Kibutsuji Muzan

After examining the memories of the deceased Martial Demon, Kokushibo compared them against the playback of his death and whispered softly:

"Blue Spider Lily..."

The pattern of this flower was indeed identical to the one Kibutsuji Muzan had once ordered them to search for.

In his memories spanning hundreds of years, Kibutsuji Muzan had indeed been searching for this blue flower; one could even say that Kibutsuji Muzan had poured the vast majority of his energy into finding it.

Otherwise, had they focused their full strength on dealing with the Demon Slayer Corps, the Demon Slayer Corps would have either been wiped out or forced to hide in the shadows, unable to develop.

As for why Kibutsuji Muzan was so desperate to find this kind of blue flower.

Although Kibutsuji Muzan had never told them the reason, Kokushibo and the other Upper Moon demons who had lived for hundreds of years basically knew it in their hearts.

What Kibutsuji Muzan desired most, they, the Upper Moon demons, certainly knew!

Could it be that this flower, named the "Blue Spider Lily," could help Kibutsuji Muzan achieve his goal...

To walk under the sun, live forever, and achieve eternity?

Right, as demons, what did they fear most?

The sun, the Nichirin Sword?

And as the Demon King, he and Kibutsuji Muzan were no longer even afraid of being decapitated by a Nichirin Sword; besides the sun, what else could truly kill them?

Unless his own brother, who had been dead for many years, Yoriichi, were to resurrect on the spot.

Otherwise, Kokushibo truly could not find a way for them to be killed.

After Kokushibo figured this out, he turned to look at the female Martial Demon beside him and said:

"Have Akaza come to see me immediately!"

"Understood, Lord Kokushibo."

As soon as the words fell, the female Martial Demon vanished from the room, leaving Kokushibo alone to sit quietly on his knees beside the tea table.

The bitter tea entered his throat, yet it could not calm the ripples rising in Kokushibo's heart.

To let an opportunity slip is to invite disaster; to delay when the time is right is to court misfortune!

He, Kokushibo, feared nothing!

Late the next night, Kokushibo led a group of Martial Demons and hurried with all speed, finally arriving in Kumagaya County.

In truth, the Demon Slayer Corps had been deliberate in choosing this location, even though they did not know the specific range of Kokushibo's daily activities.

However, the battle between Akaza and Doma in the outskirts of Kanagawa Prefecture some time ago had caused such a massive commotion that the Demon Slayer Corps' intelligence network had managed to find a few clues.

Coupled with the changes in Kanagawa Prefecture—primarily the frequent entry of martial artists from other regions and the fact that not a single evil demon under Kibutsuji Muzan's command had been discovered within the prefecture's borders since—the Demon Slayer Corps had basically guessed Kokushibo's location.

That was why they chose a place that was not too far from Kokushibo, yet not too close either.

They wanted to give him a little time, but not enough time for him to gather all his subordinates.

In reality, whether these Martial Demons were killed or not made no difference now.

The key to this battle lay with Kokushibo and Kibutsuji Muzan; as long as those two demons died, the other subordinate demons born from their blood would perish as well.

After another moment, Kujo Tachibana, sensing that Kokushibo was about to arrive, turned to look at Ubuyashiki Kagaya and said:

"Kokushibo is here."

Hearing Kujo Tachibana's words, Ubuyashiki Kagaya did not waste time. He followed the original plan and had the Flower Hashira take the Mountain Child to the "Blue Spider Lily," repeating the scene from two days prior.

After Ubuyashiki Kagaya finished giving his orders, Kujo Tachibana added:

"Besides Akaza, Kokushibo has brought eight Martial Demons."

"There may be three that have reached the level of an Upper Moon, and the remaining five have all reached the level of a Lower Rank Demon."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded with a grave expression, looked at the swordsmen before him, and issued his commands rapidly:

"Once they reach the center of the canyon."

"Himejima Gyomei, the Stone Hashira, you are to intercept Akaza."

"Kamado Tanjuro, the Sun Hashira, you are responsible for keeping a close eye on Kokushibo. Do not strike unless he does!"

"Trainers Kuwajima Jigoro! Urokodaki! Ishikawa Mannosuke! The three of you are to entangle the three strongest remaining Martial Demons. Do not seek to defeat them; prioritize stalling for time!"

"Other Hashira-level swordsmen, choose your own opponents and fight freely."

"The remaining Grade Ko and Otsu swordsmen, act according to the previous plan!"

"Ubuyashiki Kagaya is here. I wish you all great fortune in battle!"

"Move out!!"

Kokushibo led a group of Martial Demon through the path without meeting any resistance, only coming to a halt once they reached the canyon entrance.

He looked up at the cliffs towering on both sides of the canyon, his pitch-black eyes devoid of even a ripple.

"Humans..."

"Why are you always so incapable of seeing reality?"

No matter how many ants there are, how could they ever shake a great tree?

Kokushibo did not pause again, vanishing into the canyon entrance in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Asakusa.

Kibutsuji Muzan bolted upright from his bed!

At that very moment, the broad-foreheaded woman on the bed named Haruno Rei was startled awake by him.

"Tsukihiko, what's wrong?"

Haruno Rei reached out to pull the covers back up, trying to hide her skin exposed to the air.

But! The next second...

Having lost all patience for playing house, Kibutsuji Muzan lashed out with a tentacle, smashing her into a puddle of gore.

With the annoying fly swatted dead, Muzan, in disbelief, re-examined the memories of Mountain Child from the moment before his death.

Mountain Child had been forced by this human woman to turn his head and look at the flower on the ground.

The human woman then spoke:

"Kibutsuji Muzan!"

"This is the only Blue Spider Lily in this world!"

"And Kokushibo has already found this place; he will reach it before you do, hahahaha..."

"You will never become an 'eternal' being!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the human woman swung her blade, and Mountain Child's head instantly hit the ground!

Just by viewing Mountain Child's memories, Muzan confirmed it.

That blue flower was exactly the Blue Spider Lily he had been desperately searching for for over a thousand years!

No wonder he could never find it; it had been hidden away by the Demon Slayer Corps all along!

But why would the Demon Slayer Corps do this now?

What was their goal?

If they weren't certain they could kill him, why take such a risk?

Were they trying to incite a battle between him and Kokushibo? But Kokushibo couldn't kill him, could he?

However, faced with the temptation of the Blue Spider Lily, Muzan didn't have much time to overthink it; he had to get there first!

That human woman was right—if Kokushibo were to obtain the Blue Spider Lily...

"Grind..."

"Grind..."

"Grind..."

At the mere thought of that possibility, Muzan ground his molars until they shattered!

Swallowing the broken teeth in his mouth, Muzan roared in a fit of rage:

"Nakime! Summon the Twelve Kizuki immediately!"

"Teleport them to the location where Mountain Child just died!"

"Hurry!! Be fast!!!"