A few strained words seemed to squeeze out from Muzan's clenched jaw. He inhaled deeply several times, forcing himself to calm the fury burning in his chest. Though his emotions still churned violently, the absolute rage had lessened somewhat.
Gyokko and Hantengu had been manageable losses — but why was Doma dead too? Muzan didn't particularly like Doma, but he respected his strength. If Kokushibo was the pinnacle of swordsmanship among the Twelve Kizuki, then Doma was arguably the most potent user of ice‑type Blood Demon Art.
Yes, Doma had been at a disadvantage the last time he faced Raiden, but Muzan knew Doma had been reckless, allowing Raiden an opportunity he shouldn't have had. So what had happened this time? Not only had Doma failed to defeat Raiden, but he also fell into Raiden's hands?
Images of Doma's final moments in Swordsmith Village flashed through Muzan's mind. In every sequence, Doma had taken his mission seriously — no arrogance, no folly — and yet the conclusion was the same.
Then Muzan's thoughts froze as another memory surfaced: Raiden in the Transparent World — but not the incomplete version used before. This time, Raiden's Transparent World had been as full and complete as Kokushibo's. On top of that, Raiden had demonstrated a Blood Demon Art similar to Akaza's Compass Needle with uncanny precision.
How had this boy mastered Blood Demon Arts at all? Muzan remembered when Raiden had defeated Rui; he had noticed then that Raiden could use supernatural technique, but he'd dismissed it as insignificant. After all, Rui had been only a Lower Rank demon. Now he could see that Raiden not only wielded Blood Demon Arts, but executed them with a refinement that rivaled — or even exceeded — those of actual demons.
That was terrifying.
And then Muzan watched Raiden kill Doma with that ability, Thunder Prison. Seeing that dark memory, his eyes grew colder — but there was no dramatic fluctuation, only ice‑sharp resolve.
With both Compass Needle and Transparent World fully mastered, Raiden was no trivial foe. Even the mighty Doma had struggled against him — so much so that his defeat was not dishonorable, but inevitable under those circumstances.
Yet Doma had been one of Muzan's chosen Upper Moons, selected for strength and reliability. Now with his head severed by Raiden's blade, Muzan could not simply let this go on. Raiden's ascent had become too rapid, too dangerous.
Raiden's strength reminded Muzan of the legendary Yoriichi Tsugikuni — a singular, unparalleled warrior. But there could never be another Yoriichi, and that possibility enraged him even more.
"Finish this farce quickly, I don't want any more surprises."
Muzan lowered his hand slowly. Until now he had not annihilated the Demon Slayer Corps entirely for two reasons:
First, he lacked the time; his efforts were wholly devoted to finding the blue spider lily, the mythical key to overcoming life's weakness under the sun.
Second, Yaozai Ubuyashiki had eluded discovery — his estate's location remained hidden.
Now everything was changing. Raiden presented a new threat, and Muzan's priority was to eliminate dangers before they fully matured. He needed Nakime to reveal the precise location of the Ubuyashiki Estate.
Muzan crouched and methodically placed the scattered medical books back on the shelf, his crimson gaze still scanning for any clue about the blue spider lily.
…
### *Ubuyashiki Estate*
Yaozai Ubuyashiki's purple curse had consumed nearly his entire face. He lay on his bed, drained of strength, unable even to move. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest confirmed he was still alive.
Amane, attending to him, wrung out a towel and gently wiped his brow. The curse was deteriorating his body at an alarming rate. Time was slipping away, and Amane's only task was to extend that time, even by a little.
Just as she exhaled with worry, Kagaya's personal Kasugai Crow swooped into the courtyard with a raucous cry.
"New information! New information!"
Amane instinctively prepared to quiet the bird. Kagaya's condition was so fragile that loud noises could worsen his state. But before she could raise her arm, a faint voice sounded from beside her.
"Don't…"
The single word was weak, like it was pulled from the depths of exhaustion, but it carried immense effort and intent.
Amane turned toward Kagaya, her eyes wide with concern. Kagaya's pale eyes were open just enough — barely — but his expression was firm. He wanted to hear this news.
Amane knew his stubborn determination well. There was no stopping him now. So she lowered her arm, stood straighter, and focused on the approaching crow, silently praying that this news would bring hope instead of despair.
The crow — aware of the heavy mood — quieted its shrill tone and spoke clearly:
"Swordsmith Village's location was exposed, and three Upper Moons — Upper Moon Two, Upper Moon Four, and Upper Moon Five — were sighted there."
Those words hit the room like an electric shock.
Kagaya's body stirred. He struggled to sit up, only to slump back weaker than before. His eyes widened with anxiety, his breathing quickening, his chest rising and falling unevenly.
Three Upper Moons? Are Raiden and the others okay? How did Muzan learn the location of Swordsmith Village? Are the Love Pillar, Mist Pillar, Raiden, and the others still alive?
Kagaya clung to that sliver of hope, though he knew the odds were grim. The strength of the Pillars did not match the Upper Moons one‑for‑one. Each of the Upper Moons had slaughtered Pillars in the past — something the Demon Slayer Corps still bore the scars of.
Amane, beside him, covered her mouth with both hands, shock and dread etched on her face. As Ubuyashiki's wife, she understood demons deeply — which only intensified her fear. Two Upper Moons in the Entertainment District had been enough to rattle them; now three had appeared in Swordsmith Village?
Is Swordsmith Village still standing? Is Raiden truly alive? Kagaya had placed immense hope in him, believing that he might be the key to finally defeating Muzan. This news could either revive that hope or shatter it completely.
Amane's hand, hidden under her kimono, clenched tightly — please, let this be good news.
===
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