[{"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-43":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},2335969,4566,"Chapter 43: What Do You Take Life For?","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-43",43,"\u003Cp>[Giant Dark Alloy Combat Mecha] is about to appear; if you don’t know how to draw it, use Gundam as a model—if you don’t like it, I’ll redraw it later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero, fallen inside the Infinite City, looked around at the labyrinthine, upside-down houses, filled with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was his first time seeing such a strange domain; he activated [Analytical Glasses] to scan the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Scan Initiated]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Scanning… Scan Successful]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Location: Infinite City]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kibutsuji Muzan’s Stronghold]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Note 1: Target too large—cannot scan all data. Move your position to collect complete data!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Note 2: The Infinite City can relocate to any position or teleport targets anywhere—precise positioning is impossible!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this is the Infinite City—Muzan’s den… No wonder the Demon Slayer Corps never found it all these years… Heh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Zero was sighing, Kibutsuji Muzan’s voice came from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finally, we meet again, White-Haired Demon Hunter! This time, I wonder where you’ll run to?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, it’s been a long time, Kibutsuji Muzan! Seems you still haven’t learned your lesson!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned, his gaze locking onto Muzan atop the platform, eyes brimming with mockery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, Zero’s eyes fixed on another female demon beside him—he could clearly sense this demon was no ordinary one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her skin was gray-white; long black hair covered her eyes, leaving only the lower half of her face visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this look, Muzan recalled events from a year ago, and his anger flared again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But remembering that Zero’s fate now lay in his hands, he suppressed the rage and sneered: “Heh, you’re just blowing smoke. Soon, you’ll become a demon under my control.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh… Hahaha… Muzan, I’m curious—what gave you the courage to say that to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While speaking to Muzan, Zero used [Analytical Glasses] to scan and quickly review the female demon’s data.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Scanning… Scan Successful]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Name: Mukuro]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Identity: Biwa Player, City Demon]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Superior: Kibutsuji Muzan]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Blood Demon Art: Structural Alteration, Teleportation, Eye Clone]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Note: As Muzan’s personal attendant, Mukuro frequently resides within the Infinite City, aiding him. She can alter the city’s spatial layout and teleport objects within it using her Blood Demon Art.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this information, Zero understood—it was Mukuro who played the koto that saved Douma the first time he tried to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was this woman manipulating space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the time Muzan escaped from Cloud Snow Mountain—that was her too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing the truth confirmed his earlier suspicion, the corners of his mouth curled slightly: “Heh… Interesting little brat…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zero remain unmoved after all that talk, Muzan felt utterly disrespected—his unnamed rage surged again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mukuro!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mukuro plucked her biwa—five Upper Moon demons instantly appeared from every corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upper Moon Two, Three, Four, Six—all gathered here within the Infinite City, including Upper Moon One, who had just fought Zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They materialized nearby, forming a tight circle, their gazes fixed on Zero below the platform, radiating overwhelming pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a lineup would crush even all the Demon Slayer Corps’ Hashira standing together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet to Zero, it seemed utterly ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had fought for thousands of years—beasts he faced had exerted far greater pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, these were merely slightly older children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Zero’s battle instincts warned him: no complacency allowed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One demon, upon seeing Zero, grinned with disbelief and blazing combat intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was Upper Moon Three—Akaza.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his eyes, Zero’s crimson battle aura had solidified into a thick, tangible force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sensed this aura had been forged in countless battles; only someone who had endured extraordinary warfare could manifest such overwhelming power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A strong one! Hahahaha… Amazing! Truly amazing! A powerful warrior—I must turn him into a demon so we can fight forever!” Akaza spoke loudly enough for all to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero scanned the surroundings, using [Analytical Glasses] to record every demon present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Analysis would take time—he had to stall while rapidly processing data, formulating a counterstrategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If all else failed… he’d fight. Survival or death—now it was up to fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, his [Nanospace] still held one unplayed card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Analyzing…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Estimated Time: 15 Minutes]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fifteen minutes… Must proceed cautiously—drag it out as long as possible…” Zero thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Muzan, a sly smirk on his lips: “Kibutsuji Muzan… you’re truly a pitiful worm… hehehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you say?! Say it again if you dare!” Muzan felt his rage boiling over—he wanted nothing more than to kill this hunter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, what’s there to fear? A pitiful worm, calling himself the perfect ultimate being—how laughable, you little brat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ultimate being? Hah—yourself, a mere child who’s lived a thousand years? Do you dare call yourself ultimate? If you are, then I, who’ve lived two thousand five hundred years—what am I? A god? Or your ancestor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every demon present was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Kokushibo—his mind was violently shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can humans really live that long?” This was his only thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If humans could live so long… then perhaps he wouldn’t have…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scene from centuries ago flashed in his mind—the moment he met his younger brother…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head, crushing those thoughts as impossible—yet his intuition whispered: it was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop spouting nonsense! Humans can’t live that long! Even if they could, only demons could!” Muzan snapped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet deep inside, he secretly hoped—if humans could live so long, might he too one day achieve such longevity?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh… Whether you believe or not is your business—none of mine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kibutsuji Muzan, I’ll ask you this: what do you consider life to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he spoke, every demon’s mind exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their bodies trembled slightly; a hazy figure surfaced in their memories—resembling Kokushibo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without waiting for their thoughts, Zero continued: “You call yourself ultimate, yet your actions disgust me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many families have you shattered by turning humans into demons? You not only refuse to repent—you revel in it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Life is already hard enough for humans—you disregard their lives, toy with them, feast on their flesh and blood—do you find this funny?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t understand how fragile life is—birth, aging, sickness, death—just surviving is hard enough. Yet you order your subordinates to create disasters and destroy lives!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every demon was once human—have you forgotten you were human too?! Why does a trash like you still walk this world?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kibutsuji Muzan, I ask you again: what do you consider life to be?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of Zero’s words struck their nerves—each one forced them to see a terrifying figure in their minds, speaking the same words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough! Shut up, you damned hunter! Stop talking!” Muzan roared, unable to bear the torment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe… Hahaha… Kibutsuji Muzan!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s funny?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s amusing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why don’t you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why do you forget?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you consider life to be?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each word struck like a hammer on their hearts—fear etched into their DNA, surging forth again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan, beyond his patience, waved his hand: “Kill him!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, all Upper Moon demons attacked—activating Blood Demon Arts or techniques toward Zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technique Unleashed. Destruction Art. Luo Zhen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akaza activated his technique first—a twelve-pointed snowflake pattern bloomed beneath his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body vanished—rushing straight at Zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect timing—try this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom! Boom!…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unseen, Zero pulled out his [Dark Alloy Missile Launcher] and fired ten small missiles—beginning a relentless bombardment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was grateful he’d stocked these weapons with [Energy Crystals] during equipment prep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never expected they’d be useful again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muzan had already witnessed this weapon’s power—he dodged sideways instantly, barely avoiding another explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kokushibo, in his Transparent World state, tracked the missile trajectories and slashed downward with his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his weapon shattered—he was blown apart at the torso, the burned wounds slowing his regeneration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Akaza, moving too fast to react, punched a missile head-on—half his body vaporized, his regeneration also suppressed by the burns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Douma used Blood Demon Art to create five crystal offspring that blocked the missiles, sparing him from the explosion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Upper Rank Four, he appeared no larger than a palm, hiding in a corner; though not directly hit by the blast, he was struck by the shockwave and suffered minor injuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because of this, he summoned four clones, each tongue inscribed with one of the four characters: Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure, their eyes also bearing the mark “Upper Rank Four.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Upper Rank Six, there were two—a man and a woman—who seemed to be siblings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman looked unintelligent; she directly wrapped her belt around a missile, and the outcome was predictable…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She blew herself apart, leaving only her two legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The brother demon, unable to dodge in time, crossed the blood sickles on his arms to block the blast—his fate was the same as the other demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood Demon Art: Frosty White Maiden!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Douma summoned two giant ice lotuses shaped like maidens, exhaling freezing breath for wide-area attacks, mixed with countless shards of ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intended to trap Zero’s movements; once the ice shards touched skin, his mobility would be restricted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Douma, you’re still too green!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero had somehow retracted the launcher into his [Nanospace] and appeared behind Douma, his mechanical left hand grabbing his hair and slamming his head into the ground—his skull shattered on impact!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood Demon Art: Gale!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pleasure Demon held a fan and, as Zero attacked Douma, swung it hard to generate a powerful wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Zero’s form flickered, evading the attack once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything the gale passed through was obliterated; Douma himself was blown flying into another corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re nothing special!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snatched the fan from the Pleasure Demon’s hand, and a streak of crimson cold light flashed—the Pleasure Demon’s head severed from his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Zero swung the fan repeatedly behind him, blasting the Sorrow Demon and Anger Demon away; they crashed through several wooden walls before stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, he turned the fan toward the stage where Kibutsuji Muzan and Mukago stood and swung again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mukago merely plucked her shamisen strings; as the gale surged toward them, she teleported herself and Kibutsuji Muzan to another stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous stage was instantly shredded into splinters by the gale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Breathing: Sixth Form: Lone Moon of Endless Night: Infinite!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rapid, chaotic barrage of slashes surged toward Zero, each slash accompanied by numerous small crescent blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out that while Zero had been held off by the other Upper Rank demons, he had already regenerated—hence this attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zero did not panic; he continued swinging the fan rapidly, generating more gales that clashed with Mukuro’s blade energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though most of the blade energy was neutralized, the fan itself was damaged by the residual strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kibutsuji Muzan, standing on the stage, gritted his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never imagined that gathering five Upper Rank demons would be insufficient to easily capture this white-haired demon slayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, he hadn’t captured him at all—he was locked in a stalemate, merely falling slightly behind!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it began because of that strange weapon of his, this alone proved how terrifying this man was!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood Demon Art: Thunder Kill!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Anger Demon, blown away earlier, returned with the help of the Joy Demon and used his staff to summon dense lightning that surrounded Zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning struck Zero relentlessly, yet he made no sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the lightning ceased, a trickle of blood dripped from Zero’s lips—he had been wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was his first injury since arriving in this other world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh… hahaha… This is interesting. So interesting! Hahaha!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kibutsuji Muzan on the stage didn’t understand: Zero was clearly at his limit—why was he still laughing uncontrollably?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Zero knew why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, slaying demons had always been too easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though overly cautious, he had gathered plenty of intelligence—but it had also led him into this very situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Zero understood one thing: beyond intelligence, what he needed most was a real battle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A true battle from this other world!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not like the childish squabbles he’d had years ago with Yugiri.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wiped the blood from his lips and said: “Then, I’ll play with you properly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dark Alloy Armor: Arm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………\u003C\u002Fp>",1975,"2026-06-20T21:22:22.338Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ea1e1d30a1e4e5a2f642db1f6855b145a604268b60ca241ef1752bcb7274ea30","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-44","this-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--chapter-42",128,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-pillar-in-demon-slayer-is-extremely-strong--cover.jpg"]