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"Blood Demon Art: Endless Karmic Trees!"
Upper Rank Four Hantengu first split into four, then merged back into one, turning from an ugly old demon into a handsome young man clad in golden armor.
The youth slammed the Taiko Drum emblazoned with the word "hate," sending a dozen hundred-meter Wooden Dragons roaring toward Little Goku.
"Blood Demon Art: Scale-Killing Formation!"
Upper Rank Five Gyokutō surged out of his pot, molting into his complete form and hurtling at Little Goku with an eerie bouncing speed.
In this state he possessed Pot of Wrath Hand—one touch would turn Little Goku into seafood.
"Blood Demon Art: Flying Blood Sickles!"
"Blood Demon Art: Eightfold Ribbon Slashes!"
Upper Rank Six Daki spawned another demon courtesan, Gyuutarō; one launched poisoned blood-sickles while the other whipped out eight blade-like silk ribbons.
Both struck at Little Goku together.
Six Upper-Rank demons counter-attacked from six directions; even if Little Goku repeated that terrifying move, it could only cover one direction.
The other five would be unstoppable.
"You're stronger than I thought. I'll play with you first, then go find Kibutsuji Muzan!"
Facing the combined assault, Little Goku showed no fear—only excitement.
These attacks were finally enough to ignite his battle-lust.
Just as he was about to explode his Ki and dive in, all Nine Pillars leapt up, intercepting the six Upper Ranks.
"Stone Breathing, Fifth Form: Wheel of Punishment!"
"Sound Breathing, Fifth Form: Resonant Hymn—Blasting Blossom!"
"Flame Breathing Secret—Ninth Form: Rengoku!"
"Insect Breathing: Centipede Waltz—Hundred-Legged Serpent!"
"Love Breathing, Fifth Form: Fluttering Love—Wild Claws!"
"Mist Breathing, Seventh Form: Haze!"
"Wind Breathing, Ninth Form: Hurricane of the Heavenly Marshal!"
"Serpent Breathing, Fifth Form: Coiling Serpent!"
"Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Dead Calm!"
Rock and Mist Hashira joined against Upper One Kokushibo; Insect and Water Hashira teamed on Upper Two Doma.
Flame Hashira faced Upper Three Akaza, Wind Hashira fought Upper Four Hantengu, Serpent Hashira took on Upper Five Gyokutō.
Sound Hashira engaged Upper Six's elder brother Gyuutarō, while Love Hashira tackled the younger sister Daki.
The moment the Nine Pillars sprang forward they shouted to Little Goku, "Leave these to us—go kill Kibutsuji Muzan!"
Judging by where this demon castle was built and the demons teleported moments ago, they deduced Muzan had a subordinate skilled in spatial Blood Demon Arts.
According to the intel their Master had given on Kibutsuji Muzan, that terrifying strike Little Goku just unleashed was enough to threaten him.
Most likely, Muzan would be scared into fleeing.
If Muzan escaped, killing the Twelve Kizuki and every other demon today would be pointless.
In the future, Kibutsuji Muzan could simply create them anew.
Thus they poured out everything to pin down the Upper Ranks, letting Little Goku rush straight for Muzan.
Why not have Little Goku occupy the Upper Ranks while they hunted Muzan?
Because with a spatial demon on the enemy side, splitting up to search the vast Infinity Castle would be futile.
If Muzan ordered that demon to teleport him away, they'd never find him.
But Little Goku could sense demons within a certain range and possessed matching spatial abilities.
Most crucially, they'd just witnessed his overwhelming power—he was the one most likely to slay Muzan.
"All right—be careful, all of you!"
Possessing keen battle instincts, Little Goku grasped their plan at once; instead of reinforcing them he closed his eyes to feel the Ki around him.
Soon he detected two auras elsewhere in the castle that didn't belong to the Twelve Kizuki.
One stood at the castle's center, the other at its deepest point.
Which was Kibutsuji Muzan he couldn't tell—he'd never met the demon, so he didn't know his Ki signature.
Yet instinct told him the aura in the deepest part was Muzan.
On closer inspection, though outwardly similar to a Kizuki's, it concealed far greater power within.
And that deepest aura felt far more evil than any Kizuki—or the one in the center.
"Apparition!"
A flicker and he stood before that deepest aura.
Its owner had black hair, plum-red eyes, and skin as pale as paper.
The instant he saw Little Goku his pupils shrank.
A biwa chord rang out and the youth vanished on the spot.
"Damn it—how can a human this terrifying still exist in the World!"
The youth reappeared in a pleasure-house room in Yoshiwara Entertainment District, eyes full of terror.
He was none other than the World's first demon—Kibutsuji Muzan.
After witnessing that catastrophic strike, he knew he was in mortal danger; even he couldn't survive a direct hit.
This was different from his battle against Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Back then, realizing he couldn't win, he'd split into over 1,800 fragments and fled.
Even someone as mighty as Yoriichi had only managed 1,500-odd cuts, letting him escape.
But he understood that if the boy's attack landed he'd be obliterated before he could split.
So the instant he regained his wits he ordered Nakime to cast her Blood Demon Art and teleport him to Yoshiwara Entertainment District.
Yet to his shock the boy also wielded spatial power and appeared right in front of him—nearly scaring him to death.
Fortunately, Nakime teleported him away a heartbeat before the boy could strike.
Shifting form, he disguised himself as an ordinary courtesan and sat applying makeup like any other woman of the night.
All the while he continued issuing orders to Nakime through their blood link.
He refused to accept hiding forever; there was still a chance—if he could kill the boy, the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps would be nothing.
"Got teleported, huh?"
Sensing Muzan vanish, Little Goku closed his eyes, but could no longer feel the demon's Ki.
It meant Muzan had been moved beyond his detection range.
Just then a biwa chord sounded, and the scenery around him shifted instantly.
Nakime had used her Blood Demon Art to transport him to a vast subterranean cavern.
Immediately afterward, seven figures appeared around him.
They were the seven Upper-Rank demons who'd been fighting the Hashira.
Muzan's strategy was simple: use Nakime's art to relocate the seven Upper Ranks and Little Goku out of Infinity Castle.
He sent them to an underground cavern where he himself had once hidden.
That way Little Goku would be isolated, cut off from any aid of the Demon Slayer swordsmen.
With the combined might of seven Upper-Rank demons, they would surround and kill him.
Even with his blood suppressing them, being besieged by seven Upper Ranks would pose some danger even to Muzan himself.
So victory was still possible.