An infinite labyrinth of structures, twisting and overlapping in every direction—this was the Infinity Castle, a bizarre space conjured by the demon Naki's Blood Demon Art.
Twang!
The twang of a biwa string echoed across that twisted domain, and in the ensuing monts, multiple figures appeared one by one.
"Uuuh... Why did Lord Muzan suddenly summon us?"
A hideous, short old man with a tumor on his head cowered behind a wooden staircase, tears at the corners of his eyes.
"Old geezer, stay away from !"
"Don't speak of Hantengu-sama like that, sister..."
The speaker, a beautiful woman, showed disgust toward the ugly old man, while a scrawny, shriveled man tried to calm her. They were Daki and Gyutaro, the dual entity known as Upper Rank Six. As for that disgusting, trembling old man, though his eyes bore no rank marks, he was in fact Upper Rank Four, Hantengu.
"Huh? Lord Muzan isn't here?"
A pale-skinned man with pinkish hair, covered in dark blue tattoos etched symtrically over his body, scanned the surroundings with his golden, callous eyes engraved with the words Upper Rank Three.
"Oh? That jerk Doma hasn't shown up, has he?" He was the one who detested Doma the most—Akaza, Upper Rank Three.
"Psh, Akaza-sama and Doma-sama still haven't reconciled, hmm?" A strange voice erged from within a large ceramic pot, belonging to Gyokko, Upper Rank Five.
As for that question, Akaza's lips curled into a bloody grin. "Reconcile? There's nothing to reconcile. He just sickens ."
"Enough. Stop speaking so rudely before Lord Muzan," ca a deep, cold rebuke.
"Lord Kokushibo has long since arrived," murmured Naki, the biwa-playing demon, informing them.
Akaza repressed his savage smile, shifting his gaze upward. In a chamber, a tall man with six eyes on his face polished a blade. He was Upper Rank One, Kokushibo.
Akaza was about to speak when...
"I truly don't see what use it is to keep you all around!"
A furious, feminine voice rang out, prompting the five assembled Upper Ranks to quickly lower their heads.
"Lord Muzan."
At the very center of the Infinity Castle, on a rotating platform, stood a noblewoman in lavish attire. The Upper Ranks referred to her as Lord Muzan. Indeed, Kibutsuji Muzan, King of Demons—currently manifesting in a female form. Her gaze blazed with rage, her fury radiating so intensely that every demon felt it in their blood. The others dared not speak.
Kokushibo calmly inquired, "My lord, has sothing happened?"
Facing Kokushibo, Muzan's anger subsided a fraction. In a repressed tone, she declared. "Doma... was killed by the Demon Slayer Corps."
"!"
They all lifted their heads in shock, even Kokushibo. Upper Rank Two, Doma—the second strongest among them, just below Muzan and Kokushibo in power—slain by the Demon Slayers?
Hantengu and Daki both trembled in fear. Only Akaza was stunned yet secretly... delighted.
"Hmm? You seem pleased," ca Muzan's frosty stare.
Akaza hastily lowered his head.
"Hmph! Useless trash, all of you. You've made no progress searching for the Blue Spider Lily, and you let the Demon Slayers kill one of our own. You're worthless—worse than worthless!"
No one dared speak up now, unwilling to stoke Muzan's anger further. Once she finished venting, her voice turned cold again:
"All of you—find out how Doma was killed. Keep searching everywhere for the Blue Spider Lily."
A chorus of "Yes, my lord!" rose. Then, to the sound of Naki's biwa, each demon vanished, following Muzan's departure.
Three days later.
The Demon Slayer Corps received word at last: they'd located the area where Tanjiro's family lived. To get there quickly, Ren set off alone, ard with a map. He flew at supersonic speed, and in re monts reached a mountainside where he spotted a small cabin.
Touching down, he frowned. "Sothing's wrong."
It was far too quiet. Tanjiro's ho was supposed to be full of life. Now there was only an unsettling stillness. Approaching the half-open door, a thick stench of blood emanated from inside.
"Too late."
He curled a finger, nudging the door wide.
The scene was brutal. Blood everywhere, bodies sprawled, both adults and children, lying in pools of gore.
"..."
Muzan must have co not long ago. Even though the Demon Slayer Corps had mobilized nearly everyone to track Tanjiro's family, they'd still arrived a mont too late.
"Huff...huff..."
'Wait—a faint breath?'
Stepping among the corpses, he saw a young girl with long black hair, clad in a pink kimono beneath a black haori. She was still breathing, albeit weakly.
"Nezuko?"
By appearances, it had to be Nezuko, currently in the process of turning into a demon.
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