In the blink of an eye, another month had passed.
During this month, the entire Demon Slayer Corps was immersed in an intense and lively training atmosphere, filling the training ground with a constant stream of people.
Riezel acted as if nothing had happened and continued using the nine Hashira as sparring partners (punching bags). He trained with them every day, engaging in heated battles.
In this circumtances, one of the Hashira finally succeeded in awakening the Transparent World.
It was none other than Gyoumei, who awakened the Transparent World on the third day of the month.
As the strongest in the Demon Slayer Corps, Gyoumei proved his worth through his actions, inspiring and motivating the other Hashira who hadn't yet awakened the Transparent World. Consequently, the other Hashira redoubled their efforts and training, gradually awakening the Transparent World one by one.
Around the seventh day, Obanai succeeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Around the tenth day, Muichirou succeeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Truthfully, it was no surprise that they were the ones who awakened the Transparent World first.
After all, these two, like Gyoumei, were originally the ones who awakened the Transparent World at the end of the original work. Now, with Riezel's guidance, they were the earliest to awaken it.
Of course, the other Hashira didn't want to be left behind either.
Around the thirteenth day, Sanemi succeeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Around the sixteenth day, Giyuu succeeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Around the twenty-second day, Kyoujurou succeeded in awakening the Transparent World.
By this point, out of the nine Hashira, six had fully awakened all three abilities.
Only Shinobu, Mitsuri, and Tengen were left, seemingly not cut out for this, as they still hadn't succeeded in awakening the Transparent World.
Without a doubt, this left the three of them feeling quite dejected. Even Shinobu, who usually had a smile on her face, could be seen with a hint of gloom in her eyes.
Mitsuri often looked tearful, which prompted a certain Serpent Hashira to secretly give her extra training sessions, personally teaching her the principles of the Transparent World.
Tengen, on the other hand, spent his days muttering to himself, sitting in a tree with his arms crossed, eyes closed, lost in thought.
Evidently, the successive successes of their comrades made these three increasingly anxious.
Seeing this, Riezel couldn't do much about it.
He had said it before, the Transparent World was different from the other two abilities, as it was not something you could just get whenever you wanted.
If it really couldn't be done, then it couldn't be done—there were no shortcuts.
At least, in Riezel's view, if Shinobu and the other two hadn't awakened the Transparent World by now, it was probably a lost cause.
In the end, they could only depend on themselves.
During this period, Kagaya suddenly summoned Riezel to meet with him.
When Riezel saw Kagaya again, he was in a rather dire state.
Now, Kagaya was completely bedridden, spending his days lying under the blankets, where even speaking took considerable effort.
It seemed he was truly nearing his end.
"I probably don't have much time left, so I'll say what needs to be said..."
Kagaya spoke with the demeanor of someone who could pass away at any moment.
Riezel frowned deeply as he heard this, but he could do nothing.
In truth, he had already attempted to treat Kagaya.
'Dia Fratel' was, after all, among the best healing magic, capable not only of treating injuries but also of dispelling curses.
With this magic, Riezel initially believed he could cure the illness plaguing Kagaya, as the disease afflicting him was a curse—a curse born from Muzan.
In the Heian period a thousand years ago, Muzan, who had not yet become a demon, was actually a member of the Ubuyashiki family.
In other words, there was a blood relationship between the Ubuyashiki family and Muzan.
After Muzan became a demon a thousand years ago, the Ubuyashiki family seemed to collectively fall under a curse. Regardless of who they were, the children born to them would become weak, sickly, and die soon after birth.
Especially boys, with a very high chance of early death, almost causing the Ubuyashiki family's bloodline to be severed.
Later, generation after generation, men in the Ubuyashiki family would marry women chosen by a priest in an attempt to delay the curse and prolong their lives. Even so, no one from the family could live to be over thirty years old.
Because of this, every member of the Ubuyashiki family was weak and frail, and they died early without exception.
Kagaya was only twenty-three years old this year, but he had been seriously ill for some time and was expected to pass away soon because of this serious illness.
As Riezel believed that Dia Fratel could dispel curses, he thought it might be able to remove the curse from Kagaya.
Unfortunately, he failed.
Apparently, this curse was not imposed on individuals but on the entire family's bloodline.
In other words, if Riezel wanted to dispel this curse, he had to completely remove the curse from the entire members of the Ubuyashiki family at once.
However, not only was Muzan himself a member of the Ubuyashiki family, but he was also the source of the curse. Hence, as long as he was still out there, even if Riezel removed the curse from every member of the Ubuyashiki family, the curse would only return to them, like a recurrent ulcer in the bone.
Clearly, this meant that the curse on Kagaya could not be dispelled and that his body would only grow weaker over time.
Kagaya calling Riezel this time was evidently to leave a will.
First, Kagaya gave Riezel some information.
"Recently, incidents of human disappearances have been frequent in towns everywhere..."
From Kagaya's mouth, the missing people were mostly violent offenders or martial artists with exceptional combat abilities, even those who had committed sins deserving execution.
Without exception, they all vanished suddenly without any warning. Some disappeared from their homes, while others never returned after leaving, causing quite a stir in society.
According to the intelligence network of the Demon Slayer Corps, these people had brief encounters with demons before their disappearances.
Initially, the Demon Slayer Corps believed they had been eaten by the demons, but later realized something was amiss.
After all, these people shared a common trait—they either possessed combat abilities or exhibited some tendency toward violence.
Since this information raised serious concerns within the Demon Slayer Corps, it eventually reached Kagaya.
"Also, not long ago... an entire town to the east suddenly had everyone disappear—men, women, children, thousands of people, all gone overnight without a trace..."
Kagaya relayed this information to Riezel, who furrowed his brow.
"So many people disappearing all at once?"
Any sane person would know this was definitely not a good sign.
Humans were, after all, a precious resource for demons, no matter how you looked at it.
Not only did they serve as food, nourishing demons and enhancing their power, but they could also become demons themselves if Muzan gave them his blood, immediately shedding their human identity and joining the ranks of demons.
Now, with a large number of humans disappearing en masse, Riezel couldn't believe it was anything other than the handiwork of demons.
Whether they were consumed as food, used to increase the power of demons, or transformed into demons for combat power, it was all extremely bad news for the Demon Slayer Corps.
"I can feel Kibutsuji Muzan's power increasing rapidly..." Kagaya continued.
It was precisely because of this that his physical condition was deteriorating this fast. It was a manifestation of the curse running through his bloodline.
When the curse strengthened, it meant that Muzan, the source of the curse, was becoming stronger.
"Be careful..."
Kagaya lay in bed, his face covered with a towel, obscuring his almost decayed face.
"We are preparing, and so are the demons..."
"A great battle is approaching... the decisive battle that will determine the future between humankind and demonkind is getting closer..."
"And you... you are the key to this decisive battle..."
With what seemed like his last ounce of strength, Kagaya smiled and left his final words for Riezel.
"I don't know if I can hold on until that day... If I can't, then the Demon Slayer Corps and everything else will be in your hands, Your Excellency..."
Leaving behind these words, Kagaya lost consciousness.
"Master Kagaya!"
Kagaya's wife, Amane, rushed in with their children.
Riezel also approached, glancing at Kagaya's body, realizing he had only lost consciousness, not passed away. Still, his aura was as faint as a dying candle in the wind, on the verge of extinguishing.
In fact, after Riezel awakened the Transparent World and took a glance at Kagaya's condition, the sight was so unbearable.
'Not much time left, huh...?'
Riezel understood this clearly, quietly observing the tense efforts of those around Kagaya for a moment before silently leaving the room.
On the same day, all the Hashira unusually did not appear at the training ground. Instead, they all came here, guarding Kagaya throughout the day.
===
Nighttime.
At this moment, Riezel sat on his house's veranda, looking out over the courtyard and watching the bright moon in the night sky.
Even though the moon hung high and clear, it gradually took on a crimson hue—clearly a lunar eclipse.
===
Meanwhile, in the castle with an inverted space and bizarre layout, the blood-stained Demon King, Kibutsuji Muzan, appeared silently.
He also gazed at the night sky, at the bright crimson moon, the traces of blood on his lips stark against his pale complexion.
"It's time..."
Muzan revealed a cruel smile.
"It's time to fulfill this thousand-year-old wish..."
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Under the moonlit night, a gentle breeze brushed by, slowly dispersing the clouds, revealing the blood-stained, crimson moon that illuminated the earth in darkness.
Riezel bathed in the ominous moonlight, sitting on his house's veranda, sipping tea quietly from a small wooden table. Hermit lay quietly by his side, resting on the wooden floor like an ordinary sword.
Undoubtedly, the scene appeared serene and peaceful—until Riezel suddenly spoke up.
"Since you're here, why hide?"
His calm voice echoed on the veranda and courtyard under the moonlit night, abrupt and lonely.
However, no one responded to his question, making his words seem like mutterings, somewhat absurd.
Yet, Riezel wasn't bothered and continued to leisurely drink his tea, as if on vacation.
*Whoosh—*
After a while, as a gust of wind finally swept through the courtyard, a figure appeared silently like a bat.
He stood under the moonlit night, resembling a sovereign of the night, exuding an incredible aura. Yet, this aura held danger, coldness, and a hint of bloodthirst.
Riezel didn't look at the figure, seemingly indifferent to their arrival, casually playing with his teacup.
In such a situation, the figure remained silent for a long time before finally stepping onto the veranda and arriving in front of Riezel.
"Sit."
Riezel still didn't look at the figure, only saying this calmly.
"..."
Neither responding nor complying, the figure remained silent, as if carefully observing Riezel, before sitting down after a while.
"It's been a long time since I've sat face-to-face with someone like this."
After sitting, the figure surprisingly said something like this.
"I doubt it." Riezel's tone was indifferent as he responded. "You can perfectly imitate others, often blending in with crowds as an ordinary human. In that case, for the sake of disguise, you must have sat down and chatted with many people like this."
"You said it yourself, that's just a disguise."
Saying this, the figure's face showed no expression.
"Because it's a disguise, I have to endure it. Otherwise, how could an ordinary human possibly have the qualification to sit on equal terms with me?"
"Heh, truly worthy of the Demon King who's lived for millennia." Riezel chuckled with a serene smile, but there was a hint of amusement in his expression. "Your attitude that completely regards humans as inferior beings is indeed arrogant."
At these words, the emotionless face of the Demon King, Kibutsuji Muzan, revealed a cold smile.
"That's because I have the right to be arrogant."
Muzan's voice rang out slowly.
"I have lived longer than anyone."
"My power is greater than anyone's."
"I am the hunter in the darkness, and humans are the prey."
"On the food chain, I have always been at the top. Just based on that, I have the right to say such things."
When Muzan spoke these words, there was no trace of pride or superiority in his tone, only a matter-of-fact indifference. He genuinely believed this and considered it a matter of course.
In other words, there was no need for pride or superiority, as stating the fact was all that was required.
Riezel did not offer any rebuttal to Muzan's statement, as, to some extent, what he said was not entirely wrong.
Humans were indeed the food of demons.
In terms of the food chain, demons occupied a hierarchical position where they were above as hunters, while humans were below as prey, like wolves and sheep, sheep and grass, chickens and insects, or larger insects and smaller ones.
However—
"You know, the food chain is just that—a chain. Even an elephant, which is definitely at the top, can be taken down by enough ants biting it."
Riezel's calm voice extinguished the sense of terrifying inevitability brought by Muzan.
Muzan looked deeply into Riezel's eyes for a while before speaking up.
"That's why I've come here."
Indeed.
Muzan had come here precisely to avoid being killed by those so-called ants—or rather, he had chosen to confront the terrifying Riezel face-to-face for the sake of achieving true immortality.
As long as he could obtain it, becoming a perfect being who no longer feared even sunlight, who would be able to kill him then?
Not even the resurrection of Tsugikuni Yoriichi himself!
During the Sengoku period, Muzan had nearly been slain by Yoriichi because Sun Breathing wielded the power of the sun, and Yoriichi's Bright Red Nichirin Sword could inflict damage on demons akin to sunlight, almost leading to Muzan's death.
Believing this, Muzan's gaze at Riezel became intense.
"You mentioned that the Blue Spider Lily is with you..."
Muzan finally spoke up about his true purpose.
"That much is true, correct?"
He chose to sit down and converse with Riezel precisely to clarify this point.
He held onto the notion of believing rather than doubting, clinging to a slight hope and an overwhelming obsession, hence his decision to confront Riezel.
Otherwise, given his cowardly nature, after witnessing Riezel's overwhelming power, which not only scared him but also awakened his trauma, he would never opt for a direct confrontation but would instead hide away and wait for Riezel to die of old age.
Now, it was finally the most crucial moment.
After bringing up the question, Muzan stared fixedly at Riezel, his two fists tightly clenched, feeling an unprecedented sense of nervousness.
It was unprecedented for a ruthless, inhumane Demon King who had caused countless tragedies to feel nervous, and Riezel was likely the first to achieve this.
One could imagine how furious Muzan would be if he discovered that Riezel had deceived him and that the matter of the Blue Spider Lily was nothing more than a lie.
However, Riezel's next words were akin to heavenly music for Muzan.
"It's true."
Riezel finally turned his head to face Muzan.
"The Blue Spider Lily is right here with me."
Riezel wasn't lying to Muzan about this.
Since the attack on the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps, after Riezel whispered those crucial words to Gyokko's ears, for two months, he not only trained the Hashira in the Swordsmith Village but also utilized the Corps' intelligence network to discreetly bring back a Blue Spider Lily.
"You probably didn't know..." Riezel said with a faint smile. "The Blue Spider Lily is a rare plant that blooms only during the daytime. It usually grows in places where it can receive prolonged sunlight, flowering only two to three times a year. Without special preservation methods, it wilts quickly once deprived of sunlight."
His words caused Muzan to widen his eyes slightly, revealing a flicker of fierce emotion. His expression at this moment was as if the truth of the world had finally been brought to light.
No wonder after so many years of searching and employing numerous demons to help him find the Blue Spider Lily, he still found nothing.
Blooming only during the daytime—this condition alone made it impossible for any demon to find the Blue Spider Lily. After all, demons couldn't tolerate sunlight; exposure to it would annihilate them instantly, including himself.
Moreover, since the Blue Spider Lily only grew in places where it could receive prolonged sunlight, blooming two to three times a year, even humans would find it difficult to obtain a fully grown Blue Spider Lily under such conditions, let alone demons.
Even if humans acquired the Blue Spider Lily during the daytime, improper preservation that prevented it from receiving sunlight would cause the flower to wither.
In other words, the chance of demons discovering and delivering the Blue Spider Lily to him was practically zero from the start.
This realization sent a shiver down Muzan's spine.
If Riezel hadn't uncovered the truth here, even if he continued searching indefinitely, he might never have found the Blue Spider Lily.
Fortunately for him, now was different.
"Here it is, the flower."
Riezel placed a wooden box on the small wooden table.
"..."
Muzan stared at the wooden box, emitting a terrifying aura akin to that of a demon from hell.
He could feel the wooden box radiating energy equivalent to sunlight.
Clearly, Scarlet Ores and Scarlet Crimson Iron Sands were likely mixed into the box, making the materials similar to those used for Nichirin Swords.
Such a box was undoubtedly the most suitable for storing the Blue Spider Lily, which needed sunlight to bloom.
Right before Muzan, Riezel opened the wooden box.
In the next second, a blue flower was seen inside the wooden box.
Seeing this flower, Muzan's breathing became heavier.
'This is it! This is it!'
Without a doubt, this was the Blue Spider Lily he sought for millennia, no mistake!
He had already thoroughly studied the book of the doctor who had prepared his medicines, memorizing the appearance, characteristics, and even the scent of the Blue Spider Lily, thinking about it day and night, constantly confirming the flower's appearance.
As a result, the moment he saw the blue flower, Muzan was certain that this was indeed the Blue Spider Lily.
At this moment, Riezel's voice rang out again.
"By the way, it is estimated that this is the only Blue Spider Lily left in the world today."
His somewhat ambiguous voice echoed in the silent veranda.
"I personally ordered that only this one be brought back by those sent out to find the Blue Spider Lily, while the rest were to be completely destroyed, uprooted entirely. Even if it tried to grow again, it's highly unlikely."
Upon hearing this, Muzan could no longer control the fierce aura emanating from him.
"...Give it to me."
With his last bit of willpower, Muzan restrained himself.
"Give it to me... Whatever you want, I can get it for you."
Evidently, this was Muzan's last bit of reason.
In truth, he wanted to see if he could achieve his goal without fighting Riezel. After all, he still harbored some fear of Riezel.
Unfortunately, his attempt was futile.
"I don't want anything, but..."
Riezel slowly shook his head before revealing a cold smile to Muzan.
"...I want your life."
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