Rewind | KNY |

Upper Moon Gathering

The strumming of biwa strings could be heard as a demon off to the side was seen.

Akaza had looked over and noticed the demon that had been strumming the strings that teleported him here.

"Hyo! Well, well. Akaza-sama! Dear me, you seem to be looking swell. How've you been after ninety years?" Upper Moon Five: Gyokko had asked, appearing out of a clay pot. "The mere possibility of you dying made my heart leap with jo– cough, cough! Made my heart cringe with pain. Hyo hyo!"

"This is quite terrifying. Gyokko has forgotten to count during our long absence. We haven't been called here for a hundred and thirteen years," Upper Moon Four: Hantengu had corrected. "An indivisible number... An unlucky number... An odd number!! Terrifying indeed..."

"Biwa woman. Has Muzan-sama arrived yet?" Akaza asked as he looked over at the demon who summoned him.

"He has not arrived yet," the biwa demoness answered after strumming a few strings.

"Then where's Upper Moon One? There's no way he'd get killed," Akaza asked once more.

"Hold up, hold up! Hold on a minute, Akaza-dono! Aren't you gonna show some concern for me?" A male voice asked which annoyed Akaza since he knew who it was.

An arm loomed over his right shoulder as the voice's owner approached him.

"I was super worried about you guys! You're my precious buddies. I don't want aaaanyone here to wane out now," the demon says.

"Hyo! Douma-dono..." Gyokko greets.

"Hey hey long time no see, Gyokko. Is that a new pot? It's pretty. The pot you gave me is in my room. I planted a girl's severed head in it for decoration," Upper Moon Two: Douma says.

"You can't grow severed heads... But I like the idea," Gyokko replied.

"I know. You should come and visit next time!" Douma exclaimed.

"Move it," Akaza ordered.

"Hm?" Douma hummed out in confusion.

"Move your arm," Akaza repeated before hitting Douma in the face which caused blood to go flying.

"Eeeep!" Hantengu squeaked out.

"Whoaa. Hmmm, nice punch there! Did you get a little stronger since we last met, Akaza-dono?" Douma asks in a mocking tone.

Akaza glared at the demon beside him, veins pulsating in anger on his face.

"Upper Moon One was the first to arrive. He has been here this whole time," the biwa woman finally answers.

Akaza's eyes widened as he quickly looked in the direction of where Upper Moon One was.

"I... Am here... Muzan-sama... Has arrived..." Upper Moon One: Kokushibo spoke up.

Akaza felt even more surprised when he felt a presence appear above him and the others.

Everyone except for Kokushibo and Hantengu looked upward.

"Eeeeeep!" Hantengu squeaked out as he immediately bowed to Muzan.

"Gyuutaro is dead. The Upper Moons have waned," Muzan says cooly.

"Oh, is that so!" Douma exclaimed with an amused smile on his lips. "Well, I'm very sorry about that! I was the one who introduced Gyuutaro here after all... How can I apologize to you? Will you gouge my eyeball out? Or will you..." He was then cut off before he could finish his sentence.

"I don't need your eyeballs. I figured Gyuutaro would lose. As I expected. Daki was holding him back. Gyuutaro would've won if he had been the one fighting to begin with. He could've just poisoned them in the beginning so they couldn't keep fighting... Well. It doesn't matter anymore. Worthless. He had too much humanity in him. So he lost. But that's fine too. I'm not expecting anything from you guys," Muzan states.

"Oh, you're talking about the sad things again. Has there ever been a time when I failed to live up to your expectations?" Douma asked.

"The Ubuyashiki Family has yet to be entombed. And what about the "blue spider lily"? Why can't we find it after hundreds of years? I... Don't really know why you guys exist anymore," Muzan scowled.

"Eeep! Please forgive us! Please! Please!" Hantengu pleaded loudly.

Akaza stayed quiet as he fell to one knee, bowing his head.

"I... Have nothing... To say... Ubuyashiki... Cleverly... Hid... Himself..." Kokushibo says.

"And I'm not very good at detective work myself. What can I say..." Douma sulked.

"Muzan-sama!! I'm not like them! I have some information that can get you one step closer to achieving your dreams. Just a moment ago..." The eye in Gyokko's mouth widened when he saw that his head was in Muzan's hand.

"The one thing I hate is "change". Changed in circumstances. Changes in emotion. In most cases, every change is "degradation". It is declined. The one thing I like is "permanence"," Muzan states.

Gyokko's head trembled. 'Muzan-sama's hand is on my head! Yes... So good...' He thought.

"If something doesn't change for eternity. It's in a perfect state. I am at the height of my displeasure because it's been one hundred and thirteen years since an Upper Moon was killed. Don't get all excited and give me information if you haven't even confirmed it yet," Muzan finished as he released the hold he had on Gyokko's head that went plummeting down.

The demoness released a single strum.

"From now on, you guys should serve me with more suicidal devotion. I seem to have spoiled you guys too much because of the mere fact you're all Upper Moons. Gyokko. If you can confirm your information, head over there with Hantengu."

The sound of sliding doors slamming shut was heard as Muzan disappeared.

"Eeeeeep! Understood, sir...!!" Hantengu exclaimed.

'You're kidding...!! I got information... And he blew me off... But that's his good point...' Gyokko thought.

"Gyokko-dono!" Douma exclaimed which surprised Gyokko. "What kinda info do you have, man? I'd like to go there too!"

"No... Well..." Gyokko nervously replied.

"Can you tell me?" Douma pressed on.

Akaza appeared behind Douma and sliced off half of the other demon's head.

"As you can see!"

Akaza gave Douma a murderous glare. "Did Muzan-sama give you orders? Get lost."