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Rui's gaze toward Kaito remained fearless.
"Who the hell are you?!" a female demon beside Rui shouted. "Rui is Lower Moon Five, appointed by that lord, and the only one permitted to live in a group! If you recklessly attack us, that lord won't let you off!!"
"Oh?" Kaito ignored the female demon's clamor, instead giving Rui a half-smile. "What's so special about a kid like you that Muzan treated you differently?"
"Enough talk!" Rui met Kaito's eyes. "You may have succeeded in ambushing us with your Blood Demon Art, but you can't kill me! You're not one of the Twelve Kizuki, so you don't have the authority to initiate a replacement blood battle. If you dare make a move, Lord Muzan will end you in an instant!"
"Tch." The smile faded from Kaito's face as he suddenly drew the rusted Nichirin Blade and placed it against Rui's neck.
"Why do you filthy demons always assume I'm one of you?"
"A Nichirin Blade?!" Rui's expression finally changed as he sensed the aura of the blade against his neck.
He roared, "You bastard! You picked up a Demon Slayer's weapon to use against me!!"
"I keep saying I'm not a demon," Kaito said, his smile returning as spiritual energy flowed from his hand, swiftly enveloping the entire Nichirin Blade.
"Besides…" He suddenly looked bored. "Lower Moons are just too weak. Consequently, I've lost interest in whatever's special about you. What a pity."
With that, under the terrified gazes of the other demons, he swung the Nichirin Blade, severing Rui's neck.
"Aaaaaaah…"
Amid the other demons' screams, Rui's head flew high, his face frozen in shock as foul-smelling blood splattered on the wooden wall behind him.
"You… Lord Muzan… didn't…"
Rui's wide-eyed head fell to the wooden floor, rolling to Kaito's feet.
"I told you, I'm not a demon," Kaito said, looking down at the head as it slowly turned to ash and scattered.
"It was that easy…"
"Rui… is he really dead?"
"Sir! Sir! We were forced by Rui to gather here—please spare us!"
"Yeah, you're way stronger than Rui! You could definitely become an Upper Moon!!"
The remaining demons, bound by spiritual energy chains and unable to move, began shouting pleas for mercy.
Kaito watched Rui's body fully disintegrate into ash, then glanced faintly at the other demons.
"Shut up. You're too noisy."
His calm words silenced the trembling demons instantly.
At that moment, a ripple appeared in the air, and the Gate of the Underworld opened before Kaito.
"You two again," Kaito said, turning to see two small shinigami step out from the gate.
"Uchiha-sama!"
"Hello!"
Takanotsume and Nasubi emerged from the gate, binding Rui's soul with iron chains.
At this moment, Rui had reverted to a black-haired boy, his head lowered in silence, tears falling one by one.
"What… what was I even doing… Father… Mother…"
"Ugh, stop your sniveling," Takanotsume said, tugging the chains to pull Rui toward the Gate of the Underworld. "A sinner like you should face Lord Enma's harsh judgment pronto…"
Then he noticed Nasubi squatting in front of Rui, curiously peering up at the expression Rui was hiding.
"What are you doing now?!" Takanotsume roared, exasperated. "Lord Hakuten is waiting for us!!"
"Oh, I just wanted to know why this sinner's crying before even being judged," Nasubi said innocently.
"I'm so done with you, you natural-born idiot!!" Takanotsume stormed into the gate, yanking Rui along. "Hurry up, or I'm leaving you behind!"
"Okay, okay." Nasubi, still dazed, obediently followed.
"Please take care of these others quickly, Uchiha-sama," Takanotsume said, glancing at the remaining demons.
"Yeah, or we'll have to make multiple trips," Nasubi added, looking over with a flattering smile.
"Please, we're counting on you."
"Got it," Kaito said helplessly, raising the blood-stained Nichirin Blade.
"Might as well test this move."
With a light flick, he swung the blade in a circle.
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Dance."
In an instant, a red, flame-like circular blade arc radiated outward, severing the heads of the demons in their terrified gazes.
"Ooohhh!" Nasubi clapped enthusiastically. "That was awesome!"
"Get to work!!" Takanotsume snapped, kicking him angrily.
"Alright, alright!"
The two shinigami hurriedly chained the souls of the other demons and dragged them into the Gate of the Underworld.
As they parted, Takanotsume began praising Kaito. "Uchiha-sama, is that the breathing sword technique used by the demon hunters of this world? I didn't expect you to be not only an onmyoji but a swordsman too!"
"No, I know nothing about swordsmanship. It's just a trick," Kaito said with a smile.
Though called a breathing sword technique, it was more like a spell mimicking breathing techniques.
He had merely studied the principles of the Demon Slayer Corps' breathing swordsmanship, using spiritual energy to manipulate natural energy and produce a similar slashing effect.
For swordsmen, their techniques relied on intense willpower to channel the dormant spiritual energy within them through their swordsmanship. For him, however, such a process wasn't necessary.
The advantage was that, with his abundant spiritual energy, he could unleash broader elemental attacks. The drawback was that, lacking swordsmanship expertise, his slashes didn't carry the distinct sharpness unique to sword techniques.
"It was still beautiful!" Nasubi said, eyes wide.
"Thank you," Kaito shook his head. "Since you've finished capturing them, I won't delay your return to report."
He waved a hand.
"See you."
"See you, Uchiha-sama!"
"Bye!"
As the two shinigami dragged the souls into the darkness, Kaito turned and left the mansion.
From the fading Gate of the Underworld, Takanotsume's impatient voice echoed: "Stop crying, you! Your parents are waiting for you in the underworld!"
"Really…?" Rui's incredulous voice cut off as the gate vanished completely.
Kaito stepped out of the haunted mansion, holding a small paper crane in his palm.
"Go, inform the Hidden Corps to come clean up this mountain."
He gently raised his hand, and the paper crane flapped its tiny wings, flying off.
Watching the crane disappear, Kaito looked down at the blood-stained blade in his other hand.
Spiritual energy spread from his palm, and the aura of the old Nichirin Blade seemed to come alive, radiating a sun-like warmth.
Then, it gradually quieted.
"It's done," Kaito said, sheathing the Nichirin Blade and walking down the mountain.