People in Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began with Demon Slayer

Kibuy Muzan immediately announced, "The priests have appeared. Who among you will go and bring them back?"

A cold glint flashed in Kokushibo's eyes as he said to Muzan, "Lord Muzan, please allow me to go down there!"

"Then you can go, Kokushibo. Remember, I need you alive!"

Chapter 103 Brothers

Kokushibo was teleported directly to Sabetsu Island by Nakime using Blood Demon Art.

Sabetsu Island is a very small island, lush and covered with large trees. Because it is springtime, various flowers are in bloom, and a fragrance permeates the island.

Kokushibo ventured deep into the central region of Sabetsu Island and discovered a vast complex of buildings.

Before Kokushibo appeared a man, and this man was none other than the priest Yosuke had met.

Facing the terrifying-looking Kokushibo, the priest, as if he had known Kokushibo was coming, said, "You've finally arrived, Kokushibo."

"How do you know my name?"

In response to Kokushibo's question, the priest smiled faintly and said, "I have been waiting for you for a long time. Come with me."

After speaking, the priest turned and walked towards the largest mansion in the complex.

Kokushibo frowned, wondering what the priest was up to. Confident in his own strength, Kokushibo followed the priest into the mansion.

In the mansion of the priest family, there were many people dressed like priests, but they were quite indifferent when they saw Kokushibo.

Upon entering a room resembling a shrine, the priest spoke: "You've come here to slaughter our priest clan, haven't you?"

Kokushibo frowned: "Since you knew, you still dared to bring me into your territory?"

The priest calmly said, "We were prepared long ago. It's all fate. The destruction of our priest clan is inevitable. However, that person is not you."

Kokushibo sneered, "Playing tricks! Since you're all prepared to die, why isn't it me?"

"Kimu Muzan sent you here only to bring us back alive, so you are destined not to succeed."

Kokushibo was utterly shocked. How did the priest in front of him know that he was sent by Kibuy Muzan, and even knew that he was to bring them back alive? This had just happened!

Kokushibo's killing intent surged instantly, and he coldly said, "This place is far from the Infinite Castle. If I kill you all here, no one will know!"

Just as Kokushibo drew his demon blade, preparing to kill the priest before him, a terrifying pressure descended.

Four doors appeared behind Kokushibo, and Kibu, Muzan, and all the Upper Moons except Nakime appeared.

Kibuy Muzan coldly looked at Kokushibo: "You still betrayed me, Kokushibo."

Faced with the sudden appearance of Kibu Muzan, Kokushibo was extremely solemn: "You knew all along that I betrayed you?!"

"That's right. Although I didn't read your memories, I sensed the malice in your heart towards me... I granted you immortality, allowing you to hone your sword skills forever, and I trusted you deeply and gave you a chance, but I never expected you to betray me!"

The curse binding Kokushibo's body took effect, causing him to collapse to the ground in excruciating pain.

Kibuy Muzan grabbed Kokushibo's hair and slammed Kokushibo's head hard onto the ground.

The immense force created a deep crater in the ground.

With a ferocious expression, Kibu asked Muzan, "You clearly know that you are bound by a curse and that betraying me will lead to a bad end. Can you tell me why you still chose to betray me?"

Kokushibo had no way to answer Muzan Kibutsuji, because he felt as if tens of thousands of ants were constantly gnawing at his flesh inside his body.

With Kokushibo trampled under his feet, Muzan commanded the Upper Moons: "Doma, Hantengu, Kaigaku, gather all the priests together and then teleport them back to the Infinity Castle!"

Kokushibo, already tormented by the curse, began to lose his mind. Suddenly, a strong will erupted in his heart, and the curse's corrosive influence on his body began to gradually stop.

Kokushibo struggled to break free from Kibu Muzan's feet and swung his demon blade at Kibu Muzan.

Kibuy Muzan grabbed Kokushibo's demon blade with just his hands, his expression one of utter astonishment: "How could you possibly break my curse?!"

"Kimu Muzan, you can't control me anymore! I will stop you! Even if it means we both perish!"

"Breath of the Moon? Pick-up Form? Face-Piercing Slash? Crescent Moon Through Leaf!"

Kokushibo wielded his demon blade, unleashing two giant, swirling, crescent-shaped sword energies accompanied by countless crescent blades, as they hurtled towards Muzan Kibutsuji.

Kibuy Muzan unleashed a wide-area shockwave, deflecting Kokushibo's sword energy and Crescent Blade.

"Total destruction? So what if you can break free from my curse? Everything you have is a gift from me, and I can take it back at any time! Blackblood Thorn!"

Kibuy Muzan raised his right hand, and a black thorn appeared from his palm, rushing towards Kokushibo.

Kokushibo swung his blade, but could not cut through the thorns. Kibuy Muzan's thorns struck him directly in the chest.

The thorns grew rapidly inside Kokushibo's body, breaking through its skin and firmly fixing it in place.

"This is the consequence of trying to resist me. As punishment for betraying me, you will wait to be burned to death by the scorching sun!"

Kokushibo was completely powerless to resist Muzan Kibutsuji. As a demon created by Muzan Kibutsuji, Muzan Kibutsuji could arbitrarily decide his life or death.

Looking at Doma, Hantengu, and Kaigaku who had gathered the entire priest clan together, Kokushibo felt a surge of powerlessness.

"Brother, are you giving up?"

Yoriichi Tsugikuni's voice suddenly rang in Kokushibo's ears.

Kokushibo hung his head dejectedly: "Yoriichi... I can't do anything more..."

"As a samurai, one must not give up easily. This is what you taught me, brother. Have you forgotten?"

Faced with the enormous power gap between himself and Muzan Kibutsuji, Kokushibo was exhausted: "I'm tired... Yoriichi."

"Now is not the time for us to meet again, and this is not the end of the world yet. Brother, do you still remember the Breath of the Sun?"

“Yoriichi, you know that I have no way of mastering the Breath of the Sun.”

“Brother, we are brothers with the same blood, and you are now qualified to use the Breath of the Sun.”

However, even though he now had the right to the Breath of the Sun, which he had once longed for but could not obtain, Kokushibo felt no joy, because the moment he became a demon, he was destined to never be able to master it again.

“Yoriichi, I am now a demon. Even if I can use the Breath of the Sun, I will be burned by its flames.”

"Let me lend my brother one last helping hand..."

Yoriichi Tsugikuni placed his hand on Kokushibo's sword-wielding hand, and flames ignited on Kokushibo's demon blade, then spread to Kokushibo's entire body.

All the thorns in Kokushibo's body were burned away, and the flames continued to scorch his body.

However, within Kokushibo's body, there was a mysterious power protecting him. Although the flames continuously burned his body, that mysterious power constantly repaired Kokushibo's body.

Feeling the power surging within him, Kokushibo was filled with mixed emotions: "Yoriichi... I never thought that in the end, it would be you who protected me..."

Chapter 105 A Difficult Battle

Kibuy Muzan sensed an aura that filled him with immense fear, and stared in terror at Kokushibo, whose body was engulfed in flames.

"Yoichi Tsugikuni?! No! Kokushibo, how could you possibly have mastered the Breath of the Sun?!"

"I am Kokushibo, no longer Kokushibo! Kibu Muzan! I will stop you!"

The demon blade held in Kokushiro's hand, forged from his own flesh and blood, had its flesh and blood completely burned away, revealing the shape of a samurai sword.

Kibuyaku Muzan, his eyes gleaming with fury, realized that the demon he had created had not only broken free of his own curse, but had also inexplicably mastered the Sun Breathing technique, a natural enemy of demons.

At this moment, Kokushiro Tsugikuni activated his Demon Slayer Mark and entered the Transparent World, where he could clearly see the rise and fall of Muzan Kibutsuji's lungs and the flow and contraction of his blood vessels.

Furthermore, through the Transparent World, Kokushiro Tsugikuni discovered Muzan Kibutsuji's weakness: the five brains and seven hearts within his body.

Only the Sun Breathing technique, which is equivalent to sunlight in its ability to kill demons, along with the Crimson Blade and the specialized sword-type techniques, can target Muzan Kibutsuji's twelve weaknesses and break his immortality.

Using immense grip, Kuniwa Katsu transformed the sword into a crimson blade, muttering under his breath, "Here comes... Yoriichi..."

"Breath of the Sun? Seventh Form? Sunset Turn!"

Kokuichi Katsumi instantly flashed into the air, his blade wreathed in flames as hot as the sun, and launched a horizontal slash at Muzan Kibutsuji while standing upside down.

Not daring to be overconfident, Kibuyaku Muzan directly entered his Demon King form. His jet-black hair turned deathly white, his limbs and lower body were covered in blood and hair, and huge mouths with sharp teeth grew out of his body.

Nine whips extended from behind Kibuyaku Muzan and attacked Tsugikuni Iwakatsu, who was in mid-air, with astonishing speed.

Faced with Muzan Kibutsuji's extremely fast whip, Kokushiro Kumaru could only use the "Sunset Turn" technique to cut the whip in half, thus ending his sword-fighting technique.

Although Kokushiro Tsugikuni is able to use the Breath of the Sun, he has never mastered it after hundreds of years. His proficiency, compatibility, and integration with it are all insufficient.

Moreover, the flames of Sun Breathing were also burning Tsugikuni Iwakatsu's body. Tsugikuni Iwakatsu could feel that he could only use Sun Breathing for a short time, so he had to inflict effective damage on Kibu Muzan in a short period of time.

Meanwhile, Doma, Hantengu, and Inatama Kaigaku also stood in front of Kibuy Muzan.

"Sun Breathing? Form of Five? Yang Hua Sudden!"

Ji Kuniyama raised his crimson sword horizontally, bypassed the three demons, and thrust it straight at Kibuyaku Muzan behind him.

"Blood Demon Art? Frozen Clouds!" Doma waved his fans, instantly scattering a large number of ice crystals that surged towards Tsugikuni Iwakatsu like clouds.

The strongest clone of the Half-Heaven Dog, Zangpo Ten, also appeared.

"Blood Demon Art? Endless Tree Karma!"

Zangbo Tian struck the two drums on his back, summoning countless enormous wooden dragons to tumble and surge towards Jiguo Yansheng with an overwhelming force.

"Breathing of Thunder? Fifth Form: Heat Realm Thunder!"

Inatama Kaigaku unleashed a lightning bolt carrying intense heat, striking Tsugikuni Iwakatsu. Because he had become a demon, the originally golden lightning had turned into a strange black lightning bolt.

"Breath of the Moon? Fifth Form? Lunar Calamity Vortex!"

Kurekawa Katsumi's defensive technique, which requires no sword drawing, generates a massive vortex of blade wind and countless crescent blades around his body.

As both are starting breathing techniques, Moon Breathing and Moon Breathing are perfectly integrated at this moment, without the side effects that Tanjiro experienced from forcibly switching breathing techniques.

The crescent blade, which was originally as bright as moonlight, now resembled the sun, deflecting all attacks and thrusting straight towards Muzan.

The eight whips on Kibuyaku Muzan's legs were far faster than the nine whips on his upper body and the spiked whips on his arms. They shot toward Tsugikuni Iwakatsu at such a speed that they even created a sonic boom.

"Breath of the Sun? Eleventh Form? Phantom Rainbow!"

Following Guoyan Shengli's use of high-speed twisting and spinning to specialize in dodging the Ghost Dance Y Muzan's whip.

In Kibuy Muzan's field of vision, only the afterimage of Tsugikuni Iwakatsu could be caught.

"Sun Breathing? Eighth Form? Flying Wheel Blaze!"

Upon approaching Kibu Muzan, Tsugikuni Iwakatsu made the tip of his blade sway like glare, creating the illusion that the blade was shortening, and then stabbed towards Kibu Muzan's brain inside his chest.

Kibuy Muzan also noticed that Tsugikuni Iwakatsu's katana had suddenly shortened. Suddenly, he felt a pain in his chest, and the shortened blade returned to its original shape. His brain, which was located in his chest, was destroyed.