Urokudaki had been unable to devise a strategy to prevent Yoriichi from going, he had lost many students to the final selection. Eventually he realised that anything Final selection threw at Yoriichi would do little to nothing, at least he hoped. Urokudaki struggled to sleep the night after Yoriichi left, the fear of what had happened to his other students, could happen to Yoriichi, was always on his mind. Suddenly, he was roused from his thoughts by Michikatsu. "I sense a demon nearby and I plan to feast, are you coming or not?" A demon nearby, interesting and he plans to eat it.
"Let's go." Urokudaki grabbed his sword and then realised that if there was one demon around there could be more, they didn't like being around each other or the encroachment of their 'feeding grounds' but it didn't stop them from following each other around. Though that was probably done to steal said 'feeding grounds'. This would be a problem as Urokudaki could not in good conscience leave Uta here. She would be safer with us, he thought. He moved over to her and lightly shook her, she awoke with a start, but then calmed down. "Follow me," Urokudaki said. "It won't be safe here for now."
"Wait, what is happening?" She asked, it was clear she was confused.
"Michikatsu intends to hunt down a demon." he said, "and where there is one demon, there tends to be a few more."
"Why is he hunting down a demon?" she asked. "He intends to feed." She paled a little, "o-okay."
Urokudaki stood as Uta got up and went outside to find Michikatsu. Michikatsu stood in the distance, "Shall we go." Urokudaki called out.
Michikatsu nodded and began running in a direction. Uta hopped on Urokudaki's back and he began following Michikatsu.
"Where are we going?" Uta asked.
"Wherever Michikatsu takes us," he said. Michikatsu continued to pursue the demon he sensed when he came to a stop. Both of them could see the demon from a distance and Uta had stilled her breath, perhaps fearing the demon would hear her.
"Urokudaki, you go ahead and meet the demon from the front, I will go around and prevent its escape. You leave the fighting to me."
Urokudaki nodded, dropping Uta he said to her, "follow me, and stay as far back from the fighting as you can, I will not allow any harm to come to you". As Urokudaki neared the demon it was immediately alerted to his presence. This is a powerful one he thought, and it was confirmed. Written in one of the demon's eyes was the Kanji and Daiji for Lower Four. This was the Lower Moon four, a member of Muzan Kibutsuji's Twelve strongest demons, the Twelve Kizuki. She stood next to a deer and so Urokudaki even from this distance could tell the Demon was a short woman of slight stature. As he moved closer he noticed that she had very light grey skin, two dark red stripes across her cheeks, and a pair of white horns protruding from either side of her forehead. She also possessed chin-length white hair with shorter bangs between her horns. She wore a plain red kimono with a black-and-white fur-lined collar tied up at the back with a large, dark purple bow.
Yoriichi, had arrived at the area for the Final Selection. Mount Fujikasane was a large mountain and from where Yoriichi was standing, it was a sight to see. At the base of the mountain, a sea of wisteria trees stretches out in all directions, their trunks thick and twisted, crowned with cascading clusters of delicate purple flowers. The trees are so densely packed that their branches form a natural canopy, casting the area beneath them in a tranquil, cool shade. The wisteria vines coil around the trees like ancient serpents, their blooms hanging like jewels, creating a dreamlike landscape that seems to blur the line between reality and fantasy. From where the character stands, the mountain above is obscured entirely, hidden behind the sea of flowers, leaving only the enchanting beauty of the wisteria to fill their view. He walked into the centre of what seemed to be a clearing. He saw a stone pathway and there were many other demon slayer trainees standing there, all waiting for the next instruction. Suddenly a small child with black hair upfront on a small stage spoke, "You will need to survive here for 7 days to pass Final Selection."
Next to it was another child, they both looked to be the same, perhaps twins but one had black hair and the other had white. Yoriichi could not tell if they were boys or girls, but if he had to guess they were both girls. They continued speaking, "And now, be on your way."
and so it began.
The demon saw Urokudaki, her face turned to a scowl and she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt.
"What do you think you're doing, old man? Bringing a sword like that's going to do anything? A slayer as old as you couldn't hope to hurt me."
Urokodaki's gaze hardened. "I don't intend to do anything, demon." He replied, spitting out the last word with venom. He lifted his sword, its tip pointing past her shoulder. "He does." The demon's eyes widened as she spun around, her smugness fading in an instant. Michikatsu stood behind her, motionless yet radiating a presence so powerful, so intense, that it felt as if the very air around him had thickened, pressing down on everyone nearby. Even she, Lower Moon Four, felt it, the weight of his gaze, all six of his eyes pressed into her almost as though he could look into her soul, the restrained strength in his stance. She staggered, almost brought to her knees by that silent, immovable power. She shook herself, forcing composure.
"What are you doing? I am the Lower Moon Four," she said, pride colouring her voice as she tried to cling to her sense of superiority. "You aren't even ranked, and you think to challenge me?" She turned to Urokodaki, pointing in anger. "There is a demon slayer right there. Kill him."
"No," Michikatsu responded simply, his voice like steel. He unsheathed his sword, the blade flashing under the moonlight, then vanished forward in a blur, his movement too fast for even the demon to process. But, Michikatsu was holding back too much; it seems he underestimated the other demon's power. The demon dodged his attack, her pride turning to fury. With a snarl, she leapt out of his path, her face twisted with rage at the insult of his defiance.
"How dare you stand against me!" she shrieked, her voice rising in fury. "You will pay for this!" With a scream, she launched herself at Michikatsu, her claw-like fingernails extended. But, Michikatsu, calm as ever, stepped back smoothly and swung his sword.
"Moon Breathing, Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing" he performed three crescent-shaped slashes while releasing a multitude of crescent moon blades along with them. Slicing off both of the Lower Moon's hands and sending cuts up her entire arm and body. She screamed and Urokudaki could see her initial confidence had waned. She turned and ran immediately. Urokudaki had no idea why she ran, Michikatsu had not done anything out of the ordinary and, although slow, her hands did regenerate. Perhaps she was a coward, but it didn't change anything. Michikatsu appeared a few metres in front of her and she realised that she was going to have to fight. Raising her hands she said "Blood Demon Art: Blood-shot," The demon raised her arm, her fingers aimed directly at Michikatsu. With a sinister glint in her eyes, she fired a condensed, blood-red projectile, a bullet formed from her own blood. Urokodaki, watching from a distance, narrowed his eyes as he noticed her arteries swell and pulse visibly through her skin, channelling her blood to her fingertips for each deadly shot. Michikatsu charged forward, unflinching. He deflected the first blood-bullet with a flick of his blade, sending it spinning harmlessly aside. She fired another in quick succession, but he blocked that one just as easily, barely slowing his stride as he closed the gap. In a heartbeat, he was upon her, his sword raised high, poised to strike her head from her shoulders. But the demon was quicker than she appeared. Her right hand lashed out in a savage swipe, claws glinting in the dim light. Michikatsu parried it flawlessly, his sword meeting her hand in a block that absorbed her momentum and twisted it against her. He countered, his blade swinging toward her neck in a lethal arc, transferring the force of her own attack into his strike. But her clawed swipe had bought her just enough time. She twisted back at the last moment, the blade only grazing her neck in a shallow, blood-drawing scratch. Snarling, she leapt back, the wound already sealing itself as she regenerated, then fired two more blood-shots in quick succession. Michikatsu dashed forward once again, his blade a blur as he deflected both shots with effortless precision. His movements were smooth and controlled, and yet it was clear that he was holding back, as if measuring each strike, each defence, for a purpose Urokudaki was still figuring out. As Michikatsu neared the other demon once more, she brought her condensed blood to her hands, to reinforce them, and they each began a deadly assault. Michikatsu pressed forward, launching a series of rapid, slicing strikes, his form a blur of motion and fury. The other demon met each blow with equal resolve, her body coiling and twisting to deflect, and parry every strike. But, the demon's hands began to weaken, the blood in them thinning and her hands losing the blood red colour. Each attack Michikatsu sent sheared through her hands with violent precision, sending clumps of thickened blood flying in the direction of his attacks. Although Michikatsu was holding back greatly, it was still clear who was stronger. Suddenly, she jumped towards Michikatsu. It may have been to reduce the effect of the longer ranged sword, when compared to her hands, or just a desperate strategy. But Michikatsu simply stepped back, moving only one foot, creating distance and unleashed another form.
"Fourth Form: Waxing Lunar Slash*" Michikatsu swung his sword in a swift, deadly arc, his blade slicing through the air in a singular, controlled motion. His sword gleamed as it cut close to his body in a horizontal slash, disembowelling the demon in one devastating blow. She let out a piercing scream, her voice fractured by agony as blood sprayed from the deep, brutal wound. But the strike didn't end there. The strike was visible as though it was one large crescent moon blade, it was a marvel to behold, but suddenly it erupted, exploding into a relentless wave of crescent moon blades that cut into the other demon again and again, turning her body into a canvas of bloody gashes. The demon's form convulsed as the crescent-moon blades carved through her flesh with ruthless precision, leaving her body a shattered, mutilated shadow of what it once was. She was flung back, and of course since Michikatsu was using a breathing style, she was struggling to regenerate. She began raising her hand for another Blood-shot attack, but Urokudaki noticed that she was aiming at the deer that was near her when they first saw her. It had run away when the fighting began, but it seems it hadn't run far enough. The deer was killed and then the demon focused, drawing its blood into herself in thick, pulsing rivulets. The wounds on her body knitted closed as her power surged, each drop accelerating her recovery. Across from her, Michikatsu watched, his stance calm yet unyielding, an ominous patience in his gaze. It was clear he was prolonging this battle deliberately, savouring each moment, perhaps testing the extent of his own skill and technique. When she finally stood, fully healed, Michikatsu moved in a blur. In an instant, faster than Urokudaki's eye could catch, he closed the distance between them. To him, it was as though Michikatsu had simply taken a single step and appeared, his blade already poised.
"No!" she shrieked, thrusting her hand forward in desperation, fingers clenched tight. At her command, the blood pooled around them thickened, solidifying and shaping itself in a blink into a razor-sharp spike. It shot toward him, tearing through the air with deadly speed. Michikatsu's eyes flickered in surprise, but his reflexes were flawless; he twisted aside just as the blood spike whizzed past, missing him by just the width of a hair. As Michikatsu dodged the spike, she fired off another Blood-shot. But, Michikatsu dodged and appeared in front of her again.
"Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains" Michikatsu swept his blade in two large, crescent-shaped arcs, each slash strong and powerful. From these wide swings erupted a storm of smaller crescent moon blades. The slice followed by the barrage tore through the demon in front of him, ripping her body in two and hurling her back through the air. Blood sprayed wildly in every direction, staining the ground as she flew toward the lifeless deer. Undeterred, she clenched her fists, drawing what remained of the deer's blood to her with frightening speed. The liquid coursed into her wounds, healing her as she locked her eyes on Michikatsu, now charging toward her, his intent unmistakable. Realising that he wouldn't relent this time, she grinned through the pain.
"I have you right where I want you!" she yelled, her voice tinged with desperation and cunning. As he neared, she thrust her hand forward, and a blood spike erupted from the ground before her, forcing Michikatsu to leap back, his momentum broken. She didn't stop there; with a flick of her wrist, she summoned more spikes from the trails of blood she'd left on the ground, when Michikatsu had torn her in half. They shot upward and outward, each one a deadly lance aimed to keep him at bay. Michikatsu darted back several metres, weaving and dodging the rising spikes, his movement fluid as he hopped back. As she stood after healing, she raised both her hands and joined them together, possibly going to perform another technique. But, Urokudaki knew that Michikatsu had her right where he wanted her too.
"Sixth Form: Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon; Incessant" Michikatsu unleashed a flurry of rapid, curved slashes, each one carving through the air with devastating precision. The force behind each stroke was so intense that it ripped through the demon's body with explosive violence, severing limbs and tearing chunks of flesh free in a spray of crimson. Urokodaki watched in stunned silence as the slashes released a chaotic storm of crescent moon blades, each one carved through the landscape with unrelenting fury. The ground shattered under the onslaught, the surrounding trees were cut. Urokudaki could no longer see as the rising dust and debris covered the battlefield. The barrage was so powerful that even Urokodaki, standing far from the chaos, was forced to retreat. Michikatsu had surely killed the demon now, had he?
Yoriichi ran up the mountain, from what Urokudaki told him wisteria was poisonous to demons. Unfortunately for the participants, the wisteria was only around the base of the mountain preventing demons from escaping and not for saving the demon slayer trainees. Surviving for one week he thought, his mind focused. He would just have to manage the nights he would be safe during the day, free to rest, as the demons would be unable to do anything. Yoriichi set his sights eastward, where the first light of dawn would soon break, casting warmth over the land. But from the corner of his eye, he spotted movement, a demon lurking in the shadows of the trees. Yoriichi knew well that his gaze could pierce through anything, though the demon remained unaware of this. Slowing his pace, Yoriichi casually placed a hand on his sword, or more accurately his brother's old sword, keeping his stride calm and unbroken as if he hadn't noticed the creature at all. Suddenly, the demon sprang into view, its eyes gleaming with hunger, and in the opposite direction, another one emerged, just as vicious. Yoriichi halted, assessing them calmly as one of the demons snarled,
"What do you think you're doing?! This is my prey." Realisation dawned on Yoriichi, the demon wasn't talking to him, but to its rival.
"Once we kill him, we'll fight over who gets to eat," the demon growled to the other. In unison, they lunged at Yoriichi, claws and teeth bared, but to Yoriichi their movements seemed laughably slow, almost like watching shadows stretch across the ground in the morning sun. With a single, fluid step backward and one wide, graceful sweep of his blade, Yoriichi decapitated them both in one stroke, their heads falling in silence as their bodies crumpled to the ground. Without another glance, he turned and resumed his path east, leaving the fallen demons to the dark as he pressed on toward the dawn. As he ran he saw another demon in the distance and heard someone running and shouting "What the hell is this?! I never signed up for this!" He ran closer and saw a large demon, it was a pale yellowish colour, covered in hands and most importantly absolutely enormous. The voice he heard from before was another participant, a young man probably around his age. He was being chased by the demon. Yoriichi had to save him. As the demon covered in hands, holding another dead participant, extended one of his hands intending to crush the man. Yoriichi jumped in, cutting off the demon's hand. The demon retracted the remainder of the limb immediately. "Why did that bur-" he stopped, "oh, another little fox has come to me." the demon said with delight, looking at Yoriichi's fox mask. "Another?" there were more, Yoriichi didn't know that. "Little fox cub, what is the year of Meiji now?"
"We are in the Taisho Era."
"Taisho?" said the demon. Suddenly the demon roared in rage "There's no way! It has passed into another period?! Again and again, how long will I be trapped in this wisteria prison?! Unforgivable! UNFORGIVABLE! Damn you Urokudaki!" This demon knew Urokudaki? why? Yoriichi thought. "How do you know Urokudaki sir?"
"I know him, because he was the one who captured me! Back when he was still hunting demons."
"I promised myself that I would kill all of his disciples" the demon continued, "I have killed so many I think I may have lost count" The demon laughed. "I can tell by those masks, I know Urokudaki's style and texture. It is the same as his own mask." The demon almost jumped ecstatically, readying a few of his many arms. "Finally I can kill another!" The demon fired his arms at Yoriichi. Once again these demons were too slow, "Sun Breathing, Third Form: Raging Sun" Yoriichi charged forward with swift precision, his eyes locked on the demon's many arms. As they surged through the air extending out toward him, he moved fluidly, executing two wide, horizontal slashes that cleaved through the air. The demon howled in agony as its extended arms were severed at the wrists, a thick, sizzling blood spilling from the wounds. "Why does it burn?!" the demon screamed in shock and fury. Yoriichi, unfazed, surged forward, his body becoming a blur. His body moving so fast the mask came off his face. With a swift leap, he launched into the air. "First Form: Dance" he twisted his body mid-flight, angling it with the demon's head. Then his blade arced downward with unstoppable force, the demon's head was severed in an instant.
When the destruction cleared, the demon was nowhere to be found.
"Where is she!" Yelled Urokudaki.
"I do not know, but I can still sense her." Michikatsu replied. "I will find her."
Michikatsu dashed off in a direction and Urokudaki ran towards Uta. Urokudaki reached Uta and was surprised to see her not afraid.
"That was so cool!" she said ecstatically. It was good to see that she was safe, but where could the demon be? Suddenly Michikatsu burst out from the tree line and ran towards where the dead deer was, and Urokudaki began to notice that the deer was drying out further. It was as though the demon was pulling its remaining blood out, but where was the demon? Michikatsu jumped towards the deer's corpse and stuck his sword in the bloodied snow in front of it. There was a scream and he pulled out the demon from the snow. The demon was in complete shambles. Her legs were gone, blood was pouring from wounds all over her body, her arms were attached only by a small portion of flesh at her elbows.
"Mercy, Please!" she screamed. "I'll do anything, just don't kill me!"
Michikatsu hesitated, but then returned to his senses immediately and threw her down, prepared to cut off her head. But, her arms had healed and she immediately created a wave from the blood pouring out her body, pushing Michikatsu away.
"You will pay for this!" She screamed, Urokudaki couldn't get a good view because of the wave of blood. But when he did, he saw both her hands joined palms together. "Blood Demon Art: Blood-shot Barrage" She unleashed a barrage of massive blood-shots, each one whistling through the air toward Michikatsu with lethal speed. The blood also seemed metallic, as though she had somehow increased the iron contents of her blood. Michikatsu braced himself, his blade flashing as he deflected the first shot in a spray of crimson mist, but his instincts flared, these were no ordinary attacks. As he charged, he noticed the remaining blood-shots tremor in the air, vibrating with a sinister energy. In an instant, each split into three, tripling the onslaught hurtling his way. Michikatsu surged forward, his focus razor-sharp, slicing through the storm of projectiles with flawless precision. His blade cleaved through them one after another, sending smaller explosions of blood and crescent moon blades outward with each deflection. The air around him erupted in bursts of crimson and moon as he dodged and redirected, moving like a phantom through the chaotic barrage. Each strike left the battlefield painted in blood, sending sparks flying from his metal-like flesh blade colliding with the metallic, thickened blood. The remnants of his deflected attacks carving through the space with unrelenting ferocity, exploding in the distance. Undeterred, he closed the distance in a blur, his eyes locked onto the other Demon. She sneered, readying herself for another onslaught, but Michikatsu was faster. With a powerful leap, he dived through the final wave of projectiles, emerging from the haze of blood and crescent moon blades, instilling upon the other demon true fear. His blade sang through the air as he reached her, a single, devastating stroke slicing clean through her neck.
Michikatsu landed with grace, sheathing his sword as the demon's head fell.
"I don't want to die." she said. Urokudaki would have told her to tell that to her victims had he been closer, but Michikatsu beat him to it.
"Tell that to the people you have killed." he said, as he walked over and absorbed her into his body. "Well fought, but why did you take so long?" Urokudaki said. "I wanted to test out my techniques, but she was unimaginably weak. It was difficult to perform some of my forms, without instantly killing her. Although I wasn't expecting her to survive my sixth form. Are all Twelve Kizuki demons like this?" Urokudaki remembers his younger days as a demon and the stark contrast in power between the Lower Moon demons and the Upper Moon demons. He only ever encountered one and it seemed incredibly powerful. "There is a large difference in power between the Lower Moons and Upper Moons. I assume the Upper Moons have been around for hundreds of years. It would take all of the Lower Moons teaming up to take down a single Hashira, and that is assuming they have perfect teamwork which they do not. But it would take around two or three average hashira to take down a Weaker Upper Moon, Such as upper six or five." That seemed to satisfy Michikatsu, but suddenly he went into deep thought. "But, we have a bigger problem. I think… that…" Michikatsu broke off, slowing down as though he was in deep thought. "You think that?" Urokudaki prodded, waking Michikatsu from his thoughts. "I saw Muzan when she was talking to me after I pulled her out of the ground, that's why I hesitated. I think he knows where we are." Urokudaki was stunned at this new revelation. If Muzan knew where they were, it would not be good. He wouldn't doubt Michikatsu on this, whether he was right or wrong didn't matter, this was not a chance Urokudaki was willing to take. "We cannot return home then it seems. We will move to a different location, and I will intercept Yoriichi when he returns from final selection."
The rest of Final Selection passed in a surreal blur. For Yoriichi, it was frighteningly easy. After witnessing the unrelenting cruelty and malice of demons, he dedicated the remaining days to hunting them down with single-minded precision. Yet, despite his efforts, the screams of those he was too late to save echoed relentlessly in his mind. On the seventh day, as the sun rose and the haunting wisteria line came into view, Yoriichi stepped through the tree line. Safety at last. But as he exited the mountain, the sight awaiting him was sobering, only five survivors, including himself. The air was heavy with loss. Among the survivors, a boy with yellow hair stood trembling, his eyes hollow and haunted.
"It doesn't matter if I survived this," the boy muttered bitterly. "I'm going to die later anyway."
Beside him was a girl with a butterfly hair clip, her expression unsettlingly blank, as though there was not a single thought in her head. Unlike the others, her clothing bore no signs of injury. Another boy stood with a pronounced mohawk, his scowl making his irritation obvious, while the final survivor appeared plain and unremarkable, almost lost among the others. Before Yoriichi could process the scene, the two girls from seven days earlier stepped onto a raised platform. Their voices were calm and formal as they addressed the group.
"Congratulations. We are pleased to see you are safe," said the white-haired one. The mohawk boy scoffed, his frustration boiling over.
"So what now? Where's my sword?"
"First, you will be issued uniforms," one of the girls replied coolly. "We will take your measurements and engrave your rank. There are ten ranks in total. Today, you will select the ore for your swords, but the forging process will take ten to fifteen days." The mohawk boy sneered, visibly irritated. Before anyone could react, the white-haired girl clapped her hands, and a sudden flock of crows descended, each landing neatly on a survivor's shoulder.
"These are your Kasugai Crows," she explained. "They will serve as your companions and a means of communication." The yellow-haired boy looked at the bird perched on him and frowned.
"Did you say crows? Because this is a sparrow." Before the girl could reply, the mohawk boy erupted in anger.
"Don't give me that nonsense!" he yelled. Storming up to the white-haired girl, he grabbed her by the hair, yanking it cruelly. Despite the pain he surely inflicted, her expression didn't falter, remaining as composed as ever. Yoriichi had seen enough. With calm, deliberate steps, he closed the distance, his presence alone drawing the attention of everyone nearby. He grabbed the mohawk boy's forearm, his grip firm but controlled.
"Take your hand off her," Yoriichi said evenly, his voice like steel. "Or I'll break your arm." The boy turned to him, eyes burning with defiance.
"Who the hell are you?" he growled before his lips twisted into a mocking grin. "Go ahead. Let's see you try it." Yoriichi didn't hesitate. With a swift, unyielding motion, he tightened his grip and snapped the boy's arm. The crack echoed like a thunderclap, and the mohawk boy stumbled back, cradling his broken limb. His glare was fierce, filled with fury, but he dared not retaliate. Yoriichi, unmoved, simply turned his attention back to the platform, his gaze calm yet commanding.
The survivors, weary and resolute, now stood together on the raised platform. Before them, on a sturdy wooden table, lay an array of ores, each distinct in appearance yet seemingly connected by some unseen thread. The air was tense, heavy with unspoken questions and lingering exhaustion, as they contemplated the purpose of this peculiar setup. Yoriichi's sharp eyes scanned the table, his instincts keenly attuned. At first glance, the ores seemed separate, distinct pieces with subtle variations in their colour and texture. Yet, as he stepped closer, a deeper truth revealed itself to him. They weren't separate at all. Each ore was the same, all pure high quality nichirin steel, though cleverly arranged to disguise their unity. The thought came to him like a whisper in the wind. Though he didn't know for certain, perhaps by choosing an ore, they weren't merely selecting a piece of metal, they were choosing a smith, someone who would forge their blade and future. Yoriichi's attention was drawn to one ore in particular. It radiated a peculiar aura, as though it resonated with the very essence of his being. He felt its pull, the heat that seemed to emanate from within, and an inexplicable certainty took hold of him. This ore was different, attuned to something far greater. It burned with a fiery intensity that felt akin to the Breath of the Sun itself, the exact breathing style he performed. He reached out, his hand steady, and grasped the ore without hesitation. Its warmth seeped into his skin, and a sense of rightness settled over him. This was the one. He had no doubt his choice was correct. As he stepped back with the ore in hand, the others began to make their selections. Yoriichi spared them only a passing glance, his focus lingering on the small piece of metal he now held. He could feel the promise within it, the potential for greatness waiting to be unlocked. The path ahead remained uncertain, but with this ore in his grasp, Yoriichi knew he had taken a step closer to fulfilling his destiny.
Yoriichi walked steadily along the quiet road, the pale glow of the moon casting soft shadows on the ground. The air was cool, and the silence of the night was punctuated only by the soft crunch of his footsteps against the dirt. He was nearing Urokudaki's home at the foot of Mount Sagiri, the place he had grown to consider a sanctuary. It was only a short distance now, he could already picture the familiar sight of the house nestled among the trees. As he rounded a bend, his sharp eyes caught sight of a figure standing in the middle of the road. His heart jumped briefly at the unexpected sight, but his heightened perception quickly eased his nerves. This wasn't a stranger. It was Urokudaki. Relief turned to confusion as he ran toward the older man.
"Why are you here?" Yoriichi called, his voice carrying his concern, though his face as usual never showing it. Urokudaki turned toward him, his expression as stoic as ever, but there was a sense of urgency in his stance.
"It is no longer safe," Urokudaki said firmly. "I will take you to a safe place far from here. It will keep us far away from danger." Yoriichi stopped in his tracks, stunned.
"What danger? And why are we not safe?" he asked, his voice filled with a rare edge of shock. Urokudaki's reply was grim and direct.
"The Demon King may know where we are, and I don't intend to find out if he does." His tone left no room for argument, his words heavy with the weight of certainty. For a moment, Yoriichi stood frozen, processing what he'd just heard. His fists clenched slightly at his sides as frustration bubbled beneath the surface. Yet another consequence of the Demon King's existence, yet another piece of his life uprooted.
"Time is of the essence," Urokudaki said, already turning to lead the way. "Let's go."
Yoriichi hesitated only briefly before falling in step behind him, his mind churning with unspoken thoughts. They moved quickly, the familiar road slipping away into the shadows of the night. As they passed by Urokudaki's old home, Yoriichi felt a pang of sorrow. The house he had come to think of as his own, a place of peace and growth, was now being left behind, abandoned like so much else in his life. His jaw tightened as the bitterness of loss settled in his chest. Yet, even in the face of this turmoil, Yoriichi's resolve remained steadfast. The Demon King had taken much from him, but he would not allow this loss, or any other, to break his spirit. He followed Urokudaki into the night, his steps quiet but resolute, carrying him closer to an uncertain future and the battles yet to come.
Muzan stood amidst the splendour of the Infinity Castle, an ethereal realm of beauty and elegance, its sprawling gardens and intricate architecture a stark contrast to the darkness that permeated his existence. The air was rich with the scent of rare flowers, their vibrant colours glowing faintly under the dim, otherworldly light. But Muzan paid no attention to the majesty around him. His focus was entirely on the work before him, creating and mixing remedies, medicines, and elixirs in a desperate attempt to conquer his greatest vulnerability, the sun. The tables around him were cluttered with vials, jars, and scrolls, remnants of countless failed experiments. Each day, he toiled with tireless precision, hoping to unlock the secret that had eluded him for centuries. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, none of his creations ever matched the effectiveness of the accursed doctor's medicine.
"Accursed doctor," Muzan hissed under his breath, his crimson eyes narrowing as he crushed a dried herb between his fingers.
"Why did you leave nothing behind? If you had given me more, I would not be forced to grovel for scraps of your genius." Every failed attempt was a dagger to his pride, and every minuscule success felt like an insult, progress so slow it mocked his unparalleled power. The elusive Blue Spider Lily haunted his thoughts. If only he could find it. If only his demons weren't so utterly useless. His thoughts turned briefly to the Lower Moons, his lip curling in disdain. "Pathetic," he muttered. Lower Moon Four had recently met their end, at the hands of Kokushibo. Muzan's irritation momentarily gave way to intrigue. Kokushibo. A demon of unparalleled strength he had created not too long ago. He would find him and claim him. "Such power," Muzan murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips. "If the pathetic demon found him, then perhaps they are not all so useless after all." The death of Lower Moon Four, though a failure, had brought valuable knowledge to light. Their death had revealed Kokushibo's location. Muzan's sharp mind quickly pieced the possibilities together. Kokushibo might have already sensed it too, but Muzan was not concerned. If Kokushibo could run all he wanted, Muzan would find him. He placed the vials of his latest failed concoction back on the table and turned, his jacket, set upon his shoulders billowing like shadows in the eerie light. This was not the time for frustration. This was a time for action.
"At least this failure bore fruit," he said softly, his voice laced with menace. "I will find Kokushibo, and together, we will root out every trace of resistance. A demon as perfect as Upper Moon One... No perhaps better. Yes, that will do."
Muzan's expression hardened, and he strode through the Infinity Castle with renewed purpose. The beauty around him was meaningless, a hollow mask for the ugliness of his hunger for dominance. The sun would no longer be his enemy. Soon, all would kneel before him.
It was hard trying to make this wordy, I'm not gonna lie, it's probably going to take me some time, if I intend to keep making large chapters. What's funny is that this isn't even all that large. Either way I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Lower Moon 4's powers were never really stated so from her red clothing I just assumed her powers were blood related. Why did I pick her? Lets go through process of elimination cannot be any of the Upper Moons, cannot for obvious reasons be Lower Moon 1 or 5, Lower Moon 6 would be too weak, and Lower Moon 2 doesn't seem like he would be anywhere near snow. Based upon Lower Moon 4's cloths also somewhat reflect a liking to a colder environment and Muzan wouldn't really feel the need to dismantle the lower ranks over a relatively useless Lower Moon.
*Yeah I did it, and I have also done a few more, but they are still up for grabs. Now for the later forms I will describe why Kokushibo didn't use them in the battle in the infinity castle in the actual manga so they at least seem possible.