"Yes," Gyomei replied, his tone solemn. He began, "Ryou, Oyakata-sama has a plan. He intends to use him as bait, he believes Muzan will come for him. And, his intuitions are mostly right.
I believe Muzan is doing everything in his power to find the location of Nezuko and the Demon Slayers Corps. I'm not worried about Nezuko as her location is so well-hidden that even I don't know anything.
But it won't be long before Muzan discovers some of our locations..."
At that moment, Ryou interjected, "You want me to remain silent until Muzan discovers Ubuyashiki's residence…"
"Yes, that's my request," Gyomei replied. "Unlike the others, I know the demons' movements can't be hidden from you."
"I understand."
"Thank you," Gyomei said with a nod.
Ryou remained silent for a moment before asking, "Why did you tell me this? I assume you haven't shared this plan with anyone else."
"They're emotionally attached," Gyomei responded. "If they knew Oyakata-sama's decision, they wouldn't agree—or worse, they might act rashly.
Oyakata-sama believes you're different. You're not emotionally attached, and you'll make the decisions needed to eradicate the demons and kill Muzan Kibutsuji even if someone stops you."
"Indeed! Muzan is the priority. Even if some innocents die in the process, I'll do it. If we don't kill him, countless more will die—who knows for how many years," Ryou said, his tone serious. "And if he conquers the sun, the world will be plunged into chaos."
"I'll keep you informed of any developments, especially if Muzan makes a move. I hope you kill him—you have the strength," Gyomei stated.
"Definitely!" Ryou nodded.
=====
The next night, Ryou arrived in one of the regions within Tokyo, and the moment he stepped foot in the town, he knew he arrived at the right place.
The streets were eerily quiet, with not a single living in sight. There wasn't even the smell of blood, only an unnatural silence.
Activating his Nature Mode, Ryou's senses expanded, covering the entire town. His heightened perception scanned every street, and every house, but there were no signs of life.
The weird silence of the town confirmed that something terrible had happened, something only Muzan could do.
"Muzan Kibutsuji…" Ryou muttered to himself, his gaze slightly cold. 'He's transported the entire town. There must have been more than a thousand people here, and now they're all gone. If I'm wrong, he should have turned them into demons.'
Even though, in his heart, he wants to kill Muzan even if it means sacrificing some innocent people, seeing nearly a thousand people disappear and lose their lives, fueled his anger.
Ryou's eyes narrowed as his senses already picked up some demon eyes. Though hidden, he could feel their presence, scattered around the town, watching him from the shadows.
He resisted his urge to destroy them all. He then conveyed a message to Ubuyashiki, reporting what he had discovered.
Even with his overwhelming strength, Ryou knew he could do nothing when it came to the Infinity Castle. It was a place that existed in another space.
---
Inside the Infinity Castle, the Biwa Demon sat cross-legged on a wooden floor. 'Twing!' Her fingers drummed against the strings as her Blood Demon Art tirelessly searched the location of Ubuyashiki and Nezuko, scanning the countless regions of Japan.
Suddenly, her fingers stopped playing the biwa. She opened her mouth and spoke softly, "Muzan-sama, the Hashira who killed Akaza has arrived in the town."
Muzan, who had been quietly reading a book, closed it and turned his gaze to Nakime.
"Shall I teleport him here?" the Biwa Demon continued. "He's alone, without support. I could easily kill him within the Infinity Castle."
Muzan's demonic eyes flickered as he considered, but after a moment, he shook his head. "No need. Our focus is Nezuko and Ubuyashiki. Once we find the demon immune to sunlight, I will deal with him myself. I don't want to alert Ubuyashiki."
Nakime bowed her head, as her fingers once again began to play the strings of her biwa.
----
A few days passed as Ryou searched for the location of the Infinity Castle within the Tokyo region, but he returned to the Nature Manor without any leads.
Somewhere in the streets, a team of Demon Slayers had met their demise. The area was now a scene of horror, with bodies scattered across the street, their severed limbs painting the streets crimson.
Among the fallen, only one remained alive—Kaigaku—kneeling in front of Kokushibo, the Upper Moon One. His eyes trembled in fear as he looked up at the towering figure.
Kokushibo's deep, commanding voice echoed through the night. "Drink this without spilling a drop of blood. If you spill even a single drop, I will kill you."
Kaigaku's hands shook as he accepted the blood, carefully raising it to his lips to drink. As he drank, he felt his throat constricting as the potent demonic power coursed through his body. His veins bulged, and his skin felt as though it was tearing apart from the inside.
As Kaigaku struggled through the demon transformation, he could feel a new, terrifying strength taking over.
At that same moment, Kokushibo's senses sharpened. His six eyes scanned the surroundings, locking onto a certain spot. His calm but strong voice echoed, "Come out!"
From the shadows, a figure emerged. The man stepped into the light with a confident posture, a faint smile on his lips. "As expected of the Upper Moon One, your senses are sharp," the man said, his tone casual.
Kokushibo's eyes narrowed as he looked at the appearance of a human. "A human? You don't look like a Demon Slayer, but your strength is far from ordinary," he remarked, using his Transparent World to assess the human.
His presence radiated a strange power, different from anything Kokushibo had encountered in the world.
The man standing before Kokushibo was none other than Cyros Aurr, the earth-human.
Cyros looked at Kokushibo without fear and spoke, "I'm not a Demon Slayer, but I've come here for something..."
'Interesting!' Kokushibo's gripped his blade and asked, "What is it?" If what the human says doesn't pique his interest, he plans to kill him on the spot.
"I want to become a demon," Cyros directly stated his purpose.
For a moment, silence filled the streets. Kokushibo studied Cyros, his gaze filled with amusement and curiosity.
"You wish to become a demon?" Kokushibo asked in a deep voice. "Do you understand what you are asking for, human?
Cyros nodded, "I understand very well. Strength, immortality, and the power to surpass humans' limits. That's what I seek." His tone was firm, filled with ambition.
Hearing his answer, Kokushibo felt a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if he were looking at his younger self—the same burning ambition he had when he decided to side with Muzan all those years ago.