FULL STORY SUMMARY
Rated M for mature/Rated E for explicit. Reader discretion advised.
To free the Earth from Kibutsuji Muzan and Mujōna's tyranny and demon reign, a new organization prepares and trains for battle.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Hey, everyone. Its been so long
Anyway, this chapter is really centered on another one of my characters; Ryū-shou Ashigomi!
🌞I'm so excited for the Pairons and ESPECIALLY the Eclipses. They're going to replace the Hashiras and The Twelve Kizuki in this story! I believe the Eclipses will be introduced near the end of this part, but we'll see! 🌙
I haven't edited, so I apologize for the shittiness in advance!
🀆読んでくれてありがとう🀆
CHAPTER VOCABULARY
* manjushage: red spider lily.
* taolu: martial art patterns, acrobatic movements and techniques.
* gakuran: Japanese student uniform.
MEDIA DICTIONARY
* Thoughts
* "Dialogue."
* 'Telepathic dialogue.'
* "'Hearing someone's thoughts.'"
* "Past conversation."
* {Sound}
* [Movement]
KOKUSHIBOU
FLASHBACK:
After meeting The Queen of Demons and adjusting to their new sun-resistant bodies, The Twelve Kizuki gathered around and were at a loss for words.
Kokushibou stood farther away from the others and stared at his hands, which were slightly trembling. He still couldn't believe that he couldn't handle Mujōna's blood, but Lower Moon One could.
Weak.
How fragile of me.
Enmu hummed to himself with a calm, eerie smile upon his face as he watched the other demons converse.
"So, we can go in the Sun now," Douma gasped. "…Finally! It's been so long! Oh, I just love Lady Mujōna so much already!"
The demons agreed and rambled joyously amongst themselves.
"I'm happy that we have a Queen, but where's Zero?" Kyogai asked.
"T-that was… Himari," Daki whispered, her lips quivering.
Gyutaro saw that his sister seemed to be happy, sad, and confused all at once and wanted to ask her what was going on, but knew that it wasn't the right time.
Nakime anxiously rocked back and forth, trembling.
"Himari is Lady Mujōna? I knew that she looked like her, but wasn't sure," Wakuraba said. "She somehow became even more beautiful!"
Suddenly, the strings of Nakime's biwa broke and her bang moved by itself, revealing an eye that was filled with tears.
Tears of joy.
"She found the Blue Spider Lily and gave it to Master!" she wailed, tears streaking her face. "As a gift, He made Her His Queen!"
Beaming, Hantengu morphed into one of his clones; Urogi. Then he spun around and did a few cartwheels in the air. "Oh, I knew that I liked Her for some reason!"
"We must retrieve the Hashiras for Her," Rui said. "And they mustn't be harmed."
Douma let out a hearty laugh and said, "Alright! I and Lord Akaza will— Oh, yeah. Never mind!"
Nakime's face darkened as she said, "Do not speak of the traitor ever again, especially in His Lordship's presence."
"Of course, Nakime. My apologies!"
The voices of the other high-ranking demons faded away as Kokushibou stared at his trembling hand.
How did she find the sacred flower? Why didn't Master tell me of this? How did I… not see this coming?
He told me that He wanted her to become an Upper Moon first, but maybe this was His plan all along.
This was bound to happen, for He has already claimed her, but for her to be Queen this early is… strange.
Perhaps something… happened.
But I mustn't worry. Master knows what He's doing.
RYŪ
FLASHBACK:
Ryū stared at the wooden coffered ceiling above and braced himself for the morning to come. The young man had just been recruited to join a secret organization in hopes to become an actual Demon Slayer.
Tomorrow would be his first day of training, and he didn't know what to expect.
Ryū stood in line with the other students in a large dōjō chamber. They all wore white karategis and looked either anxious, excited, or tired.
Suddenly, an orange-haired middle-aged man wearing a black karategi entered the chamber. He had a light complexion and his eyes were light brown. "Good morning, class. I'm Aiguo Yama, your sensei. You may refer to me as Aiguo-sama."
"Greetings, Aiguo-sama," the class said in unison.
Except for Ryū, who was scowling.
I'm already starting to hate this guy.
Aiguo walked through the rows of students and scanned them up and down. "I see that many of you are not up to par, but that… can be mended." Then he stood in front of Ryū and looked down upon him.
This asshole!
"Ah, a white-haired child!" he laughed. "May I ask what your name is?"
Unable to conceal his rage any longer, Ryū roared, "Why don't you just fuck off?"
Shocked, the entire class gawked at him and the chamber was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.
The shocked expression upon Aiguo's face was replaced by a wide, broad grin. Then he burst into laughter and said, "Oh, my boy, you are truly amusing!"
Aiguo walked to the front of the class and began to instruct as if nothing happened. With a triumphant grin, he said, "Now, let's begin!"
…Whatever. I just need to get through this to become a Demon Slayer.
TIMESKIP: TWO MONTHS
Ryū had been training for over two months. Aiguo's instruction was strenuous and demanding, but Ryū didn't mind; he liked the challenge. The white-haired young man was at the top of his class and everything seemed to come as second nature to him.
After a long, rigorous day of training, Ryū sat by himself in one of the courtyards of The Bushi Temple. The temple was so huge, he hadn't explored all of it and he'd lived there for over two months.
Suddenly, he heard someone's footsteps and immediately knew who it was by their walking pattern.
Aiguo-sama.
As expected, the middle-aged man approached and sat beside him. "Hello, Ryū. How are you?"
"I was fine until you came along," he grumbled. "Why are you here? Did I do something wrong?"
Aiguo let out a loud, obnoxious laugh and chuckled, "Oh, my boy, your humor never ceases to tickle me! And no, you did nothing wrong! In fact, you're doing everything right! I've just came to tell you that you've been chosen!"
"I've been chosen for what?"
"To become something even better than a regular Demon Slayer, of course!" Aiguo pulled out a note with directions from his pocket. "Tomorrow, rise bright and early, then follow these directions. May The Gods be with you, Ryū!"
Now alone, Ryū stared at the paper in his hands. The directions confused him greatly, but something told him that he must follow them.
Tomorrow.
Before anyone else awakened, young Ryū took time to explore the gigantic, mysterious enigma called The Bushi Temple.
The Bushi Temple was said to be the holiest place on Earth, and had existed since the beginning of time. It was supposedly destroyed a few centuries ago, but recently returned with an even stronger cloaking spell, rendering demons and those of dark, corrupted hearts unable to see or sense it.
Once it was time, Ryū followed the directions and went through the endless corridors until he stood before a large, grand door. As he reached out to touch it, the door opened by itself.
There's so much magic in this place. It reminds me of… home.
Then he went inside and found himself in a large dōjō chamber. There, he saw two other young men.
One of had a light complexion with short black hair, and his eyes were closed. The other had a brown complexion with the most striking, golden eyes anyone had ever seen.
Upon seeing Ryū, the two young men turned to him and smiled. The golden-eyed one motioned for him to stand beside him, and Ryū obliged.
Suddenly, a short, elderly man entered the chamber. The man wore a plain navy-blue kimono, and had a short, white beard. His cane looked to be made of gold with a lion's head carved on its handle.
Upon seeing him, all of the students bowed, which confused Ryū greatly.
That's our teacher?
…But he's so old!
The elderly man stood before them and said, "Some of you may already know me, but I am Dūlen-sama, your sensei. Now, state your names aloud."
"Nichiyō Wabuji," the young man with closed eyes said.
"Takeo Matsuda," the young man with golden eyes said.
Dūlen glanced at Ryū and waited for his response. Their eyes met and they held each other's cold stare for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, Ryū cracked and blinked, breaking their gaze. "…Ryū Ashigomi."
Dūlen stalked closer to him and said, "Your name is Ryū, you say? Are you certain, boy?"
A pure, sheer rage festered within Ryū's bowels and made his blood boil. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, his heart pounding. The once clear vision he possessed was quickly becoming nothing but a mere sheet of red.
Ryū was furious.
"State your name," Dūlen said with a blank expression. Even though Ryū menacingly towered and loomed above him, he showed no fear or hesitance.
Just as Ryū opened his mouth to say something disrespectful, Dūlen swiftly struck his shin with his cane and made him fall to the floor, writhing.
As this took place, Takeo and Nichiyō didn't move a muscle or even glance in their direction.
Dūlen stood over an infuriated, wounded Ryū and said, "I said, state your name."
"I already told you!" he growled. "It's Ryū Ashi—" Before he could finish, Dūlen struck the same area in his leg once again. "Fuck!"
"State your name, boy."
Quivering with humiliation and rage, Ryū gathered himself and shakily stood up. "I said that already told you," he snarled through clenched teeth. "My name is Ryū Ashigomi."
In less than half a second, Dūlen touched three certain points in Ryū's shoulder and neck and had him paralyzed on the floor.
W-what the fuck?
Ryū's pale, icy blue eyes stayed locked on the elderly man who looked down upon him like he was nothing more than a mere stain.
And that angered him.
"State your name," Dūlen boomed, enunciating each syllable.
Tears reluctantly welled in his eyes and ran down his cheeks like waterfalls. Although he couldn't move the rest of his body, he could move his lips to speak.
"…It's— It's Ryū-shou. My name is Ryū-shou!" he wailed.
✧Ryū-shou: Flying Dragon.
A faint smile crept upon Dūlen's face as he extended his hand. "Very good, very good. Well, Ryū-shou, let's get started. We have no time to waste!"
The paralysis technique released Ryū from its harsh, stony grasp, then he took Dūlen's hand and stood up. "W-what's this supposed to be anyway?" he stammered.
With a broad, triumphant grin, Dūlen said, "This is your First Stage training!"
"My First Stage training for what?"
"To become a Pairon, of course!"
Perplexed, Ryū said, "A fucking what?"
The elderly man stuck him across his knee with his cane, and grinned at the pained moans that sounded like music to his ears. "Ryū-shou, you must pay very close attention!" he roared. "A Pairon is a warrior that defies all odds and devotes their lives to saving humanity. The Gods have called upon a new team to be assembled, and so far, you three have been chosen."
I've been chosen by The Gods?
But why?
"But why, Dūlen? Wh—" Before he could finish, Dūlen stuck him once more. "Goddamn it, old man!"
Dūlen put his foot on top of Ryū's head and said, "Ryū-shou, you shall only address me as Dūlen-sama from now on. Am I clear?"
"I-I didn't mean to—"
"Am I clear, Ryū-shou?"
"…Y-yes. I understand."
Pleased, Dūlen went back to the front and said, "Now, let's begin!"
I hope this fucking coot dies in his sleep.
As Dūlen taught the three students some movements of taolu, Ryū suddenly saw a man out of the corner of his eye.
The man had fiery black-to-red hair styled in a ponytail, and he wore a kimono with hakama pants. He sat cross-legged with a blank, unreadable expression upon his face.
Ryū stopped following Dūlen's movements and said, "Hey, who's that?"
Infuriated, Dūlen banged his cane onto the floor three times, which made the entire chamber quake. "Ryū-shou, who gave you permission to cease your training?"
"No one, but—"
"This is your first day, and you're already acting unruly! I promise you that I'll tame you and—"
"Dūlen-sama, I'll handle this," the man interjected. Then he approached Ryū and said, "I am Yoriichi."
Ryū gaped at the man in awe and was rendered speechless. Although Yoriichi looked to be a normal man, something deep down told him that he wasn't.
Takeo and Nichiyō broke out of their battle stances and approached them, then bowed in unison.
"Master Yoriichi-sama, we've already learned so much today," Takeo said, grinning.
To showcase his talents, Nichiyō did a few complex movements and stances. Then he ended his performance in the Xuán Jī Bù stance with his left foot turned inwards.
Yoriichi stood in the correct position, which helped Nichiyō correct his form. "Thank you, Master Yoriichi-sama," he said, bowing.
Yoriichi returned the gesture, then turned to Ryū, who was clearly astonished by everything.
"Tell him your name, boy," Dūlen sighed. "We don't have much time to waste!"
"I-I'm Ryū— I m-mean, I am Ryū-shou Ashigomi," he said as he gave a short, timid bow.
Yoriichi bowed and to Ryū's surprise, he smiled at him.
…Woah.
Takeo placed a kind, gentle hand upon Ryū's shoulder and said, "You should start sleeping with I and Nichiyō! There's a spot for you in our sleeping quarters."
"I only have one question for you, Ryū," Nichiyō said. "Do you snore?"
"…Not really. Unless I'm sick or something."
"Good, because this guy snores all the time," Nichiyō laughed as he playfully punched Takeo's shoulder.
Takeo's golden eyes glimmered ever so beautifully in the light as he returned the gesture. "Not, true, Nichi."
"Yeah, you do. You sound like a pod of whales."
"A pod? Don't you mean a 'herd?'"
"No, I mean a 'pod.' That's what a group of whales are called."
"…Dude, how do you all of know this?"
Before Nichiyō could respond, Dūlen banged his cane and said, "Since you three want to indulge in useless jabber, then class will be extended for today! Come back in half an hour to get to know each other better, then prepare yourselves for my wrath!"
Takeo, Nichiyō, and Ryū sat in a circle as they ate rice and drank green tea. The three students got to know more about each other and found that they all had a lot in common.
As they conversed, Yoriichi came and sat with them, his fiery hair blowing in the wind.
"Master Yoriichi-sama, we were just talking about the North Territory," Nichiyō said. "Apparently, they're closing off their borders because of a recent surge of demons."
"But the West Territory aren't backing down and deploying more slayers," Takeo said.
Yoriichi nodded, then gazed off into the distance.
Ryū kept his eyes locked on the samurai and admired the marking upon his face, which looked like raging flames.
Magnificence.
Grace.
Power.
The white-haired young man sat up and said, "…Master Yoriichi-sama?"
Yoriichi turned and looked directly at him, which sent chills down his spine.
This man… isn't human, but he's not a demon either.
So, what is he?
"What are you?"
The question caught Takeo and Nichiyō off guard and made them gasp. The golden-eyed young man nodded to Nichiyō, who took a deep breath and said, "Master Yoriichi-sama is a… reincarnation."
A reincarnation? I knew something was off about him!
Ryū shot up and said, "So, you're a reincarnation! I had a feeling! Why have you been reincarnated? All reincarnations who return to their original forms are brought back for a specific reason, so what's yours?"
The still, tranquil atmosphere of the garden turned into an uneasy, daunting one.
As Takeo laid on his back and gazed at clouds above, he said, "To slay The Progenitor of Demons."
Upon hearing that, Ryū sat down with an expression of disbelief upon his face. "Really? No way."
"…I was born to kill him, but failed to do so in my previous life," Yoriichi abruptly said, which made the world around them stop.
Before anyone could respond, Dūlen appeared and shouted, "Your time is up, boys! Now, prepare yourselves for the immense agony I shall inflict upon you!"
TIMESKIP: TWO YEARS
It had been two years since Ryū had been training alongside Takeo and Nichiyō to become a Pairon. The white-haired young man was now at the end of his Fourth Stage training.
Over time, the three boys grew close and saw each other as brothers. They practically knew everything about each other; their strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, and more.
Yoriichi was not only a father figure to Takeo and Nichiyō, but to Ryū as well. Each day after training with Dūlen, the three students would rush to train and spend time with him.
The bond they all shared impossibly grew, and so did the kind, gentle love they felt for each other.
For the first time in a long while, Ryū felt happy, safe, and secure.
And he couldn't ask for anything greater.
Takeo, Ryū, and Nichiyō had just finished doing complex battle routines whilst practicing their Total Concentration Breathing.
A few months ago, Takeo's Demon Slayer mark appeared on his left cheek, which depicted a white cloud because of his Cloud Breathing style. The mark usually disappeared after its unlocked and only reappears in extreme battle, but like Yoriichi, his mark stayed.
Nichiyō's Demon Slayer mark depicted a vine because of his Earth Breathing style, and appeared on the right side of his face and trailed down his neck.
Ryū's Demon Slayer mark still hadn't shown, which frustrated and angered him deeply. Although he was impressively strong with a competitive edge, he struggled with discovering his own Breathing Style.
But on one faithful day, all of that changed.
After Takeo and Nichiyō unlocked their Demon Slayer marks, the way Dūlen treated Ryū changed. The elderly man had always treated Ryū poorly, but it became impossibly worse.
Whenever Ryū was peacefully eating his daily bowl of rice, Dūlen would 'accidentally' knock it over. Freezing, ice-cold water would be poured on Ryū at random hours throughout the night.
Instead of correctly saying his name, Dūlen would call Ryū 'Dragonfly,' which angered him the most.
Life in The Bushi Temple had become a living hell, and it was all because of one old man.
Dūlen-sama!
Why won't this old man just die?
Ryū knew that he couldn't lay a finger on the old man, so he just took everything that was thrown at him with a blank, stoic expression. He didn't understand why Dūlen was treating him so badly, but didn't let it distract him from achieving his goal; to become a Pairon.
It was the end another day of training and the three students stood before their sensei. As Dūlen gave his last motivation speech for the day, a servant entered with delicious bowls of rice and tea.
The three students kept an outwardly calm composure, but inside, they were salivating. They had been fasting for almost two weeks and were finally now able to eat.
The servant placed three bowls of rice onto the table, and Dūlen nodded for them to sit and eat.
As Ryū reached out to take his bowl, Dūlen smacked his hand and took the bowl for himself. The elderly man began to eat the rice, which infuriated him.
Enraged, Ryū shouted, "What? But that's mine! You're not the one who's been fasting!"
"Well, you should've been faster, Dragonfly!" he laughed. "You can eat at noon tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? You can't be serious, old man!"
Takeo looked at Ryū with pity and went to give him his bowl, but Dūlen said, "Takeo, don't you dare. And don't even think about it, Nichiyō!"
"Dūlen-sama, come on! I'm fucking starving!" Ryū cried.
Suddenly, Dūlen smacked Ryū across his face with his cane and made the white-haired young man fall to the floor. "Don't use that language around me, Dragonfly."
"For the last time, my name isn't Dragonfly! Its Ryū-shou; Flying Dragon!"
With a snide grin, Dūlen threw the bowl of rice at him. "Eat your rice, boy! Eat it off the ground like the insect you are, Dragonfly."
Ryū's eyes clouded with rage as veins pulsed and throbbed all over his body. In a low, dark voice that didn't belong to him, he said, "…That's not my name."
"Yes, it is, boy. You don't deserve such a great name, so I decided to give you a new one!" Dūlen laughed. "When you first arrived, you took off the '-shou' in your name, which gives me permission to change it how I see fit. You're not a flying dragon; you're a lousy, weak insect! You're nothing, and you'll never amount to anything in life!"
At that very moment, something within Ryū cracked and unleashed an unfathomable rage he had never known. He had never felt this angry in his entire life, and he always had a short fuse.
The lanterns in the chamber began to flicker and darken as they swayed in an unexplained wind.
A strange, misty fog began to come out of Ryū's slightly opened mouth. The atmosphere was filled with dread and became unbelievably—
"…C-cold," Nichiyō stuttered. "It's s-so cold!"
The glass of tea on the table burst when the tea itself froze from the frigid temperature.
Takeo started to reach out to Ryū, but a frigid wind prevented him from coming any further.
Takeo and Nichiyō took a few steps back and watched the spectacle with terror, amazement, and confusion in their eyes.
Dūlen slowly approached Ryū and said, "You're angry, aren't you, Dragonfly?"
"THAT'S NOT MY NAME!" Ryū roared.
The elderly man banged his cane onto the floor three times, and Ryū's eyes became completely white.
"W-what's happening?" Nichiyō asked through chattering teeth, shivering.
"I d-don't know," Takeo whispered, awestruck.
"State your name, boy," Dūlen said, his beard flowing in the wind.
The harsh, wintery wind intensified and froze even the sweat upon their brow, but surprisingly left them unharmed.
"I AM RYŪ-SHOU ASHIGOMI; THE FLYING DRAGON."
A silvery, smoky blue aura began to emanate from the white-haired young man. The chamber rumbled and quake so hard, it felt like the floor would split in two.
Nichiyō took cover while Takeo gaped at the spectacle, wonder and amazement within his golden eyes.
"Dūlen-sama, what's happening?" Nichiyō asked from underneath a table.
With a triumphant grin, Dūlen said, "Ryū-shou's true self has finally awakened."
"What does that mean?"
Suddenly, Ryū's aura began to take the form of a—
"…Dragon. That's a dragon," Takeo gasped.
The silver dragon that was made from Ryū's aura began to soar around the chamber as it kept its eyes locked on him.
Nichiyō finally opened his eyes, which were a bright, shimmering turquoise. "A dragon?" he gasped. "How is this happening?"
"I noticed from day one that young Ryū-shou had a certain darkness within him, and knew it was a dragon spirit," Dūlen said.
"Ryū has a dragon spirit inside of him?" Takeo asked. "…Cool."
Ryū eyes returned to normal and he seemed to regain consciousness, because he was bewildered as well. "W-what's that? Is that a fucking dragon? What's going on?"
"Ryū-shou, that dragon you see is the embodiment of your aura," Dūlen said. "It is looking at you because you are its Master and its waiting for instruction. You must command it, Ryū-shou!"
"C-command it to do what?" he stammered.
The elderly man glanced at Ryū's sword, which was a standard katana. "Command it to enter your blade."
Ryū stared at the menacing silver dragon, who's eyes were completely black and gleaming with strength, freedom—
Power.
With shaky hands, he held out his blade and said, "I command you to go in here."
The silver dragon's tail curled around the room as it collided with Ryū's sword head-on. A bright, powerful shockwave blinded and pushed everyone away as the dragon entered the sword.
Moments later, the dragon was gone, and everything returned to normal.
Ryū's hair fell as his katana began to glow with a newfound silvery, smoky blue. When he lifted his head, they saw a strange marking coming from the right side of his forehead.
The marking depicted jagged icicles with cracked lines stemming from them.
"Ryū… You've unlocked your Demon Slayer mark!" Nichiyō gasped. "Nice!" Then he and Takeo embraced and patted him on the back.
"So, Ice Breathing is your style, huh?" Takeo asked, beaming. "Master Yoriichi-sama will be pleased!"
A smile spread across Ryū's face as he said, "Yeah, I guess so."
The joyous event came to an end when Dūlen approached them with a morose expression.
"What is it, Dūlen-sama?"
The elderly man scanned Ryū up and down and grimaced. "That darkness is still present," he muttered.
"Darkness? What darkness?" Nichiyō asked, perplexed.
With a deep, aggravated sigh, Dūlen said, "When I first met Ryū, I sensed spiritual energy within him and knew that he was harboring a dragon spirit. Not only that, but I sensed a dark aura within him as well. I thought that if I drew out the dragon spirit, the darkness would leave, but I was mistaken. The darkness is still present, which means that it is a part of Ryū himself."
"But don't we all have darkness within ourselves, Sensei Dūlen-sama?" Takeo asked.
"Yes, my dear boy, but not like his. Ryū's inner darkness is much more volatile, complex, and ravenous. If his darkness grew and took over, God knows what will be unleashed! If it grows and consumes him whole, Ryū would lose all sense of self and becoming something entirely different. He'll be doomed to become violent and crave bloodshed for the rest of his life."
Chills ran down all of their spines at Dūlen's words.
Ryū's heart pounded within his ears as he said, "…You mean, like a demon?"
"…I'm afraid so, my boy," Dūlen whispered with a pained expression, his eyes glassy. Everyone was shocked because no one had seen the elderly man in such a state.
"T-there was once another young man like you and I… I— Ryū, I vow to lead you in the right direction and mold you into a great warrior!" he roared. "I'll help you keep your inner darkness under control if it's the last thing I do!"
Dūlen pulled Ryū in his embrace, and Ryū hesitantly returned the gesture.
As they embraced each other, a million thoughts ran rampant in Ryū's mind.
I'm glad that I finally have my Demon Slayer mark, so why do I feel this way? I can't put how I feel right now into words.
My inner darkness…
He said that there was once another young man like me… I want to know more but something tells me that I shouldn't.
MUJŌNA
Muzan and Mujōna laid naked in a vast field of red spider lilies. The married couple had just made love for hours, and were now spooning. The enticing, intoxicating scent of sex, flora, and vanilla intermingled and wafted around them.
The feel of his muscles and veins against her body made her legs weak and her folds dampen for the millionth time.
The mere fact that her soft, supple flesh was against his body drove him mad with lust, pride, and happiness.
Love.
"I… despise the manjushage," he abruptly said.
Mujōna looked at her surroundings and said, "Could've fooled me."
After a few moments, she turned to him and said, "My Love, you do know that we have to return to the fortress soon, right?"
The Demon Lord stared off into the distance and said, "…Yes."
"I have such great plans in mind, Muzan. As Queen, I must reform the Demon Kingdom completely. I want to change the entire hierarchy, create more demons, and so much more. Most importantly, you and I need to gather recruits for The Twelve Kishoku. I want our Eclipses, Muzan."
"And you will have them and all that you want in due time, darling."
Muzan's wavy, medium-length hair blew in a gentle breeze, which took her breath away. Then she moved a lock of hair behind his ear and gasped at the sight.
"Mujōna, is something wrong?" he asked, perplexed.
The Queen's eyes grew wide and her pupils contracted as she whispered, "…Your ears."
"What about them?"
"They're so… cute. I find your ears adorable, Muzan." Then she began to trace his ear with her sharp, white claws. "Oh, they're so cute and perfectly round! It's a shame that I never noticed them until now."
"Woman, you don't know what you're talking about. My ears are—"
Before he could finish, Mujōna bit his ear and drew blood from the tiny wound. The meager amount of blood that she consumed made her pupils dilate and sent pleasure down her spine.
Although she could generate some of her own power, receiving Muzan's blood still increased her strength and gave her a euphoric high.
She moved to bite him again, but he gently, but firmly, pinned her down and loomed above her.
The world around them faded away as they held each other's stare. The only thing they could see was each other, and they both found each other to be absolutely, truly, utterly beautiful.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, his long, wavy hair framing his handsome face.
Before she could respond, he plunged his fangs into her neck. As he ravaged her flesh and fed off her blood, she wrapped her arms around him.
Soon enough, Muzan and Mujōna began to have sex once more.
This is thrilling; this is true bliss!
TIMESKIP: TWO WEEKS
ZENITSU
The Twelve Kitaiyō stopped their usual activities when they felt a subconscious message announcing that there will be a meeting. With haste, they all met at the arranged location, which was in particular corridor.
Nezuko playfully kissed and rubbed against Zenitsu, who's cheeks were as red as an apple. "N-Nezuko…" he whispered, hyperventilating.
Chuntaro angrily squawked at the two of them for their behavior. The sparrow despised Nezuko the first moment she laid eyes on her and knew that she wasn't good for Zenitsu, but he wouldn't listen.
"Calm down, Chuntaro!"
"Lady Mujōna is back!" Inosuke howled. "I'm going to show Her my new techniques, then She'll give me more of Her blood and a higher rank!"
"The only one who deserves a higher rank is me," Tengen spat. "It's not flamboyant for me to have the lowest one!"
Then the demons noticed that Tanjirou, Kanao, and Giyu were nowhere to be found.
"Shinobu and Kanae, where's Kanao?" Mitsuri asked.
"We're… not sure," Shinobu said.
"She's probably with Tanjirou," Kanae said. "I'm sure they'll be here soon!"
"Does anyone know where Giyu is?" Tengen asked.
Sanemi rolled his eyes and said, "Probably somewhere on his high horse."
"Well, he needs to show the hell up! Surely Lady Mujōna wants him to be here as well!"
The Twelve Kitaiyō walked through the corridor until they reached a large, open area that looked like a cathedral. There, they saw Tanjirou and Kanao, and gasped at the sight.
Tanjirou was wearing a black gakuran and his short hair was different. Instead of being completely burgundy, his hair was burgundy-to-black. Everything else about him practically looked the same, except for his eyes.
Instead of having demonic red eyes with vertical slit pupils, he had fiery amber eyes with diamond pupils.
…Tanjirou? He has changed!
It's good that his eyes don't look like Lady Mujona's anymore! Maybe this means that there's a chance that he could revive his human conscious!
"Nice look, Tanjirou, but where's Lady Mujōna?" Obanai asked. "All of us got a subconscious message from Her."
"I'm the one who sent that message!" Tanjirou replied with his usual kind, compassionate smile.
The demons gawked at him with dumbfounded expressions, except for Sanemi, who was balling his fists and gritting his fangs. "You're able to send telepathic messages to us? No fucking way am I letting that fly!"
"You have no choice, Sanemi. I'm your superior and—"
Sanemi guffawed at Tanjirou's words and said, "Superior? Dude, you can't be serious. The only reason why you have your rank is because you're a Sun Breather!"
"That's not true!" Tanjirou shouted. "Mujōna ranked us by potential and I—"
"Dude, you're supposed to say Lady Mujōna," Sanemi snarled.
"She told me that I can call Her by Her name if I want to!"
"But that doesn't mean you should, you idiot!"
The two demons bickered until Tanjirou released a powerful shockwave that pushed everyone away and made their hair stand on end. The atmosphere darkened as it was perverted by his malicious, bloodthirsty aura.
Upon recognizing that Tanjirou was their superior, the demons instinctively kneeled before him.
That bloodlust… Oh my God, Tanjirou's evil!
"So, that's what it feels like to have people kneel for you? …Nice. Okay, enough of that! Now, let's start the meeting. To begin, I want to say thank you all for coming!"
Silence.
"…Moving on! So, I called for this meeting because after thinking for a while, I realized that we don't actually have a set goal. We all know that we're supposed to be constantly training and improving at all times, but I believe that we need an actual goal for extra motivation! As of now, our main goal is to… gain the respect of The Twelve Kizuki!"
Upon hearing that, The Twelve Kitaiyō murmured and rambled amongst themselves.
Except for Zenitsu, who looked as if he was about to combust.
"I want to get stronger so I can beat that samurai!" Inosuke howled, foaming at the mouth. "I would take him on right now, but I want to get my full demon form first!"
"Master Kokushibou-sama would kill you in one blow, Inosuke," Muichiro sighed. "Your Beast Breathing is nothing compared to our Moon Breathing."
"Shut up, dummy! That's not true!"
"Look, I honestly don't care about gaining their respect," Sanemi scoffed. "As long as they don't fuck with us, I'm good."
"I just want a higher rank!" Tengen shouted.
"Douma said that they're okay with us," Kanae said. "But… he might've been joking."
The demons continued babbling until Tanjirou said, "Be quiet, please! Thank you. Now, in order to gain their respect, we must work very hard and train even harder. If you cross one of their paths, be really nice!"
"That's… the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Sanemi said, rolling his eyes.
Through stifled laughs, Obanai said, "You're joking, right?"
"I think it's a good idea, Tanjirou," Mitsuri said, blushing. "If we're nice to them first, then they'll surely like us!"
"…Yeah, I think that's a good idea, too, Tanjirou," Obanai said.
"Pathetic. You're just agreeing with her because she's your girlfriend," Sanemi scoffed.
"Fuck right off, Sanemi."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll—"
"Shut up!" Inosuke roared, steaming coming from the nostrils of his boar mask.
Everyone stared at him with shocked expressions, dumbfounded.
"Thanks, Inosuke," Tanjirou said, smiling. "Alright, moving on. In order to gain their respect, we need to push ourselves past our limits and try to befriend them! Don't harass or stalk them, but try your best to find them."
"We're supposed to find them… in the fortress?" Tengen asked.
"Yeah."
"But this place is too fucking big. It's called The Dimensional Infinity Fortress for a reason."
"…There is an innumerable quantity of rooms here, but we will try," Gyomei said. "The only other Moon I know of is Upper Moon Three, Kaigaku. I know him personally."
Gyomei knows Kaigaku personally?
Oh my God!
All of the demons gasped and swarmed around him, wanting to know more.
Shinobu's eyes lit up as she broke through the crowd and said, "Upper Moon Three?"
"Yes."
"Then he's my counterpart! I must speak with him immediately."
Oh my God, no, Shinobu! Please don't—
With a smile, Tanjirou said, "Alright, team! This meeting is over!"
KAIGAKU
Kaigaku mainly spent his time in the human realm showing off his skills and rank to the lesser demons, and killing anyone who aggravated him even slightly. Whenever he returned to The Dimensional Infinity Fortress, he would find himself spending time with Gyomei.
Gyomei usually kept to himself and refused to enter the human realm. The drive he felt for becoming stronger before had dissipated into a sea of uncertainty and sorrow. To see Kaigaku brought him great joy and lifted his spirits.
Although Kaigaku wouldn't admit it, he found himself enjoying Gyomei's company and looked forward to seeing him as well. He stayed out of the fortress most of the time to not look 'clingy' or 'desperate.'
Whenever he was around Gyomei, Kaigaku felt secure and at ease. That feeling reminded him of when he was a young orphan at the temple.
And that terrified him.
To go back to such a weak, feeble, mediocre point in his life repulsed him.
Kaigaku wasn't a parentless child stealing scraps to survive; he was Upper Moon Three, the fifth strongest demon alive. He fought tooth and nail to reach such prestige… unlike some other people.
Zenitsu.
Fucking Zenitsu.
If weakness and a spoiled brat came together and made a person, then its fucking Zenitsu. If I had my way, I would tie that pest to a tree and rip out his—
"Kaigaku, are you okay?" Gyomei asked. The Stone Demon had stopped playing the meditative singing bowls when he sensed Kaigaku's discomfort.
Kaigaku looked down to see that his bowl had shattered. The sight only added to the internal rage he was feeling because of Zenitsu. Spending time with Gyomei was the only thing that brough him comfort and relief, but he didn't want that right now.
As he stood up, he said, "I have to go, Gyomei."
"Right now?"
"Yes."
"Okay, but are you certain that you're alright?"
"Yeah, I'm— Dude, don't treat me like I'm some fucking kid! I'm twenty-four, not fucking four!"
"I apologize, Kaigaku… See you next time."
Seething, Kaigaku stormed through the endless corridors to relieve some anger. A servant tried to ask him if he wanted some refreshments and a massage, but he passed right by her.
He continued until he found himself in a zen garden, which angered him even more because 'zen' was the first three letters of Zenitsu's name.
In a sheer rage, Kaigaku withdrew his sword and split a Buddhist statue in two.
I just can't get rid of him! I can't stand knowing that he's alive, let alone that we're breathing the same air.
He's never worked a day in his life for anything, yet he somehow gets what I have and then some!
He's always had everything handed to him and whenever he fails, he gets a pat on the back!
If he was still a Demon Slayer, then I could take care of him once and for all. I should've tried to find him before he was converted!
"Damn it!" he abruptly yelled. Upon sensing another presence, Kaigaku turned and saw a woman staring at him.
The woman had long, black-to-violet hair and wore a black haori with a butterfly's wing pattern. The kanji for 'Upper Sun Three' was etched on her pupils.
This is Upper Sun Three?
…You've got to be kidding me.
"There's over a million of these gardens in this place, but you choose the one I'm in," he sighed, aggravated. "Leave me be."
Instead of responding, the woman smiled and gave a short bow.
Dumbfounded, Kaigaku said, "You know what? You can have this garden to yourself. Be my guest."
As he walked away, she said, "I've heard a lot about you, Kaigaku."
Kaigaku stopped dead in his tracks and glared at her, scowling. "Oh, yeah? From who?"
The woman playfully covered her mouth and giggled, "You're not as fearsome as they say!"
"Huh? I don't know who you've been talking to, but I can assure you that I am fearsome. The only reason why you're still standing is because of that rank of yours, so count your blessings!"
The woman bowed again and said, "I thought it would be nice if I acquainted myself since we're technically neighbors! I'm Shinobu. Nice to meet you!"
Kaigaku raised a questionable eyebrow and said, "…Whatever."
Shinobu grinned, then extended her hand and said, "I'm sure that we'll have fun working together."
"Working together? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Because you are my superior, it is only right for you to train me," she said. "I've unlocked my full demon form with the help of Lady Mujōna, and I'd like to work on—"
"Look, I'm not going to train you," he hissed. "I have shit on my own plate, so go away and—"
"You're Upper Moon Three, correct?"
"Yeah, but—"
"And I'm Upper Sun Three, so you have an obligation to take me under your wing." Then she glanced at the broken Buddhist statue and said, "It seems that you aren't currently occupied, so now is the perfect time to start!"
Before he could retort, Shinobu took his hand and pulled him through a portal to the human realm.
Unbeknownst to Kaigaku and Shinobu, Zenitsu saw the entire thing.
ZENITSU
Zenitsu had been practicing concealing his presence for a while and was surprisingly good at it.
Too good at it.
He nearly fainted from shock from what he just witnessed. Once the portal to the human realm closed, he let out a deafening, piercing cry.
Shinobu is going to be trained by Kaigaku of all people?
Shit, shit, shit!
"Chuntaro, we have to tell Giyu!" he said. "…But where is he?"
None of the members of The Twelve Kitaiyō had seen Giyu for a while. All they knew was that he stayed in the human realm and only returned when he needed nourishment.
I should to talk to Nezuko. Maybe she'll know what to do!
Zenitsu followed Nezuko's scent and found her in an ever-shifting chamber that was constantly changing its décor. The chamber shifted into a traditional Japanese style, then a regal baroque one.
Nezuko preferred the baroque styled and plopped upon a comfy, luxurious bed, smiling.
"…Hi, Nezuko."
"Hey, Lovey and Chuntaro!" she exclaimed as she sat up. "I missed both of you!"
Chuntaro gave her a death glare in response.
Zenitsu's cheeks turned red because she called him by the nickname she gave him a while ago. "D-do you know how to teleport to other demons?" he asked, fidgeting.
"Yeah! I teleport to people all the time! Like this!"
The pink-eyed demon vanished in thin air, then suddenly appeared before him. "See?"
Shocked, Zenitsu gasped, "Oh my God, Nezuko. Please tell me how to do that!"
Nezuko went to his ear and whispered how to teleport, which made a broad grin spread across his face.
"…Thank you, Nezuko! This means a lot!"
"Anything for you, Lovey! Who are you trying to teleport to anyway?"
His heart felt as if it would burst out of his chest and his muscles tensed as he said, "N-no one, h-heh!"
"…Okay! Hey, do you want to get some kills in a little bit? I heard there's a huge festival happening in the west, so we should—"
Before she could finish, Zenitsu vanished in thin air.
After countless tries, Zenitsu groggily awakened to Chuntaro angrily pecking his face. The bird squawked and scratched his flesh.
"Ow, Chuntaro! I'm awake, okay! W-what do you mean I've been sleeping for almost an hour?"
Zenitsu looked at his surroundings and found himself in a desolate cave. Chuntaro sat upon his shoulder as they ventured even further.
Soon, they reached the other opening of the cave and saw a male figure shrouded in darkness.
Giyu.
"…H-hey, Giyu," he faltered.
The black-haired demon slowly approached and stood in the moonlight, which made Zenitsu gasp at the sight.
Giyu was in his human form, and his hair was cut short and he looked to be at ease.
"Oh my God, you can hide your demon features! So far, only you and Tanjirou can do that!" he cried. Then his face twisted as he said, "Speaking of Tanjirou, he got more of Lady Mujōna's blood and is evil now!
"Zenitsu."
"Well, not that evil, but evil! And so is Nezuko! All she wants to do is kill, kill—"
"Hush."
"And Kaigaku is going to train Shinobu!" he screeched. "You've got to do something, Giyu! Maybe you can talk her out of—"
Before Zenitsu could finish, Giyu's hand covered his mouth and he withdrew his blade. Then he silently motioned for Zenitsu to look in the other direction.
Zenitsu shakily looked, then his eyes widened beyond belief at the sight.
Two identical, white-haired female demons were staring at them from afar, their hair blowing in the gentle breeze.
Those two… I've seen them before! Those are the twins that stopped Kaigaku from attacking me!
But how did I not sense them and why are they here?
Giyu held the two white-haired demons' stare for an eternity until they faded away. Then he released Zenitsu from his grasp and sat upon a rock.
The yellow-haired demon sat beside him and whispered, "Giyu, I don't know what just happened, but I've seen those two before! Why did they come here?"
"Because they're watching me," he said nonchalantly.
"Watching you? For what?"
Instead of responding, Giyu held his blade in the air and observed how beautifully the moonlight reflected off of it.
"…Giyu, why are you being watched?"
"Because of Mujōna."
"What? I... I don't understand what you mean. Did you do something to piss her off?"
Giyu gave a short nod, then laid down and stared at the sky above.
"Oh, that… sucks. Well, do you know anything about those two? They're really creepy."
"They are Mujona's henchwomen. Stay away from them."
Zenitsu's eyes looked as if they were about to fall out of his sockets. "H-henchwomen? W-what?"
As he put his blade back in its sheath, Giyu said, "Zenitsu, what's one thing you noticed about those two?"
Perplexed, Zenitsu tilted and scratched his head. "Uh… they're weird?"
With a blank, serious expression, Giyu said, "They have white hair."
"Huh? Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Have you seriously not noticed that all of the high-ranking demons closest to Mujōna have white hair?"
Upon hearing that, Zenitsu realized that Giyu was right.
Nodoka.
Kamabisushii.
Sanemi.
Oh my God! Sanemi is— Wait, his hair has always been like that.
"It's her way of marking them as her favorites," he sighed. "Just steer clear of all of the white-haired demons, Zenitsu."
Trembling, Zenitsu gulped and said, "O-Okay, I will! Also, did you hear what I said about Shinobu? Kaigaku is going to train her, and you have to step in and prevent that from happening!"
Giyu raised a questioning eyebrow, which reminded Zenitsu that he didn't know who Kaigaku was. "Kaigaku used to be my senior, but he's trash, a traitor, and evil! He's been trying to kill me for—"
"Alright, Zenitsu. I hear you," he interjected.
"Okay. So, what are we going to do about it?"
"Nothing."
After what felt like an eternity, Zenitsu shot up and screeched, "Nothing? What do you mean we're going to do nothing? Kaigaku will make Shinobu even worse!"
Giyu stared at him with a blank, emotionless expression.
"Giyu, this is Shinobu we're talking about!" he cried. "Aren't you two a thing?"
"No."
"Well, it's clear that you guys had something going on. You need to save her!"
"I'm… not going to do anything."
"But why, Giyu? Why? Are you really going to let her fall into the hands of someone like Kaigaku? Come on, Giyu! This is Shinobu we're talking about!"
A strange, pained look flashed across Giyu's face, but only for a moment. "That's… not Shinobu," he sighed.
"Dude, what are you talking about? No matter how evil she gets, that's still Shinobu! And the same thing goes for Nezuko!"
"…That's not Nezuko either."
"Yes, it is, Giyu! Demon or not, we still are who we are! We're Demon Slayers, and we never give up! We keep trying and never falter in the face of danger, and dedicate our lives to save—"
"Zenitsu, you are fighting a battle you can't win," he sighed. "It's… over."
The yellow-haired demon watched as Giyu repeatedly stabbed the ground with his sword.
And that made him angry.
"…I may be fighting a battle I can't win, but at least I'm doing something instead of hiding like you!" he roared.
Upon hearing that, Giyu stood up and stalked closer to him, his azure eyes clouding with anger.
"Hiding? Do you really believe that I'm hiding?" he asked, baring his fangs. "I've been backed into a corner and I'm always being watched. I'm always watching my back just to survive, and I left the demon realm because I felt my willpower being drained. The others are too far gone to be saved, so you're an idiot for trying to save them. Not only are you endangering yourself, but you're endangering me as well by coming here. Those two saw us and who do you think they're going to tell about this, Zenitsu?"
Just as Zenitsu opened his mouth to retort, Giyu said, "Did you think that the Hashiras were invincible, Zenitsu? No matter how powerful they become, one thing stays the same; the fact that they're still human. Humans can't hold out for anything too long, so we're all bound to succumb eventually. My goal is to hold out for as long as I can, and so should yours. If you're not going to join me in isolation, then leave."
The two demons held each other's cold, intense stare until Zenitsu said, "…I just didn't think that you of all people would give up so early, Giyu."
With a pained, disappointed expression, Zenitsu and Chuntaro returned to the demon realm.
Zenitsu walked through the halls of the fortress, his head throbbing. Each and every last word that Giyu said repeated in his mind.
I can't believe that he thinks that our friends aren't our friends anymore. Even though they submitted, that doesn't make them not themselves!
Tanjirou is still Tanjirou, Shinobu is still Shinobu, and Nezuko is still Nezuko!
Right?
…Right?
Chuntaro gave him an aggravated look and squawked at him.
"What do you mean that I'm stupid? I'm trying my best, Chuntaro! You should support me more!"
The yellow-haired demon and his bird bickered through the halls until he came to an abrupt halt.
Someone's here!
Shaking, Zenitsu looked ahead and saw another demon walking through the halls.
A white-haired one.
Nodoka.
Zenitsu took shaky breaths and gulped as he walked with a slower pace. As he neared Nodoka, his heartbeat pounded in his ears.
Nodoka caught his eyes as she drew even closer. Her piercing, blue eyes sent chills down his spine.
O-Oh my God…
Then she walked closer on his side.
Oh my God!
Nodoka stood in front of him and even though they were practically the same height, he still felt intimidated.
"Zenitsu," she said.
"…Y-yes, N-Nodoka? Hey, h-heh! I was j-just… Yeah, hah!" he stammered.
Shit!
Chuntaro shook her head and dug her claws into his shoulder.
"Ow!" he hissed under his breath.
Nodoka glanced at the sparrow and said, "Who's this?"
"This is… Chuntaro."
The white-haired demon held the sparrow's unsettling stare for what felt like an eternity, then returned her gaze to Zenitsu. "I need to speak with you."
"…A-about?"
"I think you already know."
Visions and images of when he almost harmed the heavily pregnant Mujōna Kibutsuji flooded his mind.
Yeah, I do…
"Nodoka… A-are you mad at me? Because… I don't blame you!" he howled. "I'm really sorry and I wish that I hadn't done that! I think that's why she's punishing me and honestly, I deserve it! Oh, Nodoka, please forgive me and—"
"I'm not mad at you, Zenitsu," she said. "I'm angry with myself for letting it happen."
The yellow-haired demon was surprised by her words and exhaled a sigh of relief. "Oh…"
Then her eyes bore into his soul as she said, "We deserve to die, Zenitsu. You and I should both be dead, but instead, we're here. Lady Mujōna and His Lordship are merciful, and we don't deserve their forgiveness. That's why I don't understand you and the other members of The Twelve Kitaiyō. Instead of killing you, Our Sovereigns gave each of you a chance to redeem yourselves and improve. You were all given the opportunity everyone would kill to have, and you aren't even grateful! You fought Our Queen every step of the way and caused Her great grief! When She should've been spending time her family, She tried to make sure that each of you were comfortable!"
At that very moment, Zenitsu realized that Nodoka was genuinely devoted to Muzan and Mujōna Kibutsuji in very way, shape, and form. He was at a loss for words, and could do nothing but gape at her, immobilized.
"…I needed to get that off my chest." Then she turned to leave, but paused. "And Zenitsu?"
"…Y-yeah?"
Nodoka turned to him and said, "I really hope that none of you are planning to do something stupid. You're all high-ranking demons now, so act like it. Your human life is gone and over with, so forget about it and move on."
Zenitsu knew that it wouldn't be wise to engage any further and tried to silence himself, but his lips began to move on their own. "How can you say that we must forget about our human lives and move on, Nodoka? That's not an easy thing to do and you know it!"
The white-haired demon seemed genuinely surprised that he countered her argument, but only for a moment. "…It's not easy, but it must be done. The past cannot be changed or undone, but the future can. Mortality is for the weak, and none of you would be here if you weren't strong."
Nodoka's face reluctantly softened as she said, "Humans… have hurt me more than demons ever could."
The atmosphere became sullen and tense as they held each other's gaze, then she walked away.
Now alone, Zenitsu fell to his knees and stared at the pristine floor, heaving.
Oh my God, it just keeps getting worse!
HAKANAI & HIKIHARAU
Hakanai and Hikiharau entered an opulent chamber filled with regal European and Japanese décor.
There, they saw Mujōna sitting with one of her children in her arms. Although the child's face was hidden against her bosom, the full head of soft, luscious curls was easily recognizable.
The Queen smiled lovingly and beckoned them to approach her. "Come to me, My Sweets," she cooed.
Hakanai and Hikiharau obliged and sat across from her. They smiled when the adorable child turned to them and giggled.
Mugoi's golden eyes glimmered ever so beautifully as he waved and said, "Hi."
Grinning, the white-haired twins waved and said, "Hello, Prince Mugoi."
Mujōna smothered her son in kisses, then they rubbed their noses and foreheads together. "I think it's almost time…"
"…For us to hear the bedtime chime!" Mugoi exclaimed, his arms outstretched.
As expected, the arm of the beru oni extended from above and rang its bell, signaling that it was time for bed.
The golden-eyed boy kissed his mother goodnight and climbed down from her lap. Before he left, he said, "Goodnight, Haka and Hiki."
"Sweet dreams, Prince Mugoi."
Once the little boy left the chamber, Mujōna leaned back in her chair as her fan levitated and fanned her by itself. "You may speak," she sang melodically.
"Tanjirou has consumed all of your blood and has submitted completely," Hakanai said. Then she sent her a mental image of Tanjirou's new demonic features.
"What a beautiful, handsome demon," Mujōna said, beaming. "Kanao is such a lucky woman."
"He is willing to serve you and only you, but is still weary of trusting you," Hikiharau said.
Mujōna contemplated upon their words, then nodded. "Very well. When we return, I'll speak to him and gain his trust. I can't have my highest-ranking demon not trust me; that just won't do. Anything else?"
The identical, white-haired twins glanced at each other, then said in unison, "The Thunder Demon was seen speaking to The Water Demon earlier."
Mujōna rolled her eyes and tapped a sharp, white claw upon the arm of her chair. "Ah, I see. Zenitsu and Giyu's human consciousness is still intact, so more than likely, they're teaming and trying to figure out a way to escape… If only they knew that all of their efforts are futile. My Sweets, just keep an eye on all of them and continue as usual."
Suddenly, the door slid open and Mujihi entered, his nose wiggling frantically. The adorable orange-eyed boy wore a white kimono and his long, straight hair descended his back.
"Mama, Ravager ga mitsukarimasen," he sobbed, tears welling in his eyes.
✧TRANSLATION: "Mommy, I can't find Ravager," he sobbed, tears welling in his eyes.
"Koibito, Ravager has been put away for the night," she said. "And it's your bedtime."
"B-but I want to play with him," he said softly, clutching his teddy bear. "I want to play…"
The Queen sensed that her son was exhausted, so she patted her lap and cooed, "Oh, Koibito, come here."
Mujihi was too distraught to even move and began to loudly bawl in place. As he wept, his father picked him up from behind and took him into his arms.
The Demon Lord rubbed his back and planted a soft, gentle kiss upon his forehead. As he left the chamber, he said, "Subete ga seijōdearu, Mujihi. It's past your bedtime."
✧TRANSLATION: The Demon Lord rubbed his back and planted a soft, gentle kiss upon his forehead. As he left the chamber, he said, "Everything is alright, Mujihi. It's past your bedtime."
"B-bedtime?"
"Mm-hmm."
Upon hearing that, the orange-eyed boy burst into even more tears. "No, no, no," he weakly sobbed as his eyelids became even heavier.
"Yes, yes, yes," Muzan said, their voices fading away.
Now alone, Mujōna smiled and said, "I appreciate all that you do, My Sweets. In time, you will surely be rewarded."
"Serving you and His Lordship is a reward in itself, My Queen," Hikiharau said.
"My Lady, when you return, we'll be ready to enact the first phase of your plan," Hakanai said.
The Queen's fan abruptly snapped itself shut and laid itself upon a table. With a motherly, heartwarming smile, she said, "Oh, that's just what I like to hear."