Kibutsuji Muzan

After looking through the dead Martial Demon's memories and comparing them with the replay of his death, Kokushibo murmured softly:

"Blue Spider Lily..."

The flower's pattern was indeed identical to the one Muzan had once ordered them to find.

In the centuries of memories he'd accumulated, Muzan had indeed spent all that time searching for the blue flower. In fact, he'd devoted most of his energy to finding it.

Otherwise, if they'd focused all their efforts on the Demon Slayer Corps, then even if they hadn't wiped it out, the Corps would have been forced to hide in the shadows, unable to grow.

As for why Muzan had searched so desperately for this blue flower—

Muzan had never told them the reason, but Kokushibo and the other Upper Rank Demons, who had lived for centuries, had all more or less figured it out.

They knew what Muzan desired most!

Could this flower called the "Blue Spider Lily" help Muzan achieve his goal...

To walk beneath the sun, live forever without dying, and attain eternity?

That was it. What did demons fear most?

The sun? Nichirin Swords?

Now that he had become the Demon King, neither he nor Kibutsuji Muzan feared decapitation by a Nichirin Sword. Other than sunlight, what could truly kill them?

Unless his younger brother, who had been dead for many years, came back to life right before his eyes.

Otherwise, Kokushibo couldn't think of a way to kill them.

Once he understood, Kokushibo turned to the female Martial Demon beside him and said:

"Tell Akaza to come see me at once!"

"Yes, Lord Kokushibo."

As soon as she spoke, the female Martial Demon vanished from the room, leaving Kokushibo alone, quietly seated beside the tea table.

The bitter tea passed his lips, but it couldn't calm the ripples in his heart.

If Heaven gives you an opportunity and you don't take it, you'll suffer for it. If the time has come and you don't act, disaster will follow!

He, Kokushibo, feared nothing!

Late the next night, Kokushibo finally arrived in Kumagaya County with a group of Martial Demons, having hurried there as fast as they could.

The Demon Slayer Corps had chosen the location carefully. They didn't know exactly where Kokushibo usually operated, but the battle between Akaza and Doma in the countryside of Kanagawa Prefecture some time ago had been so intense that the Corps' intelligence network had managed to uncover a few clues.

On top of that, Kanagawa Prefecture had undergone some changes. Martial artists from other regions were frequently entering the area, and not a single demon under Muzan's command had been found anywhere within the prefecture.

The Corps had therefore more or less guessed where Kokushibo was.

They had chosen a place that was neither too close nor too far from him.

They wanted to give him some time, but not enough to gather all his subordinates.

Whether they killed these Martial Demons now or not wouldn't make much difference.

The key to this battle was still Kokushibo and Muzan. As long as the two demons died, their subordinates—demons born from their blood—would die as well.

A moment later, Kujo Tachibana sensed that Kokushibo was about to arrive. She turned to Ubuyashiki Kagaya and said:

"Kokushibo is here."

Hearing her, Ubuyashiki Kagaya wasted no time. Following the original plan, he sent the Flower Hashira and Mountain Child to the Blue Spider Lily, where they reenacted what had happened two days earlier.

After giving the order, Kujo Tachibana added:

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

"Three may be as strong as Upper Rank Demons. The other five have all reached the level of Lower Rank Demons."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded gravely and looked at the swordsmen before him, issuing his orders rapidly:

"Once they reach the middle of the gorge,"

"Stone Hashira Himejima Gyomei, you'll stop Akaza."

"Sun Hashira Tanjuro Kamado, keep your eyes on Kokushibo. If he doesn't make a move, don't attack without good reason!"

"Trainer Kuwajima Jigoro! Urokodaki Sakon! Ishikawa Mannosuke! The three of you will hold off the three strongest remaining Martial Demons. Don't worry about defeating them; focus on buying time!"

"Other Hashira, choose your opponents and fight as you see fit."

"Rank-and-file swordsmen, follow the plan we discussed!"

"Ubuyashiki Kagaya wishes you all victory and good fortune in battle!"

"Move!!"

Kokushibo and his group of Martial Demons reached the entrance to the gorge without encountering any resistance. Only then did they stop.

He looked up at the cliffs on either side of the gorge. His dark eyes showed not the slightest trace of emotion.

"Humans..."

"Why are you always so blind to reality?"

No matter how many ants there were, how could they ever bring down a tree?

Kokushibo didn't pause again. In an instant, he vanished into the gorge.

At the same time, in Asakusa, Tokyo—

Kibutsuji Muzan suddenly sat bolt upright in bed!

At that moment, the broad-foreheaded woman named Haruno Rei, lying beside him, woke with a start too.

"Tsukihiko, what's wrong?"

Haruno Rei started to pull the blanket back up to cover her bare skin.

But then, in the next instant...

Kibutsuji Muzan, no longer patient enough to keep playing house, swung a tentacle and smashed her into a heap of flesh.

After swatting the annoying fly, Muzan disbelievingly went over the memories of Mountain Child's final moments once more.

The woman before Mountain Child had forced his head around to face the blue flower on the ground.

Then the woman spoke:

"Kibutsuji Muzan!"

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

"And Kokushibo has already found this place. He'll get to it before you do. Hahahaha..."

"You'll never become an eternal being!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the woman brought her blade down. Mountain Child's head fell to the ground.

Just from Mountain Child's memories, Muzan had already confirmed it.

That blue flower was indeed the Blue Spider Lily he'd spent over a thousand years searching for!

No wonder he'd never been able to find it. The Demon Slayer Corps had hidden it!

But why were they doing this now?

What were they after?

If they weren't confident they could kill him, why do this?

Were they trying to make him and Kokushibo fight? But Kokushibo couldn't kill him...

However, faced with the temptation of the Blue Spider Lily, Muzan had little time to dwell on it. He'd go there first and think later!

The woman had been right. If Kokushibo got the Blue Spider Lily...

"Crack..."

"Crack..."

"Crack..."

The moment he considered that possibility, Muzan clenched his teeth so hard that he shattered his molars!

He swallowed the broken teeth, then roared in a furious rage:

"Nakime! Gather the Twelve Kizuki at once!"

"Send us to where Mountain Child just died!"

"Quick!! Hurry!!!"