Redemption

7.

Kokushibo was a bit frantic right now.

He ran into Akaza earlier tonight and told him to meet him here at this cave.

Though he'd also found Tamayo and Yushiro and brought them here.

The mission to the Infinity Train was next week, so he had to make his move now.

Either Akaza sided with him or he didn't, that would be answered tonight.

Of course Kokushibo was going to knock him out so Tamayo could get to work on getting him out from under Muzan's influence.

An upside here is that Muzan never liked reading the minds of his upper ranks, not from Hantengu, Akaza, Douma, or himself anyway, so he wasn't worried Muzan was watching.

So now they sat in the cave, waiting.

Until the sound of footsteps closed in, and he knew upper three had arrived.

"Come in." He said aloud while hiding in the darkness.

Akaza walked in looking confused, until he saw Tamayo and Yushiro.

"You..."

Kokushibo sped in from behind and knocked him unconscious before he could go any further, and Akaza fell to the ground.

"How long will it take to remove Muzan's control and the curse?"

Tamayo nodded slowly.

"Not long, at the longest, maybe about an hour and a half, it depends on how loyal to Muzan he is." She replied.

Mm, well Akaza was loyal to Muzan, yet, Kokushibo had a strange feeling that was mostly out of respect of power, and fear.

"Then let's get this done."

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About 45 minutes later, Tamayo announced she was done.

Akaza promptly began to stir.

"Damn, where..." He rubbed the back of his neck as he sat up and looked around.

"Huh...I feel, different." He added more so to himself.

"How so?" Kokushibo walked over with a look of intrigue.

Akaza didn't seem very fazed by his reappearance and shrugged.

"I don't know, it's like...like someone was watching me constantly, like I had no real freedom or privacy. Like this weight I didn't know was there is suddenly gone."

Kokushibo understood that, he felt the same way when Tamayo got him free from Muzan's control.

"Well Akaza, I can say you are free of Kibutsuji's influence, similarly to Kokushibo. Given that, you now have a choice."

Akaza stiffened a bit at Tamayo's words.

"What choice?"

"We think it likely Muzan will be sending you on a mission next week, and the choices are a) do his bidding, or b) join us and Kokushibo, and help the demon slayer corps kill Muzan." She explained.

Akaza seemed to be suspicious.

"And if I choose the first option?"

"Then I will kill you later." Kokushibo stated bluntly, and it was the truth.

If Akaza didn't side with them, he didn't want to risk the flame hashira still dying, so he would kill Akaza himself beforehand if he had to, though he doubted he'd need to.

"Geez no need for hostility." Akaza muttered.

"So Akaza, what is your decision? Keep in mind the very world may rest on your shoulders here." Tamayo pointed out.