Hearing Tengen's words, Ryuji finally recalled the image of that young boy disintegrating into particles in midair. He had seen it earlier but hadn't paid it much attention—there was no danger, and his Observation Haki hadn't picked up any threats.
Besides, they hadn't been attacked since then, so he didn't feel particularly concerned.
"But it's obvious now," Tengen said grimly. "The demons that have fused with these monsters are far stronger than before."
Unlike Ryuji, who still seemed rather relaxed, Tengen couldn't be calm.
It wasn't like they hadn't encountered five- or six-meter-tall monsters before. But those creatures had always been slow, clumsy. This spider-like monstrosity, however, had been swift—lightning-fast, even. If the rest of these yokai were anything like the one they just fought…
Then the Demon Slayer Corps would be wiped out.
No—humanity would be wiped out.
And without a doubt, completely annihilated.
During the battle with the spider demon, Tengen could feel it clearly: if not for Ryuji's flames burning away the poisonous hairs on the monster's body, then no matter how hard he fought—even if he threw his life away—all he could've done was maybe cut off a couple legs.
To take down that creature would've required at least three Hashira—and even then, two of them would likely have died or been maimed.
But with Ryuji's support, they had taken it down relatively easily. The fight hadn't even lasted five minutes. That alone spoke volumes about Ryuji's power.
Especially those flames…
Tengen couldn't stop recalling that immense, terrifying fire. He pursed his lips.
That fire wasn't just powerful—it was frightening. He couldn't imagine how he would survive if it had been directed at him. He didn't even know if there was a way to counter Ryuji's flame.
It was simply too bizarre, too overpowering.
Fortunately, Ryuji was on their side.
"…No wonder Shinobu…"
As comrades who trusted each other with their lives, Tengen and Shinobu weren't exactly close on a daily basis, but their bond as teammates was solid and professional. Purely allies with a common goal.
And among the Demon Slayer Corps, most people were simple and focused—dedicated to eliminating threats to humanity. They were the kind of people you could truly rely on.
Of course, there were traitors, too—but that was an unfortunate inevitability.
Still, as a highly trained ninja—far more skilled than any modern-day wannabe like Mai Shiranui—Tengen was a master of reading the air. Sensing and interpreting subtle cues was just a basic skill for him. And he had very clearly picked up on the intermingling scent between Ryuji and Shinobu.
He didn't even have to guess what had happened between them.
At first, he thought Shinobu had just been in a low mood lately, perhaps feeling useless or discouraged. But now it was clear—Shinobu had used her body to secure Ryuji's loyalty.
It was a little awkward, sure, but Tengen understood her motives and feelings.
"…Really, Shinobu. But it worked, so I guess that's all that matters."
With that thought, Tengen looked toward the rendezvous point in the distance. After a moment of consideration, he turned back to Ryuji.
"How about it? Still got fight left in you?"
Ryuji nodded without hesitation. "No problem. But honestly, I don't think the others should come."
He gestured toward the Demon Slayer members gathered behind Tengen.
He'd noticed it earlier—that giant spider had been constantly secreting strange fluids and egg sacs.
Those sacs weren't just for hatching. They could turn into goo that covered the ground. But the spider itself had walked on invisible threads, not on the sticky terrain—clearly, the environment had been built for the smaller spiders, not the big one.
But then…
Ryuji looked off into the distance, toward where the sticky mucus had spread. He could see the smaller spiders fighting one another, and even stranger creatures hunting them—or being hunted by them.
It gave him a deeply unsettling feeling.
It was almost like they were laying down a biological carpet, transforming the local ecosystem.
Especially those spiders—they were able to easily hunt rabbits and birds, killing the native animals without effort. And those bizarre creatures he didn't recognize? They were either preying on the spiders… or being preyed upon.
Which meant… these otherworldly organisms were altering the local food chain?
Ryuji didn't know for sure. Maybe this was all just the ability of that one spider demon.
But staring at those malformed little creatures, he rolled his wrist, and the massive greatsword on his back slid from its sheath once more.
"They're too weak," he said, referring to the Demon Slayers behind Tengen. "And look—those forests are crawling with smaller versions of the spider I killed. You don't have enough men for that. Better to send them back."
He swung his sword.
A wave of Dragonfire surged forth, lighting up the forest and revealing countless twisted spiders to the rest of the group.
The flames licked across the terrain, quickly spreading and burning away the bizarre biological carpet and the writhing creatures upon it.
Ryuji soon realized that ordinary fire was enough to kill them. He didn't even need Dragonfire.
"…I see."
Tengen caught on immediately.
The men he had brought were no match for this situation. Maybe they could handle bigger monsters—but spiders the size of peas? They'd be helpless.
"I understand."
He gazed toward the mountain in the distance, where Kyojuro Rengoku and the others had disappeared. Their fate was unknown.
But if these spiders were guarding the mountain, he could guess what had happened.
The demons and monsters had joined forces—and they had set a trap for the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Lets send them back," Tengen said. "The path we came on should still be safe."
Ryuji gave a small nod and sheathed his sword, intending to mount up—only to realize his horse had already fled into the woods in panic.
And had been reduced to a pile of bones, eaten by those same twisted insects.
"…Well, that's just great."
He sighed, turned, and began walking toward the mountain.
The other Demon Slayers, though unwilling, obeyed Tengen's orders and began steering their horses back toward the gathering point.
But Tengen didn't follow them.
Instead, he held the reins of his own horse—along with another one a fellow member had offered—and waved at Ryuji.
"I think it's better if I go with you," he said with a grin. "I mean, if I let you go alone, Shinobu will probably stab me to death later, right?"
He laughed boldly, treating life-and-death matters with a light heart.
Though stronger than most, he knew full well that his odds against these new monsters weren't much better than anyone else's.
"Fine by me," Ryuji replied. "I've got enough energy and firepower to protect one or two people."
Ryuji chuckled softly and mounted the horse Tengen had brought over. Together, they pressed deeper toward the rendezvous point.
The sun was sinking faster and faster, and the surroundings took on a gloomy, oppressive atmosphere. But even that pale in comparison to the grim expression on Tengen's face.
Because what he was seeing around them was far beyond strange.
Trees writhed as if human beings were screaming within them. Winged snakes slithered through the air. Tiny, incomprehensible creatures crawled across the forest floor—things with no visible mouths or orifices, and uncertain whether they even had heads.
The monkeys in the forest stared at them with blood-red eyes, communicating with each other in whispers that sounded disturbingly human. It all drove Tengen into a growing state of irritation and unease.
What used to be solid forest ground had now turned into a sticky, stinking marsh—emitting a sickly-sweet, nauseating odor. Tengen was forced to blindfold and muzzle the horses just to keep them from bolting in terror.
Ryuji, meanwhile, saw something different.
"…So the ecosystem really has changed."
He watched the mutated interactions around them—how some bizarre plants secreted slimy fluids that were then eaten by animals, who in turn preyed on other species… and were themselves hunted by even larger creatures.
It was grotesque, yes—but it followed a kind of distorted logic. If you looked at it through the lens of ecological systems, they were the outsiders here.
But whether it was the mutated plants and animals, or the very earth underfoot, Ryuji could feel a malice emanating from everything. Even the air seemed to reject them.
The creatures constantly attempted to attack them, forcing Ryuji to release bursts of flame to burn them away and set twisted trees alight, dispelling the unseen sense of danger that crept around them.
And the deeper they went… the stronger that malice became.
Eventually, with his breathing growing heavier, Ryuji turned to Tengen.
"Do you feel it? Even the air feels like it's pushing us out."
"I thought it was just me… But yeah. I'm getting more irritable by the second."
Tengen clutched his chest. His breathing was labored now, which was deeply concerning—he was a master of the breathing techniques. If anything, he should be more resistant to this kind of environmental pressure than Ryuji.
Suspicion rising, Tengen suddenly bit his own hand—and his expression changed instantly. Because the degree of pain does not match the degree of strength he used to bite!
"…This is bad! We've been poisoned!"
The moment he shouted, Ryuji didn't hesitate—he slapped a burst of Dragonfire onto Tengen and his horse.
The scorching pain and the horse's sudden sprint seemed to clear Tengen's mind. The irritation and suffocating pressure faded noticeably.
Ryuji did the same to his own horse, setting it ablaze with controlled flame. The animal took off, quickly catching up to Tengen.
"This forest is definitely cursed! We need to find Rengoku fast—then Ryuji, burn this place to the ground!"
Tengen's expression was ice cold. This kind of phenomenon had never happened before. But his primary concern wasn't the poison—it was Rengoku's safety.
"Got it!" Ryuji replied. With Dragonfire at his command, he wasn't particularly afraid of anything in this forest.
The two of them pushed forward at full speed.
They arrived quickly at the planned rendezvous point—but before they even reached it, Tengen fell silent.
Because what stood before them wasn't the fort where Rengoku and the others were supposed to be.
There were no Demon Slayers.
No fortress.
Only… monsters.
Greenish, translucent things—like half-formed horrors. Their skin was see-through, revealing viscous liquid and what looked like malformed organs suspended inside.
They moved not with limbs, but by pulsating and wriggling. Their "heads" were gone entirely, replaced with two column-like appendages bearing massive, unblinking eyes.
They had no legs—only arms like silkworm cocoons, ending in stubby fingers. And their mouths were round, circular nightmares filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth.
Their bodies glowed faintly with an eerie green light.
But none of that was what caused Tengen's face to twist in fury.
It was the clothes they wore.
They were wearing the uniforms of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"You bastards!!!"
Tengen almost lost it.
He could accept that his comrades might be slain by demons or yokai. That was their fate. That was the cost of being a warrior who fought for humanity.
But this?
To be turned into monsters?
That was a desecration of their spirit—a violation of their will. Unforgivable.
"Calm down, Tengen! They might not be completely gone yet!"
Ryuji stopped him with a firm hand. Because through his senses… he felt no hostility from the creatures.
And he was right.
As soon as Ryuji and Tengen paused, the grotesque monsters began to react—not with aggression, but with what could only be described as… excitement.
They danced. Twitched. Made warped sounds. The contortions were so disturbing that Ryuji almost vomited on the spot—but he held it in.
The creatures quickly realized they couldn't communicate, so some began scribbling in the dirt. Then, with strange waves of their limbs, they left the area.
Once they were gone, Ryuji and Tengen stepped forward and read what was left behind:
"Stay away from us.
Contact with the green light or the slime will transform you.
One hour of exposure to the light also causes mutation.
We now serve the Black Mother.
Our senses have changed… Humans… are delicious.
The demons have allied with these beings…
We heard of Muzan Kibutsuji…
We don't know if he's here.
Flame Hashira hasn't been changed.
He's fighting for us.
Find him—please!
We can't say where the Black Mother is.
Our minds… are slipping…
Long live the Black Mother."
The crooked, uneven handwriting etched into the ground made one thing heartbreakingly clear—they had changed.
But what enraged Tengen the most was the final, devastating truth:
Even the one who wrote this message… had fully surrendered to the will of the so-called Black Mother.
He was furious.
And Ryuji… was too.
~~~~~~~~~~
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