"Oyakata-sama!" "Master!" "Master!"
As Kagaya Ubuyashiki's composure completely shattered, the last three Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps cried out to him. As stated before, their loyalties were different from his. The Ubuyashiki family had an alliance with the Priest Clan, but the Hashira had pledged their lives to the Ubuyashiki family alone.
For them, it didn't matter if the Priest Clan was good or evil. They were Demon Slayers, and their mission was to kill demons. They were able to see the situation more clearly than their devastated leader. They almost immediately understood the trap Muzan had laid with his words. Whether the Priest Clan was using the Ubuyashiki or they were using each other, none of it mattered right now.
With Muzan's army preparing to attack, the entire Ubuyashiki family and the Demon Slayer Corps were about to be annihilated. That was the only thing that concerned them. The situation had gone far beyond simple accusations of betrayal.
…
"This… this is…"
Finally, the urgent and desperate cries of Shinobu and the others seemed to reach Kagaya. He had been lost in a storm of internal conflict, on the very edge of collapse, but their voices pulled him back. In an instant, his gaze sharpened, and he fixed his eyes on the members of the Priest Clan floating in the air. A raw, undisguised killing intent burned within him as he spoke in a low, trembling voice.
"Why? Why is this happening…? What is the meaning of all this?"
An extreme sense of betrayal filled his heart. The saviors he had put his faith in were the very people who had created the first demon. It was an absurd, unbelievable feeling, yet the proof was right in front of him, with no attempt to hide it. The most bitter irony was that if Tsukihiko hadn't exposed the truth, the Ubuyashiki clan would have likely been destroyed without ever knowing why.
It was ridiculous. Utterly, and completely ridiculous.
…
"You are just ants living in this world. Is it not a blessing to live out your short lives in ignorance, looking up at the sky from the bottom of a well?"
In the air above, the voice of Chinami, the Priest Lord, seemed to descend from the heavens. "Kibutsuji Muzan… even if you awaken these sleeping ants, how could you possibly change the destiny of the human world?"
The moment she finished speaking, a dazzling light erupted around her. The six Guardian Priests at her side all moved at once, each one producing a strange and powerful magical artifact.
"Today is the day the demons will finally surrender!" the Priest Lord declared.
As her voice rang out, the space between heaven and earth seemed to tear open. Countless projections appeared, each one looking almost solid. There were projections of demons, of shikigami, and of ancient ghost gods.
"Heaven and Earth Aspect: Night Parade of a Hundred Demons!"
A light flashed in Chinami's eyes, and with a deafening explosion, the unique barrier created by the fusion of the Infinity Castle and the Ubuyashiki Ancestral Home was shattered!
"Good timing," Tsukihiko said, a cold smile spreading across his lips. He sat calmly on his ice throne, completely unfazed. "Move out."
The moment his command was given, the Six Demon Servants and the Twelve Kizuki shot forward like streaks of light, surging toward the enemy.
…
"Oh my god… Is that…?" "This… how is this possible? Could it be them?"
Tanjiro and the others watched in horror. The Six Demon Servants—demons that Tsukihiko had created from the six Hashira who had died in battle—unleashed an astonishingly terrifying power.
Water Breathing!
Flame Breathing!
Mist Breathing!
Sound Breathing!
Serpent Breathing!
Wind Breathing!
For a brief moment, it was as if the fallen Hashira had returned. They fought as if they had manifested the Mark, were wielding Crimson Red Blades, and had even entered the Transparent World. But what was even more terrifying was that the power they now possessed was far greater than what a human body could ever achieve. The strength of a demon was not just physical; it was a supernatural power that came from the blood of the Demon King himself.
…
"Blood Demon Art!" "Blood Demon Art!" "Blood Demon Art!"
At the same time, six of the Lower Moons among the Twelve Kizuki roared as one. Although they had mostly handled communication and logistics since Tsukihiko had first assembled them, it didn't mean their strength hadn't grown. While they couldn't match the Upper Moons, they had still become incredibly powerful. With a thunderous boom, the entire Ubuyashiki Ancestral Home was engulfed in a terrifying storm of blood and demonic energy.
…
"This show has only just begun," Tsukihiko said calmly, his eyes still fixed on Priest Lord Chinami.
It was soldier against soldier. General against general. And king against king.
The problem was, ever since he had completely fused with Kibutsuji Muzan, Tsukihiko had barely needed to lift a finger, even when facing powerful opponents like Priest Jubei. It wasn't because Jubei was weak, but because, in Tsukihiko's eyes, he wasn't even worth his attention.
However, the Priest Lord before him was different. Her aura was deep and impossible to read. More importantly, even though she was right in front of him, it felt as if an entire dimension of space and time separated them.
A cold smile appeared on Tsukihiko's face once again. "Let this King see… what other tricks you have up your sleeve."
…
At that very same moment, in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, a dramatic event was unfolding.
Crown Prince Showa, who had disappeared in the Yoshiwara Red-Light District, had suddenly reappeared. Emperor Taisho and the Onmyoji guards of the Imperial Family immediately surrounded him. They had already received news that the Demon Slayer Corps' mission in Yoshiwara had been a complete failure. It was said that less than half of the nine Hashira had survived. They had feared the Crown Prince was dead, so they were shocked to see him return to the palace completely unharmed.
"Father Emperor…"
As everyone stared at him, a sharp glint appeared in Crown Prince Showa's eyes.
"Father Emperor, my brothers… they are all dead," he said. His voice was quiet, and his face showed no emotion, which gave everyone an unsettling and eerie feeling.
"It's all… over now," Emperor Taisho said, quickly pulling his son into a comforting embrace.
The next moment, a sharp, wet sound cut through the air. A spray of fresh blood erupted from Emperor Taisho's back.
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