"Damn it, you bastard!"
Shinazugawa Sanemi gritted his teeth, barely restraining himself from following.
"Alright, Sanemi, Giyuu, come back for now."
Ubuyashiki Kagaya coughed twice more.
When he spoke, Tomioka Giyuu and Shinazugawa Sanemi would listen.
"Yes, Master." x2
The two of them sat back down, cross-legged.
Only then did Ubuyashiki Kagaya continue, "Qingshui, Mitsuri, as per tradition, your Breathing Styles will be used for your names, making you the 'Departing Hashira' and 'Love Hashira.' Afterward, you can go to Swordsmith Village to forge new Nichirin Blades engraved with the four characters 'Demon Extermination,' or have your current blades engraved, to signify your new status."
Qingshui nodded slightly.
"Good, my blade has quite a few nicks anyway, I can get a stronger one."
Kanroji Mitsuri also agreed.
Now that her Love Breathing had been successfully developed, she would also need a specialized Nichirin Blade to unleash its full power.
...
...
Inside Infinity Castle, the lights were bright.
Muzan, dressed in a white suit and wearing a top hat, sat in a chair with a gloomy expression, looking at the three Lower Rank Demons kneeling before him.
Lower Rank One - Enmu, Lower Rank Two - Rokuro, and Lower Rank Four - Mukago.
Lower Rank Five - Rui, looking bewildered, stood by his side. Not far away, six Upper Rank Demons stood on a platform in various stances, observing the scene.
"You disappoint me. In just one year, three Lower Rank Demons have been lost. Am I to understand this as the Demon Slayer Corps provoking me?
Do you truly believe I have the time to waste, slowly selecting new Lower Rank Demons one by one? In less than ten years, the Lower Rank positions have changed five times.
I can't help but wonder if establishing the Lower Ranks was a mistake, because I've given you power and status that other demons don't have, yet you only waste my time and can't do anything for me."
Muzan's face was cold as he stared at the demons before him.
He was very annoyed right now.
He had established the Twelve Kizuki among the demons, intending to select twelve stronger demons to find the Blue Spider Lily for him and to weaken and eliminate the Demon Slayer Corps, which had bothered him for centuries.
However, in recent years, he had been frequently disturbed by changes in the Lower Rank Demons, while truly important matters made no progress.
The few Lower Rank Demons were so frightened by Muzan's furious aura that they couldn't utter a word.
"Well, well, Lord Muzan, it's quite normal for the Lower Rank Demons to be a bit weak. Don't you still have us, your truly capable subordinates?"
Doma grinned and crawled out from the side, speaking to Muzan.
He was the Upper Rank Demon most fond of dancing on Muzan's red lines, but he was also the most productive demon in the past century, having killed the most Hashira and improved his strength the fastest, rising to the position of Upper Rank Two in just a hundred years.
"Doma, you're overstepping. Did Lord Muzan permit you to interrupt?"
A hand with blue-gray demon markings pressed onto Doma's shoulder, crushing it to dust.
Akaza spoke coldly to Doma.
"Akaza, you're also overstepping. Doma is your superior; if anyone is to punish him, it should be Lord Muzan and I, not you."
Kokushibo, who had been standing at a distance, opened his six eyes and looked at Akaza, almost instantly appearing before him as he spoke.
Akaza's eyes flickered. He looked down at his rapidly regenerating arms, which had just been severed, his gaze firm.
His ability to sense fighting spirit was useless against Kokushibo.
This was the supreme realm where one could completely suppress their aura, anticipate enemies, and perceive everything!
Someday, he too would reach this realm, then defeat Doma and Kokushibo, becoming the strongest demon under Muzan!
"This time, I will punish you. If you have any objections, you can initiate a Blood Battle for Replacement."
Kokushibo said indifferently.
Hantengu looked terrified, hiding on the stairs and whimpering. Gyokko poked half his head out of his pot, and Daki watched the scene with interest.
Muzan's eyes were cold as he turned to look at the Upper Rank Demons.
"And you. Centuries have passed, yet the Ubuyashiki family continues to provoke me, and the Blue Spider Lily is still nowhere to be found. Are you… truly capable?"
At this, even Kokushibo fell silent.
"The next time the Twelve Kizuki meet, if you wish to continue living, you have only two choices."
Muzan turned his back on the demons and walked forward.
"First, find the Blue Spider Lily, and I will reward you with more of my blood."
"Second, each of you bring me the head of a Hashira, and within two years, eradicate the Ubuyashiki family and the Demon Slayer Corps, begging for my forgiveness."
Muzan's cold, indifferent voice faded further and further away as his figure disappeared behind the many doors of Infinity Castle.
"A Hashira's head for each of us… What if there aren't enough Hashira to go around?"
Daki propped her chin on her smooth hand, her beautiful brows furrowed.
"If you can't get it, you die."
Kokushibo reached out and pushed the door open, looking at Nakime.
With a strum of her biwa, the tall figure holding the sword vanished without a trace.
"It seems this time, we'll have to make a big stir to draw the Hashira out quickly."
Akaza sighed, then leaped off the platform, disappearing with Nakime's music.
The Lower Rank Demons exchanged glances. Apart from the psychopathic Lower Rank One - Enmu, the others felt a little uneasy.
Based on past experience, Hashira were rarely a match for Upper Rank Demons, but it was hard to say for Lower Rank Demons.
After all, many Hashira had earned their promotion by killing Lower Rank Demons.
Carrying some worry about the future, these Lower Rank Demons, along with Hantengu and Daki, quickly departed.
Doma sat on the ground, waving goodbye with a grin to everyone who left.
The number of Hashira was limited. Based on past experience, there were at most nine Hashira at any given time, which meant at least one person wouldn't get a share.
Finally, only Doma, who was so emotionally detached that he didn't care much about his own life or death, and Gyokko, who was utterly fearless, remained.
"Gyokko-senpai, aren't you leaving yet?"
Doma tilted his head, looking at Gyokko as he asked.
"Hehehe, I have information that's guaranteed to attract a Hashira, so of course I'm not worried!"
Gyokko rolled around on the ground, chuckling.
"Oh, is it something fun? Can you share it with me?"
"No problem. I've kept this information secret for years, precisely to bring it out at a crucial moment like this to please Muzan-sama. As long as we take our time, we're sure to attract more than one Hashira."
Gyokko shook his deformed head, speaking in a slimy, emphatic tone.
"Really! Thank you for being willing to let me join in, Gyokko-senpai!"
Doma lifted Gyokko's pot high, making a joyful expression.
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