Chapter 297: The Newly Emerged Demon King
Some time ago,
after fleeing from a bustling town's apothecary, he had been hiding in the Infinity Castle, never showing himself again.
The sudden and bizarre circumstances had left him deeply shaken.
Especially—
A strange game invitation scroll that kept appearing around him.
Even while hiding inside Infinity Castle, the invitation still arrived like clockwork.
This inexplicable occurrence
kept Muzan Kibutsuji in hiding until he discovered that one of the Upper Moons, Hantengu, had also become entangled with the invitation.
Only then did he summon Hantengu to the Infinity Castle and order him to investigate this so-called Reincarnation Game.
"How irritating… This feeling of being out of control."
Muzan muttered to himself while pouring a vial of liquid into a test tube.
The kneeling Hantengu flinched at the words, pretending not to hear.
If he did—
He could be turned into a puddle of blood right then and there.
Every demon was created from Muzan's own blood. They were bound to him like servants under a contract—their lives entirely in his hands.
"Good thing it was you, Hantengu."
Muzan offered a rare smile of satisfaction.
But that smile… was as cold as ice.
And he wasn't wrong.
If it had been any other Upper Moon who received the game invitation—no matter how much he valued them, he would've killed them without hesitation.
Fortunately, Hantengu was cowardly enough.
Even so—
The murderous intent in Muzan's eyes hadn't waned.
The moment anything suspicious happened, he would kill Hantengu without a second thought—even if he was a precious Upper Moon.
"Just who is behind this? Is it a trick devised by the Demon Slayer Corps, or…"
Muzan closed his eyes, sorting through all the possibilities.
It was unlikely to be the Demon Slayer Corps.
A bunch of weak humans armed with pathetic Breathing Techniques couldn't possibly tap into supernatural forces, let alone disrupt his power.
Nor could it be demons.
He controlled all of them. Not a single thought escaped his notice.
Even the one who once fled… her Blood Demon Art had nothing to do with games.
There was only one possibility left—
and a very likely one at that: a new Demon King had emerged.
That was Muzan Kibutsuji's hypothesis.
If a thousand years ago, he had become a nearly perfect lifeform by combining illness with experimental medicine—
Then there was no reason another special lifeform couldn't have appeared after all these years.
And the game invitation scroll was likely a manifestation of this new being's power… or perhaps its Blood Demon Art.
"A demon outside my control, one that can even interfere with me… should not exist in this world."
Muzan opened his eyes, fury flickering within them—
alongside a sliver of fear he refused to acknowledge.
Calmly, he commanded, "Nakime, send Hantengu away. Then summon all the other Upper Moons—except him—into Infinity Castle."
Now that Hantengu had touched the game invitation, he could not be allowed to contact the others.
Soon—
The Upper Moon demons, identified by their numbers etched into their eyes, were summoned one by one into Infinity Castle.
"How fortunate I am, to be summoned by Lord Muzan himself."
Gyokko's grotesque body squirmed from inside his vase,
kneeling reverently as he gazed up at the Demon King.
He turned—
And saw all the other Upper Moons, except Hantengu.
"Wait… was Hantengu killed?"
Akaza, with sakura-pink hair and deep blue tattoos covering his body, muttered under his breath.
The full gathering of the Upper Moons—
Such a thing hadn't happened in nearly a hundred years. It only ever occurred when one of them was killed.
Regrettably, the loathsome Doma was also here.
Clearly, the only one missing was Hantengu—so he must have been the one to die.
Dressed in samurai robes, Kokushibo sat quietly at the table, saying nothing.
It mattered not who lived or died.
Even summoned by the Demon King, he maintained his Moon Breathing state.
After nearly a millennium as a demon, he still trained without pause.
All to surpass one person.
Any other demon—even an Upper Moon—would have been punished for such defiance.
But Muzan merely glanced at him, indifferent. As if it was routine.
"My lord Muzan, fellow comrades—hasn't it been nearly a century since we were all together? I've missed you all."
"And my beloved Akaza-sama… You weren't killed! What a relief~"
Doma smiled cheerfully, his multicolored eyes sparkling. He stretched out his arms as if seeking a warm welcome.
But—
Only Gyokko gave him a slight nod. The rest of the demons completely ignored him.
"So cold… I'm truly heartbroken."
Doma continued smiling, though his expression shifted ever so slightly to one of mock hurt.
Still—
All the demons could sense it: his smile was ice.
Like a frozen sculpture, carved into permanence by a master craftsman.
Cold. Detached.
Then came a wave of viscous, evil aura that silenced the room.
"No Upper Moon has died. Hantengu was sent by me to carry out a secret mission."
"I've summoned you all here for a new task."
Muzan remained in his childlike form, but the life-crushing authority in his gaze was absolute.
"That wretched Hantengu… How envious I am. Why couldn't I be given such a special mission?"
Gyokko's twisted little hands trembled in despair.
"The Blue Spider Lily… we've searched for centuries without success."
"The Ubuyashiki clan still lingers in the shadows of every nation."
"If you can't complete this new task either, then I must ask—why do you even exist?"
Muzan's voice chilled to the bone, his face twisted with rage. Veins bulged from his temple as he declared:
"Go. Seek out the ones that are neither Demon Slayers nor humans… nor even demons. A new species has emerged."
"Find them. Bring them back… or kill them on sight."
His command echoed through Infinity Castle.
The Upper Moons were stunned.
A new species?
Not human. Not Demon Slayer Corps. Not demon?
"How intriguing, Lord Muzan. If they're neither demon nor human… could they be gods?"
Doma's expression lit up with just the right amount of excitement.
But deep inside, he felt nothing.
Human, god—it didn't matter.
Nothing stirred his hollow heart. He had never cared for such things.
"They don't exist."
Muzan's voice was cold. "There is only me. I am the most perfect lifeform in existence."
"These new beings… they possess a form of enchantment. Anyone who falls for it—will be killed by me."
He was referring to the game invitation scroll.
If any other Upper Moon ended up like Hantengu—targeted by the scroll and accepted its invitation—he would destroy them himself.
"Understood."
Seeing Muzan this serious, the Upper Moons all nodded.
Clang—
A soft note rang out from a biwa string.
The Upper Moons vanished from Infinity Castle, ending their brief meeting.
For a thousand years, Muzan had maintained absolute vigilance.
Even over death and life, he allowed no unexpected variables.
"I just need the Blue Spider Lily. Once I find it… I will become the perfect being!"
Rage surged in Muzan's chest as he thought of that ancient regret.
He picked up the black invitation scroll on the table,
his eyes flickering.
"Since Hantengu already scouted it for me and returned safely, perhaps I should send another demon to test it next…"
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