Chapter 302: The Demon King Used as a Meat Shield by Orochimaru
"Impossible!"
Even with all his flaws, Muzan Kibutsuji's instincts had always been sharp.
It was those very flaws and hypersensitivity that made it impossible for him to truly trust or submit to anyone.
To him, submitting was no different than handing over his life to Orochimaru. He could never agree to that.
He'd rather gamble on the chance that his body's explosive self-destruction might leave enough fragments to escape Orochimaru's undead army—
than accept such terms.
Pretend to surrender?
He, who could control ordinary demons, feared Orochimaru might use similar methods against him.
"You, who can't even overcome death, are unwilling to become my subordinate?"
Orochimaru was surprised by Muzan's strong resistance, then smirked.
"In that case, buy your life back from me."
"Fifty thousand Reward Points."
Such a cowardly soul… yet one with such a desperate will to live. No wonder the Game Merchant had chosen him.
Indeed, no player should be underestimated.
"I… I can't afford that."
Muzan's expression turned grim.
When he heard that Orochimaru would let him go, a glimmer of hope appeared—
but the astronomical price made him go dizzy.
He had figured out the exchange rate between Demon Slayer world assets and Reward Points.
Though he had lived for thousands of years, all his focus had been on finding the Blue Spider Lily.
And ever since becoming a demon, he had no need for food or drink. He hadn't bothered accumulating useless wealth.
Whenever he needed something, he'd just turn a rich person into a demon and take what he wanted.
Even if he exchanged everything he had now, he'd barely hit 100,000 points.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya—the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps—was probably richer than him.
"No problem. We can sign a contract."
Orochimaru pulled out a parchment scroll.
[Tier-1 Contract Scroll]: Upon agreement, all contract terms will be enforced until completion.
This was a rule-type item dropped by commander-level monsters.
Players usually used them for co-op monster hunts to avoid disputes or for guilds hiring freelancers.
But using it to force a lopsided contract with someone like Muzan…
That was a first.
After all—
Normal players couldn't be easily threatened. Even if they died during Life Lock cooldown, the worst that happened was losing a skill, item, or some EXP.
But Muzan was different.
He ruled the night of the Demon Slayer world because of his demon body.
If he died and lost that… survival itself would be in question.
Of course—
He could gamble that only a Blood Demon Art or some skill would be deleted.
But would he really dare?
A child who was nearly stillborn, living under death's shadow even in the womb,
Muzan could not take risks—not even small ones.
In the end—
Muzan signed the contract, agreeing to pay tens of thousands of Reward Points each month.
Any budding goodwill he had for Orochimaru vanished entirely.
He understood the value of Reward Points.
His gaze turned cold as he glared at Orochimaru. "Can I leave now?"
He had to get to the nearest town and buy a Life Lock.
While Life Lock was on cooldown, he wouldn't leave town even if the sky was falling.
After Orochimaru had threatened him, Muzan secretly studied the game's functions and discovered that for 500 points, he could temporarily unlock the world map.
He had already located a designated safe zone: Elven Line Fortress.
Damn Hantengu!
"You may go."
Seeing the black system prompt confirming the contract's success, Orochimaru licked his lips in satisfaction.
Just then—
Muzan suddenly felt heat.
His exposed skin began to burn.
The scorching pain made him look up.
There—
descending like a golden comet, cloaked in divine fire—
Was Naruto Uzumaki, wielding a massive golden blade.
"Orochimaru!"
Naruto's body blazed with holy fire like a torch, golden greatsword crashing down from the sky.
Orochimaru twisted his body—
His arms were now covered in tough snakeskin etched with necromantic runes,
crossing in front of him to block the blow.
BOOM!
The ground cratered—
the shockwave shattered the earth beneath them, sending dust and stone flying.
Muzan wasn't directly hit,
but just feeling the heat of Naruto's blade made his skin curl and blister like overcooked fish.
"Are all otherworld players this monstrous? Not even Sun Breathing burns like this…"
Taking advantage of the crumbling terrain,
Muzan exploded like a balloon—his body bursting into thousands of flesh fragments that scattered in every direction.
"Since we're allies now, Demon King—lend me a hand."
Orochimaru's icy voice echoed from behind.
Even in pieces, Muzan's flesh trembled in fear, fleeing faster than before.
But—
Orochimaru's summoned undead army quickly detected the scattered dark-energy fragments and devoured them all.
The undead that consumed Muzan's flesh… mutated wildly.
Before Naruto's stunned eyes,
they fused into a massive meat shield—a hulking abomination faintly resembling Muzan himself.
"What… the hell is that?!"
Naruto's sacred flame dimmed the moment it touched the massive undead child's flesh.
This grotesque meat shield, infused with dense dark energy, blocked the attacks of a Paladin.
"There is no absolute counter. Even holy light… can be swallowed by absolute darkness."
Orochimaru licked his forked tongue,
his sinister gaze locked on Naruto. "I look forward to the day I turn you into a fallen Paladin… Naruto Uzumaki."
At this point—
He no longer craved the Sharingan.
That cursed chakra had too many side effects—even Mangekyō powers barely reached peak Tier-1.
To him now, the real prize was the bodies of rare, powerful players like Tsunade and Naruto.
"In your dreams!"
Naruto thought of his destroyed village.
His dimming flames surged anew.
"You monsters won't be allowed to keep harming the ninja world and starting wars!"
His dream had never changed.
He would be a hero recognized by all.
A Hokage—and a symbol of hope.
With others, he might hold back—try to talk them down.
But Orochimaru?
A villain like this didn't deserve forgiveness.
"Tell me, Naruto—was Konoha ever truly light? Did your beloved Third Hokage not help destroy the village?"
"Were the crimes I exposed fabricated? You know the truth."
Orochimaru spread his arms.
A black coffin floated up behind him.
Its lid opened—two skeletal swordsmen stepped out, wielding purple blades.
More undead and skeletons closed in around Naruto.
"I'll become Hokage!"
Naruto stood firm, surrounded by the sea of undead.
His holy flames didn't flicker for even a second.
His voice rang out like a bell through the dead tide:
"Wherever the leaves dance, fire will burn. The shadow of the fire will illuminate the village."
"I'll change everything!"
"No more innocent children sent to war. I am the leaf. I am the flame. If it's not enough…"
"Then let me burn to ash—
to light every dark corner of the village!"
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