A chilling silence fell over the forest, thick with despair. An icy feeling crept into Kagaya Ubuyashiki's heart. He had believed that the incredible power he'd been granted would change everything, but Muzan's move was more sinister than he could have imagined. This was a psychological attack of the highest order.
Kagaya knew better than anyone that the demons before him were not his fallen comrades. The real Sakonji Urokodaki, Giyu Tomioka, and Obanai Iguro had already died heroically during the Mugen Train incident. Their final moments had been a form of martyrdom, as Muzan's despicable methods had tried to deny them even the peace of an honorable death. The fact that they had succeeded against all odds could only mean one thing: Muzan had allowed it. He wanted to use their deaths to mock the Demon Slayer Corps, to set a bloody example for anyone who dared to oppose him.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
While Kagaya remained still, the demons that wore the faces of his friends turned their attention to him. They sensed a human whose power was terrifying, but more than that, they smelled his blood. To them, it was more alluring than any they had ever encountered. Kagaya and Muzan were distantly related, sharing the same ancient bloodline. Though centuries of mutation had created differences, the core similarities remained. Now, after the sacred ritual that had granted him his temporary strength, Kagaya's blood had been enhanced to an unimaginable level, making him an irresistible target for any demon.
This detail only confirmed Kagaya's suspicions. These were not his former comrades. They were new demons, created by Muzan for the sole purpose of this cruel charade, wearing the faces of his friends to break his spirit.
Suddenly, the three figures lunged.
"Water Breathing!" two of them roared.
"Serpent Breathing!" screamed the third.
A scene that made Kagaya's heart clench unfolded before him. The demons were perfectly mimicking the Breathing Styles that the Hashira had used in life. They held no Nichirin Blades, but the raw power and aura of each technique were replicated with horrifying accuracy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of violent explosions tore through the forest, leaving devastation in their wake.
...
At the same time, inside the Infinity Castle, Muzan watched the battle unfold through the eyes of his creations. His face was a mask of calm. To Kagaya, this encounter felt like a tragic coincidence, but it was a carefully orchestrated provocation. If the mysterious Priestess Clan could use forbidden arts to turn a dying man like Kagaya into a powerful warrior, then Muzan had his own methods to cripple that warrior without ever lifting a finger. He would subdue his enemy without a fight.
More importantly, he knew that the Priestess Clan must be watching Kagaya's every move. A direct attack would be risky and could trigger unforeseen consequences. He had no idea what other trump cards they might hold. Under these circumstances, the logical first step was to test the limits of Kagaya's newfound strength before planning a final strike.
In this chess match between Muzan and the Priestess Clan, Kagaya Ubuyashiki had become the most valuable—and most tragic—pawn. To push him to his absolute limit, a simple test wouldn't do. Muzan had to use the strongest possible medicine right from the start.
"Through this, I can gauge Kagaya's current strength," Muzan mused to himself, a hint of a smile touching his lips. "But to completely defeat him..."
His smile widened. "There's nothing more effective than shattering the core of his belief. What would happen if he knew that the Ubuyashiki family and the entire Demon Slayer Corps were nothing but pawns for the Priestess Clan?"
He continued, savoring the thought. "What if Kagaya learned that the true source of all demons, and the very curse that has plagued his family for a thousand years, was the same Priestess Clan he so deeply respects?"
The smile on Muzan's face grew wider, colder. "I wonder what kind of expression he would make at that moment."
Countless images flickered before his eyes. He let out a long breath. "Now then... where is Tanjiro Kamado?"
...
As Muzan turned his attention elsewhere, Tanjiro Kamado was racing towards the Yoshiwara district with Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and Kanao Tsuyuri. The Hashira's mission was supposed to be a secret, but they had received timely information from an unexpected source: Kanao. She had delivered a letter from her master, the Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho, and Tanjiro understood everything the moment he read it.
Slay the evil demons.
This was not just the mission of the Demon Slayer Corps; it was the creed that Tanjiro lived by. More importantly, his sister, Nezuko, was in Muzan's hands. He was not alone in his quest for vengeance. Zenitsu's master, Inosuke's mother, Genya's brother, and Kanao's older sister had all been victims of demons. Together, they had formed an unofficial team, a new generation of slayers united by loss and driven by the desire for revenge against Muzan Kibutsuji.
"Everyone," Tanjiro called out as they sped through the trees, his voice filled with determination. "I'm afraid this mission... might be our last."
His eyes were filled with an unyielding fire. "But we are members of the Demon Slayer Corps! We will face death with honor before we accept a life of shame!"
In that instant, something incredible happened. A Demon Slayer Mark appeared on Tanjiro's forehead, and at the very same moment, identical marks bloomed on the faces of Kanao, Zenitsu, and Inosuke beside him. The power of an inherited mark, like the one passed down to Tanjiro, could awaken the potential in others. It was a phenomenon not seen since the time of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Moving like a single bolt of lightning, the group raced onward, their destination set: the Yoshiwara Red-Light District.
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