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Chapter 80: Muzan: It Seems I Really Must Control You
Sano had always considered himself lucky.
In the past, thanks to his naturally towering, imposing frame, he had been the most notorious bully in the village, throwing his weight around and terrorizing the locals. That is, until he recently provoked the wrong person.
He thought his life was over. Instead, his misfortune had turned into the greatest blessing of his life when he caught the eye of Lord Muzan. He was bestowed with blood and reborn as an immortal demon.
Sure, there were minor inconveniences—like bursting into flames in sunlight and needing to consume human flesh—but compared to the gift of eternal life and powerful regenerative abilities, those flaws were insignificant.
And his luck hadn't run out. Today, he had stumbled across the ultimate prey.
Just laying eyes on the young man made Sano drool uncontrollably. He was absolutely certain this prey possessed the legendary "rare blood" that the older demons whispered about. And not just any rare blood—he was premium grade. Eating him alone would be worth devouring hundreds, maybe thousands of normal humans.
Once he ate this man, he was guaranteed to join the apex of demonkind: the Twelve Kizuki. He'd easily secure a top spot in the Lower Ranks, and maybe—just maybe—he could even aim for an Upper Rank position.
The only surprise was that the human had actually sensed him lurking in the shadows.
But it didn't matter. He was just one guy, and completely unarmed at that. What was he going to do bare-handed? One-shot him?
"Kekeke!" Sano cackled menacingly, stepping out of the darkness and approaching the man. His voice was a grating, raspy hiss. "Brat, blame your own rotten luck for running into the great Sano! Don't worry, I promise I'll pick your bones clean and savor every last drop of your blood. I won't waste a single piece of you!"
With that, Sano swung a hand the size of an earthenware pot right at Suyan's face.
Then, a black shadow rapidly eclipsed his vision.
Sano was instantly floored.
He dropped to his knees, utterly bewildered.
Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
Sano asked himself the three ultimate philosophical questions. He had absolutely no idea what just happened or why he was suddenly kneeling on the dirt.
"Failing to comprehend the sheer gap in our strength, yet still daring to challenge a Nen user," Suyan shook his head, looking down at the demon he had effortlessly pummeled into the ground with a single punch. He sounded genuinely disappointed. "Trash will always be trash."
If the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji, saw a human with blood so rare it equated to a thousand people, his first reaction definitely wouldn't be to charge straight in like this brain-dead idiot. Muzan would immediately stop and think: Is this right? This doesn't seem right. Then, he'd send his subordinates to test the waters while he stayed perfectly hidden in the background.
"Trash. Tell me, do you know a Blood Demon Art?" Suyan demanded sharply, planting a heavy foot squarely on the demon's chest.
In Suyan's eyes, the most valuable asset in this entire world wasn't the Demon Slayer Corps' Breathing Styles. It was the Blood Demon Arts possessed by the demons Muzan created. If his original Specialization ability—Equivalent Exchange—could successfully trade for Blood Demon Arts, then Muzan's blood would become an infinite treasure trove for him.
"H-How do you know about Blood Demon Arts?!"
Sano's pupils contracted violently. He stared at Suyan in sheer disbelief. The crushing pain radiating from his chest was making it hard for him to breathe.
"Didn't Muzan ever warn you that there's an organization in this country called the Demon Slayer Corps, whose sole purpose is to hunt down garbage like you?" Suyan said coldly. "Now, stop wasting my time and tell me. Can you use a Blood Demon Art?"
"P-Please, don't kill me!" Sano panicked.
He was stunned. This human even knew the name of Lord Muzan, the progenitor of all demons! It all made sense now. He had always wondered why demons, despite being so vastly superior, didn't just conquer the world and herd humans like cattle. It was because the Demon Slayer Corps existed in the shadows to keep them in check.
He instantly concluded that this terrifying man standing over him must be a Demon Slayer.
"I was just turned into a demon a few days ago! I don't know any Blood Demon Arts!" Sano begged, his arrogance completely shattered. "It's true! I haven't even eaten a single human yet! Please, spare me!"
"Tch!" Suyan clicked his tongue. "Who cares if you've eaten anyone?"
It wasn't like this demon had killed anyone Suyan knew. Whether humans died or not had nothing to do with him. What annoyed him was that since this grunt didn't have a Blood Demon Art, Suyan couldn't test whether his Equivalent Exchange could steal it. The demon's value had plummeted drastically.
"Ah?" Sano froze.
He hadn't expected the man to completely gloss over the 'not eating humans' defense. But the lethal intent in Suyan's eyes was unmistakable. He didn't doubt for a second that this man would kill him on a whim.
"Don't kill me, I'm begging you! I'm a good person! I really haven't eaten anyone yet!" Sano groveled desperately.
A good person? Suyan sneered internally. What kind of 'good person' launches an unprovoked attack in an alleyway?
However, while the demon lacked a Blood Demon Art, it still had a modicum of experimental value.
"Relax. Not only will I not kill you, but just like Muzan, I'm going to bestow upon you a little... gift."
Suyan's voice was eerily calm, devoid of all emotion, save for a slight, deliberate emphasis on the word "gift."
With a flick of his wrist, Suyan Conjured a silver needle between his fingers. This was no ordinary needle. It was the product of a year-long collaboration with Yuriko Takagi, utilizing the zombie virus as a catalyst to create a terrifying Transmutation ability.
[Undead Overture]!
If this needle was driven into a normal human's brain, they would instantly be infected by his Nen and mutate into a zombie under his absolute control.
But what about the demons of this world?
Could they be transformed into zombie-demons loyal only to him? Furthermore, if he eventually acquired Muzan's blood, could he fuse it into the Undead Overture, directly mass-producing loyal subordinates who naturally awakened Blood Demon Arts?
He was eager to find out.
Suyan flicked his finger. The needle vanished into a streak of silver light, directly piercing Sano's skull.
The reaction was instantaneous. Thick, ominous black aura began pouring out of Sano's body.
"Power… Power is flowing endlessly!" Sano roared, clenching his fists in the air. His aura flared wildly, looking exactly like a villain hitting his blackened villain phase.
"The effect is this potent?" Suyan blinked, slightly surprised by the dramatic transformation. Was this purely the zombie toxin? The Nen? Or a synergy of both?
Meanwhile, far away in an undisclosed location.
A handsome man in a tailored Western suit and a fedora elegantly pulled out a pristine white handkerchief to wipe a speck of blood from his hand. His expression was cold and indifferent as he muttered to himself.
"One of my demons... is still alive, but its connection to me has been severed?"
Muzan Kibutsuji lifted his crimson eyes, glaring intently in a specific direction, as if trying to pierce through the miles of distance.
"Is it you... Tamayo?!"
His voice dripped with ancient venom. "To think you've already reached a level where you can hijack my control… It seems I truly must find the time to deal with you properly."
"Lord Muzan, did you say Lady Tamayo?"
Hearing a name he hadn't spoken in centuries, Muzan shot a murderous glare at the freshly turned demon kneeling respectfully before him. He waved his hand dismissively.
"Scram!"
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