Chapter 114: Technology [Eight Gates]

(I’m back. Sorry for making you all worry. My condition isn’t fully recovered yet—only slowly improving. The doctors said depression and schizophrenia can only be overcome by myself; medication can only suppress symptoms…)

After the Pillar Meeting ended, everyone left to practice the weapons Zero had given them.

Zero went to the [Nirvana] to discuss next steps with everyone and shared his plan with them.

After thorough discussion, everyone agreed it was fine.

Just as Zero was about to leave, Bai Yun suddenly called out to him.

“Brother, wait!”

“What is it, Xiao Yun?”

Bai Yun took a metal briefcase and a red rhombus device from her [Nanotech Space] and handed them both to Zero.

“Brother, take these two things.”

“This is…”

Zero took the items and recognized the red rhombus device as an upgrade accessory for the [Dark Alloy Armor].

Once the [Dark Alloy Armor] is equipped with this upgrade accessory, its defense and durability will increase tenfold.

He then opened the briefcase, where eight small blocks of sleek, silver-gray metal lay quietly.

Each metal block was engraved with two characters: Open Gate, Rest Gate, Life Gate, Injury Gate, Conceal Gate, Scene Gate, Death Gate, Shock Gate.

“This is… the [Eight Gates]?! Xiao Yun, you actually brought the [Eight Gates] too!”

“Better to be cautious. Also, Brother, be careful—though the [Eight Gates] are powerful, since we came to this other world, they’ve become highly unstable. Use them with extreme care.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The [Eight Gates] of Technology—this was what Bai Yun created over five hundred years using her own skills and technology.

The only difference is, this power is bound to the armor; the true [Eight Gates] are too immense for any human to fully control or wield.

Even using them costs one’s life.

So this technological [Eight Gates] uses the [Dark Alloy Armor] as a vessel to bear its power instead of a human body.

…

Deep into the night.

Zero’s mansion.

Zero sat motionless on the rooftop like a statue, gazing upward at the sky, his eyes flowing like a lively stream, as if lost in a vortex of memories.

Unconsciously, more than three years had passed since he arrived in this other world—everything that had happened felt unreal.

Just as his thoughts swirled, a pair of soft, pale hands quietly reached from behind him and covered his eyes.

“Luo Li, I know it’s you. I’ve long recognized your unique scent.”

“Ahh~ You guessed it.”

Luo Li grinned mischievously, sat on Zero’s lap, leaned into his arms, and they said nothing—but both felt each other’s heartbeat.

After a long while, Zero spoke slowly: “Luo Li…”

“Mm, I’m here.”

“Thank you.”

“Why thank me… Ugh! Mmm~ Jiu ~”

Before she finished, Zero cupped her delicate face and kissed her inviting lips.

The sudden kiss caught Luo Li off guard, yet she didn’t resist—instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck…

………

The next morning.

Watching Luo Li still asleep beside him, Zero unconsciously smiled faintly.

Gently pulling the blanket over her, he carefully tucked her in, then pressed a soft kiss to her smooth, pale forehead.

He rose slowly from bed and slipped out of the bedroom without a sound.

The moment Zero stepped out and closed the bedroom door, Luo Li’s eyes snapped open—her lips curled into a sly smile.

Last night, she’d acted like a cunning little fox, deliberately teasing Zero—yet he’d ended up bleeding from the nose and fainting.

No wonder Kanae and Mitsuri said he sometimes resembled a shy red apple, blushing easily, and like a dull wooden head, utterly clueless about romance.

Infinite Castle.

“Muneyo, how is the situation?”

“My lord Muzan, I’ve located every member of the Demon Slayer Corps.”

“Excellent. Your growth has surpassed my expectations.”

“It is my honor.”

Muzan stood atop the high platform, gazing down coldly at the thousands of demons below, his face expressionless.

These demons, transformed by blood, all now possessed strength equal to Lower Moon level; a few even rivaled Upper Moon Six.

His plan was simple: deploy all these demons into Asakusa to draw the Demon Slayer Corps’ attention, forcing their Pillars and hunters to scatter and become unable to respond elsewhere.

Then, he would strike opportunistically, infiltrate the Demon Slayer Corps, exterminate the Ubuyashiki family, and ensure the Demon Slayer Corps vanished forever.

As for Zero—he claimed to have lived over two thousand years, but Muzan didn’t believe any human could survive ten thousand.

Once the Ubuyashiki family and the Demon Slayer Corps were gone, he could hide and slowly wait for Zero to die, then emerge to find the Blue Higanbana.

At that time, no one would stand in his way to becoming the perfect ultimate being.

“Muneyo, teleport them all to Asakusa in five days.”

“Yes, my lord Muzan.”

Yet Muzan did not know that every move he made had already been monitored by Bai Yun aboard the [Nirvana].

Bai Yun swiftly relayed the intercepted information to Zero via her [Analysis Glasses].

Upon receiving Bai Yun’s message, Zero smirked inwardly—he had already guessed what Muzan intended.

Too bad, his calculations were wrong. In five days, who lives and who dies is not Muzan’s to decide.

………

Unconsciously, the third day had arrived.

Kanae, Shinobu, and Juu Shi stared at the object inside the glass vessel before them, their faces filled with satisfaction.

After three days and nights of nonstop work, they had not only created the [Blue Higanbana], but also infused it with the drug they’d previously developed to combat Muzan.

Juu Shi : “Finally, it’s done.”

Shinobu: “Now that we have the [Blue Higanbana], what’s next?”

Kanae: “Leave it to Zero. He’s already planned everything and prepared accordingly.”

Then Kanae left the lab and summoned her Sound Crow to inform Zero that the [Blue Higanbana] had been successfully created.

Soon after, Zero arrived at Butterfly House. Seeing Kanae’s exhausted expression, his heart ached—he pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.

“You’ve worked hard, Kanae.”

“Not hard at all. All of this is worth it.”

Though it was daytime, Juu Shi was still a demon, so thick black curtains blocked all sunlight from the windows.

Yet strangely, though the lab was lit, it felt brighter than usual, faintly emitting a soft pink aura.

Juu Shi didn’t know where to look, and secretly envied Kanae.

Creak… creak…

Shinobu’s face twisted in irritation.

Hugging and cuddling in public was bad enough—but now they were openly flaunting it, completely ignoring everyone else’s discomfort.

“Ahem…”

Shinobu coughed twice, signaling someone else was present—but her eyes betrayed a hint of pouting.

Seeing this, Zero released Kanae and walked to Shinobu, placing his right hand gently atop her head. “You’ve worked hard, Xiao Ren.”

“W-what hard work?! I… I don’t care! Hmph~”

Shinobu crossed her arms and turned her head away to hide her flushed cheeks.

Yet she didn’t resist Zero’s head-rubbing at all—in fact, she loved it.

Zero had long grown used to this.

He then turned to Juu Shi , extended his hand, and smiled: “You’ve worked hard too, Juu Shi . Rest assured—I’ll let you witness Muzan vanish from this world forever.”

“Th-thank you.”

Juu Shi reached out and clasped Zero’s hand.

…………