Interlude 5: Upper Moon Meeting.
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DeeplyoftheWorld
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Muzan was furious.
He was mad, angry, wrathful, vengeful, upset, tilted, and every expression that described some form of rage.
Beneath all of it, however, was the growing and inescapable feeling of fear.
The first time Muzan suffered from true fear was when he killed his doctor. Once the impulsive urge was satisfied and he realized his mistake, panic overtook him. He killed his only potential hope for survival.
Luckily, the medicine turned him into a demon, but the ramifications of his mistake already bloomed.
That doctor was the only clue towards finding the Blue Spider Lily; a mythical item that he's cursed for centuries.
The second time Muzan felt true fear was centuries later when he met Yoriichi.
The very name was detestable. His power was unmatched. Yoriichi's presence didn't just mimic the sun; it embodied it, burning him as painfully as the actual sun.
Even now, the cells in his body carried a primal dread because of that man.
It was a painful night for Kokushibo once Muzan regained the clarity to realize how eerily similar Yoriichi looked like his strongest demon.
Yoriichi's very existence appeared like a punishment from the gods. No human could ever match up to him. When Kokushibo informed him of Yoriichi's death, Muzan celebrated by killing a hundred people that night.
The third time Muzan felt a gripping fear was when he noticed the death of Enmu. The death of a Lower Moon didn't surprise him, unfortunately. They were weak, lacking the necessary strength to stand against the current era of swordsmen.
What brought his attention was the sudden and inexplicable information he received. Enmu saw things he couldn't handle, and it transferred to Muzan upon the Lower Moon's defeat.
The knowledge that he saw could not be understood. Beyond the nonsense and insanity, the only thing Muzan gleamed was emptiness.
It further reinforced his terror regarding death.
To be dead meant to suffer in that pit of oblivion.
He would not die!
Yet, seeing the demon slayers live stirred something uncomfortable in him. From Akaza's view, he caught a glimpse of the man who tormented Enmu and the mark on the boy who wore Yoriichi's earrings.
Something burned in Muzan that wasn't just fear or anger. It twisted and it gnawed on his impatience.
Were the demon slayers becoming a threat to him?
Could they actually wield the strength to defeat him?
His first instinct was to hide. Paranoia dictated that he should stay hidden in Nakime's castle. Wait for them to age and die, then he could continue researching a cure for the sun.
Paradoxically, a different, contradictory paranoia nagged on him.
If the demon slayers lived, they could pass on their skills to successors. Soon, they would eradicate more and more of his demons. Muzan truly didn't care for his creations, but he needed bodies to help search for the Blue Spider Lily and deal with the demon slayers.
If the demon slayers constantly hunted for him without distraction, then he would never have a moment's peace.
It was also a matter of pride. Nothing could defeat him. He was the ultimate being. Once he achieved immunity against the sun, he would be perfect.
His sense of arrogance was under attack.
Was he actually feeling scared of humans?
That was impossible. Muzan laughed to himself. The deep, maddening sound traveled throughout the Infinity Castle, instantly alerting the Upper Moons of his location.
Nakime plucked her biwa, and the castle condensed, pulling the Upper Moon demons closer.
"I realized something important," Muzan said.
He stood on a platform, gazing at the demons in front of him. They kneeled and the situation reminded him of when he killed off his Lower Moons.
He wasn't going to kill anyone, however. A strong urge compelled him to do so, but they were his strongest assets.
"Despite everything, the demon slayers still exist. The Ubuyashiki family still fights. Forget about the Blue Spider Lily. How come after centuries, none of you are closer to eradicating them?"
Muzan sighed as they said nothing. He forcibly induced small visions of Akaza's fight to the rest of the Upper Moons.
"They live, getting stronger," he said, then looked specifically at Kokushibo. "They awakened marks, becoming powerful enough to the point of worrying Upper Moon Three."
He saw the slight pause in Kokushibo's stoic expression.
Muzan turned, his face staring at Akaza pitifully. "Is your strength inferior to that of mere humans, Akaza?"
Akaza kept his head down, clutching the ground with trembling hands. His forehead looked ready to burst.
Next, Muzan stared at Upper Moon Four. "Has your new form dulled your senses as a ninja? I saw your performance, and I found it lacking."
Tetsuji stayed silent, but the insult caused him to narrow his eyes.
The castle remained still for a moment. To the Upper Moons, it lasted an eternity. Hantengu, Gyutaro, Daki, and Masako did not look up or make any movements.
Even Douma had a frown; his stance remained cautious, and carried none of the fake cheer he normally showed.
The brambles on Muzan's back poured out of him, destroying his shirt and devastating the architecture of the castle's rooms. Debris flung everywhere, and some of the brambles lashed out uncontrollably, gouging the Upper Moons and causing blood to flow like an unending current.
"Why do you even exist?" He asked to no one in particular.
"I thought I made my intentions clear when Gyokko died. I would say that I failed, but that is wrong. Rather, all of you have failed me, which is unacceptable."
He looked at his Upper Moons again before having Nakime summon Yushiro. He hit the ground with a thud, twitching. His eyes were dim and he made no sound despite his moving mouth. His silent prayers went unanswered.
"I have garnered all my use from Tamayo's pet," Muzan said. In truth, he wanted to understand how Tamayo was able to turn someone into a demon without his knowing. He did not get very far, but thinking about the failure only worsened his mood.
"Take turns breaking him. I do not care how it is done. Make him spill any secrets left hiding and break his psyche."
Maybe if they could do that simple task, then he could see through Yushiro and discern Tamayo's location. Muzan already did his fair share, and he was frankly disgusted to continue the routine. Imposing his will on others became boring when they constantly say the same things over and over again.
He was tired of hearing Yushiro scream out Tamayo's name like a monk with his mantra.
It felt like wrestling a boulder. It wouldn't budge and it was a waste of time.
"However, I also want more effort in finding the demon slayers. Share information, work together if you have to," Muzan spat, his desperation overcoming his paranoia.
It hurt to say since he generally avoided having demons work together. But, times change, and needs must be met.
Nakime plucked her biwa again, dismissing all the demons except for Akaza, Masako, and Kokushibo.
Kokushibo swiftly disappeared into a different section of the Infinity Castle, taking Yushiro with him.
Akaza and Masako remained kneeled, waiting for Muzan's reprimand. After all, they did not kill any demon slayers at the Mugen Train. Worse yet, Muzan's mention of the mark implied something dangerous about the demon slayers, something that they could've avoided.
Akaza, if he fought more serious from the start, and Masako, if she worked with Akaza more efficiently.
"I think it is redundant for me to punish you more than you have already punished yourselves, but doing nothing doesn't sit well with me," Muzan said, reaching out to their minds.
Good. At least their loyalty and sense of duty made them realize the severity of their mistakes.
Muzan's brambles tied Masako tightly, and he slammed a hand through her face, pumping blood.
"This may seem like a reward, but rest assured, I am making this as painful as I want it to be," he said. Masako flailed and screamed, her piercing cries and sobs irritating Muzan.
She collapsed on the ground, whimpering and curling up in a ball.
He turned his attention towards Akaza, causing Upper Moon Three to stiffen.
Muzan smiled as he relayed his command. "Akaza, I am revoking your concession. Kill anyone who stands in your way, even if she's a woman. If you cannot do so, then I will see it as disobedience. In other words, I will kill you if you fail again."
Akaza leaked blood from his face and body, the pressure from Muzan bearing down on him like an unstoppable force. He could only nob numbly as his knees buckled, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Nakime, take them away."
With a twang from her instrument, Akaza and Masako were gone.
Muzan moved to a different room, sitting on a chair and thinking to himself. In the background, he could hear Kokushibo unleashing his breathing techniques.
He was mad, angry, wrathful, vengeful, upset, tilted, and every expression that described some form of rage.
Beneath all of it, however, was the growing and inescapable feeling of fear.
The first time Muzan suffered from true fear was when he killed his doctor. Once the impulsive urge was satisfied and he realized his mistake, panic overtook him. He killed his only potential hope for survival.
Luckily, the medicine turned him into a demon, but the ramifications of his mistake already bloomed.
That doctor was the only clue towards finding the Blue Spider Lily; a mythical item that he's cursed for centuries.
The second time Muzan felt true fear was centuries later when he met Yoriichi.
The very name was detestable. His power was unmatched. Yoriichi's presence didn't just mimic the sun; it embodied it, burning him as painfully as the actual sun.
Even now, the cells in his body carried a primal dread because of that man.
It was a painful night for Kokushibo once Muzan regained the clarity to realize how eerily similar Yoriichi looked like his strongest demon.
Yoriichi's very existence appeared like a punishment from the gods. No human could ever match up to him. When Kokushibo informed him of Yoriichi's death, Muzan celebrated by killing a hundred people that night.
The third time Muzan felt a gripping fear was when he noticed the death of Enmu. The death of a Lower Moon didn't surprise him, unfortunately. They were weak, lacking the necessary strength to stand against the current era of swordsmen.
What brought his attention was the sudden and inexplicable information he received. Enmu saw things he couldn't handle, and it transferred to Muzan upon the Lower Moon's defeat.
The knowledge that he saw could not be understood. Beyond the nonsense and insanity, the only thing Muzan gleamed was emptiness.
It further reinforced his terror regarding death.
To be dead meant to suffer in that pit of oblivion.
He would not die!
Yet, seeing the demon slayers live stirred something uncomfortable in him. From Akaza's view, he caught a glimpse of the man who tormented Enmu and the mark on the boy who wore Yoriichi's earrings.
Something burned in Muzan that wasn't just fear or anger. It twisted and it gnawed on his impatience.
Were the demon slayers becoming a threat to him?
Could they actually wield the strength to defeat him?
His first instinct was to hide. Paranoia dictated that he should stay hidden in Nakime's castle. Wait for them to age and die, then he could continue researching a cure for the sun.
Paradoxically, a different, contradictory paranoia nagged on him.
If the demon slayers lived, they could pass on their skills to successors. Soon, they would eradicate more and more of his demons. Muzan truly didn't care for his creations, but he needed bodies to help search for the Blue Spider Lily and deal with the demon slayers.
If the demon slayers constantly hunted for him without distraction, then he would never have a moment's peace.
It was also a matter of pride. Nothing could defeat him. He was the ultimate being. Once he achieved immunity against the sun, he would be perfect.
His sense of arrogance was under attack.
Was he actually feeling scared of humans?
That was impossible. Muzan laughed to himself. The deep, maddening sound traveled throughout the Infinity Castle, instantly alerting the Upper Moons of his location.
Nakime plucked her biwa, and the castle condensed, pulling the Upper Moon demons closer.
"I realized something important," Muzan said.
He stood on a platform, gazing at the demons in front of him. They kneeled and the situation reminded him of when he killed off his Lower Moons.
He wasn't going to kill anyone, however. A strong urge compelled him to do so, but they were his strongest assets.
"Despite everything, the demon slayers still exist. The Ubuyashiki family still fights. Forget about the Blue Spider Lily. How come after centuries, none of you are closer to eradicating them?"
Muzan sighed as they said nothing. He forcibly induced small visions of Akaza's fight to the rest of the Upper Moons.
"They live, getting stronger," he said, then looked specifically at Kokushibo. "They awakened marks, becoming powerful enough to the point of worrying Upper Moon Three."
He saw the slight pause in Kokushibo's stoic expression.
Muzan turned, his face staring at Akaza pitifully. "Is your strength inferior to that of mere humans, Akaza?"
Akaza kept his head down, clutching the ground with trembling hands. His forehead looked ready to burst.
Next, Muzan stared at Upper Moon Four. "Has your new form dulled your senses as a ninja? I saw your performance, and I found it lacking."
Tetsuji stayed silent, but the insult caused him to narrow his eyes.
The castle remained still for a moment. To the Upper Moons, it lasted an eternity. Hantengu, Gyutaro, Daki, and Masako did not look up or make any movements.
Even Douma had a frown; his stance remained cautious, and carried none of the fake cheer he normally showed.
The brambles on Muzan's back poured out of him, destroying his shirt and devastating the architecture of the castle's rooms. Debris flung everywhere, and some of the brambles lashed out uncontrollably, gouging the Upper Moons and causing blood to flow like an unending current.
"Why do you even exist?" He asked to no one in particular.
"I thought I made my intentions clear when Gyokko died. I would say that I failed, but that is wrong. Rather, all of you have failed me, which is unacceptable."
He looked at his Upper Moons again before having Nakime summon Yushiro. He hit the ground with a thud, twitching. His eyes were dim and he made no sound despite his moving mouth. His silent prayers went unanswered.
"I have garnered all my use from Tamayo's pet," Muzan said. In truth, he wanted to understand how Tamayo was able to turn someone into a demon without his knowing. He did not get very far, but thinking about the failure only worsened his mood.
"Take turns breaking him. I do not care how it is done. Make him spill any secrets left hiding and break his psyche."
Maybe if they could do that simple task, then he could see through Yushiro and discern Tamayo's location. Muzan already did his fair share, and he was frankly disgusted to continue the routine. Imposing his will on others became boring when they constantly say the same things over and over again.
He was tired of hearing Yushiro scream out Tamayo's name like a monk with his mantra.
It felt like wrestling a boulder. It wouldn't budge and it was a waste of time.
"However, I also want more effort in finding the demon slayers. Share information, work together if you have to," Muzan spat, his desperation overcoming his paranoia.
It hurt to say since he generally avoided having demons work together. But, times change, and needs must be met.
Nakime plucked her biwa again, dismissing all the demons except for Akaza, Masako, and Kokushibo.
Kokushibo swiftly disappeared into a different section of the Infinity Castle, taking Yushiro with him.
Akaza and Masako remained kneeled, waiting for Muzan's reprimand. After all, they did not kill any demon slayers at the Mugen Train. Worse yet, Muzan's mention of the mark implied something dangerous about the demon slayers, something that they could've avoided.
Akaza, if he fought more serious from the start, and Masako, if she worked with Akaza more efficiently.
"I think it is redundant for me to punish you more than you have already punished yourselves, but doing nothing doesn't sit well with me," Muzan said, reaching out to their minds.
Good. At least their loyalty and sense of duty made them realize the severity of their mistakes.
Muzan's brambles tied Masako tightly, and he slammed a hand through her face, pumping blood.
"This may seem like a reward, but rest assured, I am making this as painful as I want it to be," he said. Masako flailed and screamed, her piercing cries and sobs irritating Muzan.
She collapsed on the ground, whimpering and curling up in a ball.
He turned his attention towards Akaza, causing Upper Moon Three to stiffen.
Muzan smiled as he relayed his command. "Akaza, I am revoking your concession. Kill anyone who stands in your way, even if she's a woman. If you cannot do so, then I will see it as disobedience. In other words, I will kill you if you fail again."
Akaza leaked blood from his face and body, the pressure from Muzan bearing down on him like an unstoppable force. He could only nob numbly as his knees buckled, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Nakime, take them away."
With a twang from her instrument, Akaza and Masako were gone.
Muzan moved to a different room, sitting on a chair and thinking to himself. In the background, he could hear Kokushibo unleashing his breathing techniques.
