[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong-":3,"chapter-this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-21":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","This Pillar in Demon Slayer Is Extremely Strong but Overly Cautious",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2335947,4566,"Chapter 21: Pillar Meeting. Upper Rank Meeting","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-21",21,"\u003Cp>“Zero?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zero!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you thinking about? The Lord is asking you a question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, where were we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his second treatment, Ubuyashiki Kagaya rested for a day and convened all the Pillar Swordsmen for a Pillar Meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early in the morning, everyone arrived early at the Ubuyashiki estate’s backyard, waiting for Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the wait, Zero kept recalling his battle with Upper Rank Five Yuhu, and the five fallen swordsmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even notice Ubuyashiki Kagaya had arrived and had asked him a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Ubuyashiki is asking you about the Upper Ranks—he wants you to describe them in detail. What’s wrong? Are you unwell?” Butterfly Kanae asked with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine. I was just thinking about the five swordsmen who died before I fought the Upper Rank. If I’d arrived sooner, or noticed sooner, maybe those five kids wouldn’t have died...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They were just children, living souls... At their age, they should have been growing up under their parents’ care, marrying, having children... If not for the demons, none of this would have happened... maybe...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the others fell silent. Even Mukurogawa Shinobu’s earlier anger at Zero for not listening to Ubuyashiki Kagaya had largely faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Zero hadn’t heard because he was thinking of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zero, don’t be so down. Jianyi, Yong, Zangyi, Sakuragi, Yei—these five children all made their peace. If I could, I’d gladly die in their place to save their lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubuyashiki Kagaya recited the names of the five fallen swordsmen one by one—he remembered not only their names, but also their histories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zero, you’ve changed...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have I? I haven’t felt any change.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I first met you, you seemed lonely, yet indifferent to everything except Xiao Yue. No matter what happened, you always looked calm and detached... Now, you’ve grown gentle. You’re starting to care about others.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Butterfly Kanae expressed her observations of Zero from then until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero didn’t know when he’d changed—perhaps when Xiao Yue first voiced her thoughts, or perhaps when he saved Butterfly Kanae...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentle? That doesn’t suit me at all... Let’s drop that. You wanted to know about the Upper Ranks, right? Then I’ll tell you about the one I killed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Upper Rank I fought was Upper Rank Five—Yuhu. His strength was average compared to mine, but his Blood Demon Art was troublesome, and he was a talkative demon who never shut up...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Zero spent some time detailing his battle with Upper Rank Five—his Blood Demon Art, his traits, and Zero’s own analysis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing it, everyone except Butterfly Kanae felt the Upper Rank didn’t seem so strong—especially Mukurogawa Shinobu, who thought he could handle it himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero seemed to sense their thoughts and warned them: “I advise you not to entertain such ideas. To me, Upper Rank Five is nothing—but that’s only because of my years of combat experience, reflexes, my weapon, and my own analysis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If not for special circumstances suppressing half my strength, I wouldn’t have needed so much time to analyze or fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the starry void, an Upper Rank like Yuhu wouldn’t even merit a glance from the Void Insect Matriarch’s minions—they’d be swatted away and erased without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you were lucky, you might find Yuhu’s bones in the waste...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even then, you probably wouldn’t eat it—because... Yuhu was just too ugly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Butterfly Kanae didn’t think so—she’d personally witnessed Zero nearly exterminating Upper Rank Two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for that strange qin sound at the critical moment that caused Upper Rank Two to flee, Zero might have killed two Upper Ranks instead of one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But from what you just said, he really wasn’t that strong!” Mukurogawa Shinobu said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero sighed helplessly—was this man’s brain wired with only one thought?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since that’s how you feel, let me let you experience what an Upper Rank truly feels like to you. And Kanae has faced an Upper Rank before—she knows best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero turned to Ubuyashiki Kagaya. “Lord, may I borrow your room?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded, indicating no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero entered the room, removed his [Analytical Glasses] from his ear, and activated the projection mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, everyone was stunned again—how many strange weapons did this man have?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come over and take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone gathered inside, kneeling in place—even Ubuyashiki Kagaya did so—and watched the full recording of Zero’s battle with Upper Rank Five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was footage captured by the [Analytical Glasses] and a drone, though Zero had deleted the part where he cursed at Yuhu—he didn’t want anyone to see him swearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they saw that, he’d be utterly humiliated...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make them feel it fully, Zero also turned on the audio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Yuhu seal the five swordsmen’s corpses in jars, their limbs severed and attached to others’ bodies, tortured beyond life or death, they clenched their fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mukurogawa Shinobu gritted his teeth, eyes bloodshot—his hatred for demons deepened further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being saved by Zero, he even muttered, “The Demon Slayer Corps shall endure forever,” then closed his eyes and passed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obanai Iguro, though blind, could hear. Ubuyashiki Kagaya had arranged for his daughter, Ubuyashiki Hinaki, to sit beside him and describe what she saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when they saw Yuhu, provoked by Zero’s words, each time he opened his mouth, Zero shot him and made him scramble away in panic, they wondered if Zero had some strange personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero suddenly remembered he’d forgotten to delete that part—he felt deeply embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I forgot to cut that segment...” Zero sighed, covering his face with one hand, pretending he knew nothing—as long as he wasn’t embarrassed, it was someone else’s problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft—no, I can’t laugh! No no no!” Kamado Shinobu nearly burst out laughing, constantly warning herself not to, her face scrunched up, round and rosy, oddly adorable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blood Demon Art: Blood Prison Bowl!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blood Demon Art: Octopus Jar Hell!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the projection, after Yuhu’s two giant grotesque goldfish were roasted and destroyed by black metal crosses, he unleashed two more Blood Demon Arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were startled by the water mass Yuhu summoned and the giant tentacles bursting from the jar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their mental resilience was strong—they quickly calmed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they sensed the Blood Prison Bowl wasn’t simple at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If trapped by that mass, they couldn’t use their Breathing Techniques—they’d suffocate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wondered: how did Zero defeat it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero summoned a black metal cross to block the water, then pulled out a massive metal box on his shoulder, firing ten missiles that exploded and burned the tentacles, even producing white smoke...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone except Butterfly Kanae didn’t understand—why did Zero have so many strange, even unheard-of weapons?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though gunpowder and matchlocks existed in this era, the government tightly controlled them—compared to Zero’s arsenal, they were like dwarves comparing themselves to giants, utterly insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gulp~” Kamado Shinobu stared at the smoking tentacles and involuntarily swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes turned to her. She felt excruciatingly embarrassed, covering her flushed, sweating face with both hands: “I’m so sorry, I just... I just...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were a hole in the ground, Kamado Shinobu would have crawled into it without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Iiboshi Kanao glared at Zero resentfully—if he hadn’t left that clip in, Shinobu wouldn’t have been so humiliated...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sss~” Daimaru hissed, staring at Zero, then shrank into Iiboshi Kanao’s arms at a single glance from Zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, in Iiboshi Kanao’s eyes, besides the Lord, only Shinobu mattered...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The projection continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blood Demon Art: One Hundred Thousand Sticky Fish!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuhu unleashed a swarm of sticky fish. Everyone was startled—if they’d faced this, could they have resisted?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect timing. Try this...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero suddenly held a weapon that looked terrifyingly powerful—a machine gun fired wildly, deafening the room as it clashed with the swarm of sticky fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The drone and crosses coordinated attacks, and within seconds, all the sticky fish vanished, leaving only smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the smoke still lingered, Zero appeared instantly behind Upper Rank Five and slashed his neck with his twin blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But everyone saw Upper Rank Five didn’t die—he shed his skin, transforming into another form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Yuhu began boasting proudly, they saw Zero raise the machine gun, aiming directly at him—silencing him instantly, revealing Yuhu’s furious, gritted-teeth expression...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuhu launched his attack first—where his hand touched the ground, it turned into fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blood Demon Art: Array of Killing Fish Scales!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His attack was blindingly fast, leaving only afterimages. Zero was shielded by the cross—Yuhu couldn’t land a single strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Yuhu was surrounded by the drone and crosses, forced to protect himself with his hands and serpentine lower body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zero drew his twin blades again, flashed behind Yuhu, and beheaded him in one swift strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Killed well!!” Mukurogawa Shinobu shouted, snapping everyone out of their shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The projection ended. Zero put his [Analytical Glasses] back on his ear. “Now do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In other words, you’re human. In battle with demons, injury and death are inevitable. Training a Pillar takes immense hardship and trials—you know better than anyone how hard it is to reach your level!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And I suspect, with an Upper Rank dead, Muzan Kibutsuji won’t quickly find a replacement—but that doesn’t mean he won’t later! And the Pillars? Demons won’t give you that time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero’s words plunged them into silence. They became Pillars not only through brutal training, but by constantly walking the edge of death in battle with demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of those demons used Blood Demon Arts, including Lower Rank Twelve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The agony they endured was beyond ordinary human endurance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you have any suggestions, Zero?” Ubuyashiki Kagaya asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet. But I’ll gather more intelligence on the Upper Ranks—so when you fight them, you’ll have a better chance of survival.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To eliminate the Upper Ranks and Muzan Kibutsuji, you must survive. One more life means one more strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For once, Mukurogawa Shinobu showed no signs of agitation—he listened quietly, unusually still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah la, Zero, you’re human too. Why don’t you think of yourself?” Butterfly Kanae voiced her thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Human...” Zero looked down at his mechanical left and right hands, recalling memories of fighting monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These hands were stained not only with monster blood and lives—but also... human lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Am I still human... if I fight monsters? Or... am I even human anymore?” This was what Zero thought deep inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone felt the desolation radiating from Zero—as if he wandered endlessly in darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zero...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew~ I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, Ubuyashiki Kagaya and the others continued discussing the future of the Demon Slayer Corps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, within the Infinite Castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan Kibutsuji had summoned the Upper Moon Demons for an Upper Moon meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had short peach-colored hair, golden eyes, the character “Three” carved into his left eye, and “Upper Moon” carved into his right eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His skin was deathly pale, covered in countless deep-blue tattoos representing sinners, his nails a deep crimson, and prayer beads hanging from his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was one of the Upper Moon Demons among the Twelve Kizuki.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upper Moon Three—Akaza!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akaza looked up at the labyrinthine, upside-down Infinite Castle, his pupils contracting slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I’m appearing here, that means… one of the Upper Moons is dead?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hope it’s that fool Douma who got killed!” That was Akaza’s thought at that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stepped forward, a hand landed on his shoulder. “Oh my~ Lord Akaza, how could you think such a thing? I worry about you every day, every moment—afraid you might be killed by Demon Slayers without warning!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon speaking these words was none other than Upper Moon Two—Douma, who had nearly been slain by Zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take your hand off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I said, take your hand off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my~ Lord Akaza, we’re such good friends! You speak to me like that, it hurts my heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Douma feigned deep sorrow from those words, yet his face still wore its usual grinning expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akaza swung his fist and shattered Douma’s face, blood spraying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Douma’s face regenerated instantly, feigning surprise as he stared at Akaza: “Oh my! Lord Akaza, you’ve grown stronger! If you ate women like I do, you’d be even stronger now—otherwise, you wouldn’t have lost our previous blood battle!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he heard “eat women,” Akaza felt intense revulsion, his hatred for Douma deepening further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suppressed his rage, but Douma kept chattering. Unable to bear it, Akaza swung his fist again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as his fist neared Douma’s face, Akaza’s wrist was severed—suddenly, without warning, in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Akaza… you’ve gone too far… you must… understand… hierarchy… Akaza… do you understand…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, a figure clad in purple samurai armor, with a high black ponytail, appeared before Akaza and Douma—only his back facing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though only a back, it radiated an overwhelming sense of oppression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kokushibo! One day, I’ll kill you myself!” Akaza glared fiercely at the silhouette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silhouette turned around, revealing three pairs of eyes, with deep-red flame patterns on his left forehead and from his right chin to his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The central pair of eyes bore the characters “Upper Moon” on the left and “One” on the right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upper Moon One—Kokushibo!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strongest swordsman among the Twelve Kizuki, his power second only to the Demon King—Muzan Kibutsuji.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I await you… to defeat me… Akaza…!!!” Kokushibo spoke in broken phrases, yet each word carried crushing pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph!” Akaza ignored Douma and Kokushibo entirely, walking off to wait for Muzan Kibutsuji’s arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my, Lord Kokushibo, no need to be so harsh, nor to defend me! Akaza is my good friend—I only care for him~ After all, he doesn’t eat women, only trains himself to grow stronger. I fear one day he’ll be killed by Demon Slayers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Douma still pretended to care for Akaza, yet every word dripped with sarcasm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not defending you… I simply wish… to uphold hierarchy…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This revealed Kokushibo’s rigid class consciousness and absolute demand for order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ee-yaa! Lord Kokushibo is still so terrifying!” From a dark corner, an old man with a swollen forehead and two horns on his head, resembling a demon mask, spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body was no larger than two adult fists combined, his eyes lacking any number—but to underestimate him would be a grave mistake; he too was an Upper Moon Demon of the Twelve Kizuki.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upper Moon Four—Hantengu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hantengu hid in the corner, watching Kokushibo and the others, trembling with fear, utterly cowardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the high platform, the Sound Demon plucked her shamisen, and two more demons appeared behind Douma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man and a woman—a brother-sister demon pair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was a young demon, bare-chested, with short black-and-green hair, hunched and emaciated, his face and body covered in black spots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman had long white hair with green tips, a floral hairpin on her head, and flower tattoos on her left cheek and right forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both brother and sister bore identical numbers in their eyes: “Upper Moon” on the left, “Six” on the right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upper Moon Six—Gyutaro\u002FDaki.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though both were Upper Moon Six, the brother’s strength far surpassed the sister’s by dozens of times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! Gyutaro, Sister Daki, long time no see!” Douma turned and waved at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Douma, it’s been a long time!” The siblings replied in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As silence settled over the scene, Kokushibo spoke: “Lord Muzan… has arrived…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sound Demon plucked her shamisen again, and a wooden door opened beside her—Muzan stepped out, dressed in a suit and Western hat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the Upper Moons, except Upper Moon One, immediately knelt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan Kibutsuji stood on the high platform, looking down upon the Upper Moons, his face expressionless, yet his heart seething with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Upper Moon Five, Gyokko, is dead… killed by a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps! And it was the same person who fought Douma!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan spoke these words without emotion, as if the death of an Upper Moon meant nothing to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the Upper Moons below knew he was on the verge of explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder why, after centuries of stability, an Upper Moon has fallen to Demon Slayers!? And not a single trace of the Blue Spider Lily?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have the Demon Slayers grown stronger—or have the Twelve Kizuki decayed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Upper Moons remained silent—not out of fear, but because they had no answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Douma was an exception, grinning: “Oh my, Lord Muzan, my followers and I have searched diligently! I’m certain we’ll find it soon…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up!” Muzan roared before Douma could finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Douma instantly fell silent, still kneeling with his usual grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Douma, I want results, not leads! If you had killed that female Pillar back then, none of this would’ve happened! You wouldn’t have nearly been killed by someone who isn’t even a Demon Slayer!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan, enraged by Douma’s demeanor, wanted to kill him right then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he spared him—because Douma possessed immense power, his Blood Demon Art could suppress the Demon Slayers’ Breathing Styles, and his followers of the Eternal Bliss Sect were still needed to search for the Blue Spider Lily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, why would he have kept him this long?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ee-yaa! Lord Muzan is angry! I’m just a weakling!” Hantengu trembled in the corner, feigning terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Akaza didn’t think so. When Muzan mentioned Douma nearly being killed, Akaza felt… oddly pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A human who wasn’t even a Demon Slayer nearly killed Douma—how strong must that man be now, now that he’d joined the Demon Slayer Corps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akaza longed to meet him soon, to fight him, to grow stronger! If possible, he wanted to turn that man into a demon, to fight him endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a pity!” Akaza felt a deep sense of regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not because he hadn’t met him—because that man hadn’t killed Douma!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan Kibutsuji sensed Akaza’s thoughts and warned him: “Akaza, I know what you’re thinking! But remember this: finding the Blue Spider Lily is the key!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akaza: “Yes, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan scanned the Upper Moons below once more, then spoke to the Sound Demon: “Sound Demon, send them all back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they prepared to leave, he mentally whispered to Kokushibo: “Kokushibo, stay behind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes… Lord Muzan…” Kokushibo replied mentally, though he didn’t understand why Muzan had called him to remain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing! Qing! Qing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sound Demon plucked her shamisen three times, sending Douma, Akaza, and Hantengu back to their respective locations—only Kokushibo remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She plucked once more, transporting Muzan Kibutsuji and Kokushibo to another room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Muzan… why did you ask me to stay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan said nothing. Instead, he transmitted memories—of Douma’s encounter and the battle between Upper Moon Five and the Demon Slayer—directly into Kokushibo’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, Kokushibo’s expression shifted from blank to stunned—he had never seen so many strange weapons, capable of inflicting massive damage on demons, even killing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the crimson twin blades—his body trembled at the sight!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure of that man reappeared in his mind—also wielding a crimson Nichirin Blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kokushibo… what do you think of this human?” Muzan turned and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Extremely strong…!!! And I sense… his combat skill and experience… equal any I’ve known… I also sensed… life and death… from him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This human… he has endured much… If he were our ally… Upper Moon One’s position… would belong to him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kokushibo voiced his opinion—Muzan had never heard such praise for a human from him before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thought flashed through Muzan’s mind: What if he turned this man into a demon, and made him his subordinate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had also sensed something else from the battle between Upper Moon Five and the human—the man’s mind was sharp. Finding the Blue Spider Lily would be faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could gain a stronger subordinate—even one surpassing Upper Moon One—and accelerate the search for the Blue Spider Lily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan Kibutsuji felt the day of his transformation into the ultimate being drawing near.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kokushibo, if you encounter this man, bring him to me. Keep him alive! When I turn him into a demon, I’m certain we’ll find the Blue Spider Lily soon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder how the Demon Slayer Corps will feel… seeing one of their own turned into a demon! Hahaha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes… Lord Muzan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Kibutsuji Muzan later regretted making this decision!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the day Zero was teleported to the Infinity Castle, the castle nearly suffered a kind of catastrophic destruction due to Zero’s arrival!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that’s another story!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Pillar Meeting ended, each returned to their respective jurisdictions; some went back to their homes to continue training, while others rested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Uzui Tengen returned to his residence and cuddled his three wives as they soaked in the hot spring, savoring the tender embrace…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hinokami Kagaya continued training under the cascading waterfall…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the meeting, Zero returned to his mansion, went upstairs to his room, and called Xiao Yue, preparing to go out together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had not forgotten his promise to Xiao Yue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Yue, let’s go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where to, Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You forgot? I said I’d take you out today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? That’s wonderful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course it’s true. Get ready—I’ll activate your Growth Function first, so you won’t have to worry about anything else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Master, won’t that…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yue knew well that activating the Growth Function would consume massive amounts of Energy Crystals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different Growth Forms required different quantities of Energy Crystals; merely transforming into the Child Form alone consumed a great deal—one Energy Crystal could sustain the form for only five minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Growth Function was a capability Zero-Hao originally designed into Xiao Yue; each Growth Form granted vastly different combat power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Growth Forms were divided into Child Form, Youth Form, and Adult Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Foolish child, as long as you’re happy! And you only need to become the Child Form—you’re my sister here, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm-hmm, I understand. Thank you, Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Zero took 150 red Energy Crystals from his Nanospace and placed them on the bed. Seeing this, the two bun-like hair knots on Xiao Yue’s head unfurled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From each knot, ten filaments extended, connecting to the Energy Crystals, beginning to absorb their energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absorbing energy took time, so Zero took another small qipao from his Nanospace and placed it beside the bed, then left the room—what followed was not for his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, when the Growth Function activated, her body would grow larger, and her clothes would need changing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About twenty minutes later, Xiao Yue had fully absorbed the energy from the Energy Crystals, her body now shrunk to a child’s height of about one meter two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She put on the qipao and stepped out of the room into the living room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her long blue hair reached her waist, still tied in two bun knots; her blue eyes shone like pearls from the ocean, and with the blue qipao, she looked exactly like a beautiful little princess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, am I pretty?” Xiao Yue spun in place, eager to show Zero her most beautiful side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very pretty! Remember, when we go out, call me Brother—otherwise people will misunderstand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I get it… Brother.” Having received Zero’s praise, Xiao Yue’s heart swelled with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm-hmm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yue stepped forward and took Zero’s hand; together they left the mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the Demon Slayer Corps perimeter, she pulled out the Dark Alloy Off-Road Motorcycle, placed Xiao Yue in front of him, inserted an Energy Crystal, and activated the bike, heading toward a small city far from the Demon Slayer Corps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After more than three hours of travel, they arrived at a bustling small city—it was night now, the streets lit brightly by lanterns and neon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before entering the city, Zero had already stored the Dark Alloy Off-Road Motorcycle back in his Nanospace; he held Xiao Yue’s hand as they walked along the streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw crowds of people, vendors shouting, the honking of old cars, and couples in all kinds of clothing laughing and chatting as they strolled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yue stared at these scenes, her large, carat-blue eyes widening in wonder, a soft gasp escaping her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she and Zero had always lived among the stars—either fighting or training, rarely seeing such scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since being created by Zero-Hao, she had accompanied him through countless battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had seen cities and ruins destroyed by monsters and beasts, and the skies filled with flying machines and robots—she had rarely seen a small city so vibrant and colorful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bro… Brother, it’s so lively here!” Xiao Yue had almost said “Master,” but remembered Zero’s instruction and quickly corrected herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm, it really is lively.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero’s mind once again surfaced a hazy memory—he could barely make out a man and woman holding a child’s hand as they walked down a street, but the rest of the scene was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a deep breath to calm himself, walking with Xiao Yue along the streets. Today was for her—everything else would wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, whatever you want to eat or play with—I’ll join you. Tonight is yours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yay!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xiao Yue and Zero wandered the streets, passersby stared at them in astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yue’s appearance was undeniably adorable; some women couldn’t resist approaching her to chat, while Zero, due to his looks, was repeatedly stopped by women seeking conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many assumed they were sisters—only later realizing they were brother and sister, leaving the onlookers embarrassed, though Zero didn’t mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though some rowdy thugs approached during their stroll, leering and making crude remarks at Zero and Xiao Yue,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they regretted it instantly—Zero’s killing intent made them tremble uncontrollably; a few even urinated themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who dared to move were slammed to the ground in a single motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though a minor disturbance occurred, Xiao Yue didn’t care—as long as she could be out with Zero like this, she was perfectly content.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than twenty days later, Zero received a sword sent by Kotoha Higurashi, the swordsmith of the Swordsmith Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kotoha Higurashi had seen the Crimson Blade—the Red Blade—described in her village’s ancient texts, and was overjoyed, eager to report this to the Swordsmith Village chief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Kotoha Higurashi depart, Zero swung his scythe in the backyard when he received a message from the Messenger Crow Snow: Ubuyashiki Kyojuro had summoned the Pillar Swordsmen to Butterfly House for a Pillar Meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero was curious—the last Pillar Meeting had been only twenty-plus days ago, the day after Ubuyashiki Kyojuro finished his treatment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now another Pillar Meeting was called…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems something has happened…” Zero thought, then slung his scythe over his shoulder and headed to Butterfly House for the Pillar Meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>",4384,"2026-06-20T21:22:22.338Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a601daf8beceae9fb7c56e9ca536d141b7fcc345bf74be5c690e60855f35a781","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-22","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-20",128,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--cover.jpg"]