"Charge, charge, charge!!!"
Kairo Retsu controlled his Insect Glaive, weaving deftly through the air toward Muzan.
The way Kairo Retsu threw himself forward with no regard for safety unsettled Muzan—just what kind of trump card was this man carrying that he was so desperate to close in?
Could it be something capable of posing a fatal threat to him!?
Muzan couldn't help but entertain that possibility. The fear of Kairo Retsu approaching swelled in his mind.
And at the same time, Muzan kept reinforcing that belief in himself.
"That's right! That damned Tamayo was also rescued by these people! It must be her!" Muzan thought. "It has to be another one of her poisons. That woman has spent centuries plotting against me!"
"I can't let this bastard succeed."
As Muzan steeled himself, the whip-blades on his body accelerated, sweeping so wildly that even the Demon Slayer Corps members trying to create an opening for Kairo Retsu were struggling to hold the line.
Muzan's sharp eye also noticed that Kairo Retsu seemed to be holding a small vial in his hand—only confirming Muzan's suspicions and causing him to focus even more of his assault in Kairo Retsu's direction.
He could not let these damned Hunters succeed. His stamina was already severely depleted, and if he were to be poisoned again, his situation would only spiral further out of control.
Muzan launched a frenzied assault.
But all his attention was fixated on that vial—so much so that he didn't notice the hint of excitement in Kairo Retsu's expression.
That expression signaled that everything was proceeding precisely as the Hunters had planned.
Meanwhile, in the safe zone of the arena, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was consulting with Tamayo about whether the plan just enacted was viable.
"I saw you hand Grand Guildmaster Retsu a vial," Kagaya said. "Is that the special poison you and Shinobu Kocho developed to counter Muzan?"
"No…"
Tamayo's lips curled into a smile. "That's just a vial of my blood—with a tiny dose of my Blood Demon Art's influence. It won't harm Muzan even if he ingests it… but it will amplify his emotions."
"I know Muzan well."
Tamayo clenched her fist, her voice dark with the weight of vengeance. "That man is mortally afraid of death—but at the same time, he is egotistical, tyrannical, and deeply arrogant."
"If not for being crushed by Yoriichi Tsugikuni all those years ago, he wouldn't be the craven creature he is now."
"He must've noticed it by now—the vial in Grand Guildmaster Retsu's hand," Tamayo continued. "Because he's afraid of death, he'll become convinced that this is the reason Kairo Retsu is recklessly trying to get close."
"And if… in that moment of desperation, Muzan manages to destroy the vial—his arrogance will once again overtake him." Tamayo explained Muzan's psychology clearly: "At that point, he will underestimate Grand Guildmaster Retsu—who is now close to him—and only then…"
"Only then will he obediently, just as we planned, swallow the Grand Guildmaster himself, reeking of rare blood, as nourishment."
"He will… consume the deadliest poison himself." Tamayo said flatly. "Which is the Grand Guildmaster himself."
Now, Kairo Retsu had deftly maneuvered to within just a few meters of Muzan.
Muzan could even see the liquid in the vial sloshing with each of Kairo's movements.
Destroy it.
Gripped by terror, Muzan made his move.
From Muzan's chest, his flesh transformed into a massive spike and shot toward the approaching Kairo Retsu, intending to shatter the vial before it could be used.
Muzan was so tense he didn't notice—Kairo Retsu made no attempt to dodge the spike. Instead, he lunged forward, letting it simultaneously shatter the vial and impale his chest.
"Impossible!"
As the spike pierced through Kairo Retsu, his expression twisted into despair: "The last vial of poison…"
Seeing Kairo's expression, Muzan felt a wave of glee rise from deep within.
And then he caught it—the intoxicating scent of rare blood leaking from Kairo Retsu's wound.
"!"
Muzan's pupils shrank, then dilated in ecstasy.
The man before him was rare blood! A truly exceptional, top-grade specimen! For a demon… this was the ultimate nourishment!!
Unable to resist the temptation, Muzan ignored the expressions of horror from those around him who realized what was happening. Without hesitation, his chest split open into a massive maw, swallowing Kairo Retsu whole—crushing him internally and beginning digestion at once.
And the moment digestion began, Muzan felt it—an immense rush of nutrients from Kairo Retsu's body being broken down.
Once he recovered his stamina, he could flush out the toxins and slaughter these Demon Slayers to escape!
Muzan was elated.
Until—he suddenly felt drowsy.
And then… numb. And then… searing pain.
"What… is happening…"
Muzan's movements stiffened.
It was the effect of the various trap baits Kairo Retsu had equipped on his body. Although the accumulated status wasn't enough to inflict full-blown debilitation, they were affecting Muzan in real-world terms—slowing his reaction and draining his senses.
"Damn it!"
Muzan instantly realized—this damned Hunter Guildmaster had poisoned him from the inside.
He sneered. Even so, Kairo had given him enough energy to recover. A bit of poison wasn't going to matter. Once he regained strength, he'd wipe out the Demon Slayers with ease!
But even as Muzan clung to that idea—
Joseph Joestar and Naofumi Iwatani, watching as Muzan fully swallowed Kairo Retsu, stopped pretending. Their faces twisted into smiles.
Hunter Rule No. 4… A Felyne can do anything.
And one extension of that rule was…
Felyne carts.
At the very next moment, right in front of everyone's eyes, a blindingly multicolored Felyne Palico cart appeared right behind Muzan.
Still struggling against sleep, paralysis, and poison, Muzan failed to notice the Felyne staring directly at him.
"Found the Grand Guildmaster, nya. He got eaten by the monster, nya."