Horne sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, facing the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
Sitting close to each other, they observed one another, undeterred by the fact that one of them was nearly blind.
“Brother Horne, I certainly understand your position, so please state your terms; as long as it lies within my power, I will grant it.”
Kagaya lowered himself completely, treating the revered title of ‘Master of the Demon Slayer Corps’ as though it were worth nothing in this negotiation.
Horne took a leisurely sip of hot tea.
“That depends entirely on what Brother Kagaya is willing to sacrifice to bring down Muzan.”
“Then may I ask, Brother Horne, to what extent can you deliver?”
Kagaya inquired with genuine curiosity.
“I can ensure Muzan dies permanently, with the absolute minimum casualties.”
Horne stated it with absolute, matter-of-fact certainty.
And that was more than enough to solidify Kagaya’s resolve.
“To eradicate Muzan completely, I am willing to sacrifice everything I possess.”
Though his milky eyes were clouded with blindness, the iron will shining within them burned bright.
Beneath that gentle, serene demeanor lay an ancestral killing intent passed down through generations, aimed squarely at the Demon King.
“Heh~ Brother Kagaya truly is a man of conviction!
In that case, how could I, Horne, not step forward to wipe Muzan off the face of the earth?!
“Let’s begin—let us plot that Demon King into an inescapable grave!!”
Horne set down his teacup, pulled out paper and ink, and dropped a monumental piece of intelligence.
“Do you know what Muzan Kibutsuji craves above all else?
“Immortality.
Flawless immortality that allows him to walk freely under the blazing sun.
“Originally, he was meant to achieve that exact perfection—had he not murdered the benevolent physician who was treating him.
“Back then, the medicine that transformed him into a demon was incomplete, leaving him cursed with a craving for human flesh and a fatal weakness to daylight.
“For over a millennium, Muzan has obsessed over curing his vulnerability to the sun.
“Through endless centuries of searching, he finally uncovered the missing puzzle piece.
“The Blue Spider Lily.
With this flower, Muzan can complete the original formula and become an invincible god immune to daylight.
“He has spent centuries hunting for it, sending his demon hordes across Japan, yet they have never uncovered a single petal.
“The reason isn’t merely because the Blue Spider Lily is an extraordinarily rare flower with brutal growth conditions.
“It is because the Blue Spider Lily blooms exclusively during broad daylight, and its blooming window is exceptionally brief, lasting only a day or two.
“Only someone blessed by sheer serendipity could ever stumble upon it at the exact right place and the exact right time.
“In other words, Muzan and his nocturnal parasites will never, in this lifetime, lay eyes on the Blue Spider Lily.
“Brother Kagaya, don’t you find that deliciously ironic?”
Hearing this, Kagaya couldn’t help but burst into open laughter.
“Hahaha!
What bitter irony!
How utterly poetic!!”
As he laughed, a violent coughing fit wracked his frail chest, prompting Amane to gently pat his back to soothe his breath.
“…My apologies for the unsightly display.”
Catching his breath, Kagaya’s lips remained curved in a broad smile.
“Which means this Blue Spider Lily is the ultimate prize that cowardly monster would claw his own throat out to obtain.”
Horne reminded him pointedly; just because demons couldn’t locate it didn’t mean human slayers couldn’t.
If they secured it first, it would serve as the ultimate bait to lure Muzan into a killzone.
While Horne could theoretically use a demon who conquered the sun as bait…
He had no intention of revealing his own plan to adapt to sunlight; until he was truly immune to the sun, nobody was allowed to know that secret.
“Understood.
I will dispatch our forces to search for it immediately.”
Kagaya understood the strategic value of the Blue Spider Lily instantly.
He was equally terrified of the nightmare that would unfold if Muzan ever got his hands on it.
No matter what, the Demon Slayer Corps had to secure the flower first.
Horne then proceeded to lay out the tactical blueprint.
“To kill Muzan, certain prerequisites must be met.
“Our side must master Sun Breathing, Bright Red Nichirin Blades, the Demon Slayer Mark, and the Transparent World.
“Killing Muzan physically is not the difficult part; the real challenge is that the coward will detonate himself and flee the moment his life is in jeopardy.
“Therefore, we must sever his escape routes: eliminate Nakime, the demon who manipulates the Infinity Castle.
“And develop specialized biological toxins to prevent Muzan from detonating his body into thousands of fleeing fragments.
“As for his Twelve Kizuki, the Lower Moons are useless fodder not worth mentioning.
“Among the Upper Moons, aside from One, Two, and Three, any Hashira who masters the Crimson Blade, the Mark, and the Transparent World can handle them with ease.
“The real monsters to watch out for are Upper Moon One, Kokushibo—originally named Michikatsu Tsugikuni.
“He is the twin brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the progenitor of Breathing styles, and was once a respected swordsman of the Corps during the Sengoku era.
“Yet, terrified of mortality, he succumbed to Muzan’s temptation, turned into a demon, and has served as his executioner ever since.
“He possesses demonic physiology while retaining the elite swordsmanship of a Breathing master, wielding Moon Breathing, the deadly counterpart to Sun Breathing.
“Upper Moon Two is Doma, the depraved cult leader of the Eternal Paradise Faith; his cryokinetic Blood Demon Art paralyzes a swordsman’s lungs, demanding extreme caution.
“Upper Moon Three is Akaza, an unarmed martial artist of pure, unadulterated physical lethality; his Blood Demon Art senses combat spirit to anticipate every incoming blow.”
In one single briefing, Horne stripped away every secret and advantage Muzan’s forces possessed.
“That covers the critical threats on Muzan’s side.
Now, for our immediate action items:
“Send search parties to Mount Kumotori in Okutama to locate the Kamado family, who make a living burning charcoal.
“That humble lineage secretly preserves the pure heritage of Sun Breathing, disguised as a ritual dance called the Hinokami Kagura.
“The eldest son, Tanjiro Kamado, already knows the steps to this sacred dance.
“Find them, secure them, and place them under maximum protection; the resurrection of Sun Breathing rests entirely on their shoulders.
“Although I possess Ripple Breathing, which is vastly superior to Sun Breathing, Sun Breathing was forged by Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself.
“I intend to synthesize Ripple Breathing with Sun Breathing to forge the ultimate martial style.”
Recognizing the immense gravity of the intel, Kagaya immediately summoned messengers to track down the Kamado household.
“Next, summon the Stone Hashira, the Flame Hashira, and the Serpent Hashira to my quarters; I will personally instruct them on how to awaken the Transparent World and initiate them into Ripple Breathing.
“Given their monstrous talent, mastering the Transparent World with the right guidance will be trivial.
“Once they awaken, guiding the remaining Hashira will become vastly easier.
“Furthermore, Ripple Breathing is far more effective against demons than conventional Breathing styles.
“Practitioners of Ripple Breathing also enjoy century-long lifespans and eternal youth.”
Another set of emergency dispatches was issued; tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for the Corps’ logistics division.
“What about the Demon Slayer Mark?”
Kagaya couldn’t help but inquire, but Horne simply shook his head.
“The Mark is a double-edged sword that incinerates the user’s lifespan; those who awaken it rarely live past twenty-five.
“Until they achieve flawless mastery over Ripple Breathing to sustain their life force, I will not teach them how to unlock it.”
Hearing that, Kagaya felt a profound wave of relief wash over his heart.
(We placed our faith in the right man.)
“Additionally, I intend to master all five foundational Breathing styles—Water, Flame, Wind, Stone, and Thunder.
Arrange top instructors to tutor me.”
Cultivating the Ripple was mandatory, but mastering the five primary Breathing styles completed the martial puzzle.
Horne rattled off several more operational commands, finalizing the first phase of their grand strategy.
“Now, we simply let the pieces fall into place.
Hunting a paranoid rat like Muzan demands absolute patience, or he’ll scurry back into the shadows.”
Horne set down his pen and took another leisurely sip of tea.
“How much time do you estimate this will take?”
Kagaya asked.
“Hard to say; it depends on the variables.
If Muzan loses his mind and challenges me to an open duel right now, I’ll slaughter him today.
“If he decides to hide like a turtle under a rock for decades, even I have to wait him out.”
Kagaya fell silent for a moment before looking up.
“Brother Horne, I have a personal favor to ask.”
“Speak.”
“I wish to entrust Amane and our children into Brother Horne’s care.”
“Oh?
Are you sure you want to entrust your family to a stranger like me?”
“I am certain.
“Brother Horne, as you have surely noticed, my time in this world is running out.
“Though my eyes have lost their sight, my intuition remains razor-sharp; I can perceive no future for you, which is why I am betting everything on your existence.
“And I know in my heart that Brother Horne would never mistreat them.”
Kagaya was sharp enough to recognize the lustful hunger in Horne’s gaze toward Amane; for a dying man, officially placing Amane under Horne’s protection was merely offering a generous favor.
“Then put your mind at ease.
I will take very good care of them.”