Chapter 161: Nightmare
Was he simply too exhausted?
Ren checked Kyojuro's condition and found that he was sleeping deeply.
After examining him more carefully, Ren realized that Kyojuro had been working here for several days and had barely gotten any proper sleep.
That was exactly why Enmu had been able to launch his attack while Kyojuro was at his weakest.
[Has he arrived?]Ren asked quietly.
Then he placed his Nichirin sword beside him and slowly closed his eyes.
Ren entered the dreamscape…
At the front of the train, beneath the night sky, Enmu's figure appeared like a strange bubble.
Inside the carriage, several people were crawling on the floor, trembling as they raised their heads and waited for the demon before them to give them instructions.
Seeing the humans' trembling smiles, Enmu was quite pleased.
"Well? Is everyone here?"
[Everyone is here,]one of them answered.
"They're all asleep. I followed your instructions exactly. They must be the Demon Slayer Corps members you mentioned!"
"Then… can you let me enter the dream?!"
As this person spoke, the others simultaneously raised their heads and looked toward Enmu.
They all wanted to enter Enmu's dream so that they could remain in that dream world forever.
Every single person present had come for the same purpose.
Logically speaking, demons and humans should naturally be enemies.
Yet Enmu had changed that relationship.
He was skilled at controlling people's hearts. He understood the weaknesses of human nature and knew exactly how to exploit them, manipulating humans into working for him.
All he needed to do was activate his Blood Demon Art, and these humans would be more than satisfied.
It had to be said that, in Enmu's eyes, there was fundamentally no difference between these humans and demons.
Sometimes, humans could be even more selfish than demons.
Otherwise, Enmu would never have had the opportunity to exploit them like this.
How pathetic.
For hundreds of years, the Demon Slayer Corps had continued sacrificing themselves to exterminate demons, one member after another dying in battle.
Some Demon Slayers had even risked their lives to cut down evil demons!
And yet, this was the kind of humanity they were protecting.
Enmu watched the expressions of these people with great interest.
Then he moved a finger, causing one of them to fall into a dream.
At first, the others were startled.
They thought the demon had gone back on his word and decided to kill the man.
But when they realized that he had actually entered the dream, they immediately understood.
Their eyes filled with envy.
Greedy desire appeared on their faces.
They knelt before Enmu, begging him to let them enter the dream as well. Their anxious expressions and depraved eyes greatly pleased him.
"Humans really are such small-minded and greedy creatures."
Enmu was extremely satisfied.
But he didn't continue playing with them for long.
After all, he had recently received a new order from his master.
At first, Enmu had been somewhat nervous.
Muzan had previously ordered him to kill Ren, but despite using his abilities to search for Ren for a long time, Enmu had never been able to find him. He had no idea where Ren was.
Because of this, he had always been worried that Muzan would eventually come looking for him to settle the score.
From that point onward, Enmu had become extremely cautious, constantly gathering information about Ren's whereabouts.
Since Muzan had only informed the Upper Ranks that Ren had been taken away by Gyokko, the Lower Rank demon Enmu had no idea about it.
Enmu still believed that Ren was a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Fortunately, however, Muzan hadn't brought up the matter of Ren at first.
Instead, Muzan had spoken about the Blue Spider Lily.
Muzan had ordered Enmu to control humans and have them search for the flower.
If he found it, Enmu could become a new Upper Rank!
If he failed…
Then his miserable existence as a demon would have no meaning.
Second, the matter still involved Ren.
It was through this new order that Enmu learned everything that had happened previously in the Entertainment District.
While searching for the Blue Spider Lily, Muzan also ordered Enmu to continue gathering information about Ren.
This time, however, the demand was explicit.
If he couldn't find Ren, he would die.
Enmu knew that this day had finally arrived.
In his eyes, Lord Muzan had no need for a useless Lower Rank demon.
And the reason Enmu had appeared here today was actually because of Muzan's orders.
He had heard that Ren would be coming here.
"Have any of you ever seen someone named Ren?"
Enmu looked at the sycophantic humans before him and asked with undisguised disgust.
[Ren?]
The people thought for a moment, seemingly unable to come up with anything.
But then—
A woman wearing a kimono spoke up.
"Ren! I know him! There's someone named Ren among the Demon Slayer Corps members!"
Enmu's eyes lit up.
"Continue."
"None of the Demon Slayer Corps members we were tracking before was named Ren."
The woman in the kimono continued, "At the time, I was following a pervert with yellow hair. Then, while following him, I suddenly discovered that he had gathered together with several other members of the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Then they encountered someone named Ren!"
[Oh?]
Enmu tilted his head and smiled gently.
"Are you sure? If I discover that you're lying to me, you'll never be able to have pleasant dreams again!"
"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare lie to my master!"
The woman hurriedly dropped to her knees, speaking nervously.
"Entering the dream has always been my greatest wish. How could I willingly give up such a wonderful opportunity?!"
Enmu smiled.
Then he questioned several other people and carefully examined the information they provided.
Some had vague memories.
Others remembered everything very clearly.
After listening to their descriptions, Enmu discovered that everything they said was actually true.
The timing, their clothing, even certain pieces of information he already knew—all of it matched perfectly!
Enmu let out a cold laugh.
It seemed these people really were telling the truth.
These idiots had actually seen Ren!
Ren had been on his train all along!
Hahahahahahaha!
Enmu laughed delightedly.
[Ren… oh, Ren!]
He murmured to himself.
[Now that you've fallen into my hands, my dream will make you wish you were dead!]
Enmu was ecstatic.
He had never imagined that Ren would ultimately fall into his hands!
Enmu also knew how powerful Ren was.
He was ruthless and merciless, capable of killing Hantengu.
And in the end, Ren had even managed to escape from Lord Douma.
Such terrifying strength made Enmu extremely cautious around him.
Enmu remembered that when he had first received the mission to assassinate Ren, his target had apparently already killed several Lower Rank demons.
He had never expected that after all these days, his opponent's strength would have increased to such an astonishing degree.
However, Enmu wasn't worried.
No matter how powerful his opponent was, once they entered the domain of his Blood Demon Art, they could only be at his mercy!
With that thought, Enmu asked again,
"Has that Demon Slayer fallen asleep?"