TOOOOMMM!!!
The forest was engulfed in bright gold light, almost turning night into day. When the lights receded, the forest near the mansion had become a mess of charred ruins.
From the Mansion, the recuperating demon slayers couldn't help but marvel at the sheer destruction of the technique.
It was beautiful and terrifying.
"Huff... Huff..."
Zenitsu panted, his body strained by the technique. His eyes were bloodshot, almost bleeding. Just then, a voice he wished he never heard again rang out.
"Kuhhk-!" A strained groan, barely audible. "You really are something, Zenitsu."
The charred demon before him slowly healed, his body returning to pristine condition. His haori and top was gone, leaving only rags of his trousers from the aftermath.
His sword lay beside him, shattered into pieces.
"You almost killed me."
Kaigaku growled, his eyes filled with absolute hate. Though deep within, they trembled with fear. The technique Zenitsu had used was borderline unacceptable. The devastation it caused filled him with terror. Thankfully, he avoided having his head cut and was able to regenerate.
'If I was a weaker demon...'
He sucked in a cold breath of realization. If it had been Gyutaro or Daki in his place, they'd have been killed.
"I'll kill you!"
Furious, he lunged at Zenitsu barehanded, lightning cackling on his body.
"Blood Demon Art: Purple Thunderstorm."
A blur of purple lightning washed over the forest, swallowing the Thunder Hashira whole.
...
[Eternal Paradise Cult]
Deep underground where sunlight never reached...
Shinobu had just finished another training session in Douma's illusions when she suddenly felt alarmed.
Startled, she jumped to her feet and looked at the new arrival in the underground palace.
A female demon with flowing blue hair and pale skin like a princess of a forgotten kingdom. Her eyes, beautiful and ethereal, held the same snowflake insignia as Douma's.
"Who... is she?"
She asked, her hands already at her sword. Still, something about this demon felt familiar. She didn't look bloodthirsty, instead, she looked like someone she'd seen before.
Douma didn't hide anything from her. He answered with a shameless grin. "This is Saki. You've met her earlier."
'Hah?'
Shinobu was momentarily confused, then it clicked. It was the girl who had welcomed Douma when they returned to the cult. She had been quite clingy then.
But wasn't she a human? Or was she a demon in disguise? Or could it be...?
"Good evening, Lady Kocho." Saki greeted with a gentle bow, her voice unnaturally soft.
"Uh..."
Shinobu was speechless. While she was already used to being with a demon like Douma, others appearing was another case. Thus, she was wary of Saki.
"Good evening," She returned an awkward greeting, then turned to the rainbow-eyed demon. "Did you turn her?"
"Of course. Saki-chan chose to become a demon for me. Admirable, isn't it?" He answered with genuine pride.
Hearing that, Shinobu scoffed. "Are you sure you didn't hypnotize her?"
Douma blinked. "Huh? No I didn't."
His expression was truly innocent. At least before he jabbed at her. "Would you say I hypnotized you?"
Shinobu's eyes sharpened as she moved to stab his throat—an involuntary action she executed whenever she was annoyed with him.
However—
Clang!
An ice sword blocked her own sword, surprising her.
Standing before Douma in a protective stance, Saki exuded a menacing aura as she glared at Shinobu. Her expression screamed "How dare you attack my master/man!", a surprise for the Insect Hashira.
"Now, now... Let's not get heated, shall we?"
Douma intervened, calmly pulling Saki closer with a smile.
"You two mustn't kill each other before I return, okay?"
Shinobu scoffed, not bothering to reply.
Saki turned to him with a curious expression. "Where are you going, Douma-sama?"
"Hmm... Let's say..." He hummed thoughtfully. "My old company."
Without allowing any of them to ask him questions, he left in a blur.
Left alone, the two girls looked at each other awkwardly, unsure what to say.
"Sorry about that..." Saki apologized sincerely, surprising Shinobu.
The Hashira's expression turned complicated. "Yeah. I'm sorry too..."
...
While the girls 'bonded', Douma reappeared in the forest, his eyes scanning around until he found what he was looking for.
A single demonic eye carrying the number; six. It was time to fulfill his second plan. Being a jobless demon, he mostly stayed in the Infinity Castle and thus was familiar with Muzan's schedule.
And today, the master of the home would not be home. A perfect time to rob right?
He reappeared before the eye, startling the entity at the other end.
"Yahallo, Nakime-chan! How are you doing today? Could you please bring me into the Infinity Castle right now? I'll appreciate if you could bring Gyutaro and Daki along."
The eye quivered softly under his gentle stare, probably shocked or stunned, then blinked.
Thrumm~
The floor beneath his feet gave out to a brightly lit maze of endless rooms—the Infinity Castle.
He smiled at the familiar feeling of diving in the air, then landed on a platform. Before him stood the biwa demon, her one eye locked on him while her body remained tense.
Two seconds later, Daki and Gyutaro arrived, abruptly teleported without notice.
"Nakime! Are you ins—"
Gyutaro's curse died in his throat when he spotted Douma. The demon had changed. Although he didn't really change physically, his presence was heavier and deeper—rivalling Kokushibo's.
'He's stronger!'
"Ah?! Douma?"
Daki shouted in shock, stunned by the unexpected visit.
Unfortunately, Douma didn't have time for pleasantries. The Demon Progenitor was going to be aware of his presence any moment from now.
"Sorry, but we can't talk much. Simply put, I'm taking you guys away from the Infinity Castle, and Nakime, you're coming too."
???
His words sounded incoherent in their ears because it was deemed impossible. They didn't understand a thing. Take them away? While being an enemy of Muzan?
Just as Nakime was about to use the biwa to bring Muzan into his castle, she realized her entire body was frozen.
Daki and Gyutaro gasped, stunned by the sight. Douma hadn't even moved.
Smiling like a curious surgeon, Douma walked toward her. "Let's start with you. I wonder, is it possible?"
He placed a hand on Nakime's head, and forcefully locked her consciousness. It was nothing complex. It was just a safety measure to ensure that Muzan remained unaware of whatever was happening.
"Now then..."
His claws pierced her skull, and his blood flowed into her.