Eliza stared at the headless body before her.
Her mind refused to accept what she was seeing. Her thoughts had suddenly become empty, as if her entire mind had stopped functioning after witnessing that single moment.
The body kneeling before her was still wearing the black robes she knew so well, but there was no head upon those shoulders anymore. Jigen had been decapitated.
The thought itself felt impossible.
Then, something slowly rolled across the blood-covered floor.
Eliza's eyes moved downward.
Jigen's severed head rolled toward her, passing through the blood that had already drenched the floor before finally stopping against her feet.
Her body froze. For a moment, Eliza could only stare at him.
"... Jigen-Sama?"
Her voice was barely audible.
Azrakar stood behind them with a creepy, satisfied smile on his face. He seemed completely pleased with what had happened, as though he had finally removed something that had been irritating him for far too long.
"That guy was annoying," Azrakar said. His gaze remained fixed upon Jigen's severed head.
"At first, he tried to threaten the Upper Moons and even me. Now, he forgave his subordinate's betrayal plan... What an awful guy he is."
Eliza didn't respond. She couldn't even hear him properly anymore.
Her eyes remained fixed upon Jigen. Her azure eyes were beginning to fill with tears, but she didn't allow them to fall.
Only a few days ago, she had wished for him to disappear. She hated him. But now...
Now that he was actually lying dead before her, she realized how terrifying the thought of losing him truly was. She had almost lost the only person she loved.
Before she could reach toward him, something strange happened.
Jigen's severed head suddenly began to evaporate.
Eliza's eyes widened. "...What?"
The head dissolved into countless dark particles, disappearing before her very eyes.
Everyone's attention immediately shifted toward Jigen's headless body. There was complete silence.
Then, within the next second, something began moving from the severed neck. Flesh immediately regenerated. Bone formed. Muscles appeared. Skin covered the newly formed structure.
And before anyone could properly react, Jigen's head had completely regenerated.
His long black hair fell naturally over his shoulders, while his crimson eyes slowly opened. It was as though nothing had happened.
Jigen was still kneeling in the exact same position. For a moment, he lowered his eyes.
...Even the strongest demon, Kokushibo, couldn't kill me…
He slowly stood up. His black robes were drenched in his own blood, and several streams of crimson liquid continued to fall from his body onto the floor.
Yet Jigen didn't seem particularly concerned about it.
His gaze moved behind him. He looked at Eliza.
She was still sitting upon the blood-drenched floor. His blood covered her face, covered her hands, her feet. Her beautiful white gown had been ruined by the blood that had poured from his severed body.
Eliza looked terrified because for one brief moment, she had truly believed that she had lost him.
Jigen stared at her silently. His expression didn't change.
Then he turned his head toward Kokushibo. The atmosphere around him had changed.
Kokushibo's six eyes remained fixed upon him.
"Jigen… Tell me, are you involved with betraying Muzan-Sama? What plan was she talking about?"
Jigen remained silent for a moment before answering.
"Lord Kokushibo... I never accepted any of her plans. Even when Azrakar was watching us, I denied her plan."
It was an obvious lie.
Jigen continued speaking. "I won't let it happen again."
Silence followed.
Kokushibo watched him with his six eyes, seemingly trying to understand whether there was something hidden behind those words. After a while, he finally spoke.
"Alright... I won't allow it next time."
Kokushibo turned around. But before he could disappear, Jigen's voice stopped him.
"Lord Kokushibo…"
Kokushibo stopped. He slowly turned his head toward Jigen.
"...I want one favour."
"Favour...?" Kokushibo's expression remained unchanged. "What's that?"
Jigen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slowly turned his body toward Azrakar.
Jigen looked directly at him. His crimson eyes were completely calm. There was no hatred within them, no fury, nothing that could be called emotion.
And somehow, that made Azrakar's smile slowly disappear.
Jigen spoke in his usual quiet, cold voice.
"Can I have a Blood Demon Battle with the Upper Moon Four, Azrakar?"
Eliza, who was still sitting on the blood-drenched floor, suddenly looked up at him.
Her eyes widened. "...What?"
Azrakar suddenly laughed. His laughter echoed through the Infinity Castle, cold and merciless, carrying a wickedness that made the atmosphere around him feel even more sinister. "That's an attempt at suicide!"
Kokushibo remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding. "Ask him. If he agrees, I have no objection..."
Azrakar's smile widened. He began walking toward Jigen. Each step was deliberate.
His crimson retinas gradually darkened, while his golden, cat-like irises began glowing faintly within them. The pressure surrounding him became heavier with every step, and even the air seemed to grow colder.
Azrakar stopped directly before Jigen. Although he was tall, he was still noticeably shorter than Jigen.
He reached forward and grabbed Jigen tightly by the collar, pulling him closer. His golden eyes stared directly into Jigen's crimson ones.
"You know about me, yet you still want to fight me? Kid, I'm not some ordinary demon."
Jigen said nothing. He simply stared at him. There was no fear in his eyes, no hesitation, no anger.
Azrakar's expression remained confident, but something instinctive began screaming inside him.
Azrakar released his collar and turned toward Kokushibo.
"Kokushibo-Sama." His smile returned.
"I am ready to fight him."
Kokushibo looked at the two demons for several seconds. "...Alright."
The moment those words were spoken, Jigen's gaze returned to Azrakar. He already knew about him.
Azrakar… The predator demon who mainly hunts young children for his own purpose. He devours them… He tortures them before killing them…
But more than that... his powers are great. His Blood Demon Art is related to spirits.
Azrakar suddenly disappeared from his position. His fist shot toward Jigen's face.
Jigen slightly tilted his head. The punch passed beside his cheek.
Azrakar's eyes widened. Before he could recover, he immediately twisted his body and launched a hook toward Jigen's jaw.
Jigen stepped backward. The fist passed harmlessly in front of him.
Azrakar's expression changed. He had expected Jigen to dodge the first attack.
But the second, he had barely moved.
Azrakar's eyes narrowed. He rushed forward again.
A straight punch. Jigen shifted his head.
A kick followed immediately. Jigen moved his body sideways.
Another punch. He leaned backward.
Another kick. He stepped away.
Azrakar continued attacking without giving him even a moment to breathe. His fists moved like flashes of crimson lightning, while his legs struck from different angles.
Every attack was precise and powerful enough to crush a demon's body. Yet none of them touched Jigen.
Jigen's movements were strangely fluid. He didn't jump unnecessarily. He didn't block. He didn't counterattack. He simply moved.
A slight turn of his shoulder. A step backward. A tilt of his head. A shift of his waist. Every movement was minimal, almost effortless.
Eliza watched from the side.
Her eyes slowly widened. "Why is he holding back...?"
She knew Jigen.
"This isn't his full strength. He isn't even fighting seriously..."
Azrakar suddenly leapt backward, landing several meters away. His breathing remained steady, but the wicked smile on his face had become sharper.
"I accept that you're strong. But you've made a grave mistake."
His golden eyes began glowing brighter. "If you had truly known me..."
The temperature of the room suddenly dropped.
"You would never have chosen to fight me."
The air behind him began to distort. Then—
Hundreds of crimson hands emerged from the darkness.
They crawled out of the cold air itself. Their fingers twisted unnaturally. Their palms were drenched in blood. Some appeared skeletal, others looked almost human. All of them reached toward Jigen.
Azrakar's eyes glowed golden. "Now..."
His smile became monstrous. "I will use my Blood Demon Art."
The countless hands surged forward. They filled the corridor. There was nowhere to escape.
But Jigen didn't move. His crimson eyes remained completely calm.
Then, from his own body—
Hundreds of skeletal hands emerged. They erupted from his back, shoulders, arms, and sides, their pale fingers reaching outward like the limbs of some grotesque creature born from death itself.
The two swarms collided.
BOOM!
Crimson hands crushed against skeletal hands.
Bones shattered. Flesh tore apart. Blood splattered across the floor.
One after another, the hands destroyed each other until nothing remained.
Azrakar's smile returned. But then, something changed—
The world around Jigen suddenly became colourless. The crimson blood, the black corridors, the pale walls… Everything lost its colour. Even the sound disappeared.
Time seemed to stop. Jigen stood motionless.
Azrakar suddenly appeared beside him. His eyes were completely black. A terrifying smile appeared on his face.
"Did you really think I'd be using my power like that?"
His voice echoed strangely through the colourless world.
"You have already lost."
Azrakar's claws moved toward Jigen's face.
"I have controlled your mind now."
His claws were only inches away from Jigen's eyes. Then—
Jigen moved instantly. His leg rose.
Azrakar's eyes widened.
THUD!!!
Jigen's foot slammed directly into his face. The impact was so violent that Azrakar's entire body was launched backward.
His skull cracked under the force. Blood exploded from his face. His body crashed through the floor and dozens of corridors behind him.
BOOM!
The Infinity Castle shook. Walls shattered. Wooden floors collapsed. Dust and fragments filled the air.
Azrakar's body finally stopped against the ruined floor. For several seconds, there was no movement.
Jigen slowly lowered his leg. His crimson eyes glowed ominously through the dust. He looked toward the crater where Azrakar had fallen.
His voice was cold. "I thought that you'd be strong..."
The dust slowly cleared.
Jigen continued.
"But you're just another weak demon… The other Upper Moons with you are also frauds. Any type of mind control, manipulation, or illusion won't work on me."
Kokushibo's six eyes remained fixed upon him.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Even Azrakar's laughter had disappeared.
Kokushibo watched quietly.
"It is not because Azrakar is weak. Compared to the former Upper Moon Four, Hantengu, Azrakar is much more skilled. His Blood Demon Art is considerably more troublesome.
The reason for his defeat… is simply because his opponent is Jigen."
From within the rubble, something moved. Azrakar's fingers dug into the broken floor. His head slowly began regenerating.
Cracked bones shifted back into place. Flesh grew over his exposed skull. His face reconstructed itself piece by piece as blood continued to pool beneath him. Azrakar slowly pushed himself upright.
For the first time, the confidence in his expression had disappeared.
He stared at Jigen. "I… I underestimated you."
His regenerated eyes narrowed.
"But… You shouldn't be insulting me like that."
Eliza's eyes widened slightly as she watched Jigen standing before Azrakar. Eliza whispered,
"...Wait. Now I understand what he's doing… He is not just fighting him… He is—"
Suddenly, the entire Infinity Castle went dark.
The walls, the floors, the ceilings, even the endless corridors disappeared beneath an overwhelming darkness. There was no light anymore.
Only four pairs of eyes remained visible:
Kokushibo's six eyes.
Eliza's otherworldly blue eyes.
Jigen's cold crimson eyes.
And Azrakar's glowing golden irises.
The silence became suffocating.
Azrakar suddenly lunged forward. His body tore through the darkness as his claws reached toward Jigen's throat.
Jigen calmly stepped aside. The claws missed him by inches.
Azrakar twisted his body in midair. ">———SOUL EXTORTION!———<"
A strange distortion spread through the darkness. The space between them warped violently, as though something invisible was trying to pull Jigen's very existence out of his body.
Azrakar's voice echoed through the darkness.
"Now your soul will be sealed forever!" His golden eyes burned brighter.
"Your body will remain soulless!"
He moved his hand. The space surrounding Jigen distorted further. But Jigen simply stood there.
Azrakar suddenly lunged again. Jigen moved backward.
The attack passed harmlessly before him.
Azrakar's expression hardened. ">———ILLUSION IMPRISONMENT!———<"
The darkness around Jigen suddenly fractured. Countless images appeared. An endless number of illusions surrounded him—
Faces.
Dead bodies.
Blood.
Screams.
Nightmares.
Everything Azrakar could extract from the depths of a person's mind appeared around Jigen.
Azrakar smiled. "No one can survive all of these together. I have shown him his greatest nightmares. His mind will collapse."
But Jigen remained motionless. The illusions continued changing around him. None of them affected his expression.
Azrakar appeared behind him. His claws began glowing dark blue.
">———LIFE PENETRATION!———<"
His claws shot forward. They pierced Jigen's flesh.
Azrakar's eyes narrowed as his claws entered Jigen's body.
For the first time, he was close enough to properly see Jigen's face. His long obsidian hair. His snow-white skin. Those crimson eyes. His almost unnatural beauty.
Azrakar's expression became strangely intrigued.
"It's my first time seeing you in person."
His claws pushed deeper.
"I have always watched your shadowed form, but I never saw your true self. I thought you'd look ugly. But you're much more attractive than I thought."
He leaned closer.
"Unfortunately, your appearance doesn't increase your power."
His claws attempted to penetrate farther. They stopped.
Azrakar's expression changed.
Jigen had stopped the attack. His body had lowered into a horse stance. One hand had caught Azrakar's wrist. His muscles hadn't even visibly strained.
Azrakar stared at him. Then his eyes widened. Something appeared behind Jigen—
A silhouette. Not a demon, not a human. Something far older. A gigantic shadow stood within Jigen's presence, its twisted horns rising into the darkness. Its crimson eyes seemed to stare directly through Azrakar's soul. A goat-like head emerged from the darkness, accompanied by four enormous arms.
It wasn't an illusion. Azrakar could feel it. His instincts screamed at him. "Who... exactly is him...?"
Jigen's crimson eyes slowly turned toward him.
Azrakar didn't even have time to react. Jigen seized his arm.
CRACK!
His entire arm was ripped away.
Azrakar's eyes widened in shock. Before he could regenerate—
Jigen's fingers drove directly into his eyes.
CRUSH!
Azrakar screamed as both eyes were destroyed beneath Jigen's fingers.
Jigen grabbed the side of his skull. Then—
BOOM!
His knee slammed into Azrakar's back. The impact shattered his spine. Azrakar's body folded unnaturally before being thrown onto the floor.
Jigen released him. Azrakar crashed against the ground. Jigen simply walked over him.
He didn't say anything. He didn't even look particularly interested.
Kokushibo watched silently. His six eyes narrowed.
...Why isn't he killing him? Jigen can end this battle instantly.
Azrakar's body began moving. His bones slowly reconstructed themselves. His destroyed eyes regenerated. His severed arm began growing again.
Slowly, he stood. Blood continued flowing down his face. He stared at Jigen. There was no longer any amusement in his expression.
"...I misunderstood you." His voice was quieter now.
"You're much worse than I thought."
His grey-red hair moved gently in the darkness as a deep red aura began emanating from his body.
Azrakar's golden eyes became brighter.
"A thing like you shouldn't exist in this world. And I'm not saying that because I lost… I'm saying it because of what you are."
The red aura surrounding him suddenly exploded. Hundreds of crimson spirits emerged from his body. Each spirit possessed a different face: Men, women, children, demons, humans. All of them stared at Jigen with hollow eyes.
"These are the strong demons and humans that I killed along my way."
Azrakar raised his hand.
"They are everything I have accumulated throughout my existence. This is my best move."
The spirits began moving.
"I will stop you."
Hundreds of dead souls rushed toward Jigen from every direction. The Infinity Castle trembled beneath their combined presence. Jigen stood completely still.
The spirits reached him. Then—
SHING!
A flash of darkness passed through the battlefield. Every spirit stopped. Their bodies split apart.
One after another, they disappeared. The entire Infinity Castle became dark again.
Jigen stood in the center of the darkness. His crimson eyes glowed faintly.
"...Did you really think that your spirits are as great as mine?"
Azrakar froze. Something incredibly cold appeared behind him. He slowly turned. Someone was standing there.
Tall. Silent. Motionless.
Azrakar's eyes widened. "What's that...?"
The entity's skin possessed a faint violet glow against the darkness. Its eyes shone with an unnatural blue light, while a golden aura seemed to emanate from its pupils. A luminous golden mark rested upon its forehead.
Azrakar's entire body became rigid. Every instinct inside him screamed one command: Run.
His nerves screamed. His body trembled. His golden eyes widened in genuine horror.
"W-What kind of ancient god is this...?"
Even Kokushibo's expression changed. His six eyes widened slightly.
"...Wait." He stared at the entity."Jigen really killed Ashkaroth?"
For centuries, the name had existed almost like a forbidden legend. A being even Muzan had never managed to find. A human who had transcended the mortal realm. A being who had abandoned humanity and become something worshipped as a god.
Kokushibo's eyes remained fixed upon him.
"Someone whom even Muzan-Sama couldn't find or kill... even after centuries."
A pause.
Jigen's voice became colder, low. "The human who transcended the mortal realm and became the God of the World… The Silent God, Ashkaroth."
Ashkaroth slowly raised one finger. He placed it against his lips. "Shhh..."
Azrakar couldn't move. He couldn't even breathe. Then—
The darkness vanished. Ashkaroth disappeared. And Azrakar collapsed.
THUD.
His body hit the floor. He immediately tried to regenerate. His eyes widened, his arms were gone. They weren't regenerating.
"What...? Wait!"
He desperately looked at the places where his arms should have been.
"Why am I not regenerating?!"
A shadow fell over his face. Jigen stood above him.
He slowly placed his slipper against Azrakar's face. His crimson eyes glowed ominously. Then he sat down upon Azrakar's abdomen and gripped his throat.
Kokushibo's six eyes narrowed. He finally understood.
"So that's why… He didn't end the battle instantly..."
His gaze remained fixed upon Jigen.
"He wanted to create despair, fear. He wanted the other Upper Moons to know exactly what happens when they interfere with him."
Jigen looked down at Azrakar. "You Upper Moons share information with each other."
His grip tightened around Azrakar's throat. "That means they are watching me."
Azrakar's expression twisted. Jigen's thumb slowly pressed into his ruined eye. Blood dripped down his hand.
Azrakar's face finally showed pain. "Y-You think you can kill me without consequences? Lord Maharaurava will make you pay for it."
Azrakar's eyes trembled. "How will you deal with the top two Upper Moons? You can never surpass Lord Akaza and Lord Douma."
His voice became louder. "You're still that same brat to us! Never forget it! You will never be happy with it."
Jigen listened silently.
Azrakar's expression twisted with fear and anger.
Jigen's eyes remained completely empty. For a moment, there was only silence.
Then Jigen slowly moved his hand toward Azrakar's mouth. His fingers entered.
Azrakar's eyes widened.
Jigen gripped his tongue and ripped it off.
Azrakar's entire body convulsed.
Eliza's eyes widened. Even she turned her face slightly away from the brutality unfolding before her.
Jigen calmly looked down at Azrakar. "...Acting pathetic out of fear?"
His voice remained deep and cold.
"Your Upper Moons must be watching you. Bring your Upper Moons or Maharaurava. I don't fear them."
His voice became quieter.
"Death has nothing to fear… And I'll be their death too."
BOOM!
His fist slammed into Azrakar's face. The impact shattered the floor beneath them.
Jigen struck him again.
BOOM!
And again.
BOOM!
Again.
There was no anger in his movements. He was simply carrying out an action. Azrakar's skull continued breaking beneath the repeated blows. Blood covered the floor. His regenerated bones shattered almost as quickly as they formed.
Kokushibo watched in complete silence. His expression remained cold. He didn't flinch.
Eliza, however, slowly turned her head away. She couldn't continue watching.
The sound of Jigen's fists striking Azrakar continued echoing throughout the Infinity Castle. Again. Again. And Again.
Until finally—
Azrakar's regeneration stopped completely. His body began crumbling piece by piece, his form disintegrated into ash and blood.
The Upper Moon Four, who had once terrified countless demons and humans, disappeared beneath Jigen's hands like nothing.
Jigen remained seated upon the ruined floor for a moment. His crimson eyes were still glowing. He simply looked toward the empty space where Azrakar had been, as though the battle had never been worth remembering.
Jigen slowly stood up. His hands were still drenched in Azrakar's blood. The crimson liquid slipped between his fingers and fell onto the floor one drop at a time, joining the enormous pool that had already spread throughout the chamber.
He didn't look at Azrakar's corpse. There was nothing left to look at.
Jigen raised his hand.
"...>———SOUL NECROMANCER: ABSORPTION———<"
The moment those words left his mouth, something invisible began tearing itself away from Azrakar's ruined body.
His soul emerged. It came out violently, twisting and screaming without making a sound, its form becoming a pale, distorted mass of light as it was dragged toward Jigen.
For an instant, countless memories flashed through it. Faces. Screams. Villages. Demons. Humans. Centuries of slaughter. Then the soul was pulled directly into Jigen's body.
The light disappeared. So did Azrakar.
Jigen lowered his hand. He turned toward Kokushibo and began walking.
His footsteps echoed throughout the Infinity Castle, slow and deliberate.
This should be enough for the other Kizukis to consider me… before I kill all of them.
Kokushibo watched him approach. His six eyes remained completely emotionless. There was something suffocating about his presence.
Unlike the other Upper Moons or Muzan, Kokushibo didn't need to display his strength. He didn't need to threaten anyone. His existence alone carried the weight of the hierarchy.
When Jigen finally stopped, Kokushibo spoke. "Well done, Jigen… Just as expected from you. From this moment onward... you are the new Upper Moon Four."
Jigen lowered himself. He knelt before Kokushibo.
Eliza's eyes immediately moved toward him.
"Lord Kokushibo..." Jigen said. His voice remained as calm as ever. "May I ask you for one favour?"
Kokushibo looked down at him. "What is it?"
Jigen raised his head. "...Instead of me, can you make Eliza the Upper Moon Four?"
Eliza froze. Even she hadn't expected that. Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at Jigen.
Kokushibo's six eyes slowly shifted toward her. Then back toward Jigen.
"No. That traitor cannot be a part of our ranks."
Eliza's lips parted slightly. Her gaze remained on Jigen.
Why… Why does Jigen-Sama want me to become an Upper Rank demon?
Then she remembered. Last night, she complained to him. She had told him that the other demons didn't respect them. That no matter how powerful they became, the Upper Moons still looked at them as though they were beneath them.
Jigen hadn't said much as usual. He had simply listened. And now… He is trying to give her the position.
Eliza's eyes trembled. "...Is he really doing this for me?"
Something warm and painful appeared inside her chest. She didn't know whether she wanted to smile or cry.
Jigen lowered his gaze. "I understand… But I apologize. I cannot become the Upper Moon Four."
The atmosphere changed. Kokushibo's six eyes narrowed.
"Jigen… Do you intend to disrespect the hierarchy? Whoever wins the Blood Demon Battle accepts the higher position. That is the rule."
Jigen's expression didn't change.
"But there is no rule stating that I must accept the position if I win… You're not accepting any of my requests. Should I ask for another request?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then Kokushibo's gaze became colder.
"I am not accepting any of your requests because you cannot be trusted."
His hand rested upon the hilt of his sword.
"But one thing is certain..."
The pressure in the room increased.
"...You are joining the Upper Moons. You can't disrespect the position."
Jigen stood. "I apologize..."
He turned slightly.
"...But if you're not accepting any of my requests… I'm leaving the demons' side. I have no reason to stay by Lord Muzan's side then..."
He turned his back toward Kokushibo. And then—
SHING.
Blood exploded through the chamber.
Jigen's arms fell first. His head followed immediately afterward. His body remained standing for a brief moment before collapsing forward.
Eliza flinched. Her pupils contracted. "Jigen-Sama...!"
Kokushibo stood behind him. His sword was already clean. His back remained turned toward Jigen's corpse. His voice was colder than before.
"Who gave you permission to leave the side of Lord Muzan on your own?"
Kokushibo slowly returned his sword to its sheath.
"If every demon who wins a duel simply decides that they do not wish to accept their position, then what meaning does the hierarchy possess…?"
He turned his head slightly.
"Stop being pathetic. Be the man you claim to be."
Eliza stared at Jigen. Her heart was pounding. She knew he would regenerate. But somehow… watching him lose his head again still hurts.
Then the corpse moved. Flesh began crawling across the severed neck. Bone formed. Muscle. Skin.
Jigen's head regenerated instantly. His arms followed. He slowly stood. Blood covered his black robes.
He turned his face toward Kokushibo. And this time, his presence was different.
"Lord Kokushibo..." His voice was still quiet.
"...I always served you and Lord Muzan. I did whatever I could. Not even the other demons could establish what I've done for you. But after all that… this is what you think I am?"
Kokushibo turned around completely. His aura immediately expanded. It was suffocating, absolute. The air itself seemed to become heavier.
Jigen's robes moved slightly beneath the pressure.
Kokushibo's fingers touched his sword.
"Jigen..."
His voice was almost emotionless. "...I did not know that you liked to talk this much. Shall I teach you again where your limit is?"
Jigen lowered his head. His long obsidian hair fell down his back. For several seconds, he remained completely still. Then he spoke.
"...You're right. I should've set the limits in the beginning."
He slowly lifted his head. His left eye turned black.
Eliza's entire body stiffened.
Blood began dripping from the black eye. One drop, then another. Jigen's mouth opened slightly.
"Not mine..."
The voice that came next no longer sounded completely human. It was deeper, older. Something buried beneath Jigen's consciousness had begun pushing its way toward the surface.
"Not mine… but yours."
BOOOOOOM!
A monstrous wave of aura erupted from Jigen. The entire Infinity Castle shook. The walls cracked. The floor split beneath his feet. Doors slammed open throughout the endless castle.
Kokushibo's kimono exploded backward from the pressure. His hair whipped violently through the air. For the first time… he moved backward.
Eliza immediately raised her arm over her face. Her hair flew wildly behind her. But her expression wasn't fear. It was something far more complicated. She knew that presence. Her heart sank.
"No…"
The black veins began spreading across Jigen's body. His left eye remained completely black, with a crimson pupil burning inside it. Blood flowed from his mouth. The aura surrounding him was no longer simply Jigen's. It was darker, far more hostile.
Eliza's fingers trembled. "Please… Don't wake up."
The Hollow King.
Jigen raised his head. And when he spoke, the voice that emerged from his throat made the Infinity Castle itself feel small.
Blood dripped from his chin.
"...It was annoying that I had to serve you and Muzan."
Kokushibo's six eyes narrowed. Jigen took one step forward.
CRACK.
The floor shattered beneath his foot.
"Why do I obey you if I can simply kill you? Even if I have to destroy this entire world in our fight…"
His crimson eye glowed. The black eye stared without emotion.
Kokushibo's gaze became terrifyingly cold. "So that's how far you intend to go."
He drew his sword. The sound of the blade leaving its sheath echoed through the castle.
"When a dog stops obeying its owner..."
The Demon Slayer Mark spread across Kokushibo's neck. Then his forehead, his torso, his arms. Crimson markings burned across his body.
His demonic katana began to grow. The blade elongated, flesh twisted around it. Eyes opened across the weapon one after another. Kokushibo raised it.
"...it must be punished."
Jigen continued walking. His obsidian hair streamed behind him. His dark robes moved violently in the pressure surrounding his body. His crimson pupils burned.
The two demons continued approaching each other.
The pressure between them became so immense that even the Infinity Castle seemed unable to contain it. Two wrathful gods. One ancient swordsman. One ancient darkness.
Jigen's voice is deeper, malevolent, absolute. A pulse of darkness erupted from his body.
"...Sure. Then I should've established who the dog is… from the beginning."