"The show has finally begun."
In the glowing Entertainment District of Yoshiwara, the demons were in position. Daki and Gyutaro waited patiently in a tall building, their eyes scanning the streets for the arrival of the Demon Slayer Corps' Hashira. Deep beneath the district, Akaza's powerful form was already beginning to materialize, ready for the slaughter.
Far from the noise and lights, within the twisted, impossible corridors of the Infinity Castle, the man now known as Tsukihiko opened his eyes. He had just completed his latest evolution, and a vast, overwhelming aura erupted from his body, shaking the dimension to its core. The power felt divine, as if a dragon and phoenix now resided within him.
"I have to admit, the bloodline of the Shinto Priest clan is truly remarkable," he thought to himself, a calm smile gracing his lips. "When combined with Muzan Kibutsuji's original power, it has pushed me to a new level of existence."
In his mind, demons, including the original, Muzan, were not supernatural monsters. They were simply humans infected with a powerful biological agent—a virus of sorts. Muzan was merely the first carrier, the original pathogen. The Shinto Priest clan, with their centuries of genetic mastery, had provided the key to perfecting this 'virus.' This evolution had granted him an immense concentration of power, solving the tedious problem of relying on subordinates. Now, the life, death, and actions of every demon were tied directly to his will.
"The Infinity Castle is now divided into three parts," he mused, his strategic mind already seeing the pieces on the board. "One part is woven into Yoshiwara. Another surrounds the Ubuyashiki ancestral land. And the third... the third is now connected to the Japanese Imperial Palace."
Just as Kagaya Ubuyashiki had feared, the operation in Yoshiwara was indeed a feint. But it was a feint with real teeth. The battle between the Hashira and the Twelve Kizuki was inevitable and would be a bloody affair. Meanwhile, the Japanese Imperial Family was in chaos. With the cabinet and prime minister already under his influence, it would be a waste not to seize control of the country's leadership.
That left the Ubuyashiki estate. On the surface, it was the heart of the Demon Slayer Corps, yet it was left strangely undefended. There were no elite Slayers guarding it, not even the family's personal guards. Kagaya intended this to be a clever deception, but Tsukihiko, who knew the story's secrets, saw it for what it truly was: a massive trap. It was a terrifying killing ground, designed with one purpose—to lure the demon king in and destroy him once and for all. After all, it was the final resting place of generations of Ubuyashiki leaders, all of whom had dedicated their lives to ending Muzan Kibutsuji. Who knew what ancient techniques and hidden weapons they had left behind?
However, there was another threat that concerned him far more. The leader of the Shinto Priest clan, an individual known only as the God Lord, was now actively hunting him. According to the memories he had absorbed, the current God Lord was a woman named Shinto Priest Chinami. She was an absolute mystery; within her own powerful clan, only a handful of people had ever seen her true face. Her mastery of their clan's unique arts, Onmyoji magic, and bloodline abilities made her the strongest of her kind in the world. Even with his newfound power, Tsukihiko felt a sense of unease when thinking of her. She was a powerful enemy who wanted nothing more than to tear him to shreds.
"Before I deal with her," Tsukihiko decided, his expression hardening, "I must first resolve the problem of Lady Tamayo."
With a single thought, his form vanished from the throne room.
Lady Tamayo was a brilliant doctor, both in her human life and in her long existence as a demon. She had dedicated centuries to researching a cure for the demonic curse, and her knowledge of medicine was unparalleled. It was her drug, after all, that would one day be instrumental in the final battle against Muzan, a concoction that would strip away his regeneration, age him thousands of years in moments, and ultimately help drag him into the sunlight.
At this very moment, in a quiet courtyard tucked away inside the Infinity Castle, Tamayo had just made the breakthrough she had been working toward for hundreds of years. Using blood samples from Nezuko Kamado, the Twelve Kizuki, and even from Tsukihiko himself, she had done it. She had created the first version of a regenerative potion—a cure. It still had flaws, but it was a success. For a woman who had spent centuries studying demon blood, this was the greatest moment of her life.
"I... I did it," she whispered, her hands trembling as she held the vial up to the light. "I finally... I finally succeeded..."
She was so lost in her excitement, so overwhelmed with joy, that she didn't notice the silent figure that had appeared behind her.
Suddenly, a terrifying chill washed over her, freezing her to the spot. An aura of absolute dread enveloped her, so powerful it stole the air from her lungs.
"Don't be afraid... it's me."
A calm voice spoke from directly behind her. Before she could react, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into a firm embrace.
"Tamayo," the voice continued, smooth and familiar. "After all these years, this is the first time I've seen you smile so happily."
That voice. That impossibly familiar voice. Tamayo's delicate, beautiful face, which so often held a serene sadness, instantly drained of all color. Her body went rigid with a fear so profound it felt like burning sunlight on her skin.
"Muzan..." she breathed, her voice a shattered whisper. "Muzan, it's you... Muzan Kibutsuji!"
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse