The next day, the sun was high in the sky.
Crows, indistinguishable from ordinary ones, flew in all directions, reporting the latest news.
Each member of the Demon Slayer Corps had a Kasugai crow. These crows were highly intelligent, capable of relaying human commands and engaging in conscious dialogue.
Acting as a communication network, the entire Demon Slayer Corps could receive information quickly.
Sanemi Shinazugawa’s death was now known to everyone, including Kagaya Ubuyashiki and the other Hashira.
However, when killing Sanemi, Tang An did not see Sanemi’s Kasugai crow.
Almost simultaneously, all the Hashira began heading toward the headquarters.
Even Mitsuri Kanroji, who was in the Swordsmith Village, also made her way there.
By dusk, the current Hashira had all gathered at the headquarters.
The Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka. The Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho. The Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. The Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui. The Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji. The Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito. The Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro. The Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima.
All eight knelt before Kagaya Ubuyashiki; their expressions were solemn.
“It has been confirmed. Sanemi was killed by a demon.”
Kagaya’s face was sorrowful, having lost yet another powerful Hashira.
“Was it Muzan Kibutsuji?”
Gyomei Himejima, a monk-like giant with a long scar across his forehead and who was completely blind, had tears streaming down his face. He wore the Demon Slayer uniform with a brown haori inscribed “Namu Amida Butsu.”
He was currently the strongest Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps.
“From our investigation, it wasn’t.”
Kagaya shook his head.
“Then it must be an Upper Rank demon?”
Tengen Uzui, with a headband studded with diamonds and pearls, spoke with a grim expression.
“We’re not sure, but only the Upper Six of the Twelve Kizuki and Muzan Kibutsuji can kill a Hashira.”
Kagaya coughed, his face growing pale.
“Master!”
Everyone looked concerned.
The atmosphere within the Demon Slayer Corps was heavy that day.
At the same time, in Infinity Castle, Muzan’s close aide, Nakime’s Blood Demon Art, created a massive structure in a different dimension.
Nakime could alter the spatial layout of the Infinity Castle by playing her biwa and teleporting objects within it.
“What’s going on!”
Gyuumei, initially in the wilderness, felt disoriented before finding himself in the castle.
Before him stood a beautiful woman with long black hair dressed in a kimono. Her plum-red eyes were cold and emotionless.
Just one look at her made Gyuumei fall to his knees, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Simultaneously, another figure appeared in the Infinity Castle. Upon seeing the woman, he knelt on one knee.
This man had white-blonde hair and multicolored eyes, with “Upper Rank Two” engraved in his pupils.
“Doma, is this demon your creation?”
The beautiful woman spoke, but the voice was male.
This exquisite beauty was none other than Muzan Kibutsuji.
When questioned, Doma glanced softly at the trembling Gyuumei on the ground, thinking innocently.
“Master Muzan, I indeed gave him my blood.”
Upon hearing Doma’s response, Muzan’s right hand morphed into a spike and pierced Gyuumei’s head, starting to read his cellular memories.
As the progenitor of demons, Muzan could control the life and death of all demons.
He could also read their thoughts, memories, and locations.
Muzan had summoned Gyuumei and Doma because he sensed fragments of Gyuumei’s memory, showing an image of a figure in golden armor with violet diamond-patterned eyes, which had left a deep impression on him.
By tracing this memory, he confirmed Gyuumei’s location.
Gyuumei had become a demon due to Doma’s influence.
Now, Gyuumei’s memories played like a movie in Muzan’s mind.
“He killed a Hashira so effortlessly.”
After reviewing all the memories, Muzan became interested in the golden figure.
“As long as you withstand my blood, you will become Lower Rank Three!”
Muzan injected almost a bowl of his blood into Gyuumei through the spike. Gyuumei’s body swelled, covered in bulging veins, but just as he seemed about to explode, he deflated.
Gyuumei had withstood Muzan’s blood.
“Thank you, Master.”
After drinking Muzan’s blood, Gyuumei’s horns turned blood-red, becoming sharper and more menacing. His face remained covered in dense cracks, and his height increased from two to three meters.
His blood-red eyes now bore the mark of Lower Rank Three.
At that moment, Gyuumei replaced Mukago as Lower Rank Three.
Muzan couldn’t detect the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters through Mukago before because of the barriers protecting it.
Otherwise, Muzan would have found it centuries ago.
Muzan had only noticed Gyuumei’s memories by chance. Usually, he paid no attention to the Lower or Upper Ranks, let alone a demon like Gyuumei.
The memory fluctuation was so strong that it acted like a radio signal and was too powerful to ignore.
Night, we had fallen.
The Kanroji residence was brightly lit. Mitsuri Kanroji returned, her face heavy with sorrow.
“Lady Kanroji.”
“Mitsuri, what’s wrong?”
Tang An, Hanazawa, and Kaoru were having dinner. Seeing Mitsuri return looking dejected, they were concerned.
“Sanemi was killed by a demon.”
Mitsuri would have eagerly joined the dinner if it were any other time, but now she had no appetite.
“The guy who beat me up yesterday?”
Tang An raised an eyebrow.
Mitsuri nodded silently.
“Although I didn’t like him, I have to admit he was strong. I didn’t expect him to be killed by a demon.”
Tang An looked regretful. Seeing Mitsuri’s sadness, he tried to change the subject. “Mitsuri, look at me.”
“Hmm?”
Mitsuri looked at Tang An, puzzled.
Hanazawa and Kaoru also turned their attention to him.
“There’s nothing in my hands, right?”
Tang An spread his hands.
Mitsuri nodded.
“I have a surprise for you. Don’t blink!”
“One, two, three.”
A beautifully packaged bouquet of roses appeared in Tang An’s hands, leaving Mitsuri and the others dumbfounded.
“For you.”
“You…”
Mitsuri, still in a daze, took the roses, looking exceptionally adorable.
“Wow…”
“Lord Tang An, how did you do that?”
“You just… conjured roses out of thin air.”
“You have gifts too!”
Tang An produced two cans of chips.
“What’s this?”
Hanazawa and Kaoru shook the cans, hearing something inside.
“It’s a very precious snack. Try it.”
Hearing Tang An’s exaggerated description, the two girls couldn’t wait to open the packages and taste the crispy chips.
“It’s delicious!”
They were immediately captivated.
Tang An looked at Mitsuri and noticed her blushing, her head steaming, and sweating profusely, looking very flustered.
Her heartbeat was audible even from a distance.
“Mitsuri, you have a gift too.”
Tang An produced another can of chips.
“I… I need to rest.”
Avoiding Tang An’s gaze, Mitsuri grabbed the roses and chips and hurriedly left.
Watching Mitsuri’s awkward retreat, Tang An stroked his chin, feeling a momentary loss of affection.
This was a dangerous sign.
He usually followed his instincts, enjoying mutual pleasure without deep feelings.
Love could become a weakness, making one vulnerable.
TV dramas, novels, and anime often portray love tragically.
In reality, what was love?
Money and power were the trustworthy sources of love.
Tang An shivered, his gaze softening again.
He realized he still profoundly cared. The earlier feeling was just an illusion.
Tang An’s roses were obtained from his time in the “Attack on Titan” world, and the chips were a reward from the “New World Dice Roll.”
Killing Sanemi Shinazugawa also earned him a dice roll.
Sanemi was a minor character.
The dice roll had given him fifty boxes of mosquito coils.
“Spring sleep is unaware of dawn, Everywhere mosquitoes bite.”
They were pretty useful.
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