Chapter 60: The Genius Demon King!
Hmmm... Damn school
Enjoy~~~
In the heart of the dark void that swallowed the forest, Tsugikuni Rin (Ron) stood with a mocking smile, looking at the "Demon King," Kibutsuji Muzan, who was trapped inside "Domain Expansion: Shrine of the Falling Sun."
"Welcome, Demon King..." Ron said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, bowing slightly in an exaggerated theatrical motion. "How do you find my hospitality? Does it suit your high status?"
Muzan looked around quickly, his five brains working at maximum capacity to analyze the situation. This black void, that watery floor reflecting a crimson sky... none of this was man-made, nor even a Blood Demon Art.
"This heat..." Muzan whispered, feeling his skin slowly burning despite the absence of visible fire. He raised his head, freezing in place when he saw the dark black sun sitting in the middle of the domain's sky. That sun looked as if its heat was melting the darkness binding it over time, growing more glowing and dangerous with every passing second.
Muzan turned around, finding that the darkness stretched endlessly, like an inescapable eternal prison. For the first time in centuries, Muzan felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
Ron smiled as he tucked his hands into the sleeves of his kimono, watching with interest the expression of suppressed terror on Muzan's face.
At that moment, Ron heard a charming and amused laugh echoing in his head.
"How delightful it is to see that expression on Muzan's arrogant face! But I wish you hadn't used Domain Expansion immediately; you've spoiled the fun of hand-to-hand combat for me!"
Ron sighed internally. He knew who this annoying voice belonged to. "Is this the Core Consciousness or is it you, Rin?"
The difference between the Core Consciousness and the original Rin was very slight. The Core Consciousness is the entity that connects all versions of Rin (Ron, Ray, and the Original) together, allowing them to exchange memories and experiences without their minds collapsing from overlapping timelines.
"There is no difference between me and the Core Consciousness, my friend," the voice replied playfully. "Anyway... do you want to switch? I would be very happy to enjoy fighting the Demon King and experience this strong body of yours!"
"...."
Ron sighed. "It's definitely Rin... only Rin would ask for 'enjoyment' in a situation like this."
Ron ignored Rin's chatter and returned his focus to Muzan, who had regained his composure with shocking speed. Well, that was natural for an entity that had lived for over a thousand years.
"Have you finally realized there is no escape for you?" Ron asked mockingly, walking calmly over the black water and approaching Muzan.
"Ah..." Muzan exhaled in frustration, his crimson eyes narrowing. "I tried to breach this barrier with my consciousness, but it seems you can manipulate the power and heat of this entire place. Just moving means my death, doesn't it?"
Muzan said this while looking with annoyance at Ron's smile. Tsugikuni Rin possessed a beauty beyond compare—delicate and attractive features that were almost feminine... but that smile, which usually melts hearts, was to Muzan the smile of a true monster, a demon worse than himself.
"Is this how humans feel when they meet me?... How ironic," Muzan mocked himself, convinced of the futility of resistance.
"Regarding your question... that is true to some extent," Ron answered coldly. "If the condition of my Domain Expansion is completed, the heat of this domain will become equal to the heat of the sun's surface. This means you will be erased from existence, and not even a speck of dust will remain of you. Moving now will make me stop my control over the domain's power and allow it to attack you immediately."
After Ron said this, he stood directly in front of Muzan, with only a few steps separating them.
"Let me tell you my plan, Kibutsuji... well, this was my plan before finally meeting you."
Ron said this mockingly, causing Muzan to growl in a low voice.
Ron began to narrate the story, as if reading from Muzan's secret history book:
"Kibutsuji Muzan... the young master of one of the noble clans in the Heian era. You were born with a mysterious disease that ate away at your mind and body, leaving you bedridden, unable to see the sunlight. Your heart stopped many times, and you lived on the edge of death."
Ron paused for a moment, enjoying the look of shock on Muzan's face, then continued:
"You had a kind-hearted doctor, desperately searching for a cure for you, telling you that he would heal you soon. But you, in your impatience and ingratitude, did not notice any improvement; rather, you felt your death approaching... so you killed him in a fit of rage, didn't you?"
Muzan fell silent, his eyes wide. "I would have been shocked if I didn't already know you weren't human... activating such power without a Blood Demon Art, and your knowledge of my ancient past... nothing shocks me anymore."
Ron smiled and nodded; he had no intention of explaining the nature of "Cursed Energy" or "Manga" to this demon.
"After you killed him, you discovered that his medicine had worked... no, it caused something beyond that. It gave you a strong body and eternal youth! That doctor created the medicine of immortality for you... the 'Blue Spider Lily' medicine. Except for one problem... you still cannot see the sunlight, and you crave human flesh to survive."
Ron stepped closer, his voice becoming deeper:
"Your desire to walk under the sunlight evolved into an obsession... perhaps you even thought that you didn't want any of this cursed immortality. Perhaps you thought you would be happier if you were just a normal human in good health, living happily and dying happily, able to wander normally under the sunlight."
Muzan did not speak; instead, he was reliving his old memories with Ron's words, ignoring his previous anxiety about his death. Ron was touching an old wound that had never healed.
"Over time, you lost your humanity," Ron continued harshly. "You lost feelings like love, sadness, and empathy... perhaps you even lost human lust."
When Ron said that mockingly, Muzan's eyes became cynical and cold: "Do you think the Demon King, the supreme being, would lust after the fleeting bodies of women?"
Ron laughed loudly: "In any case, you lust after all ages and genders... you only want human flesh, right? You have no problem eating a man, a woman, or a child..."
Muzan frowned and looked at Ron angrily: "Are you comparing me to mere hungry, loathsome demons? I am the Demon King! I conquered my lust for blood and my desire for human flesh centuries ago... currently, I am an immortal being, unaffected by time, hunger, or thirst, and I can increase my strength only by drinking the blood of special humans."
Hearing Muzan, Ron was not shocked. He had a guess that Muzan and perhaps some of the Upper Moons had conquered their need for human flesh, but they ate it for enjoyment or to increase power, as "Douma" did.
Ron suddenly remembered "Douma," the Upper Moon Two whom he killed in the future (or the past for the current Ron), and felt a desire to smile happily.
"Yes... that scoundrel killed Shinobu in the original story; he deserved to die the most hideous death," Ron heard Rin's grumbling voice in his head again.
"Anyway... stop talking nonsense," Muzan said suddenly, cutting off Ron's train of thought. "What exactly do you want from all of this? Why are you telling me the story of my life before killing me?"
"Hmm..." Ron put his hand on his chin. "You have one thing left to become a perfect being, Muzan. All you need is that flower... the Blue Spider Lily, right?"
Muzan was silent for a few moments, then sighed in frustration: "So you know about it... do you know its location too?" Muzan said with hidden eagerness. Perhaps he wouldn't survive today, but he wanted to know where that damn flower he had searched for for a thousand years was before his death.
"I want to ask you just one question," Ron said with a cunning smile. "You took human form and certainly acted as a human, and you possess wealth and influence in the human world, don't you?"
Muzan nodded in silent agreement.
"Then, O clever Demon King..." Ron laughed with biting irony. "Why didn't you set a reward for whoever finds that flower? You could have easily killed a wealthy person, taken their identity, and had humans and demons search for the flower for you. Why did you rely only on stupid demons?"
"What use is this?" Muzan replied wearily. "Hundreds of demons search tirelessly for this flower all the time, roaming all of Japan day and night... I mean, only at night."
"....."
Ron looked at him with a "Are you serious?" look, then said slowly as if explaining to a child:
"How can I say it... did you not think, even for a moment... that this flower only appears in the sunlight?"
Muzan's eyes widened in shock. His entire body froze. Endless anger appeared on him, and he lost control over his calm features.
"...." He really hadn't thought of this. A rare medicinal flower... the "Blue" Spider Lily... the Sun...
"Sigh..." Ron shook his head. "That flower blooms at a certain time of year, for only a few minutes, in a specific place... and under direct sunlight. That's why your nocturnal demons never found it."
Muzan showed no reaction. He was in absolute shock. If he had thought of having humans search for it in the sunlight... he would have obtained it centuries ago. Thinking about it, he could have controlled all of Japan—no, he could have controlled the entire world even... if he had only used his brain instead of his fear.
"It seems you have finally accepted your fate..." Ron said.
"Did you not kill me immediately just to mock my stupidity?" Muzan said bitterly. "You are truly a monster, unlike Yoriichi, who killed out of duty... before I die, I want to ask, what is your real name?"
"Hmm... my name is Tsugikuni Rin," Ron replied with dignity. "O Demon King... what do you think of an offer to save you?"
Muzan froze as Ron's "Domain Expansion" began to dissipate. The natural darkness of the forest returned, and the silver moonlight shone on Ron's beautiful face. Muzan tried to move and realized he could move easily. He frowned and looked at Ron; was this person so strong that he could cancel his domain by choice?
"Yes, I am invincible to you currently..." Ron said as if reading his thoughts. "Even without my domain, I can kill you in moments using the 'Original Sun Breathing' that I developed."
"...." Could he use the same technique as that monster Yoriichi after all? Muzan sighed in annoyance and thought: "Maybe I can convince him to become a demon under my command... or maybe I should transfer my consciousness and cells to his body and try to control him as I always do."
"From that expression, I can guess your thoughts..." Ron said with a strange smile, extending his hand toward Muzan. "I agree to them. Let's become one person, O Demon King."
"Eh?"
Muzan froze. Could he obtain Rin's strong body this easily? Was this person a fool or a madman?
---
End of Chapter 60.
I haven't finished exams yet... but if the novel reaches 100 power stones, I will publish another chapter. Thank you.