Chapter 72 Heading to Mount Kumotake
A satisfied expression appeared on Muzan Kibutsuji's face.
Nakime had indeed lived up to his expectations, able to withstand so much blood.
Clang!
Nakime gently plucked the strings of her biwa, and the collapsed buildings rapidly regenerated, the cracks healing one after another. In the blink of an eye, the Infinity Castle was restored to its original state.
"You did very well, Nakime!" Muzan Kibutsuji said.
Since the appearance of the defector, he had hardly encountered anything pleasant.
Nakime's promotion to Upper Moon was the only thing that had recently improved his mood.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master!" Nakime bowed slightly.
Muzan Kibutsuji asked, "Nakime, how powerful are you now?"
Nakime respectfully replied, "Lord Muzan, I can now create a large number of eyeballs and, through the power of the Infinity Castle, transmit them to various parts of the world to gather information!"
"Very good!"
Muzan Kibutsuji's voice suddenly turned cold: "Search for the traitors with all your might!"
"Lord Muzan, what should we do with the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Don't worry about them for now. We can deal with them after we've dealt with the traitors!"
Muzan Kibutsuji thought for a moment, then added, "However, the Ubuyashiki clan is an exception! Tell me immediately after you find the Ubuyashiki."
He didn't care about the ordinary people in the Demon Slayer Corps, including the so-called Pillars; to him, they were all insignificant ants.
However, the Ubuyashiki clan, like the traitors, was on his kill list.
"I understand, Lord Muzan!"
Nakime gently plucked her biwa.
Clang!
A chair appeared out of thin air.
Muzan Kibutsuji sat down.
This time, he wasn't going anywhere; he would wait here.
"Ubuyashiki, defector, enjoy this moment, this is your last time!"
Muzan Kibutsuji crossed his arms and looked quietly at Nakime.
...
Under the pitch-black night.
People gradually drifted into sleep, the sounds of the town faded, and finally, complete silence descended.
On the deserted streets,
a fleeting, imperceptible spatial fluctuation appeared, and two eyeballs silently materialized on the ground.
These eyeballs were the size of fists, with the character "陆" (Lu) etched in the center of their pupils, and tentacles sprouting from below, resembling miniature octopuses or bizarre spiders.
After the eyeballs landed, the tentacles swayed, and they quickly disappeared into the night.
This scene was simultaneously unfolding in many other places.
...
Under a tall, straight tree, a protruding rock lay, moonlight filtering through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on the ground, while a stream gurgled nearby.
Aoki sat cross-legged on the rock, leaning against the tree, holding a palm-sized stone in his hand.
His sharp fingernails grazed the stone, drawing a cut on the tip of his right index finger, from which crimson blood seeped.
Using his finger as a brush and his blood as ink, Aoki quickly began to draw on the stone.
A complex rhombus pattern gradually emerged.
After finishing the last stroke, Aoki stared at the stone. After two seconds, he shook his head and sighed.
"Another failure."
Creating a spatial imprint requires a medium, and for Aoki, the best medium was his own blood.
He understood the entire method perfectly.
However, actually creating one was not easy.
Not only did he need to ensure the accuracy of the engraved pattern, but he also had to be in a certain mental and physical state.
The whole process wasn't difficult, but it required a lot of practice to master.
"I thought I could try 'Spatial Imprint Teleportation' today!"
Aoki suppressed his impatience, threw the discarded stone into the stream, and casually picked up another one from the nearby pile of stones.
Time passed gradually, the sun rose and set.
Aoki threw away the stone in his hand and stood up.
"A whole day, and I haven't even succeeded once. It seems I'll have to wait until later."
The time he had agreed upon with Giyu Tomioka was approaching.
Aoki quickly descended the mountain and met up with Giyu Tomioka on a small bridge.
Without exchanging words, the two, led by Giyu Tomioka, headed northwest and eventually arrived at a small town.
"It was in this town that I first discovered Tanjiro's information. After investigating, I confirmed that he is the boy that Mr. Aomura was looking for."
Giyu Tomioka pointed to the mountain behind the town: "That's Mt. Kumotori. The Kamado family lives on that mountain."
Mt. Kumotori is the highest mountain in Tokyo, with an altitude of over two thousand meters, and it is located in Okutama District, along with Mt. Ōtake, where the Eternal Paradise Cult is based.
Okutama District, located on the northwestern edge of Tokyo, is one of the least developed areas in the city.
While bustling areas like Asakusa have begun to modernize, much of Okutama District remains underdeveloped, and the two had barely sensed any signs of modern civilization along their journey.
It was late at night, and the town was quiet, save for the occasional bark of a dog and the crowing of a rooster.
Aoki and Giyu Tomioka didn't linger and immediately began climbing the mountain.
Kumotori Mountain was rarely visited, and the mountain paths were extremely difficult.
However, Aoki and Giyu Tomioka traversed it as if it were flat ground.
At dawn, the two reached the halfway point of Kumotori Mountain.
There, they found a flat area with tall, straight trees, and nestled among them was a dilapidated, low house.
"This is the Kamado family's house!" Giyu Tomioka said.
Aoki looked at the house from afar, a hint of hesitation on his face.
Because of him, the world had undergone a dramatic transformation.
However, Tanjiro, the protagonist of this era, hadn't been significantly affected.
If he took this step, Tanjiro's fate would inevitably change drastically.
In the original story, Tanjiro played a crucial role in killing Muzan Kibutsuji.
He was the first to awaken the Demon Slayer Mark, and in the final battle, Tanjiro was also the most important fighting force.
"Without Tanjiro, it would have been impossible to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji," that's absolutely true. But what
if Tanjiro wasn't there…?
"Hello, do you need any help?"
A clear voice interrupted his thoughts, and Aoki looked up.
A young girl stood at the door of the wooden house ahead. Her hair was styled in a bun, and her kimono was faded from washing, even showing many signs of mending. Her fair and delicate face wore a sunny, pure, and unguarded smile.
A smile appeared on Aoki's face.
So what if it affects him!
Even if he didn't contact Tanjiro, Muzan Kibutsuji might not have come to Tanjiro's house.
No Tanjiro, no problem!
He had confidence in himself and the system!
Besides, even if his family hadn't suffered such a disaster, would Tanjiro still be unable to be a swordsman?
Hatred is Tanjiro's driving force, but it's not his only one.
Given Tanjiro's personality, showing him the sins committed because of demons would still ignite his fury.
Aoki looked at Giyu Tomioka: "Mr. Giyu, could I speak with them alone from now on?"
"Of course."
Giyu Tomioka glanced at him, asked nothing, and turned to leave.
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(End of Chapter)