At the Ubuyashiki ancestral home, the Hashira meeting had ended. Kagaya Ubuyashiki appeared to be resting, but in reality, his mind was already working on a new plan. The original strategy, built on years of observing Muzan Kibutsuji's predictable behavior, was now completely useless. For centuries, Muzan had operated in a certain way, a pattern that the Demon Slayer Corps and the Ubuyashiki family had planned to exploit.
The gathering of the nine Hashira and the arrival of the shrine maiden, Amane, were all pieces of an elaborate trap designed for one purpose: to finally kill Muzan Kibutsuji.
However, the unthinkable had happened. Overnight, Muzan Kibutsuji's entire personality seemed to have changed. His methods, his character, everything was different. If they continued with the old plan now, it would be a disaster. The Ubuyashiki family, the Demon Slayer Corps, and even the Shrine Maiden clan would likely be slaughtered. That was an outcome Kagaya could not allow.
"We've made contact…" Kagaya said, his voice quiet but firm. He fought to suppress the intense, burning pain from the curse that covered his body, his blind eyes holding an unusual focus.
"Yes, we've made contact with my family," Amane replied, her voice soft and gentle. "They are preparing to send the young master of the Shrine Maiden clan, Jūbei Kanzaki. Our clan is skilled in many methods of hunting demons, and we have our own sacred grounds."
She looked at her husband with deep concern. "Jūbei is one of the candidates to become the next head of our clan. We don't need to question his abilities. What we need to worry about is Muzan Kibutsuji. His current behavior is completely abnormal."
Kagaya's expression turned grim. "I agree. In this situation, all of our previous preparations are worthless. But three of the nine Hashira have fallen into his hands. He will definitely use them to make some kind of statement."
He paused, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "All we can do now is wait patiently for him to make the first move."
Even as he said the words, Kagaya's inherited ability of foresight sent a chill down his spine. He had a terrible, ominous feeling. The old Muzan Kibutsuji was a monster, but this new one, Tsukihiko, was far more terrifying. He was like a venomous snake hiding in the shadows, and no one knew when he would strike. But they had no choice. They had to be ready to face him.
Meanwhile, in the Infinity Castle, the meeting of the Twelve Kizuki had also concluded. Tsukihiko's form vanished and reappeared in the quiet courtyard where Lady Tamayo resided. Using Nakime's powerful Blood Demon Art, Tsukihiko had moved Tamayo's entire home, courtyard and all, into his dimensional fortress. Nakime could shift and rearrange space with a strum of her biwa, but ultimate control belonged to Tsukihiko. From the moment Tamayo and her assistant, Yushiro, had entered the Infinity Castle, their every move was under his complete watch.
"A person's time and energy are limited," Tsukihiko thought to himself, a small smile playing on his lips. "To improve any skill, one must spend countless hours on trial and error. But after becoming a demon, you gain nearly unlimited time and energy. Improving your abilities should become simple."
He scoffed internally. "But that depends on the demon."
In his opinion, only the top few Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki understood how to properly use their endless lives to grow stronger. From Upper Rank Six, Gyutaro and Daki, downwards, the rest were lazy and complacent. In contrast, there was Tamayo—the female demon who had escaped his control hundreds of years ago. She was disciplined and had dedicated her long life to the study of medicine.
Inside her room in the transplanted courtyard, Lady Tamayo was carefully writing in her journal.
"I never thought I could make more progress in just a few weeks than I did in decades of work…" she thought, a mixture of awe and bitterness swirling within her.
Just as Tsukihiko had assessed, Tamayo had been passionate about medicine even as a human. After becoming a demon, she had the infinite stamina and energy to pursue her research without rest, allowing her knowledge to grow immensely. Still, her progress had been slow. Experimenting on demons was difficult when her own strength was limited.
But now, she had a perfect test subject right in front of her: Nezuko Kamado. That, combined with the immense pressure from Tsukihiko, had pushed her to work harder than ever before. In a short time, she had made incredible breakthroughs and had already determined the key changes in Nezuko's blood.
"All of this is happening because of Muzan Kibutsuji's oppression," she mused. "But in a way, being forced to help this girl… it feels like a small atonement for his sins."
For the first time in a long while, a genuine, hopeful smile graced her face. But she knew that even with this feeling, her hatred for Tsukihiko hadn't faded. In fact, it had only grown deeper.
"What's wrong, Tamayo?"
A calm voice suddenly spoke right beside her ear. A figure appeared out of thin air, moving like a ghost.
"Did you think of something that made you happy?"
Tamayo's smile vanished instantly, her beautiful face becoming a mask of stone. Tsukihiko stood beside her as if he had been there all along. The terrifying pressure and aura of danger that rolled off him made her delicate body tremble slightly.
He was terrifying. Far too terrifying. The Muzan Kibutsuji she had known in the past was a monster of rage and impulse. This Tsukihiko was something else entirely—a creature of cold, mysterious power. He was standing right in front of her, yet it felt like an impossible distance separated them. Even worse was the suffocating feeling that her every move, every word, and even every thought were being watched by him. The old Muzan could control her body, but he could never invade her mind like this.
"Tamayo, why aren't you smiling? Don't you like to smile?" Tsukihiko's voice sounded again, deceptively casual. He nonchalantly picked up her research notes from the desk, his eyes scanning the pages. A slight smile touched his lips.
"I was right about you, Tamayo. To have made this much progress in such a short amount of time is impressive."
He placed the notes back on the desk and turned, clasping his hands behind his back.
"Remember," he said, his tone dropping into a cold warning, "you don't have much time left. And my patience is also limited."
The moment the words left his mouth, Tsukihiko's figure vanished, leaving Lady Tamayo alone in the silent, trembling room.
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