Hey! From now on I will be posting 4 chapters weekly (6000 words in total). 2 will be free available here, and 2 more can be accessed on my buy me a coffee or the patreon.

https://www.patreon.com/UnravelNNA!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/UnravelNNA

https://discord.gg/BYgE4yYxjZ

https://www.instagram.com/unravel_nna/?hl=en - Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6OzNI1JhpZmxNAM_cu4BBQ

One more free chapter coming in 12 hours.

............................................................................

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, his hate for Muzan Kibutsuji had reached a peak. He was ready to destroy himself, his wife, and the children who planned to stay with him. And so, he came up with a plan in hopes of attracting Muzan with himself as bait.

Once Muzan was close enough, he had planned to blow himself up, mixing small spikes to slow Muzan’s regeneration. But since he was gone, he had to decide on a new plan.

But as one of the people who knew of Ai’s condition, her nature, he knew she could heal much as Muzan could; he agreed when she asked to take his place, be the bait, and draw Muzan in.

The only difference was that it might have been Muzan in his natural body; the one talking to him was Ai’s clone. While Muzan was hit hard, Ai? Not so much.

Even though she didn’t feel the pain, tears couldn’t stop coming out of her eyes. She used her kimono’s long sleeves, wiping her tears, knowing what would happen next.

Her eyes watched through the tears as seeds of flesh turned into sharp spikes, entering Muzan’s body, stopping him in place, and then one woman came out of her concealment, stabbing her fist inside him, only to be absorbed by him.

“Tamayo!! What are you doing?!”

“This Blood Demon Art of Thorn Belongs to the person you turned in, Asakusa!”

“You absorbed my fist! But what do you suppose was in it!”

Muzan’s eyes enlarged, only to hear her continue, “It is a concoction for making Demons human again!! So? Is it taking effect?!”

“Surely you can’t do that?!”

“I completed it! Things have changed! But I couldn’t have it alone!”

“… Tamayo, you are a most persistent woman! But your resentment is grossly unjust!”

“Who killed your husband and children? Me? No! IT was you! You ate them!”

“If I had known I’d do that, I wouldn’t have become a demon! I only said I didn’t want to die from my illness!! I wanted to watch my children grow up!”

“And yet you went on to kill so many people, or did I imagine that! It even looked like you enjoyed it!”

“Yes! I killed many in my desperation to atone for my sins…I AM GOING TO DIE HERE…WITH YOU!!”

“Now!!! Ai!!!!”

“Wood Breathing: First Form! Rise, Raging Dragon!”

ROOOAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

A draconic roar shook the air, sky, and land and a wooden dragon came out of the earth, flying through the air, turning, floating in front of the moon.

Muzan Kibutsuji widened his eyes, seeing the girl standing on the dragon’s head, the moonlight pouring in, and her voice echoing in their ear, “Sleep well…Tamayo.”

Tamayo held onto Muzan and her eyes teared up as she whispered, knowing that girl would hear it, “Be well…my child.”

Ai tore through the air or rathe the dragon that was ten times bigger did, roar, and in one moment it destroyed Tamayo, Muzan, creating a blast that destroyed everything within hundreds of meters.  

It barely took a second, not even that, and Muzan restored, standing tall, “YOU THINK THIS IS ENOUGH!!”

Ai stood about tens of meters in front of him, injured, healing not because of her vampiric powers but her Wood Breathing. Her back was still towards him, and she replied, “I don’t need to.”

“MUZAN KIBUTSUJI!!!”

“Mist Breathing: Fourth Form!”

“Insect Breathing: Butterfly Dance!”

“Serpent Breathing: First Form!”

“Love Breathing: Fifth Form!”

“Water Breathing: Third Form!”

“Wind Breathing: Seventh Form!”

“Grand Flame Breathing: First Form!”

Muzan lips curved into a baleful smile, doors appeared below their feet, open doors, and started falling, “YOU THINK YOU RATS HAVE CORNERED ME?! I AM GOING TO TAKE MY TIME AND KILL YOU ALL!”

“YOU ARE THE ONE WHO IS GOING TO DIE! MUZAN KIBUTSUJI!”

“TRY IT IF YOU CAN, TANJIRO KAMADO!”

Ai narrowed her eyes, falling, ‘Fourth Form: Wood Clones.’

Tree roots came out, going to each door, and with every root, a clone of Ai dropped down before the doors closed, with one dropping in the door that Muzan was falling in.

“Wood Breathing: Sixth Form: Laughing Buddha!!”

Numerous hands came out of the walls, windows, and doors, trapping Muzan Kibutsuji and slowing down his regeneration.

“AIIII SENNNJUUU!!!!!”

Muzan’s fingers elongated and pierced into Ai’s clone's body like sharp spikes.

“You will die…Muzan. Till we meet again.”

“AAAAIIIII SEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNJUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Muzan screamed, trapped, seeing Ai’s body turned into a wood log, blasting out numerous spikes shooting out, with more than a few in his body.

Infinity Castle, Location 1,

“Tanjiro! Ai!”

Ai threw the broadsword down, causing the speed of her fall to reduce, landing on top of the hilt. She looked up, jumping up, taking Tanjiro by his clothes, helping him a hand while Giyu didn’t need any help.

“Careful!”

She bent down, and Tanjiro and Giyu worked in unison, killing the Demons entering from the door.

Location 2,

“Stay away from Kanroji! You scum!!”

“Kyaaa!!”

Ai scratched her cheek, seeing Serpent Hashira and Love Hashira, “I feel out of place here.”

Location 3,

“It appears they have been imbued with the strength of Lower Kizuki!”

Ai ran with Mist Hashira and Stone Hashira, killing the Demons.

Location 4,

“I smell blood…you?”

Ai peeked through the door, standing opposite Shinobu, only to find several dead bodies of girls lying inside.

“Oh! A girl! No, two! You look young and tasty! I’ll have to thank Namike later!”

“Ai!”

“Yes!”

Ai blitzed forward, swinging her broadsword, “Wood Breathing! Great Tree Spear!”

A tree rose from under the Demon with golden hair, and Second Rank written in his eyes, while Shinobu saved the Demon. But the tree was cut apart, making Ai look up at a pair of fans.

“I am the founder of the Eternal Paradise Faith. My role is to be happy with all the faithful. I will devour her thoroughly and let nothing go to waste.”

“Is he it?” Ai whispered under her breath, taking a quick look at her eyes, cold, unsympathetic eyes. She had never seen Shinobu like this, but she understood that this was the Demon that killed Shinobu’s sister.

“Everyone’s happiness? Ridiculous. She doesn’t like it one bit.”

The Upper-Rank Two Demon looks toward the woman, “So I will help her, right. She will no longer be in pain or suffering. Nor will she be afraid. Everyone fears death; that’s why I eat them; they live on with me, forever.”

“You are insane. Is your head all right? You make me sick.”

“Huuuh? We have never even met, but you are prickly. Oh…I get it. Poor you. Something awful must have happened to you. But I’ll listen to you. You can tell me.”

“What do you mean painful?! Do you remember seeing this haori coat?! You killed my sister!”

“Hm? Oh, that girl who was using flower breathing? She was kind and cute. I couldn’t finish eating her because the sun had come up. I remember. I did want to finish her.”

“You bastard!!” Ai sprung forth with an angry Shinobu beside her. She cut her sword sideways while Shinobu thrust forward, piercing the Demon’s eyes and backing away.

“An amazing thrust! And great block!”

The Demon looked towards Ai and started his blood Demon Art, and cold Icy Fog spread out from him.

Ai breathed in, feeling the coldness in her throat and lungs, but she still could breathe, even if every one of her breaths were filled with pain. She turned the broadsword to the side, slamming it into the Upper-Rank Two. Her eyes were fixed on him, knowing there would be one moment of weakness, and he coughed out blood, arching his body in the air in pain.

Ai slammed her leg on the ground, appearing beside him, slashing forward to cut his neck, “Goodbye!”

Doma, the Demon’s eyes widened, and he used his safeguard; ice appeared around them, placing Ai in a dilemma. In a split second, Ai was left to choose between trying to kill him, and there was a high chance to kill him, but that also meant her clone would die. And if he managed to dodge, survive, or anything else, she wouldn’t be here, and Shinobu might likely die. No, she was sure that Shinobu would die.

‘Damn it,’ Ai backed away, dodging the Ice, landing beside Shinobu. She was expecting Shinobu to scold her, but she only said one thing, “If Kanao was in the same circumstances. Then she would have taken the chance, however minuscule it might be.”

“Sorry…I’d still choose you over Muzan, let alone any other Demon…I don’t want to lose anyone else,” Ai stood in front of Shinobu, raising the broadsword and pointing at Doma.

“I am going to die anyway.”

“I’ll find a way! I won’t let you die! So could you please try to live?!”

“Gah!!”

Doma coughed out blood, and Ai used the chance to use the first form, “Rise! Raging Dragon!”

The rubbing of the blade against the air, shredding it, caused a sound like a dragon’s roar to resound in the hall, and a wood dragon followed, moving towards Doma to destroy him.

Before they could make contact, Ice Lotuses started forming, and their vines shot forth, but rather than going towards Ai, they caught Duma, saving him from the hit.

The Wood dragon broke the walls of the room, and the consecutive walls of many other rooms, tearing them apart and creating a long straight tunnel.

“A Poison! Much stronger than I had any! Ahhh!!!! The Compound changes with each Demon! But I broke it down!!”

“As expected of the Upper-Rank Two,” Shinobu appeared behind him while Ai did in front. Since the Demon, Ai was a more significant threat; after all, she could cut his head off; he was more focused on her and had to defend against her attack, giving Shinobu the chance to put a few more poisons and holes in his body.

“Well, a few more poisons! Isn’t this fun!”

Ai separated her broadsword into two swords, “Right?!”

She swiveled around, putting deep gashes on his body, causing the blood to spurt and cover her before she and Shinobu safely backed away.

“Heh, heh, tremendous, magnificent, glorious!! You did quite some damage to me, but I heal fast! Not only that, I can—”

He coughed out blood, “Gah!! … I can counter it, and I don’t have to worry about her! She can’t cut my head, but you can!”

Ai curled her lips into a smug smile, “You underestimate her, and that’s the reason behind your death.”

“Hm,” Doma tilted his head, seemingly curious, when two roars came from behind him, “I!!! Inosuke is here!!!”

The tunnel that Ai created when she let lose her Wood Dragon was now being used. The wood dragon was coming back, and this time, two Demon Slayers were on top of him. The boy with the boar head…worn over his beautiful face jumped in the air, shouting. 

“Ha!! Nice plan!! Scattering Lotus!”

“Crystalline Divine Child!”

He swung his fans, creating a gust of wind with icicles hiding in them, and the fog covering their eyes and using the other ability to create his Ice Clones.

He or one of his clones stopped Inosuke’s twin swords, “Good!! Good?”

And the next moment, his head was cut apart, making him look at the person who did it, the girl with pink and green ornament, and his body turned into ice, falling apart.

“This one isn’t original too?!” Shinobu watched another one turning into ice, falling with the ice turning black.

When they were busy looking, a voice pulled their eyes and thoughts.

“Curse Breathing: First Form: Eight Folds Bindings!”

With the pillar of dark mist that turned into chains, embedding themselves in the walls, pillars, and grounds, the fog cleared, and Ai stood at the center, with her broadsword lodged into Doma’s chest and his hands, feet being stopped by the chains, “Shinobu! Kanao! Inosuke!”

“Yeaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!! Dieeeeeeeeeeee!!!”

“DIE!!”

“Die.”

The three swords pierced Doma’s neck and separated his head from his torso, watching it fly up. A turquoise thread came out of Kanao, Inosuke, and Shinobu, while both turquoise and scarlet threads came out of Ai, all converging on Doma’s forehead.

The world around them turned black and white, before all and every possible color, ones that could be seen from human eyes and others that couldn’t be seen but were there.

Ai fell into a light and reappeared in a hall in front of Doma, though he was a child now. She could hear his thoughts, his voice, [From a young age, I was kind and clever.]

[I always helped people in need and made them happy. Because that was my mission.]

“There are rainbows in this child’s eyes.”

“Pale gray hair on his head is the proof of innocence. This child is special.”

“He probably hears the voices of gods.”

[My parents were so dim-witted. They even created the ridiculous paradise faith religion.]

[I felt sorry for them, so I always played along. But I never once heard the Gods’ voices.]

[Rather…it’s the end, so there is no point in lying…is there?]

[From the beginning, I never felt anything, but because I was smart…I made things up. I thought these made-up connections would make me feel something. I figured becoming a Demon might, but none of it made me feel anything.]

[Even now that I am dying…I don’t feel anything. I don’t even feel the curiosity about what circumstances we are in. I have been that way as a kid.]

Ai watched everything around, and a room where a man was being stabbed to death by a woman appeared in front of her.

[My father was a lecher who dallied with female cult followers, one after the other…and my mother stabbed him to death. And even when she went crazy and killed herself with poison…I just hoped she wouldn’t mess up the room. I still wasn’t a demon back then…so the smell of blood was awful to me…I wanted to air out that room immediately.]

[I could only think of things like that. Not for a moment did I feel sad or lonely. At age 20, I became a Demon…, and I’ve lived over a hundred years. But in the end…human emotions are nothing to me. Like mere dreams.]

“I…I am sorry….”

“Sorry? Why would you say that?”

“I don’t remember the quote exactly…but it went something like this. Our emotions, feelings, scars, and flaws make us humans.”

“But we are here…at the crossroads, of heaven and hell…do you understand what that means? Even for humans, it’s hard to deal with their emotions, be it good or bad, and it’s precisely because we can feel other’s pain…because we fear…because we feel sorrow…love…care…kindness…courage…and so much more of these emotions that we get to decide if we want to live a life doing good or evil. In turn…how we choose is how it is decided if we go to heaven or hell.”

She looked at the young man with rainbow eyes, “But you…who never felt anything. Never really stood a chance of going to heaven…at least, I don’t think you did. That seems…unfair and cruel.”

“Hahaha…then you don’t have to worry about it. Since I don’t feel anything…I will still feel nothing in hell. So that sounds fair, right?”

“Heh…probably….”

“You think I’ll be bored in hell?”

“Well…Rui, Daki, and Gyutaro will be there, and I am sure to send everyone else in the Twelve Kizuki and Muzan there. So…I hope you guys meet in hell.”

“Hehehehahahahaha, that doesn’t sound kind now. So unlike you.”

Ai scratched her cheek, “I was trying to be…I hope you have some company in hell…though a part of me does want you to suffer for all the innocent people you killed. It’s all so confusing….”

“I should be envious of that confusion….”

Infinity Castle,

Ai gently opened her eyes in all locations at once, but there was once when she looked at Shinobu, Inosuke, and Kanao, lying on the floor, asleep.

(System, what was that? It was different from usual.)

[The Evolution of your Physiology has caused an Evolution in your Ability.]

[A Glimpse of The Past -> Meeting at The Crossroads.]