In an instant, the six Hashira moved as one. They shot through the air like living arrows, their speed accelerated to a terrifying new level. The bizarre, flame-like patterns that had appeared on their foreheads now spread across their faces, giving them a fierce, almost demonic appearance.
With their newfound speed, they easily broke through the encirclement of Doma's Eternal Paradise cultists and the government enforcement teams. They didn't hesitate, not even for the innocent passengers still on the train. They now understood that this was all a deadly game orchestrated by Tsukihiko—a trap that used their former comrade, government soldiers, and even their own sympathy against them. The demons they had been sent to fight were dead. There was no reason to stay. If they hadn't awakened their Demon Slayer Marks at that critical moment, the Hashira would have been completely wiped out today.
Only after the last of the Hashira had vanished did Doma emerge from the shadows, a faint, indifferent smile on his face. "As expected of the famous Hashira," he mused, his voice carrying a cold, detached amusement. "They really are something. But the show has only just begun." A cold aura radiated from him. "Soon, we'll find the Ubuyashiki headquarters. And on that day, their precious Demon Slayer Corps will finally be destroyed!"
...
Meanwhile, at the Ubuyashiki ancestral home, Kagaya could not hide the profound relief in his heart.
"They did it," he whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "They succeeded. As expected of the strongest generation of Hashira in a thousand years... truly extraordinary." Even with his usual composure, he was shaken. The plan had worked far more smoothly than he had dared to hope.
The awakening of the Mark was the key. A Marked Slayer was the true, complete form of a Hashira, capable of fighting on par with the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki. This narrow victory, however, was less about his arrangements and more about the incredible will to survive that burned within his swordsmen.
But this power came at a terrible cost. It meant their lives would be cut short, ending by the age of twenty-five. A shadow of sorrow crossed Kagaya's face.
Beside him, his wife, Amane, spoke softly. "Master, you need not worry for them. The purpose of the Demon Slayer Corps has always been for something greater than just our family. They fight for the countless ordinary people of this country who suffer from demons. They know the price, and they willingly choose to make their short lives burn with an incredible brilliance."
Kagaya nodded, his expression pained. "I know, Amane. I understand what you say is true. It's just... I have always thought of them as my own children. And now, because of Muzan Kibutsuji, their fates have been sealed."
Before he could say more, a messenger arrived with the latest intelligence. As Kagaya read the report, his calm facade shattered, replaced by sheer horror.
"What!? Priest Jubei has disappeared? How is that possible...?"
...
At the same time, in Tokyo, Tsukihiko's influence had solidified. Through Prime Minister Kametaro, he had orchestrated a major reshuffle within the Japanese Cabinet. Now, the government was his to command. With a single word, he could have anyone declared a criminal, their fate—imprisonment or execution—sealed. But political power was a secondary concern. His focus remained on his captive, Priest Jubei.
Inside the Infinity Castle, Tsukihiko opened his eyes. He could feel a profound change occurring throughout his body, down to his very cells.
"The priest's spell was meant to suppress and control me," he thought, analyzing the sensation. "But in essence, it's just a forced interference with a demon's internal structure. It's a double-edged sword." A smirk formed on his lips. "It can destroy, but it can also force a new evolution."
As the progenitor of all demons, Muzan Kibutsuji had always been at the forefront of demonic evolution. Jubei's attack, meant to be his downfall, was now accelerating that very process. He might even achieve a new form before Lady Tamayo's medicine was even complete.
"Now then," Tsukihiko mused, "it's time to visit my prisoner."
With a single thought, he vanished from the throne.
...
Trapped within the Infinity Castle, pinned down by the interwoven firepower of the rifle squad, Priest Jubei was helpless. Despite being the heir to his clan, possessing a near-perfect bloodline and immense power, he was still just a man of flesh and blood. The irony was almost unbearable. The demon they had created, Muzan Kibutsuji, was immune to blades and bullets, his only weakness being the sun. Yet the priests themselves, the so-called masters, could be killed by the most common of weapons.
What made the situation even more frustrating was that every member of the rifle squad was human. His clan's most powerful spells were designed specifically to destroy demons, rendering them useless here. All of his greatest strengths had been instantly nullified. It was a perfect, infuriating trap.
Suddenly, a calm voice echoed through the room, seeming to come from the air itself.
"Well? Have you considered it?"
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