Kagaya Ubuyashiki's expression was one of complete defeat, as if he were ready to welcome the end of his world. Seeing their leader so disheartened, Shinobu Kocho and the other remaining Hashira felt a cold despair that left no room for tears. They had joined the Demon Slayer Corps partway through their lives, a commitment that felt different from that of the Ubuyashiki family, who had founded the organization and fought demons for centuries.
While they couldn't fully grasp the depth of Kagaya's sorrow, they understood one thing with terrifying clarity: if the situation didn't change, they were all doomed. It didn't matter whether Muzan Kibutsuji won or the Priest Clan won. Neither side would spare them.
After all, if Muzan won, it would prove that the Priest Clan was weaker than him. A tool like the Demon Slayer Corps would become useless, discarded without a second thought. And if the Priest Clan won, they would have Muzan under their control. With the source of all demons captured, the Demon Slayer Corps would have served its purpose. Its utility would be completely exhausted, and the only fate left for them would be annihilation.
Neither of these outcomes was acceptable to Shinobu and the other survivors. No matter who was pulling the strings, their primary target for revenge had always been Muzan Kibutsuji. Even if the Priest Clan was the true mastermind behind everything, Muzan was certainly no innocent victim.
The problem was… they were powerless against both Muzan and the Priest Clan. In fact, they weren't even sure if they could escape this place alive.
"Kagaya Ubuyashiki…"
Suddenly, a calm voice echoed from the sky, cutting through the heavy silence. It was Tsukihiko.
"At this very moment, do you know who your true enemy is? And who could become your ally?"
A collective gasp swept through the area. Kagaya Ubuyashiki, his wife Amane, the Priest Lord Chinami, Shinobu Kocho, Mitsuri Kanroji, and Gyomei Himejima all froze. Even Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and Inosuke Hashibira stared upwards, their expressions shifting from exhaustion to shock.
Fate was a cruel trickster. A series of disastrous coincidences had led them here, to a conclusion that was far beyond anything they could have imagined. Muzan Kibutsuji, the ultimate enemy they had sworn to destroy, was now being presented as a victim. The Priest Clan, who they thought was their greatest supporter, had been revealed as the true mastermind.
What was even harder to accept was that the Priest Clan, their supposed saviors, now wanted them all dead. And Muzan Kibutsuji, the demon they had dedicated their lives to eradicating, might just be their only source of help.
"Muzan Kibutsuji, what… what exactly do you want?" Amane Ubuyashiki finally found her voice. Standing beside her husband, she looked up at the figure of Tsukihiko on his throne, her purple eyes filled with a storm of emotions.
It was this Demon King who had orchestrated the attack on Fujikasane Mountain, killing all of her children. It was this Demon King who had exposed the Priest Clan's schemes, turning her from a respected priestess into a sinner in the eyes of her own people. It was the appearance of this Demon King that had thrown everything into chaos and created this irreparable situation.
Perhaps Muzan wasn't the original villain behind it all, but he had certainly manipulated events from the shadows. It was impossible to label him as simply "good" or "bad." But right now, he was the only key to breaking this dreadful stalemate.
"What do I want to do? Isn't it obvious?" Tsukihiko replied from his throne, his expression calm and indifferent as he stared down at Amane. "Lady Ubuyashiki… you don't want to see your entire family exterminated, do you? As it stands, only Kagaya remains. He has no heirs, and he's in no condition to produce any."
To say such cruel things to a dying man was a special kind of evil. Amane felt that Muzan Kibutsuji was more demonic than any demon she had ever imagined.
"But… I can reverse all of this." Tsukihiko's gaze shifted back to Amane, a cold smile touching his lips. "After all, the Ubuyashiki clan can be considered my descendants. More importantly, I now possess three bloodlines: human, demon, and god. I am one of the old ancestors, sharing the same blood as the first Ubuyashiki. In this entire world, you won't find anyone else so perfectly suited to continue your legacy."
As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere turned colder. Kagaya and Amane's faces went pale with shock. Across the battlefield, even the Priest Lord Chinami's expression hardened. The complete extermination of the Ubuyashiki line was a part of their plan, and they had prepared several methods to deal with Muzan. But if he was allowed to continue with his unpredictable and bizarre schemes, the outcome would become impossible to control.
"Kibutsuji Muzan!" Priest Lord Chinami's voice boomed through the air.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The moment he shouted, the space around them began to hum with power as endless incantations and spells filled the air.
"Infinity Castle, open!"
However, it was as if Muzan had already predicted their move. Almost at the exact moment the incantations began, countless overlapping spaces materialized out of thin air. A chaotic kaleidoscope of colorful light filled the sky, twisting time and space. The Six Demon Servants, the Twelve Kizuki, the six Guardian Priests of the Priest Clan, and even Priest Lord Chinami himself were all caught in the chaotic battle.
In an instant, the Infinity Castle swallowed them all, separating and scattering them across its endless corridors.
In the next moment, Amane and Kagaya Ubuyashiki found themselves in a quiet corner of the castle. The sudden teleportation was too much for Kagaya, and he collapsed to the ground.
"This…"
Before Amane could react, a figure appeared behind her like a ghost.
"Amane, you don't want your husband to die like this, do you?"
The figure wrapped his arms around her from behind, and a devil-like voice whispered directly into her ear.
"Lady Ubuyashiki, you don't want the Ubuyashiki family to truly go extinct, right?"
Instantly, a desolate chill enveloped Amane completely. Her hands and feet felt like ice, and a terrifying cold spread through her entire body. She was still alive, but she felt as though she had already been cast into the deepest, darkest pits of hell.
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