bioinnovel Chapter 379 [3 Chapters Combined into 1] Muzan's Illusory Life: I Can Fight Back!
Chapter 379 [3 Chapters Combined into 1] Muzan's Illusory Life: I Can Fight Back!
However, the subtle changes in their facial expressions, the different emotions contained in their eyes—some sharp as knives, some like a stagnant pool, some like a compassionate Buddha—and the various postures they displayed, which stemmed from their personal habits, all showed obvious differences without any attempt to conceal them.
more importantly……
How could eleven Yoriichi Tsugikunis possibly exist in this world at the same time?!
This is absurd to the point of defying all common sense! It is a complete trampling of logic and cognition!
Based on her understanding of that man, if he really was dragged into the Infinity Castle by Nakime without her even realizing it...
Why would he need to resort to such illusionary tricks to scare himself?
His hatred for demons reached its extreme, and he would only crush them with the purest and most powerful force, using that crimson blade to cut through all illusions!
With just him and his sword, he was enough to sweep through the entire Infinite City, finding and taking his life as easily as a hot knife through butter!
Why make such a big fuss and produce ten clumsy imitators?
It's an illusion!
It is a highly sophisticated illusion technique that can even simulate some of Yoriichi's unique aura and sense of oppression, and can even temporarily deceive Muzan Kibutsuji!
Or perhaps, like before with Tamayo, when she concealed her presence and quietly approached him...
It was a demon that the Demon Slayer Corps found from who-knows-where, a demon even the progenitor of demons didn't know about, who possessed a special blood demon art, and secretly helped the Demon Slayer Corps to perform this blood demon art that could disrupt the senses and cognition.
But, no matter what tricks the other party used...
After experiencing the initial, instinctive panic, Muzan, drawing upon his millennia of accumulated experience and his mind forced to operate at its limit in a desperate situation, finally realized the truth behind this despairing scene that fueled his ever-growing rage—
What appeared to be a deadly trap, with eleven sword gods descending to kill him, was actually a meticulously planned and malicious joke designed to toy with him and make him appear panicked, flustered, and pathetic in public!
If it weren't for Tamayo's "cleverness backfiring," and the medication injected into her body taking effect and preventing her split body from escaping...
He might even be so terrified by this ridiculous illusion that he would flee in a sorry state, hiding like a rat in a sewer for hundreds of years, missing the perfect opportunity to wipe out the Demon Slayer Corps!
In that instant, the shame of being fooled, like boiling oil, instantly overwhelmed Muzan's fear and transformed it into an even more intense rage!
But at the same time, the fighting spirit and confidence that had been lost earlier also returned to their peak at this moment!
After all, in Muzan's understanding...
As long as Yoriichi Tsugikuni doesn't actually come back to life...
As long as this Infinite City remains, keeping the deadly sunlight at bay...
Then he's invincible!
No one can defeat him, Muzan Kibutsuji! Even in his current weakened state, he remains a terrifying god whom humanity can never challenge!
"You bunch of... damned ants—!!!"
Thinking of this, Muzan's voice suddenly became hoarse and low due to extreme anger.
He stared intently at the "Yoichi" who had just spoken mockingly, his crimson pupils almost dripping blood.
"You cowardly rat hiding your head and tail! Show yourself!!"
Filled with shame and anger, he decided to make an example of him!
He wanted to tear this guy who dared to imitate that man and even dared to mock him to shreds first!
"call out--!"
Without any warning, Muzan's right arm suddenly swelled and deformed, transforming into a flexible and rock-hard whip.
And the instant it completed its transformation, it was like a venomous python emerging from its cave, with a shrill whistling sound that tore through the air, and with a speed that was difficult for the naked eye to detect, it stabbed straight into the chest of "Yoichi Tsugikuni" who had spoken tauntingly and provoked hatred!
Faced with this lightning-fast, fatal blow, the guy who had uttered those mocking words while wearing Yoriichi Tsugikuni's face seemed to have no time to react at all...
Or rather, his wild instincts, though keenly aware of the impending danger, meant his body clearly couldn't keep up with the speed of the whip, and he could only watch helplessly as the grotesque tentacles rapidly enlarged in his pupils.
At this critical moment.
As if he had expected it, Riley, who was standing next to him, moved.
Incidentally, Riley was the only one among the crowd who did not transform into Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and still wore his iconic black symbiote suit, showing his true self.
And throughout, he was casually picking at his ears with his fingers, making him seem particularly inconspicuous in contrast to the strong presence of the eleven "Yoriichi Tsugikuni" around him. So, Muzan, whose emotions were fluctuating wildly, subconsciously regarded him as an "unremarkable nobody" and completely ignored him.
Even as he unleashed this furious attack, Muzan's mind flashed with the thought of also piercing through Riley, who was standing next to "Yoriichi Tsugikuni." Thus, in full view of everyone, he would use these two "insects" as ready-made food to absorb, in order to somewhat make up for the energy deficit he had lost in order to resolve the troublesome drug that Tamayo had injected into his body.
However, Muzan never expected this...
His current judgment was exactly the same as that of hundreds of years ago, on that scorching hot afternoon when he first met the swordsman wearing the sun-shaped paper earring, and thought that the other party was "not a threat".
The same arrogance.
The same shortsightedness.
Similarly...
Big mistake!
From Muzan's perspective, Riley's movements, from beginning to end, carried a leisurely and composed air that inexplicably infuriated him.
His demeanor made it seem as if he, the progenitor of demons who had reigned for a thousand years and caused countless living beings to tremble, was nothing more than a barking stray dog on the roadside, completely unworthy of his interest, and even a glance would be superfluous.
Just as Muzan's vicious whip, powerful enough to shatter rocks, was about to pierce Yoriichi Tsugikuni's chest.
Riley finally stopped picking his ears.
He turned his head slightly, his gaze finally landing on Muzan's massive attack.
Afterwards, Riley did not make any earth-shattering gestures, nor did he show the slightest tension or solemnity.
He simply raised the hand that had just cleaned his ear, rubbed his index finger and thumb together lightly, as if his fingertips had actually picked up some invisible dust.
Then, he casually and nonchalantly flicked the terrifying whip that was thrusting towards him.
The next second, something happened that made Muzan's pupils shrink and shocked him to the core.
"puff."
A strange, faint sound came from the air, like a bubble bursting in a summer pond, creating an absurd contrast with the piercing whistle that tore through the air.
Immediately afterward, under Muzan's incredulous gaze, the ferocious whip he swung, capable of piercing steel and containing boundless rage and destructive power, struck an invisible and intangible wall of sighs when it was still several feet away from Inosuke Yoriichi's chest. It was as if it had deliberately met an absolute blade that severed cause and effect and divided boundaries!
There was no loud collision sound, no violent explosion of energy, only a heart-pounding "silky smoothness".
The whip was split in two without any hindrance!
The incision was exceptionally smooth and neat, without even a drop of blood or a trace of tissue fluid spilling out, as if it had originally been pieced together from two sections and had simply separated naturally.
Along with the front half of the whip, it instantly lost all power and vitality after being attacked from an unknown location.
All the regenerative abilities and energy fluctuations belonging to the ghost were completely extinguished in an instant. Like a dead snake whose life force had been instantly drained, it slumped down silently and fell to the cold ground with a "thud".
A flash of golden light, and Muzan's plum-red pupils, narrowed to pinpoints, finally revealed the object that had so easily severed his whip—
It was actually a needle, as thin as a cow's hair, with a warm, golden sheen flowing throughout...?!
In contrast to the Nichirin Blades commonly used by Demon Slayer Corps members, which vary in design but are all within the standard size range...
The sight before us, which could be tentatively called a "weapon," was so visually striking and absurdly different in size that it far surpassed the visual impact and psychological humiliation we felt hundreds of years ago when Muzan was driven to the brink of death by Yoriichi Tsugikuni's long, crimson sword!
At least, Yoriichi used a proper Nichirin Blade, forged specifically for slaying demons. It was a weapon that fit Muzan's thousand-year-old understanding of the concept of "weapon" and could be understood! Its power was still within the framework of "common sense," but the user had reached an inconceivable level.
And this man named Riley... he actually used only one needle! A needle that should belong in a woman's boudoir, used for sewing! So casually, almost childishly, he cleaved his ferocious whip, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, in two as easily as cutting a rotten thread?!
This goes beyond mere contempt and trampling! It treats the power that he, the Ghost Dancer, has painstakingly pursued for a thousand years and boasted of reaching the pinnacle of perfection, as a child's game, less than dust! All his pride and all his dignity are nailed to the pillar of shame known as "the frog in the well" in this moment!
But at the same time, this absurd scene, like the sharpest ice pick, pierced through the deepest fear in Muzan's heart, making him realize with absolute clarity and despair...
The strength of this unfamiliar man before me is probably far greater than that of Yoriichi Tsugikuni in his prime!
A surge of hot blood, a mixture of extreme horror, overwhelming rage, and a deep-seated sense of absurdity, rushed up Muzan's head, instantly causing his handsome, otherworldly face to swell as if dripping blood. The veins beside his temples bulged menacingly beneath his pale skin, throbbing wildly.
He wanted to scream, to question this damned fate, to curse this unjust world that had shown him the deepest malice time and time again with the most vicious and filthy language!
Why should I?!
Regardless of whether we consider life form, level of power, or eternal life...
Compared to those fragile, short-lived humans, who are like mayflies, living only a day and dying at night.
I, Kibutsuji Muzan, am clearly the more perfect higher being!
The goal I've pursued all these years has not been to rule the world, but simply to overcome my fear of sunlight and become a truly perfect being!
But what a result!
Hundreds of years ago, Yoriichi Tsugikuni appeared out of nowhere. With a mortal body and a Nichirin Blade in hand, he almost drove me to eternal destruction!
That fear, as intense as the scorching sun, continues to haunt me even now, long after Yoriichi Tsugikuni has passed away!
Now, I've finally managed to break free from that shadow and found Mizuko, who has overcome her weakness to sunlight. If I absorb Mizuko's blood, I can fulfill my dream and complete the final evolution of my life…
Why is there another one?! A monster that uses ridiculous golden needles as weapons and inflicts him with the utmost humiliation!
Why is the world so harsh on me?
Why must such an insurmountable calamity always befall me just as I am about to touch eternity and perfection?
Under the shock of this extreme humiliation and despair, Muzan's mouth, which was open in anger, was unable to utter any meaningful syllables for a moment.
Only a suppressed and painful "hoarse" sound, like that of a wounded wild animal, came from his throat.
He stared intently at the deadly golden needle, hovering at Riley's fingertip, slowly spinning, and at Riley's completely unmoved aura, as if he had merely swatted a fly. His body and soul trembled violently from the immense injustice and disparity.
Just as Muzan was reeling from the shock of the "embroidery needle" that had so easily severed his whip, humiliation, horror, and rage surged within him like magma, his lips parted slightly, about to unleash a hysterical roar—
Riley simply raised his hand slightly, his expression calm.
The movements were casual, as if brushing dust off one's shoulders.
However, this seemingly insignificant action caused a dramatic change!
"Buzz—!"
A buzzing sound, not originating from the eardrums but directly cleansing the soul, suddenly exploded!
The sound was initially sharp and thin, but it quickly transformed into a mighty dragon roar, carrying an irresistible and powerful pressure that instantly swept across the entire Infinite City!
The tiny "embroidery needle" hovering on Riley's fingertip, flowing with a warm golden light, suddenly burst forth with a radiance that engulfed everything amidst the dragon's roar!
It grows taller with the wind, defying common sense. In an instant, it transforms into a Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel), as thick as a bowl and twelve feet long, with a dark, murky iron core that contains boundless divine light and a dazzling golden band around each end!
The change itself was shocking enough, but what terrified Muzan even more was the supreme divine power that swept over him the moment the Golden Cudgel revealed its true form!
That dragon-like hum was not a meaningless sound.
It is a declaration of authority, a sacred decree!
Wherever the sound waves reached, those evil spirits hidden in the shadows within the Infinite Castle, those that had not yet been cleaned up by the Demon Slayer Corps, and even the lowest-level derivatives, could not even utter a wail. They were like ice and snow thrown into the blazing sun, their bodies disintegrating inch by inch, turning into the most primitive particles, and annihilating on the spot!
It was as if their very existence was a desecration of this divine artifact, unworthy to remain under its radiant light!
Even Muzan Kibutsuji himself, in the face of Kamui, which is as vast as the sea of stars and as heavy as Mount Sumeru, is like a small boat in a storm!
He groaned, and his tough demonic body, which was strong enough to withstand the slash of the Sun Wheel Blade, was forced to retreat uncontrollably. Each step left deep cracks in the ground, which showed that he was subconsciously doing his best to resist the oppressive power of the god!
However, this absolute suppressive force, originating from a higher level, was like an invisible giant hand pressing down hard on his shoulder and crushing his soul!
"Thump—!"
Accompanied by a crisp, clean, and utterly humiliating thud.
This progenitor of demons, who had committed countless killings and sins in the shadows, suddenly had his legs go weak. Unable to resist the magnificent divine power naturally emanating from that golden staff, he knelt down involuntarily, like the most humble servant meeting his king!
The sound of his knees hitting the hard ground resonated crisply in his own heart, and in the hearts of everyone who witnessed it.
Despair, like a chilling, sunless deep-sea tide, instantly engulfed every inch of Muzan Kibutsuji's consciousness and every cell.
In that instant, Muzan even had the absurd thought that it would be better to be hacked to death on the spot by the eleven "Yoriichi Tsugikuni" present here, as they were all the real people, and that it would be more quick and liberating!
He struggled to lift his head and straighten his spine, but the invisible pressure was like the entire sky pressing down on him, making it incredibly difficult for him to even lift a finger.
He could only lower his head and look up at the radiant figure holding a magic staff out of the corner of his eye.
Muzan's heart, twisted, greedy, and selfish for a thousand years, convulsed and trembled wildly before this pure, sublime, and all-powerful divine pressure.
For the first time, he felt his own insignificance so clearly, and he felt a sense of awe that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Divine power is like a prison! It imprisons all thoughts of resistance!
God's grace is as vast as the sea! Yet it does not flow for a defiled being like him!
This "favor" brings not salvation, but an unbearable pressure of destruction that is about to be poured down upon him!
All his arrogance, all his ambition, all his sense of superiority in regarding humans as worthless and considering himself a perfect being, were utterly crushed by this kneeling, leaving not even a trace.
He finally realized, albeit belatedly, with perfect clarity that he was facing someone completely different from Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a swordsman who, despite his immense power, ultimately remained at the pinnacle of "humanity"...
Rather, it is a higher-dimensional being, transcending the cycle of life and death, wielding rules and authority!
He is a true deity who should only exist in ethereal legends, worshipped by all living beings, and who can ward off all evil!
"No...no!! I can't die!!"
The instinct for survival overwhelmed everything. Muzan screamed wildly in his heart and decisively used his last trump card!
"Nakome—!!!"
He mustered his remaining strength and, through the special connections established between cells, issued a sharp, urgent command, carrying his last hope.
"Quick! Teleport me away! Get out of here! Now!!"
After the command was issued, Muzan looked forward to the familiar sound of the biwa strings, to the distortion of space, and to escaping the clutches of this terrifying god.
however……
In the Infinity Castle, the only response to Muzan was a deathly silence of despair.
The expected sound of the pipa did not occur, and the space before my eyes remained unchanged.
Muzan's pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpoints, and a chilling coldness, even more intense than when he faced Riley, instantly shot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!
"Nakome?! Answer me! Nakome—!!!"
He roared again in frustration, trying to forcibly take over Nakime's control through the bond of blood.
But as a result, there was still no response.
It was as if Nakime, the space controller he relied on most, had completely disappeared from the world.
No, it didn't disappear...
An even more terrifying thought, like a venomous snake, burrowed into his mind.
From the very beginning, from the moment he was forced to break free of his cocoon, Nakime was no longer under his control!
It must be this god-like being! They used some unknown means to forcibly control or... strip Nakime of her abilities!
Even his presence here was a result of this god's deliberate actions!
The last escape route was completely blocked!
The mighty progenitor of demons has become a trapped turtle with nowhere to escape!
"Ugh! This bunch of useless trash—!!!!!"
Muzan's impotent rage echoed deep within the Infinity Castle, his voice laced with the fury of being driven to the brink of despair, and the panic he himself had to admit was that his death was imminent.
The complete annihilation of the Upper Moons, the utter loss of control of the situation, and the unfathomable god before us…
These events, one after another, spiraled out of his control, like cold needles piercing through the proud persona he had strived to maintain for a thousand years.
"No! I can't die yet!"
His heart was screaming wildly—a desperate yearning for eternal life, an almost pathological obsession with his own "perfect" form.
"I was just one step away... How can my pursuit of eternal life, which I've sought for a thousand years, end here?!"
This thought was like a poisonous fire, scorching his reason.
He couldn't accept that after spending countless efforts and devouring countless lives to finally get so close to "perfection," he was being forcibly brought to an end in such a place and in such a wretched way!
"Ughhhhhh! Get away! All of you get away!!!"
Extreme fear eventually gives rise to the most frantic and reckless struggle.
Amidst that heart-wrenching, inhuman roar, Muzan, whose mental state was already stretched to the limit, finally snapped his sanity.
All the majesty of the progenitor of demons, all the elegant and composed demeanor, vanished at this moment, leaving only the most primitive and savage survival instinct, like a wounded beast trapped in a snare, baring its fangs, ready to make a final stand.
He even forgot, or rather deliberately ignored, the obvious, abysmal difference in strength between himself and Riley, who wielded the golden cudgel and seemed like a god descended to earth.
In his chaotic mind, filled with fear and anger, only one incredibly clear and stubborn thought remained—
Create chaos!
At all costs...
escape--!!!