Chapter 251: A Girl's Thoughts

As a scholar and researcher, Shinobu Kocho was furious when she received the news, dropped her current research, rushed over, only to find out she was being asked to play the role of an assistant.

She was aware of the news about the final battle. Ordinary Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen weren't privy to this information, but Shinobu was different. Like Tamayo, she was one of the few researchers within the Demon Slayer Corps. Over the past two years, she and Tamayo had developed a wisteria-based poison that effectively increased the survival rate of swordsmen against demons. In critical moments, a handful of wisteria poison could weaken a demon significantly.

However, relying on external tools could lead to complacency among the swordsmen. Ultimately, they still needed to rely on their martial skills and Breathing Techniques to fight demons.

Shinobu, as a researcher, wasn't concerned with these age-old debates. Even the Corps Leader didn't seem too worried, so why should she meddle?

"I'm starting to regret coming here. Even recording data, my sister could do that! This place already has all the necessary equipment," Shinobu said.

After her initial outburst, Shinobu calmed down considerably. She directed a pointed question at Li Mo, who had disrupted her work without permission.

Kanae Kocho, as a doctor, could also handle the tasks Shinobu was assigned. Recording data on swordsmen before they activated the Demon Slayer Mark, attempting to study the mark with current scientific knowledge.

Shinobu didn't bother asking about the unfamiliar term "Demon Slayer Mark." It was likely some kind of ability to unlock human potential. As a researcher, she understood that contributing didn't always mean fighting on the front lines. Working behind the scenes with Tamayo was also a form of contribution.

The man lowered his voice and said, "Not exactly. As a Pillar, Kanae needs to train with Makomo to build默契."

"Tell the truth."

"Actually, it's because Makomo is really angry about the whole 'sneaking ahead' thing. I suspect if I spend too much time alone with Kanae, I'll get stabbed ten times with a Nichirin Blade."

So you do have some self-awareness.

Hearing this reason, Shinobu kicked Li Mo in the shin again, not holding back at all. By now, everyone in the training grounds knew that Li Mo was a non-human entity. Unlike Muzan Kibutsuji, a man-eating demon, Li Mo was a yokai.

Shinobu wasn't worried about injuring him with her kick. In fact, she was more concerned about hurting herself from the recoil—after all, force works both ways.

After rolling her eyes, Shinobu, adhering to her professional knowledge, began, "Is Mr. Himejima's attempt really safe? A body temperature of 39 degrees and a heart rate of 200 beats per minute? That's an enormous strain on the body."

Enough to fry someone's brain.

Li Mo explained, "It's just 39 degrees Celsius. He'll be fine. Don't underestimate Yin-Yang arts! It's not 39 degrees Kelvin."

Having learned about using leverage to solve problems from her sister since childhood, Shinobu was familiar with some advanced scientific concepts.

She retorted, "That would be negative 100-something degrees Celsius."

"Yeah, so he wouldn't survive that."

Li Mo shrugged. That would be a situation beyond even divine intervention.

While the two bantered, they kept an eye on Gyomei Himejima's progress. The Stone Pillar was attempting to activate the Demon Slayer Mark.

After calling Shinobu over and measuring various data points, Li Mo explained the conditions for activating the Demon Slayer Mark to Gyomei Himejima.

Gyomei Himejima himself couldn't easily reach those conditions. The human body's mechanisms dictate that the brain can't fully control every cell's actions; it can only manage things on a macro level.

If it were possible to control things to that extent, diseases like cancer wouldn't exist!

With Li Mo's assistance, Gyomei Himejima entered the preconditions for activating the Demon Slayer Mark. Whether he could activate it depended on himself. All Li Mo could do was ensure his survival.

Fortunately, Gyomei Himejima's physical condition was robust. In Li Mo's memory, Gyomei was one of the characters in the manga who successfully activated the Demon Slayer Mark. As for whether he died from the mark's curse after turning 25 or died in battle, it was unclear.

"He succeeded."

As a burn-like mark appeared on Gyomei's forehead, Li Mo could confirm that he had successfully activated the Demon Slayer Mark. From a mystical perspective, Li Mo could also observe significant changes in Gyomei's body.

Soon after, Shinobu began recording various data points, while Li Mo watched from the side. As an expert in mysticism, killing someone was more his forte. Asking him to measure data points? Not so much.

Of course, Li Mo could handle tasks like recording heart rate and blood pressure. But Shinobu rejected his help, insisting on doing everything herself.

"If you do all this, then what's the point of me being here?" Shinobu said.

Her tone was so calm that Li Mo couldn't shake the feeling that he'd face consequences later. And indeed, his预感 wasn't wrong.

Shinobu had been researching poisons with Tamayo at the Butterfly Mansion before Li Mo's letter summoned her here. The training grounds weren't at the Corps Leader's residence but weren't too far away either. At Li Mo's speed, he could reach there in a few minutes.

The conditions here were decent. The "Kakushi" had set things up well, with many areas that could be converted into makeshift laboratories.

Shinobu set up a temporary research station here.

And Li Mo was drafted into service.

"Aren't you a Yin-Yang master? Can't you use Yin-Yang arts to curse Muzan Kibutsuji?" Shinobu asked.

Li Mo retorted, "I didn't study the诅咒学科!"

Among the thirteen disciplines of the Clock Tower, Li Mo had dabbled in a bit of everything. But his deepest research was in spiritual evocation and related fields... after all, he needed to dismantle the Greater Grail.

As for curses, he could cast a few that drained life force. But they had many limitations, and even if successful, they wouldn't be of much use. With Muzan Kibutsuji's terrifying vitality, even a curse lasting ten thousand years probably wouldn't deplete his health bar.

"Then what use are you? Any suggestions for poisoning?"

"Hmm... I can poison someone silently?"

"Can you help me concentrate wisteria poison?"

"Probably... maybe?" Li Mo hadn't tried this before.

After a few attempts, Shinobu kicked Li Mo out of the laboratory.

"I want to go back," Shinobu muttered.

Unfortunately, she still had more data to collect. Additionally, Shinobu was on the list for this training session. Originally, she could have skipped it due to her research duties, but since she was already here, participation was unavoidable.

With her current abilities, killing fifty demons would be an easy goal to achieve.

Watching the man leave, Shinobu mechanically checked her own heart rate and blood pressure.

"Much higher than usual..."

Is this love?

Probably.

Shinobu stared at the numbers, lost in thought. At some point, whenever she thought of the opposite sex, a certain figure would pop into her mind. Even though he wasn't particularly handsome...

Has he gotten better-looking?

"Oh, by the way, Shinobu. Do you want me to train with you later? The price is letting me pat your head... What are you doing? Checking your own heart rate?"

Li Mo, who had left halfway, returned and blinked at Shinobu holding a stethoscope.

The girl smiled coldly and then threw the stethoscope at Li Mo.