"Do not speak a single word about me. Do you understand?"
Under the moonlight, Muzan Kibutsuji raised his right index finger and spoke expressionlessly to Rokuro, who knelt before him after just becoming a member of the Lower Ranks.
His magnetic voice carried no emotion whatsoever.
Muzan Kibutsuji did not bother threatening him with consequences if he disobeyed.
He didn't need to.
Every cell in Rokuro's body was already screaming the truth—no matter where he was, the man before him could end his life effortlessly.
"Y-Yes… Yes… I understand, my lord," Rokuro replied in a trembling voice.
The terror of that moment had etched itself into his very cells.
It would never fade.
Now, being questioned about Muzan Kibutsuji again, Rokuro could not help but recall that memory.
The Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki were replaced frequently.
Part of the reason was the relentless hunting by the Demon Slayer Corps.
But another reason was the internal competition among demons.
Most intelligent demons dreamed of becoming members of the Twelve Kizuki. Doing so meant gaining more of Muzan Kibutsuji's blood and becoming stronger.
Yet even joining the Twelve Kizuki did not guarantee safety.
As Muzan Kibutsuji's direct subordinates, the Lower Ranks would be stripped of their rank—or even devoured outright—if their strength or behavior displeased him.
Rokuro had personally witnessed a Lower Rank demon executed on the spot by Muzan Kibutsuji simply for saying the wrong thing.
I cannot say anything… absolutely cannot…
If I do, I'll die horribly.
Even if I die at the hands of this Demon Slayer, I still cannot say it…
Rokuro trembled violently as he thought this.
"Wasn't it Muzan Kibutsuji who turned you into a demon?"
"You're a member of the Twelve Kizuki, his direct subordinate. Don't tell me you know nothing about him."
Chiba Yang looked down at Rokuro and spoke coldly.
It had taken a long time for him to encounter a demon so closely connected to Muzan Kibutsuji.
Naturally, he wanted to extract as much information as possible.
"I don't know… I don't know…"
Rokuro shook his head frantically, refusing to speak.
At the same time, his body slowly shifted.
But instead of moving away, he was inching closer to Chiba Yang.
If I can just touch him…
My Blood Demon Art might still give me a chance to escape.
Rokuro silently calculated the moment to regenerate his arms and grab Chiba Yang's leg.
Once he made contact, he could activate his Blood Demon Art.
So Muzan Kibutsuji's control over demons is quite absolute…
Chiba Yang thought with disappointment.
Of course, he had already noticed Rokuro's small movements.
Slowly, he raised the crimson Nichirin Blade.
Seeing this, Rokuro immediately attempted to regenerate his limbs.
In the next instant—
A burning pain surged through the places where his arms and legs had been severed.
The regeneration he expected never came.
Why?!
Why can't I regenerate?
I ate plenty of humans tonight—there should be more than enough strength to regenerate!
Why?!
Rokuro's mind filled with disbelief.
Despair finally swallowed him whole.
"In that case," Chiba Yang said calmly, "go to hell and atone for everything you've done."
Judging by Rokuro's reaction, he suspected that Muzan Kibutsuji likely possessed some method of controlling demons—one that prevented them from rebelling or even revealing information about him.
Since that was the case, there was no reason to waste any more time.
The crimson Nichirin Blade flashed through the air at a speed impossible to follow.
Rokuro's head fell to the ground.
"Damn it!"
"I finally became a Lower Rank, and I'm going to die at the hands of a brat like you?!"
Rokuro's severed head shouted in fury as his body and head began turning to ash.
"I refuse… I refuse to accept this…"
His voice gradually faded.
Soon, Rokuro's entire body dissolved into nothing but drifting ash.
Chiba Yang quietly sheathed his Nichirin Blade.
His mood was heavy.
These two consecutive missions had shown him just how immense the burden carried by the Demon Slayer Corps truly was.
Every mission placed them on the edge of death.
And the psychological pressure they endured was even greater.
Because of his overwhelming strength, Chiba Yang did not need to constantly fear for his own life.
But the other Demon Slayers…
Slowly, Chiba Yang walked over to the fallen Demon Slayer who had died earlier.
He knelt down and gently closed the man's wide-open eyes.
Rest in peace…
Sorrow and bitterness filled his heart.
At that moment, he recalled something Kyojuro Rengoku had once said.
"Yang, do you know why some people are born stronger than others?"
At that time, Chiba Yang had just completed developing his own Breathing Technique forms.
The two of them were sitting together on the steps outside the Corps residence, resting under the setting sun, when Kyojuro Rengoku suddenly asked him that question.
After days of hearing constant praise from his teacher, Chiba Yang had begun to realize that his talent was indeed extraordinary.
Hearing the question, he felt that Kyojuro Rengoku was probably referring to him.
Chiba Yang thought silently for a moment.
He opened his mouth, hesitated, and finally replied,
"I'm not sure…"
At first he had wanted to say it was to eliminate evil.
But after thinking about it, he realized that evil was not something so easily defined.
If a powerful person mistakenly judged a good person as evil, they might kill the innocent.
Kyojuro Rengoku turned to look at him.
His expression became serious.
"It is to protect the weak."
"Those who are born with extraordinary talent and power beyond ordinary people must use that power for the sake of the world and for others."
"Never use the gifts granted by heaven to harm others for personal gain."
"Helping the weak is the duty of the strong."
"It is a responsibility we must shoulder—and a mission we must uphold for our entire lives."
After saying this, Chiba Yang noticed that Kyojuro Rengoku's eyes seemed slightly moist.
He did not understand why.
But those words remained firmly engraved in his heart.
After a brief silence, Kyojuro Rengoku continued.
"Yang, your talent is exceptional. In fact, it surpasses anyone I have ever seen."
"This gift means you were born stronger than most people."
"And because of that, you must hold yourself to even stricter standards."
"You must support the weak."
"The talents granted to us by heaven exist so that we may protect—not destroy."
"Do you understand?"
From his teacher's calm words, Chiba Yang felt a powerful conviction.
It deepened his understanding of Kyojuro Rengoku as a person.
"Yes!"
Meeting his teacher's gaze, Chiba Yang answered firmly.
I'm sorry, teacher…
I failed to live up to it.
After killing the demon, the anger in his heart gradually faded.
In its place came guilt and self-blame.
In both of his missions, he had watched people die right before his eyes.
The pain in his heart was unimaginable.
Still, he did not allow himself to remain trapped in sorrow.
Rising to his feet, he began taking down the corpses hanging from the trees.
One by one, he buried them.
About twenty minutes later, members of the Kakushi arrived after receiving news of the battle.
By that time, Chiba Yang had already buried nearly half of the bodies.
"Chiba Yang-sama."
"One moment, please."
A Kakushi member ran up to him and spoke respectfully.
"The Master has learned that you single-handedly eliminated a member of the Twelve Kizuki."
"Your rank has now been elevated to Hashira."
"The Master has summoned you back to attend the Hashira Meeting."