Chapter Sixty-Nine: Ryoga...
Note: The novel will become more complex, and the chapters will be filled with hints about upcoming events... so tell me your theories and ideas.
Enjoy~~~
The air on Mount Sagiri was clean and cold as usual, with light mist covering the peaks and dense trees blocking the direct sunlight. But today, tranquility was not in control.
"BOOOOM!"
A human body slammed into a massive rock with enough force to send birds fleeing from their nests in panic.
"AGGGHHH! My bones! I swear I heard something crack!"
Zenichiro screamed as he rolled on the ground, clutching his ribs, his face covered in bruises and dirt. Beside him, Sakurai tried to stand while leaning on his wooden sword, but his legs trembled like bamboo branches in a storm.
In front of them stood Hakuji (formerly Akaza), wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead with a bright, refreshing smile that did not match the violence he had just displayed.
"Come on, come on, boys!" Hakuji said enthusiastically, lightly bouncing in place like a boxer preparing for the tenth round. "It's not even lunchtime yet! Is this the strength of the 'Kinoe' you brag about? My grandmother punched harder than this!"
"My grandmother wasn't a former Upper Moon, you monster!" Sakurai screamed internally, but he did not dare say it out loud for fear of an extra round of beating.
At a safe distance, atop a large flat rock, Yukihara Ren sat cross-legged, resting his chin on his palm in boredom. He wore an elegant black kimono, his long black hair tied back, and his emerald eyes observed the training "massacre" coldly.
Beside him stood the old mentor Sakonji Urokodaki, wearing his usual strange red mask, though shock was evident in his posture.
Urokodaki was trying to process what had been happening in his life recently.
First, he received news that his prodigy disciple Ren had awakened from clinical death. He had felt indescribable joy at the time, mixed with pride that the small boy he once trained had become the legendary Sun Hashira.
Then, a few days ago, a peculiar Kasugai crow landed on his window. It was not an ordinary crow; it wore a small scarf around its neck and walked with narcissistic swagger unbefitting a bird.
"Kwaa! Are you the old man Urokodaki?" the crow had shouted arrogantly. "My handsome and magnificent master Ren sends his regards! He just crushed the Upper Moon Three as if swatting a mosquito! Not even a scratch! His hair wasn't even messy! He is perfect! Kwaa! The credit goes to me of course since I chose him!"
Urokodaki's heart had nearly stopped at that moment. He thought Ren had returned to his recklessness and fought to the death again, but the crow assured him Ren was completely fine. And now, here Ren stood before him—alive, unharmed, and stronger than ever—with a strange group.
Urokodaki looked at Hakuji, who delivered an aerial kick to Zenichiro that made him spin in the air.
"Ren…" Urokodaki said calmly yet filled with questions, placing his hands inside the wide sleeves of his kimono just as his disciple did. "Can you explain now… why you brought these three here? And why that tattooed young man is wiping the floor with them?"
Ren did not answer immediately. He picked up a small pebble, tossed it into the air, then caught it, his eyes still fixed on Sakurai who, by some miracle, had managed to block one of Hakuji's punches.
Ren smiled faintly. "Oh… it seems Sakurai has some talent…"
Urokodaki did not know why, but Ren's eyes became dull for a brief moment as he said that.
"Ren." Urokodaki pressed slightly on his tone.
Ren sighed and turned toward his teacher. His expression suddenly shifted to absolute seriousness—so serious that the air around them felt heavy.
"I want to sacrifice them," Ren said coldly.
Urokodaki froze. Hakuji stopped mid-punch. Zenichiro and Sakurai fell face-first onto the ground.
"What?" Urokodaki asked in shock.
Ren continued in a tragic tone, placing his hand over his chest. "I want to sacrifice them instead of those I cherish… the world is cruel, Master, and sometimes we must sacrifice fools for the survival of others…"
He paused, then burst out laughing. "Pffft! I'm joking, I'm joking! Your face was priceless, Master! Hahahaha!"
How could he tell even through the mask?
"….."
Urokodaki stared at him in silence, seemingly considering throwing his disciple off the mountain.
On the training field, Zenichiro and Sakurai lifted their heads. Their eyes were empty like dead fish, tears silently streaming down their miserable faces. They could not even get angry. The terror that Ren might be serious—even by one percent—was enough to paralyze them.
"...Sigh." Hakuji exhaled irritably, shaking his hands. "I really want to hit you… and since I can't." He turned toward Sakurai and Zenichiro with a terrifying look that made them tremble.
"Ren, just speak… you're annoying me with these antics," Urokodaki said with irritation.
"Your voice is scary, Master…" Ren laughed, then stood and brushed dust off his clothes. "I'm training them because war is coming. These two, Sakurai and Zenichiro, have the potential to become Hashira in the near future. As for you, Hakuji…"
Ren looked at Hakuji meaningfully. "You're here because you're the perfect 'bag carrier' and training assistant. And because I don't trust leaving you alone in the city. You might accidentally eat a waiter."
"I won't eat anyone!" Hakuji shouted angrily, veins bulging. "I've moved past that!"
"Good. Then get back to training!" Ren ordered with mock severity. "I want to see Zenichiro coughing blood—I mean, reaching Hashira level before sunset!"
"Huh?" Sakurai froze at the insanity of those words.
Hakuji grinned wickedly and turned toward the two victims who were attempting to crawl away.
"You heard the boss…" Hakuji cracked his fingers. "Round two!"
The screams that followed were enough to frighten the mountain bears.
…
In complete contrast to Mount Sagiri's noise, the silence inside the Infinity Castle was heavy and terrifying.
The castle was a world of wood and shadows, rooms and corridors intersecting in geometric chaos that defied gravity.
In a vast central chamber, Kibutsuji Muzan sat in his private laboratory, surrounded by vials and complex chemical instruments. But he was not working. He sat quietly, crimson eyes staring into nothingness.
Behind him, in the grand hall, the elite demons had gathered. The Upper Moons.
The scene was different from any previous meeting. The arrangement had changed, faces had shifted, and tension was palpable.
In the most prominent position sat Upper Moon One, Kokushibo (Tsugikuni Michikatsu). He sat in samurai posture, his sword in its black sheath before him, his six eyes closed in deep meditation. His aura was calm yet heavy like a mountain. His presence alone silenced everyone.
On a raised platform sat Nakime, promoted to Upper Moon Six. She played her biwa silently, her long hair covering half her face while her single large eye observed everything.
In a dark corner crouched Hantengu, the newly promoted Upper Moon Three, trembling in the form of a frightened old man and muttering audibly, "Sun Hashira… again? Scary… very scary… I don't want to die…"
Beside him, Gyokko, promoted to Upper Moon Four, emerged from one of his decorated pots, admiring his "art" narcissistically, ignoring Hantengu's fear. "Art… this body needs more hands…"
The surprise was Upper Moon Five. It was not a new demon, but Gyutaro and Daki. They sat on the floor playing Hanafuda cards in boredom. Gyutaro, with his emaciated body and protruding bones, deliberately let Daki win just to see her smile, while Daki boasted about her imaginary intelligence.
But—
Attention, consciously or not, was drawn toward the one occupying the position of Upper Moon Two.
He sat apart from the others, leaning his shoulder against one of the wooden pillars, arms folded over his chest.
He did not look like an ordinary demon. He was a man with a strong, well-proportioned physique, wearing an extremely elegant black kimono with a simple black haori over it. His hair was golden blond, spiky and messy, strands falling over his forehead and cheeks to highlight his sharp, handsome features.
But his eyes… told the entire story.
Narrow, sharp eyes like those of a predatory beast stalking its prey. Bright emerald green, shining with cold intelligence and cunning.
His name was Ryoga.
"Yukihara Ren… hmm…"
Ryoga muttered in a low voice, a mysterious smile forming on his lips. He was not afraid like Hantengu, nor indifferent like Kokushibo. He was… entertained.
His mind analyzed the situation rapidly. This was not a routine meeting. Muzan rarely gathered them unless one of them had died. But no one had died recently (after Doma and Akaza).
"Nakime became Upper Moon Six… merely a transport tool promoted for strategic importance," Ryoga thought, scanning the room. "Muzan is rearranging his pawns. He's afraid."
Ryoga glanced toward the closed laboratory where Muzan resided.
"Rumors of a golden age for Demon Slayers… and the return of the Sun Hashira who reportedly killed two Upper Moons alone. This 'Ren' is the variable in the equation."
Ryoga's smile widened. He was not like the other demons who followed Muzan out of blind fear. Ryoga was an "isolationist," and "strong" in his own way.
"The most likely scenario…" Ryoga analyzed internally, "is that Muzan is planning a preemptive strike. Or perhaps… preparing us to be human shields—demonic shields—while he escapes."
He felt a gaze piercing him. Slowly, he turned to find Nakime watching him with her single large eye. The moment their eyes met, Nakime slightly lowered her head in a rare gesture of submission—or perhaps… fear?
"…Sigh." Ryoga exhaled in boredom, adjusting his black collar.
"This may be a losing war for you gentlemen…"
Ryoga whispered words no one else heard, his emerald eyes glinting mysteriously as he imagined the face of that Hashira he had heard so much about.
"…But for me? This might be the beginning of the real game, Ren."
Ryoga said it with a smile as he recalled the blurry face of a newborn child.
At that moment, the laboratory door slowly opened, and Kibutsuji Muzan stepped out.
Absolute silence fell. Even Hantengu stopped trembling.
"Listen carefully…" Muzan said in a calm voice carrying terrifying weight. "It is time…"
—
End of Chapter Sixty-Nine.
Sorry... um, let's forget about that. What do you think about telling me your theories and thoughts about Ryoga...?