"Every time I see that pretty face of yours, it makes my blood boil."
Gyutaro pulled at the skin of his face as he spoke, ready to lunge straight at Doma.
"Are you sure you want to fight here? Your sister's life would be in great danger, you know."
Doma remained perfectly calm, speaking in a soft, dreamlike tone.
The moment those words left his mouth, Gyutaro froze mid‑step.
Even Kokushibo, standing beside Doma, cast a sharp glance his way.
"Hmph… these trash? They dare call themselves a threat?"
Before Gyutaro could reply, Daki let out a scornful laugh. "Nothing but a bunch of ugly, worthless creatures."
Her words drew immediate glares of hostility from the surrounding Inheritors.
They had all come here for Muzan, never expecting things to turn out this way.
"They're here."
Kokushibo spoke suddenly.
As soon as the words were out, the ground beneath everyone's feet transformed into a massive set of double doors, which swung open wide in an instant.
All those present—except Doma and Kokushibo—instinctively tried to leap back and escape.
But Doma only smiled. "Come along… let us pay a visit to Lord Muzan."
He and Kokushibo made no move to resist, allowing the pull of the dimensional passage to draw them straight into the Infinity Castle.
Muzan?
Many of the Inheritors hesitated, suspicion rising in their hearts.
Was this just another trick, another trap set by Doma? Though the two had openly rebelled against Muzan, there was always the chance they could rejoin forces—nothing was impossible.
And with the Inheritors finally gathered in one place, it would be the perfect opportunity to wipe them all out at once.
"Enter."
Just then, a familiar voice echoed directly inside the minds of the first‑generation Inheritors.
It was Oboro.
Hearing that voice, even Daki and Gyutaro no longer hesitated, letting themselves fall into the dark void beneath the doors.
The younger Inheritors exchanged uncertain glances, gritted their teeth, and followed suit.
---
Space and time shifted.
A few seconds later, as their vision cleared, they found themselves separated and standing upon floating platforms high in the air.
All around them, countless corridors, chambers, staircases, and pavilions drifted weightlessly as if defying gravity.
They were inside a realm of folded dimensions.
What…?
Before anyone could take in their surroundings, a crushing, overwhelming pressure descended upon them—heavy as a mountain, thick enough to suffocate.
The air hummed with murderous intent.
They followed the source of that terrifying aura upward, and there, standing on a platform far above them, gazing down with utter disdain, was the figure they had all come to kill.
Dressed in an elegant black suit and top hat, his face deathly pale, and beneath the brim of his hat shone a pair of piercing crimson eyes.
Kibutsuji Muzan.
But as several Inheritors lifted their gaze even higher, they saw another figure.
Seated cross‑legged on the highest platform of all, directly behind Muzan, was a man whose position rose even above the Demon King himself.
Who could possibly stand higher than Muzan?
Half of the younger Inheritors did not recognize him at first—but when they saw the same black haori worn by Gyutaro, his identity was revealed at once.
Oboro.
The origin of the Will of Inheritance.
The one who had bestowed the power of the soul and rewritten the fate of this entire world.
The divine being known to many as Miketake no Kami.
In the eyes of nearly everyone here, he was nothing short of a living god.
Whoosh.
One by one, every head bowed low in reverence.
They were not bowing to Muzan—but to Oboro.
Muzan understood this perfectly. His expression remained cold and unreadable, and he said nothing.
Seeing how their seniors acted, the younger Inheritors quickly followed suit, pressing their foreheads to the floor.
"No need for such formality… This place is called the Infinity Castle. It belongs to Muzan. I am only a guest today," Oboro said with a faint smile, resting his chin in one hand.
His gaze swept over all the faces below—every single one, raised and shaped by his own hands.
A few were unfamiliar, newer faces who had only risen to prominence in the decades since the Edo era ended. They were creations of the first‑generation Inheritors, such as Kashima and Yasuhara.
Oboro's own blood had freed the original group from Muzan's control, but as they passed the power onward, his essence grew thinner and more diluted—weakening the spiritual bond shared between them.
"Ah… it is so wonderful to see you again, my Lord."
The woman in the white kimono lifted her head, her long hair slipping to reveal flushed cheeks and eyes shining with adoration and devotion.
"Kirara… you have grown even more beautiful," Oboro said gently.
"Truly?" Her face lit up, and she pressed both hands happily to her cheeks.
"Indeed."
Oboro nodded.
There were all kinds among the Inheritors. Though he had saved them and given them purpose, some—like Kirara—were not truly driven by the desire to remake the world.
What sustained their will and loyalty was Oboro himself. They would gladly give everything just to live up to his expectations.
Oboro did not think so highly of himself. The reason they felt this way was simple: their lives as humans had been filled with nothing but darkness and despair.
When he appeared, he had been their only light, and so he became like a halo in their eyes.
"I am here only as a witness today," Oboro continued. "Whoever wins and whoever falls will mark the end of this era for now."
Seeing him and hearing his words, the smarter ones among them realized the truth: they were not gathered here because of Muzan.
Everything was arranged by Oboro.
"Defeat Kibutsuji Muzan, and from this day forward, the path of demonkind will belong to you. You will grow stronger than ever, and shape this world into the future you believe is right."
"Daki, Gyutaro… your mission is to kill Doma and Kokushibo. That was the task I gave you long ago."
"And Muzan's goal is to eliminate all traitors, and every single one of you as well. In his eyes, you are all obstacles in his way."
"I will not interfere in this battle. Though it was my actions that set your fates upon this course, where things stand now comes from your own choices and desires. Each of you holds ground you will not yield… so fight with everything you have."
With those words, Oboro raised the tension in the air to its breaking point.
The final war was about to begin. Every soul present stood taut as a drawn bowstring.
It would be a battle of chaos and blood.
And without question, the one in the worst position was Muzan.
The only one he did not have to fear too much was Gyutaro—but even that was uncertain.
He had hunted Gyutaro in the past, and there was no telling if the demon still held a grudge. After all, Gyutaro was a rabid beast who would never pass up a chance to kill him.
"Do not forget the promise you made to me," Muzan said, turning around and looking up directly into Oboro's eyes.
If he won this fight, Oboro could never raise a hand against him again, nor interfere in his affairs—and most importantly, he would help Muzan evolve into the Perfect Life Form.
"Naturally," Oboro replied.
The moment the answer left his lips, every figure standing on the floating platforms vanished—warped and scattered by Muzan's control over the Infinity Castle.
Only one person remained: Doma.
Muzan knew better than to let the others group together. If they stayed, the Inheritors would surely join forces with Doma and Kokushibo against him.
Of all of them, Doma was the one he could never forgive. He would start by killing this traitor first.
"So it really is my turn… Should I call myself lucky, or just unlucky?" Doma chuckled, showing no trace of fear. "I secretly hoped you would choose Kokushibo instead."
Muzan did not waste a single second listening to his nonsense.
In the blink of an eye, the hard, rock‑solid platform beneath Doma's feet suddenly melted and expanded into a massive sphere of living flesh.
It swelled rapidly, splitting and multiplying, growing larger and larger.
A wide maw lined with rows of sharp teeth tore open in its center—and in the next instant, it swallowed Doma whole.
____________________
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