Upper Moon Rank Four didn't wait for Ali; it quickly leaped into the Infinity Castle, disappearing into its depths. Ali watched the demon vanish before walking up to the edge of the entrance. He looked down into the bright lights that spiralled below him, taking a moment to appreciate the craftsmanship before jumping in.
As All descended, he marvelled at the stunning Japanese architecture that surrounded him, brightly illuminated by countless lanterns. The intricate woodwork and elegant design captivated his attention. 'This is truly remarkable,' Ali thought, impressed by the artistry and grandeur of the Infinity Castle.
His admiration was momentarily interrupted when he caught sight of a woman playing a Biwa, her expression serene yet focused.
Suddenly, a solid landing platform appeared beneath him. Instinctively, Ali activated his breathing style and channeled his black veins to brace for the impact. He landed forcefully on both feet, creating a resounding shockwave and leaving a noticeable dent in the wooden floor.
Ali found himself in a vast wooden chamber. Directly in front of him was a chair, and sitting on it was a man dressed in a western suit with a pristine white hat perched atop his head. His predatory red eyes scrutinised Ali from head to toe, exuding an aura of authority and menace.
SWOOSH.
One by one, the Upper Moon demons materialised from the darkness, encircling Ali from all sides while maintaining a cautious distance. Among them was one of Ali's "punching bags," the Third Upper Moon, Akaza. Although his stomach had healed, a prominent black scar remained, marking the spot where Ali had drilled a hole through him.
Ali observed the demons, some of whom he had never encountered or even heard of before. His attention was particularly drawn to the swordsman of Upper Moon Rank One. 'Other than Muzan, he seems like he'd provide a good fight. The rest don't seem as challenging,' Ali mused, sizing up each demon carefully. While others might have been paralysed with fear in this situation, Ali remained unfazed; this was exactly what he had anticipated.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Demon Slayer Ali," Muzan said, his voice calm yet laden with underlying threat. "I had intended to reach out to you first, but I was quite surprised to hear you wished to meet with me of your own volition."
Ali took his time, glancing at each demon before responding. "Your dogs are not bad, but no matter how I look at it, they're lacking," he remarked in a mocking tone, his words dripping with disdain.
"What do you mean by that?" Muzan demanded, his voice taking on a menacing edge. The other demons glared at Ali with a mix of anger and indignation, their eyes filled with murderous intent. They were itching to tear the disrespectful human apart.
Ali smirked, unfazed by their hostility. "If the best of the Demon Slayer Corps faced off against your group right now, I don't see any other outcome than your defeat. And that's excluding me. Which is why I'm here with a proposal that might pique your interest."
Muzan rose from his chair, his demonic eyes narrowing as he gazed at Ali. "Go on," he said coldly. "But remember, the next words that come out of your mouth will determine whether or not you leave my castle alive."
Ali's smirk disappeared, replaced by an expressionless face. He crossed his arms over his chest and replied in a deep, resonant voice, "Really now?"
Taking a deep breath, Ali inhaled until his lungs were filled to capacity. The demons felt the air shift around them, and then they sensed it—Ali unleashed his killing intent, directing it entirely at Muzan, engulfing him in a wave of cold, unyielding power.
Without waiting for their reactions, Ali activated his breathing style to its full potential. His hair stood on end, and black markings began to swirl and fly off him, moving erratically around his body. Shockwaves radiated outwards, shaking the surrounding demons. It was a true display of overwhelming strength.
Muzan and the Upper Moons were stunned; they had never witnessed such raw power from anyone, not even from Muzan himself.
As quickly as it had begun, Ali exhaled and deactivated his breathing style, releasing the immense pressure he had exerted on the demons. Some of them gasped for breath, relieved to have escaped the crushing force.
"This was your final warning," Ali declared with absolute conviction. "Any more threats, and I will kill you all." His words carried an undeniable weight, as if they were a promise carved in stone.
"My offer is this: I will join the demons in the final battle against the Corps. I will not assist you in any form from now until then. Do not expect mercy if you cross my path while I am with the hunters. When the time comes, I will provide you with all the details and the location of the Ubuyashiki mansion. As for my reasons? Let's just say it would be advantageous for me if the Corps were obliterated permanently."
Muzan listened to Ali's proposal, his expression contemplative. After a moment of silence, he asked, "And how can I trust that you're not leading us into a trap?"
Ali raised his left hand, and without warning-SLASH-he used his breathing style on his right hand to sever his left hand cleanly, shocking all the demons except Akaza and Muzan. They were already aware of his ability to regenerate.
As expected, Ali's hand regenerated, good as new, while the severed hand on the ground disintegrated into dust.
"Any one of your demons could expose this and claim I am a demon who can withstand the sun and is working as a spy for you. This should suffice as a guarantee," Ali said coolly.
Muzan contemplated Ali's offer, then smiled wickedly. "Your proposal is very tempting, Ali. I would be even more intrigued if a sample of your special blood were included in the deal."
"NO, that is all you get," Ali responded sharply, shutting down Muzan's request without hesitation.
Muzan's expression soured at Ali's blunt refusal. He was deeply fascinated by Ali's body; to him, Ali represented the next evolution of demons-a being who could walk in sunlight and didn't crave human flesh.
After a moment, Muzan sighed and nodded, indicating his acceptance of Ali's terms. A melodic sound echoed through the castle, and an opening to the outside world appeared behind Ali.
Ali glanced at Akaza and smirked, his eyes lingering on the scar that marred Akaza's body. Akaza could only tremble in anger and shame under Ali's condescending gaze. Without another word, Ali turned and jumped through the opening, returning to the pond. 'Well, that was easier than I thought,' he mused.
As Ali landed on the outskirts of the pond and the portal to the Infinity Castle closed behind him, he suddenly crouched and vomited a litre of blood. "BLUGH, COUGH COUGH, DAMN IT, using the breathing style at full power really messed me up," Ali muttered, having held back the damage from his earlier display of strength to intimidate the demons.
He stood up slowly as his body expelled the bad blood and fully healed. Looking up, he spotted the silver eagle patiently waiting on a high branch of a large tree.
Raising his arm, Ali signalled for the eagle to land on it.
"We're headed back to headquarters," he said quietly, unexpectedly stroking the eagle's feathers. The bird, terrified by the sudden affectionate gesture, dared not move.
'Now it's all up to the others', Ali thought coldly as he released the eagle, sending it soaring into the night sky. 'If they choose to join the Corps against the demons, then the plan is solid. If not, I'll have to switch sides again. In the end, it's all about harvesting enough ORIGIN from this world by any means necessary, even if it means MASSACRING EVERYONE!'
Ali crouched down by the pond and splashed water on his face and hair. Standing up, he slicked his hair back, the water glistening in the moonlight. In that moment, he looked almost regal, a striking figure under the starry sky.
"Let's go," Ali said to himself, setting off at a run with the eagle flying overhead, heading back towards the Ubuyashiki mansion.
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