A flicker of hesitation crossed Muzan's eyes, but it quickly gave way to desire. He drew a slow breath, steadying his voice.
"Where is the Blue Spider Lily?"
Sol Mirek gave a faint shake of his head, relaxed as ever. "Even if I told you, you would never find it. The Blue Spider Lily only appears during the day."
Muzan's brows knit together, confusion surfacing on his pale face. "Daytime?"
Sol nodded, idly tracing the rim of his wine glass with a fingertip. "Exactly. It blooms at noon, and only for about ten minutes. You demons fear the sun, so you will never reach it."
A soft laugh slipped from behind Kokushibo. Doma leaned out slightly, his golden fan covering half his face. "How tragic. The thing you desire most exists only when you are at your weakest."
Muzan shot him a sharp glance. Doma immediately fell silent.
Turning back to Sol, Muzan's crimson eyes flickered with something harder to read. "If you know where it is, why not take it yourself?"
Sol set the glass down, his gaze sweeping lazily across the Upper Rank demons. "Because I am waiting for the right moment."
His smile sharpened slightly.
"I need to see if any of you are worthy of that power."
Since they were all here, he might as well have some fun.
Muzan's wariness returned, though he masked it quickly. He stepped forward, voice low. "Then how do we prove it?"
Sol leaned back slightly, looking almost amused. "Simple. Show me your strength. Only the strong deserve to stand in eternal sunlight."
Kokushibo's hand rested on his Nichirin blade, all six eyes narrowing at once. "You want to fight us?"
Sol nodded once. "All of you."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Muzan's eyes darkened, a trace of ruthlessness surfacing. If this human wanted to see their strength, then so be it.
"Entertain our guest," Muzan commanded.
His body twisted grotesquely, muscles swelling as his suit tore apart.
"Blood Demon Art: Black Blood Thorns!"
Countless black, thorn-covered tendrils erupted from his back, surging toward Sol like living spears.
Sol did not move.
An invisible barrier formed half a meter around him, stopping every tendril in place. Not one advanced further.
Muzan reacted instantly. His arm warped and stretched into a bone whip lined with jagged spikes, lashing forward with force.
Sol tilted slightly.
The whip grazed past him, the wind alone tearing through the room and shattering everything behind him. In the next instant, Sol caught it with one hand and gave a light pull.
"Too slow."
Muzan staggered, surprise flashing across his face.
"What are you waiting for?" he snapped, anger creeping into his voice.
Kokushibo moved first.
The moment his blade left its sheath, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace."
Dark crescent slashes filled the air, tearing forward with violent precision.
Sol's expression barely changed.
His body shifted as he partially activated Asura Mode. His muscles swelled, his eyes turning a deep, blood-red. A crushing pressure filled the room.
"They cannot die anyway, so I can take this a little seriously."
He did not step forward. He simply raised his fist and punched.
The attack shattered instantly.
The shockwave alone reduced everything nearby to fragments. Kokushibo's six eyes widened in unison.
"This… cannot be."
Muzan's expression darkened further. "All of you, attack!"
Doma moved next, leaping lightly into the air.
"Blood Demon Art: Lotus Leaf Ice."
Ice lotus blooms filled the space, spreading a biting cold as they rushed toward Sol.
Sol did not even glance at him.
He threw a casual punch.
Everything shattered.
The ice disintegrated instantly, and Doma was blown back, his body breaking apart against the wall before dissolving into mist to regenerate.
Akaza appeared in front of Sol in the same moment.
"Destructive Kill, Annihilation Style!"
His fist surged forward with overwhelming force, aimed directly at Sol's face.
Sol tilted his head slightly.
The punch missed by a fraction.
Before Akaza could react, Sol's hand snapped forward, gripping his wrist.
A sharp crack echoed.
Akaza's arm twisted unnaturally. Pain flashed across his face before his body began to recover.
"Too slow," Sol said lightly, releasing him.
Gyutaro and Daki attacked together, one from each side. Blood blades and sashes surged in perfect coordination.
Sol simply tapped his foot against the ground.
The floor trembled violently.
Their footing broke, their attacks missing entirely.
For the first time, true fear crept into Muzan's eyes.
This human was far beyond anything he had imagined.
Sol stood where he was, glancing around at the scattered, disheveled demons. A faint smile lingered on his face.
"This is your full strength? That is disappointing."
Muzan's pupils shrank. He forced himself to remain composed, though his voice came out strained. "We are not at our best today. We cannot show our full power."
Sol let out a short laugh.
"Not at your best? Do you need time to rest?"
His expression shifted, the amusement fading into something colder.
"Losing is losing. Accept the consequence."
A crimson light flashed in his eyes.
In an instant, the room exploded with sound.
One after another, the demons were reduced to blood mist, their forms erased before they could react. Only Doma remained, still in the process of reconstructing.
Muzan's body trembled violently as he regenerated, his pupils reduced to pinpoints as he stared at Sol.
For the first time in a thousand years, the Demon King felt something he had long forgotten.
Fear.
____
Patreon = _Zeph