Chapter 117: Technology—Eight Gates Forbidden Formation

Meanwhile, the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.

At the Ubuyashiki mansion, Zero sat silently on the rooftop like a solitary night owl.

In his hand, he held a specially crafted wooden box containing the blue Higanbana flowers made by Yuze and the others.

Bright moonlight spilled over him; his crimson eyes occasionally glanced toward the small gate in the courtyard, as if quietly awaiting someone’s arrival, or perhaps anticipating an unknown adventure.

Creak～

At that moment, the small gate in the courtyard suddenly opened on its own, and a white mist slowly spread along with footsteps.

Muzan’s figure emerged from the mist, strolling leisurely across the small bridge in the courtyard.

“Little Muzan… you’ve finally come~ You’ve made me wait a long time~ hehe…”

Hearing that familiar voice, Muzan’s body paused noticeably as he looked up at the figure on the rooftop.

Meeting Zero’s gaze, cold sweat broke out on his forehead as memories of his deepest fears surged back.

According to his original plan, Asakusa in Tokyo should now be in chaos, and all the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen and Pill users should have rushed to support it.

Yet, what puzzled him now was why Zero was here?

Did Zero simply not care about the lives of those humans in Asakusa?

Over these past few years, the impact and harm Zero inflicted upon Muzan were no less than those caused by Kokushibo centuries ago, and his body involuntarily trembled with fear.

A voice inside his mind kept warning Muzan: Leave now, or you will die!

Just as Muzan instinctively turned to flee, a small wooden box dropped at his feet, and Zero descended from above, landing several meters away.

Looking at the wooden box at his feet, Muzan frowned and forced calmness as he asked, “What’s this mean?”

Zero smiled faintly and replied, “Blue Higanbana.”

Blue Higanbana?!

Hearing those words, Muzan’s heart jolted—what he had sought for a thousand years now lay right before him. Yet, for some reason, he felt this could not be so simple; there had to be a trick!

“Why should I believe you?”

“Whether you believe or not is your business—what’s it to me? Take it if you want, toss it if you don’t, idiot.”

“You!!!”

“What? Did I say something wrong? Blue Higanbana only blooms during daylight, and lasts only two or three days. Aren’t you the idiot?”

“….”

Muzan was left speechless, a strange mix of confusion and fury rising inside him.

It felt like being mocked by a monkey in a zoo; no wonder he’d never found the Blue Higanbana all these centuries—it only bloomed in daylight.

Now that he thought about it, Zero… might not have been lying.

Unconsciously, Muzan felt his face burning hot.

But could Zero really be this kind?

After much deliberation, Muzan ultimately chose to take the gamble.

He bent down, picked up the wooden box, opened it, and inside lay the blue Higanbana flower, radiating energy like the sun.

“Blue… Higanbana… hehe… hahaha! I’ve finally got you!” Muzan clutched the Blue Higanbana with trembling hands and burst into wild laughter.

Seeing the Blue Higanbana he had longed for in his grasp, Muzan’s abdomen split open into a monstrous mouth full of sharp fangs and, without hesitation, swallowed the flower along with the wooden box.

Yet when Muzan’s gaze met Zero’s again, he realized Zero showed no concern.

Worse—he saw Zero’s lips slightly curled upward, wearing a harmless yet deeply sinister smile.

Seeing that smile, Muzan’s alarm bells rang loudly: This is bad!

Just as Muzan prepared to call out to Mukago to teleport him away instantly, Mukago’s connection vanished completely—gone without a trace!

Clearly, Mukago was dead.

He looked again at Zero, wondering how he had done this?

This was clearly a premeditated Yin-Yang trap.

“Surprised? Shocked?”

“W-what do you intend to do?!”

“What do I intend to do? Hehe…”

Zero raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

In an instant, two blue beams surged upward like dragons, intertwining and merging in midair to form a five-hundred-meter-diameter plasma barrier enclosing Zero and Muzan.

Moreover, Muzan saw countless talismans falling like snowflakes around him, while before and behind him stood two colossal steel giants—identical to the ones Zero had used to destroy the Infinite Castle—rising like towering mountains.

Undoubtedly, those talismans were crafted from Blood Demon Arts, plastered onto the giants’ exteriors, completely concealing them—hence their invisibility until now.

The pilots of these two mechs were naturally Luo Zhan Yun and No.1.

They had followed the plan, piloting the mechs and covering them with talismans provided by Yushiro to hide their presence.

Upon Zero’s signal, they activated the plasma barrier to prevent Muzan’s escape.

“Dark Alloy Armor, Arm!”

A ripple disturbed the space around Zero; dark red armor components clung to his body. Then, he retrieved the upgraded device for the Dark Alloy Armor from his [Nanospace] and attached it to the armor’s abdomen.

Immediately, dark red patterns on the armor’s surface flared with light, transforming its appearance.

The armor’s body resembled scaled skin, its hands like sharp dragon claws; its face resembled a dragon’s head, radiating silent authority, its eyes glowing with the crimson light of a nocturnal hunter.

Moreover, eight locations on the armor’s torso emitted eerie red light.

Then, hundreds of [Energy Crystals] appeared, orbiting around Zero.

“Muzan, die!”

Technology—Eight Gates Forbidden Formation, Death Gate, Open!

Fine red threads, thinner than hairs, extended from the armor and tightly connected to the [Energy Crystals], like crimson veins continuously channeling energy into the armor.

That red energy surged like a tidal wave, coalescing into tangible form—terrifying to behold.

The energy within the [Energy Crystals] drained like a dried-up lake, absorbed at an astonishing rate into the armor, transforming into countless crystal-clear, glass-like gems.

Muzan’s eyes widened as he stared at this bizarre spectacle; his body trembled uncontrollably, every hair on his skin stood on end, and an unprecedented fear flooded his heart like a rising tide.

A voice echoed in his mind—a hellish summons: Flee now!

Yet the situation was utterly hopeless; from every angle, there was no escape.

He had finally obtained the Blue Higanbana—he could become the Ultimate Being after tonight. Was he truly going to die here?!

“I don’t believe it!” Muzan screamed.

Unable to accept reality, Muzan decided to gamble one last time.

His suit jacket exploded apart, and his entire demon form transformed utterly.

White hair, limbs, and lower body wrapped in blood and fur, his body sprouted monstrous mouths lined with teeth, capable of freely reshaping and extending.

His arms became retractable, razor-sharp whips; nine tubes, each about four meters long, extended from his back, each tipped with sharp bone spurs.

From his legs extended eight tubes, each about seven meters long—his fastest attack method.

…………