Kanae blinked, her eyes filled with confusion. By the time she blinked her eyes, Ryou had already beheaded all four demons. It happened in the span of a heartbeat. 'So strong!' she thought.
She always knew Ryou was powerful, but this... this was beyond anything she had imagined.
It might have seemed like they had been fighting for so long, but only a few seconds had passed from the moment Ryou arrived until the battle ended. His overwhelming strength was beyond human comprehension.
"Let's go," Ryou said, his voice calm as he sheathed his sword. "It's time to end the era of demons."
"Mn." Kanae nodded and followed Ryou quietly without asking anything.
After a moment of silence, Ryou glanced over his shoulder. "Don't you want to know?" he asked softly, expecting her to question him.
"I do want to know," Kanae admitted, naturally curious but she knew Ryou would tell her when the time was right.
"I'll explain everything clearly when this is all over," Ryou said with a small smile, respecting the trust Kanae placed in him.
Together they moved forward, walking through the passages of the Infinity Castle. After a short time, they encountered a group of Demon Slayers, led by Shinobu, alongside Tamayo and Yushiro.
Relief washed over Shinobu as she saw Kanae. "Sister!" she called, rushing to her side. But the moment she got closer, her expression changed as her sharp eyes quickly assessed Kanae's injuries.
"Nothing to worry about, Shinobu, just some minor injuries," Kanae reassured her with a gentle smile.
Ryou glanced at Shinobu and said, "Your sister is really reckless. But what she did was the right move. Instead of dragging out the fight, she ended it with a single move, at the cost of exchanging injuries.
She's injured, but it's not serious. She just needs some rest. Don't let her fight again, or it will worsen her injuries."
"What are you saying? I'm a Hashira," Kanae disagreed, her voice firm. "It's my responsibility to fight the demons and Muzan. I won't sit by and watch, no matter what."
"I'm sorry, Sister! You are not going anywhere with your condition." Shinobu said and injected Kanae with a pre-prepared medicine to treat her injuries. "Ryou-san will take care of Muzan!"
"Leave everything to me," Ryou said, meeting Kanae's gaze.
Then, he turned toward Tamayo and Yushiro, his expression turned serious. "Tamayo-san, Yushiro, I need your help to take down the demon controlling this castle while I handle Muzan.
Get the help of other Hashira and ensure that everyone gets out of the Infinity Castle safely."
With their unique abilities to mask their presence and induce hallucinations, Yushiro and Tamayo were the perfect people to take down Nakime. Their Blood Demon Arts would allow them to approach undetected.
Tamayo nodded, her eyes firm. "Understood. We'll take care of it."
As for Yushiro, he stood quietly behind Tamayo like a loyal knight. Whatever Tamayo-sama wants, he would do without hesitation. Her will was his command.
"Okay, guys, be safe," Ryou said and with a final nod, he began to sprint toward Muzan's location, guided by the Kasugai crow.
--
As if sensing Ryou's thoughts, the Infinity Castle shifted unpredictably around him, trying to obstruct him from moving towards Muzan. Gigantic pillars suddenly lunged toward him, while entire rooms rotated and changed positions, creating a labyrinth of chaos.
The attacks weren't life-threatening or strong enough to stop Ryou, but they were troublesome and time-consuming to bypass. Fortunately, the Kasugai crow flew overhead and provided clear instructions that guided him through the ever-changing rooms.
After a while, Ryou finally entered a vast grand hall decked with towering pillars. Beyond this chamber was Muzan, but Ryou noticed people in the hall.
Upper Moon One, Kokushibo, stood before Gyomei, Kyojuro, Muichiro, Sanemi, and Genya, his six eyes gazing calmly at them. The atmosphere was thick with tension as the five warriors prepared themselves for the confrontation with the strongest demon beneath Muzan.
However, Ryou's sudden arrival caused them to pause. Kokushibo also noticed his presence and looked at him.
"So, you're here," Kokushibo said, his voice deep and resounding. "It seems the four of them failed to kill you. I expected this. Even if you hadn't killed them, I would have.
Those four were mysterious and calculating. I still don't understand why they chose to betray Muzan-sama or how they managed to escape his control.
But it no longer matters since they are gone now."
Ryou's eyes were calm at the mention of four of them.
Kokushibo continued, "Last time, the sun interrupted our fight. In this castle, there is no such thing as sunlight."
"Indeed." Ryou chuckled, his fingers touching the hilt of his unsheathed sword, Ikazuchi. "You are a disgrace to your brother Yorrichi. I can hardly fathom how you were born from the same mother.
When he was alive, not a single demon could scratch his body until his death—not even Muzan. Yet you... even after becoming a demon, you still can't match his strength."
At the mention of his brother, Kokushibo's eyes narrowed, and a terrifying pressure enveloped everyone in the room.
"Are you angry? You are not worthy of that anger," Ryou replied, in the face of Kokushibo's growing irritation.
Ryou had no time to waste on Kokushibo. He intended to kill him in a single strike and move forward. He took a firm stance, but Gyomei interrupted him, saying,
"Ryou, go deal with Muzan. We can handle him. The longer we waste time, the more Muzan will use this opportunity to neutralize the drug Tamayo injected into him."
Ryou watched their determined faces, noticing the fierce resolve in their eyes. He could feel by the aura radiating from them, that they would give everything to defeat Kokushibo.
Gyomei and Kyojuro had grown significantly stronger under his guidance, far surpassing their original strength. He knew that even if they struggle initially, with their combined strength they would eventually take down Kokushibo.
'It's better for them to stay here and face Upper Moon One. If they come with me to fight Muzan, they might become a distraction by putting themselves at risk.
I may end up having to protect them instead of focusing on the battle.'
Having decided, Ryou said. "Alright, be careful, guys. Kyojuro, don't die!"
"Hahaha, what are you saying, Ryou? I'm not the same person who fought Upper Moon Three, I'm stronger now." Kyojuro laughed confidently.
"Tsk. You'd better kill Muzan before we finish the demon before us and come to join you. Or else, I'll start looking down on your title as the Strongest Hashira," Sanemi uttered, his tone sharp as ever.
--
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