Walking into the cave, a damp feeling washed over them. The air was filled with a salty, somewhat pungent smell. In the deepest part of the cave, a dozen people were tied up. Their eyes were closed and their breathing was steady; they seemed to have been knocked unconscious.
There were men and women of various appearances, heights, and builds. At a glance, they seemed to have nothing in common. But Kokushibo thought otherwise. His nose had already told him everything. These people all shared a similar scent—a scent that only those who had fished in the sea for years and weathered many storms would possess.
Without a doubt, these people were all fishermen.
Fishermen? After a moment of thought, Kokushibo seemed to understand. Sishu's Sun Breathing dealt damage through high heat and flames. If they could create a powerful demon with a type advantage, they could greatly suppress Sishu. It was with this hope that Muzan had captured these fishermen for his experiment.
"String them all up." Muzan's cold voice gave Kokushibo his command.
Nodding, Kokushibo activated his Blood Demon Art. With a squelch, blood shot out from his hands. Under the influence of his art, the blood morphed into two sharp blades.
Swish, swish.
With a wave of his arms, the blades pierced through the fishermen's shoulders, stringing them together. The intense pain jolted the unconscious fishermen awake.
"Where am I?"
"What are these things?"
"Help, save me!"
Waking up to see Kokushibo and Muzan before them, the fishermen cried out for help. But Muzan showed no mercy. With a casual wave of his hand, he slit their carotid arteries, injecting his blood into them to transform them into demons.
The voices stopped abruptly. The fishermen's bodies began to convulse violently, as if they were having seizures. They foamed at the mouth, their eyes bulged, and they made gurgling noises. Soon, most of them began to show demonic traits: their teeth grew longer, their nails grew out, their eyes turned red, and their breathing became ragged.
However, two of them showed no change, continuing to just writhe. Muzan glanced at the two unchanged fishermen and snapped his fingers. At his command, Kokushibo used his Blood Demon Art again.
Slice!
In the next moment, countless blades erupted from the bodies of the two fishermen, dicing them into pieces. Not everyone could become a demon; some, due to their unique constitution, couldn't undergo the transformation. And for Muzan, these fishermen who couldn't turn had only one fate: death.
After disposing of the failed transformations, all that was left was to wait. Another minute or two passed, and the first fisherman completed his demonization.
Kokushibo let him down and asked Muzan with some confusion, "Forgive my bluntness, Lord Muzan, but can a demon transformed in such a short time truly be powerful?"
Muzan had mentioned before that the more powerful an individual, the longer it took to turn them into a demon. Kokushibo himself had taken three whole days and nights to transform, whereas this one took only a few minutes. The difference was obvious.
"I need a useful Blood Demon Art. If their strength is low, they can eat people. If their aptitude is poor, I can give them more of my blood," Muzan replied, then stood before the demonized fisherman. "Use your Blood Demon Art."
"Yes." The demonized fisherman bowed his head respectfully and obediently used his Blood Demon Art. Since it was his first time, he was a bit clumsy. Clenching his fists and holding them up in front of him, a strange sound emanated from his throat.
"Haaaa~~~"
Seeing this strange posture, Kokushibo grew curious. Muzan was even more excited. Could his luck be this good, finding a suitable Blood Demon Art on the first try?
After a low roar, the demonized fisherman's Blood Demon Art was successfully activated. His human head transformed, becoming something resembling a large shrimp's head. Two long, thin antennae sprouted from his once-smooth scalp, and his arms turned into small shrimp pincers. After that, he stopped moving.
"Why did you stop? Continue," Muzan commanded with a frown.
"Uh, my lord, this is my Blood Demon Art." Waving his hands—or rather, his shrimp pincers—the demonized fisherman replied helplessly. "There's nothing else."
Muzan's face darkened, a vein throbbing on his forehead. He had waited all this time just to see a humanoid shrimp?
"Die!" With a wave of his hand, Muzan obliterated the shrimp-demon, completely destroying his cells. His chest heaved, his hands clenched into claws. It was clear how enraged Muzan was at being fooled.
"Next!" He glanced at the second demonized fisherman, suppressed his anger, and ordered coldly.
The second fisherman stepped forward and used his Blood Demon Art. As he did, his body began to bend over, and a hard, shell-like substance formed on his skin. His arms became thin and long, and his legs seemed to split.
Could it be? Success on the second try? Muzan's anger instantly turned to excitement. He gritted his teeth, his expression intense.
Finally, the demonized fisherman transformed... into a crab.
"That's it? There's nothing more?"
"Yes, that's it."
After this brief exchange, Muzan once again sentenced a demonized fisherman to death.
"Next!" He motioned for Kokushibo to bring down the third one. Muzan refused to believe the third one would also be a shrimp or a crab.
The third one didn't disappoint him; he wasn't a crustacean like a shrimp or crab. He ultimately turned into... an octopus.
"Die!" Without asking any more questions, Muzan declared another death sentence.
The fourth one turned into a seahorse. Dead.
The fifth one turned into a squid. Dead.
The sixth one...
Soon, only the last demonized fisherman remained. All the previous ones who had turned into sea creatures had, without exception, been sentenced to death by Muzan. His face black with rage, Muzan gritted his teeth and said, "Use your Blood Demon Art."
The fisherman nodded seriously and closed his eyes, as if sensing something. One minute passed, two minutes, five minutes...
Seeing the fisherman remain motionless, Muzan said coldly, "What are you doing? Hurry up and use your Blood Demon Art."
Opening his eyes, the demonized fisherman scratched his head in embarrassment. "Um, I don't think I have a Blood Demon Art."
The moment he finished speaking, the fisherman was instantly riddled with holes, his cells rupturing as he died.
Staring at the dismembered body of the fisherman he had just personally killed, Muzan's expression became extremely twisted. "The plan failed. We'll have to proceed with that matter first." He slammed his fist into a rock, shattering it, and said through gritted teeth, "If that matter is handled, it will be enough to eradicate the Demon Slayer Corps!"
Beside him, Kokushibo struggled to suppress his laughter. Seeing Muzan's serious demeanor, he nodded solemnly, indicating he would go with him.
"Sishu, just you wait!" Muzan's powerless and furious roar echoed through the empty cave.
...
"Achoo!" Sishu sneezed and wiped his nose.
Tamayo, who was beside him, heard the sneeze and quickly turned, asking, "What's wrong? Did you catch a cold?"
"No." He gestured for her not to worry. "Maybe someone is thinking of me, hoping I'll come and find them."
Tamayo smiled gently and said nothing more.
After leaving the forest, the two of them traveled under the moonlight toward the nearest town. Finally, just before dawn, they arrived at a bustling town.
A town named Nenyuki.
-------
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