The moment Raja walked into the Hashira meeting hall with Tamayo and Yushiro, things went south instantly.
"DEMON!"
Blades flashed. A battle stance was assumed. Multiple killing intents flooded the room.
Even Shinobu, who always had a sweet smile, had her sword drawn and aimed at Tamayo's forehead faster than a blink.
Raja, sipping from his tea like this was a casual business meeting, sighed dramatically.
"Alright, calm down, you overgrown pigeons. Can we NOT try to stab the potential savior of the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Savior?!"Sanemi roared, gripping his sword tighter."She's a demon, you moron! I mean Little Lord."
"Oh wow, thanks, Captain Obvious. I never noticed the red eyes and fangs." Raja shot back.
Sanemi twitched violently as if contemplating whether murder was still illegal in Demon Slayer HQ.
Just as things were about to escalate into a bloodbath, Gyomei Himejima, the human embodiment of Mount Everest, swiftly stepped in front of Tamayo and Yushiro.
His sheer presence shut everyone up instantly.
"I've never seen the little lord make a bad decision or attempt to harm the Demon Slayer Corps," Gyomei rumbled, voice as deep as the Earth itself. "I want to hear what he has to say. Then, you can draw your katana and judge for yourself."
Everyone immediately backed off, not because they agreed, but because nobody in their right mind wanted to fight Gyomei.
Even Sanemi—who had never backed down from a fight in his life—crossed his arms and huffed. "Tch. Fine."
Raja grinned. "See? This is why Gyomei is my favorite."
Gyomei, ever the saint, simply nodded.
Raja patiently explained Tamayo's backstory—how she had escaped Muzan's control with help of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, worked for centuries to undo the curse of demonhood, and was actively working against Muzan.
"With her help," Raja declared, "we're going to make a virus that will make Muzan wish he never slithered out of his mother's womb."
Silence.
The Hashiras stared at Raja.
Obanai spoke first. "A… what now?"
"A virus. You know, like a disease. Like the flu, but make it Muzan's worst nightmare."
Tamayo nodded. "If we can infect him with something that stops his regeneration, we may finally be able to kill him."
Shinobu, the poison specialist, looked intrigued.
Sanemi, however, was still skeptical. "And how the hell do you plan to infect the most unkillable thing on Earth?"
Raja grinned mischievously.
"Oh, I already got his blood."
Everyone froze.
"Excuse me, what?"Rengoku's flames literally flickered.
Tamayo turned to Raja, stunned. "When… when did you—?"
"Oh, when I blasted his face off with my shotgun." Raja casually pulled out a vial of Muzan's blood from his pocket.
Tamayo's jaw dropped.
Yushiro looked ready to commit a crime.
"YOU JUST HAD THAT SITTING IN YOUR POCKET?!"
"Yup. Pretty cool, right?"
Tamayo, despite all her centuries of composure, was shaken.
"Do you even realize how difficult it is to get Muzan's blood? This… this is priceless!"
Raja winked. "You're welcome."
Yushiro glared daggers at Raja. "I swear, I will kill you someday."
Raja ruffled his hair. "Aww, I'm growing on you, aren't I?"
Yushiro screamed internally.
After setting up the virus experiment, Raja turned to the three loudest children in existence.
"Alright, you three. Time to go on a mission."
Tanjiro: "Understood!"
Zenitsu: "WAIT, WHAT? I WASN'T READY FOR THIS—"
Inosuke: "FINALLY! TIME TO BEAT UP SOME DEMONS!"
"You're going to Tsuzumi Mansion to deal with some demons," Raja continued.
Zenitsu froze. "Wait. Mansion? As in a creepy, haunted, probably cursed mansion?!"
"Yes."
Zenitsu immediately grabbed Tanjiro's sleeve. "I REFUSE."
Raja waved dismissively. "Zenitsu, if you don't go, I'll personally take you there and lock the doors."
Zenitsu sobbed hysterically.
The next morning, Raja dragged the available Hashira into a training session.
"Alright, losers. Time to awaken your Slayer Marks."
Shinobu narrowed her eyes. "You say that like it's easy."
"Oh, it is. You just have to be inches from death."
Silence.
Raja clapped his hands. "Now! Who wants to get nearly killed first?"
Sanemi immediately stepped forward. "Hit me with your best shot, brat."
Raja grinned wickedly. "Oh, I will."
10 minutes later, Sanemi was unconscious and is taken to treatment.
Raja looked at the rest of the Hashira. "Next?"
They reconsidered their life choices.
At night, Raja returned to the lab with Tamayo.
"So, I was thinking," Raja said, adjusting his glasses. "Why drink blood when you can inhale it?"
Tamayo raised an eyebrow. "Inhale?"
"Yeah, like in Blade. You ever watch Blade? No? Never mind. Look, I made this."
He pulled out a sleek, metallic inhaler.
"One puff, and demons get just enough nutrients to survive without murdering people."
Tamayo inspected it carefully, impressed. "This could… actually work."
Yushiro grumbled in the background.
Raja leaned in. "Admit it. I'm a genius."
Tamayo smiled slightly. "You're insufferable, but yes, you are."
Raja fist-pumped. "I WIN!"
Yushiro visibly twitched.
The next day, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke returned from their mission, victorious.
Tanjiro: "Raja-san, we did it!"
Zenitsu: "I ALMOST DIED!"
Inosuke: "THAT WAS FUN! LET'S GO AGAIN!"
Raja patted their heads.
"Good job. Now, Zenitsu, I expect a full report. And by that, I mean your screaming diary entries."
Zenitsu cried.
Thus, another day of chaos in the Demon Slayer Corps came to an end, with Raja one step closer to making Muzan regret his existence.