Chapter 39: Four Years Later, Preparing to Return to the Demon Slayer World
In the days that followed, I began to develop drugs that replicated the body's constitution.
Before I found a research direction, I simply called Yoriichi to my lab for a detailed physical examination and took his blood and cell tissues for research.
After discovering that Yoriichi's body was just like a normal person's, except that the activity of his cells and tissues was far beyond that of ordinary people, I began to try to replicate this activity. As long as the medicine I make can make the activity of normal cells and tissues reach Yoriichi's standard, then the curse that he will not live past the age of twenty-five after activating his mark will be broken.
In the first year, I used my medical knowledge to create many drugs to enhance cell activity, but they all failed. The cells used in the experiments were either not active enough or had short lifespans; even chakra stimulation couldn't achieve the effects I wanted.
After several anxious days, I realized that I couldn't create that drug out of thin air with my current abilities.
That's right. Yoriichi's body was born different from ordinary people. Just look at how he could run for a whole day and night as a child without feeling tired, and you'll know how special his physique was. What I need to make is a drug that allows swordsmen who have awakened their Demon Slayer Marks to reach the same level of power as the Demon Slayer power ceiling. Although it's less difficult than turning an ordinary person into Yoriichi, it's still quite a difficult task.
Most importantly, having already found a direction for developing that drug, continuing my research would inevitably lead me to do things that trample on moral bottom lines.
Not everyone can conduct taboo research without any psychological burden like Orochimaru. Just thinking about the research and experiments I'm about to do makes me feel extremely uncomfortable.
But in the end, I stuck to my research approach, even if it meant breaking taboos.
No matter what, I must develop that drug. I absolutely cannot let Kokushiro choose to join Muzan's camp because he won't live past twenty-five. Otherwise, I'll have to chase after him like my brother chased after Sasuke. Just thinking about it makes me feel exhausted!
Starting from the second year, having ended the detour of the previous year, I focused on researching cloning technology, intending to use this technology to clone Yoriichi's cell tissue, and then use these cells with vitality far exceeding that of ordinary people to make that kind of drug.
Although doing so would make the research progress quite slow, I dare not clone Yoriichi entirely. It would be too inhumane to use Yoriichi's clone to make the medicine. The guilt of killing Yoriichi would make it impossible for me to continue the research. So I can only study it at the cellular level. At least I can barely accept it because I have studied Wood Release cells before.
After three years of dedicated research and extensive experiments on Yoriichi's cloned cells, I finally created the ideal drug.
That was a tube of red medicine containing hundreds of millions of Yoriichi clone cells. I had modified it with medical chakra. Once injected into the human body, it would rapidly devour human cells and generate Yoriichi cells, just like wood release cells. In the end, all the cells in the body would be replaced with Yoriichi's vibrant cells. In this way, the marked swordsman who injected this medicine would be like Yoriichi and would not be subject to the lifespan limit of dying at the age of twenty-five.
Considering the large number of Demon Slayer Corps members, it would be inconvenient to make this kind of potion again in the Sengoku period. So I made over a hundred potions in my laboratory at once, enough for the Demon Slayer Corps to use for a long time. After all, the Demon Slayer Marks are not easy to activate, and they are basically activated by Pillars. These potions will definitely be enough for a short period of time.
Actually, this isn't even the craziest thing. When Fukuzawa-sensei turned into a child, I worked continuously for a week to make five thousand capsules that could temporarily restore his adult appearance. That would have been enough for him until he was twenty.
I put hundreds of potions into a self-made scroll, and seeing that it was not yet nine o'clock at night, I finally breathed a sigh of relief after a long period of irregular sleep and frequent late nights. I could finally go to bed on time.
Since joining the Port Mafia, my normal routine has been gone, and working late into the night has almost become my daily routine. You know, even before the Fourth Shinobi World War, when I was studying medical ninjutsu, I never stayed up all night. But I've broken that habit since I got here.
The thought of having to stay up all night every day to kill demons after returning to the Demon Slayer world makes me sigh. I feel so sorry for Kushina's dying wish. I will never stay up all night again after leaving the Demon Slayer world.
As luck would have it, the consciousness of the Demon Slayer world entered my dream that very night while I was sleeping. It happily told me that it had finally found the Bungo Stray Dogs world where Yoriichi and I were, and that I could return three days later by using the World Stone I possessed to stain Yoriichi's blood.
When I woke up, I felt a pang of melancholy.
Seven years have passed since I came into this world, and I've grown from a seven-year-old girl into a fourteen-year-old young woman. Back then, Fukuzawa-sensei's Armed Detective Agency only had three people, but now, with only Nakajima Atsushi missing, the main story of Bungo Stray Dogs is about to begin. Suddenly, I realize how quickly time flies.
Before returning to the Demon Slayer world, I had to send Morofushi Kagemitsu away. Although there were some minor setbacks along the way due to a certain bandaged black mud spirit, not only did I send this Japanese public security officer back to the Conan world, but I also accidentally visited the Conan world myself. Fortunately, I managed to return successfully in the end without delaying my return to the Demon Slayer world.
After that, I spent a day cleaning up my belongings in Hong Kong/Black, packing everything into my homemade scrolls, from the expensive instruments in the lab to the everyday items in my bedroom.
Although the scroll was so large that it could rival the scroll of the first generation, it was also quite spacious and easy to carry; you could go anywhere as long as you carried the scroll on your back.
Since I was leaving soon, I wrote a resignation letter to Mori Ōgai stating that I was leaving this world. I handed it to a member of the Port Mafia as I left and headed straight for the Armed Detective Agency.
I called Yoriichi about this before, and he should be waiting there now. After saying goodbye to Fukuzawa-sensei, he can leave directly.
Although saying goodbye like this was too hasty, I did it on purpose.
I hate farewells. It's better to leave cleanly and decisively. It's not like I'm never coming back. Yoriichi and I will come back after we deal with Muzan. By then, the first season of Bungo Stray Dogs might not even be over yet.
Arriving at the Armed Detective Agency, the once deserted lobby, where I'd delivered two bottles of fake liquor last time, was now packed with people. Everyone from the Armed Detective Agency was there except for Atsushi Nakajima and Kyoka Izumi. Oh, and there was also Sakunosuke Oda, who had joined the Armed Detective Agency two years ago along with Dazai. In his spare time, he spent his time picking up children and writing novels—living the life of his dreams.
When Kunikida Doppo saw me come in, he politely asked me what I wanted to ask for a favor, which made me look at this junior brother in silence for a while.
Edogawa Ranpo, munching on snacks, said, "This is a student the president took in before you. Don't worry about her; she'll be gone soon."
Upon hearing his words, Kunikida Doppo immediately said respectfully, "So it's Senior Sister Uta. I've heard Senior Brother Yoriichi mention you before. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please take care of me."
Before I could speak, Dazai Osamu walked over with a smile. "Young lady, such a beautiful day, why don't we commit double suicide together?"
I was speechless. I haven't even settled the score with him for tricking me into the world of Detective Conan a couple of days ago. Now he's inviting me to commit suicide together. Isn't he afraid I'll beat him up?
Oda Sakunosuke, unable to bear it any longer, said, "Dazai, stop bullying Uta all the time."
I immediately looked at Oda Sakunosuke with gratitude; he was practically the conscience of Bungo Stray Dogs!
"Because the young lady always seems so easy to bully!"
Dazai Osamu actually admitted it without any attempt to hide it, which made my fist hard; I really wanted to punch him.
Before I could put this idea into practice, Kunikida Doppo said "Excuse me" and dragged Dazai to the next room, where the sounds of beatings that made me feel good immediately came from...
I'm totally convinced by this junior! He's just as adorable as Chuuya, who's always wanting to beat up Dazai! This also shows from another angle that Dazai really deserves a beating. The fact that both of his partners are like this is enough to prove it's his problem.
Naomi Tanizaki came up to me and said in a very lively way, "So Uta-chan is a young lady! That's amazing, no wonder she has such an elegant demeanor!"
"You flatter me," I said hesitantly, wondering if she meant the aura of a mafia member? She scared Ai Haibara half to death just a couple of days ago; it's really frustrating.
Kenji Miyazawa leaned closer with enthusiasm and asked curiously, "What is a young lady?"
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki said to this colleague who had no concept of "money": "Miss is an honorific title for a woman whose family owns a lot of cows."
"Wow! That's amazing!" Kenji Miyazawa looked at me with sparkling eyes, making me laugh awkwardly. There aren't any cows in the house, but there are tons of Mafia members.
Everyone's enthusiasm is bothering me; I really want to see Professor Fukuzawa.
Edogawa Ranpo, seeing what I was thinking, chuckled and came to my rescue, "Stop crowding around her, Kaka is in a hurry to see the president!"
Hearing what the group darling said, everyone immediately made way for me. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thanked everyone, and then said to Ranpo, "Aren't you going to see me off?"
"No way, I'll be back soon anyway,"
Edogawa Ranpo puffed out his cheeks and said that I felt he was very disappointed that I was coming back so soon, probably because I would have to compete with him for Fukuzawa-sensei's favor again!
Upon entering the president's office, Fukuzawa-sensei was reviewing documents, while Yoriichi was lost in thought, clutching his sword. Both were dressed in traditional kimonos, so much so that they wouldn't seem out of place even if they had been transported to the Sengoku period; they looked remarkably harmonious at first glance.
I subconsciously looked down at my outfit. Thankfully, it was a kimono. If I had worn my usual mafia attire back in the Demon Slayer world, I would have been surrounded by onlookers.
"Song."
Yoriichi called my name and came over, habitually taking my hand. At fourteen, he already looked like a teenager, with a calm and serene personality. It was very comfortable to be with him.
I smiled at Yoriichi, then said to Fukuzawa-sensei, who had put down his documents, "Sensei, Yoriichi and I are leaving this world."
Seeing the teacher sigh softly, I immediately added, "I'll come back after Yoriichi and I save that world, and then we won't leave again!"
Fukuzawa-sensei looked at Yoriichi and me with gentle eyes and gestured for us to come over.
When Yoriichi and I arrived at Mr. Fukuzawa's side, he reached out and placed his hand on the top of our heads, and in a steady voice, he earnestly and concernedly instructed us: "Be careful and come back safely."
"Yes, we will. Please take care, teacher." I happily enjoyed the teacher's head pat; I loved this feeling.
"Yoriichi, Uta is a girl, so you need to take good care of her," Fukuzawa-sensei added, making me even happier. I was definitely the teacher's favorite student.
Yoriichi's warm-colored eyes revealed an extremely serious expression. He said with full assurance, "Teacher, please rest assured, I will protect Uta, and then slay the Demon King to bring Uta home as soon as possible."
Fukuzawa-sensei looked satisfied, showing that he had considerable confidence in Yoriichi.
That's true, Yoriichi's swordsmanship should be better than Fukuzawa's by now.
Thinking about it this way, I suddenly feel jealous, just like Iwakatsu! That's so unfair! Even if he's the strongest character in Demon Slayer, Fukuzawa-sensei is still the strongest in Yokohama. No arguments allowed!
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