In a guest room at the Ubuyashiki Estate, Higashino Makoto sat back in an armchair with a map he had borrowed from the Demon Slayer Corps' archives spread out in front of him.
The map marks all the locations where Muzan Kibutsuji might have appeared over the past few decades.
The markings were dense, covering almost half of Honshu, but none of them were definitive.
That monster, which had existed for a thousand years, never left a trace, never fought head-on, and never put itself in any dangerous situation.
For a thousand years, countless people have tried to kill him, and countless people have failed.
Higashino Makoto's fingers tapped lightly on the map, his golden eyes sweeping over the red markings.
He can now see merit and deeds clearly, trace the flow of the soul, and transfer merit from one person to another.
But there's one thing he can't do: find an old fox that's been hiding for a thousand years out of thin air.
Will they need to use the protagonist Tanjiro's nose?
Yes, but it will probably take quite a while.
Even though he has plenty of time, Higashino Makoto doesn't want to waste it.
"Momo."
"Exist."
"Can intelligence-based magic find Muzan Kibutsuji?"
Momo walked to his side, her purple eyes gazing at the map. Her tail swayed gently behind her, the heart-shaped tip curling slightly.
"Theoretically, yes. Huginn and Muninn are both World Item, with top-notch intelligence gathering capabilities, but—"
"It will take time."
Higashino Makoto finished speaking for her.
Leaning back in his chair, his golden eyes gazed at the ceiling.
"Furthermore, when I killed Doma, I didn't pay much attention to concealing myself. There was such a commotion at the headquarters of the Eternal Paradise Faith, with so many Pillars rushing in and then retreating. Doma's aura suddenly disappeared; Muzan Kibutsuji must have known."
"Is Cheng-san worried that he's hiding?"
"Yes, he's the kind of person who's extremely timid. He'll hide the moment he encounters danger, especially after being terrified by some pervert a thousand years ago."
"He hides when danger arises and sends his men to probe. How come I never noticed before? His personality is actually quite similar to mine."
Higashino Makoto shook his head.
Momo's tail tightened slightly.
"What should we do then?"
Higashino Makoto did not answer immediately.
He stared at the map, at the dense red markings, and something began to take shape in his mind.
Fishing.
"Momo."
"Exist."
"Tell me, what do ghosts want most?"
Momo thought for a moment, then gently twitched her tail and twirled her fingers in her short pink hair.
"Blood? Flesh? Power?"
"All of them, but the one I want most--"
Higashino Makoto held up one finger.
"--It's sunlight."
Momo's eyes widened slightly.
"Sunlight?"
"Yes, sunlight. Demons fear sunlight; this is a rule established by the gods, but this rule is not absolute. If Muzan Kibutsuji can overcome sunlight, he will no longer need to hide in the darkness; he can appear during the day and walk in the sunlight."
Higashino Makoto stood up and walked to the window.
The moonlight outside the window was like water, spilling into the courtyard of the Ubuyashiki Estate, turning the ancient buildings into a silvery white.
I have a prop.
His voice was calm.
"The Sunlight Resistance Strategy Ring. An item from YGGDRASIL, it allows creatures vulnerable to sunlight to resist its weakness. In the game itself, it's nothing special; almost every vampire player has one. But in this world—"
He turned around, his golden eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
"--That's what Muzan Kibutsuji wanted most."
Momo looked at him for two seconds, then the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.
"Cheng Sang, you're trying to lure the snake out of its hole."
"Yes, lure the snake out of its hole."
Higashino Makoto walked back to the table and took out a silver ring from his backpack.
A pale yellow gemstone is set in the ring face, with fine light flowing inside, like sunlight compressed within.
"Muzan Kibutsuji can see the scenes of demons dying through their eyes. This is his ability, but also his weakness. He relies on this ability too much; he thinks that as long as he doesn't personally intervene, no one can catch him."
He placed the ring on the table and pushed it in front of Momo.
"So I need a demon, a demon that is Dominate, to wear this ring, to walk into the sunlight, and then to utter Muzan Kibutsuji's name."
Momo's tail swayed gently.
He'll notice.
"He will notice, and then he will see the ring, see an ordinary ghost unharmed in the sunlight. He will be shocked, he will doubt, he will be greedy."
Higashino Makoto's voice was calm, but each word was like a carefully polished pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples.
"What would a greedy demon do? He'd send his minions to rob us. But if he sends his minions, we'll know where he is."
"No."
Higashino Makoto shook his head.
"He won't send anyone. He wouldn't trust anyone with a treasure of this caliber, so he'll come in person."
The room fell silent.
Momo gazed at the ring, the light of the pale yellow gemstone reflected in her purple eyes.
"Cheng-san, are you sure he'll come in person?"
"I'm sure. Because he's waited a thousand years, and his greatest wish is to overcome the sunlight. Now, an item that can fulfill this wish has appeared before him. Do you think he'll give it up to someone else?"
Momo was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"Won't."
So, he will come.
Higashino Makoto put the ring back into his backpack, turned around, and looked at the moonlight outside the window.
"Now, all we need to do is wait."
The exorcism operation began late the next night.
Higashino Makoto stood at the entrance of an abandoned village, the moonlight shining on him and casting a long shadow on the gravel road.
Momo stood behind him, holding a slender staff in her hand.
The three butterfly sisters stood further away, their hands resting on the hilt of their Nichirin Blade.
"Mr. Higashino, the demons here... seem very strong?"
Kanae Kocho's voice carried a hint of suppressed wariness.
"The stronger the better."
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
"I need something that can attract Muzan Kibutsuji's attention; it's definitely better to be stronger."
He stepped into the village.
Footsteps echoed through the empty street, and the gravel crunched softly underfoot.
The houses on both sides have been abandoned for many years, with vines climbing the walls and most of the roof tiles broken. Moonlight seeps in through the cracks, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Until they arrived at a temple.
In the darkness, the red light began to move.
It was a gigantic demon with six arms, its eyes red and gleaming with a hungry light in the darkness.
"Humans..."
A voice came from the darkness, low and hoarse.
"It looks delicious..."