Anime/Manga: Bankai Starting with Demon Slayer

When news of her death arrived, Shinazugawa, who already hated ghosts to the core, shut himself off and no longer wanted to have any close relationships with others.

I'm afraid of experiencing the heartache of losing someone I value, like Tadachika Rinno or Kanae.

Later, he would intentionally or unintentionally strike up a conversation with Shinobu Kocho, which could be seen as mutual care between two heartbroken people.

After a long while, Saneya suddenly turned his head away, avoiding Asuka's gaze.

He growled in a hoarse voice:

"...I understand. There's no need to come all this way just to tell you."

He strode away, walking quickly, as if fleeing from something.

But after taking a few steps, he stopped and turned to the side, saying:

Thank you.

Then, in a flash, he disappeared into the courtyard.

Asuka looked at his departing figure with some confusion, recalling the expression on Shinobu Kocho's face when she told her to tell Saneya Shinazugawa about this.

What's wrong with this guy?

Chapter 92 Breaking the Information Gap

"Lord Asuka, the lord is already waiting in the study."

The next morning, Asuka had just stepped out of her room when she saw the Hidden Force members who had been waiting for her for a long time.

He brushed a stray strand of hair from his hair: "...Does my lord get up this early every day?"

"Yes... due to illness, our lord's sleep is intermittent," the team member replied respectfully. "When he's in pain, he gets up to work; when he's not in pain, he tries to get some sleep..."

"How strong you are," Asuka exclaimed.

"Lead the way."

The study was dimly lit and had a strong herbal scent.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki was in relatively stable condition today, and was sitting quietly on the tatami mat, listening to his black-haired son, Kiriya, recite his lessons to him.

Feeling the sliding door open, he looked in Asuka's direction and chuckled softly, "Who's here? The footsteps and breathing... it must be Asuka."

"Good day, Lord Yaoya."

"Don't be shy, please sit down."

His eyes, though blind, shone with profound wisdom as he gazed curiously at the bird: "You must have something very important to say to me, since you've come to see me alone."

Yesterday it was too late, and Asuka heard that Kagaya was already resting, so she gave up the idea of ​​meeting with him. Unexpectedly, it was arranged so early this morning.

"It's about reinforcements." Asuka straightened his back; he wasn't the type to use euphemisms. "For the final battle, we should use every available force."

Kagaya tilted his head slightly: "That's true, but Asuka, what kind of reinforcements are you referring to?"

"The third moon of the upper moon, the Yiwo seat."

pat.

Teriyaki was so surprised that he dropped his textbook on the tatami mat, his eyes filled with confusion.

Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who was used to all kinds of storms and had a broad mind, widened his empty eyes slightly at this moment, and his expression froze for several seconds.

"Oh? Cooperating with Ghost Moon... that's a bit unexpected..."

Upper Moon Three is a demon that has lived for hundreds of years and killed countless Pillar-level swordsmen. It is one of the core combat forces under Muzan's command.

"Could you explain in more detail?"

"He has betrayed Muzan Kibutsuji..."

Asuka briefly recounted how Komashita, who had regained his human memories, helped her when she killed Doma, and how she escaped from Muzan Kibutsuji.

"...The demonic bloodline within him is fading. Although it's unknown whether this is permanent, for now, his hatred for Musan is perhaps no less than ours," Asuka said in a deep voice.

Kagaya fell into deep thought.

His fingers tapped lightly on his knees, a habit he had when pondering extremely difficult problems.

"...To be honest, reason tells me this is a trap set by demons." He chuckled. "They are good at lying, disguising themselves, and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals."

"But using two upper moons as bait... I don't believe Muzan has the guts to do that. Since you and Giyu witnessed him betraying Muzan, it must be true."

"Moreover, this is not an isolated case."

Asuka was slightly surprised. He had thought he would have to spend a lot of time explaining why a cannibal would rebel, but when he heard his lord's last sentence, he couldn't help but frown.

Kagaya sighed and looked out the window at the brilliant sunlight.

"Asuka, there are some things I haven't told everyone, not even the current Pillars know."

"You've also experienced the Nezuko incident, so you should know that in the minds of most swordsmen, the conflict between demons and humans is irreconcilable. Once this understanding wavers, even a moment's hesitation in battle can lead to the swordsman's death."

Asuka recalled reading in the Book of the Flame Pillars that Yoriichi Suguru had released a female demon who had broken free from Muzan's control, and was therefore expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps...

"Is that female ghost still alive?"

"It seems you know about that... Good, her name is Tamayo."

"She was once Muzan Kibutsuji's close attendant, but hundreds of years ago, when Muzan was on the verge of death under Yoriichi Tsugikuni's sword, Lady Tamayo seized the opportunity and successfully broke free from the shackles of that bloodline."

"She is now lurking in human society, looking for ways to fight against the Mighty. I have been keeping an eye on her, but I haven't made any contact with her yet."

Asuka thought that discovering Akaza's strangeness was a huge secret, but she didn't expect that the Ubuyashiki family had already been secretly making similar attempts.

"I see. It seems my worries were unnecessary." Asuka breathed a sigh of relief.

“No, not at all.” Kagaya said seriously, “Miss Tamayo’s situation is an extreme coincidence. It was a miracle that occurred because of the intervention of a powerful figure like Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who is almost a miracle.”

"But Akaza's situation is different. According to your description, he broke through Muzan's brainwashing through his inner will and by relying on fragments of emotions from the human era. This shows that Muzan Kibutsuji's absolute control over his subordinates is not unbreakable."

A glint of light flashed in Yaozai's eyes, revealing his decisiveness and wisdom as a commander.

"We cannot waste this opportunity."

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked.

“His name is Komashi now, right?” Kagaya smiled slightly, his tone revealing a kind of old-fashioned wisdom: “Asuka, I want you to contact him again—I don’t need him to immediately attack the Demon Nest, but I need his information.”

Asuka's eyes flickered.

Indeed, the biggest disadvantage of the Demon Slayer Corps at present is the information asymmetry.

Where exactly is Muzan? What Blood Demon Arts do the remaining Upper Moon Demons possess? What are their weaknesses? Does Muzan's hiding place have any special defensive mechanisms?

These classified intelligence reports can only be obtained by human swordsmen risking their lives, and even obtaining just a tiny bit can reduce the casualties of countless team members.

Kagaya coughed a few times, and Kiriya quickly stepped forward to pat him on the back.

He waved his hand and continued, "I need him to compile as much detail as possible about the abilities, locations, and characteristics of the demons under Wuxian's command. If possible, it would be best to also tell us about Wuxian's abilities, as this will be crucial in the upcoming final battle."

"Will he cooperate?" Asuka asked with some doubt.

Even if Akaza, a martial arts fanatic, betrayed Mukhan, he might not stoop to betraying others.

“Yes, he will.” Kagaya said firmly, “He has remembered the things he wanted to protect, but ultimately destroyed by his own hands as a demon.”

"His only desire now is to put an end to this century-long nightmare. And that can only be achieved by joining forces with us."

Asuka was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Understood, I will send out the scabbard to Hayama."

"Asuka, this matter must be kept secret."

Kagaya instructed him, while also making sure Kiriya listened carefully: "Even if it's the other Pillars, don't reveal it yet... Iguro and Shinazugawa... their hatred for demons is deeply ingrained. If they find out that we're in contact with Upper Moon Three, it might cause unnecessary chaos."

"Before the final battle, the Demon Slayer Corps must be united as one."

“I understand.” Asuka stood up and bowed to Kagaya. “Then, I’ll take my leave. I will do my best to cooperate with the Pillar Training.”

As he listened to Asuka's departing footsteps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki's sickly expression completely erupted.

He leaned back on the cushion, coughing violently, the blood staining the silk handkerchief in his hand.

"Father..." the child beside him called out softly with concern.

"It's alright, I can hold on." Kagaya murmured to himself, "A century-long destiny will finally come to an end in this generation..."

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in a deep mountain forest, a young man with black hair and blue eyes, wearing a Demon Slayer Corps uniform and a magatama pendant around his neck, was sitting on the edge of a cliff.

"Tch... I heard that good-for-nothing defeated the Upper Moon with someone else? How laughable..."

"What kind of massive training camp is this... Are we just going to watch that piece of trash jump around in front of me? It's disgusting..."

He looked at the moon in the night sky with dissatisfaction, and his resentment grew stronger.

A cold wind blew by.

The young man suddenly felt a strong killing intent rising behind him. He turned around uneasily and stared wide-eyed in horror.

He was a tall swordsman with a high ponytail, and his murderous aura was so palpable it seemed to drip ink...

The most terrifying thing is that this thing actually has six eyes?!

Upon seeing the lines in those scarlet eyes, the young man trembled, unable to even draw his Nichirin Blade, and instinctively wanted to kneel down and beg for mercy.

The tall swordsman looked down at him and spoke in a tone with a heavy ancient accent:

"Do you wish to become even stronger?"

"That lord needs subordinates, so become a ghost."

Chapter 93 The Ghost Month of Promotion

The Infinite City was exceptionally lively today.

The powerful Ghost Moon, the wandering evil spirits, and the ghost servants driven by desire gather together in this distorted place that transcends spatial logic and geographical common sense.

Muzan Kibutsuji was standing on a suspended terrace.

Today, he no longer possessed his usual refined demeanor; his pale skin was bulging with veins, and his crimson vertical pupils burned with a fury capable of incinerating everything.

Akaza's defection, and the deaths of Doma and Princess Dōhime.

The humiliation of losing control was more unbearable for him than the physical pain.

"Ming Nu, is everyone here?" Wu Chan's voice was deep, yet it echoed like muffled thunder throughout every corner of Wuxian City.

Sitting in the shadows, Narumi lowered her head slightly, her slender fingers plucking the strings of her zither.

Clang!

With this clear and melodious sound, several terrifying figures appeared on the chaotic steps below the terrace.

"Terrible...so terrifying..."

In the shadows of the steps, an old and wretched figure huddled on the edge.

He had a forehead covered in wrinkles and large bumps, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Due to extreme fear, his teeth chattered uncontrollably, making a constant grinding sound.

"Lord Muzan's wrath... is like thunder, threatening to shatter this old man's withered bones..."

"It's that fool Douma... He's so incompetent that he's caused you so much trouble, sir. It's not my fault... Please don't take your anger out on me..."

As he muttered to himself, he secretly glanced at Muzan above with his murky eyes, which bore the mark of an upper arc.

His humble, ant-like appearance made it impossible to tell that he was the fourth-ranked Upper Moon demon.

"Shut up, you half-dead dog."

Wuchan's voice wasn't loud, but it silenced Bantiangou like a chicken being choked.

"Hehehe, Prince Half-Heaven Dog is still so cowardly, it's such a ridiculous show that I can't get enough of watching."

Another sound came from a porcelain vase not far away.

Upper Moon Five: Gyoku-ko writhed its deformed, fish-like body as it slowly spun out from the narrow mouth of the bottle.

Instead of eyeballs, there was a pair of constantly moving mouths in the place of the eye sockets, and the tone was morbidly obsequious: "Compared to that coward, sir, look at this new mourning pot I made for you!"

"To commemorate the departure of my two colleagues, I collected the finger bones of dozens of craftsmen as decorations. The luster, the lines..."

“Shut up too, Jade Pot.” Wu Can turned his head to the side, his red vertical pupils contracting and flashing: “I summoned you here not to listen to this meaningless nonsense and to let you show off your cheap art.”

"That's right. You should all abide by the duties of your subjects and refrain from speaking out of turn."

A heavy, suffocating sound of killing echoed in front of the two demons.