"Are you certain the Demon Slayer Corps will dispatch their Hashira?"
The demon with the magenta-pink hair and golden, tattooed eyes—Upper Rank Three, Akaza—asked Hunter with keen interest. Standing near him, Hunter felt he could breathe a little easier; the other demon's chilling presence had been suffocating.
Akaza, who lived only to fight the strong, despised Douma. Normally, he would never agree to a joint mission with him. But this human had sworn that the location of the [Blue Spider Lily] would be heavily guarded by the Demon Slayer Corps' most powerful Hashira, and that ordinary human soldiers would be unable to retrieve it.
Not only that…
[Hunter], having failed his assassination mission with [Ghost]—not only failing to bring back a single Reincarnator head to prove his worth but also losing his partner—had seen his reputation in Muzan's faction drop to a dangerously low level.
His only saving grace was that the information about the [Blue Spider Lily] was simply too important to Muzan. Furthermore, the simultaneous death of a Lower Rank demon at the hands of the enemy team proved that Hunter wasn't completely incompetent. It lent credibility to his story that the enemy was indeed powerful, possibly involving multiple Hashira in an ambush.
Hunter knew that his only chance of survival was the authenticity of his information. If they couldn't retrieve that flower, Muzan would kill him, regardless of whether he completed his main quest. So, while he didn't know what the other Reincarnator team would do, he had prepared for the worst-case scenario: that the Demon Slayer Corps also knew about the Blue Spider Lily.
Thus, he had advised Muzan on a two-pronged strategy. First, order the corrupt governnt officials to send waves of human soldiers to search the target area. Second, have the Upper Ranks on standby to provide support.
If the Hashira were there guarding the flower, the human soldiers would tie them up, and the Upper Ranks would descend at night to slaughter the Hashira and clear the obstacle. This way, Hunter would complete his main quest and earn a massive amount of faction reputation. If the Professor's team didn't interfere, then they would simply retrieve the Blue Spider Lily, and Muzan's praise would outweigh everything else.
This was the path Hunter had forged for his own survival.
"Yes! I am certain!" Hunter affird through gritted teeth. His body temperature, dangerously lowered by Douma's Blood Demon Art, was making him shake, but he forced himself to hold his ground.
Douma watched with a smile, enjoying the sight of this human "lying" so desperately in the face of death. Yes, Douma was certain he was lying. He was an Upper Rank demon; he could read the tells. When humans lied, their heart rate, their pulse, even the scent they secreted—it all changed. But Douma didn't expose him. He simply wanted to admire his pathetic, squirming performance before the end.
Akaza disliked Douma's theatrics. While he could also tell the human's words weren't entirely true, he could also sense they weren't complete lies. At the very least…
"This martial artist you ntioned, the one who can kill a Lower Rank with his bare hands… he will be there too?!"
Akaza was far more interested in this person. The idea of soone who could kill a demon, even a Lower Rank, with their bare hands... it excited him. rcenary Tao... I can't wait to have a fight with you!
Furthermore, according to [Hunter], it was possible that even Upper Ranks Two and Three, working together, might not be enough to take down the Demon Slayer side. This was because the current Stone Hashira was a once-in-a-century prodigy who, when combined with that martial artist "Tao," might actually have a chance of killing two Upper Ranks. It sounded utterly absurd.
But Lord Muzan, desperate to obtain the [Blue Spider Lily], was taking no chances. Therefore…
The man standing closest to the window turned around. A terrifying aura, so dense it was almost physical, radiated from him.
Upper Rank One, Kokushibo.
Only his presence could ensure that Douma and Akaza wouldn't start a fight over so petty squabble.
Slice!
Hunter's pupils contracted. The vision of Kokushibo in front of him blurred. A hot sensation erupted from his neck, and blood began to spray everywhere. What? Don't they have orders from Muzan?!
The blood loss sent Hunter into a state of shock. But in the next instant, a thick, rich stream of blood poured into the wound at his neck.
[WARNING: Plot Character Kokushibo is performing a blood transfusion. Your lineage is undergoing an unknown change.]
"AGH!"
The blood felt alive, as if it had its own will, as it burrowed through his veins. He felt his body, his mind, and even his soul begin to slip away from his own control.
[Lineage mutation in progress…]
[Constitution check: Passed.]
[Willpower check: Passed.]
[Instant Death check… Passed.]
…
[Your lineage has been altered. Current: Demon (Dark Species, Secondary Species) (Rare)]
(WARNING: This is a faction-based, secondary-generation lineage and is subject to the complete domination of the faction's progenitor. The Nexus has perford a cognitive intervention against the blood progenitor [Muzan Kibutsuji]. 1 D-rank Singularity will be deducted at the end of the mission. Insufficient funds will result in ANNIHILATION.)
Hunter felt a pain so intense it was like his scalp was being ripped from his skull. His body began to molt and change. But through the agony, a sound that was almost a joyous howl ripped from his throat.
"This is… POWER!"
As night fell, the demons moved at a terrifying speed. Hunter, having adapted to his new lineage, had not only changed physically, but his mind was also being uncontrollably corrupted. Just monts ago, he had known that "rcenary Tao" possessed Hamon, and that even as a demon, he should never face him. But now, an overwhelming bloodlust filled his mind, and the endless power surging through him made him feel as if "rcenary Tao" was nothing. He could cut him down with a single stroke. The Dark Species lineage inevitably eroded the mind.
His own speed was insufficient, so Akaza was carrying him, leaping through the treetops. But the closer they got to the target location, the more Akaza frowned. Aside from the scent of blood, the air was thick with the sll of sothing burning.
Hunter, still reveling in his newfound power, finally slled the terrifying stench of ash. He looked up, and his pupils contracted in horror.
In the night sky, an entire mountain forest was engulfed in flas.
"How… is this possible…"
Fwish!
Douma instantly vanished, rushing into the burning forest at extre speed. The flas automatically extinguished in his presence. But monts later, he returned, empty-handed.
"Other than the corpses of so dead soldiers, there's nothing left on the mountain."
Hunter felt as if he'd been plunged into a frozen abyss.
At that sa mont, in a forest far away, Vincent looked through a special pair of optical binoculars and sucked in a cold breath. He couldn't believe Upper Ranks One, Two, and Three had all actually shown up. If their group had proceeded with the original plan, they would have been facing a complete and utter massacre tonight. He imdiately placed an item into his and Elizabeth's team inventory.
On a train heading to Kyoto, Elizabeth saw the item appear in their shared space and felt a wave of residual fear. She looked up at the others in the train car. "All three of the strongest Upper Ranks are at the target location," she announced.
The Professor let out a long sigh, knowing his plan had almost led them all to disaster.
Kaito Shirogane, however, was smiling as always. The Professor's plan had been too conventional. But Kaito knew one thing: a desperate man will stop at nothing.
"Great," Kaito said, his voice light. "Then tomorrow, let's go kill the future Emperor Hirohito."
A light flashed in his hand, and a single, vibrant [Blue Spider Lily] appeared.
[Blue Spider Lily]
[Quality: Blue]
[Description: A special spider lily that only blooms during the dayti.]
[Effect: Possesses unique dicinal value.]
Hearing this, Yanagi felt a strange surge of excitent. He began to wordlessly polish his sword.
Kaito, however, was already thinking about sothing else.
Muzan… for this little flower, you would abandon anyone and anything, wouldn't you?
Heh.
~~~
Guys We cross the 300 power stone goal and as promise here the bonus chapter
Next goal 400 power stone,co on guys you'll can do it, good luck.
~~~
Every 5 new reviews = 2 extra chapters
Every 100 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter
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