Farewell

As the words left his lips, the remaining lower half of the demon at Suzuki Mufeng's feet stirred, launching a sweep kick aimed directly at his ankles.

"Lightning Release: Earth Flash."

Prepared, Suzuki Mufeng unleashed a burst of electricity from beneath his feet, instantly paralyzing the lower torso and rendering it immobile.

Clang—

His blade cleared the scabbard with a sharp hiss, moving so fast that only a blur remained; by the time the eye could track the motion, only a dozen chunks of flesh lay scattered on the ground.

"Mufeng, don't worry about me! Hurry up and finish off this demon!"

Looking toward the source of the voice, he saw that Jigoro Kuwajima had been hoisted into the air, his throat gripped by a demon whose body was riddled with holes.

"Heh, when it comes to illusions, I can say without exaggeration that I am your ancestor. Don't you dare try to pull such tricks in front of me!"

The Three-Tomoe Sharingan manifested, and with a single glance, the illusion shattered. The true demon had already closed the distance, and the two stood face-to-face, eyes locked.

"Got you!"

The Thin Mist Demon thrust both hands through Suzuki Mufeng's chest. The sound of flesh being pierced echoed out; it had succeeded. It had killed this demon slayer who possessed such formidable strength.

"Scum! You've got some nerve!"

The voice carried a terror etched into its very DNA. The surrounding mountain where they had staged their ambush vanished, replaced by the Infinity Castle. Both Lower Rank and Upper Rank powerhouses were kneeling before it—no, they were kneeling before the person standing in front of it.

Unable to control itself, it trembled as it lifted its head, the words spilling from its lips: "Muzan Kibutsuji-sama!"

"Well, you said the name, didn't you? Your time is up."

The Muzan Kibutsuji-sama in the suit before it suddenly wore a smile of triumph. Only then did it realize it had been played. No, it didn't want to die such a miserable death!

As the mist dissipated, Jigoro Kuwajima, having just emerged from the illusion, saw the Thin Mist Demon reaching for its blade. The next second, a scene beyond his wildest imagination unfolded before his eyes.

The Thin Mist Demon's hands suddenly moved against its will, clamping tightly around its own throat. A thick arm erupted from its mouth, grabbing its head with brutal force and snapping its neck in a gruesome display of cruelty.

That wasn't enough; the demon's body began to swell with massive tumors, twisting and collapsing into a puddle of gore right before their eyes.

This was the price for leaking information about Muzan Kibutsuji.

"Mufeng, what exactly was that?"

"A curse left behind by Muzan Kibutsuji on these demons. I used a few tricks to bait it into triggering it. Now isn't the time to talk, though. Senior Jigoro, this location is compromised. We must relocate immediately."

The entire mountain was now a scene of heavy casualties. Since Muzan Kibutsuji could browse the memories of all demons, this stronghold had certainly been discovered. There was no guarantee it wouldn't send an Upper Rank to carry out a total purge, so they had to move.

"Understood. I will notify the Kasugai Crow to have the Kakushi take over, though that won't be until tomorrow. I'm sorry to put this burden on you, Mufeng."

"Don't mention it. We weren't alone tonight; Zenitsu Agatsuma helped as well."

At that moment, Zenitsu Agatsuma suddenly flashed to Suzuki Mufeng's side, though his closed eyes indicated he was still in a sleepwalking state.

Yet, just tonight, Zenitsu Agatsuma had killed two demons in this state—a dazzling achievement for a boy who had only started his training a few days ago.

Still, the old man watched Zenitsu Agatsuma's sleepwalking form with lingering concern, his eyes darting toward him every so often.

It seemed that after Suzuki Mufeng's thorough purge, no more demons appeared for the rest of the night. Suzuki Mufeng took the opportunity to ask Jigoro Kuwajima about the finer details of Thunder Breathing. With the copying ability of his Sharingan, he had already grasped most of it and could continue training on his own.

The sun, a symbol of hope, rose slowly, and the scent of the demons that had invaded the mountain was washed away by the warm morning light.

"Suzuki Mufeng-sama, here are your Demon Slayer Corps uniform and Nichirin Sword."

News of the demon attack had already spread, and to ensure the safety of the swordsmiths, the Kakushi had delivered the blade to Suzuki Mufeng on their behalf.

Suzuki Mufeng donned the uniform and took hold of his Nichirin Sword. The moment his grip tightened on the hilt, the blade began to change color, revealing a sight that left everyone stunned.

The blade shifted from red to orange, then yellow, green, and cyan...

Finally, it turned the colors of a rainbow before gradually merging into a flawless, pristine white.

"Haha, truly astonishing. Since the founding of the Demon Slayer Corps, I have never seen a Nichirin Sword change like that. If your swordsmiths saw this, their jaws would hit the floor."

Suzuki Mufeng ran his hand over the blade. He wondered if this mutation was an effect of the power he brought from his own world, and if the sword had gained any special properties.

"It hurts! My legs, I can't feel my legs! Am I crippled? No way! Senior Brother Mufeng, you have to take responsibility for me. If you don't introduce me to a cute, kind wife, I will never forgive you!"

As soon as he woke from his sleepwalking state, Zenitsu Agatsuma began to wail. The exhaustion and injuries from the previous day hit him all at once, turning his face pale, yet he still had the energy to act like a clown.

"Zenitsu, stop yelling, or you'll tear your wounds. Keep studying hard under Master Jigoro. I have to go. You looked very cool killing those two demons last night; you have talent. I look forward to seeing you at the next Hashira Meeting. Take care of yourself."

"Senior Brother Mufeng! You still owe me a group date! You can't just leave like this!"

"I'll make it up to you next time we meet."

Suzuki Mufeng and Jigoro Kuwajima exchanged a silent look. By mutual understanding, neither mentioned the fact that the Wisteria barrier had been breached the previous night.

Some things were better left unsaid, as speaking of them only added to the burden. Since he was leaving, all he could do was have the Kasugai Crow relay his intentions.

"You are headed to the Rengoku Family next, aren't you? The Flame Hashira is a warm-hearted man who will never hold back his teachings. With your talent, I'm sure you'll master Flame Breathing in no time. Safe travels."

"Old man, I hope you stay well and live a long life. Don't give up on yourself so easily. If something happens in the future, I'll be the one to cover for you."

After a brief exchange, Suzuki Mufeng donned the haori that Jigoro Kuwajima had prepared and handmade for him. He left his old, tattered haori with the old man, donned his fox mask, and set off on his journey to the Rengoku Family.

Just as Suzuki Mufeng had suspected, their actions from the previous night had already alerted Muzan Kibutsuji.

"A brat with special abilities similar to a Blood Demon Art... such a threat must be nipped in the bud. Kamanue, go and capture this brat alive. I have a use for him."

"Yes, my lord."

Muzan Kibutsuji recalled the memories transmitted back to him. If this brat were turned into a demon, would he be able to conquer the sun?