"Demon Slayer Corps members Vincent Fox, Shinobu Kocho, and Inosuke Hashibira have successfully decapitated Upper Rank Two!"
Inside the Infinity Castle, a few crows occasionally circled overhead.
These were the Corps' special Kasugai Crows, responsible for relaying intel and messages.
The instant Upper Rank Two fell, they carried the news through the entire Demon Slayer Corps like wildfire.
Around each crow's neck hung a talisman, marked with a single eye.
Far away, in a small house tucked deep into the mountains, one of the four backup estates prepared for the Ubuyashiki family, a quiet scene unfolded.
In the main hall, a child who looked eerily similar to the Master sat upright at a desk. In one hand he held a ruler, in the other a pencil, drawing again and again on a sheet of paper.
A matching eye talisman was fastened to his forehead.
This was one of Yushiro's techniques.
Through the "Eye" talismans placed on the Kasugai Crows, they could remotely watch the battle inside the Infinity Castle.
Right now, they were using the images sent back through the crows to sketch out a rough map of the castle.
Behind the boy stood two girls, even younger by a year or two, also drawing the map with intense focus.
"Only Shinobu is fighting an Upper Rank?"
"Yes."
"Any casualties?"
"The main force is safe for now."
"Are half of Yushiro's 'Eyes' deployed?"
"No."
Their exchange was brief, but razor efficient.
The eight year old Ubuyashiki made a decision immediately.
"Too little information. Deploy more 'Eyes' at once. We need better visibility to coordinate support from the rear."
"Yes."
One of the girls suddenly pointed to a direction on the map.
"Muzan Kibutsuji's position hasn't changed, but everyone is still far from him. It looks like he's deliberately drawing them north. Also, someone has encountered another Upper Rank. It's a Corps member named Kaigaku. He's fighting Upper Rank Six."
Elsewhere, inside the Infinity Castle, Zenitsu moved with a clear purpose the moment he arrived.
Even when he ran into demons, he no longer cried or begged for help like before.
He cut down one after another, pushing forward.
Finally, in a new room, he found the person he was looking for.
"You really haven't changed."
Across from Zenitsu stood a black haired swordsman dressed like a Demon Slayer.
But his body reeked of demonic aura, and the kanji for "Six" was carved into his eyes.
"It's been years and you're still pathetic. Short. Weak." The swordsman sneered. "Did you become a Hashira? Don't tell me you still only know First Form."
His name was Kaigaku, Zenitsu's senior disciple from the same school.
Zenitsu's face didn't move.
His answer was cold and flat.
"You were dead last in the line, and now you're just filler Muzan dragged up to pad the Upper Ranks. You happy about that?"
Kaigaku blinked, then threw his head back and laughed.
"Hahahaha! I didn't expect that from you. Your swordsmanship is still trash, but your mouth got a lot sharper."
"Why did you become a demon?"
"Huh?" Kaigaku frowned, momentarily thrown off by the abrupt question.
Zenitsu's veins bulged at his temples.
"I asked you. You inherited Thunder Breathing. Why did you become a demon?!"
His voice cracked with fury.
"Because you turned into a demon, Grandpa committed seppuku!"
"Do you even understand what that means?"
"When Grandpa did it, there was no one to finish it for him. No one."
"Do you know how much pain he endured, bleeding out slowly until he finally died?"
"This happened because the Thunder Breathing line produced someone like you!"
"So what?" Kaigaku's grin stretched wider.
He clenched his fist, the excitement of his new rank still burning in his eyes, tipping into madness.
"So what do you want? You want me to admit it was my fault? You want me to cry and regret it?"
"That old bastard looked down on me. I don't care about him."
"If he wanted to die, then die. That was his choice."
"What does it have to do with me?"
"You came all this way to tell me that 'good news'?"
"The old man who couldn't appreciate me is dead. I should be celebrating."
"I wasted so much time on him, and he still wouldn't name me successor."
"And he wanted me to share the inheritance with you, a useless idiot?"
"That kind of old man deserved to die a long time ago."
"Grandpa wasn't some 'old bastard'…"
Zenitsu's fist tightened until his knuckles whitened.
He pointed at Kaigaku without mercy.
"If I'm a useless idiot because I only know First Form, then you're the same trash for never learning First Form at all."
"And Grandpa… Grandpa died without ever finding a worthy successor."
"You piece of shit." Kaigaku's face twisted. "Don't put me in the same sentence as you!"
He reached back and drew his Nichirin blade.
"Thunder Breathing, Fourth Form!"
"Distant Thunder!"
With Blood Demon Art empowering him, the strike became black lightning.
Demonic thunder flooded the room, swallowing Zenitsu in a wave of darkness.
Zenitsu's right hand rested lightly on his hilt.
He lowered his center of gravity, breath coiling around him so thick it almost looked tangible.
Then he became lightning.
He shot forward.
"Too slow, you bastard."
Their clash lasted only an instant.
Zenitsu's figure appeared behind Kaigaku.
He tilted his head slightly, contempt clear in his eyes.
Kaigaku's neck had been carved open, a massive gash. Blood sprayed out like it cost nothing.
He got hit?
Kaigaku's heart lurched.
Zenitsu's speed had become so fast it was almost unrecognizable.
Like he was a different person entirely.
"How much did that old man secretly teach you?"
Kaigaku roared, fury exploding.
"But don't think that means you can beat me. You trash who only knows First Form!"
He gripped his sword with both hands, rage reaching its peak.
"Thunder Breathing, Second Form!"
"Rice Spirit!"
Blood Demon Art surged.
Not only did his blade accelerate, his entire body did.
In a single breath, he cut five times, splitting into five arcs of black lightning.
Zenitsu's body flickered, shifting like a ghost, but he still got clipped.
Blood burst across his chest.
He ignored it.
He raised his sword and charged straight in.
"How many people have you killed?"
"Not that many." Kaigaku's voice was proud, almost gleeful. "Just the ones who pissed me off."
"Maybe a few dozen."
"But after I kill you, I'll push that number to a hundred!"
He laughed wildly.
"Hahahahaha!"
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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