𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 ー muzan kibutsuji
𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 ー kokushibo
THE sound of something slamming down on a table woke (Y/N) who immediately sat up, finding Kokushibo gone and the sun up. Hastily standing and moving her way to the main room that held one of the two wooden tables which was raised higher than the other, she found herself surprised when spotting Muzan standing with his back facing her, the book he had found open on the surface.
"Why...?" Muzan practically growled out, his shoulders trembling with rage. "Why, after all this time... can I still not find it?"
"Muzan...?" (Y/N) stayed within the entryway.
"Why is it that I'm so fucking close... and I still can't find it!?" He shouted, turning around and throwing the book in her direction, watching—seething—as it smashed against the wall beside her head, the spine cracking and making the pages flutter in a hurricane to the floor. "I've went from front to back scouring these pages... and there's nothing about where the Blue-Spider Lily is."
(Y/N) lowered her head.
There was nothing she could say to that.
Walking forward briskly, taking her face in his hands, Muzan glared down at her.
She swallowed thickly.
"The Blue-Spider Lily is somewhere on this mountain... isn't it?" Muzan muttered lowly, his expression calm yet the veins scrawling across his face and the way his red eyes flashed giving away his rage. "Where is it?"
"I would have no way of knowing that," (Y/N) replied back softly.
"You..." he gripped her jaw, forcing her eyes up to meet his, searching her gaze before something glimmering in her hair drew his stare to the ruby earrings that she still wore. "Hm..." His anger seemed to relax ever so slightly when seeing her still donning the gift that he had given her, removing his hands from her throat before then saying, "You're right. You would have no way of knowing. It's so very... disappointing."
"I apologize for that," (Y/N) let her lips thin into a small line. "Considering you've been so gracious as not to kill me, I wish there was something that I could do for you. But..."
She didn't finish.
She didn't have to.
"No," Muzan shook his head, his features once more smoothening out so that his emotions couldn't be seen. "There is something that you can do for me. I spoke to you about the family that used to live here... the coal-sellers. The boy that survived is now a Demon Slayer. He wears Hanafuda earrings. I want you to infiltrate the Corps and find him. He once lived here, so that means he must know something pertaining to the Blue-Spider Lily."
"What?" (Y/N) blinked, finding what he was speaking of almost insane. "You want me... to infiltrate the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Yes."
She searched his gaze.
He's serious.
I've always known that whatever he says would be true, and if not, forced into a reality because that is exactly the type of man Kibutsuji Muzan is.
He vies for perfection.
And he believes he is as close to perfection as any organism on this earth can be.
"Your rejection of my offer to become a demon must have been for this exact moment, no?" Muzan hummed in thought as he lifted his hand to curl a strand of her hair around his finger, the corners of his lips lifting into a rather pleased smile. "Your... purpose of life was to serve me for this exact problem, no? And if you do this for me..."
(Y/N) waited for him to finish.
He didn't.
For as she observed his expression, he almost seemed reluctant to speak.
So, she spoke for him.
"If I do this for you... you won't bother me again?" She questioned with a tilt of her head.
"Is that what you want?" His eyes narrowed.
"...I would not be able to prevent you from doing as you wish," she answered simply, watching as Muzan released the strand of her hair he had been holding whilst his smile seemed to grow. "As you've asked, I will find this Demon Slayer for you."
"That's what I like to hear," his voice lowered an octave as he stepped forward, towering over her now that he was so close. "Make yourself useful to me."
"Of course, Muzan."
Muzan continued to stare at her.
"How strange..." he muttered, cupping his chin, his eyes lidding. "To think that you've become almost the epitome of what I want..."
(Y/N) stayed silent.
He stared at her for a moment longer, his gaze dipping to her lips and lingering for longer than necessary before he raised his hand and snapped his fingers, the sound resounding throughout the space sharp and precisely. Not even a moment later, the twang of a familiar biwa could be heard, and instantly, both (Y/N) and Muzan were transported to the main tatami-matted platform of the Infinity Fortress, another demon on a different, raised platform the only other presence she could sense.
"Is that... Nakime?" (Y/N) gestured with her head to the demoness, her bangs like usual covering her face save for her red lips.
"Correct," Muzan nodded.
As he gave Nakime an order that (Y/N) tuned out, she instead focused on her surroundings, wooden staircases all around her leading to various different shoji screens and platforms—it all seemed endless, never once there being a disruption to the process of architecture.
Arms then twined around her.
Shocked, she spun around only to be met with the familiar eyes of Kokushibo.
"Upper One," Muzan scowled when noticing the intimate position Kokushibo and (Y/N) were currently in. "Know your place."
"Apologies, Lord Muzan," Kokushibo lowered his head and took a step back, yet remained ever close to (Y/N), as if afraid that her presence were merely an illusion, wanting nothing more than to continue staying by her side. "For what reason have you summoned us... with (Y/N) present?"
(Y/N) frowned.
'Us...?'
Slowly turning, she sucked in a deep breath when catching sight of the two other demons behind Kokushibo. The one on the right was a lean but muscular man as seen from his skintight red turtleneck and tan-colored hakama pants of a pinstriped design. He possessed platinum blonde hair that flared out at the sides of his face whilst the rest draped down his back in a thinning spiral, pale skin, and incredibly beautiful eyes made up of an array of rainbow colors that faded into one another as they circled his eyes.
And there, etched into said eyes, were the words for 'Upper Rank' and 'Two.'
The one on the left, meanwhile, was a bit shorter, but just as strong-looking considering his attire only consisted of loose white hakama pants and a pink, open vest that showcased his chest and biceps. Blue lines like that of criminal tattoos inked his skin, matching well with his cropped pink hair and yellow eyes surrounded by cracked blue sclera.
Etched into this demon's eyes were the words for 'Upper Rank' and 'Three.'
(Y/N) swallowed thickly.
She was in the presence of the four most powerful demons in the world who could easily tear her to shreds if they so wished, and one wrong move could ensure her downfall. Hiding her hands behind her back, trying to cease the trembling of her fingers, she let out a slow breath.
"I've summoned you here for one reason," Muzan began. "Teach her to use Breaths and how to fight. That is all."
つづく | to be continued