The twin-headed demon froze in horror as Yōsuke suddenly appeared in the doorway, eyes wide in disbelief.
"You—you're not the Lord! Who are you?! Why is your aura almost identical to his?!"
Yōsuke snorted coldly.
"Instead of worrying about who I am, you'd better think about how you're going to escape from all of us alive."
The demon instantly understood. Cold sweat broke out across its body—survival was the only thing that mattered now.
Yōsuke cast a glance toward Ubuyashiki Kagaya. With a slight nod, the clan head whispered faintly:
"Do it."
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
The Flame Hashira, Rengoku Shinzuka Shō, swung his blazing Nichirin Blade. Fire roared as it sliced toward the twin-headed demon.
The main hall filled with smoke and sparks. But when the haze cleared, the demon was gone.
The Hashira showed no frustration. If they had truly wished, they could have ended the demon's life in an instant.
Letting it escape had been deliberate. They wanted it to return and report back.
Somewhere underground.
"Hah! Brother, those humans were nothing but fools! Tch, they had me shaking with fear for a moment back there!"
The younger head laughed in relief, while the elder exhaled slowly, savoring the bitter joy of survival.
"Hmph. Humans are insects. But… that one man—what was he? All demons are created from the Lord's blood. Yet he was clearly a demon, but his aura was completely different."
"Why think so hard? We've finished our task. Once we report back, I'm going to feast on some human flesh!"
"…Fine. But when you eat, don't hog all the best cuts. I want some too."
"Hah, then we'll just kill more!"
Ōta Castle – inside a library.
The twin-headed demon knelt trembling before a young man.
"Lord, the investigation is complete. The rumor was true! Thousands of Demon Slayers are stationed at the foot of Mount Isa-Suzuki. All the Hashira are guarding the estate. And… there is another demon there whose aura resembles yours."
But Kibutsuji Muzan, disguised as the library's head curator, ignored the report. He leisurely flipped through the pages of a book.
Time stretched. The demon's body shook under the crushing silence, cold sweat beading on its foreheads.
"Lord—"
Before it could finish, a thorned whip lashed out from Muzan's back, piercing its chest.
Blood spilled from the demon's lips. Staring at the whip in disbelief, it gasped:
"L-Lord… what have we done wrong?"
Muzan closed the book, turning expressionlessly toward the kneeling creature.
"If all the Hashira, and that one, were truly there… then how could you possibly return alive to me?"
"Lord, I spoke the truth…"
"I never said you lied. But if you survived, there can be only one reason: they wanted you to escape."
Agony twisted the demon's faces.
"Why…? Lord, we completed the task—"
"Why?" Muzan's voice dripped with disdain. "I, Kibutsuji Muzan, need no reason to kill. You were used. That alone makes you worthless."
The twin-headed demon died with eyes wide open, unwilling to accept its end.
Muzan absorbed its memories, his expression dark and chilling.
"Ubuyashiki Yōsuke… a demon, yet colluding with the Demon Slayer Corps? How disgraceful. You mean to use the Ubuyashiki clan to lure me? Very well. I'll grant your wish. I will annihilate the Corps and the Ubuyashiki together."
Meanwhile – the Ubuyashiki estate.
Outside, the Demon Slayers stood in solemn silence. They knew—the decisive battle was almost here.
Nearly every member bore scars from demons. Once, they had families, happiness, peace. All shattered by demon attacks. That hatred was what had driven them into the Corps.
As long as demons existed, the world would never know tranquility. To bring about a new era, they were united in one purpose: eradicate the demons.
Tamayo had extracted poison from wisteria blossoms, crafting medicine that, when applied to Nichirin blades, dramatically increased their lethality against demons.
Even non-combatants played their part. Since humans could not heal like demons, the support units had prepared vast stores of bandages and medicines, ready to minimize casualties.
No one faltered. No one shrank back. They knew one step backward meant eternal ruin. Only by charging forward could a new dawn be carved.
Inside the main hall.
Kagaya could no longer even sit upright. His frail body lay half-reclined on the futon, life barely clinging to him.
Still, he forced himself to hold one final council with the Hashira.
"Muzan must already know of me. The battle will begin soon. Evacuate the nearby towns to prevent mass casualties. And—"
A violent coughing fit cut his words short.
By his side, a child patted his back anxiously, helping him catch his breath.
"Father, you must rest."
This was Ubuyashiki Kiriya, the child Kagaya had chosen to keep by his side.
Kagaya stroked Keigo's hair gently.
"I can hold on a while longer. Listen—if I die before the battle, my son Kiriya will take my place. He will command the Demon Slayer Corps alongside you, in resisting Muzan and his demon horde."
"Lord!" the Hashira dropped to their knees, grief in their voices. They understood—these were his last words.
"Do not grieve. Do not despair. If we can end this age of demons, then my life will have been well spent."
Summoning the last of his strength, Kagaya shifted his paralyzed legs, straightening his body. He bowed until his forehead touched the floor.
"To have served with you, to have been entrusted with your faith—it has been the greatest honor of Ubuyashiki Kagaya's life. I will remember it always."
"Lord, please, you mustn't—!" The Hashira rushed to lift him, but he refused.
Though blind, his vacant eyes swept across them as if trying to etch each of their faces into memory.
"Lastly… I wish you all victory in battle."
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