The Tree Spirit Demon Can't Take It Anymore / The Bountiful First-Kill Reward; Muzan Appears

Could someone have already entered the forest?

With a bad feeling rising in his heart, Scribe rushed toward the sound.

The Tree Demon Couldn't Take It Anymore

The forest at night was bitterly cold. Under the moonlight, it reflected a silvery glow, and the silence was frightening.

Only the occasional breeze passed through, carrying the rustling sound of leaves scraping against one another.

Other than that, there was not even the sound of animals roaring.

As Scribe ventured deeper into the forest, the air grew tainted with a pungent smell.

The smell of blood.

He hurriedly stopped and carefully sniffed the blood in the air.

This scent of blood belonged to humans.

And there was more than one person!

Scribe frowned, puzzled.

The men from the town should not have entered the deep forest at night. So where had this human blood come from?

The doubts in his heart grew stronger, and Scribe could only continue running toward the source of the blood.

One step, two steps.

As the distance steadily closed, the bloody stench in the air became increasingly thick.

Gradually, Scribe also heard human roars and wails.

Closer. Even closer.

After crossing several towering trees, Scribe saw a huge clearing before him.

With a leap, Scribe entered the battlefield.

At the sight of this sudden intruder, both sides immediately turned their gazes toward him.

A vicious-looking demon with feral eyes, slaughtering humans.

Wounded in several places, breathing raggedly, Demon Slayer Corps Members struggling desperately to resist.

Hm, the Demon Slayer Corps was here too.

Wait, why was the Demon Slayer Corps here?

Scribe was somewhat surprised. He did not seem to understand why members of the Demon Slayer Corps had appeared here.

He had thought they would be ordinary people abducted by demons, but he had never expected Demon Slayer Corps Members instead.

Had someone beaten him to it?

The moment that thought surfaced, Scribe sensed something wrong with the ground beneath his feet.

Every warning bell in his body rang, as if telling him how terrifying this attack was.

The muscles in his legs exploded with force, and Scribe stomped heavily on the ground.

Using the recoil, his body shot backward.

At the same time, a thick branch burst from underground, extending more than two meters above the earth.

It was easy to imagine what would have happened if he had failed to dodge just now.

Sure enough, this demon's method of attack was controlling things like tree vines.

Scribe landed after a backflip, confirming one of his earlier guesses.

At that moment, he suddenly noticed something strange about the demon's appearance.

Its upper body was relatively normal, that of a young man in his twenties.

But by now, he had long since lost his human appearance.

Unknown vine-like growths crawled across his dark green skin, making him look like some old tree spirit.

His lower body had vanished entirely, directly fused with a tree.

Because he was bound to the tree, the demon could only move within a certain range.

While Scribe observed the Tree Demon, the demon also noticed that Scribe was different.

He had initially assumed this seven- or eight-year-old brat was merely a lost child who had wandered into the forest.

But now, things did not seem so simple.

Someone who could so easily evade his attack could not be a nobody.

The Tree Demon was not the only one shocked. Even the Demon Slayer Corps Members widened their eyes when they saw Scribe dodge.

That was the move that had killed five of their companions, yet this seven- or eight-year-old child had evaded it.

And without a single scratch.

Taking advantage of this brief moment, Scribe asked the Demon Slayer Corps Members.

"Why is the Demon Slayer Corps here?"

Though they were somewhat doubtful, since he knew about the Demon Slayer Corps, there was no need to conceal anything.

A male Corps Member with one arm missing clutched his wound and answered with a pale face.

"The Demon Slayer Corps learned of the rumors here long ago and previously sent members to investigate. We were sent to eliminate the demon here!"

At that, Scribe understood.

The strange group the craft shop owner had mentioned before was most likely the Demon Slayer Corps' scouting unit.

Having sorted out the situation, Scribe began analyzing the battlefield.

Judging from the current circumstances, if they fought, the Demon Slayer Corps Members would have difficulty even protecting themselves.

Five people. Two had lost arms, one had lost a leg, and the remaining two were gasping for breath.

If defense would not work, then he would take the initiative and attack!

Just then, the Tree Demon launched an attack before Scribe could.

This time, it came from above.

Accompanied by the cracking sounds of branches scraping together, countless limbs formed a massive net that came crashing down upon Scribe and the others.

It seemed that the Tree Demon wanted to wipe them all out in one move.

"Die! All of you will become my food!"

The Tree Demon roared wildly, his dark green face filled with bloodlust.

The moment the Corps Members saw the giant net descending upon them, their faces turned deathly pale.

Some even gave up resisting altogether, their Nichirin Blades falling to the ground.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The net closed in. Beneath its overwhelming pressure, the Demon Slayer Corps Members shut their eyes in despair.

Just as they thought they were doomed, a calm voice rang out.

"The players have switched."

Immediately afterward, Scribe's figure vanished from where he stood.

Along with him vanished the Nichirin Blade that one of the members had dropped.

Total Concentration: Sun Breathing

Fifth Form: Fire Train

A brilliant crimson light flashed, transforming in the next instant into a flaming semicircular slash.

The slash flew out and slammed directly into the net of branches.

Like a sharp blade piercing paper, the crimson slash effortlessly tore through the branch net.

The once-dense net became a scattering of tattered branches, flying apart through the air.

"What?!"

The Tree Demon's eyes flew wide, filled with disbelief.

He could not believe that this eight-year-old child had destroyed his prized technique in a single strike.

"Impossible! That's impossible!"

"That lord said so! I'm one of his favored subordinates!"

The Tree Demon howled loudly, his words brimming with rage and resentment.

That lord?

Scribe caught the key phrase, and his heart skipped a beat.

Could this demon be someone Muzan had paid special attention to?

His expression shifted slightly as Scribe decided to alter his battle plan.

If possible, he intended to capture this Tree Demon alive.

The odds were slim, but perhaps he could obtain information about Kibutsuji Muzan.

He weighed the Nichirin Blade in his hand, his expression somewhat helpless.

It feels so good in the hand. As expected, I still need my own Nichirin Blade.

Seeing Scribe disregard him so completely, the already enraged Tree Demon erupted.

Veins bulged sharply across his forehead, and cracking sounds rang out from all over his body.

"You little brat, don't look down on me!"

The fanged demon opened his mouth wide and roared at Scribe.

"You don't seem to count as a human anymore, either."

After hearing the Tree Demon's words, Scribe instinctively retorted.

After a moment of silence, the Tree Demon retaliated with even greater fury.

Clearly, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Die!"

Countless branches swayed into motion, coiling overhead like writhing earthworms.

The sky that had once been covered became open again, and starlight and moonlight poured onto the battlefield.

Illuminated beneath them were not only Scribe and the others, but also the thousands of vines.

This Tree Demon could actually control such an enormous number of trees!

"Have a taste of being strangled to death!"

The Tree Demon waved his hand, the flames in his eyes seeming as though they would burn Scribe alive.

The suspended branches instantly became hunting pythons, lunging at Scribe and the Demon Slayer Corps Members.

If the previous net had been more for trapping enemies, then this move was a true killing blow.

Facing the Tree Demon's attack, a sly smile appeared on Scribe's face.

He took off the backpack behind him, then kicked it toward the incoming branches.

The next moment, a crimson light flashed through the night sky.

The Generous Reward for the First Kill, Muzan Appeared