"Tanjiro has had a direct encounter with Muzan Kibutsuji, and Muzan is currently sending demons to hunt him down. Perhaps it is simply to silence him, but it could also be related to Nezuko's unique condition—surviving without consuming humans and remaining free from Muzan's absolute control. We have finally caught a glimpse of his tail, and I do not intend to let go."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki dropped this bombshell into the courtyard, and its impact was immediate. The attention of the nine Hashira shifted instantly from the demon girl Nezuko to the progenitor of all demons, Muzan Kibutsuji.
"What?! You actually saw Muzan Kibutsuji? What does he look like? What are his abilities? What was he doing at the time?"
The Hashira crowded around the overwhelmed Tanjiro, their voices thick with an intensity that bordered on desperation. For a thousand years, Muzan had remained a phantom, a shadow that haunted the world without ever revealing its face. Now, because of this boy, he had finally surfaced.
They knew all too well that no matter how many lesser demons they put to the blade, as long as Muzan lived, the nightmare would never end. He could create an endless supply of monsters with a mere drop of his blood. To kill Muzan was to kill every demon in existence. But searching for him had been like trying to catch the wind—until now.
"Are you all looking for that Muzan guy?"
Seeing how much the location of the "strongest demon" meant to everyone, Goku raised his hand. He had already been thinking of ways to track the man down for a good fight, and now seemed like the perfect time to share his plan.
"If you need to find him, I think I can get you his exact location."
"What? You say you can find Muzan Kibutsuji?"
The nine Hashira turned their gaze on Goku simultaneously. Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki, usually the picture of serene composure, lost his calm. When Goku had weakened the curse earlier, it was a miracle, but this—finding the King of Demons—was the holy grail of their entire organization.
If anyone else had made such a claim, they would have dismissed it as a delusion. But Goku was different. He possessed strength that defied logic and mystical abilities that bypassed the laws of their world. If he said he could do it, there was a real chance he wasn't lying.
"I'm pretty sure I can. Let me try something."
Goku walked over to the wall of the house and leaned against it. He closed his eyes for about ten seconds, and then, in a blur that defied the perception of even the fastest Hashira, his physical form vanished entirely.
"He's gone!!"
Kagaya and the Hashira stared at the empty space where the boy had stood, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Meanwhile, Goku had returned to the White Space. He pushed open the heavy door labeled Harry Potter and stepped through. Appearing back in his dormitory at Hogwarts, he performed a quick Apparition, popping into existence outside Hagrid's hut. He borrowed a magical owl from the friendly half-giant, then used his specialized "napping" technique to slip back into the White Space and re-enter the world of *Demon Slayer*.
"He's back!"
The Hashira, who hadn't moved an inch from the spot where he disappeared, swarmed him the moment he materialized holding a large, intelligent-looking owl.
"As long as you know a person's name, this owl can deliver a letter to them," Goku explained, holding up the bird. "No matter where they are hiding, the owl can find them."
The Hashira were speechless. "A creature that can find anyone just by their name?"
"I'm not 100% sure it works the same way here, since this is a different place," Goku admitted. "I need to verify it first. If I can use my magic here, Juliet should be able to do her job too."
"How do we verify it?" Kagaya asked, his voice trembling with anticipation.
Goku recalled Hagrid's instructions. "Give me a name and write a letter. If the owl delivers it into their hands, then we know it works."
"Write it to Kanao," Shinobu Kocho suggested immediately. "She is in the village at the Butterfly Mansion's medical ward. We can verify the result almost instantly." Kanao Tsuyuri was Shinobu's Tsuguko, an orphan adopted and named by Shinobu and her late sister.
Kagaya nodded, and his daughters quickly brought out a brush, ink, and a scroll.
"Does the content matter?" Shinobu asked.
Goku shook his head. "Nope. Even a blank piece of paper works, as long as the name on the envelope is right."
In less than ten seconds, Shinobu handed the sealed letter to Goku. He held it up to the owl. "Juliet, take this to Kanao Tsuyuri."
The owl took the letter in its talons and looked at Goku with an expression that was surprisingly human. Goku stared back. The two remained perfectly still.
"Is... is it not working?" The hope in the courtyard began to deflate.
Goku suddenly slapped his forehead. "Oh! I almost forgot! Hagrid said Juliet is a bit of a diva. You have to feed her some chicken before she'll agree to fly. She loves chicken."
The Hashira were momentarily speechless at the triviality of the obstacle.
"I'll get it!" Tengen Uzui, the fastest among them, vanished in a flash of speed. In under two minutes, he returned with a platter of high-quality chicken.
Juliet daintily ate five pieces, gave a satisfied hoot, and took off into the sky, the letter clutched tightly in her claws.
Shinobu didn't wait. She leaped onto the roof and sprinted after the owl, determined to see the delivery with her own eyes. Ten minutes later, she returned, her face flushed with excitement. She gave Kagaya a firm, decisive nod.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki began to tremble with emotion. "Finally... finally, we have found you, Muzan Kibutsuji. The curse of our family is finally coming to an end. The world can finally return to normal."
He took a deep breath and looked at his warriors. "Recall every slayer! Prepare for the crusade against—"
His order was cut short by the frantic cawing of a Kasugai Crow. The bird spiraled down and landed in front of Kagaya, its voice screeching with urgency.
"URGENT REPORT! URGENT REPORT! LAST NIGHT, THE TWELVE KIZUKI APPEARED IN TOKYO PREFECTURE WITH A MASSIVE HORDE OF DEMONS! THEY HAVE MASSACRED HALF THE POPULATION OF THE ENTIRE PREFECTURE!"
"What?!"
The courtyard fell into a horrified silence. Then, a wave of cold, white-hot fury washed over the Hashira.
"Muzan Kibutsuji..." Kagaya whispered, his hands clenching into fists. "What is he trying to do?"