[Muzan: —Now that she's gone...]
Muzan's voice banished the room's silence after the strings of Nakime's Biwa had been played. Pandora had vanished from the Infinity Castle in a mere instant, gone without a trace as the only person standing on the wooden platform was Muzan himself.
He stood with his shoulders relaxed, menacing as he usually is as he turned toward the other intruders who had found their way inside the Infinity Castle.
[Muzan: State your name and your affiliation with that Witch.]
Kibitsuji pointed his finger toward the group that stood beneath him, under the steps that led up to his majesty.
"Miss Pandora's not here... Maybe I could since she's gone right now... No, that's a dumb idea, it's stupid to think that I could disobey her orders."
Regulus pondered on what his next action would be, and he decided that silence would be his answer to Muzan's question.
"He's not gonna lash out? Fine, I guess it's the better choice of action anyway. I'd rather not deal with him or her."
Capella doted on Regulus' lack of a response. In any situation, if at least one in a thousand, no, a hundred thousand people would've gotten mad at what someone said, it would be Regulus. She just figured his brain finally began working again and kept her silence.
Sirius and the Gluttony siblings followed, no more than a sound being uttered from each of their mouths. It served as a display of their loyalty to Miss Pandora, and their defiance to Muzan Kibitsuji, an act that bothered him deeply.
[Muzan: ... So your loyalty is unwavering? Admirable, but not to me.]
Muzan voiced his vexation as he slowly stepped down from the platform he had been battling Pandora, his feet echoing as they plumped down each step. He stood in front of the group, analyzing their faces, body, figure, expressions, every detail that was currently presented to him. The eerie aura of the Gluttony siblings, the resentment masked by the calmness of Greed's face, the smugness of Lust, and the oddly calm aura of Wrath, despite her concerned look.
All of these people, obeying the orders of someone other than himself, it's horrible, repulsive… All of it trampled upon his rule as King of Demons.
[Muzan: if you will not answer me, then death will be your payment to me.]
Muzan warned them with a calm voice as he clenched his fist, ready to strike whoever dared not to answer him.
Yet… Even after he displayed strength, his overwhelming intensity, their silence and obedience did not waiver.
He did admire their strong will, he wished that his subordinates could do the same. They probably do, but he never paid much attention to their small victories.
[Muzan: ——]
Muzan raised his fist above, preparing to send it down at full force onto Lust's head. He had assumed the appearance of the Archbishops would correlate with their respective sin. As such, after seeing not only her skimpy outfit but also her shape-shifting abilities, Capella was without a doubt the wielder of Lust.
Just how powerful were their "authorities?" It was a thought that wouldn't pass over his head. He'd seen Greed, Bishop Corneas' display of nigh invulnerability as he took Nakime's attack with not even a scratch, and Lust had the power to shapeshift, with the other three Archbishops having their authority unknown. Perhaps their authorities were truly supernatural, something gifted by the world and not just some enhancement or technique with their blood as a demon would have.
The thoughts didn't matter anyway, as his hand began to swing down onto Capella's head, crushing it in an instant along with tearing through her body as it made its descent downward——
[Pandora: —I do believe that my loyal lambs being harmed was not something I had wished for.]
The Witch's voice pulverized Muzan, causing him to jump and direct his hand-chop toward the source of the voice, his behind, and decapitate Pandora once more.
However, when his head turned to look at the mutilated corpse that should have been there, instead there was nothing but the stairs leading up to where he once stood.
[Pandora: Oh my, it appears even my voice deceives you~]
Pandora's soothing harmony of words found themselves above Kibitsuji, right above him.
[Muzan: —gk!]
Before he could even react, her hand made contact with the top of his head, pushing down on his hat lightly. Oddly, Kibutsuji found himself drilling through the very floor he once stood on. It was so unnatural, the way the ground felt like butter as his body seemed to glide through it. His descent came to a halt when Pandora decided so, with his body stopping once his head was the only limb protruding out of the floorboards.
[Pandora: Before you ask me, I do possess some level of combat ability. However, I doubt this will succeed in holding you for even a moment.]
Pandora spoke gently, cutting off Muzan's train of thought as her hand removed itself from his hat, and with it her figure appeared in front of him, walking into view.
Of course, her statement was as factual as an orange being orange, Kibitsuji could easily break free from the ground without effort.
However…
[Pandora: Kibutsuji, so-called King of Demons, I ask that you reconsider the alliance that I presented earlier.]
[Muzan: Again with this spiel? I've already made my decision, for you to die and never come back.]
Instantly, Muzan sprinted out of the floor he'd been plunged into and threw a fist at Pandora, a punch as devastating and fast as the ones prior—
[Pandora —I do believe I made myself clear…]
Pandora tilted her head sideways faster than the punch, gripping the forearm's musculature as she twirled behind his body. A hard shove was brought upon his back, along with his arm being detached, still in Pandora's grasp.
This was but another work of her authority, applying the same technique she did with the floor to his arm and thus making it impossible to stick together with his torso.
Muzan was surprised, but not worried, as his arm was in perfect condition compared to the one Pandora held. It's almost as if his arm had never even been touched, and soon following this sight, the ripped arm evaporated into the air.
[Muzan: Impressive, I wasn't expecting an evasion of that caliber, including your ability to tear through my flesh so easily. Perhaps you do know how to fight after all…]
Muzan twisted his body around to face Pandora once again, who stood there with her signature smile. In return, he shot one back.
[Muzan: … Buts that's no use against me.]
[Pandora: Of course, it's easy to see your strength is unrivaled here. I'll ask again, please reconsider your previous decision of hostility with us. Our assistance will prove most useful, this I assure you.]
As Pandora finished her sentence, a swing of Muzan's arm made contact with her body, this time far larger in mass and strength as it sent her fragile frame rocketing through walls and rooms within the space, limbs flying sporadically in different directions.
[Muzan: Let me make it clear. I do not need, nor require, nor even consider your help. Your ambitions only get in the way of mine, and besides, I do not want your help in any way—]
[Pandora: —Oh, but you do, I can see it in your eyes~ Believe me, I can tell that you're struggling here with your own goals, and also with your enemies.]
Muzan paused as his attention was grabbed by the odd emphasis on that last word, causing him to retort.
[Muzan: What do you mean? Do you suggest that I am failing my duties and goals...?]
[Pandora: Though not my exact words, it is close to that.]
Pandora's words caused Muzan's veins to show. That disrespectful attitude and wording, the sheer thought that HE was struggling was unacceptable, it made his blood boil once again—
[Pandora: Listen to this. When your servant... Nakime was it? When Nakime sent me out of the Infinity Castle, I found myself on the streets of Japan, a young man told me this…]
Pandora looked back at her loyal children, who were wide-eyed and exhilarated that they had indeed arrived at their "paradise."
[Pandora: This boy I speak of, he bore a black uniform that appeared mass produced, along with a katana at his hip, something that was not worn by anyone else in that street. His build was athletic, and his eyes bore the face of a man who's killed plenty of your kind. Does this ring a bell, Muzan Kibutsuji?]
To Pandora's delight and expectations, Muzan was wide-eyed with fear in his eyes, a clear sign that Murata was indeed his enemy.
[Muzan: This boy, did he wear a checkered haori and hanafuda earrings?!]
Muzan's vocal cords shook with nervousness, a terror that only he could understand. Pandora's judgment of that boy was spot on. She had an innate gift for knowing a person's story just from their eyes, and with her authority now being pushed to its limit, she could know almost anything about a person except if they're above average with intelligence.
[Pandora: Fortunately, or rather, unfortunately, this boy had neither.]
Muzan crouched down and smashed his fist down through the wooden floor, drilling a hole from the overwhelming force of it. Kibitsuji would've had a second chance to get back at a certain someone, but he'd already lost that chance weeks ago.
[Muzan: … That boy… His name?]
[Pandora: Murata, that's all he told me. If you want more evidence that he's indeed your enemy, a crow has an unnatural bond toward him and appears to speak to him. I assume that's part of the enemy's arsenal.]
[Muzan: —Damn slayers…]
Barely a whisper was uttered under his breath. What was he to do if his enemy was prowling the streets at night? If he let that other boy get away? his plans could've been ruined from the day he hesitated. But either way, Murata was of no importance to him, just another piece of canon fodder the Corps had deployed. Muzan looked up at Pandora as he stood up once more.
"This girl… Not only did she infer that I had enemies and oppositions, but she also did so just by looking me in the eye…?
…This woman is indeed clever... Even if it stems from her powers, I'll at least give her that much."
Muzan looked Pandora dead in the eye as his fists relaxed, Pandora smiling back in response. His expression was still of anger and concern, a usual occurrence for him.
[Muzan: What else did this boy tell you?]
[Pandora: Nothing else, though he did say that the location we were in was the Asakusa District. Exact location, I'm unsure of.]
[Muzan: Asakusa...]
Muzan's thoughts had him in a trance of sorts, garnering what details he had about the individual she had spoken of. For sure that boy was part of the organization dedicated to his demise. Had the entire information matched up, he'd be more than willing to accept their help to end him.
Muzan looked back at the Archbishop's, his brows furrowing as he looked back at Pandora, still deep in thought as he decided his final answer—
[Muzan: ... In this current state, you serve as a valuable asset to me, including your subordinates. Do not take this as permanent, only a temporary alliance between us shall be held.]
Pandora nodded nicely in response, her smile still remaining, now with a hint of emotion.
[Pandora: That's good enough for me.]
Pandora concluded their discussion as their agreement had been reached. All that was left was what this alliance contained between the two sides.
[Pandora: Now that we've settled things somewhat, care to explain what these "Slayers" are?]
Pandora said as her hand reached down into the wooden floor below, and upon retrieving said hand, up came a wooden chair carved from the inside of the platform. She took a seat on it elegantly as she awaited Muzan's response.
[Muzan: I'm surprised you heard me... They are known as Demon Slayers, a corporation funded by the Ubuyashiki family to aid in the battle against me and the demons I've created.]
[Pandora: Created? Interesting... I had assumed that the race you call Demon's were birthed naturally from the world.]
[Muzan: It is the opposite, as only I possess the power to "birth" them. Due to my physiology, my blood contains a mutagen that causes those injected with it to turn into a demon. However, due to my blood being highly potent, even a small amount can cause instantaneous death in a person, hence why you had exploded when I slashed your face. Rarely those who happen to pose as a suitable vessel for my blood will become a demon, and even rarer is when their bodies can intake a large portion of my blood.]
[Muzan: —Nakime, my lab please.]
Muzan snapped his fingers at Nakime once again, and a high-pitched strum echoed out, with a multitude of vials, bottles, flasks, books, and other experimental devices littered throughout an assortment of desks. In turn, the space widened to accommodate the "lab," turning the platform they stood on into a library of sorts.
He grabbed a small vial filled with red liquid with a foul stench. With a tattered book in hand, he poured the liquid into a round flask filled with a green liquid. Together they mixed and formed a yellow substance. He began taking notes on the product, compiling it within one of his countless tomes before he proceeded with his experiments again.
[Muzan: A demon is created in 3 separate ways. The first is through forced injection from my body, which is what I did to you. The second is through sharing my blood with a human, though this requires a suitable vessel as I stated earlier. And finally, the third method is through one of my subordinates granting a portion of my blood to a worthy vessel, to which I will give permission for them to do so.]
[Pandora: Where exactly would your subordinates be?]
[Muzan: That itself is unclear, though with my blood being connected with anyone infected with it, I'm able to sense what they feel at a controlled rate. However, my personal accomplices are none of your concern. In fact, I believe that would be quite furious to see your faces around here.]
[Pandora: Oh, and why might that be? Because we're humans?]
[Muzan: Precisely. Demons sustain themselves off of the blood and flesh of humans, which in turn makes them healthy and stronger by a substantial amount. As a side effect, Demons experience intense hunger and desire for human flesh of an unrivaled scale. Certain stronger demons can resist the urge to like myself, however, your average demon would be a different story.]
[Pandora: In that case, it wouldn't be a stretch to say you're craving our flesh?]
Muzan stayed silent at that inquiry, with Pandora smugly smirking again.
[Pandora: How about this, if I—]
[Muzan: —If your suggestion is that I devour your flesh in exchange for permanent cooperation, then don't expect an agreement. I can tell your "Authority" isn't a biological power, so consuming you would just be the equivalent of eating a random citizen.]
[Pandora: Hm, is that so? What about me being a food supply for your accomplices? A constant flux of energy and strength would be useful, no?]
[Muzan: While that would be the case normally, my Upper-Rank demons don't exactly gain much from eating the likes of you. Perhaps you could serve as sustenance for the Lower Ranks... But even then, the people they should feast on are those of high strength. Though I don't understand the nature of your authority, it doesn't seem to affect your physique or body much.]
[Pandora: That is a good point... Even so, I could enhance my body with mana, but that doesn't seem like a good option...]
[Muzan: Mana...?]
[Pandora: Think of it as channeling ones spiritual and external energy into themselves or into magic. That's what most of our folk are able to perform.]
[Muzan: I'm well aware of how mana works, but it's surprising that it truly exists... Though I doubt that it will serve much benefit...]
Both were in deep thought about what purposes the two could serve, that they had forgotten the presence of the Archbishops behind them.
[Regulus: ...Forgive me for intruding on this conversation, but wouldn't that be putting yourself at a lower standard, Miss Pandora?]
All people present inside the room shot annoyed sneers at Regulus, with Capella's being the most prominent. His relaxed expression turned into concern and discomfort as everyone was dumbfounded by his question.
[Pandora: I'd appreciate it if you'd raise your hand first before interrupting...]
[Muzan: …Anyways, on the subject of demons, we also aren't able to consume anything but human flesh. Salmon, rice, udon, any food we eat just gets regurgitated after a moment.]
Unsurprisingly, when Gluttony(s) heard of food, they instantly wanted to ask about it by raising their hands.
[Roy: What type of food do you guys have? We brothers are hungry eaters…~]
[Muzan: Hmm… Perhaps you could try Sushi, though going out in such disgusting apparel wouldn't do you any good.]
[Roy: Huuhh?! Oh man… Why can't you just bring us some...! Brother, you're hungry too right?]
[Lye: Yeah, both of us are hungry! Me and him, we crave food! Especially something from this world!]
The two Gluttonies began salivating once more, though their subject of "food" wasn't exactly the norm. Unexpectedly, Muzan wasn't bothered by their obnoxiousness, rather focusing on something he had forgotten.
[Muzan: Pandora, was it? I've forgotten to ask, what exactly is the nature of your "Sin-Archbishop's?" If our alliance is to last, I must make sure I have the best of the best.]
[Pandora: Oh, well I was just waiting for you to ask~]
Pandora stood up off her chair and walked behind the line of her accomplices, who were in single file facing Muzan. She couldn't help but smile at their unity, as they often bickered and disobeyed her.
She snuggled her head in between the two Gluttonies, holding their shoulders as if she were posing for a picture. Funnily enough, they both smiled for the non-existant camera. Either that or they were just happy to be held by her.
[These are the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, Bishop Alphard and Bishop Batenkaitos. Both of them possess the Authority of Gluttony, which allows them to eat the memories of an individual they touch with their palm. However, it takes severe concentration for them to do so.]
[Roy & Lye: Yes! Our food is most delicious, most supreme indeed!]
Muzan looked perplexed at the description of their ability. Eating the memories of a person was a concept he hadn't heard of, and thus intrigued him as Pandora walked over to Wrath. Their height difference was highlighted as Sirius stood inches above her.
[Pandora: This is the Sin Archbishop of Wrath, Sirius Romanée-Conti. Her authority allows her to share her senses, emotions, pain, and injuries with others, including the senses of other people being polarized in... About a five-kilometer radius I belive, though the effects become weaker as the distance from her increases.]
[Sirius: I apologize for the sudden intrusion, but it's a pleasure to meet you.]
Muzan noted her... Disgusting aura that she wore, a mask of eerieness if you will that didn't match her politeness at all. Nevertheless, her ability could be extremely useful against the Slayers. Having someone who could control an entire army of mindless humans would be extraordinary.
Pandora moved to Regulus, who of course had already earned the resentment of Muzan.
[Pandora: This is the Sin Archbishop of Greed, Regulus Corneas. His authority is complex, as it's able to stop the time of anything he touches, effectively negating the interference of the world around it and only allowing its own interference. He can also control and manipulate how powerful the effect of his authority is, such as stopping the time of his heart. Though unfortunately, it has a time limit of 5 seconds. Had he gained some practice on pushing his boundaries, he could presumably reach half a minute~]
[Regulus: —Tch... I don't need practice or a time limit, I'm already perfectly satisfied as is.]
Muzan's eyes widened at her description of his power. It seemed as though each Archbishop had some incredible power, ones that were so coincidentally useful against the Demon Slayers. Had his power not had a time limit, he could easily kill anyone who came across his path.
Finally, Pandora introduced the last person in her arsenal, leaning her hand and weight on Capella's shoulder as the Archbishop visibly smirked.
[Pandora: This is the Sin Archbishop of Lust, Capella Emerada Lugunica. Her power is simply the ability to transform her body and anyone she touches into whatever she wants. Animals, beasts, weapons, and mutated limbs are all within reach of her authority.]
[Muzan: Hmm... Your Archbishops intrigue me deeply...]
[Capella: —Oh, you're a starer, huh? How depraved~]
Muzan's thoughts were not interrupted by her snarky comment, instead focusing on the strength of the group. Considering the fact that they're humans, they're more likely to die instead of his own personal demons. However, their authorities are far more destructive than blood demon arts. If paired up together, they could probably take out the whole Corps with ease. That is, if they could find them.
[Muzan: ... Nakime, fetch me a person from the street.]
She did as he commanded, a sharp twang filling the air with sound as a door opened from above the Infinity Castle, and from it came a random person of no importance whatsoever. His clothing was filthy, his hair unrefined, a slum dweller.
[Hobo: Ah… H-Heugh?! W-Where am I?!]
The hobo was shocked at how his surroundings changed so suddenly, and even worse was the group standing before him, the sight so terrifying he couldn't even scream.
[Hobo: Ah…]
[Muzan: I'd like to test the skill of your authority, all 5 of you. Witnessing Pandora's authority taught me that you aren't as weak as I presumed, so I expect your skills to be exceptional. You there, Gluttony, I'd like you to go first.]
[Lye: Oh, we truly appreciate this, Mr. Kibitsuji~]
The first to be chosen, Lye Batenkaitos, slowly paced toward the man, the daggers wrapped around his wrists dangling across the floor with each step with a grin on his face.
[Roy: Hey wait a DAMN minute!]
[Lye: Hey, You're not calling dibs on him, 'cause I just did! Hah!]
[Roy: Bu~t, wouldn't you be doing the same as me? "Garbage" Roy? We know how much you hate the way we eat our food, not preparing the meal to the deluxe~]
Lye stared at him blankly, as if he said the dumbest thing ever.
[Lye: Do you really think I'd let this opportunity slip?! We don't give a shit about standards right now, WE get to eat someone from Japan, Natsuki's homeland! Just imagine what it was like to live there, all the new things, unexplored places, and advanced technology! This man right here is the key to all of that!]
Roy snarled at Lye for stealing his kill as Lye as he resumed his haunting waltz toward the slum dweller.
[Lye: Now then, you asked for a demonstration of our power, yes? Well, there's a lot more to our authority than just eating memories~]
Lye continued to speak as he approached the man inch by inch, with the man desperately standing back up off the ground and running up a set of stairs leading to a wider section of the laboratory.
[Lye: We also possess the power to eat a person's name, which erases their existence from the minds of everyone except themselves. Not only that, but after discovering our authority, we realized their memories reside within us, awaiting their use~ We call that power...]
Lye's sentence came to a halt as he stood still, staring at the man as he reached the peak of his monologue—
[Lye: —Eclipse~]
Instantly, within a moment unseeable to the eye, Lye had vanished and "teleported" in front of the frightened man mid-air. Without even a chance to slow down or even react, a spinning kick was delivered to his jaw, breaking it instantly and sending the man's body tumbling down the stairs and back to where he started.
Pandora had to block Roy from attacking the man, to which she assured Roy that he would get his turn soon enough. Lye himself leaped down the stairs and towered over the man, gripping his long hair tightly as he lifted him to eye level.
[Lye: Now then, if you're still able to speak, would you mind giving us your name?]
[Hobo: Ah... ah...]
[Lye: Oops...]
His jaw had been almost detached from his skull, blood flowing out like a waterfall from the ripped flesh that once held his cheek and bone being visible from most of his mouth. Had he not held back, Lye could've knocked his whole jaw off along with his head.
[Lye: Oh well, we're not too keen on making you suffer anyway...]
Lye met his right palm with the man's chest, pouring his focus into it for a brief moment as he removed it, and moved it to his mouth.
[Lye: Gluttony... Bleh~]
His tongue slowly drifted along his right palm, savoring the taste of what seemed to be the man's memories. In that moment, as his tongue escaped the length of his hand—
[Hobo: Gk... gah...]
—The man collapsed to the ground, appearing to be in a comatose state for the time being as Lye stood proudly in front of Muzan. Perhaps if Roy were just a tad bit more angry, his envy would've taken a physical form.
But as Lye grinned at Muzan, that joyfulness soon faded away as he stood still with a stone-cold expression, beckoning Roy's interest.
[Roy: Brother? What's wrong?]
Lye turned to face Roy with his expression still the same, as he took a deep breath and yelled out words that shocked the rest of the Archbishops.
[Lye: Roy... JAPAN IS THE SAME DAMN THING AS KARARAGI!!!]
[Roy: WHAAAATT?!?!??!!??!?!?!]
[Capella: Huh?]
[Regulus: Keep it down dammit!!!]
Thus a ruckus made its way into the laboratory, a spur of yells and other indistinguishable noises, like Roy's hyperventilation. It's to be expected, they had been told of a magical world full of towering buildings and technology far surpassing magic. Come to find out, it's just the same thing as one of their countries, minus a few exceptions.
[Pandora: Settle down now. While it's true that Japan is very similar to Kararagi, you shouldn't expect your wishes to go unfulfilled.]
Pandora's magical words quelled the commotion of the archbishops, each of them going silent at her words command.
Muzan's normal expression stayed the same, however, his annoyance was noticeable. Despite that, he nodded his head at Batenkaitos.
[Muzan: Your strength, if your memory bank contains abilities similar to blood-demon art, would most likely land you at Upper Moon Three... Though with how you've described your world, I would settle for Lower Moon 5...]
[Lye: ...Thanks, We suppose...]
Lye was still barely able to form sentences, with the once-ideal fantasy of Japan being a magical wonderland shattered in an instant. Of course, the homeless man's life was also just generic. A boy born into a poor family, living a poor life, and dying a poor death.
Through his own experiences, however, Gluttony did share his sentiments with the man.
[Corneas: Speaking of ranks and whatnot, what exactly do they mean? Is it some power system? If so, then my perfect self would surely be at the top. ]
Muzan debted on explaining it, but since their alliance was to be a lot longer than anticipated, he might as well do so.
[Muzan: The ranking system happens to be the order of my most powerful demons, specifically by their power ranking. They are named the Twelve Kizuki and split into 2 subdivisions, Lower Moons, and Upper Moons.]
[Roy: Woah... Cool...]
[Sirius: Twelve... Kizuki?]
[Muzan: When a demon acquires my interest, they have the possibility of receiving doses of my blood. This, in turn, makes them stronger, to the point where not even an army could kill them unless they were Hashira.]
[Roy: Hashira... Hashira... That has a nice ring to it.]
[Sirius: ... Hashira...?]
The two brightly shined with childlike curiosity and amusement, as Muzan looked at Pandora in annoyance. No way in hell was he going to act like a parent to these people, let alone allow them to be childish. If they are to be his allies, they won't be asking so many questions. He'd personally rather have them learn over time instead of having to teach them himself.
[Muzan: ... A Hashira is simply just a high-ranking Demon Slayer, one whose training has allowed them to reach the "Pillars" of the Corps. They're the best the Demon Slayer's have to offer.]
[Lye: Best of the best? Hmm... And where could we meet these exceptional individuals?~]
[Muzan: Unfortunately for both you and me, their whereabouts are unknown. As it turns out, I've been tracking them for over 10 centuries.]
The group looked at Muzan in shock, no way did they believe that he's been around for 1000 years. Not even an elf lives for that long. Again, Muzan debated on killing them, interpreting that they had been mocking him in their heads for not reaching his goal after half a millennia's time.
[Pandora: So, that makes our alliance useful in a way~]
[Muzan: That is unless you and your subordinates are less capable than I thought.]
Pandora made a disappointed look at Muzan, as she made her way back to her fresh wooden seat.
[Pandora: With that out of the way... Sirius? Would you like to take the stand?]
[Sirius: A-Are you sure? What about Roy, isn't it his turn?]
[Roy: Yeah, where's my turn, huh?!]
Roy began to pout like a child as Lye walked past, teasingly flicking his forehead to Roy's frustration.
[Muzan: Personally, such a ruckus wouldn't be allowed by me.]
[Pandora: I don't share the same view, unfortunately.]
Muzan's brow perked up at Pandora, though stiffly so. His complex as the Demon King wouldn't allow him to be even so much as annoyed by inferior beings. As such, he couldn't exactly grasp why Pandora had such tolerance toward her cult—
[Pandora: —It's simple, really...]
Pandora's voice cut off Muzan's train of thought, connecting it with her own thoughts on the matter.
[Pandora: A good faucet requires a strong, durable pipe along with a series of tubing to connect the water. Without the pipelines, the water would leak out. Without a solid foundation, the water would leak out as well...]
Pandora walked over to Roy, petting his hair delicately to his surprise, but he did enjoy being treated like a pet. Per Lye's envy, he bared his teeth at his Roy.
[Pandora: Think of the pipes as a relationship. Without solid communication and a bond between each other, the faucet along with the pipes would shatter. Thus, having my Bishops be on good terms with one another, including myself, is most desirable.]
[Muzan: ... I'll keep that in mind...]
His attentiveness, which he had not displayed earlier, made Pandora smile once again from the "bond" that they were now sharing.
[Roy: So does this mean we get our turn?]
[Pandora: Indeed. Wait just a moment.]
Pandora walked over to the homeless man's limp body. Had he given Batenkaitos his name, he'd be the equivalent of a corpse. As of now, however, the man would only be an amnesiac once he wakes up.
[Pandora: In a demonstration of power, it would be Archbishop Roy Alphard who would be bestowed the honor of demonstrating their strength.]
In conjunction with her authority, reality itself morphed in the blink of an eye. Though the memories of Batenkaitos' assault on the man hadn't been forgotten by those witnessing, the man's memories were, along with any injuries sustained on him. In fact, he seemed to be right back where he was when first summoned, confused and terrified at the sight of the Archbishops.
[Muzan: ... Astonishing...]
[Homeless Man: Wh-Wha... Who... Who are you people...?!]
The man had quite literally been reset, surprising the king of demons himself that she'd be so heartless as to let this man suffer further. At least she'd given the courtesy to not have him remember the death.
[Pandora: Roy, you're free to go—]
SWOOSH
Though not nearly as fast as Lye Batenkaitos, Roy launched himself forward to greet the man with a chokeslam, one that nearly broke the floorboards beneath him.
[Roy: You... What's your name? And say it quick!]
[Homeless Man: Ah... Ah...!]
Struggling against his grasp, the man tried his hardest to release Roy's grip on his neck. His life was already hard enough, struggling to make ends meet, struggling just to do so much as see the sunrise the next morning.
"Why, why today of all days...?"
[Roy: Give me your name, or we'll lob that head of yours right off your shoulders. Either that or your neck's gettin' broken.]
Roy spoke with such ferocity that the man's body felt overcome with dread and anxiety. Forget everything prior to this, his life mattered more than anything currently right now.
Maybe, just maybe, he could get out of this if he followed their orders.
[Satori: I-It's... It's Satori... Satori Daichi... Please let me go...]
Tears welled up in his eyes, some already making their way down his cheek as he begged for their mercy with a raspy voice.
Had he been paired up with Lye, perhaps fate would have more kinder to him. Today was an exception.
[Roy: Ah... Ah...!~ Thank you so much, we truly appreciate it!~]
Roy's grip left Satori's neck, a bruise bearing its mark on it. Unfortunately, Roy's palm made its way down to his chest, and then to his mouth.
[Roy: Now, for something that'll definitely shock you...~]
Roy's tongue dragged across his left palm, opposite to what Lye had done. Muzan looked at him, curious as to what the other palm was capable of—
[Roy: Satori Daichi~]
[Muzan: ... Huh...?]
"Who... Is that man...? Is he a part of their group?"
In an instant, Muzan, including the archbishops, had completely forgotten about Satori. Every fragment of memory that had of him was erased in an instant. The only one unmoved by this was Pandora, as expected of her. The Archbishops, especially Lye, calmed themselves after noticing Roy on top of the man.
Satori himself, however, experienced no side effects other than confusion as to what Roy had just done to him.
[Roy: What you just witnessed, Mr. Kibitsuji, was the power of eating the name of this man, Satori Daichi...~]
[Satori: ...Wait... What...?]
[Roy: That means, your entire existence is erased from everyone's memory, including the world itself~ Only me, my siblings, and presumably Miss Pandora can remember you it seems~]
Roy turned his head from Muzan to face Satori dead on, licking his lips whilst grinning at the prospect of his name now belonging to him. When Gluttony eats the name of a person, their entire existence is erased. Things such as memories, actions, and anything else done in their life effectively never happened, only existing in the minds of those who's names were eaten.
—To Roy's surprise though, Satori was smiling... happily.
[Satori: Y-You mean... No one, absolutely no one remembers me...?]
[Roy: Well, that's how it goes.]
[Satori: ...Finally... I'm free...]
Those words caught the attention of Roy instantly. Since Lye had eaten his memories, Roy looked to him for the answer, to which he nodded back.
[Roy: So it's like that, huh... Our sympathies go to you.]
[Satori: Huh? Gack-!]
Roy lifted Satori to his feet, barely able to keep his balance as he stumbled about only to meet Roy's gaze.
[Roy: We'll make this quick so you don't suffer much.]
Muzan knew what Roy was going to do, as Gluttony's palm swiftly met with Satori's chest.
Instead of the memories being eaten—
[Roy: Ultimate Palm.]
—Satori's fragile frame had crumpled under his touch, his bones cracking audibly as the force of the impact sent him crashing into a bookshelf The damage was so brutal that Satori wasn't even able to vocalize his agony, and the force at which he was flung was akin to being hit by a car at around 120 km/h. He probably lost his ability to speak in the process.
[Satori: ——]
His destroyed body wasn't even able to move as it began to flop from the shelf it had been stuck to, the force of his impact knocking over multiple. Luckily, they were only mere decorations. Had they not been, Roy would've been dead instantly.
Muzan theorized in his mind that the force had broken his spine, though it wasn't as impressive considering his body was weak, barely living off of whatever scraps he'd eaten prior.
[Roy: Serpent of the Twin Swords.]
Inside the cloth that shrouded his frame, Roy retrieved two elongated daggers, the frame matching the ones attached to Lye's wrists. Instantly, Roy's movements became that of a snake, decisively severing Satori's head from the neck before his corpse had reached the ground.
[Muzan: Impressive... Since I've not seen the full prowess of your abilities, I'd place you neatly at Lower Rank 1... As stated earlier, your potential is likely around Upper Rank 3, maybe higher if you work on it.]
[Roy: Our deepest gratitude to you, Kibitsuji-Sama~]
Roy gracefully bowed to Muzan, and with his ranking being near Lower Moon 1, Lye could not help but feel a sense of envy. Muzan himself did appreciate his politeness, further exemplified by his use of proper Japanese honorifics.
[Lye: ... My techniques are stronger, dammit...]
He cursed under his breath as Roy walked back in line with the rest of the crew.
[Muzan: So it seems that not only memories can be eaten, but erasing the existence of someone too?]
[Roy: Yes indeed, though the consumption of names and memories differs for each palm, and it doesn't "fully" erase them, that's why he's lying there. The right is for the memories, and the left is for the name. Though it takes some concentration, a good touch for about 2 seconds does the trick~]
[Lye: Oh, oh, also! Before Roy ate that guy's name, I happened to eat his memories beforehand~ It seems that even in this new world, people are still affected by us~]
[Pandora: Indeed, this I can confirm. Gluttony's power sure is amazing~]
Pandora stated the facts as she walked over to Satori's corpse, preparing to chant the words that would rewrite reality.
[Sirius: Even though I've seen your authority in action, it's always so surreal each time it happens...]
[Lye: Well of course, how else would you act when someone just randomly pops into your memory?]
[Pandora: In a demonstration of power, it would be Archbishop Sirius Romanée-Conti who would be bestowed the honor of demonstrating their strength.]
Cutting off the two's chatter, Pandora revived Satori without his memories, standing in the exact same spot again.
[Satori: H-How did I... Wh-Who are you people?!?!]
[Muzan: It amuses me you think so little of him.]
Completely ignoring Satori's cries, Muzan callously targeted his words at Pandora.
[Pandora: Well, aside from your memories, we'd only be killing him once instead of 3 times, no?]
Pandora's mischievous smile left Muzan smirking as well. It's a wonder how someone could kill without a shred of emotion. These two were the ones who could never have such emotion.
[Sirius: Forgive me if I do not live up to your expectations...]
Pandora patted Sirius on the back, urging her to go as she shakily walked toward Satori. Her chains dragged across the ground, some pulling off the floorboard as Satori began to crawl backward in fear.
[Sirus: No no no no, It's alright! Be not afraid, I won't hurt you.]
Muzan, hearing her words of comfort, felt as if she was nothing but a weakling. It made sense why Regulus had bickered with her.
Though, he also believed it was too soon to judge her, as it is a show of strength after all.
[Satori: Y-You're not...?]
[Sirius: Of course not. Forgive me for coming off as scary or impolite, it's common that one would be afraid of me, including my friends.]
Regulus visibly shuddered at being considered her friend.
Sirius gently reached her hand out to Satori, her comforting embrace consuming Satori's spirit as a whole. To him, at this moment, it's as if she were an angel of sorts.
[Sirius: You see that man right there, the one in the tuxedo?]
[Satori: Y-Yes, I do...]
Sirius leaned to his ear, gripping his head tightly from the cranium.
[Sirius: I want you to kill him for me, okay?]
Without hesitation, Satori began walking toward Muzan, fists clenched and bearing an angered face.
No doubt at all, this was the work of Sirius' Soulwashing ability, the Authority of Wrath.
[Muzan: What a fascinating power, though I doubt it'll work much against a Hashira.]
Satori swung a fist toward Muzan, to which Sirius flung a chain of hers at him, digging deep into his shoulder as he was thrusted back under Sirius' feet. The wound was deep enough for the chain hook to pierce through Satori's shoulder blade.
[Satori: You don't want me to kill him?]
[Sirius: Nope, just lie still for me~]
Interestingly, Satori showed no signs of pain, not even much of a reaction at all as he obeyed Sirius' orders. Sirius rubbed her hands together, smiling as her hands had literally caught fire.
[Sirius: Now, burn for me~]
Sirius released her hands and aimed her palms at Satori, engulfing him in a firey torrent that melted his entire body instantly. Even Muzan was surprised that Satori didn't have the chance to scream as his body turned to ash in a short moment.
[Muzan: Fire manipulation... Soulwashing... Your abilities, if your control over fire is supreme enough, would land you at Upper Moon 5...]
Sirius clenched her fist in pride knowing that she was above Roy and Lye. However, the next candidate for display would truly prove the strength of the Witch Cult.
[Pandora: Regulus, your turn?]
[Regulus: ... Fine...]
Regulus paced his way to Muzan as Pandora revived Satori once again, replacing the one showing their power with Regulus himself.
Muzan, of course, paid close attention to Regulus' authority. The power to manipulate the time of an object sounded like the perfect combat ability. If Muzan's inside theory was correct, simply waving his hand could kill someone instantly.
[Satori: H-Hey, get away from m—!]
[Regulus: I'm bored and annoyed, so just die already.]
As Muzan had predicted, Regulus swatted his arm upwards like a knife. In an instant, what was the small gust released from his swing turned into a deadly weapon, cleaving Satori's arm from the shoulder.
[Regulus: Oh... I missed...]
[Satori: Ah... Ah!!!]
Satori clawed at his now missing limb, wailing at the sight of his own blood spilled on the floor, along with the agony that came from the wound.
[Regulus: Oh well, guess that's what happens when I don't aim it right.]
Regulus just sighed at the minor occurrence, just shrugging it off as he walked back to the line again.
To Muzan's surprise though, Satori just vanished, instantly. No trace of him remained at all except the stench of blood. He would've concluded that Nakime banished him, but the Biwa hadn't been touched.
[Muzan: Ah... I see.]
Indeed, he was correct to assume Regulus' power was exceptional, not only that but his usage of it. When Regulus sighed, Muzan presumed that he froze the time of his breath, which would explain why Satori had been vaporized instantaneously. Now that he looked more carefully, he noticed the blood-stained vapor that lingered from where he stood.
[Muzan: Regulus, stand here.]
Muzan pointed down to the ground beneath him, about 2 feet away from himself.
[Regulus: You can walk over here yourself, it makes it easier for both of us. Since you're unlike me, you get to move your legs for a bit.]
[Muzan: ... Is that an order...?]
Everyone already knew SOMETHING had to happen when Regulus had his turn. It always happens, every time. Capella says that's why everyone hates him, and blinded by stubbornness and ignorance, Regulus never knew that was true.
Regulus always had a way to piss someone off, which was ironic since he got pissy over almost everything.
[Regulus: Yes, it is an order, you got a problem with that?]
[Muzan: —]
A vein nearly burst on Muzan's head as he walked to Regulus, about the same distance he had ordered him to.
[Regulus: See? That wasn't so difficult, now was it? If everyone just got along and listened to me for once, I wouldn't have to get so angry ove—Eek!!]
Mid-sentence, Muzan landed a punch on Regulus' face and, in accordance with his authority's description, found out that he could indeed freeze the time of his body.
As when his arm made contact, every cell that came in contact had vaporized and had now left Muzan with half of his arm's length remaining.
[Regulus: Jeez... You made me jump... Isn't that a bit rude to do without asking? I mean, I stood here, gave you a simple command, and now you "hit" me in your little childish temper tantrum. That's a violation of my rights, is it not...?]
[Muzan: I could care less about what "rights" you have or if I violate them or not. In my opinion, you should learn to keep that mouth of yours shut for once.]
[Regulus: Oh, so this is what it's come to? Perfect...]
The two stood face to face, ready to deliver the coldest lines to each other in an attempt to diminish the pride of their enemy.
No one could take it seriously. Roy, Lye, Capella, all of them were on the verge of letting their laughed slip.
[Sirius: Um... Shouldn't we stop them? What if Pandora gets mad...?]
[Capella: Who cares! Don't you want that whiney brat to get beat up?]
[Sirius: Yes.]
[Capella: Okay then just watch! It's not like she cares too much anyway.]
[Sirius: ... Pandora, are you okay with this...?]
[Pandora: ... If Regulus loses, then yes.]
"How much of a jackass do you have to be to make your whole team hate you? Kya ha ha ha ha!!!"
Capella laughed in her mind with slight giggles escaping her mind as Regulus initiated the conflict once again.
[Regulus: You know, you've really been pissing me off... you couldn't even earn my greetings the moment I entered. The first thing I see when I come into this new world is a lousy, no-good, "king" Who can't even seem to make a good outfit...—]
Muzan was visibly ticked off by his comment about appearances. He knew damn well he shouldn't be talking with his messed up hair, but he let him continue.
[Regulus: —Not only that, you interrupt my sightseeing, and that demon-whore tried to kill me too!!! At that point... Your violations deserve death... Death, death, death...]
[Muzan: Oh, is that the case? Well, why don't you kill me then?]
Regulus looked back at Pandora for approval, to which if she did, he would instantly decimate Muz—
[Muzan: —Do not turn your back to me.]
Muzan had grasped the top of Regulus' head, to which he twisted it to face him. Had Regulus had his body frozen, it would've vaporized his hand. Though as Muzan saw it, he had it deactivated currently.
[Muzan: If you truly want justice, to serve your ideals, then you never turn toward others for that. Doing that only makes you weak, a loser destined for failure... And you don't want to be that, now do you?]
Muzan smirked at Regulus to frustrate him further, his fists curled into a ball as he prepared to strike Muzan. Though, even Regulus wasn't dumb enough to know he couldn't beat him, or at least by conventional means. Perhaps disintegrating him would do the job nicely.
[Muzan: Moreover, I do not appreciate your attitude, and thus, you should be more careful of your words. You do realize your power has a time limit, therefore I can kill you right here and now, right?]
Regulus, not in line with Muzan's claim, had began to smile cheerfully.
[Regulus: Ah, the time limit on Lion's Heart... Nah, I don't have it anymore.]
[Muzan: Oh really? Well then...—]
A punch from Muzan was winded up to be delivered into Regulus' face. Had that not worked, Kibitsuji would've pummeled him until his authority gave out.
And, had Pandora not intervened, this would've been true.
[Pandora: —Would you two kindly stop fighting? Why don't we settle this after our demonstrations?]
The only reason Muzan listened was because he was truly interested in their powers. The ability to attack during the day, including scouting for a certain resource would be superbly beneficial to him. And of course, Regulus obeyed his master.
Muzan stepped back to his usual spot, awaiting Capella's turn.
[Pandora: Oh dear... It appears the body's gone...]
[Capella: Bah, who cares anyways. I honestly don't wanna show off...]
[Pandora: That's odd, you're usually the one to boast and prattle often. Speaking of which, why haven't you been talking much.]
Capella's nose twitched slightly, quite sporadically as she crossed her arms in what seemed to be annoyance.
[Capella: Haven't you all noticed it? Tell me, what's one notable thing our world has that this place doesn't?]
[Sirius: ... Can't say...]
[Pandora: Are you referring to the lack of mana in here?]
Capella's fingers let out a loud snap that signalled the validation of Pandora's answer.
[Capella: Bingo~ Since the moment we came here, the lack of it in this place has just turned me off, honestly. It feels gross... Different... And my nose won't stop twitching, including my ears. It's like when your ears plug after going up a mountain. I can't stand it, my charms going away...!]
[Lye: Ah, we see what you mean. Honestly, that's sort of why we didn't show off too much. We'd rather not waste our power just for showcase~]
[Roy: We would've used Twilight Mage had the mana usage not been so great... Sigh, it doesn't matter too much anyway.]
[Capella: That's where you're wrong.]
The group turned their heads toward Capella's statement as she informed them of the consequences of being in this new world.
[Capella: Mana here is incredibly scarce, it's enough only to supply a regular human's worth. On top of this, we might not even be able to use magic due to us being so far from Od Laguna.]
[Roy: Even so, wouldn't we still be connected to it since it's just beyond the Great Waterfall?]
[Muzan: Are you suggesting that the earth is flat?]
The group then diverted their attention to Muzan's question. Perhaps he had a safe answer to this?
[Muzan: I've heard the tall tale of the earth being flat, and I believe that's where your assumption of a Great Waterfall comes from. However, I believe it to be highly unlikely. Sailors from many countries and nations have come to and fro, each taking separate routes from one another.]
[Capella: And what your saying is...]
[Muzan: Due to cases of departures from both horizontal, vertical, and diagonal angles toward Japan. With no reports of anything besides water, it's safe to say this theory is debunked for the most part.]
[Pandora: So... In that case, it's safe to say we quite literally came from another world?]
[Muzan: Well, from what I witnessed, a rift had opened before my eyes, which is where you were standing currently. Care to explain the rest?]
Thus began the recollection of what had happened prior to their meeting in the Infinity castle
[Pandora: Well, I had gathered my faithful sheep to accompany me to this place. Bishop Batenkaitos had access to some memories of a person who came from Japan, though not fully. The only reason he knew about this was because a girl he ate, Rem, had a relationship with the boy.]
[Lye: Oh yes, we truly do love Mr. Natsuki~ Though, we find it odd that we'd end up somewhere so different, yet so similar at the same time...~]
[Pandora: So, I used that memory as inspiration for my authority, rewriting time to make us cross over the Great Waterfall, lining the edge of the world which is where Japan lay. Though, it seems we've either Japan is across the waterfall, or we were transported somewhere completely different to that land. If it's the latter, then I suppose I should get a better grasp on my Authority's uses.]
[Muzan: Hm... And I suppose you have no way of coming back?]
[Pandora: We do through the use of my authority, though the drawback of switching between two vastly different circulations of mana would have it's effects on us. Though it is only a theory, it's a risk I wouldn't take.]
[Muzan: How come?]
[Pandora: If we were to return back to our world without certain aspects of my authority being active... Well, it's inconclusive whether anything would happen at all or not. No one's ever known what happens when going in between 2 separate volumes of mana.]
[Capella: One of the downsides would be our Gates becoming defective, and before you ask, a Gate is just the "gateway" for utilizing mana and synthesizing it into magic. You and everyone else in Japan won't be able to use it since your Gate's are, most likely, only partially functional. Od Laguna is different, it's the soul of our world and the source of all mana from our homeland. I'm sure your world has some weaker varient if you're not able to use magic like this.]
[Pandora: Another problem would be us suffering from mana poisoning, though this wouldn't be likely as it deals with the maximum capacity of our Gates. However, if our Gates adapt to this earth, I doubt we'll last long in our original earth. On top of this, I would probably die my Od, or soul, were to be killed on the process of returning back home.]
Regulus would've been spazzing out had this information been presented to him (His brain wouldn't handle it). Muzan however took it all in the moment it reached his ears. Defective Gates, Mana Poisioning, some he didn't understand but they weren't important to him. They were more about curiosites that could make for some entertain—
[Muzan: —]
Perhaps, in that other world, there could've been resources that could help him achieve his goal of eternity. Magic, Gates, Od Laguna, they were most likely common knowledge to these people. There was so much to that world that could be explored, so much to be learned, so much to find.
Then again, with Japan, or at least Asakusa being similar to "Kararagi" wasn't something to be desired. If it's the same as his world, there's no use to going there, and there's no way he's risking himself being killed.
To him, it truly only did exist as entertainment and theories.
[Muzan: ... Since you're going to be staying here for a while, I believe it'd be common courtesy to introduce you to my Upper Ranks.]
[Lye & Roy: We're meeting them?!?!]
[Capella: Oh, finally.]
Gluttony had visibly become excited, fidgeting with agitation as Capella had done the opposite. Though, she would like to see what meatbags would be presented before her, perhaps they could be useful or enticing...
[Sirius: Th-The Upper Ranks? What about the Lower ones?]
[Muzan: They aren't allowed to know of this place, only Upper Moons know the existence of the Infinity Castle.]
Muzan looked towards Nakime once again, who had been silently listening to their conversations and performances. She wasn't too keen on interacting with them, though they were interesting fellows.
TWANG, TWING
As Nakime nodded her head, the shape of the Infinity Castle morphed into something completely different. Now, standing in the center of what appeared to be a large wooden arena, were the Sin Archbishops. In front of them was a massive ring surrounding the arena, with Muzan and Pandora being placed next to each other.
[???: Oh... This is interesting...~]
[???: Ah, Lord Muzan~! What a wonderful time for us to meet again~! Yes, a magnificent day indeed~!]
[???: Eeeeek!!! N-Newcomers, newcomers!!! Wh-Why are they here, a-and what a foul, foul stench! It's scary... Scary, nerve-wracking, frightening, unerving, horrifying, terrifying, petrifying!!!]
[???: I was curious as to why we were summoned here... But if it's to fight, I'm more than prepared...!]
[???: Aw man...! I was just about to kill this girl and consume her... Oh well, I can just eat her here.]
[???: ... ]
6 figures surrounded the Sin Archbishops on a lower layer of the circle, each looming over them with an ominous presence along with their distinct clothing.
The first demon in front of them being barely covered with much, similar to Capella which made her envious. Her figure was quite curvaceous, something odd as she was quite a tall for a woman, about 5'7. Her face, although not even close to Pandora's elegance, was something of extreme beauty, with 2 flower like patters on the corners of the left side of the forehead and one on her chin, which spread to her cheek.. Her eyes were a fine lime color, and in the center was some sort of wording that was shared with each of the demons eyes. Her long black hair, the ends being highlighted the same color of her eyes extended down to her calves and near her ankles. Her apparel only consisted of a two piece set that was similar to a bikini, with black and magnetta colored clothing, including flower patterns which connected with her thigh-high socks. Something of interest were the floating florescent-patterned sashes that extended from her abdomen, wrapped around her like a kimono belt.
In clockwise order, the demon to the right of the lewd one was an unnerving sight. Sprouting from a somewhat basic pot was the frame of a pale-white abomination of limbs. It looked as if it was a genie coming from its lamp. The "thing's" only human features were a face, a torso, and arms, 12 in total that were too short to be useful, 6 on the sides of its torso, 4 lining its neck, and 2 emerging from its back. Its face was also disturbing. Instead of a mouth and a normal forehead, they were replaced with large, wide eyes, the one on its forehead being vertical. Where its eyes would usually be were replaced with green-colored mouths. It looked like a monster out of folktales, one associated with the sea.
To the right of the sea-monster was a demon that resembled traditional oni, aside from the massive bulge on its head. The demon had been crouched down, its back hunched which highlighted its grotesque face. The demon bore horns similar to Pandora's style of demons, a thin face with a sharp chin that reminded the group of Petelgeuse, and long hair that made its way down to its upper spine. Its eyes were pure red, and its tongue bore some other type of wording different from the ones displayed in their pupils. Other than his dark-wood-colored skin and demonic face, he seemed to be normal like any old man. He wore a dark red kimono which had its color split down the middle, with the right side above the line colored green with wavy yellow patterns. Along with this, the demon bore a pair of zōri and hakama pants.
Next in line appeared to be the most normal of the demons, apart from the one after him. A demon with a man's appearance bearing pink hair, yellow eyes with pink eyelashes and blue sclera, and a muscular body that was more pale than Regulus, being almost pure white with a very obscure tinge of green. His body was marked with blue tattoos, something that the Archbishops, including Pandora, had recognized as criminal marks since Vollachia had a similar punishment for wrongdoers in the country. The only clothing present on his body was a very short, sleeveless pink haiori, along with baggy pants tightened by a blue rope and pink beads wrapped around his ankles. His demeanor seemed to be one of pride among the demons.
Amongst him was a male demon with beautiful eyes, ones that looked rainbow in color along with his yellow pupils. His body was also similar to Regulus. Lean, pale skin, and platinum-white hair that, had it been more lustrous, would've matched Regulus's perfectly besides length. The demon-man bore a blood-red turtleneck shirt, which on it's collar, neck, and wrists, were colored a jet black color. The shirt itself was tucked shoddily into his tan-colored hakama pants, which had a pin stripped pattern downward and was fasted by a whitish-gold belt. His footing was also only supported by socks, and his head was decorated with a black crown that had gold outlines and patterns. The most disturbing thing about him, however, was the half-eaten girl nearly dismembered around his neck.
And finally, what seemed to be the strongest of the 6, a masculine demon with 6 eyes lining his face, two above and two below where his normal eyes were, which the "normal" ones had the same wording as the demons prior. His hair was long, spikey and unkempt, a dark black with red on the outlines of them which had to be held in a ponytail. His outfit was a black and purple kimono, the purple being accompanied by multiple hexagonal patterns along with being tucked into black hakama pants, and tied by a white cloth. On his hip was the sheath of his katana, the sheath itself bearing resemblance to flesh, with it even having veins and eyes. The katana itself had eyes in between the wrapping of it, which gave off an eerie feeling.
All Six of these fighters, without a shadow of a doubt, were the Demon Moons.
[Muzan: As I promised, I shall give you Sin Archbishops the chance to "greet" my subordinates, the Upper Moon's of the Twelve Kizuki.]
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