In Demon Slayer With Heavenly Insight

Chapter 56: The Second Stage of the Rescue Match!

"Slightly, slightly~" Shinobu Kocho stuck out her tongue playfully, clearly avoiding Ren's question.

Watching the long line forming ahead, Shinobu couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She truly couldn't fathom how Ren's mind worked. How could someone come up with such a brilliant idea?

Not only did it revolutionize the competition, but it also alleviated the financial strain on the Butterfly Mansion. Originally, Ren had gone above and beyond to assist her, yet now he was helping her manage things even more effectively.

Instead of focusing on collecting money, Ren proposed a method that solved their issues seamlessly. Patients would register first, classify their injuries, and then queue up according to their assigned departments. The process was efficient and orderly—something so simple yet groundbreaking.

Shinobu glanced at Ren, who stood under the noonday sun. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, catching the light like tiny crystals. The soft fluff on his face seemed to glow faintly golden in the sunlight, accentuating his calm, radiant smile. The sight made him seem more dazzling than the sun itself.

Shinobu's cheeks flushed as she quickly averted her gaze, slapping them lightly to regain her composure.

"Shinobu -sama, the statistics are complete," Aoi Kanzaki announced as she approached, holding a sack filled with coins.

Kanao Tsuyuri silently handed over a sheet of paper with the scores.

Seeing the commotion, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Rengoku Kyojuro, and Inosuke Hashibira also gathered around, eager to hear the results. While everyone knew Ren had won this round, Sanemi, ever the competitive spirit, still wanted to see just how large the gap was.

Shinobu took the sheet, her eyes scanning the scores. After a brief pause, she announced the results.

"Shinazugawa Sanemi: 9 points.

Rengoku Kyojuro: 15 points.

Hashibira Inosuke: -10 points.

Ren: 199 points."

A stunned silence followed.

One hundred ninety-nine points!

Ren had scored in the triple digits, leaving everyone else in the dust.

Sanemi's eyes widened in disbelief. The gap between him and Ren exceeded 190 points! His heart sank, a bitter coldness washing over him. This score made it clear: unless he and the others drastically improved in the next stage, Ren had already secured first place.

The group stood frozen, stunned for a solid five seconds before slowly reacting.

Kyojuro was the first to speak. "Ren truly never ceases to amaze me!" he said, his admiration evident.

Sanemi, however, growled, "Move on to the next stage already! I'm not giving up! And no using outside help!"

Meanwhile, Inosuke, completely oblivious to his own negative score, burst out laughing. "Hey, hey, Ren! You're a crazy genius! I can't wait to beat you!"

Ren simply smiled, the corners of his lips curling upward as he watched their antics.

Shinobu clapped her hands to gather everyone's attention. "Alright, now that the first stage is complete, it's time for the second stage. Follow me!"

She led the group into the Butterfly Mansion, where they were met with a scene of organized chaos. Patients filled the rooms—members of the Demon Slayer Corps, villagers from the area, and others. Their injuries ranged from minor cuts to more severe wounds.

Shinobu stopped in the middle of the room and turned to address them with a smile. "Thanks to Ren's brilliant plan, we now have enough patients for everyone to work on. In this stage, you'll assist our staff in treating these individuals.

"The rules are simple: for every patient you successfully help treat, you earn one point. Kanao will keep track of the scores.

"The patients have been divided into four departments based on their injuries: surgery, internal medicine, gynecology, and pediatrics. You're free to choose where to assist, but…" Her tone grew teasing. "You'll need to figure out the specifics yourselves. Good luck!"

Before Shinobu could even finish her explanation, Sanemi, Kyojuro, and Inosuke bolted in different directions like arrows from a bow. The massive gap between their scores and Ren's lit a fire under them.

Inosuke, for once, had a plan. The moment he entered the mansion, he noticed most of the villagers Ren had brought back were in the surgery department. Their injuries seemed minor—some could even be treated with just a bandage.

"Haha! This is perfect! I'll fix them up in no time!" Inosuke declared, charging into the surgery room.

But before he could reach the patients, a flaming figure shot past him.

It was Kyojuro.

"Apologies, Beast Boy! I learned this technique from following your lead. I simply acted first!" he called out cheerfully as he began tending to the villagers.

Inosuke froze, stunned. Before he could react, another figure darted past him—a green whirlwind.

"Move it!" barked Sanemi, his scarred face intimidating even the children nearby.

Sanemi's sheer force knocked into Inosuke, sending him tumbling backward. His boar mask flew off, landing with a dull thud.

"Damn it!" Inosuke shouted, furious. "Everyone's stealing my idea!"

He slumped to the ground, defeated. "I thought I was a genius, but I'm just a clown…" he muttered, wallowing in self-pity.

Ren, observing the scene from afar, chuckled softly. While he felt a bit bad for Inosuke, the situation was undeniably amusing.

Still, he couldn't help but notice that both Kyojuro and Sanemi had figured out the same strategy: target the villagers with minor injuries. With a simple bandage or quick treatment, they could rack up points rapidly.

But Ren had no intention of competing with them. After all, he wasn't just here to play a game.

He was a doctor.