The courtyard in Asakusa fell into a deep and heavy silence. Staring at the man before her, Tamayo felt a profound sense of shock. For centuries, her every thought of Muzan Kibutsuji had been consumed by a single emotion: hatred. She knew it was impossible to kill him on her own, and as a demon herself, finding allies was nearly impossible. Her desire for revenge was the only thing that had kept her going through years of lonely desperation.
She had often wondered what it would be like to face him again. But the man who stood before her now was nothing like the creature she remembered. He was unfathomable.
The old Muzan, for all his power, was a pathetic coward. He hid from strong Demon Slayers like Yoriichi Tsugikuni, content to wait in the shadows for them to die of old age. It was a shameful way to live, but he had reveled in it. This new Muzan was different. His very presence here meant that his plans were already in motion, that the Twelve Kizuki had been unleashed. In front of this man, she had no secrets. She could even feel the blood in her veins, once freed from his curse, subtly beginning to answer his call once more.
This man was terrifying.
"Don't worry," Muzan said, a profound and enigmatic smile touching his lips. "Tamayo, it's time for you to witness a miracle."
The moment he finished speaking, the strange, echoing music of a biwa filled the air. The world around Tamayo seemed to twist and fold in on itself, and an intense, dizzying sensation enveloped her as the courtyard vanished.
Meanwhile, at Mount Fujikasane, one of the two battlefields in Muzan's grand plan, a sea of blood had erupted. The mountain was supposed to be a testing ground, a place where aspiring Demon Slayers proved their worth against a contained population of weak demons.
But with the arrival of Doma, Upper Rank Two, and his followers from the Eternal Paradise Cult, everything had changed.
"How is this possible? What's going on?" Kiriya Ubuyashiki cried out, his face pale with shock. He and his sister were overseeing the selection, but it had spiraled out of their control.
"The wisteria flowers at the foot of the mountain are gone!" his sister added, her voice trembling.
The protective barrier of wisteria that had kept the demons contained was destroyed. The demons inside, now free, had gone berserk, their strength increasing tenfold. The young participants, who had been holding their own just moments before, were now being slaughtered. Even the most promising candidates, like Tanjiro Kamado and Genya Shinazugawa, were now running for their lives.
Before the young Ubuyashiki could react, a series of deafening explosions rocked the mountainside.
"That's... that's artillery!" Kiriya gasped, his face turning ashen.
Deep within the forest, a blood-soaked Tanjiro Kamado moved like lightning. He cut down one frenzied demon after another, his expression cold and composed. He pushed his Water Breathing to its absolute limit, weaving through a storm of claws and fangs.
But it wasn't enough. Before he could dodge again, a massive, fleshy tentacle shot out from the trees and slammed into him, sending his body flying through the air.
He hit the ground hard, and a spray of blood erupted from his mouth. Am I... going to die here? he thought, his vision fading as memories of his family flashed before his eyes.
At the second battlefield on Mount Sagiri, the fight was over.
With a sickening crunch, the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki, was thrown backward. He crashed heavily to the ground, the sound of his bones cracking echoing in the clearing. The Tengu mask he wore split down the middle.
A moment later, Nezuko Kamado, a bamboo muzzle in her mouth, was also sent flying. She had awakened the moment Urokodaki was struck down, her body transforming as she unleashed her Blood Demon Art in a furious surprise attack. Unfortunately, the difference in skill was too great. While her demonic power was immense, Akaza possessed centuries of combat experience. He read her instinctive movements with ease and defeated her in a matter of seconds.
"Nezuko... good child..." Urokodaki rasped, forcing his broken body to move, crawling to shield her as he staggered.
"As expected of a former Hashira," Akaza said, striding forward calmly. "Your strength is formidable, even with your old injuries. You fought well." He looked down at the two defeated figures, his face grim. "But this battle is over. Continuing to struggle is meaningless."
He fixed his gaze on them. "Let me end this."
Just as Akaza raised his hand to deliver the final blow, a new voice, just as cold as his own, cut through the air.
"Is that so? Unfortunately for you, I don't think you have the right."
The moment the voice sounded, a tall man with a stern face, dressed in a mismatched haori, stepped out of the thin air. The moment he appeared, two more figures landed silently behind him, their auras blazing with a power that was no less intense.
The air seemed to freeze.
"Giyu..." Urokodaki whispered, relief flooding his voice.
Before them stood one of the Demon Slayer Corps' strongest swordsmen: the Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka.