Chapter 297: The Demon King Emerging from Obscurity

Some time ago,

after he fled from that pharmacy in the bustling town, he had stayed within the Infinite Castle and had not shown his face.

The sudden, weird situation made him extremely panicked.

In particular, a strange Game Invitation kept appearing by his side; even while hiding inside the Infinite Castle, the invitation still arrived right on schedule.

This weird situation had kept Muzan Kibutsuji in hiding until now, until he discovered that Hantengu of the Upper Moon displayed the same posture of being entangled by an invitation.

Only then did he summon the other party to the Infinite Castle to have them investigate information regarding the Samsara Game.

"How truly annoying, this feeling of being beyond my control."

Muzan Kibutsuji's hands did not stop their movements as he poured a potion into a test tube, whispering softly to himself.

Hantengu, prostrate on the ground, trembled slightly, pretending not to have heard.

If one were to hear such things,

one would be directly erased into blood plasma by Lord Muzan.

These demons were all created by the blood of Muzan Kibutsuji, like servants who had signed a Contract, their lives and deaths held in the hands of the Demon King.

"Fortunately, it is you, Hantengu."

The corners of Muzan Kibutsuji's mouth curled up, revealing a smile meant to comfort the other party.

Yet, this smile looked exceptionally cold and chilling.

He was right; it was fortunate that Hantengu had received the Game Invitation, otherwise, had it been any of the other Upper Moons, no matter how much he might regret the loss, he would have directly erased them.

Fortunately, Hantengu was sufficiently cowardly.

Even so,

the murderous intent in the depths of Muzan Kibutsuji's eyes did not diminish by even half a fraction.

Should there be even the slightest thing amiss, he would kill Hantengu directly, even if the other party was a precious Upper Moon.

"Who exactly is it? A new trick cooked up by the Demon Slayer Corps, or..."

Muzan Kibutsuji closed his eyes, pondering the various possibilities.

The possibility of it being the Demon Slayer Corps was extremely low;

a group of weak humans, mastering pathetic Breathing Techniques, could never possibly come into contact with supernatural power, let alone cause interference for him.

It could not be a demon either;

all demons were controlled by him, and no thought could escape him.

Even that one who ran away back then... her Blood Demon Art had no connection to games either.

There was only one possibility, and it was a highly probable one: a new Demon King had been born!

This was Muzan Kibutsuji's conjecture;

since he himself was able to become a near-perfect life form a thousand years ago due to the combination of illness and medicine,

there was no reason why, after all these years, no new special life form could have appeared.

And the Game Invitation was the ability, or rather the Blood Demon Art, of that newly born special life form.

"A demon that is not under my control and can even interfere with me in return should not exist in this world."

Muzan Kibutsuji raised his eyelids, his gaze filled with fury and a trace of hidden fear, and he said calmly: "Nakime, send Hantengu away, then summon all Upper Moons except him to the Infinite Castle."

He certainly would not let Hantengu, who had come into contact with the Game Invitation, interact with the other Upper Moons.

Soon,

the demons with the rank of Upper Moon carved into their eyes were transported into the Infinite Castle.

"How truly fortunate to be summoned by Lord Muzan."

Gyokko crawled out of his jar with a twisted body, knelt on the ground, and looked excitedly toward the Demon King on high.

Then, turning his head, he saw that all the other Upper Moons were present, except for Hantengu.

"Could it be that Hantengu has been killed?"

Akaza, with cherry-pink hair and deep blue tattoos carved all over his body, said in a low voice.

The summoning of all Upper Moons was something that barely happened once in nearly a hundred years; it only occurred when an Upper Moon demon died.

Unfortunately, the annoying Doma was present here,

and it was obvious that only the absent Hantengu could be the dead Upper Moon.

Kokushibo, wearing samurai attire, sat quietly by the table, saying nothing.

Whoever it was, their death had nothing to do with him.

Even when summoned by the Demon King, he still maintained the state of Moon Breathing; for the nearly one thousand years since he became a demon, he had been training every moment. He simply wanted to surpass a certain person.

In any other demon, even an Upper Moon, this would be a great disrespect to Muzan Kibutsuji and would result in punishment from the Demon King.

But Muzan Kibutsuji only swept a faint glance at him, as if it were a common occurrence.

"Lord Muzan, and fellow companions, it has been nearly a hundred years since we all gathered together, hasn't it? I really have missed everyone."

"And my favorite Lord Akaza, it really puts my mind at ease that you haven't been killed."

Doma, with his colorful eyes and a smile on his face, opened his arms, enthusiastically seeking a response from the others.

But he noticed that only Gyokko nodded slightly toward him, while the other demons showed no reaction at all.

"What a cold reaction, I am so heartbroken."

Doma was still smiling, but he wore a hurt expression.

However,

all the demons could feel that although he was smiling, the smile was cold from beginning to end.

It was just like a fixed smile carved by a craftsman onto an ice sculpture.

Cold, indifferent.

A viscous, cold, and evil aura erupted, suppressing the chaotic and noisy sounds.

"No Upper Rank has died; Hantengu has been sent by me to execute a secret mission."

"I have summoned you all to the Infinite Castle because there is a new mission."

Kibutsuji Muzan was disguised in the appearance of a child, his youthful face bearing an expression that disregarded life.

"Damnable Hantengu, I am truly envious; why can't a job like this, being entrusted with a special mission by Lord Muzan, be mine?"

Gyokko's deformed, short arms swayed, emitting a regretful moan.

"The Blue Spider Lily, it hasn't been found for hundreds of years."

"The Ubuyashiki clan remains active in every corner of the country."

"If you still cannot complete this new mission, I truly do not understand the meaning of your existence."

Kibutsuji Muzan's gaze was cold; his violently fluctuating emotions caused blue veins to bulge, and he said: "Go and search for it; it is neither the Demon Slayer Corps, nor human, nor is it a demon, but a newly emerged special life form."

"Find them, bring them back, or kill them directly."

The voice spread throughout the Infinite Castle.

Hearing this mission, the Upper Ranks all revealed expressions of astonishment.

A new special life form?

Not human, not the Demon Slayer Corps, and not a demon.

"How interesting, Lord Muzan; if it is neither a demon nor a human, could it be a God?"

Doma's eyes revealed an appropriate look of excitement, but deep down, there was not the slightest ripple; whether it was human or God, neither could bring him emotional fluctuations, and he was not interested in any of it.

"That kind of thing does not exist at all."

Kibutsuji Muzan said coldly: "Only I am the most perfect life form in the world."

"That newly emerged creature possesses a bewitching ability; if anyone fails to resist the bewitchment, they will be killed by me."

He was referring to the Game Invitation.

If the other Upper Ranks were also chosen by the Invitation Letter like Hantengu, they were strictly forbidden from accepting the invitation.

Otherwise, he would kill them directly.

"Understood."

Seeing Kibutsuji Muzan's serious demeanor, the Upper Rank demons all nodded and spoke.

Clang.

With several crisp plucks of a string instrument, the Upper Rank demons vanished within the Infinite Castle, ending the brief exchange.

For a thousand years, Kibutsuji Muzan had maintained absolute vigilance; even for the demons whose life and death he could control,

he refused to let them communicate with each other to avoid any accidents.

"The Blue Spider Lily, as long as I can find the Blue Spider Lily, I will be able to become the most perfect life form!"

Thinking of the regrets of the past thousand years, Kibutsuji Muzan gasped violently in anger,

and he picked up the black Invitation Letter on the table.

His eyes flickered as he thought: "Hantengu has already paved the way for me and there is no danger; should I find another demon to test it?"

(End of chapter)