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"Kiriya-sama, the first wave is about to reach Muzan's resurrection point."
"The second wave will arrive shortly after!"
"Wait! STOP THEM—DON'T LET THEM GO!" Kiriya shouted.
"What?"
"Keep them away from Muzan! Order them to hold position until the Hashira arrive! Otherwise—"
Too late.
The first wave of Corps members discovered Muzan's location—a massive fleshy cocoon suspended in midair, anchored to surrounding walls by grotesque tendrils. The Demon King was moments from revival.
As the swordsmen prepared to attack, one received a message from his crow.
"WAIT! Hold position! The Master orders us to wait for the Hashira!"
"We can't just stand here! At least we can do something before they arrive—"
SLASH—
Muzan's hand tore through the speaker's skull before he could finish.
"MUZAN!"
"He's emerged—"
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
In seconds, every member of the first wave was torn to shreds. Blood painted the walls. The carnage was absolute.
Through the crows' surveillance talismans, Kiriya witnessed the massacre. "EVERYONE WHO CAN HEAR THIS—HOLD YOUR POSITIONS UNTIL THE HASHIRA ARRIVE! OTHERWISE YOU'LL JUST BECOME MUZAN'S FOOD FOR RECOVERY!"
The crows relayed his command immediately. "CAW! ALL UNITS RETREAT! CAW! TEMPORARY WITHDRAWAL!"
Muzan's limb lashed out, decapitating the nearest crow. Even as the bird's severed head fell, its beak continued transmitting orders until the light faded from its eyes.
"Total annihilation. How pathetic." Muzan's laugh dripped with contempt.
"Tamayo, Tamayo... never thought humans would save you. Not that it matters—I've already absorbed your humanization drug. Wonder how you'll feel knowing your masterpiece accomplished nothing? Hehehehe!"
His transformation was complete. True demonic form fully manifested—white hair, limbs and lower body wrapped in blood-soaked fur, enormous fanged maws erupting across his torso.
After neutralizing Tamayo's drug and breaking free from the cocoon, he'd regained his full demonic instincts. The first wave's flesh had accelerated his recovery. Every part of his body could transform and extend at will.
"After living over a thousand years, food has lost most of its flavor. But that meal while starving? Delicious."
"Sending me fresh ingredients—commendable, Ubuyashiki!"
"Whoever's commanding now shows real competence!"
━━━━━━━━
Simultaneously, Kiriya issued new orders to the Infinity Castle crows. "Pull the second wave back! Stay away from Muzan! Every human he consumes accelerates his recovery!"
But it was already too late. Having devoured the first wave, Muzan had restored substantial strength. He attacked again, slaughtering the retreating swordsmen with casual brutality.
"IMMEDIATE RETREAT! WHERE ARE KAIDO AND THE OTHERS??"
"The Dragon Hashira is pushing himself to the limit. Tomioka's group as well."
"No... the children keep dying..." Tears streamed down Kiriya's face as he watched through the crows' perspective.
"I was too slow... my command failure... it killed them all..."
"Everyone prepared for centuries. All that effort to defeat Muzan—wasted because of my incompetence..."
"KIRIYA-SAMA!"
SLAP!
Kuina struck him across the face. Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Kanata gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
"Pull yourself together, Master! Issue the next command! The battle isn't over—and the Dragon Hashira is still coming!"
"That's right, Master. Father and Grandfather all endured the same pressure and anguish. This is what leadership means."
Kiriya's clarity returned. He straightened, resolve hardening. "Confirm Muzan's position. Have the crows continue spreading surveillance markers! Assemble the Hashira immediately—and concentrate all available forces before he can feed again!"
"Kanata, Kuina... thank you."
"Yes, sir!" Both girls responded in unison.
━━━━━━━━
"CAW! MUZAN HAS REVIVED! ALL HASHIRA CONVERGE IMMEDIATELY! CONVERGE!"
Everyone receiving the order accelerated toward the coordinates.
"Damn it—still too late! BASTARD!"
Kaido pushed himself faster—then felt something wet on his face. He touched it.
Blood.
Looking up, he saw crimson seeping through the floorboards above. His enhanced senses detected movement—and screaming.
"AAAHHH! MUZAN! I'LL SEND YOU TO HELL WHERE YOU BELONG!"
"Dragon Breathing, Ninth Form: Whirlwind Pierce!"
Kaido roared, raising his greatsword. His legs launched him skyward like an ascending dragon, drilling through the ceiling.
━━━━━━━━
After consuming dozens of swordsmen, Muzan had fully recovered.
Now he prepared to hunt down every remaining Corps member in the Castle.
"The Upper Ranks were all useless. Tonight, the Demon Slayer Corps dies. I'll exterminate every last one of you."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Mm? What's that sound?"
Something was ramming upward from below at incredible speed.
CRASH—
Kaido erupted through the floor like a breaching dragon. Before Muzan could react, the greatsword impaled him—directly in the groin. Bull's-eye.
"AAAHHH! YOU AGAIN—WHITE-HAIRED HUNTER! KAIDO!"
Humiliation overwhelmed reason. Muzan's claws descended.
CLANG!
Kaido blocked with his blade. Sparks erupted where demonic talons met steel. The impact sent him sliding backward dozens of meters, four claw marks scarring his greatsword's surface.
"MUZAN!"
The name came out as a blood-soaked howl. Crimson veins crawled across Kaido's eyes. A single tear of blood traced down his cheek.
Muzan paused, reconsidering. "Impressive, white-haired hunter. You've killed so many of my subordinates—I should tear you apart and devour you."
"But if you accept my blood and become my servant, I'll forgive everything. As a demon, you'll possess unlimited lifespan. Once I achieve ultimate evolution, you'll share in that glory..."
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU COWARD! I'd be embarrassed to call you garbage—that would insult the word! Garbage can at least be recycled and serve a purpose. You can't even do that!"
"You're asking me to serve a pathetic coward? KEEP DREAMING!"
"YOU'RE DEAD!"
Muzan's arms transformed into thorned whips, lashing forward with blinding speed—razor-sharp, freely extending, impossible to predict.
"Dragon Breathing, Fourth Form: Coiled Dragon!"
In dragon form, Kaido's defensive technique manifested as a phantom serpent coiling protectively around him. This was reconnaissance—testing Muzan's capabilities before committing.
The whip struck his defense with a sonic boom.
Then the second arm attacked—a blur of motion barely visible.
CRACK—
The defense shattered. Kaido stumbled backward, blood trickling from his mouth. The fox mask hanging from his head split into fragments from the shockwave.
'Even weakened by Tamayo's drugs, he's still this powerful. The medication hasn't fully taken effect yet. I need to buy time!'
"You withstood my casual strike? I underestimated you. But I'm curious—why the hatred? Did those dead humans mean something to you?"
"Why do you trample on life?"
Muzan: "...!"
"What's funny about it? What's entertaining?"
"What do you think life is worth?"
"Why don't you understand? Why have you forgotten?"
The greatsword's crimson hue intensified—becoming brilliant red. Bright Red Blade.
"SHUT UP! STOP TALKING!" The words combined with the red blade triggered cellular memory—Yoriichi's specter haunting him. Fear coursed through Muzan's body.
"MUZAN! I'LL DRAG YOU DOWN TO THE DEEPEST ABYSS WHERE YOU'LL SUFFER FOR ETERNITY!"
Demon Slayer Mark—activated!
Transparent World—unlocked!
Demon Eye—engaged!
"Dragon Breathing, Fifth Form Modified: Dragon Cleave!"
Kaido moved faster than sound. His blade carved nearly a thousand dragon-head projectiles through space—each one stronger, faster, and covering triple the previous range.
"DIE!"
Both whip-arms intercepted the barrage. Thorns collided with dragon-heads, generating violent wind currents that shredded everything nearby. The battlefield transformed into devastation.
Though Muzan's speed was extraordinary, Kaido matched him.
Most attacks were deflected—but several landed. Muzan's torso split open, deep lacerations exposing bone. Blood flowed freely. Rage consumed him, nothing remained but the desire to kill Kaido.
"Dragon Breathing, Tenth Form!"
"MUZAN—GO TO HELL!"
Ultimate Technique: Judgment Slash!
Kaido vanished. Muzan heard only dragon roars echoing from all directions—unable to track the source.
SLASH—
A wound opened across Muzan's throat. Shallow, but the searing pain reignited ancient terror.
He whipped both arms in a defensive cocoon, disrupting Kaido's assault pattern.
The tactic worked—remaining strikes hit only the whips.
But Kaido didn't relent. The moment his ultimate technique concluded, he attacked again.
"Dragon Breathing, Ninth Form: Whirlwind Pierce!"
Facing the high-speed drilling charge, Muzan's whips struck the "dragon" directly.
The blow interrupted Kaido's momentum and severed one whip—but the Bright Red Blade's burning effect suppressed regeneration.
Kaido fared little better. At the last instant before impact, he'd forcibly canceled his technique and raised his blade defensively. He'd managed to cleave through Muzan's whip—but a hairline crack now marred his greatsword.
'He's still this strong even weakened!'
Kaido's thoughts raced.
[System, compared to the Upper Ranks, where does my current strength place me?]
[Besides surpassing all Hashira except perhaps one or two, Host's power ranks just below Upper Rank One.]
[Just below Upper One??]
The implications were clear. He could defeat any demon below Kokushibo. Against Upper Rank One himself? Four-six odds, maybe fifty-fifty.
Victory was possible—but would cost him dearly.
Over the years, the System had provided countless rewards. But mastering them had been his own work—forging those gifts into genuine strength through relentless training.
Even with System assistance, personal ability mattered. He wasn't invincible.
Without those rewards? He'd probably be an ordinary person in this world. Maybe a low-rank swordsman at best.
Now he faced Muzan—and Kokushibo's strength was second only to the Demon King.
Meaning even now, fighting Muzan alone... he could die. Possibly. Not certainly—but the risk existed.
'Kokushibo ranks just below Muzan. I rank just below Kokushibo. I need to be extremely careful.'
'I have to stall him until reinforcements arrive. And pray Yushiro completes his objective quickly.'
Kaido raised his blade into guard position, preparing for the next exchange.
"You should be dead! I won't allow anyone like Yoriichi Tsugikuni to exist and obstruct me!"
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