Chapter 15: The Twelve Kizuki |
It was a surreal, otherworldly domain.
Rooms were scattered in total defiance of logic—horizontal, vertical, and suspended upside down at every conceivable angle. Numerous staircases wound chaotically through the vast open space, connecting the disjointed chambers. The entire structure felt like a gargantuan hall of mirrors.
This was the Infinity Castle. It was a seemingly endless interdimensional fortress buried deep underground, under the absolute control of Upper Rank Four, Nakime. She possessed the power to summon anyone into its depths and manifest entrances or exits wherever she pleased.
Within this space, atop square tatami mats, six figures knelt in a state of sheer terror. They waited for something, not daring to lift their heads or even shift their weight unless absolutely necessary.
These were the Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki.
The Upper Ranks, however, maintained a much calmer demeanor compared to their nervous and frightened juniors. Technically, there were seven Upper Ranks rather than six, as the position of Upper Rank Six was shared by a pair of siblings.
"Well, well, look who it is... Akaza, I am truly delighted to see you. It has been nearly a century since we last met, hasn't it?" a pale head exclaimed in wonder, emerging from a ceramic pot.
It was Upper Rank Five, Gyokko!
Squinting as he looked closer, the Fifth Upper Rank added with admiration, "Your presence has grown so much more potent since we last met, Senior Akaza. It's almost as if you are no longer even a demon!"
"One hundred and nine years have passed..." a hunched old man muttered as he leaned against the railing of an inverted staircase, his voice trembling with fear. "Your presence is more terrifying than ever before!"
This was Upper Rank Four, Hantengu!
Ignoring Hantengu as well, Akaza turned toward Nakime, whose long black hair obscured her face as she held a biwa in her pale hands. "Nakime, where is the Master?"
"The Master has not yet arrived," the Upper Rank replied calmly.
Akaza scanned his surroundings. "And the others?"
He was hungrier for battle than ever before and wanted to challenge the ranks above him, but he restrained himself because Muzan had summoned them.
Before Nakime could answer, a voice drifted from behind Akaza. "My, my, there's no need to be so tense, Akaza."
Standing behind the Third Upper Rank was a carefree young man wearing a strange headpiece, his hair the color of antique brass.
He leaned forward slightly and sniffed with genuine interest. "Wow, you really have changed. Did you actually break through your demonic limits?"
It was Upper Rank Two, Doma!
Akaza slowly turned his head, casting a frigid glare at the Second Upper Rank. "It is time we swapped ranks," he spat out.
"Haha, are you actually challenging me? I must admit, it won't be easy to keep the upper hand now, but I'd be happy to see your recent progress!" Doma smiled, hiding the lower half of his face behind a fan.
Akaza responded to the Second Upper Rank's fake smile with a piercing gaze, simultaneously unleashing an indomitable wave of bloodlust.
Crack! Snap! Shatter!
From the sheer pressure of his aura, the floor beneath his feet webbed with cracks before exploding into splinters.
The impulse released by the Third Upper Rank was so overwhelming that the Lower Ranks immediately paled, their bodies shaking violently as they broke into cold sweats under the crushing pressure.
Even Doma himself felt an involuntary tension in the face of Akaza's aura. A hint of genuine seriousness and caution flickered behind his manufactured smile.
Akaza had become significantly stronger!
If he could have crushed the Third Upper Rank without much trouble before, Akaza now posed a legitimate threat to his position.
But...
Based on what he was seeing, Doma still didn't believe Akaza could actually defeat him.
The Second Upper Rank quickly assessed the situation.
Just as the tension reached its peak and a clash between the two Upper Ranks seemed inevitable, a deep voice suddenly resonated from the side. "Akaza, do not forget whose orders brought us here. If you are so intent on a challenge, have the courtesy to do it after the assembly."
The low voice, which instantly stifled Akaza's aura, belonged to a tall, pale man dressed in a purple kimono and black hakama trousers. He walked slowly out of a nearby corridor.
Upper Rank One, Kokushibo!
"..." Akaza remained silent. He closed his eyes and gradually reined in his raging thirst for battle.
As soon as he calmed down, a presence manifested that sent a shiver through every member of the Twelve Kizuki.
Every demon, including the previously unrestrained Akaza, immediately turned their gaze toward the newcomer.
A man stood calmly at the edge of a nearby staircase, his back turned to the gathered Twelve Kizuki. As their eyes converged on him, he slowly turned his head, his red eyes flashing with black vertical pupils.
Muzan Kibutsuji!
"Master!" Kokushibo and the other demons cried out in unison, dropping to their trembling knees to greet their lord.
Muzan's gaze swept over the demons before coming to rest on the Third Upper Rank. "Akaza..."
"I am here!" the demon replied, not daring to lift his head from the floor.
"Excellent. You have exceeded my expectations. By overcoming the weakness of the neck, you have become more perfect—a demon closer to myself."
"I shall grant you even more of my blood as a reward."
With those words, Muzan calmly raised his hand. It transformed into a tentacle and pierced Akaza's neck with lightning speed.
The source of a demon's power was Muzan's blood.
Typically, their strength depended on two factors: the volume of Muzan's blood they had absorbed and the number of humans they had consumed. However, the former far outweighed the latter; devouring a hundred humans could not compare to receiving even a single drop of the first demon's blood.
Take the Twelve Kizuki as an example. While the Lower Ranks could absorb up to ten drops of Muzan's blood and the weakest of the Upper Ranks about thirty, the likes of Akaza, Doma, and Kokushibo had absorbed no less than a hundred!
Squelch!
Muzan was not stingy. He immediately injected roughly a hundred drops of his blood into Akaza, judging that after surpassing his demonic limits, the Third Upper Rank was more than capable of handling such an amount.
Thump!
Once the blood was administered, Akaza collapsed onto the floor, curling into a ball as agonizing pain flared in every cell of his body. However, the demon ground his teeth fiercely and endured the transformation without letting out a single sound.
'I certainly won't be able to defeat him now...' Doma whispered softly, hiding his face behind his fan.
Putting himself aside, he wondered if Akaza might even be able to challenge Kokushibo after absorbing such a massive amount of Muzan's blood.