In Infinity Castle, three demons—Muzan, Akaza, and Narutake—had fallen prey to Horitake's cunning trap!
Muzan had underestimated the violet thunderbolts. One strike forced him back two steps.
Akaza, struck in the back by a violet thunderbolt, now lay sprawled on the ground, his fate uncertain.
Narutake seemed to have suffered the worst. Hit by three violet thunderbolts, not only was her biwa—used to activate her Blood Demon Art—destroyed, but she was blasted through the air, blood spraying from her wounds. She was clearly gravely injured.
Muzan steadied himself after his two steps back.
He raised his hand, inspecting it.
His palm was bloodied, a deep gash at its center, unhealing.
Though he knew that man's lightning was particularly effective against demons, experiencing it firsthand was new for Muzan.
This was no ordinary lightning.
No matter how Muzan urged his regenerative powers, the wound remained stubbornly unresponsive.
It wasn't entirely unhealing—just maddeningly slow.
Muzan estimated it would take two or three days for the gash to close.
Staring at the wound, his expression darkened.
How many years had it been? How long since he last bled?
Was it when he faced Yoriichi Tsugikuni?
Muzan felt a surge of profound humiliation. The wound on his hand was an insult, a disgrace!
Kill him! No matter what, he had to kill that lightning-wielding wretch!
Only by slaying him could Muzan quench the hatred burning in his heart, erase the shame of this injury!
Muzan whirled, fury blazing:
"Narutake! Send me to that place now! I'll tear him to pieces!"
But then, Muzan froze, realizing Narutake's dire state.
Not only was her biwa, essential for her Blood Demon Art, destroyed, but her body was drenched in blood, ravaged by the three thunderbolts.
Worse still, Narutake's hands had transformed into tendrils of flesh, burrowing into the floor.
Muzan's brow furrowed:
"Narutake, what are you doing?"
Narutake raised her head, her pale face framed by black hair, her single enormous eye gleaming.
Weakly, she replied:
"My wounds are too severe. I'm using my flesh to sustain Infinity Castle. Without this, the entire castle would collapse."
Muzan understood. Narutake's injuries were so grave that without anchoring her flesh to the castle, it couldn't hold together.
"To be wounded this badly!?" Muzan's anger flared. "Can you send me to that place or not?"
Narutake, trembling under Muzan's terrifying aura and seething rage, stammered:
"Lord Muzan, spare me!
I can't do it now! My biwa was destroyed by the lightning!
Even if it wasn't, my current state prevents me from using Blood Demon Art over such a distance!"
Now it was clear. Muzan understood everything.
Why had five thunderbolts struck? One for him, one for Akaza, but three for Narutake.
That was the bastard's true aim!
That lightning-wielding wretch had outsmarted him!
His target was never Muzan or Akaza—it was Narutake from the start!
He aimed to cripple or kill her, ensuring she couldn't transport Muzan to him!
To think he'd calculated even this…
Muzan's frustration and rage were beyond words.
A weaker enemy had humiliated him time and again, yet he couldn't reach him, couldn't destroy him. This feeling was utterly infuriating!
Muzan's anger threatened to burst from his chest. He was on the verge of madness!
Wait—when was the last time he'd been driven to such fury?
It was because of him!
That bastard! I will kill him! I will annihilate him!
In his boundless rage, Muzan let out a terrifying roar that echoed through Infinity Castle.
Why didn't he lose control this time? Why didn't he lash out and destroy everything?
Muzan wanted to go mad, to rampage and vent his fury.
But he couldn't. He had to restrain himself.
Narutake was already using her flesh to hold Infinity Castle together. If he unleashed his wrath as he did before, the castle would truly collapse.
Burning with anger, Muzan sought something—anything—to unleash his fury upon.
His icy gaze fell on Narutake.
She shuddered, terror gripping her heart.
But Muzan held back. Venting on her would doom the castle.
His eyes shifted to Akaza.
Akaza's vitality was extraordinary. Despite being ravaged by the thunderbolt and already gravely wounded, he clung to life.
Akaza knew he'd failed, disappointing Muzan.
Bloodied and battered, he knelt, awaiting Muzan's judgment.
Muzan approached, itching to tear Akaza apart, but…
Drawing closer, he saw Akaza trembling, barely upright, his injuries too severe.
Muzan hesitated. If he punished Akaza now, the demon would likely succumb to his wounds and die.
Losing one or two demons was trivial, but Akaza was his most loyal subordinate, his most useful tool. Muzan was reluctant to let him die so easily!
Even though Akaza had failed, Muzan couldn't bring himself to vent his rage on him.
Unable to lash out at Narutake or Akaza, Muzan felt ready to explode.
"Useless! You're all useless!
Good for nothing but failure!
Akaza! Narutake! Stay here and reflect on your incompetence!"
With that, Muzan leaped away, vanishing to vent his rage elsewhere.
Narutake remained silent, her heart heavy with grievance.
She'd done nothing wrong, yet she'd been targeted and suffered for it. Still, Muzan demanded she reflect!
Fine. Reflecting was better than being killed in his wrath.
Meanwhile, Akaza knelt unsteadily, his gaze vacant. He seemed to be atoning, but his mind was consumed by one question:
Horitake had spoken of freeing him, of meeting his fiancée, claiming it was his true destiny.
But what fiancée?
Wait… did he have one?
Who was she? Who could it be?
Akaza's brow furrowed in agony, his head throbbing as if splitting apart. Someone was calling to him—someone who felt profoundly important.
Who is it!?
If Horitake were here and activated his Spirit Vision, he would see:
Beside Akaza knelt a beautiful girl, tears streaming down her face as she called out to him.
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