Shinobu was also stunned. She had not expected to actually encounter a member of the Twelve Kizuki in a place like this.
Sukuna's question seemed to flip a switch in Kyogai. It stirred his obsession with reclaiming his place among the Twelve Kizuki, and he began muttering to himself. "Just fifty more... no, a hundred more people with rare blood. If I eat them, I'm sure I can rejoin the Twelve Kizuki!"
Though Kyogai's words were disjointed and Sukuna did not know what this rare blood he mentioned was, he understood one thing. The Drum Demon before him had apparently been expelled from the Twelve Kizuki. To be precise, Kyogai was now a former member of the Twelve Kizuki.
That was when Sukuna realized why, despite demons having such strong regenerative abilities, Kyogai's eyes still bore the cross-shaped scar that split the number Six.
None of that mattered. A former Twelve Kizuki was still a Twelve Kizuki. It would satisfy Sukuna's curiosity to some extent.
Sukuna casually kicked the boy's severed head on the floor toward Kyogai and asked mockingly, "You can't even catch a single brat? Is this the level of the so-called Twelve Kizuki?"
The taunt enraged Kyogai instantly. It touched on the identity he treasured most. He could not stand anyone insulting the position of Twelve Kizuki that he was desperately trying to return to.
"You vermin! You infuriate me!"
Kyogai roared at Sukuna in fury and began rapidly striking the drum after drum embedded in his body. The room Sukuna and Shinobu were in immediately began flipping and rotating violently.
Before Shinobu could decide whether to draw her blade, Sukuna grabbed her by the collar and threw her out of the room. She was in the way. This prey was Sukuna's alone.
Sukuna did not rush to attack. Instead, he moved easily through the shifting room, studying the effects of Kyogai's Blood Demon Art.
Kyogai had three drums embedded in his body, one on each shoulder and one on his abdomen. Each time he struck the shoulder drums, the entire room would flip left or right. The drum on his abdomen was for attacking, each strike producing a clawed slash.
Sukuna kept waiting for Kyogai to realize these three moves were useless against him and pull out something new and interesting. Unfortunately, even by now, Kyogai's attacks remained unchanged. Just flips and claw slashes.
Sukuna also noticed that above the number Six in Kyogai's eye was the character for Lower. That meant the demon before him was not only the weakest among the Twelve Kizuki, but also a former member stripped of his rank.
At this level, Sukuna figured Kyogai could only handle ordinary swordsmen. Against any of the Hashira he had fought before, Kyogai would be easily cut down.
Still, Kyogai was certainly stronger than ordinary demons. But he was already bored. He had seen that Kyogai's Blood Demon Art was not as powerful as he had imagined. It was less about controlling space and more about just controlling this house.
In an instant, Sukuna vanished from Kyogai's sight. Kyogai's drumming hand froze mid-motion.
"What...?"
The next moment, Sukuna appeared beside him. Kyogai was shocked. He tried to strike his drums to use his Blood Demon Art and separate himself from Sukuna, but his arms would not obey. He could not seem to bring them down.
Kyogai looked closely and realized his hands had simply been cut off. It was not insubordination on their part.
But it was not just his arms that had been severed. Sukuna had cut clean through Kyogai's entire upper body in a single slash.
The drum on Kyogai's abdomen hit the floor and produced one final sound. A chaotic claw slash shot toward Sukuna.
Sukuna simply stomped his foot hard. With cursed energy and Flame Breathing reinforcing the move, he unleashed a blast of blazing air that scattered the claw slash effortlessly.
Only now did Kyogai truly understand what kind of opponent he was fighting. He also finally noticed how strange Sukuna looked.
A demon...?
Having experienced Kyogai's full power, Sukuna had even fewer questions to ask. "Hey. Do you know where I can find the other Twelve Kizuki? Or where Muzan is?"
Hearing Sukuna speak that name so directly, Kyogai snapped back to reality. Ignoring the fact that Sukuna had already captured him, he accelerated his regeneration and roared at Sukuna with bulging veins. "How dare you utter that name!"
"Oh? That bastard's dog is pretty loyal." Sukuna was amused by Kyogai's reaction, but his expression immediately turned cold. "It seems you don't understand your situation."
The moment Sukuna finished speaking, countless slashes erupted across Kyogai's remaining upper body. The newly sprouting flesh buds were shredded instantly. Blood and gore sprayed through the air again.
This was Sukuna using Dismantle with extreme restraint. If he did not want to say two more things to Kyogai, he would have simply beheaded him with the Nichirin blade.
What Kyogai felt this time was less pain and more shock at Sukuna's methods. This was definitely not a Blood Demon Art, yet it was no less powerful than one!
"Forget it. I wouldn't expect a brain like yours to answer anything. Since you're a Twelve Kizuki, your connection to Muzan must be stronger than most, right?"
"What...?" Kyogai did not understand.
"Then watch closely. This is for that bastard to see. Let him know I'm coming to kill him. He better be ready. This time, I won't let him run.
As he spoke, Sukuna raised a hand and pointed upward. he unleashed a Slash. It tore through the second floor and the roof. Blinding sunlight poured down through the opening, incinerating the bisected Kyogai completely. All that remained was the echo of his scream, reverberating through the house.
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