Reputation Points - The Power of Ideation, Rotten Wood Tier

What on earth...

What exactly is that thing!

That power absolutely does not belong to a human!!

His aura is clearly that of an ordinary human brat, so why does he possess such terrifying speed and strength!!

That flame... what is going on with that!

How could a human possibly manipulate fire like that!!

And...

Those eyes—under the gaze of those eyes, it feels as if nothing can remain hidden...

Amidst the flames, Muzan rapidly regrew his head.

It was not out of exhaustion, but rather the rapid, shallow breathing caused by his heart pounding violently.

He had survived for a thousand years; his body as a demon was the most critical factor, followed by his cautious nature.

Without attempting to fathom the background of Uchiha Sora, he hurriedly contacted Nakime in his consciousness, demanding she teleport him back to the Infinity Castle.

Only within that otherworldly fortress could Muzan's shaken heart find a shred of comfort.

In truth, the moment he heard that sentence earlier, he had already wanted to flee, but for some reason, he could not move his feet.

Just as he was about to turn and escape, suddenly, many seeds made of flesh and blood hovered around him.

This is...

Blood Demon Art!

Swish! Swish!

The flesh seeds instantly erupted into countless thorns, pinning Muzan firmly in place!

Immediately following...

Swish!

A slender arm pierced into his lower abdomen.

Muzan looked down and saw someone who should not have appeared here.

"Tamayo... why are you here!"

"Muzan..."

Tamayo's voice trembled, filled with both fear and excitement.

"You just absorbed my fist, didn't you... Do you know what was inside it?"

"That was the medicine to turn a demon back into a human!"

"That kind of thing is impossible to develop!" Muzan roared, reaching out to plunge his hand into Tamayo's skull, his thumb grinding deep into her eye socket.

"It has been developed!"

Tamayo was also a demon; this level of injury was not fatal.

"How truly ungrateful. I am not the one who killed your husband and children; it was who gave..."

No, that is not important!

There is no time to tangle with this woman; the most important thing now is to escape!

Muzan struggled to shake off Tamayo, only to see a tall monk swinging a flail, approaching at high speed.

The monk chanted something about Namu Amida Butsu as the lethal weapon surged toward him.

Before long, the Hashira-level captains of the Demon Slayer Corps arrived at the battlefield in a rush.

Looking at the Ubuyashiki estate turned into a sea of fire, the Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa let out a hoarse roar.

"It's you, isn't it..."

"What did you... do to our leader!!!!"

I didn't do anything; he blew himself up without saying a word.

Then, I don't know where that brat popped out from, but he gave me a massive slap that sent my head flying.

Right now, I just want to escape.

I really want to escape...

In the midst of the sea of flames, it was the only place left unscathed.

Amane, clutching her husband's sleeve tightly, stared with eyes that bore a striking resemblance to the Rinnegan, filled with utter shock.

What had she just witnessed...

The Progenitor of Demons, the terrifying existence the Ubuyashiki clan had fought for a millennium...

Had been sent flying with such ease!!

The one who had accomplished this... was merely a youth who looked no older than Hinaki...

Yaozai could not see, yet he accepted what had transpired far faster than Amane.

He struggled to prop himself up and bowed toward the direction of Uchiha Sora.

"We have prayed for a thousand years, and no god or Buddha has ever answered..."

"I am deeply grateful for your arrival."

"For the sake of humanity, please slay Muzan. You may take anything you desire!"

I have already obtained what I wanted.

A notification chime rang in his mind.

User Name: Uchiha Sora.
Energy Level: Black Iron.
Accumulated Credit: 837 (700 frozen), 137 available.
Completed Loan Project: Rotten Wood-tier, Ubuyashiki Yaozai's Wife and Daughter Rescue Mission.
Obtained: 95 Credit Points.

According to Ubuyashiki Yaozai's prayer, his wish was for his wife and daughter to survive.

The platform had already determined that Uchiha Sora had fulfilled the contract.

After all... even if Muzan were given more courage, he would not dare to come and kill the Ubuyashiki family now.

Given his personality, he might just wait in the Infinity Castle for a few hundred years before making another move.

The 95 credit points had been deposited, and the transit would occur within three minutes.

"I am no savior; I have seen into your heart."

Uchiha Sora smiled faintly: "You have done your best to deal with that guy."

"You will succeed; there is no need for my intervention."

He had just probed Yaozai's memories; his mind was filled primarily with intelligence regarding Muzan, with no trace of the platform's existence.

This confirmed Uchiha Sora's previous hypothesis.

He was different.

The harvested credit points could be used for loans, and he only needed to repay Rayquaza within six years.

As for the specific steps of repayment, he would have to go through it once to find out.

The person before him...

It was as if he had posted a quest, paying with his own credit points to hire someone else as if they were currency.

Or perhaps... it was also akin to an act of worship and prayer.

Had the ancient act of praying to gods now transformed into a system of lending?

Combining this with the fact that he earned credit points by fulfilling an agreement... could it be calculated this way?

So-called credit points were the condensation of a living being's thoughts.

Was the platform perhaps in need of such abstract things, similar to emotions or thoughts?

He did not dwell on it.

Uchiha Sora's curiosity about the truth was low; regardless, as his strength grew, he would eventually know what he needed to know.

He did not care at all if there was some mastermind behind the scenes. The worst-case scenario was death, and everything he lived beyond that was a profit—what was there to fear?

"I also believe the children will win... but I truly hope to reduce the number of sacrifices."

Yaozai prostrated himself, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.

He was dying.

"Is there anything else I can offer? Even if it only reduces the sacrifice by one person."

"Nothing left."

Uchiha Sora consulted the platform; Yaozai had been burned out, and there was nothing more to squeeze from him.

"My time is short. Farewell."

This mission lacked difficulty, and he only felt a sense of curiosity regarding Muzan having lived for a millennium.

Yet, to have lived for a thousand years and reached only this level was simply a disgrace to the prestige of being a thousand-year-old monster.

"I can sense your benevolence."

"Since I no longer have any value... then, what about the demons?"

Yaozai was very clever; every generation of the Ubuyashiki family head had to be clever enough to accumulate the vast wealth required to support the Demon Slayer Corps.

Since there was nothing on his side that could make this person linger, what about the demons?

To kill Muzan, he could sacrifice the lives of his own wife and daughters; he was capable of doing even more extreme things.

It did not matter what the youth before him was; what mattered was that Yaozai could sense that this youth possessed the power to defeat Muzan.

Uchiha Sora shook his head: "I have no interest in that crude immortality which cannot face the sun."

Yaozai breathed rapidly; using his brain was physically exhausting.

Soon.

He thought of it.

"The Infinity Castle!"

"Did you see the Infinity Castle in my memories!"

"It is an otherworldly fortress of unknown origin. Muzan's subordinate, Nakime, can manipulate the spatial teleportation and terrain shifts of the Infinity Castle!"

He felt that Uchiha Sora's method of arrival must be related to space.

Therefore, the Infinity Castle, which was related to space, might be the only tribute capable of piquing Uchiha Sora's interest!

Even if he did nothing else, as long as he could take away the Infinity Castle, it would be a massive blow to the demon side!

The sensation of a mysterious force surging into his brain appeared once more. Yaozai did not resist, instead focusing his mind on recalling everything about the Infinity Castle to assist Uchiha Sora in his search.

Platform, can I take things from this world?

"Any object or living entity may be taken; the transit cost depends on the mass and nature of the subject."

"In the current world, there are no products that exceed the user's credit limit."

"Appendix: Transit costs are permanent deductions of credit points; please use with caution."

"This kind of thing... you should have said so earlier."

BOOM!!

Uchiha Sora used Body Flicker to depart, his movement creating a sonic boom!

Something similar to the Kamui dimension, capable of housing a large number of living beings, was actually being used as a dwelling by this group of feeble demons...

What a waste of a divine treasure!!

--

At this moment, the members of the Demon Slayer Corps arrived in full force, swinging their blades toward Muzan.

WHOOSH!!!

A figure flew in at high speed, stirring up gusts of fierce wind.

"Get out of the way!"

Uchiha Sora's eyes bloomed with red light, staring fixedly at the trembling Muzan.

"Hand over the Infinity Castle!"

"Trash!"

Surging with torrents of flame, Uchiha Sora appeared like a scorching sun rising in the night.

He burned Muzan's body and soul.