Upper Ranks' Siege
The night wind howls through the Narutaki Forest, its shadows heavy and sharp.
This area has long been designated as a forbidden zone by the demons, and ordinary demon hunters would never approach it. Only the Pillars are qualified to set foot here.
Tonight, due to the unusual rumors of frequent "gatherings of ghosts," the Demon Slayer Corps decides to split into multiple groups to try to uncover the true purpose of the demons' strange movements.
Kakashi and Shinobu Kocho were assigned to this area.
On the precipice, the wind whips up broken branches.
Shinobu Kocho at the edge, her figure slender, her gaze fixed on the dismembered corpses of demons in the forest below, her brows furrowed slightly. "Just like the demons from before."
Her tone was soft, yet it didn't conceal a trace of murderous intent.
"These ghosts don't run away, they don't roar, they even... pounce on us."
She tapped the scabbard lightly, a cold glint in her purple eyes. "They don't seem to be out hunting for food; they're more like... following orders."
She turned to look at Kakashi not far away, her voice low and deep. "You noticed it too, didn't you?"
Kakashi stood behind her, one eye slightly narrowed, his silver hair fluttering gently in the night breeze, his expression calm as still water.
"Hmm," he said, "This isn't an ordinary hunt. This is a carefully laid trap."
Shinobu Kocho squinted. "Whose orders?"
"It seems to be... Kibutsuji Muzan." Kakashi's tone was calm, almost indifferent.
Upon hearing this, Shinobu Kocho took a deep breath, her expression instantly turning cold.
"That guy... finally couldn't sit still anymore?"
"Not yet." Kakashi shook his head. "He's cautious. There's very little useful information, but he's testing the waters. We're the bait."
A few short sentences suddenly made the atmosphere heavy. Just then—
"Thud."
From deep within the woods came the soft sound of a dry branch cracking.
Immediately afterwards, an extremely suppressed malice emanated from all directions of Lin Hai, as if the night itself was being corroded by ghostly energy!
Kakashi's eyes sharpened, and he slowly pulled down his Forehead Protector, his Sharingan slowly opening, a cold light flashing within.
"They've arrived."
In the distance, in the darkness of the night, a ghostly figure silently stepped out.
It was a ghostly creature carrying a porcelain pot on its back, with shoulders bulging like scales, a strange shape, a twisted and crazed face, and two horns hovering above its head.
--The Fifth Moon of the Upper Moon: Gyokko.
"Hehehe... I've finally waited for this." He licked his fingers, his tone filled with a morbid joy. "A beautiful pillar, a strange-tasting stranger... both are just to my liking."
Immediately afterwards, four figures leaped out from the woods on the left and right, their sinister laughter piercing and maniacal.
Split, deformed, furious, mournful--
--Upper Moon 4: Hantengu!
High atop the mountain, a tall, thin figure stood silently, his aura unfathomable. Clearly, he was no ordinary ghost, seemingly observing and recording, awaiting a more important "command."
The horde of ghosts had already laid an encirclement.
Shinobu Kocho a deep breath, her purple eyes turning cold. "We've been chosen."
"They think we're the easiest to die."
"Then their eyesight is really bad," Kakashi said with a faint smile.
He gently gripped his Forehead Protector, his fingertips twitching slightly as he patted his ninja tool pouch. "Since we've already set up this scheme, then... let's set up an even bigger one."
Before the words were even finished, the two of them set off simultaneously!
Sharingan - Awaken!
"Poisonous Fog - Unsealed!"
A gust of wind suddenly rose from the cliff, and a battle was about to break out!
Gyokko made the first move. He roared, and the six pots behind him shook simultaneously, sending out several blood-red tentacles that surged through the air!
Kakashi's figure blurred into the forest, appearing behind Gyokko in the blink of an eye!
"Summoning Technique: Ninja Dog Tracking!"
Boom!
Five Ninja Dog burst from the ground and pounced on the Gyokko!
"Foolish!" Gyokko roared, and thick blood gushed from its spout, transforming into dozens of blood needles that swept across, instantly piercing the Ninja Dog!
Kakashi, however, had already leaped into the air, his two fingers forming Hand Seals: "Lightning Release: Lightning Pierce!"
Boom!!
A bolt of lightning pierced through his body, Kakashi, as if possessed by the god of thunder, slashed off Gyokko's shoulder!
"Ughhhhh!!!"
Gyokko screamed in agony, his shoulder shattered, and roared with venomous fury, "You lowly bastard human!!!"
Six pots exploded simultaneously, and several tentacles burst forth and attacked!
Kakashi shouted without hesitation, "Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"
The boulder rose up, blocking the impact.
He lunged forward again, and Chidori was already poised for action!
"Chidori!"
A blue light, like a dragon, pierced through the night, Kakashi instantly closed in on Gyokko!
"Ughhhh!"
Gyokko hastily defended, his tentacles flying everywhere, but Kakashi forcefully smashed through all obstacles and plunged his sword into Yu Hu's chest!
Meanwhile, on the other side, Shinobu Kocho danced among the four demons like a butterfly.
The angry ghost brandished its spiked club, the mournful ghost screamed and charged, the cold ghost stood still and released poison gas, and the joyful ghost spun wildly in attack.
But Shinobu Kocho was incredibly fast, her figure weaving through the demon horde and delivering three consecutive slashes!
"You guys are too noisy."
Her voice remained gentle, yet it was like an ice blade piercing the air.
"Anger" was struck in the throat with a single blow, the poison rapidly eroding the nerves!
"Crying" attempted a sneak attack, but Shinobu Kocho in the back by Shinobu Kocho, who poisoned a pressure point, causing him to collapse instantly!
The remaining two demons lunged in fury, but Shinobu Kocho flicked her finger:
"Hundred Flowers Poison Mist Released"
Call out--!
The pale purple poisonous mist dispersed with the wind, enveloping the four ghosts.
She leaped lightly into the air, slashing horizontally with her sword, cutting through the night!
The four demons all collapsed to the ground!
The true form of the Hantengu was forcibly brought out!
"How is this possible... My clone actually..." he cried out, trying to escape, but Shinobu Kocho reacted quickly and slit his throat with a single stroke!
--The four demons were slain, Hantengu perished!
On the other side, Gyokko finally noticed something was wrong!
"No—you're not fighting! You... you're stalling for time?!"
Kakashi smiled slightly, "You finally understand."
Just now, his Sharingan had simultaneously sensed the fluctuations in the surrounding space, used his Ninja Dog to lock onto the remaining spatial traces, and activated the "Sensing Formula Array".
"The spatial tremor just now was a fluctuation at the boundary of the Infinity Castle."
Gyokko's expression changed drastically. He retrieved the six pots and tried to forcibly activate the transfer mechanism to escape.
It's too late.
Kakashi's right eye suddenly glowed:
"Mangekyō Sharingan: Space-Time Seal Technique!"
Click!
The space closed like a mirror, forcibly freezing the image of the Gyokko!
"Chidori - Piercing Heart"
Boom!!!
Lightning pierced the heart of the Gyokko, blood spurted out like a fountain, and the entire ghostly body exploded!
The mountain wind swept through again, carrying with it a strong, pungent smell of blood.
Shinobu Kocho stood amidst the pile of corpses, sheathing her sword.
"Is it over?" she asked.
"No." Kakashi looked up at the sky, his Sharingan still gleaming with an unusual coldness. "The real beginning... has only just begun."
"Just now, there was a slight tremor in the space to the north."
"We... found it."
"Infinity Castle."
Shinobu Kocho's expression changed drastically.
This battle, seemingly an encirclement and attack, was in fact a carefully planned operation!
Muzan set a trap to lure out the Pillars, but Kakashi countered by using combat to stall for time and locking down space with Ninjutsu, forcing out the "outer shell" of the Infinity Castle.
--The Demon King Muzan has nowhere left to hide!
The real hunt is about to begin!