This was absolutely an unexpected encounter. Tokito Muichiro could never have imagined that the first enemy he encountered after entering the Infinity Castle would be Upper Rank One.
The younger sister of the Child of God's genius, the strongest demon of the Twelve Kizuki, the most terrifying enemy of the Demon Slayers, and also his ancestor.
Perhaps because too much time had passed, the moment he saw Mitsuba, Muichiro didn't feel the resonance of bloodline within his body.
What he felt was only the trembling bursting forth from the marrow of his bones, and the terrifying pressure constantly permeating from Mitsuba's body into the surroundings.
This wasn't something like battle aura or demonic aura that martial artists could clearly detect—it was presence.
The pure, powerful presence that naturally belonged to the truly strong.
This demon's strength was unfathomable!
Compared to her, the demons he had slain in the past were like the difference between fireflies and the bright moon. If someone weak faced her, they probably wouldn't even have the courage to draw their sword!
"Tokito Muichiro."
Muichiro didn't open his mouth to respond, but Mitsuba accurately called out his name.
With her mandala flower-shaped pupils watching him, she slowly spoke:
"Both parents deceased, since childhood you depended on your older brother for survival."
[She knows me?!]
"About a year ago, the wife of the Demon Slayer Corps' Master found you brothers, repeatedly inviting you to join the Demon Slayer Corps.
As the younger brother, you were quite moved by this proposal, but your brother firmly refused with the reason that agreeing to such things was meaningless for you, even driving that woman away.
Then, not long after on a late night, a demon attacked your house. Your brother died in the incident, while you alone survived by luck thanks to the power bursting forth from your bloodline, even using the power of sunlight to kill that demon in return.
When dawn broke, that woman arrived punctually once more and took away the unconscious you.
But unfortunately, after last night's experience, your mind suffering heavy trauma, your brain actively sealed away your past memories, making you an amnesiac.
But not unfortunately, the amnesia didn't affect your talent. Knowing nothing, you still displayed extremely high talent in swordsmanship training.
In merely two months, you completed the entire process from first holding a sword to being promoted to Hashira.
What an excellent child... No, perhaps I should say, what a pitiful child?"
"Why... do you know my past?"
After hearing Mitsuba recount this past, Muichiro forced himself to calm down and asked in a deep voice.
He didn't doubt the truth of Mitsuba's words, because while she was telling this past, fragments of memories involuntarily surfaced in his originally blank mind.
Clearly, everything she said was true.
But why did this demon know so clearly?
Could it have been her back then...
"Don't misunderstand, little one. I'm not that bored."
Slightly shaking her head, facing the hatred in Muichiro's eyes, Mitsuba's face still carried a smile.
"Your amnesia doesn't mean the world has amnesia too. Nothing in this world can be hidden from my eyes. No matter what story, I can see it all at a glance.
You indeed carry bloodline flowing from the same source as mine. You are undoubtedly a descendant of our family—that branch which escaped from the Tsugikuni family and changed their name to hide their identity all those years ago.
But you're not my descendant, nor Yoriichi's elder brother's—you're Michikatsu's elder brother's descendant.
What a pity. If you had encountered Michikatsu tonight instead, with his temperament, he would certainly be very interested in you. Unfortunately, you encountered me..."
Mitsuba lightly shook her head and sighed.
"Although I have exceptional talent, I truly have no interest in swordsmanship and can't be bothered to teach others anything.
But still, since you're a descendant of our family, I will give you one chance..."
As Mitsuba spoke, behind Muichiro, a door of the Infinity Castle suddenly opened.
This was the door leading outside.
"Now, throw down the sword in your hand, immediately turn around and leave, stop getting involved in these matters, and I guarantee you can leave safely. How about it?"
Facing Mitsuba's deliberate action, Muichiro didn't look back, nor did he waver in the slightest.
His expression was even somewhat angry.
Immediately drawing the Nichirin sword from his waist, he said coldly:
"Are you trying to humiliate me?"
"Don't misunderstand. I have no intention of humiliating anyone. This is a sincere proposal."
Mitsuba still maintained her smile.
"I've always kept my word. Look, the door is right behind you. Leave quickly..."
What responded to Mitsuba was Muichiro's swinging sword attack.
Moon Breathing · First Form · Dark Moon · Evening Palace!
Without hesitation, he rushed forward. Muichiro swung his sword horizontally, directly unleashing a moon blade slash with fragmented crescent moons toward Mitsuba!
"Oh my~ At such a young age, why are you still so impatient?"
Leaning back, precisely avoiding Muichiro's slash, Mitsuba's right arm shot out like lightning, pressing against his chest, and at thunderous speed smashed his small body fiercely into the ground!
"Cough!"
The floor beneath him cracked like a spider web, and that intense pain instantly swept through Muichiro's entire body from his back!
Pupils dilated, vomiting blood, his chest seemed to have collapsed, his lungs suffering strong compression, his breathing forcibly interrupted...
With just this one strike, Mitsuba completely dismantled Muichiro's combat ability.
[It hurts...]
[I was... defeated... her speed... so fast...]
Lying limp on the ground, the pain stimulating his brain to the point of near unconsciousness, Muichiro only felt his vision going dark repeatedly.
"How about it, little one?"
From above, he vaguely saw that Mitsuba seemed to have squatted down, looking down at him with a smile.
"Have you now personally felt the gap in strength between us? Do you have thoughts of giving up now?"
"My proposal from just now is still in effect, you know?"
"Never... possible..."
Consciousness gradually returning, pupils refocusing, Muichiro answered without thinking.
"For my dead brother, for Master, I will definitely kill all demons..."
[Kanae... where is she...]
The massive gap in strength made Muichiro suddenly think of Kanae.
According to their previously discussed plan, Tsugikuni Mitsuba should have been left for Kanae to deal with, but he didn't expect to encounter her first...
Where was Kanae in the Infinity Castle now? Was she heading this way?