The night was deep, and even the insects had fallen silent.
When Uesugi Sasuke was brought to Kagaya Ubuyashiki's bedchamber, a heavy medicinal smell and... the scent of decay washed over him.
He knew that smell well. It was the smell of a life about to burn out.
No lamps were lit in the room. Only moonlight filtered through the paper windows, outlining the indistinct figure on the bed. Amane Ubuyashiki, Kagaya's wife, knelt quietly beside him. At the sight of Sasuke, she bowed her head deeply and gently drew back the curtains around the bed.
Sasuke looked over. Even with his composure, tempered by countless encounters with life and death, his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
The person on the bed could no longer be called human.
Almost half of Kagaya Ubuyashiki's face had been consumed by the purple curse markings. His skin was ulcerated, his muscles wasted away. Only his eyes remained gentle in the darkness, as though they could see through everything.
"Forgive my sorry appearance, Sasuke-kun." His voice was as frail as a candle flickering in the wind, yet unusually clear.
This guy... has it already gotten this bad? He's ruthless, even toward himself.
Sasuke said nothing. He simply walked to the bedside and sat cross-legged. He could sense several members of the Kakushi concealed around the room, their presences tense and sorrowful.
"There isn't much time, so I'll keep this brief." Kagaya Ubuyashiki's breathing was somewhat rapid, but he forced his voice to remain steady. "Muzan... will soon come for me himself."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"Miss Nezuko has overcome sunlight. He no longer needs to search for the Blue Spider Lily. That leaves only one way for him to become a 'perfect being': devouring Miss Nezuko." Kagaya paused. "And he, Muzan Kibutsuji, is an exceedingly