As the Infinity Castle shifted around them, Tsukihiko considered his next move. The demons of this world were extensions of his own being, born from his blood like a virus from its source. He controlled their minds and their very existence. Only two had ever escaped his predecessor's grasp: the girl Nezuko Kamado, through sheer force of will, and the doctor, Lady Tamayo.
While Nezuko was an interesting anomaly, Tamayo was the true prize. Long ago, she had taken advantage of a moment of Muzan's weakness to break free from his control. But it wasn't her rebellion that made her valuable. It was her brilliant mind.
Working alone for centuries, she had mastered medicine and biochemistry to a degree that even Muzan had never achieved. She had created her own demon, Yushiro, from a dying human, and sustained him with only a small amount of blood. In the original story, she had even developed a miraculous drug capable of aging the nearly immortal Muzan thousands of years in an instant. She was, without a doubt, a medical genius. And Tsukihiko needed that genius for his own plans.
"Let's begin," Tsukihiko said, his voice echoing in the empty space.
Nakime's biwa sounded a final, sharp chord. The remaining Upper Ranks who had been kneeling before him vanished in a flicker of distorted space, sent on their deadly missions. In that same instant, Tsukihiko, flanked by Hantengu and Gyokko, disappeared as well, stepping through a gateway to their own destination.
Meanwhile, in a quiet neighborhood in Asakusa, Tokyo, a wave of panic seized Lady Tamayo. Yushiro watched, his young face tight with anxiety and confusion, as the woman he admired more than anyone in the world began to tremble.
In his mind, Lady Tamayo was the perfect woman—dignified, elegant, and kind. He had never seen her like this. Her beautiful face was pale, filled with an old and familiar sorrow. A deep-seated fear clouded her bright eyes like a layer of frost. It broke Yushiro's heart to see her this way, and he felt powerless, unsure what was happening or how to help her.
"Lady Tamayo..." Yushiro started, his voice barely a whisper.
"That person... he's coming," Tamayo murmured, her own voice distant and filled with dread. She shook her head, correcting herself. "No... he isn't a person. He isn't human."
"What? What's going on?" Yushiro asked, his alarm growing with every second. The terror radiating from her was unlike anything he had ever felt.
At the same moment the Twelve Kizuki left the Infinity Castle, a disaster unlike any other began to unfold across Japan. The original Muzan, ruled by his fear of death, had never been a true leader. Despite his absolute power, he had failed to unite his forces for any grand purpose.
But Tsukihiko was different.
The judgment of his predecessor hadn't been entirely wrong; the Upper Ranks were indeed exceptionally talented. Now, with clear and ambitious orders, they moved with terrifying efficiency.
Miles away from the capital, Kokushibo used the fresh blood from his master to create his new army. He sought out the most renowned swordsmen in the land, defeating them with ease and turning them into immortal demons. In a matter of hours, he had assembled a formidable squad of assassins, combining centuries of sword mastery with the unholy strength of demons.
In the cities, Doma's Eternal Paradise Cult erupted from the shadows. His fanatical followers, now empowered as demons, unleashed chaos on the populace. The cult was already outlawed by the government, but now, with their leader's command, they started riots and attacks, causing widespread panic. Demon incidents flared up everywhere at once, plunging the nation into turmoil and drawing the attention of the military away from the capital.
High on the slopes of Mount Sagiri, Sakonji Urokodaki stood outside his hut, looking up at the full moon. The former Water Hashira wore his familiar Tengu mask, his thoughts far away. He knew that tonight was a crucial moment for his student, Tanjiro Kamado, who was participating in the Final Selection. The boy would be fighting for his life, slaying demons to earn his place in the Corps.
The words felt nostalgic. Slaying demons.
His thoughts drifted to the other child, the little girl sleeping peacefully inside a wooden box in his home. Nezuko. She, too, had been infected by Muzan's blood, yet she fought against her demonic instincts. She resisted the curse through sleep, using her own willpower to suppress the thirst for human blood. He believed that, given time, she could become something entirely new—a being who could overcome her demonic nature. Such an existence would be a devastating blow to Muzan Kibutsuji.
Suddenly, the calm atmosphere of the mountain shattered.
A young man, his body covered in dark tattoos and radiating immense power, was walking slowly towards him. Under the dim moonlight, the man's aura was overwhelming, like that of a coiled dragon ready to strike. Urokodaki, with the senses of a former Hashira, instantly felt the chilling pressure.
Twelve Kizuki.
This was no mere demon. This was one of Muzan's direct subordinates. And from the sheer force of his presence, he was not one of the disposable Lower Ranks.
An Upper Rank.
He had to be one of the strongest among them to possess such a terrifying and controlled killing intent.
The tattooed man stopped a short distance away. "By order of my king, I am Akaza, Upper Rank Three of the Twelve Kizuki," he announced, his voice cold and steady. A cruel smile played on his lips. "I've come to invite the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki, to his death."
The moment the words left his mouth, a monstrous wave of killing intent exploded from Akaza, shooting up into the sky and sweeping across the entire mountain. The battle was about to begin.