Hansen opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the nine Pillars present: "Since they won't come out, let's create a huge sensation and force them out."
A smile that made all the Pillars' hearts pound curled up at the corner of his mouth.
"Release the news, saying that all of you Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps are going to hold the final decisive battle with the Demons right here."
"That coward named Muzan certainly won't dare to come personally."
"But given his paranoia, he will definitely send out his strongest pawns to probe my true strength."
Hansen's gaze seemed to pierce through space, seeing the man wearing a samurai uniform and possessing six eyes within the Infinity Castle.
"That guy with six eyes, he must be Upper Rank One, right? He looks a bit stronger than the others."
"He'll be the first target."
"As long as we make enough noise, he will come."
Hansen's plan was simple and brutal, yet it directly targeted Muzan's twisted personality—cruel and arrogant, yet cowardly and paranoid.
Moreover, he was different from the local Pillars of this world.
With absolute power as his foundation, plans were irrelevant; if Muzan dared not cooperate, Hansen would simply flip the table and finish the job.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya, after a brief consideration, agreed to this arguably insane plan.
He knew better than anyone that this was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity.
A perfect opportunity to use the hand of an outsider strongman to capture Muzan Kibutsuji and his Twelve Demon Moons in one fell swoop!
Soon, under the direction of Ubuyashiki Kagaya, the intelligence network of the Demon Slayer Corps began operating at full capacity.
An earth-shattering piece of news was deliberately leaked through various channels—
"The Nine Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps will gather at Aokigahara Jukai beneath Mount Fuji to engage in the final decisive battle with the King of Demons!"
This news exploded like a blockbuster bomb, detonating among both Demons and humans simultaneously.
For the ordinary members of the Demon Slayer Corps, this was a morale-boosting clarion call.
But for the Demons lurking in the darkness, this was undoubtedly an invitation to a grand feast... Infinity Castle.
Muzan Kibutsuji sat on his throne, holding the intelligence report, his face so gloomy it looked like water might drip from it.
"A final decisive battle? Aokigahara Jukai?"
He sneered, crushing the paper in his hand into fragments.
"Has the brat of the Ubuyashiki family gone mad? Or... have they truly placed all their hope on that monster of unknown origin?"
This was an obvious, even clumsy trap.
However, Muzan had no choice but to leap into it.
Because, he could feel it.
That aura that terrified his soul into trembling was right there!
That monster was issuing him a naked challenge!
To go, or not to go?
If he went, he might die.
If he didn't go, where would the dignity of him, the Demon Progenitor, lie?
Moreover, since that monster could find Upper Rank Six, he could definitely find him!
Hiding was useless!
Muzan's heart sank into an unprecedented state of struggle and panic.
"Lord Muzan."
Below, Kokushibo, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
"Please allow me to head to Aokigahara Jukai."
His six eyes simultaneously looked at Muzan, burning with an unprecedented flame named "fighting spirit."
As the elder brother of the former Tsugikuni Yoriichi, and as a swordsman who pursued the ultimate martial path, he could feel it.
There was a true strongman there whom he must challenge.
"I want to go too! I want to go too!" Doma clapped his hands and said with a grin, "It sounds like so much fun! Nine Pillars gathered together must be very delicious, right?"
"Hmph." Akaza did not speak, merely clenching his fists and radiating an aura of eagerness for battle.
Watching the three strongest Upper Ranks under him, Muzan's eyes flickered.
Perhaps... he could let them test the extent of that monster's power.
Even if all of them died, it would buy him valuable time.
Yes, that's what he would do!
"Good." Muzan's voice returned to its cold, imposing state, "Kokushibo, Doma, Akaza, I command the three of you to go together."
"Remember, your primary target is not the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps, but that black-haired man!"
"Kill him! Kill him, whatever the cost!"
"Yes, Lord Muzan."
The three Upper Ranks replied in unison.
Following the sound of Nakime's biwa, their figures vanished from the Infinity Castle... Night.
Aokigahara Jukai.
This vast primeval forest, due to various legends, was already full of eerie and ominous energy.
Tonight, that was even more true.
In a large clearing that had been deliberately emptied, all nine Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps were present, standing ready.
Their expressions were unprecedentedly solemn.
This might be the last, and most important, battle of their lives.
Everyone's gaze involuntarily turned toward the center of the clearing.
There, Hansen was sitting on a huge rock, resting with his eyes closed, as if what was about to arrive was not a death match deciding the fate of the world, but an insignificant performance.
"Does he... really have confidence?" Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Pillar, whispered to Shinobu Kocho beside her, her voice full of unease.
"I don't know." Shinobu Kocho shook her head and gave a wry smile, "But now, besides trusting him, we have no other choice."
"Namu Amida Butsu..." Gyomei Himejima's prayer beads spun rapidly.
Just then, everyone felt the surrounding air suddenly become thick and cold.
A suffocatingly vast sense of pressure descended from above!
"They're here!"
Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar, shouted loudly and gripped his sword hilt tightly.
"Zheng—"
An eerie sound of a biwa rang out in the silent forest.
Immediately after, space warped without warning in three directions of the clearing, and three figures appeared out of thin air.
To the east was Doma, with his eerie smile and gold fans in hand.
To the west was Akaza, covered in tattoos and radiating high fighting spirit.
And directly north, standing at the very front, was Kokushibo, wearing a purple kimono, carrying a long katana at his waist, and possessing six eerie eyes.
Upper Rank One, Upper Rank Two, Upper Rank Three!
The three strongest Demons in the world had arrived simultaneously!
Merely the aura they emitted by standing there made the Pillars present feel immense pressure, making it difficult to breathe.
However, these three powerhouses, standing at the apex of Demonkind, unanimously ignored the Nine Pillars who stood ready for battle.
Their gazes were all locked onto the man in the center of the clearing, the one who still had his eyes closed.
Doma's smile faded.
Akaza's fighting spirit was tinged with a hint of solemnity.
As for Kokushibo, his six eyes stared intently at Hansen, and he slowly spoke, his voice hoarse and ancient, as if from a previous era.
"You..."
"It is you."
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