Muzan Kibutsuji gave the order.
Then, the eyes that had been watching him disappeared.
The ghost stood still, its hands hanging at its sides, its deep red eyes gazing at the sky.
Then, the sunlight continued to shine on it.
It didn't move.
Just stand there, waiting.
Waiting for night to fall.
Waiting for the being who created all ghosts.
Waiting for the prey that is about to step into the trap.
In the distance, at the entrance of the village, atop an abandoned building, Higashino Makoto stands on the roof.
His body was shrouded in a magic that made him "Perfect Unknowable," erasing his aura, voice, and presence.
Golden eyes gazed at the white figure in the center of the village, the sunlight and the gleam of the ring reflected in their pupils.
Momo stood beside him, also enveloped in magic. Her tail swayed gently behind her, the tip of her heart-shaped tail curling slightly.
"Cheng-san."
Her voice was so soft that only Higashino Makoto could hear it.
Has he arrived?
They should be here soon.
Higashino Makoto spoke calmly.
"However, he's hiding in the Infinity Castle, still confirming."
"Confirm what?"
"Confirm whether the ghost is lying to him, confirm whether this is a trap."
Momo's tail swayed gently.
Will he fall for it?
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
Yes, because he waited a thousand years.
He turned around and looked at Momo. There was no emotion in her golden eyes.
"For a thousand years, he hid in the darkness, watching the sunlight shine on other people's faces, on flowers, and on things he wanted to destroy but couldn't touch. He wanted the sunlight, he craved the sunlight, and he was willing to give anything for it."
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"Now, a treasure that could allow him to stand in the sunlight has appeared. Do you think he'll give it up just because it might be a trap?"
Momo was silent for a moment, then shook her head.
"Won't."
"So he will come, whether it's a trap or not."
Higashino Makoto turned around and looked back at the center of the village.
"Now, all we need to do is wait."
In the distance, the white figure still stood in the sunlight.
Its deep red eyes gazed at the sky, at the slowly moving clouds, and at the eagle circling in the sky.
The wind blew, and the white robe fluttered in the breeze.
The ring on its finger shimmered with a warm glow in the sunlight.
Muzan Kibutsuji stood at the deepest part of the Infinity Castle, secretly watching the demon standing in the sunlight through the eyes of the other demons.
The ghost stood in the sunlight, wearing a silver ring on its finger, the pale yellow gemstone on the ring shimmering with a warm light in the sunlight.
His fingers tightened slightly at his sides.
Claws dug into his palm, and dark red blood seeped from between his fingers, dripping onto the dark floor with a faint hissing sound.
He didn't feel any pain.
He only felt an urgency.
That ring.
A treasure that allows ghosts to walk in sunlight.
He waited a thousand years.
A thousand years.
Nakime.
His voice was low and calm, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his throat, carrying a suppressed tremor.
"Exist."
A woman's voice came from the shadows, hoarse and calm.
"Where is that ghost?"
"An abandoned village, in the central part of Honshu, about two hundred kilometers from here."
Muzan Kibutsuji remained silent for a moment.
"Send Upper Ranks."
"Yes, the Upper Ranks Moon—"
"No!"
Muzan Kibutsuji interrupted her.
"I'll go."
Nakime fell silent.
"Muzan Kibutsuji, are you going in person?"
"No one will be allowed to touch that ring."
Muzan Kibutsuji turned around, his dark red eyes fixed on the shadows.
Something was burning in those eyes.
It was like a wild beast finally spotting its prey.
"Haha, Doma just died, and such a treasure appears? It's probably a trap, but—"
He paused.
"It doesn't matter, I just need to take the ring."
Nakime remained silent for a long time.
"Yes, sir."
Muzan Kibutsuji turned around and looked at the mirror of light again.
Through the ghost's gaze, the ghost still stood in the sunlight.
A somewhat worn white robe, a silver ring, and a pale yellow gemstone.
He stared at the ring, its dark red eyes reflecting the shimmering light within.
"Sunlight..."
He spoke softly, a slow smile playing on his lips.
It was the smile of a wild beast that had been starving for too long and finally smelled blood.
"I am coming."
He stepped into the darkness.
The figure disappeared into the deepest part of the Infinity Castle.
In the center of the village, a ghost stands in the sunlight.
But as time went by, the sun began to set in the west, and the moon regained its place in the sky.
Darkness descended upon the center of the village, upon the ghost, and took the form of a human.
The figure emerged from the darkness.
He was wearing a black suit, and the collar of his white shirt was open, revealing a pale, bloodless neck.
Black hair cascaded over his shoulders, with slightly curled ends.
His face was so handsome it seemed inhuman, or rather, it didn't look like a living person.
Her features were exquisitely sculpted, her skin was as pale as porcelain, and her lips were a very pale color, like withered rose petals.
The eyes were dark red, like the dark red of congealed blood.
So calm, as calm as a stagnant pool.
But deep within those dark red eyes, something was burning.
Greedy.
A thousand years of suppressed, pent-up greed, about to burst its banks.
Muzan Kibutsuji stared at the demon standing in the sunlight before him.
His gaze swept across the ghost's face, across the white robe, and finally settled on the ring.
The cabochon is silvery-white, the gemstone is pale yellow, and the light flowing within the gemstone is brilliant.
"Give me."
He reached out his hand.
It wasn't a request, it wasn't a discussion, it was an order.
An order that has never been disobeyed in a thousand years.
"Yes."
It raised its hand, took the ring off its finger, and handed it to Muzan Kibutsuji.
The pale yellow gemstone shimmered in the sunlight, like a miniature sun.
Obey the orders given by your master and follow the instructions of Muzan Kibutsuji.
Muzan Kibutsuji stared at the ring, the flowing light reflected in his dark red eyes.
He reached out, and the moment his fingertips touched the ring—
The world has changed.
The wind stopped halfway through, the sunlight froze halfway through, and the moment Muzan Kibutsuji's fingers touched the ring...
Time Stop.
Muzan Kibutsuji's body froze.
Its dark red eyes were still open, revealing excitement and greed.
His fingers were still outstretched, the ring hovering the Unassailable between his fingertip and the ghost's palm.
Higashino Makoto jumped from the top of the ruins and landed on the ground.
He stepped out of the shadows, walked up to Muzan Kibutsuji, and stopped.
Those golden eyes were looking at the top of Muzan Kibutsuji's head.
There, there was a huge mass of energy that almost covered the entire sky.
It was as black as Abyss, as dense as a substance; Higashino Makoto could even feel the chill emanating from that mass of energy.
Most importantly, some of them are similar to my own profession!
"This is Muzan Kibutsuji."
He said in a low voice.
"Not bad, so much karma. I was really looking forward to how much merit I'd gain after killing you. I didn't expect to get such a pleasant surprise."