Muzan Kibutsuji.
Theoretically, this person should have been the main antagonist of this world. Even if he wasn't as terrifying as the Outer God from the previous world, he should at least have been a minor boss on the level of Zouken or Francesca, someone capable of making one's blood boil.
But now... his pathetic performance in the broadcast made one seriously doubt his capabilities.
---o---
[Light Curtain Comments]
[Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa: "Is this really the kind of guy we've been fighting all this time? This is the Demon King? This is the progenitor of all demons?"]
In the Demon Slayer world, the Wind Hashira's eyes nearly popped out of his head at Muzan's disgraceful behavior. The Muzan they had been searching for for so many years was this pathetic?
[Accelerator: "You call this a villain? He's no different from a cockroach in the sewer." ]
[Old Woman of the Flower Field: "Sigh. Such cowardice is clearly a sign of not getting enough sun. He should learn from the sunflowers and get some more sun. It helps build courage." ]
In Gensokyo, a stunningly beautiful old woman... Yuuka Kazami, holding a parasol, was quietly admiring a field of blooming flowers. As the world of Demon Slayer was gradually revealed, she had started to take a slight interest in its contents. Of course, this was mainly because Dio and the demons of his world were somewhat similar to the vampires from the Scarlet Devil Mansion next door.
[Marine Admiral Akainu: "Hmph. Such a demon that brings disaster upon the world does not deserve to live. He should receive the most severe punishment." ]
With the words 'Absolute Justice' on his back, regardless of Akainu's own character, Muzan Kibutsuji from the light curtain had just been added to his kill list.
[Daki: "That's impossible! Lord Muzan would never be like that! This is definitely slander!"]
[Muzan Kibutsuji: "Shut up, Daki! If you dare say another word, you can prepare to die!"]
In the Infinity Castle, Muzan cut Daki off, his expression grim. With the broadcast, his shameful appearance had been spread across the myriad worlds.
The Demon Slayer Corps, the demons, everyone now knew his disgraceful true nature. Even though Muzan held the power of life and death over all demons, was he supposed to kill them all now?
What would happen to his search for the Blue Spider Lily? Was he supposed to look for it alone? And then there was Dio, who could appear at any time. Muzan Kibutsuji did not dare to face him alone...
---o---
[Light Curtain]
Time flew by, and three months passed.
It had been three months since Dio arrived in this world. Not a long time, but not a short one either.
Elysia's entire transmigration had lasted no more than seven days in total, while Dio had already been here for a casual three months.
In these three months, Dio had completely mastered the history and culture of this world.
As a natural-born villain, Dio possessed excellent learning abilities, extraordinary creativity, outstanding adaptability, and remarkable charisma.
These strengths allowed him to survive and gather his own forces in any era and any environment.
And now, in just three short months, the organization Dio had established was already of a considerable scale and exceptionally active.
"Lord Dio, we have located the Demon Slayer Corps' bases in various regions. They are all in this report."
The video showed a vast, dimly lit space. Dio sat on a throne-like chair atop a flight of stairs, with the demon Kyogai standing beside him like a servant.
"Hoh? So soon? I thought you would need a little more time."
Dio said, holding the document. Below the steps was a middle-aged man in a Western-style suit. To be dressed like this during the Taisho period spoke volumes of his high status and immense wealth.
But what confused the audience was that this man did not appear to be a demon, but rather a human.
Right now, this wealthy capitalist, a man held in high esteem by ordinary people, was crouched on the floor like a dog, looking up at the man on the steps with an expression full of awe.
"Lord Dio, our family has been involved in politics and business for generations. We have considerable influence in this country of Japan. A mere civilian organization is nothing to us."
The man in the suit explained how he was able to so easily find the Demon Slayer Corps' branch locations, his head bowed, not daring to meet Dio's eyes.
That man was too powerful, too terrifying. He revered Dio from the bottom of his heart, willing to be his workhorse. And the reward he sought was something incredibly simple for Dio to grant.
Looking at the man, a smile crept onto Dio's lips. In just three short months, his influence had already infiltrated the government of this country called Japan.
This was all thanks to the dedicated efforts of the man before him. Since he was so sincere, it was time to give him what he desired. But... first, he had to confirm his loyalty.
Rising from his throne, Dio slowly descended the stairs and came to stand before the man in the suit.
"Your Fujiwara family has produced generations of capable officials and businessmen. Do you not feel resentful, having to submit to me, Dio?"
Feeling the chill emanating from Dio, the man's body trembled ceaselessly. This was not due to the cold, nor was it fear. It was excitement—the excitement of about to receive a great boon.
"Lord Dio, our Fujiwara family originally served the Emperor for generations. But compared to you, Lord Dio, the so-called Emperor is nothing but a laughable ant."
"You are the King of Kings, the most powerful and beautiful king in the world. Perhaps the Fujiwara family is not yet worthy of being your servants, but we are willing to devote everything to earn that right!"
The man spoke with excitement, the sincerity in his eyes impossible to hide, as if the one standing before him was not a vampire, but his god.
"Very good, Fujiwara. I acknowledge your efforts. The Fujiwara family has indeed done a great deal." Dio's tone was filled with praise, which made the man overjoyed.
But then Dio's tone shifted. "However... Fujiwara, do you see the wound on my neck? It's from my battle with JoJo a century ago."
Dio allowed the man to raise his head and look at the scar on his neck. "To fully heal this wound, I still need to feed on I don't know how many more people."
"But... according to Kyogai, your blood is Marechi, one in ten thousand. The blood of one person like you is worth that of hundreds."
"Fujiwara, are you willing to offer your blood to me? In return, I will place your family at the pinnacle of the world."
"Offer my blood?" In other words, he had to die?
The man, a Fujiwara, instantly broke out in a cold sweat. Death... if he were to die here, it would be a betrayal of his original goal.
But... did he have a choice? Lord Dio was destined to become the Emperor of the World. If he could make even a small contribution to Lord Dio's path to supremacy, wouldn't his life have been worthwhile?
With this thought, the man lowered his head once more and said respectfully, "Yes, Lord Dio. If you wish to take it, then please, take it."
He pulled a dagger from his coat and, without a moment's hesitation, slit his own carotid artery. In the next instant, blood gushed out.
The Marechi blood, so alluring to demons, now sprayed from the man's body. His vision grew increasingly blurry until he lost consciousness.
"To cut your own artery. I am pleased. But Fujiwara, I cannot take the blood of such a loyal subject. I will use the blood of others to heal my wounds."
Dio looked at the unconscious man on the floor, quite satisfied. He then cut his own arm with his finger, letting his blood drip onto the man and merge with his.
"With this resolve, you have earned the right to stand by my, Dio's, side."
Speaking words of acknowledgment, Dio once again expended a great deal of his own blood to transform Fujiwara into a vampire like Kyogai, not an inferior zombie.
"Lord Dio, I will not fail your expectations! From now on, all of Japan will belong to you, Lord Dio! The Fujiwara family will serve you to the death!"
Kneeling on one knee, Fujiwara once again expressed his loyalty to Dio.
From this day forward, Dio's influence would no longer be limited to the underworld and the night. It would permeate every aspect of the nation called Japan. This country would gradually become his, Dio's, puppet state!
---o---
[Light Curtain Comments]
As the man in the suit transformed into a vampire, the comments section fell silent.
Just how powerful could a person's charisma be to make others willingly die for them?
[Lord of the Scarlet Devil Mansion: "Both are demons, yet the gap between Muzan Kibutsuji and Dio can no longer be described with words. It's like the difference between the moon and dust." ]
[Fantasiyland's Public Security Officer: "Peak charisma, superhuman learning ability, cautious and not reckless, and also incredibly strong. What do you even use to fight a villain like this? You can't even beat him by throwing your head at him." ]
[Tanjiro Kamado: "Why? What is happening? Isn't he human? Isn't he a government official? Why would he serve Dio? Why would he become a man-eating demon!"]
In the Demon Slayer world, Tanjiro's eyes were bloodshot, his rage at its peak. If he had been forcibly turned into a demon, if he had been coerced into investigating the Demon Slayer Corps' bases...
He could have grudgingly accepted those reasons. But the human in the video, with an expression more evil than any demon, had unhesitatingly sold out humanity to a monster.
[Light Yagami: "Because that's human nature. Although he didn't say it outright, I believe his goal from the beginning was to obtain eternal life from Dio. He was simply captivated by Dio's charisma in the process of working for him." ]
[Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho: "I see. Compared to those demons, is he more of a monster? No bottom line, no morals, abandoning his own humanity..." ]
[Otto Apocalypse: "Heh heh. The most terrifying enemy in the world is never an external one, but humanity itself. Dio understands this principle deeply, which is why he can quickly adapt to any era and accumulate his own power." ]
---o---
[Light Curtain]
As Dio's power continued to expand, the camera gradually shifted from his rapidly growing influence to another location.
It was a mountain shrouded in mist, covered in various purple plants. This was the Wisteria flower, a specialty of the Demon Slayer world.
Most viewers didn't recognize it, but the Demon Slayer Corps in their own world reacted instantly upon seeing the mountain.
This was Wisteria Flower Mountain, the place where all Demon Slayers undergo their Final Selection. The story being told now was their own.
"Hah... hah—" A series of ragged breaths could be heard. A young boy, holding a sword, was facing several ordinary demons.
He made a good first impression. After getting used to Dio's evil and terrifying aura, this boy with deep red hair, red eyes, a scar on the left side of his forehead, and wearing Hanafuda earrings, exuded a conspicuous sense of righteousness.
That's right. This person was the fated protagonist of the Demon Slayer world. Similar to Saber from the previous world, he was a man favored by destiny and the decisive figure who would ultimately defeat Muzan in the final battle—Tanjiro Kamado.
After his entire family was slaughtered by a demon and his only remaining sister, Nezuko, was turned into one, he set out on the path to become a Demon Slayer. After arduously training in breathing techniques and swordsmanship on Sagiri Mountain, he came here to participate in the Final Selection to find a way to turn his sister back into a human.
"This is not as simple as I imagined," Tanjiro panted, looking at the demons before him.
To pass the Final Selection, one had to survive for seven days on a mountain teeming with demons. With Tanjiro's abilities, ordinary demons were no longer a match for him.
However, Wisteria Flower Mountain was crawling with demons, and several days of fighting had left his body exhausted.
Perhaps sensing Tanjiro's fatigue, the demons exchanged a look and scrambled to charge at him, each afraid that the juicy morsel would fall into another's mouth.
"Hah—" Taking a deep breath, Tanjiro tightened his grip on his sword, preparing for a fight to the death.
However, the demons before him all froze as if they had seen something unbelievable, their heads snapping in unison to look behind Tanjiro.
Tanjiro paused, unsure if he should turn around. If these demons charged, he was confident he could slay them. But if he looked back now, he would likely be ambushed.
Hmph hmph. His nose twitched. Tanjiro, with his exceptionally keen sense of smell, seemed to have caught a scent. It was the scent of a human. Someone had suddenly appeared behind him... a human?
But he hadn't smelled anything like it before... what was this...
---o---
Author's Note:
PS: The real protagonist will appear in the next chapter.