Chapter 171: The Merciless Sun x The Annihilation of the Lower Moons
[Notification: Magical Beast Encyclopedia... Unfolding... Detected four demons...]
[Lower Moon Five, Rui]
[Physique: 137]
[Lower Moon One, Enmu]
[Physique: 174]
[Upper Moon Three, Akaza]
[Physique: 387]
And...
Roy sat down with a smile, then casually glanced at a corner of the carriage, where an "eye" was staring at him unblinkingly.
[Eye Demon]
[Common Demon]
[Physique: 10]
[Innate Blood Demon Art: Passive Parasitism]
[Note: A demon that feeds on human eyeballs, primarily serving as a "visual vessel" for the Demon King Muzan Kibutsuji.]
Fwoosh~ Two suns ignited in his pupils...
While you stand on the bridge watching the scenery, the person in the tower is watching you... Noticing Muzan's gaze, Roy activated [Eye of Revelation]. Through the Eye Demon, reversing the line of sight, he traced Muzan's gaze back and instantly spotted him, along with the man standing beside him—six-eyed, wearing a purple and black kimono over black hakama, wooden sandals, and a long, slender katana at his waist!
What a sharp gaze!
Kokushibo started. His body reacted instinctively, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword, gripping [Kyokokukamusari]!
"Muzan-sama is right. Those earrings are indeed Yoriichi's..."
The "Hanafuda earrings" dangling from Roy's ears stirred without wind. Muzan Kibutsuji, draped in a suit jacket, arms crossed, frowned silently...
In the corner of the carriage, the eyeball remained motionless, locked onto Roy. Akaza let his arms hang naturally, resting on his knees. Rui crossed his hands, playing cat's cradle with spider silk. Enmu, the "master" of this train, with black hair fading into a bewitching rose-red at the tips, spread his arms towards Roy in a trance. "Please, my dear. We've been waiting for you."
A mouth opened on the back of his hand, silently breathing "drowsiness" towards Roy...
[Blood Demon Art: Whispers of Forced Slumber Hypnosis. Note: Enmu can create a mouth on the back of his hand. When this mouth utters the phrase "Go to sleep," it forces the opponent into a deep slumber, compelling them to enter a dream created by Enmu. One cannot wake up unless they commit suicide within the dream.]
"Go to sleep..."
The mouth whispered silently...
En, Voom...
A milky-white Nen dome, like an overturned bowl, covered the train. From the moment Roy boarded, everything—people, demons, even a rat, a cockroach, a stray hair—had been captured within his "sight"...
His ears twitched, clearly catching Enmu's inner voice. He winked at Akaza and Rui. "Proceed as planned. Kill him the moment he falls asleep."
Roy played along, feigning being "hypnotized." He closed his eyes, his body swaying... Instantly, he heard countless "fine threads" cutting through the air, slicing down to cage him!
[Blood Demon Art: Cutting Thread Cage. Note: Hardens spider silk to the strength of steel, binding the enemy and slicing them into pieces instantly. Its hardness makes it difficult to cut even with a Nichirin Blade.]
In the original story, Tanjiro had suffered a loss against this very move!
"I've been waiting for you... You killed my sister, my brother, my mother and father, destroyed my home..." Rui's eyes were bloodshot. "I will destroy you..."
How long had it been? If not for Muzan-sama... Rui wouldn't have waited for this moment...
The spider web, sharper than blades, seemed slow but was lightning-fast, enveloping Roy in the blink of an eye!
Rui's face was expressionless, hiding a sliver of sadistic pleasure. His gaze locked onto Roy, as if already seeing the boy dismembered into eight pieces...
Ken
Screech...
The "steel-hard spider silk," capable of cutting through Nichirin Blades, sliced into Roy, but was instantly stopped by a layer of milky-white [Hardened] Nen film on his skin. It let out a teeth-grinding friction sound, and faint sparks even flew...
Rui and Akaza both froze!
"Such strong defense!"
Roy kept his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the threads cutting into him... The Eye Demon hiding in the corner suddenly swiveled...
Staring intently...
Muzan Kibutsuji frowned deeply, glancing sideways at Kokushibo. "Michikatsu, do you see anything?"
Rui was the Lower Moon Muzan paid the most attention to. He had raised him like a son since childhood, so Muzan knew exactly how strong Rui and his threads were... cutting through ordinary steel was no problem at all...
Kokushibo stood with his sword, silent.
His six eyes locked onto Roy through the shared vision of the Eye Demon, watching the threads grind against the Ken. After a moment, he said, "One thing is certain: the opponent is not using a 'Breathing Style'."
As Yoriichi Tsugikuni's older brother, Kokushibo, originally named Michikatsu Tsugikuni, had served in the Demon Slayer Corps alongside Yoriichi and was among the first to learn Breathing Styles... He had dedicated his life to the "Way of the Sword," desperately desiring to become a swordsman surpassing his brother. For this, he abandoned his family and his honor as a samurai, choosing to serve Muzan in exchange for eternal life to continue his refinement. Thus, aside from the deceased Yoriichi, no one had studied "Breathing Styles" deeper than him... Michikatsu Tsugikuni!
Kokushibo narrowed his eyes, watching sparks fly from the threads against the Ken. He said gravely, "'Breathing Styles' primarily enhance 'physical performance.' They can instantly raise one's offensive ceiling, but they cannot alter the body's structural composition, let alone transform skin into steel. This is... unheard of..."
"Even your brother couldn't do it?"
"He couldn't."
Kokushibo said bluntly, "He was a blade of unparalleled sharpness. Touch him and die. He had no need for defense."
Muzan's heart clenched, recalling that night he first met the crimson swordsman. He said furiously, "What is Enmu doing?"
"How can someone who's fallen asleep still consciously defend themselves?!"
Kokushibo remained silent. He didn't know what the Lower Moon was doing either. One of his eyes glanced at him... Akaza and Rui looked over as well, keenly sensing something was wrong!
"Where is your hypnosis?"
Enmu looked like he had lost his soul, staring blankly ahead, unresponsive.
Rui, unable to cut Roy, reached out a hand to touch Enmu's shoulder, but Akaza grabbed it halfway!
"Don't touch him!" With red brows and golden eyes branded with the character "Upper Three," Akaza sat next to Enmu. His nose twitched, sensing something unusual.
"Akaza, what did you find?"
The Eye Demon turned, noticing Akaza's movement. Muzan Kibutsuji's voice suddenly surfaced in his mind.
[Read thoughts, observe from afar... Controlling the life and death of subordinates with a thought is Muzan Kibutsuji's unique ability...]
Akaza lowered his head respectfully. "Reporting to Muzan-sama, I believe Enmu has discovered something."
Demons who control dreams and manipulate others fight differently from most demons. Enmu's bizarre state might be related to his battle within the dream.
[Dream Realm] was the second Blood Demon Art Enmu awakened after [Whispers of Forced Slumber Hypnosis].
He could trap others in a dream he created after hypnotizing them.
Unlike natural dreams... Enmu's dreams were not infinitely expansive. Instead, they formed a finite dream circle around the dreamer. Outside the dream circle lay the dreamer's unconscious domain.
In every dreamer's unconscious domain, there exists a "Spiritual Core." If this core is destroyed, the dreamer loses consciousness and becomes a cripple, unable to resist even if killed.
In the original story, Enmu used "Dream Ropes" to send others into Kyojuro Rengoku's dream, aiming to destroy his "Spiritual Core." Unfortunately for him, Rengoku's powerful self-awareness allowed his body to react instinctively, restraining the intruders and saving himself.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that typically, a person's "unconscious domain" is empty. But it is not impossible for those with strong self-awareness to manifest other things in their "unconscious domain" after entering a dream.
"Enmu's state might be because of something he saw..."
Akaza relayed his speculations to Muzan. He wasn't mediocre; his exceptional "combat talent" was why Muzan had scouted him... Upon receiving the order to kill Roy, he had learned about Enmu's abilities beforehand. He spoke freely, "Muzan-sama could try reading Enmu's memories. Perhaps you will find the answer."
I refuse!
Muzan coldly rejected the idea. "I'm not here to listen to your nonsense. Kill him quickly while he hasn't fully awakened!"
Once... twice... "unexpected situations" kept occurring. Muzan hated nothing more than events beyond his control!
He said darkly, "If it's you, there should be no problem, right?"
Akaza stood up, clenching his fists. "Although ganging up goes against the way of the warrior, since it is Muzan-sama's order..."
[Technique Deployment: Destructive Death: Compass Needle!]
Punches flew, creating shockwaves like a storm of pear blossoms!
Rui, blown back by the fist wind, reluctantly made way for Akaza... The web withdrew, replaced by a rain of punches like cannonballs, arriving one after another...
Inside the [Dream Realm]...
Roy had played along, voluntarily entering the dream. Sensing the Ken rippling under the external assault, he willed a slight increase in Nen output, reinforcing his defense. Then, leaning on his sword, he stood in his own dream, gazing into the distance across the unconscious domain...
In a world of blinding white where directions were lost...
Footsteps gradually approached... followed by Enmu's excited, yet perversely magnetic, coquettish voice...
Hovering around Roy's ears...
"I can feel Muzan-sama's cells trembling in fear. They are desperately urging me to kill you quickly."
"Eiichiro Kamado, is it? I hope you can understand. As a subordinate, I must obey Muzan-sama's orders. Even if I die for him..." Enmu walked slowly, biting his finger, looking at Roy with intoxication, murmuring, "I would do so willingly."
Dogs that bite don't bark. It's the useless puppies who yap wildly, relying on their master's backing.
In the original story, because of Rui's death, five of the six Lower Moons were purged, leaving only Enmu. It had to be said, his sycophancy towards Muzan as a "puppy" was extreme. It was no wonder he was favored with Muzan's blood.
Unfortunately...
"Muzan isn't here. He can't hear your bootlicking."
"It doesn't matter."
Enmu smiled faintly. "If I kill you, Muzan-sama will know of my loyalty."
So... Enmu tilted his head. "Can I see your 'Spiritual Core'?"
As he spoke, Enmu raised his hand and threw a rope woven from misty dreams, hooking Roy's wrist. [Blood Demon Art: Dream Rope. Note: Enmu's special rope allows the invader to enter the consciousness domain of the person tied to it, achieving control through dreams. To use, simply tie one end to the target's wrist and the other to one's own.]
Swish~ The rope snaked around Roy's wrist and tied a knot.
So easy... somewhat unexpected.
Enmu raised an eyebrow. "You're not resisting?"
"Why should I resist?" Roy let Enmu do as he pleased, smiling at him. "Employees as outstanding as you are rare. I... have decided to give you a little reward..."
As he spoke, the boy spread his arms, summoning his "Spiritual Core."
"Since you want to see it, I'll show it to you..."
The misty chaos parted. A great sun, radiating ten thousand rays of light, slowly rose from behind Roy's head...
It was bright, it was hot, it was dazzling beyond compare, and it tolerated not a speck of filth or darkness...
Enmu got his wish and saw it... Regrettably, he didn't seem very pleased. Amidst a bloodcurdling scream, illuminated by the sunlight, he turned into a man of fire, then silenced, obliterated, turned to ash, erased from existence by the world...
DONG~ A long, resonant bell chime, like a great bronze bell, rang out on the speeding train...
Passengers with drooping heads woke from their dreams one by one.
Rubbing sleepy eyes, yawning, stretching, or wiping drool from the corners of their mouths while no one was looking. In that instant... the train, dead silent in the [Dream Realm], "came alive"!
"Enmu, what the hell are you doing?!"
The demon eye hiding in the corner swiveled. Muzan, hiding in the Infinity Castle, watched the customers wake up one by one and was furiously angry!
He opened his hand, wanting to manipulate the demon blood and explode Enmu. But unexpectedly, he didn't need to lift a finger. In the corner by the window, Enmu, having lost the support of his consciousness, slumped over and instantly turned to ash...
At the same time, amidst the drifting ashes...
The boy "finally" opened his eyes, escaping the dream and returning to reality. He watched Akaza, throwing a flurry of punches, backhand slash Rui's head off, and looked at him sideways. "Have you had enough?"
☆☆☆
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