Muzan stared at the black-clad man's lightning-wreathed blade. The heat from the lightning had turned it red-hot, and some strange power made it a dark, terrifying crimson.
The killing intent from Gusion, and the blade's faint demonic roar, made Muzan's scalp tingle, as if he'd gone back to that night centuries ago.
The pressure was so intense Muzan forgot to counterattack—he instinctively dodged, but Gusion was too fast, and his own hesitation cost him.
Like a hot knife through butter, Gusion's blade cut from Muzan's neck down to his lower waist—nearly slicing him in two!
"Aaaah—!"
In pain and terror, Muzan screamed, jumping back and unleashing countless blood-red thorns at Gusion. As he retreated, he shouted, "Nakime!"
Ever the efficient subordinate, Nakime instantly opened a door in the Infinity Castle, moving Muzan far from Gusion.
Seeing Muzan escape, Gusion whipped his blade, flinging Muzan's filthy blood in a graceful arc.
Lightning and purple mist wreathed Gusion, who exhaled white-hot steam, his hair and black clothes lifting slightly in the heat. In the eyes of the demons, he was like a wrathful god of thunder.
Gusion grinned, showing his bared teeth. "Demon King? Is that all?"
From his new position, Muzan glared at Gusion, clutching his neck and struggling to heal. Even after reattaching his body, a scar remained, and a corrosive force kept destroying his cells—Thunder Breathing's electricity lingered within him.
A surge of terror rose from Muzan's heart—Gusion's presence reminded him of the man who nearly forced him to self-destruct centuries ago.
Damn it, why does the Demon Slayer Corps have another monster!?
At least today was different. Now, he had stronger minions—Kokushibo, Yoriichi's brother, had joined him, and as Upper Moon One, protected him. And this was his home ground, the Infinity Castle.
Muzan didn't want to admit Gusion was stronger than Yoriichi, but he wasn't about to risk fighting Gusion himself, not with so many subordinates around.
"How daring, attacking Lord Muzan," said the cautious Doma, who had already summoned his Blood Demon Art—a colossal ice Buddha.
Blood Demon Art: Mist Ice—Sleeping Lotus Buddha!
The huge Buddha clapped its hands, sending a blade toward Gusion, while its mouth spat crystals.
At the same time, the new Upper Moon Four, explorer Seifu, attacked. His Blood Demon Art was like Lower Moon Five's Rui: threads.
But Seifu's threads were invisible and dozens of times tougher than Rui's—deadly in a melee.
Seifu first wove an invisible web to stop Gusion from pursuing Muzan.
As Muzan's subordinate, Seifu wanted to say Muzan was cowardly, but Muzan's control over demons was absolute.
Not only that—they had to ensure Muzan survived. If he died, so would all demons—including Seifu, explorer or not.
Gusion responded simply and brutally: before the ice crystals reached him, he inhaled deeply, unleashing a torrent of lightning. The heat vaporized the ice.
He knew from the manga that inhaling those crystals caused respiratory failure.
As lightning erupted, Gusion shattered the ground, turning into a streak of black and gold, slicing apart Seifu's web and splitting the ice Buddha in two.
He closed in on Doma, who showed no fear, still smiling as he summoned vines of ice lotus to bind Gusion.
Blood Demon Art: Vine Lotus.
At such close range, even Gusion couldn't dodge. Bound, he used sheer force to step forward and swing at Doma's neck.
Doma tried to retreat but underestimated Gusion's strength. He was a step too slow, and Gusion's blade all but decapitated him, hanging by a strip of flesh.
Doma grabbed his head and reattached it as he leaped away, the wound slowly healing. Still, the sword's corruption and thunder damage cost him dearly.
Gusion broke free of the vines, but Seifu's invisible web fell from above—Gusion slashed upward, shredding the threads, and charged Doma again.
"Akaza, what are you doing!?" Muzan, seeing the battle turn, shouted at Akaza and Kokushibo, who had landed on the platform but hadn't attacked.
Akaza, who'd wanted a fair duel with Gusion, hesitated for two reasons: he hated ganging up on one person, and he didn't like Doma. He was happy to see Gusion nearly kill Doma.
Kokushibo, too, wanted a one-on-one with Gusion, who reminded him of his brother Yoriichi. Kokushibo had become a demon to surpass his brother, but never got his wish. Now, seeing Gusion's power, his long-quiet heart burned again.
But with Muzan's angry shout, he reluctantly prepared to attack.
Akaza charged Gusion from behind, shouting, "Take this!"
A twelve-pointed snowflake array appeared on the ground—his Blood Demon Art, Destructive Death: Compass Needle.
This technique let him sense and respond to an opponent's fighting spirit, making his attacks and dodges magnetically precise. The stronger the opponent's spirit, the more powerful Compass Needle's effect.
He gathered all his strength into his right fist and punched at Gusion.
At the same time, Gusion cut Doma in half again, but sensing Akaza's attack, he turned and punched back with his left.
The collision detonated like a bomb, shockwaves interrupting Seifu's threads.
With his left fist meeting Akaza's, Gusion used his right to finally decapitate Doma.
"Oh my? I've been decapitated? Am I going to die?" Doma's head, flying through the air, still wore a fake smile.
In the shockwave, Doma's head hit the ground, eyes fading to emptiness.
In less than a minute, Upper Moon Two, Doma, was killed—shocking the demons and explorers in the Infinity Castle. Many now wondered if Gusion had actually been waiting for this opportunity.
Top hunters often appear as prey—Gusion had entered the game willingly!
"Kokushibo!"
Muzan, seeing Doma fall, was chilled to the bone and shouted.
Kokushibo didn't reply but acted immediately—stepping forward, close to Gusion, drawing his sword in a classic iai stance.
Six eyes locked on Gusion, Kokushibo had originally wanted to recruit him, but something about Gusion provoked old memories.
He drew, moonlight flowing from his blade—a massive crescent slashing for Gusion's midsection. Gusion, still in his punching stance with Akaza, barely managed to block with his sword.
Because of the rushed defense and Kokushibo's skill, Gusion's blade was forced back, slamming into his waist.
Kokushibo's six eyes were cold. As sparks flew, his sword vanished and reappeared, unleashing a barrage of crescents.
Moon Breathing, Third Form: Loathsome Moon!