Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

The team members trained day and night, their sweat carrying a scorching and tense atmosphere, the sound of blades cutting through the air was incessant, and everyone was waiting for the signal for the final battle.

It was as if an invisible string was taut in the air, ready to snap at any moment.

The only remaining suspense in this thousand-year-old feud, this final battle between humans and demons, is the location of Muzan Kibutsuji, who is hiding deep within.

However, Kagaya Ubuyashiki's strategic planning gave the Demon Slayer Corps members immense confidence.

His calm yet firm voice always soothed the anxiety in the team members' hearts, making them feel that the dawn of victory was just around the corner, and that they had already gripped Muzan Kibutsuji by the throat.

The reality, however, is even more brutal.

Beneath the rising morale of the group lies a heavy, suffocating truth known only to a select few core members.

Beneath the bright facade lies a bottomless pit of sacrifice.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, as the master who leads the Demon Slayer Corps, will use himself and his beloved relatives as bait to set up a deadly trap at the Ubuyashiki mansion, with the cost of their lives.

He vowed to send Muzan Kibutsuji to his grave.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki secretly summoned several core members, "gazing" at them with his blind eyes, his voice gentle yet undeniable: "This time, we can only succeed."

Although he had never met Muzan, he had a clear understanding of the psychology of this pathetic creature, thanks to the information passed down through generations and his own wisdom.

"He was arrogant, suspicious, and extremely afraid of death. A guy who wouldn't sacrifice his own life to achieve his goals couldn't imagine what kind of effort someone would be willing to put into eliminating him."

Therefore, Muzan Kibutsuji will definitely come!

At that time, the future of the Demon Slayer Corps will be entrusted to his eldest son, and the task of slaying the Demon King will be completed by the Demon Slayer Corps members led by Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

"After that, I entrust my affairs to you all." Kagaya Ubuyashiki bowed slightly, a warm smile on his lips even though he was about to die.

A somber atmosphere permeated the air.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni listened silently, his crimson eyes churning with complex and indescribable emotions. Finally, a profound silence settled over him.

Everyone else present, whether grieving or resolute, wore incredibly somber expressions.

This tragic plan was kept completely secret, and apart from the few people present, no one else knew about it.

Everything should have been heading towards the predetermined destination, following the path paved with Kagaya Ubuyashiki's life.

They only need to wait, wait for Muzan Kibutsuji to find the Ubuyashiki mansion as expected.

However, an unexpected variable suddenly shattered the surface calm.

—Kuroshibo wants to see Aori.

Having broken free from the control of the Demon King, Upper Moon One Kokushibo secretly sent a message offering to provide Muzan Kibutsuji's current hiding place.

There was only one condition: he had to see A-Zhi.

………

The news caused a major shock among core members.

Although no one knows exactly what happened, Kokushibo's previous obsession was terrifying.

"How can you trust the words of an evil spirit! Who knows if it's a trap!"

"The risks are immeasurable, and the true purpose of the evil spirit is unclear. We cannot place our hopes on the 'good intentions' of the spirit."

"We can't let Miss Aori go!"

Everyone who made the statement shared the same attitude.

Not long ago, the intelligence personnel of "Yakuza" replied that they had basically discovered the whereabouts of Muzan Kibutsuji and were currently conducting final confirmation.

Most of the Pillars, unaware of Kagaya Ubuyashiki's plan to sacrifice himself, felt it was completely unnecessary to put Ori under such a great risk at this time.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki shared the same attitude.

He cannot risk the safety of innocent people for a "shortcut" that may or may not exist.

This private argument was kept strictly confidential and never reached Aori. She didn't even know that Kokushibo had asked to see her.

Even though she regained her memories of the Warring States period, her recovery days were still quite peaceful compared to the other tense Demon Slayer Corps members.

Every day, familiar people would come to see her. Sabito would tell her funny stories from training, Giyu would bring her delicious snacks, and Yoriichi would quietly keep her company...

However, A-Zhi still noticed the undisguised seriousness in their expressions and the occasional absent-minded glances they gave her during their time together.

She became increasingly uneasy, especially after learning that she and Nezuko might have to move to a safer place.

Azhi's heart was filled with uncertainty: "They both have heavy burdens on their minds."

[The mission is nearing its end; some fluctuations are normal.] 000's voice remained calm. [It will be over soon.]

But is this the "end" that A-Zhi wanted?

The core operating program of 000 was slightly disturbed; it had been pondering this issue recently.

It knew perfectly well that in a few days, Muzan Kibutsuji would appear at the Ubuyashiki mansion, and then the Ubuyashiki couple and their two children would die.

What followed was a fierce final battle, with the members of the Demon Slayer Corps joining forces to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji.

With Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the progenitor of "Sun Breathing," around, Muzan Kibutsuji's defeat was inevitable.

But before Muzan completely disappears, there will be a lot of sacrifices. Among these people who have lost their lives, there may very well be people that Aori is currently concerned about.

In that case, even if the mission is completed, Azhi will still be in pain and sad.

But now there is another way out: to agree to Kokushibo's request.

The world of this mission has come to life.

………

In the early morning, sunlight filters through the thin mist in the valley, casting a hazy golden glow on the courtyard. Dewdrops roll on the grass, reflecting a soft light, and everything seems so peaceful.

Azhi, dressed neatly, pushed open the door. Her face was somewhat pale, but her spirits were relatively good, and her eyes held a clear, determined look.

She took a deep breath and walked towards the courtyard.

The morning exercise had just ended, and Yoriichi Tsugikuni stood quietly under the ancient tree, his posture upright, as if he had become one with the surrounding nature. His eyes followed the girl the moment she stepped into the courtyard.

Not far away, Sabito and Giyu Tomioka also stopped their hushed conversation and their eyes both fell on Ori's face.

Azhi lowered her eyelids, her fingertips curled up unconsciously for a moment, then quickly raised them again, looking directly at them, her voice soft but firm: "I'm going to see Kokushibo!"

She is a very gentle person and has always followed instructions in important matters, unlike now.

Qian Tu frowned sharply, took a step forward, and his eyes were full of opposition: "No! This is too dangerous!"

Giyu Tomioka's voice was colder than usual: "You can't trust what the devil says. We don't need you to take risks. Our lord has his own plans!"

Yoriichi Tsugikuni stood to the side, silently watching Aori, her thin but stubborn figure reflected in his dark eyes.

This time, no one could make her change her mind.

Azhi learned everything from 000, and she made her current choice without much difficulty.

After the shock and fear of learning the truth, a strange courage also began to grow in his heart.

She no longer wanted to passively accept protection, and she didn't want to see more people, especially those she cared about, pay a greater and more painful price to eliminate Muzan Kibutsuji.

"I've made up my mind."

Ah Zhi repeated, her voice more resolute than before. Looking at the three people in front of her with their different expressions, she forced a reassuring smile: "And with you all here, I'm not afraid of anything."

The news quickly reached the Ubuyashiki residence.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, sitting upright in the quiet room, gazed into the void and remained silent for a long time. In the end, his unspoken words turned into a heavy sigh.

………

"But I can't do anything..."

The young girl had lost all her memories. She unconsciously hugged her small self and said this in front of Kagaya Ubuyashiki, feeling lost and dejected.

Later, she volunteered to go undercover in the street parade, and Kagaya Ubuyashiki did not stop her, but used his connections to pave the way for her.

In fact, Ori's contributions to the Demon Slayer Corps are far greater than imagined.

During the years they spent lurking in the streets, the intelligence relayed by Aori helped the Demon Slayer Corps avoid several exposure crises and also brought in several crucial funds for the Demon Slayer Corps...

Meanwhile, at the Tokitoya, the last piece of information she delivered allowed them to discover the crisis on the train in advance, thus preventing the deaths of an entire train of passengers.

Not to mention, she also brought Yoriichi Tsugikuni to this era...

She actually does everything very well.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

That night, the moonlight was very clear.

Aori knelt in the Japanese-style room, with a gauze curtain hanging in front of her. Although it only symbolically blurred her vision, it brought her a sense of security as she recalled her memories and feared Kokushibo.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni personally guarded the inner room in the shadows, his aura completely concealed, while Sabito, Giyu Tomioka, and others responsible for providing support silently lurked outside the Japanese-style room like sharp blades ready to be drawn.

Azhi couldn't help but ask: [000, are you there?]

000 immediately responded: "I'm always here, don't be afraid."

The cold electronic voice gave Azhi great comfort, but the days and nights of imprisonment during the Warring States period uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.

Those obsessions and possessiveness made A-Zhi's fingertips icy cold, and her fingers quietly clenched in her sleeves.

Standing silently in the shadows, Yoriichi Tsugikuni took in the girl's unease. His hand, hanging silently at his side, tightened its grip on the hilt of his sword, and a cold glint flashed in his dark eyes.

Time passed in deathly silence.

Finally, a powerful and chilling sense of oppression approached from afar, and the newcomer did not make any attempt to conceal their presence.

The door was pushed open silently, and the moonlight stretched the traveler's shadow to an elongated length. The figure, dressed in a deep purple kimono, stepped into the room under the moonlight.

The presence of the gauze curtain has almost no effect on ghosts with extraordinary vision.

Kokushibo remained inhuman, with six golden eyes that gleamed with a cold and greedy light in the dim light, like burning will-o'-the-wisps.

From the moment he stepped into the room, his gaze pierced through the thin barrier and locked onto A-Zhi with unparalleled precision.

His appearance made the air tense, and the murderous intent hidden in the darkness emerged, aimed at the uninvited intruder.

But Kokushibo didn't care at all.

From beginning to end, his gaze never left Azhi, as if she were the only person in the room.

Before Yoriichi Tsugikuni was resurrected, Kokushibo believed that he could control everything.

He suppressed his dark possessiveness and constructed a relatively "gentle" image in front of the amnesiac Azhi, even going so far as to release her back into the wild.

It thought it could patiently win Azhi back into its grasp through a gradual and persistent approach.

His composure stemmed from his escape from Muzan Kibutsuji's control and the absolute strength he possessed in this era without Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

However, the appearance of Yoriichi Tsugikuni ruthlessly dispelled all his schemes and arrogance.

The jealousy, resentment, and powerlessness that were deeply rooted in his soul and spanned hundreds of years almost tore him apart.

The obsession that seemed so close and within reach has once again become unattainable.

But he knew better than anyone that under the true brilliance of the sun, no shadow could hide—he had lost any chance of winning A-Zhi back.

Dark blood spilled from the corner of his lips due to extreme emotional turmoil. Kokushibo indifferently raised his hand to wipe it away, not allowing the filth to stain the white kimono in front of him.

After his defeat in front of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, he took out this white kimono.

The unparalleled wedding dress, crafted with painstaking effort by skilled artisans, remains pristine white and undamaged even after a century, thanks to the owner's excessive appreciation of it.

This was Kokushibo's only solace during the hundreds of years since he lost Aori.

Kokushibo could still recall the scene of the girl walking towards him step by step in her white kimono, and how they entered into a marriage contract witnessed by the priest.

They should have been forever united in heart and spent their lives together...

Must he continue to wait? Like a rat hiding in a gutter, waiting for the sun to dim when it may one day appear?

………

Kokushibo thought about it for a very long time. His deep-seated resentment led him to the Demon Slayer Corps, where he proposed this deal.

………

Kokushibo approached step by step and stopped in front of the gauze curtain. He could clearly sense Aori's presence, completely ignoring the existence in the shadows that he feared so much.

He and Azhi were once a legitimate couple. They had done the most intimate things, shared each other's body temperature and breath, but now even seeing each other in person is so difficult.

Whether it was hundreds of years ago or now, it seems that he... has not achieved a good result.

Kokushibo's gaze greedily traced the silhouette behind the gauze curtain, and with a hoarse, slow tone, he broke the frozen air: "You want Kibutsuji Muzan to die..."

He paused, his six eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice was filled with a stubborn determination: "I will help you."

The meaning of these words has gone far beyond the initial offer of "providing a location." Kokushibo is declaring that he will personally kill Muzan Kibutsuji for Ori's sake!

From the moment Kokushibo entered, Aori kept her head down, trying to avoid his terrifyingly intense gaze.

She could clearly feel that gaze falling on her as if it were a physical thing, and her response was still the immature way of avoiding it.

But after hearing Kokushibo's earth-shattering words, Aori couldn't help but raise her head and look at Kokushibo's blurry face in shock through the gauze curtain.

Before entering the room, Sabito repeatedly warned Aori to be vigilant and emphasized the stakes involved once again.

Once Muzan Kibutsuji, the source of all demons, dies, all demons created from his blood will theoretically perish.

Kokushibo did indeed accept Muzan's blood and become a demon. Although he seems to have broken free from Muzan's control now, whether he will eventually disappear is something no one can guarantee.

The credibility of a demon whose very existence is so closely tied to Muzan's is questionable.

Kokushibo stared intently at Aori's slightly swaying figure, repeating in a resolute, mad tone: "I will help you!"

He was absolutely certain of his fate; after Muzan Kibutsuji died, he too would vanish.

This was a fact that Kokushibo already knew when he received the demon blood.

By offering Muzan's location, he wanted to see Aori one last time before completely disappearing, and also wanted to use this almost self-destructive method to deeply imprint a mark belonging to Kokushibo in Aori's heart.

Kokushibo wants Ori to remember him forever!

Even though Aori has forgotten the past and forgotten him, Kokushibo still wants to selfishly reclaim a place in her heart in this way.

This was his last obsession, and his final counterattack against Yoriichi Tsugikuni!

These words, filled with intense despair, stirred up a storm in Azhi's heart. She stared blankly at the blurry figure of Kuroshibo, her mind a complete mess.

That's why she forgot to hide it, and her face revealed genuine shock and disbelief, as well as traces of the past that could never appear on her face now that she had amnesia.

Those were marks that Kokushibo was extremely familiar with.

"You remembered."

Kokushibo stared into Aori's eyes, his voice slow and hoarse, his words carrying an almost terrifying certainty.

Aori let out a gasp, her pupils suddenly contracted, and all the color drained from her face. She could no longer maintain her original sitting posture and scrambled towards Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Kokushibo suddenly raised his hand, his movement too fast to follow, and directly lifted the obstructing gauze curtain. With tremendous force, the curtain was torn off.

And in those exposed eyes, there was something that couldn't be hidden in time...

Kokushibo subconsciously tried to move closer, wanting to feel Ori more clearly, but Yoriichi Tsugikuni was no longer the same as before.

The instant Kokushibo moved slightly, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who had been guarding him, did not make any obvious move, but his aura descended, conveying an extreme warning.

"Step back!" Yoriichi Tsugikuni's voice was like the cold winter. In the same instant, he grabbed Kokushibo's wrist.

A powerful burst of energy prevented Kokushibo's arm from advancing even an inch.

Kokushibo took a deep breath, his six demonic eyes swirling with icy killing intent, clashing with Yoriichi's gaze across the distance.

Aori lay on her side, almost curled up in Yoriichi's arms, her brows furrowed, her small face filled with bewilderment.

She really didn't need to be afraid, but Kokushibo's expression was too aggressive.

In a daze, Aori seemed to be dragged back hundreds of years, and the next second Kokushibo would pin her down on the bed...

"Clang—" The sound of the Nichirin Blade being drawn from its sheath was crisp and continuous.

Hearing the commotion, Sabito and Giyu Tomioka burst through the door, their cold blades pointing directly at the demon emanating a terrifying aura.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Muzan: [Question mark][Question mark][Question mark]