Jumbled and inverted Japanese buildings, a twisted and disordered space.
All sense of direction seemed to lose any meaning here.
The building's corridors and stairs were extremely empty, without a trace of human presence.
The light from the lanterns was somewhat dim and gloomy, reflecting off all the surrounding objects.
This place was called the Infinity Castle.
Muzan Kibutsuji's main base.
It was a hidden place that Muzan Kibutsuji had specially created over hundreds of years.
At this moment, on top of a building in the center of the Infinity Castle, sat a woman with long black hair covering her face, holding a biwa.
The biwa-wielding woman's name was Nakime, and she manipulated and distorted the space of the Infinity Castle.
And in front of Nakime stood a black-haired woman in a kimono with sharp red eyes, her back to them.
"You are not allowed to die, Gyokko. You need to continue to work for me. You cannot die without my permission."
There was no one in front of the black-haired woman. She was speaking as if to the air.
Coming from her mouth was, shockingly, Muzan's deep voice.
That's right, this black-haired woman was Muzan Kibutsuji.
Muzan Kibutsuji could perform high-precision mimicry of humans, so he often appeared in different forms and appearances.
And at this moment, he was conversing with Gyokko.
His words were full of arrogance, absolute and unquestionable.
Gyokko was not even allowed to die of his own accord.
[Yes!! Lord Muzan!!]
Gyokko's incomparably excited voice was transmitted through their blood connection.
In the demon camp, Gyokko's loyalty to Muzan could be said to be second to none.
Absolute belief, extreme adoration.
Cutting off the connection, Muzan no longer spoke with Gyokko, turning instead to ask Nakime, "How many of the Upper Rank demons have arrived? And the Lower Ranks?"
"Lord Doma and Lord Akaza have not yet arrived... But all of the Lower Rank demons have arrived..." the biwa-wielding Nakime replied.
"Bring all the Lower Ranks before me first," a cold voice came from Muzan's mouth.
"Strum."
With a single strum of Nakime's biwa, the space suddenly twisted and swayed.
When he came to his senses, five demons were already standing before Muzan.
The five demons' identities and attire were all different, with different numbers carved into their eyes.
A handsome man in a suit with short black hair, "Lower One" Enmu.
A man in a robe with long purple hair and a beard, "Lower Two" Rokuro.
A flat-topped man with three crossed scars on his face, "Lower Three" Wakuraba.
A woman with short white hair and two horns on her forehead, "Lower Four" Mukago.
A man with his hair tied up and a character resembling "工" tattooed on his face, "Lower Six" Kamanue.
They looked at the figure they had never seen before, their hearts full of confusion.
'Who is this woman? I've never sensed this aura before.'
"Lower your heads and kneel."
Under the gaze of the many Lower Ranks, Muzan issued his command.
The extremely cold command seemed to contain the power of a binding spell, causing the Lower Rank demons to instantly lose control of their bodies, unable to stop themselves from kneeling and bowing their heads.
"Lo... Lo... Lord Muzan..." some demons were terrified, others were respectful and adoring.
"My deepest apologies. It was because your appearance and aura have changed..." the only female demon among the Lower Ranks, Mukago, apologized in terror.
"Who gave you permission to speak?" Muzan cut her off, questioning her arrogantly. "Do not open your mouths based on your own uninteresting whims. You are only permitted to answer the questions I ask you."
Muzan Kibutsuji's self-centered will was on full display.
Cold sweat poured down the face of Mukago, who had spoken out.
"Rui has been killed. He was Lower Rank Five," Muzan said, calmly looking at the bowed demons, his words revealing a dangerous undertone. "There is only one thing I wish to ask. 'Why are the Lower Rank demons so weak'?"
"Becoming one of the Twelve Kizuki does not mean the end. On the contrary, it is the beginning... the beginning of eating more people, the beginning of becoming stronger, the beginning of being useful to me..."
"For a hundred years, the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki have never been replaced. It is always the Upper Rank demons who have buried those Hashira among the demon hunters. But what about the Lower Ranks? How many times have you been replaced?"
Listening to Muzan's lecture, the demons didn't dare to say a word.
However, "Lower Six" Kamanue couldn't help but grumble in his heart.
'Even if you tell us those things...'
"'Even if you tell us those things'? What then? Why don't you say it?" Muzan, as if having seen through Kamanue's thoughts, stared straight at him with his cat-like vertical pupils.
'He can read my thoughts?'
Panic seized Kamanue's heart.
'This is bad...'
"What's bad? Say it!" Muzan was clearly enraged by him, the veins on his face bulging.
"No, Lord Muzan—"
Just as Kamanue was about to continue his explanation, the next moment, a large tumor of flesh suddenly burst from Muzan's kimono sleeve. It was covered with sharp mouths and dull eyes, and it shot straight towards Kamanue.
In an instant, Kamanue's body was bitten hard by the mouths on the tumor and lifted into the air.
"Please forgive me! Lord Kibutsuji! I beg you, I beg you! Please spare me!" he pleaded, crying, his heart filled with terror and panic. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so—"
But his pleading and begging were not met with a shred of mercy.
"Squelch."
The tumor directly crushed his body, and blood rained down.
Muzan had cut off his ability to regenerate as a demon. Kamanue had died a miserable death just like that.
"Ah..." Muzan Kibutsuji let out a long sigh. "I'm tired of it. The Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki are just a bunch of useless trash. From today onwards, the Lower Ranks are hereby disbanded. The Upper Ranks are sufficient for the Twelve Kizuki."
"Lord Muzan!"
"We are still useful! We can serve you!"
"We will go and eat people, and kill demon hunters, and dedicate our entire bodies and souls to you!! Lord Muzan!"
Lower Two Rokuro, Lower Three Wakuraba, and Lower Four Mukago all explained frantically, stating that they still had some worth and could serve Muzan Kibutsuji.
They knew very well in their hearts that there was only one outcome to the disbandment of the Lower Ranks: death!
"What can you accomplish with your strength?" Muzan arrogantly questioned this group of Lower Rank trash.
"We can go and hunt demon hunters and give everything for you!"
"Hehe," Muzan sneered, then said, "Since you all want to prove yourselves so badly, there is a chance now..."
"Twang."
As his voice fell, the sound of a biwa string rang out.
"Can I kill them?"
From behind the many Lower Rank demons, a bewitching female voice suddenly sounded.
'Behind us?'
The panicked Lower Rank demons immediately turned to look.
They saw a woman.
She was tall, with loose black hair, and her makeup was somewhat messy. Under her bangs were bright red eyes carrying a touch of madness.
The skin on her hands and feet had been peeled off, exposing the raw, red flesh. Several serene-looking human heads were hanging from her waist.
Just like that, she stared intently at the many kneeling Lower Rank demons, as if she were about to eat them alive.
If Lexon were here, he would definitely be able to recognize this woman's identity.
It was the veteran from Zhongzhou Team Four, Youmei.
And the heads hanging from her waist were those of the newcomers from Zhongzhou Team Four who had been traveling with her.
Rin Tabane, Huang Ming, Hu Yan, and the fat man whose name was never introduced.
Not a single one was missing.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]