu herself if not for the presence of the sun.

On their way out of the mansion, they inquired about the currently stationed Hashiras in the Headquarters.

"Kocho-sama, only Gyomei-sama is currently in the Hq. All the others are on a mission now."

"Can you call him now? We are in a hurry," Shinobu urgently commanded.

"As you command." The girl swiftly left and returned with Gyomei-san in tow just a few minutes later.

Shinobu promptly explained the situation to Gyomei, who listened attentively and then said in a serious tone, "I understand, Shinobu-san. Let's not wait anymore and leave as fast as possible."

"Hmm," Shinobu nodded in agreement, her concern evident. While she wanted to invite Mitsuri, knowing she was not in Headquarters at the moment made it impossible.

As they prepared to leave, Shinobu emitted a peculiar whistle, summoning the same crow that had delivered the letter to her. The crow swiftly arrived at their location.

"Guide us to your master," Shinobu instructed, and the kasugai crow began leading them in a specific direction. These special crows possessed the unique ability to discern their master's location from vast distances.

- x - X - x -

Fourteen hours later.

They had been travelling at full speed since leaving the Headquarters. Night had fallen, and exhaustion weighed heavily on them, yet they hadn't stopped for a moment's rest. Shinobu already got a little weary from the continuous stamina consumption.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps stirred them to heightened vigilance. As the steps drew nearer, they sensed the panicked approach of three women. Shinobu quickly recognized them as Tengen's underlings, who were assigned on a spy mission in Yoshiwara district—the very place where Ace was currently on a mission.

Halting them, Shinobu aimed to interrogate them about the situation, but before she could utter a single question, the underlings, their faces wrought with distress, began shouting upon seeing Shinobu and Gyomei.

""Shinobu-sama! Gyomei-sama!"

"Help!"

"Upper-Moon!"

"Quiet down and calm yourself! and Talk in human language!" Shinobu instructed with stern authority.

As they hushed under her commanding tone, the underlings began to explain their situation. After completing their mission in Yoshiwara, they found themselves suddenly attacked by Upper Moon 2 while on their way to transport the demon.

Shinobu gasped, a breath that held both shock and relief, as she absorbed the information. The shock stemmed from the realization that Ace had to kill an Upper Moon alone—a task typically requiring three Hashiras. Yet, a wave of relief washed over her at the knowledge that it was not Muzan who had attacked.

"We can't waste time here; we need to be fast. Every moment is precious," Gyomei declared.

With urgency guiding their every step, Shinobu and Gyomei, accompanied by the three women, hastened towards the dire situation. The trio pointed in the direction of the battlefield, propelling themselves at maximum speed.

Approaching the scene, a vast expanse of snow-white and black stretched before them, a 100-metre radius covered in a wintry landscape. At the centre stood a colossal Buddha statue, raining punches upon the frozen ground. Even from their distance, the intense cold emanating from the epicentre sent a shiver down their spines, leaving them to imagine the harsh conditions at the heart of the battle.

As they reached the battlefield, their eyes widened in shock as the massive Buddha statue began to crumble into pieces.

'What happened?!' Shinobu thought, fear gripping her at the possibility that Ace might have died. Ignoring any physical limitations, she pushed herself beyond her limits, increasing her pace to reach the place.

Gyomei also increased his pace just behind Shinobu. As they landed in the center, a scene of both relief and concern unfolded before them. Ace's figure stood unconscious, supported by his glaive, adorned with numerous injuries covering his body.

On the other side, the cut head of the demon lay on the ground, forming an icicle in its mouth and launching it toward Ace. Gyomei, without wasting a single moment, brought his spiked metal weapon down on the head, obliterating it completely.

Simultaneously, the icicle aimed at Ace was deftly blocked by Shinobu, preventing it from penetrating him.

Then she quickly turned around and gazed at his figure and her heart ached seeing him in this state.

But she knew she needed to maintain composure and not let her emotions dictate her actions.

"We need to take him away from here. It's too cold here." Shinobu shouted, quickly lifting Ace's unconscious form onto her back.

As they moved away from the icy center, Shinobu maintained her soft pace as Ace was in delicate condition.

Choosing a spot with a more moderate temperature, Shinobu carefully lowered Ace. With a sense of urgency, she started his emergency treatment, starting by meticulously cleaning his wounds to rid them of any dirt. Then gently and methodically, she worked on removing the ice that clung to his injuries.

Once the wounds were cleaned and the ice removed, Shinobu proceeded with additional medical procedures. She carefully inspected each injury, noting the severity and assessing the potential internal damage. With practised precision, she applied antiseptics to prevent infection, injected anti-venom and then began the process of bandaging and splinting where necessary.

Gyomei stood nearby, his imposing figure a silent sentinel as he observed Shinobu's meticulous efforts, silently praying for Ace's survival. Hinatsuru, Makio, and Suma joined him, assisting by preparing supplies and carefully bandaging Ace's wounds under Shinobu's guidance, minimizing the risk of excessive blood loss.

Shinobu, with a furrowed brow, continued her assessment. 'His organs are too shaken up, and his body is losing heat rapidly and his heart is not beating normally.'

Feeling the alarming slowdown of Ace's heartbeat, Shinobu's instincts kicked into high gear. Placing her head on his chest to closely monitor his vital signs, she detected the dangerous deceleration of his heart rate. Without hesitation, she immediately began performing CPR, applying measured chest compressions and rescue breaths in a rhythmic cycle.

Hinatsuru and the others watched with worry and anxiety as Shinobu tirelessly performed CPR on Ace. The seconds passed in tense silence until, finally, Ace's body gave a jerk, and Shinobu sighed in relief.

"He is safe... for now. But we need to reach headquarters fast; otherwise, whatever the dark poison is in his system would kill him," Shinobu declared, her expression unwaveringly composed.

They nodded in acknowledgment, and Gyomei swiftly lifted Ace's body. With a shared sense of urgency, they began their journey back to headquarters.

- x - X - x -

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