Isekai Adventure in the Dimensional Cube

"War?"

Upon hearing Kibutsuji Muzan's words, the demons were all momentarily stunned.

But Kibutsuji Muzan still offered no explanation.

This demon king, with his personality not only cruel and ruthless, viewed the demons he created as tools for seeking the Azure Spider Lily and for annihilating the Ghost Hunters, lacking human sensibilities inherently; he was a creature whose both body and mind were starkly divergent from "human."

His personality also harbored many twisted elements—he was extremely brutal, had an unusually explosive temper, and ruled the demons with absolute terror, yet he was extraordinarily cowardly, fearing death and obsessed with immortality to such an extent that even if someone remarked that he looked like a seriously ill person, or someone on the brink of death, he would fly into a furious rage and brutally murder them.

Now feeling moody, not slaughtering one or two people to vent was already quite lenient of him—who else would he bother to explain anything to?

If his mood had been good, that might have been another story.

Unfortunately, his mood now was probably the worst it had been in a millennium.

The last time he felt this awful was when Tsukiguni Yoriichi had nearly slain him.

Now, centuries later, just because of the name "Tsukiguni Yoriichi," he found himself in a passive situation and was in an especially foul mood.

Whenever he thought about it, Kibutsuji Muzan became extremely furious.

"Why would he know about the Azure Spider Lily?"

This was the one thing that truly baffled Kibutsuji Muzan.

Only those transformed into demons by his blood, completely under his control, knew that he was searching for the Azure Spider Lily. They wouldn't dare leak any information about the Azure Spider Lily, let alone so much as mention the name Kibutsuji Muzan—they'd be instantly killed by his Curse.

Under such circumstances, how did this Tsukiguni Yoriichi, appearing all of a sudden from nowhere, come to know about the Azure Spider Lily?

If it had just been knowledge, that would have been tolerable, but he even had the gall to claim:

"The Azure Spider Lily is in my hands."

At first, Kibutsuji Muzan hardly believed it.

An item he had searched for, tirelessly for a thousand years, sending countless demons around the world to find it without any success—how could it simply be in someone else's possession? And this was someone capable of using the Sun Wheel Blade, possessing the name "Tsukiguni Yoriichi," a Ghost Hunter. What kind of coincidence could that be?

This must be a trick!

That was what Kibutsuji Muzan told himself.

Yet as he reassured himself, another voice inevitably emerged in Kibutsuji Muzan's mind.

What if?

What if he really has it?

If he really does have it, and he let it slip through his fingers, wouldn't he be letting go of any hope for immortality?

The obsession with immortality plunged Kibutsuji Muzan deep into internal strife, attempting over and over again to persuade himself.

It had been a millennium, with no hint of information about the Azure Spider Lily before, and now suddenly this news emerged—it was really hard for Kibutsuji Muzan not to harbor a sliver of hope.

If it were anyone else who had been searching unsuccessfully for a thousand years, receiving news one day, they would surely lose their mind and seek it out at all costs. Kibutsuji Muzan was not one to exercise restraint or caution either; if he hadn't been wary of Reiger's demonstrated strength, he would have attacked long before.

The only reason he hadn't done so now was purely because the demon king's cowardice and fear of death were at play.

Yet ultimately, his desire for immortality pushed Kibutsuji Muzan to take action.

After all, doing nothing and missing this opportunity that he had waited a thousand years for was absolutely unthinkable.

Driven by such thoughts, Kibutsuji Muzan made his arrangements.

"Nakime, keep an eye on Hanegu. Once you confirm, he has evaded the Ghost Hunters' watch, summon him directly back to Infinite City, and tell him what happened today," Kibutsuji Muzan instructed without looking at Nakime by his side. "Also, keep a close watch on every move of the Ghost Hunters, and don't lose sight of them until I have everything ready."

"Yes,"

Nakime bowed to receive the order.

"Gyuutarou is already dead, and the position of the Fifth Upper Moon is vacant," Kibutsuji Muzan said expressionlessly. "Handle this well, and his rank will be yours."

"Thank you, Lord Muzan, for the promotion."

Only then did Nakime's voice brighten a bit.

At this moment, Kibutsuji Muzan turned to the group of Upper Moon demons.

"During this period, I want you to seek out as many potential powerful demons as possible and bring them before me," Kibutsuji Muzan said, his back to the demons and his expression hidden; however, the demons could see the veins bulging on his neck and temples as he continued: "If you can't find the Azure Spider Lily, at least you shouldn't have trouble finding people, right?"

The demons hastily agreed.

If anyone dared to say there was a problem now, they'd definitely lose their heads.

They realized that perhaps the Azure Spider Lily had indeed emerged but had fallen into the enemy's hands, which was why Kibutsuji Muzan was so furious.

Finding the Azure Spider Lily was the most critical task Kibutsuji Muzan personally assigned to the Twelve Demon Moons, and now that the target fell into enemy hands, his anger toward them was perfectly understandable.

Understanding this, the demons immediately knew what they needed to do.

Prepare for battle to the utmost, seize the Azure Spider Lily back, and present it to Lord Muzan.

This was the task the demons had discerned.

After the demons came to this realization, Kibutsuji Muzan finally turned around and faced them directly.

"Remember, this is your last chance. If you can't handle it, the Upper Moon might as well dissolve along with the Lower Moon," he said.

Kibutsuji Muzan's cold voice conveyed the cruel decision he had made to the demons.

You see, after Rui from the lower ranks lost to Tanjirou and was defeated by the Demon Slayer Corps and deemed useless by Kibutsuji Muzan, his method of disbanding them was to kill them all.

As a result, among the remaining demons of the lower ranks, except for the strongest and most favored by Kibutsuji Muzan, Nightmare, who survived, the rest were killed on the spot by Kibutsuji Muzan.

If the upper ranks were also disbanded, would the only possible survivor be Kokushibou, the upper rank one? Would all other upper ranks be killed as well?

Do not assume that Kibutsuji Muzan would spare talents; this demon lord is the most ruthless and cold-hearted. The Twelve Kizuki were created solely for the purposes of finding the blue spider lily and eliminating the Demon Slayer Corps. If these objectives were not met, death would be their only outcome.

"Go and prepare."

Leaving these words behind, Kibutsuji Muzan turned away.

He, too, needed to make some preparations.

"Ding-ding—"

Nakime immediately played her biwa, causing the door of Kibutsuji Muzan's room to slam shut abruptly, disappearing into the Infinite City.

The immense pressure that permeated Infinite City then dissipated, allowing the demons to stand up.

"Who would have thought things would turn out this way?" Douma, still smiling, said to his two colleagues, "It seems we really have to make an effort this time, Lord Kokushibou, Lord Akaza, what will you do?"

Kokushibou and Akaza paid no attention to Douma.

"This is the last chance... I hope you cherish it…"

Kokushibou simply said this and then turned and walked away.

"How cold," Douma pouted, then turned to Akaza and smiled, "Tell me, Lord Akaza, do you know what exactly has happened? It seems like Lord Muzan dispatched the Hantengu, Gyuutarou, and his sister after hearing of your beheading to investigate the one who nearly killed you. Is it related to him?"

Douma's words made Akaza remember that man.

"Is this related to Yoriichi Tsukiguni?"

At that moment, Akaza furrowed his brows and murmured softly.

It was this soft murmur that clearly reached Kokushibou, who was about to leave.

"————!"

Kokushibou's stepping foot suddenly halted, then he forcefully spun around.

"Who did you just say...?"

At that moment, an aura and pressure much more terrifying than when Kokushibou first appeared before Akaza and Douma surged out of him.

This aura and pressure startled Akaza awake.

"Lord Kokushibou?" Douma asked curiously, "What's this...?"

Before he could finish his sentence, a flash of sword light suddenly struck in front of Douma.

"Ptui!"

A ripping sound ensued, and Douma's head was decapitated, rolling on the ground.

At the same time, Kokushibou appeared in front of Akaza, grabbing his collar before he could react.

"Speak!" Kokushibou said in a low voice, "Who did you just say this matter is related to?"

"Let go of me!"

Akaza became furious, struggling hard.

But he couldn't break free, even as several slashes of sword light struck him.

"Ptui!" "Ptui!" "Ptui!"...

As the slashes fell one after the other, Akaza's limbs were severed, and his body was chopped into pieces, leaving only his head in Kokushibou's hand.

"Speak!"

Kokushibou's tone had become fierce.

Akaza had never heard such a tone from Kokushibou.

"...I was talking about Yoriichi Tsukiguni!" Akaza stared fixedly at Kokushibou, finally telling him, "You know, don't you? Recently, a human swordsman with a Sun Wheel Blade decapitated me, nearly killing me!"

"That man, his name is Yoriichi Tsukiguni!"

Akaza's words elicited only one phrase from Kokushibou.

"Impossible...!"

Kokushibou's voice began to tremble.

"He said so himself!" Akaza roared, "He uses a breathing style called Sun Breathing, something I have never seen in other members of the Demon Slayer Corps. If you don't believe me, go check!"

Akaza's words made Kokushibou's hands tremble slightly.

"Sun Breathing..."

In Infinite City, the trembling voice of the upper moon one lingered long.

It sounded as if he was hating something, and at the same time crying.