Before dawn, the maid knocked on Oboro's door.
Oboro brought the two Upper Ranks into the house.
Just as he had done with Muryo, he performed the same ritual, cutting off their flesh and blood to transform into cards.
However, unlike with Muryo, Oboro also created other types of cards from the two demons: Skill Cards.
Blood Demon Arts!
This included several blade techniques from Moon Breathing.
And Doma's mastery over ice.
However, the creation of these Skill Cards caused a certain degree of trauma to their spirits.
What was extracted was not just their bloodline, but also their mental memories, which would affect their souls.
"It seems these are the only types that can be created," Oboro murmured, setting down his dagger.
Currently, Doma had just become Upper Rank Six, and his power was not as formidable as it would be in later generations. He still had much room for growth. His Blood Demon Arts were also not yet fully developed.
Furthermore, extracting some powerful Blood Demon Arts would cause severe side effects to the two demons.
For now, Oboro needed to maintain the balance between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons. These two, as top-tier demon combatants, were still useful and could not yet be completely drained of their value.
Several hours passed, and Kokushibō's body had healed a little, but he still couldn't move.
The reason his cells recovered so slowly was simple: Sun Breathing could cause severe damage to demon cells. For Oboro, who had mastered a more advanced breathing technique, destroying Kokushibō's life force through the power of breath was incredibly easy.
"Ah..."
At this moment, Doma let out an intoxicated sound.
He looked at Oboro as if he was gazing at "something he deeply adored."
His gaze was stark and undisguised.
Even though Oboro was slowly carving flesh from his body, Doma seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it.
This was a stark contrast to the silent, cold-faced Kokushibō next to him.
"Muzan really likes to find perverts to be his subordinates, doesn't he..."
Having achieved his goal, Oboro glanced at Doma with a faint smile.
In later generations, among the Twelve Demon Moons, Doma wouldn't be the only one with perverse tendencies.
In the past, with his personality, if Doma had dared to stare at him with such eyes, Oboro would have directly slain him.
But now, his mindset was somewhat different... perhaps this was growth.
Immediately, Oboro extended a finger and inserted it into Doma's forehead.
Looking closely, his finger had turned dark, with exposed blood vessels—clearly not a human's strength.
This was Oboro's Blood Demon Art.
He was no longer a demon, but a tiny remnant of Muzan's cells still lingered within him. Therefore, he could only achieve a small degree of bodily demonification, just enough to activate his Blood Demon Art at its minimum threshold.
As long as it produced the desired effect, it was fine.
This act of reverting to human form while retaining some demonic characteristics was something Oboro had based on the principle of Tanjiro's eventual transformation into a new Demon King before reverting to human form.
Oboro's Blood Demon Art allowed him to control others by touching their brains.
Due to the current weakened state of his Blood Demon Art, this control would only last for a certain period. Given Kokushibō and Doma's power, it would likely take a hundred years for them to recall what happened.
Oboro planned to tamper with their memories.
To erase everything that happened last night.
Muzan Kibutsuji would undoubtedly sense that something was amiss, but he would be powerless to reverse their altered state.
Moreover, driven by caution and cowardice, Muzan would temporarily be afraid to approach him directly.
It was a form of "killing the chicken to scare the monkeys."
Oboro currently preferred not to directly involve himself in the conflict between the two factions. He simply needed to observe the "hatching of the seeds."
He would control the balance and the conflict.
After tampering with both their brains, Oboro threw them outside the city before dawn broke.
Their consciousness would awaken on its own soon after.
...
Meanwhile, on another front.
Muzan himself appeared on a battlefield.
However, he first hid in the shadows, observing for a while.
Only after the battle had concluded did he emerge.
At that moment, on the field.
The Iron Pillar, dressed in a black martial arts uniform, was using his unique Nichirin Blade to pin a Lower Rank demon to a tree trunk, preparing to sever its head.
His opponent was Lower Rank Three.
The two had fought for a while at another location. The Lower Rank realized he was no match and decided to flee, scurrying away, with the Iron Pillar in close pursuit... Ultimately, the Iron Pillar's skill had won him the battle.
Just as he was about to put a perfect end to his mission.
Suddenly, footsteps approached from nearby.
The Iron Pillar looked over, his expression subtly changing.
It was a man with a refined face and luxurious clothes... especially his pair of bright red eyes, which stood out strikingly in the night.
The stranger's distinctive attire was highly symbolic in this era.
The Iron Pillar instantly recognized his identity.
A daimyō.
Why would a daimyō suddenly come to such a desolate wilderness?
"A demon?"
A chill ran down the Iron Pillar's spine.
Then, he noticed the Lower Rank Three, powerless to resist, showing a sudden change in expression, gazing at the daimyō with utter terror.
"My Lord..."
The demon seemed to want to explain something.
But in the next second, a cold sensation shot through the Iron Pillar's feet, and he instantly leaped aside to dodge.
A black shadow streaked past, not only pulverizing Lower Rank Three into minced meat but also instantly snapping a massive, thick tree.
Although the Iron Pillar reacted extremely quickly, the shadow still grazed him, tearing off half his cheek and leaving blood streaming down.
If he had been even a moment slower, his head would likely have burst open.
He would have ended up just like the dead demon.
"My Lord?"
The Iron Pillar was on high alert.
The Lower Rank's address for this man made him realize the problem.
"Muzan Kibutsuji?!"
Immediately, the Iron Pillar's pupils contracted, and he uttered a name.
"Oh?"
Muzan raised an eyebrow, staring at the Pillar in front of him. "You have changed a bit... to be able to dodge my attack."
The reason he came to observe the battle was to see firsthand the changes in the Demon Slayer Corps brought about by that breathing technique.
As for the dead Lower Rank... Muzan was quite displeased that he had thought of fleeing when facing a Pillar.
He recalled that in the past... even Lower Ranks had frequently killed Pillars and severely damaged the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Not running away?"
Seeing the swordsman opposite him assume an offensive stance, showing no hint of retreat, Muzan's gaze turned cold.
He recognized him, and knew his terrifying nature... yet this man still thought of killing him?
The resolve emanating from the swordsman's eyes was particularly repugnant to Muzan.
These persistent pests!
"Iron Breathing, Sixth Form: Thousand Blade Transformations!"
Without a moment's hesitation, the Iron Pillar instantly raised his Nichirin Blade, his hands rapidly changing the weapon's form as he charged forward.
...
Two minutes later, Muzan held a blood-splattered head in his hand, looking up at the distant horizon.
"It's not him..."
It wasn't Sun Breathing.
With that, the anxiety in his heart could slightly subside.
This breathing technique, called Toh-nhap, seemed to greatly enhance human physical capabilities, far more efficiently than ordinary breathing techniques... but for now, the threat was limited.
However... he needed to find a way to improve the "quality" of the Twelve Demon Moons, especially the Lower Ranks.
With that thought, he tossed the Iron Pillar's unseeing head aside and vanished from the spot.
Over there, there should be news as well...
____________________
For more advance chapters visit my patreon
patreon.com/kane45
Tier: 10$ Casual Reader - +20 Advance Chapter
20$ Intermediate Reader - +40 Advance Chapter
40$ Expert Reader - +80 Advance Chapter
Update: "Monday to Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day"
"Saturday and Sunday - Off"