After finishing the recycling work in the underground prison, Akira returned to the mansion with Mitsuri and Kiyohime.
With the intruders gone, the promised intimate hours continued. Between Mitsuri's lovely sweetness that carried the scent of cherry blossoms and Kiyohime's passion as hot and persistent as blue flames, Akira loved and was loved by the two women all night long.
It was the predator's rest and the most natural privilege enjoyed by a king.
And the next morning. A brilliant morning sun rose in Tokyo's sky.
Waking up in the annex suite, Tamayo frowned at the sunlight streaming through the window.
Ever since becoming a demon, such bright mornings had been a source of terror for her, who had always hidden in darkness with curtains drawn.
But this was the Akatsuki Trading Company. The windows were made of specially coated glass that blocked ultraviolet rays.
"Did you sleep well, Lady Tamayo?"
Ubume entered with a knock.
"The President has asked to have breakfast together. I'll escort you to the terrace."
"The terrace...? But the sun must be out right now?"
Tamayo followed Ubume with Yushiro, feeling puzzled.
The place they were guided to was the top-floor outdoor terrace. A shocking sight unfolded there.
At an outdoor table with no cover, Akira was leisurely reading a newspaper and drinking coffee, basking in the pouring morning sunlight.
Beside him, Mitsuri was humming a tune while eating cherry blossom mochi.
"Ah, welcome! Tamayo-san! The weather is really nice, isn't it?"
Mitsuri waved her hand. Tamayo and Yushiro froze in place.
"You're... under the sun...?"
Yushiro stammered, his mouth agape. A demon was standing under the sun.
His flesh wasn't burning or turning to ash; instead, he had a healthier complexion than a human.
"Didn't I promise? To show you the proof."
Akira folded the newspaper and smiled.
The sunlight reflected off his hair and skin, emitting a light that felt almost sacred.
"Please, have a seat. I've prepared places for you in the shade. Since you haven't overcome the sun yet."
Tamayo sat down in the shaded seat, her legs trembling. She couldn't believe the sight before her.
The conquest of the sun that Muzan had craved for a thousand years. This man had already achieved it.
"How... is this possible...?"
"Thanks to this."
Akira opened a small box placed on the table.
Inside was a single white flower emitting a faint blue glow.
It was the legendary flower, the Blue Spider Lily.
"This is...!"
Tamayo shot up, driven by her instincts as a medical scholar.
"Yes. It's the Blue Spider Lily I obtained. I improved it and fused it with my blood to overcome the sun. Now, if we combine this flower with your knowledge, Tamayo-san..."
Akira's eyes gleamed.
"We can make a medicine to turn demons back into humans, and a poison to weaken and kill Muzan."
A light of hope ignited in Tamayo's eyes. This was not a dream.
"I'll do it. I'll definitely... show you that it can be made."
"I look forward to it. I'll grant you all authority over the underground laboratory."
A poison to kill Muzan wasn't necessary, but it was suitable to fuel Tamayo's motivation.
They treated Tamayo and Yushiro to blood packs and special dishes by Benienma that could be enjoyed for taste.
And so, several weeks passed.
After Tamayo joined, the influence of the Akatsuki Trading Company spread more secretly and vastly.
The activities of the demon-hunting demons led by Akira were causing upheavals in the night world.
Akira was looking down at Tokyo from the window.
He was concerned about the information Kanao had conveyed through Ushiwaka's communication.
The news that demons were forming groups.
Muzan had strictly forbidden demons from forming groups.
After all, with several Upper Moons being slain recently, Lower Moons dying off even more, and the Trading Company hunting and absorbing demons, the demon forces were weakening rapidly compared to when only the Demon Slayer Corps was active.
Because of that, it seemed Muzan had changed his policy.
To survive, he implicitly allowed group actions. What was once a privilege only granted to Rui was now permitted for other demons as well.
And the currently suspicious place.
Mount Natagumo.
It was where Rui, the former Lower Moon Five, had ruled.
Since it was a territory once ruled by a Lower Moon, it was presumed that other demons had settled there.
Moreover, there were circumstances suggesting a Lower Moon might be present.
It was said that a few members had been dispatched but communication had been cut off.
An interesting smile spread across Akira's lips.
Reusing an abandoned base.
Whether Muzan had directly ordered it or lost demons had gathered on their own, from the Trading Company's perspective, it was good prey.
As a king, Akira sent a message to his subordinate demon.
"Mukago. Come to the president's office at once."
At the Akatsuki Trading Company headquarters, in the president's office. Akira took a sip of tea while looking at the snowy scenery outside the window.
"You called, my Master."
She wore the highest-quality kimono bestowed by Akira, with jewel decorations on her horns.
Her eyes were filled only with absolute confidence in her power and worship for her master.
"You know Mount Natagumo, right?"
"Yes. It was Rui's territory that I trampled in the past."
Mukago answered with a charming smile.
"Recently, little rats have been gathering there again. It seems a Lower Moon-level demon is acting as the leader and building up power."
"A Lower Moon..."
Mukago snorted.
"They're playing a cute little game. Shall I go and clean them up?"
"Yes. Go and establish the hierarchy. Pick up any useful ones, and clean up the rest."
Akira threw Mukago a fan engraved with a red gold-leaf moon pattern.
"Don't disappoint me."
"Don't worry. The minnows who tarnish my Master's prestige, I'll freeze them without leaving a single bone."
Mukago opened the fan to cover her mouth, her eyes shining with a cool and arrogant light.
A few days later.
At the foggy entrance of Mount Natagumo. A sinister aura lingered, but to Mukago, it was just a boring walking path.
She walked up the mountain path proudly, her footsteps clicking.
A rustling sound echoed.
From the darkness of the forest, numerous eyes followed her.
"Kehehe... A woman. She looks elegant."
"Lost her way? Let's eat her!"
Five demons jumped out from the bushes. Modified bodies, enlarged limbs. They were grunts who had struggled to become stronger in their own way.
They surrounded Mukago, drooling.
"Hey, miss. Do you know where you are, coming alone? Before we offer you to our boss, can't we have an arm or so?"
One demon tried to put his hand on Mukago's shoulder.
"...Disgusting."
Mukago's eyes flickered coldly.
"How dare you attempt to lay hands on my precious body. Know your place, you lowly creatures."
Crunch!
Mukago didn't even twitch a finger. Solely from the cold emanating from her body, the attacking demons' bodies instantly froze white.
"Huh...? What...?"
The demons panicked as they saw their bodies turning to ice.
"Blood Demon Art: [Frost Graveyard]."
Crash!
With the sound of Mukago snapping her fan shut, the five frozen demons shattered into pieces and scattered as dust.
"Hmph, even the smell of blood is disgusting."
Mukago brushed off the scattering ice dust, reopened her fan, and continued walking.
The forest path she passed was entirely covered in ice.
Icicles hung heavily from tree branches, and the ground became a slippery ice path.
The cold she emitted wasn't mere chill; it was like a deathly frost that gnawed at life force.
"Damn it...! What the hell is going on!"
Hidden among the frozen bushes, Demon Slayer Corps member Murata trembled and hid his body.
He had come to Mount Natagumo with his comrades on a demon extermination mission. At first, he thought it was just an ordinary group of demons.
But as soon as they entered the forest, misfortunes occurred, such as being attacked by demons or falling victim to unknown Blood Demon Arts.
"Th-that female demon... she's a monster. She must be one of the Twelve Kizuki!"
Murata held his breath at the clicking footsteps echoing from afar.
The female demon in a kimono holding a fan. Everywhere she passed, everything froze.
He instinctively knew. That demon was not a level he could handle.
Then, a noisy sound came from the forest entrance.
"Charge recklessly! Charge recklessly! Demons, come out!"
Inosuke, wearing a boar mask, was running while swinging his sword.
Behind him, Tanjiro and Zenitsu followed, panting heavily.
"Inosuke! Don't get too far ahead! The smell here is strange!"
"Waaah! Why is it so cold here! I'm going to freeze to death before any demons even show up!"
The three were Demon Slayer Corps members urgently dispatched in response to a support request from Mount Natagumo.
Sniff.
A powerful chill along with an intensely foul demon smell brushed past Tanjiro's nose.
"Be careful! A powerful demon is nearby!"
"Huh? There's someone over there?"
Inosuke stopped walking. A silhouette was slowly approaching through the fog.
A red kimono, jewel decorations on horns, and arrogant eyes. It was Mukago.
"Oh my, humans? And they look quite fresh too."
Mukago surveyed Tanjiro's group while covering her mouth with the fan. She had come to deal with the mountain's demons, but upon seeing the Demon Slayer Corps members, her playful side activated.
'That face, and that hair. Is he the boy who uses the Sun Breathing that Master mentioned? Shall I see his skills?'
Mukago slightly released her killing intent. Just that caused the surrounding air to rapidly freeze.
"That demon... the smell... the smell is incredible! Could it be, one of the Twelve Kizuki!?"
At Tanjiro's words, Zenitsu hid behind Tanjiro and screamed.
"Found you! The leader of this mountain!"
Like Tanjiro, Inosuke also mistakenly thought Mukago was the ruler of Mount Natagumo.
It was because of the overwhelming cold and presence she emitted.
"Hehehe! Finally, a usable one has appeared! I'll cut you down first!"
Inosuke drew his twin swords and charged at Mukago.
"Beast Breathing, First Fang: [Pierce]!"
Inosuke's blades surged towards Mukago's neck.
But Mukago didn't even think of dodging.
Clang!
Inosuke's blades were blocked by an invisible ice barrier right in front of Mukago's neck and bounced off.
"...What?!"
While Inosuke was panicking, Mukago slightly swung her fan.
"Blood Demon Art: [Dance of Ice Flowers]."
Sharp petals made of ice bloomed in the air.
Hundreds of ice petals poured towards Tanjiro's group like a machine gun.
"Guh! Water Breathing, Third Form: [Flowing Dance]!"
Tanjiro swung his sword to strike down the ice flowers, but it wasn't enough. Sharp ice fragments grazed his skin.
"Waaah! It hurts! It hurts!"
Zenitsu was busy running around. Inosuke endured the ice petals with his whole body, suffering.
"Oh? You're holding up quite well."
Mukago looked at Tanjiro with a leisurely smile.
"But... that's not enough to reach even my toes. Little kids."
Mukago placed her hand on the ground. Cracking sounds! Giant ice pillars rose from the earth and surrounded Tanjiro's group.
This wasn't the power from her Lower Moon days.
The Ice and Snow Queen who had reached the mid-ranks of the Upper Moons.
This was Mukago's true power.
Even in the desperate situation, Tanjiro tightened his grip on his sword.
'I can't win... but I can't back down here! I have to... protect my comrades!'
It was a fight that started from a misunderstanding.