Clang!
The Biwa suddenly erupted without warning!
The sound of the Biwa this time was different from before.
It was sharper and more urgent, each note carrying an indescribable "fear," as if even Nakime herself was trembling while playing it.
The space of the Infinity Castle began to twist, fold, and recombine wildly, and the wooden structure groaned under the strain.
Directly above the platform, the darkness suddenly "split open".
Another, larger platform slowly descended from the crack, its edges perfectly aligning with the platform below, fitting together seamlessly.
The platform was higher and larger, with a scarlet high-backed chair placed in the center.
Then, footsteps sounded.
Tap, tap, tap...
The sound of leather shoes heels striking the wooden board was calm, steady, and unhurried.
Each sound was like a blow to the heart, causing all the ghosts on the platform below to hold their breath.
A figure emerged from the shadows behind the platform.
He wore a well-tailored black suit, a spotless white shirt, and a dark red tie.
He casually draped his coat over his shoulders and put his hands in his pockets.
He looked like an ordinary, even excessively handsome, young nobleman.
If you ignore those eyes.
Muzan Kibutsuji's eyes are pure blood red, with long, narrow pupils like snakes.
There was no emotion within him, only a cold, absolute indifference. It was as if everything in the world was merely dust in his eyes, not even worth his emotional response.
He walked to the scarlet chair, but instead of sitting down immediately, he turned around and looked down with his bloodshot eyes.
My gaze swept over it.
Kokushibo knelt on one knee and lowered his head.
This was the only Upper Rank warrior allowed not to kneel, but adhering to the code of Bushido, he firmly declared his submission.
Doma on both knees, his forehead touching the ground, his face still bearing that perfect smile, only now tinged with a hint of reverence.
Gyutaro pressed Daki to kneel with him, both siblings' bodies taut like bows.
Gyokko put the pot aside, her whole body almost lying on the ground, her little hands clenched around her neck, afraid to move.
Hantengu... had already fainted from fright, its body still twitching unconsciously.
Only Akaza.
He was still standing.
Although he kept his head down and his body trembled slightly from instinctive fear, he still stood.
His knees bent, as if he wanted to kneel down, but some kind of obsession forced him to stay upright.
Muzan's blood-red eyes lingered on him for a moment.
Only for a fleeting moment.
Then move it away.
It seems like it's not even worth paying attention to.
He slowly sat down, crossed his legs, propped his chin on one hand, and gently tapped the armrest of the chair with the other.
Her movements were elegant and composed, yet they made the atmosphere on the platform below almost freeze in oppression.
"The Lower Rank is almost entirely dead."
Muzan spoke, his voice calm, even gentle.
But all the ghosts felt... the air had gotten colder.
It was as if even the Infinity Castle itself had been "frozen" by those words.
"Tetsusai is dead."
Muzan's gaze fell upon Akaza.
"Blue Stone Town, beheaded by Water Hashira. I remember, he was the one you led the Lower Rank to."
Akaza's shoulders trembled.
He took a deep breath and finally knelt on one knee, his head bowed.
"... yes."
"Why?"
Muzan's tone remained calm.
"I remember you said he had potential, a strong will, and a desire to become stronger. And what happened? He couldn't even beat a kid who had only recently become a Pillar."
Silence.
Akaza clenched his fist again, black blood seeping from between his fingers and dripping onto the wooden board with a hissing, corrosive sound.
He couldn't refute it! Tetsusai was indeed someone he had his eye on, someone he had recommended to Muzan! And Tetsusai was indeed dead, killed by a teenage Water Hashira.
Shame.
It was not only a disgrace to Tetsusai, but also a disgrace to Akaza.
"Waste."
Muzan uttered two words softly, then smiled.
That smile was beautiful, with the corners of her mouth curving into an elegant arc, and the corners of her eyes even slightly downturned, as if she were admiring something interesting.
But deep within those bloodshot eyes remained a cold indifference.
"They're all useless. Tetsusai is dead, and apart from Rei, the other four were all wiped out in Crimson Sakura Village."
Muzan's laughter was soft, yet it sent chills down the spines of every demon below.
"The mighty Twelve Kizuki Lower Rank wiped out by a single Water Hashira... Ha!"
He stopped laughing, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the ghosts:
"Tell me, is there any need for such useless people to exist?"
No ghost dared to answer.
Even Kokushibo remained kneeling on one knee, completely still.
For the first time, a crack appeared in Doma's smile, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Gyutaro pressed down on Daki's hand so hard that his knuckles turned white.
Gyokko's body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Muzan's gaze finally settled on Gyokko.
"Gyokko."
Two words.
Gyokko trembled violently and almost collapsed to the ground.
He forced his head up, and a fawning smile, more painful than a grimace, squeezed out of his disproportionate face.
"Lord Muzan! Your subordinate is here!"
"Blue Spider Lily,"
Muzan's voice was very soft.
"... Did you find it?"
Gyokko's smile froze completely.
He opened his mouth, the vertical crack on his forehead opening and closing a few times, but no sound came out.
The small hands around her neck retracted completely, and the pot in her arms fell to the ground with a clatter, rolled a few times, and dark red liquid seeped from its spout.
"Subordinate... subordinate..."
The Gyokko's voice trembled.
For centuries... its descendants have traversed mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas... infiltrating human towns... exploring uninhabited territories... but... but...
He kowtowed violently, his forehead striking the wooden board with a dull thud.
"Your subordinate is incompetent! Please forgive me Muzan, Lord Muzan! Your subordinate will continue searching! Even if it takes a thousand or ten thousand years! I will definitely find the Blue Spider Lily!"
He kowtowed once for every sentence he spoke.
The wooden board was chipped and cracked, and black blood seeped from his forehead, mixed with mucus, making a sticky mess.
But he dared not stop, as if he would die the next second if he did.
Muzan watched him silently.
There was no anger, no disappointment, not even any emotion in his bloodshot eyes. He simply watched silently, as if observing an ant performing a farcical act.
For a long time.
So long that Gyokko's forehead was a bloody mess, so long that his consciousness began to fade, so long that the other demons all thought Muzan was about to execute him.
"That's enough."
Muzan shifted his gaze to the endless dark void of the Infinity Castle.
"It hasn't been found for hundreds of years, perhaps... it never even existed."
His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.
"Or perhaps, it requires certain special conditions to bloom."
Gyokko as if he had been granted a pardon, and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Although ghosts do not need to breathe, he still made this action instinctively.
But Muzan's next words made his heart leap into his throat again:
"However, we must still search! This is my eternal mission for you, Gyokko!"
"This quest will never end, either until you die or I obtain the Blue Spider Lily."
"Yes... yes!"
Gyokko struggled to her feet and knelt down again.
"Your subordinate understands! For all eternity, we will never give up!"
Muzan stopped looking at him.
"Since the Lower Rank is useless,"
Muzan turned his gaze back to the demons below.
"Then that's not necessary."
He paused, a crimson light flashing in his blood-red eyes:
"From this day forward, the Twelve Kizuki will be changed to Six Kizuki! The Lower Rank system is abolished! The six of you will constitute the entire fighting force of the Demon Moon."
The platform was deathly silent.
Then, a subtle commotion.
Doma's seven-colored eyes flickered, as if he was quickly considering what this change meant.
Gyutaro and Daki exchanged a glance, both of them looking serious. This meant that the responsibility on their shoulders was heavier, and that Muzan had higher requirements for Demon Moon's combat strength.
Hantengu finally woke up, but upon hearing those words, he almost fainted again.
This means he can no longer hide in the position of "Upper Rank Four" and muddle through; now the Upper Rank is everything.
Only Kokushibo and Akaza showed no reaction.
Kokushibo remained kneeling on one knee, as if nothing had happened to him.
Akaza, his eyes burning with fighting spirit... Whether the Lower Rank is abolished or not doesn't matter; he only wants to fight the strong.
"A new mission."
Muzan's voice pulled the demons back to reality:
"First, the Gyokko."
Gyokko suddenly straightened up.
"Your Blood Demon Arts are best suited for infiltration and reconnaissance. From today onwards, your primary mission is—to find the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters."
Muzan's bloodshot eyes stared at him, each word distinct and deliberate:
"I need to know where the Ubuyashiki Clan is hiding? Where is their headquarters? Where are their Wisteria Houses located?"
"Don't alert them, don't reveal your location, and report back immediately once you've found the exact location. Understand?"
Gyokko trembled with excitement!
It wasn't fear, it was excitement.
This means that Lord Muzan still trusts him and still values him!
"Understood! I will find it! I'll even dig out their rat holes!"
"Second,"
Muzan looked at the other five demons.
"Increase the cleaning efforts in your respective areas!"
"If you encounter Demon Slayer Corps swordsman, kill him!"
"Kill any humans who appear to be swordsmen!"
"If you encounter any humans who might provide information, capture them, torture them, and then kill them!"
His tone was flat:
"I want the Demon Slayer Corps to know that losing Lower Rank doesn't mean we've become weaker."
"On the contrary, it means I'll focus more attention on you, it means... they'll die even faster."
Doma's smile brightened again:
"Yes, Muzan! I love 'playing' with Demon Slayers!"
Gyutaro said in a deep voice:
"Yes."
Daki pouted, but still responded.
Hantengu... dizzy again.
Akaza raised his head, his eyes burning with fervor:
"Can I actively hunt down Pillars?"
Muzan glanced at him:
"Suit yourself! But remember, if you die, I will not avenge you. The rule of Demon Moon is—survival of the fittest, elimination of the weak!"
"That suits me perfectly."
Akaza grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.
"Third,"
Muzan said in the end,
"Spread demon blood! I want more demons, more chaos! Let fear spread throughout human cities, villages, and forests!"
"The Demon Slayer Corps wants to protect humanity, right? Then let them be unable to protect it all."
He stood up, walked to the edge of the platform, and looked down:
"Keep searching for the Blue Spider Lily! Eradicate the Demon Slayer Corps! Instill fear in humanity! These are your tasks from now on."
Then he smiled.
The smile was faint, yet it sent a chill down the spines of all the ghosts.
"As for that new Water Hashira... and the so-called Hashira Meeting..."
Undisguised contempt flashed in Muzan's bloodshot eyes.
"It's nothing but the struggle of ants. No matter how strong this generation of Pillars is, can they be stronger than the Demon Slayer Mark Swordsmen of the Warring States period?"
"Even Yoriichi Tsugikuni couldn't kill me, so what makes you think they can?"
He turned and walked toward the shadows behind the scarlet chair.
Don't let me down.
The last five words echoed above the platform as his figure disappeared into the darkness.
Zheng--
The Biwa rang out again.
The platform began to rise, space began to distort, and the Infinity Castle began its endless transformation and reorganization once again.
As the high platform completely disappeared into the dark rift, and as the Biwa faded into the distance, the ghosts on the platform below slowly straightened up.
The air remained cold, and the oppressive atmosphere persisted.
Kokushibo was the first to stand up.
He looked at the ghosts, and sword light flickered in their six eyes:
"You've all heard Muzan's orders. Do your jobs and don't cause trouble."
After saying that, he turned around, took a step, and his figure disappeared into the darkness.
Doma the second to stand up, patting non-existent dust off his knees, his smile returning to its bright form.
"Oh dear~ It's finally over~ Well then, everyone, see you next time in a human town~ Hope you had fun~"
He turned and left, stepping on the ice crystal lotus, disappearing into the depths of another corridor.
Akaza said nothing, but took a deep look in the direction where Kokushibo had disappeared, then leaped off the edge of the platform and jumped into the dark void below.
Gyokko carefully picked up the pot that had fallen to the ground, held it in her arms, and murmured to herself:
"Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters... Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters... Where should I begin... Ah, right, I'll start by investigating those Wisteria Houses..."
He hugged the pot, rolled into his own pot, and then the pot rolled away with a "glug glug" sound.
Gyutaro helped Daki.
Daki was still complaining:
"What? It's over just like that? I thought Lord Muzan would be furious... But it's good that the Lower Rank are abolished. Those trash weren't even worthy of being compared to us."
"Sister, you're gone."
Gyutaro put his arm around her waist.
"Let's go back to Yoshiwara. What follows... will be very interesting."
The siblings disappeared into the shadows, as if melting into the darkness.
In the end, only Hantengu was left.
He shakily got to his feet, glanced at the empty platform, shuddered, and then scrambled into a corridor, muttering to himself as he ran:
"Terrible... so terrifying... everyone's killing... everyone's fighting... I don't want this... I want to hide..."
Four clones reappeared, arguing:
"Cowards! Let's go kill too!"
"Waaah... I can't kill him..."
"Hiding is quite fun!"
"Run! Run! If we're found out, we're doomed!"
The main body and the clone argued and disappeared at the end of the corridor.
The platform is now completely empty.
Only a few pale lanterns still floated in the air, their light illuminating a small area, while beyond lay eternal darkness.
The Infinity Castle returned to silence.
Only the Biwa, seemingly coming from nowhere, echoed softly in the intricate space, like the breath of this distorted city, or the silent mockery of some being.
Outside the Infinity Castle, night had just fallen.