Under the rising sun's rays, the heads of the Black Dog Demon and Bat Demon turned to ash.
On Horitake's side, the blood-soaked body fragments scattered across the ground also vanished into ash, along with the splattered blood.
At the same moment, Shinobu hurried over, quickly closing the lid on the box containing Hantengu to prevent him from being exposed to sunlight and perishing.
Shinobu carefully placed the box back into her backpack.
This was the Ghost Slayer Corps' only captured Upper Rank demon alive—caution was essential.
With this, Horitake's plan was complete.
The two reunited, gazing at the ascending sunrise.
Shinobu couldn't help asking:
"With this, the sowing of discord is foolproof, right?"
Horitake shook his head:
"Foolproof is impossible. I can only say I've considered every possibility as thoroughly as I could and executed the plan meticulously.
Truth be told, upon closer inspection, this strategy still has some flaws.
I just hope Muzan, blinded by rage, overlooks them."
Horitake was right—the plan had several vulnerabilities and wasn't perfectly flawless.
But it didn't matter. Muzan was indeed blinded by fury.
The instant the Bat Demon and Black Dog Demon died, Muzan in Infinity Castle sensed it.
Normally, Muzan only constantly monitored the life and death of the Twelve Kizuki. For demons like these two, he couldn't care less whether they lived or died.
But these two had been tasked with finding Hantengu.
During this period, Muzan had allocated some attention, occasionally checking on them.
So when they died, Muzan felt it immediately!
Without doubt, his first reaction was rage!
Useless idiots who couldn't accomplish anything but ruin everything! The task had only been assigned to you two for so long—yet you died? Died without any value!
The enraged Muzan clung to his remaining shred of patience, beginning to review their final memories, hoping for useful intelligence.
As he viewed them, his emotions plunged and soared.
Hm? That black dog caught Hantengu's scent in this town!?
Hm? Hantengu was actually staying in a human inn!?
Hm? Hantengu drove the two of them away!?
Hm? After being driven off, they were pursued and silenced by Hantengu!?
Just as Horitake had anticipated, the overwhelming information in their memories greatly stimulated Muzan, clouding his judgment with anger.
In his clouded state, Muzan didn't delve deeply into the memories and missed certain inconsistencies.
For instance, throughout their recollections, Hantengu's true form never appeared—only a hunched silhouette at the very end. Confirmation it was Hantengu relied entirely on the Black Dog Demon's sense of smell.
Another example: Hantengu's voice matched past encounters but had subtle differences.
These details were impossible for Horitake to perfectly falsify.
But the furious Muzan had no time for such minutiae. His mind was consumed: Hantengu had betrayed him!
The agony and rage of betrayal were unbearable! Muzan was nearly driven mad!
As he finished viewing the memories, his fury peaked!
"Damn you! Hantengu! You actually dared to betray me!"
Muzan's extreme roar echoed through the entire Infinity Castle!
Thus, the first phase of Horitake's sowing of discord succeeded!
This phase: convincingly making Muzan believe Hantengu had betrayed him!
Even if Muzan later calmed and reconsidered the details, it wouldn't matter.
Demon memories have a time limit—Muzan could only access them shortly after death.
By the time he cooled down and wanted to reexamine them, the memories would have dissipated, inaccessible.
The other three demons in Infinity Castle heard Muzan's roar.
First was Muzan's secretary, Nakime.
Having some mental preparation, she wasn't greatly shocked by Hantengu's betrayal upon hearing the roar.
However, Nakime feared Muzan might take his anger out on her again—it had happened more than once.
Terrified, she shrank back, trying to minimize her presence, hoping not to become his outlet this time.
Seated quietly on another side, Kokushibo also heard the roar.
Though he remained eyes closed and calm, inwardly he burned with extreme anger.
Hantengu had betrayed Lord Muzan? He deserves death!
Rigid and harsh by nature, Kokushibo was Muzan's partner but strictly observed hierarchy and loyalty, deeply respectful and devoted.
Thus, he raged against the traitor Hantengu, eager to eliminate him swiftly.
Besides them, one more demon heard the roar.
This was Akaza.
Since Horitake had severely wounded him, Akaza had been recovering in Infinity Castle under Muzan's grace. After so long, his injuries were mostly healed.
Resting quietly, Akaza heard the roar and felt dissatisfaction and resentment.
He too was furious at Hantengu's betrayal.
Yet Akaza's anger wasn't as intense—no burning desire to kill the traitor at all costs.
Why?
During his recovery, Akaza had grown weary and dazed.
Fragments of memories kept flickering in his mind: gentle girls, kind elders.
Toward these fragments, he had two opposing instincts.
One, more violent, insisted they were garbage—to forget, abandon, sever them!
The other, gentler, urged they were precious—never to be forgotten or lost!
One instinct from his demonic nature, the other a remnant of his humanity.
These conflicting instincts left Akaza torn, unable to resolve the memories.
Over time, the fragments grew clearer, impacting him more, leaving him dazed and fatigued.
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