Twelve Kizuki.
They represent the elite of the demons serving Muzan.
Once, Jay felt a certain fascination for this group… but that is now a thing of the past.
Dōma feels nothing but calm indifference toward their power, thanks to his own raw potential.
Yet, he retains a certain curiosity: he still wishes to meet some of their most remarkable members.
"I am deeply disappointed."
Muzan's voice shattered the solemn atmosphere's calm once again.
"Upper Moon Six is dead, struck down last night by the combined efforts of two Pillars."
Muzan's anger was not concealed behind his words; on the contrary, it intensified as he spoke.
"Only one of those two Pillars fell…"
The heavy silence among the demons grew denser with every word Muzan uttered.
Though Dōma judged their attitude as cowardly, he could not dispute their approach.
Why such an opinion?
Muzan is like a volcano whose eruption no one can predict.
Any reckless action would be a death sentence, for his restrained rage… would erupt upon you.
"Mutual destruction… with a mere Pillar. An inferior human."
Each syllable vibrated with a contempt that chilled the air.
With a sharp gesture, Muzan slammed his hand on the table before him.
The terrifying aura that emanated from it forced every demon present to bow even lower.
"This is the second Upper Moon to perish under a slayer's blade… in less than a decade."
Muzan's voice carried the rage and disappointment he had held back until now.
"My efforts to strengthen your powers… are they a joke?" he growled, his scarlet eyes sweeping across every face.
He was not addressing only the Twelve Kizuki.
Every demon, from the weakest to the most ambitious, felt the weight of this accusation.
"The Lower Moons are endlessly replaced, and the Upper Moons stagnate."
He paused briefly, a silence that made the air tremble.
"It seems I have been… far too lenient. You've grown complacent in your comfort, you've lost all ambition. You lack a true crisis to remind you of your place."
The message was clear: the era of complacency was over.
At any moment, a new demon… or even a mere Pillar, could become the instrument of their demise.
"That is why I deem it necessary for this battle to take place."
There was a hint of sadism in his tone, but that was of little concern to the demons present.
They were all far more preoccupied with something else—namely, survival.
"Demons with strong potential will challenge a demon for a Kizuki position. The weak have no place among the Twelve Kizuki I created," he said, pausing briefly to observe each one's reaction.
"The strongest Lower Moon, determined in the Blood Battle, will receive my blood and become the new Upper Moon Six."
This part of Muzan's speech managed to stir the hearts of the demons present, despite their fear.
"Fight with all your strength. The victor will be rewarded, and the vanquished will be devoured by the winner…"
After stating this obvious truth, Muzan cast a glance at the demons below before walking away.
All the demons outside the Twelve Kizuki displayed anxious expressions, but their opponents seemed calmer.
After all, they are inherently older than the creatures with the potential to replace them.
This detail may seem trivial, but it is highly significant among demons.
An older demon has inevitably consumed more and experienced more bloody battles.
It is only logical that they would be confident in their strength.
The opposite would be strange.
Thus, they have every reason to trust in their abilities.
The strings of the biwa resonated once more within the Infinite Castle.
A vast arena unfolded, and the challengers immediately stepped forward for a bloody battle against the higher ranks.
They did not act out of courage, but out of resignation.
Better to take the initiative, as it offers a chance to gain a psychological advantage.
Dōma had recovered from the pain caused by Muzan's blood injection, feeling noticeably stronger.
He briefly familiarized himself with his condition, then observed the ongoing battles with great interest.
'Hmm, this is all wildly exciting. It'd be even better if I had some snacks to munch on,'he thought, watching the powers of his potential adversaries.
Unlike the other demons, Dōma chose a cautious approach toward the unknown.
He had no information about the demons of this era, aside from a limited group of individuals.
Unfortunately, they were too strong for him at this point.
Dōma did not believe it was a good idea to challenge Akaza or Hantengu for now.
He decided to opt for an unknown target, but one officially beneath those he knew.
His approach proved correct when an unknown demon beside him challenged a Lower Moon.
He ended up defeated and devoured, as that demon had not yet fought in an arena.
The fool died due to insufficient information, for Dōma believed his power could have turned the tide with enough planning.
"Oh my Buddha, things are truly gory here. Should I start now?"
Dōma displayed a feigned troubled expression.
Fortunately for Dōma, he soon gathered enough information to confront his target:
Lower Moon One was the goal Dōma set for himself that night.
Why not Upper Moon Six?
Dōma judged that he should not run before learning to walk.
He felt capable of defeating the demon who had been beaten due to his haste, which he attributed to a lack of planning.
One element belonged to Dōma, thanks to his sacrifice.
The other reason, besides avoiding haste, was:
'I must not reveal everything to Muzan.'
Dōma's multicolored eyes gleamed with a mysterious light as he unfolded his fan to cover the lower half of his face.
Lower Moon One.
He had earned his position because his predecessor had recently died at the hands of demon slayers.
He had been challenged only once.
'He's certainly powerful, but he has a… distasteful appearance,'Dōma judged as he headed toward an open arena.
The demon had multiple eyes across his body but possessed the most imposing stature in the place.
Dōma even considered him a giant, as his height was immense (2.5 meters).
He could easily pass for the giant named Argos in Greek mythology.
Dōma tilted his head toward him, intrigued by his strange appearance.
Unconsciously, he stared at him for too long.
He ended up catching the demon's attention, as an eyeball on Lower Moon One's arm suddenly turned toward him.
The demon's eyes and Dōma's met directly.
The giant's eye suddenly lit up, and other eyes fixed on Dōma's position.
The eyes gleamed with excitement, as if they had spotted prey, but Dōma remained unfazed.
He flashed a fake radiant smile and gave a polite wave to the other party.
If nothing unexpected occurred, this would be his opponent.
Dōma considered "Argos" strong, but there were ways to counter him easily.
He even judged that a frontal victory was feasible and unavoidable anyway.
Dōma had no intention of waging a subtle battle against the demon's hundreds of eyes, as that would be tedious.
Dōma does not like tedious things.
When more than half of the demons around him had left, and it seemed no other demons were issuing challenges, Dōma finally raised his right hand, like a well-mannered child raising their hand to answer a question in class.
This act naturally drew attention.
"May I request to challenge Lower Moon One-Senpai?"