Ethan having won the war now stood
in front of Kagaya Ubuyashiki his cold piercing eyes locked onto the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.A heavy silence settled in the air between them thick with the weight of their history. Ethan once a mere figure in the background of the eternal battle between demons and slayers now felt the full force of his monstrous existence. His words cut through the air like a blade,filled with an eerie calm that belied the bloodlust simmering beneath his skin.
"For years," Ethan began his voice a low venomous growl "You have fought against me. And for some reason i let you live. I regarded you as nothing more than flies buzzing around, pests to be swatted away. But my defeat at the hands of Yoriichi Tsugikuni... that changed me. That moment, that loss reshaped who I am,i am not my past self anymore." Ethan's eyes burned with a fire that was both ancient and unyielding, a glimmer of something darker something far beyond the demons he had once led.
His hands now twisted by the cursed powers of demonhood flexed as he stepped forward closing the distance between himself and Kagaya. "Now I am a true monster," he continued his voice low and dangerous. "And from this moment onward no threats will remain to shake my rule of this world. You and your family will turn into demons. You will serve me for your foresight will no longer be a tool for resistance it will be a weapon to help me achieve my dominion over everything."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps stood tall despite the overwhelming presence of the demon before him. His face marked by the struggles of a lifetime reflected none of the fear that Ethan hoped to provoke. Instead it was a face steeled by an unwavering resolve, a face that had seen countless lives lost to the horrors of the demon world.
"You monster," Kagaya spat his voice a mixture of contempt and defiance. "I will never surrender to you. I would rather die than bow to someone like you." His words rang true in the still air echoing through the space between them like a pledge of defiance.
Ethan's lips curled into a twisted smile though it held no humor only malice. The history between the previous owner of this body and the Demon Slayer Corps was long and filled with bitterness.The demons had fought against them for decades leaving behind a trail of bloodshed and despair. Yet it had always been Kagaya's foresight that kept the Demon Slayer Corps one step ahead predicting moves and guiding the slayers through the chaos of battle. Kagaya's visions,the sheer incompetence of
Muzan Kibutsuji coupled with the strength of his Hashira had been the reason the previous Muzan had never fully succeeded in his quest to destroy the organization.
But that was before his encounter with Yoriichi.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni the legendary swordsman who had once been the greatest threat to demons had dealt a crushing blow to Muzans pride. A fight that while not physically fatal had shattered Muzan's view of himself. He had been invincible in his eyes an eternal being with no equal. But Yoriichi had shown him the truth,even immortality could be humbled by a single overwhelming force.
The words of the Sun Breathing wielder had echoed in his mind long after their clash. "True strength comes not from overwhelming power but from understanding its limits." That lesson had struck Muzan to his core. He had underestimated the slayers for too long. He had lived in the shadows hiding from the true potential of his enemies content to rule as a tyrant over the demon hordes and as such the previous Muzan died while Ethan inherited his powers and legacy.
Now Ethan would be the master. No more restraint,no more hesitation he will now have control of all of the world.
"You are a stubborn fool Kagaya," Ethan said his voice rising in intensity. "The days of your fleeting resistance are over,the Demon Slayer Corps has failed. Your warriors are now broken and your family is weak. The world will bow to me or it will be consumed by the darkness I create. There is no middle ground and you with all your foresight
should know this. You've seen it the future haven't you?"
Kagaya's face remained calm his eyes reflecting a deep sorrow but also a quiet dignity. He knew what Ethan was saying was true,he had seen the future after all. The death of the Corps,the end of his family, it was all inescapable.To him the future was a cruel thing and no amount of effort or sacrifice could change what was written. Yet Kagaya refused to bow he could not bow,not even in the face of this monstrous being before him.
"You are wrong Muzan"Kagaya said softly but with unyielding conviction. "Even if the future you speak of is inevitable,i will fight until my last breath. My family will not serve you and I will not let you corrupt the hope that remains in this world."
Ethan's eyes narrowed and for the first time there was a flicker of doubt and a glimmer of curiosity. "Hope?" he asked his voice dripping with skepticism. "Hope is a fragile thing Kagaya. A fleeting illusion,when I am throughout there will be no more hope, no more resistance. Just an endless unshakable darkness. Your family's bloodline will be nothing more than a tool to fuel my reign."
Kagaya remained silent his expression never wavering. He knew that hope was all he had left that his family's legacy even in the face of certain destruction would be the spark that would ignite a new beginning. But there was no room for optimism in this moment all he had now was defiance.
And then in the distance the faintest sound reached their ears,the soft thud of footsteps. Ethan turned slightly sensing the presence of others. He smiled cruelly knowing that the remnants of the Demon Slayer Corps would soon arrive to face him. They were too late of course. The end was near and there was nothing they could do to stop it.
But Kagaya... Kagaya still had one last move to make,one final act of defiance. As Ethan's attention shifted Kagaya's mind raced the foresight granted by his cursed bloodline flashing before his eyes. The future he saw was a bleak one where Muzans rule was absolute. His family would fall,the world would burn and demons would reign unchecked. But there was one glimmer of hope,one small chance to turn the tide. If he could stall Muzan just long enough...
"Even now," Kagaya said his voice steady, "You underestimate the strength of those who fight for a cause greater than themselves. We are not alone Muzan. There are still warriors who will rise to the challenge. The demon slayers will never surrender."
Ethan's expression darkened his smile vanishing as he felt the growing presence of the old Hashira,the last remnants of the Demon Slayer Corps
closing in. They were not strong enough not individually at least. But together, they could still pose a minor threat,an inconvenience that Ethan would have to deal with.
"Foolishness" Ethan muttered his voice laced with growing irritation. "Do you honestly believe they can stop me? They are nothing more than flies before my power,fragile and insignificant. I will crush them one by one until their legacy is reduced to dust."
He smirked his tone shifting to one of mock gratitude. "In fact i should be thanking you. By bringing them here you've saved me the trouble of hunting them down myself."
But Kagaya knew something Ethan did not,the power of the bond between humans,the indomitable will to fight for what was right was not something to be underestimated. Even in the face of overwhelming darkness there was always a chance for those who believed in the light.
As the first of the old Hashira arrived
their swords drawn and their resolve firm as Ethan's monstrous form loomed over them like a storm. The battle that would determine the fate of the world was about to begin. The future that Kagaya had seen was dark but perhaps.just perhaps there was a way to alter its course. Even in his final moments Kagaya clung to that hope, the last weapon at his disposal.
Author's Note's:Hello guys author here, with all the new chapter released i want to hear your opinions on the story.
I have tried to create a good story but i am human therefore i will make some mistakes here and there and i will need your assistance some times to spot them so any help is appreciated.
Anyway sorry for interrupting the story i wish you happy holidays.