Sol Mirek stood in the shadows beyond the mansion, his presence completely erased. His gaze cut through the darkness, locked onto the brightly lit Western-style estate.
"He really knows how to live," Sol muttered, a faint smirk on his lips. "Muzan's got taste, I'll give him that."
The aura inside was unmistakable, cold, heavy, and far more intense than Gyokko's. It pressed outward like a silent warning.
Inside the mansion, Muzan Kibutsuji sat in a luxurious armchair, a glass of red wine resting in his hand. His suit was perfectly tailored, his appearance refined enough to pass as a wealthy businessman.
Moonlight spilled across his pale face, catching the faint glow of his crimson eyes. The wine in his glass swirled slowly, thick and dark.
The door burst open.
"Master! Lord Muzan!"
Gyokko tumbled into the study, his voice shaking.
"The Demon Slayer Corps has a new..."
Before he could finish, Muzan turned. A flash of irritation crossed his eyes.
"You are disturbing me."
His voice was calm, yet suffocating. The wine glass shattered in his hand, the red liquid spilling onto the carpet.
Gyokko trembled violently, every eye on his pot body squeezing shut.
"Lord Muzan, please forgive me."
Muzan stepped closer, his gaze sharp and cold.
"Explain. Is the information about the Blue Spider Lily true?"
"It's a trap," Gyokko blurted out. "The Blue Spider Lily is bait. The Demon Slayer Corps is waiting there."
"There's also a human, he..."
"What about him? Take your time."
A voice came from behind him.
Gyokko froze. Slowly, he turned his head.
Sol was standing there.
His eyes were calm, yet deep enough to swallow everything.
"You... how are you here?" Gyokko's voice trembled.
Muzan's expression darkened.
"Who are you?"
Even he had not sensed Sol's arrival.
Sol said nothing at first. His eyes rested on Muzan, studying him.
"So this is the original," he said casually. "Not bad."
Gyokko shrank into the corner, panic taking over.
"Lord Muzan, it's him. He nearly killed me with one move."
Muzan narrowed his eyes. Sol wore no uniform, carried no nichirin blade, yet stood there without a hint of tension.
"A new member of the Demon Slayer Corps?" Muzan asked coldly. "Do you think you can kill me?"
Sol slipped his hands into his pockets.
"I'm not with them."
Muzan raised an eyebrow.
"Then why come here?"
Sol tilted his head slightly, as if considering how to phrase it.
"I need your ability. Work with me, and I might go easy on you."
The room fell silent.
Muzan stared at him, then let out a quiet laugh.
"Interesting."
His shadow stretched across the floor under the moonlight.
"In a thousand years, you are the first human to speak to me like that."
His voice turned cold.
"I will make you regret it."
Sol sighed lightly.
"Yeah, figured you'd say that."
Muzan vanished.
In the next instant, he appeared in front of Sol, his claws aimed straight for his throat.
The speed was overwhelming, leaving only a blur behind.
A dull impact echoed.
His claws stopped just short of Sol's neck, blocked by an invisible force.
Muzan's eyes flickered with surprise.
"A Blood Demon Art?"
He shifted instantly, his other arm morphing into a blade and sweeping toward Sol's waist.
Sol leaned slightly. The strike missed.
He raised his hand, faint blue energy gathering at his fingertips.
"Water Breathing, Psychokinesis Impact."
An invisible force slammed into Muzan, sending him crashing through a cabinet behind him. Wood splintered, porcelain shattered, and wine spilled across the floor.
Muzan rose slowly from the wreckage, brushing dust from his suit. His expression had changed.
"You're not normal," he said quietly.
Sol smiled faintly.
"I told you, I just want your ability. No need to make this messy."
Muzan's lips curled.
"My ability?"
His arms twisted, transforming into barbed whip-like blades lined with teeth. They lashed out with terrifying speed.
Sol raised a hand again. The invisible barrier stopped them effortlessly.
He frowned slightly.
"You really don't listen, do you?"
Before the words fully left his mouth, Sol vanished.
He reappeared in front of Muzan, placing a hand lightly on his chest.
"Psychokinesis, Bind."
Muzan froze.
His entire body locked in place, as if restrained by something unseen.
Shock flashed across his face.
"Who... are you?"
Sol didn't answer.
With a single thought, he crushed Muzan's bones.
A series of sharp cracking sounds filled the room as Muzan's body twisted unnaturally. His form collapsed in on itself, blood soaking through his suit.
Pain distorted his expression.
"You... what are you..." Muzan's voice trembled.
For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.
Sol released the bind.
Muzan dropped to the floor, limp and broken. But within moments, his body began to regenerate. Bones realigned, flesh stitched itself back together.
Sol watched with interest.
"Nice," he said under his breath. "You're basically a training dummy that heals itself."
A faint grin appeared.
"This might actually be fun."
Muzan forced himself up, his expression tense. Anger and fear clashed within his eyes.
He had never faced anything like this.
Not even Yoriichi Tsugikuni had made him feel this way.
This was different.
This was instinctive.
A fear that came from something far beyond him.
Muzan's gaze sharpened.
"So it was you," he said slowly. "You spread the information about the Blue Spider Lily."