Chapter 365: Penacony Arc 『 Part Sixty 』, The Devil in Velvet part 4
"A stroke of genius—or so I intend it to be."
Gamora looked even more bewildered.
"And then what? You plan to contend for the Watchmaker's legacy? Only to be sliced into a human salad by that woman called Acheron?"
"Don't be so hasty. We can formulate a tactic—"
"A tactic? Give me a break."
Rocket Raccoon poked his head out from the cockpit.
"If you ask me, we should start by scanning for the coordinates of the Ever-Flame Mansion. Acheron just wiped that place off the map; who knows what treasures might be buried in the rubble? If all else fails, scavenging a few fragments of the Duke Inferno wouldn't be a bad haul. A fire demon from Fetora—I've never even heard of such a species. I bet some collectors with eccentric tastes in this universe would pay a handsome price for that. What do you think, Groot?"
"I am Groot!"
"He says he's completely on board,"
Rocket shrugged.
"Besides, we need the credits… How are we supposed to go to Penacony without a dime? Stelle blew through Hotaru's entire life savings in ten seconds flat. Heaven knows how expensive Penacony actually is. Bottom line: our priority is the Ever-Flame Mansion. Let's see if there's anything valuable left behind."
"It sounded like a solid plan."
Gamora nodded in agreement.
However… Drax the Destroyer had been staring at the ship's navigation scanner for half an hour, watching the loading icon spin in endless circles.
"Well, there's one problem. It seems we can't locate the Ever-Flame Mansion."
Drax scratched his bald head.
"…Does this place actually exist?"
—
〜Jujutsu Kaisen World, Present Timeline〜
"The man truly is a blockhead…"
Kenjaku cracked his knuckles.
"If you can't win, you run, then come back when you're strong enough. Why be so obsessed?"
Having inhabited more bodies than he cared to count, Kenjaku rested his chin on one hand, looking down at the oolong tea held in the other. The faint, ghostly aroma of the tea drifted upward, lending a touch of warmth to his cold, narrow features.
With a soft thud, something fell into the tea.
Kenjaku suddenly caught the scent of something metallic and sweet. He looked down, only to find that the hand holding the cup had shattered into a dozen pieces without him even noticing. One segment of his thumb was soaking quietly in the tea.
"My hand slipped."
Beside him, Ryomen Sukuna spoke without a trace of emotion.
"I was actually aiming for your neck."
Belatedly, Kenjaku touched his throat, feeling a thin ring of blood—Sukuna had genuinely intended to kill him just now.
"Hmph…"
He sucked in a breath of cold air, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face.
"Hey now, isn't that a bit harsh for an ally? Did I do something to offend you?"
"Yes. What you just said rubbed me the wrong way."
"What I just said?"
Kenjaku frowned, tracing back through his thoughts. He quickly surmised that his commentary on the Duke Inferno had inadvertently provoked Sukuna.
In his memory, Sukuna was indifferent to everything, showing only a modicum of favor toward Uraume. Was he actually concerned about the Duke Inferno? Enough to turn his blade on a comrade? Or perhaps he simply hadn't killed anyone in too long, and the frustration was boiling over?
"Fine,"
Kenjaku shrugged.
"Did that little outburst settle your nerves?"
His wrist was completely pulverized. Though he could restore it with Reversed Cursed Technique, the blood had stained his monk's robes. Cleaning them would be a tedious affair.
Sukuna's expression darkened completely. His crimson eyes were like glass beads soaked in gore, exerting a heavy, suffocating pressure of Cursed Energy.
"…That depends on whether you can keep that reckless mouth of yours shut from now on."
—
「 "You cannot hide your identity. Draw that blade. We shall remain here, and we are destined for a fight to the death, for I 'choose' to do so."
The Duke Inferno spoke with solemn gravity: "Destruction is intense but brief. To cravenly cling to life is to endure an endlessly prolonged existence."
"Even if the answer… might be your own destruction?" Acheron asked in return.
"What's important is not the answer, but that it exists — just as you exist. Everything exists to be destroyed — Emanators are no different. Just as even sweet dreams may be born of the void, the so-called impossible is merely something that has yet to happen."
"..."
Acheron took a deep breath. "…Very well. I accept."
"You shall witness the most brilliant and intense fire in existence. May this flame illuminate the farthest reaches of your bottomless dream."
"A bottomless dream… Indeed. But you are mistaken about one thing," Acheron said softly. "This blade remains in its scabbard not out of mercy or contempt. It is a secret I am loath to show. But as a gesture of respect…"
Acheron's hand rested gently on the tsuba.
"…I shall be honest with you. 『 The Hunt 』… is not the Path I walk."
The blade slowly left its sheath—
The sound of every flame burning within the Ever-Flame Mansion vanished, leaving only the rustle of falling ash.
"May death be the end of your boundless dream... guiding you back to the waking world." 」
「 ..... 」
〜Demon Slayer World〜
"So, the Duke Inferno is dead…"
Within the Infinity Castle, the flickering lights stretched Muzan Kibutsuji's shadow into a distorted silhouette. He gazed up at the image of Acheron sheathing her blade, murmuring the words she had just spoken.
"『 The Hunt 』… She does not follow the Path of 『 The Hunt 』… Which means she has no connection to the Galaxy Rangers or the Xianzhou Alliance… Then where does this power of hers originate—"
Muzan lowered his head in thought. Suddenly remembering something, he looked down at Kokushibo, who had remained kneeling below for quite some time.
"Kokushibo, what do you think?"
Kokushibo's six eyes shifted slightly. He remained on one knee in a respectful posture.
"…Perhaps it is related to 『 Finality 』. However, information regarding this Path is currently too scarce; it has only made brief manifestations during the Swarm Disaster…"
"Hmph. As long as it isn't 『 The Hunt 』, it matters not."
A look of relief washed over Muzan's face. Of all the Paths, the followers of the Hunt were the ones he feared most.
Whether it was the Rangers roaming the cosmos or the Xianzhou forces who would likely brand him an "Abomination of Abundance," they posed a significant threat. Initially, he had broken into a cold sweat at the thought of Acheron being an Emanator of 『 The Hunt 』. Now, hearing her words… he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
—
「 Back in the depths of the Memory Zone—
Acheron looked at Sam and said calmly, "...I still see them in my dreams."
"Huh?" Sam paused. Seeing that she had no intention of continuing the fight, he followed suit and deactivated his weapon systems.
"Hold it. Your time hasn't come yet."
There was a hint of confusion in Sam's voice. "…'My time'?"
Acheron nodded. "I've seen many clever disguises that can conceal appearances, but they can never cover up who a person really is. And you're no different." 」
「 ..... 」