Two days later, the atmosphere in the little village was somber and quiet. The village had suffered not just one, but two losses.

Two days ago, Ginryu had informed the villagers about his grandmother's passing, and now the village chief had also passed away. 

This was an unexpected blow, as the village had not experienced any loss of people during winter for years.

As the winter season brought harsh conditions, surviving was already a challenge. However, the village had managed to fare well so far. 

Many believed that the village chief's age had caught up with him, as he was around the same age as Chise. Nevertheless, his sudden death was a shock to everyone. 

Due to the biting cold, a quick burial was planned for both the village chief and Chise. No one wanted to endure the freezing temperatures for long, especially with the impending snowstorm indicated by the cloud-covered sky.

Ginryu was approached by Hana's mother, concerned about his next steps. "Gin, what will you do now?" she asked. 

Ginryu, unsure of his future plans, replied honestly, "I don't know yet." Hana's mother offered her support, "You can ask us for help anytime." 

Hana, bidding farewell to Ginryu, added, "Bye Gin." Ginryu felt a sense of gratitude towards Hana's family for their unusual kindness, but his past experiences made him slightly wary. 

He couldn't help but wonder if their kindness was driven by ulterior motives or an attempt to repay a debt to his grandparents. 

Although his suspicions weren't entirely baseless, it was best for Ginryu not to know the truth.

While Ginryu was contemplating his next steps, he overheard a conversation about the need to choose a new village chief. It seemed to be one of the late village chief's sons.

Not wanting to witness the family's dispute over such a seemingly trivial position, Ginryu decided to leave and head back home. 

The approaching snowstorm meant he needed to ensure his house was warm and prepared for the harsh weather.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

In the late evening, as the snowstorm continued to go on, the villagers remained indoors, seeming apprehensive of venturing outside. 

The sky, shrouded in darkness, added to the prevailing sense of foreboding that gripped the community. 

Little did they know, a stranger was steadily making their way towards them, but this was not just any ordinary stranger - it was none other than the progenitor of demons himself, Kibutsuji Muzan.

Muzan, although a relatively new demon, having only been one for a little over twenty years, had caught wind of a rumour regarding a coveted item that he desired. 

It was said that this valuable item was being carried by a merchant that passed through the village. 

However, unbeknownst to Muzan, the merchant had long departed from the village and sold the item, the rare blue spider Lily, to Ginryu.

Meanwhile, Ginryu found himself alone in his quiet home, with only the crackling fire and howling winds for company. 

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream pierced through the silence, sending shivers down Ginryu's spine. 

The terrified scream resembled that of a dying person, filling Ginryu's heart with fear and trepidation. 

Without a moment's hesitation, he rushed outside, instinctively drawn to uncover the source of the chilling scream.

As he stepped outside, his worst nightmare was realized. Before him, a gruesome scene unfolded, all he could see were blurry figures moving through the snow and moved from house to house. 

The screams of the house residents could be heard after the blurry figures entered.

Panic spread among the nearby residents, who attempted to flee, only to find their movements hindered by the thick blankets of snow covering the ground and the raging snow storm. 

Many sought refuge wherever they could, desperately hoping to escape the unfolding crisis.

From his vantage point, Ginryu couldn't catch a glimpse of the creatures faces, but that was inconsequential. His primary focus was on survival. 

‘Demon' was the first thought that crossed his mind. There was no other existence that he knew  could currently pull off something like this. 

In a state of urgency, he swiftly returned inside, determined to dispose of the flower he had been keeping. 

Although he remained uncertain about how to use the flower or if it was even the real blue spider Lily, he was unwilling to take any chances.

"Damn it !" Ginryu cursed aloud, his voice filled with the weight of the situation. The gravity of the moment overwhelmed him as he realized the dire consequences, if the demons came to possess the flower.

In a bewildering turn of events, his trembling hand reached for the blue spider Lily, uncertain of his next move.

His mind raced with fear and uncertainty, contemplating various options at lightning speed. 

Should he run with the flower, consuming it himself and hope for the best? Or perhaps hide it in a secret compartment, praying that the demon wouldn't discover it? With each passing second, the pressure mounted, forcing Ginryu to make a life-altering decision.

Ultimately, Ginryu resolved to consume the flower, crushing it between his fingers and ingesting it hastily. 

Oblivious to the poisonous nature of the flower, Ginryu consumed it. The bittersweet flavour tantalized his taste buds, but there was no time for him to dwell on the taste as the effects of the blue spider lily began to take hold. 

Nausea washed over him, accompanied by a burning sensation in his belly. Ginryu's body was undergoing changes, but the imminent danger that loomed didn't allow him to bother with the symptoms he was experiencing. 

He had taken a gamble, hoping that his immune system would hold on until he found a place to hide or escape.

Without delay, Ginryu gathered his secret savings and essential supplies, hastily packing them into a bag made of hide that he had sewn together. 

Little did he know, that the demon boss Muzan was there and he didn't come alone. As soon as he arrived at the village, he ordered his demon minions to surround the village and gather every villager at the center. Anyone who resisted was to be killed.

Feeling a sense of urgency, Ginryu hastily left his house and started fleeing towards the mountains. 

Hindered by the snow, he pushed himself to move as quickly as he could. It was a 50-50 gamble going to the mountains, considering that the nearest city was a 3-4 day horse ride away, while the nearest village was only half a day away on horseback. 

It was already early at night, so outrunning a demon with those distances was out of the question. He was also aware that fighting a demon was futile, even with his power. 

Demons possessed incredible regenerative abilities and could only be killed with a Nichirin blade or exposure to direct sunlight—neither of which he possessed.

With all of this in mind, Ginryu decided to hide in the mountains until morning. He didn't have the luxury of going to help any of the other villagers, not even Hana, his childhood friend. 

If the demons got hold of him, Muzan would be almost unstoppable, and it might be the end for them all.

Yet, fate seemed indifferent to his efforts. Before he could make it to the exit of the village, a searing pain erupted from his chest. 

Gasping for breath, Ginryu realized he had been pierced from behind. Looking down, he saw a sharp object made of ice protruding from his chest. The cold sensation of the ice sent shivers down his spine.

"And where do you think you're going?" a cold voice tainted with malice whispered from behind. The crunching sound of footsteps grew louder as his attacker approached. 

Trying to muster his strength to get up and continue running, Ginryu found himself unable to move. 

He thought it might be because of the ice, so he pulled it out, hoping his regeneration would kick in. 

The pain matched the same level as being shot, a sensation he was all too familiar with from his past life. He endured it, determined to survive.

However, after pulling out the ice spike, the pain persisted, and his body felt even weaker than before. 

Confusion and fear clouded his mind as the demon closed in. He needed to run, but his body refused to respond as he wanted. 

‘Is this the end? Am I going to die once again?’ Ginryu questioned, his heart pounding in his chest. 

He had only lived his new life for a bit over ten years, and now he found himself at the doorstep of death once more.

“Tsk, stupid kid making Muzan sama wait for so long,” the demon muttered, his voice laced with irritation, as he finally reached Ginryu. 

Upon hearing those words, Ginryu's mind went numb. He couldn't comprehend what he was hearing. 

The progenitor of demons was here in his village, and he hadn't come alone - he brought his minions with him.

Realization struck Ginryu like a bolt of lightning. There was no escape this time. He would die or be eaten alive, no matter what he did. 

The only solace he felt amidst the impending doom was that his regeneration had inexplicably stopped. He shuddered at the thought of being used as an infinite food source by the demons.

Suddenly, Ginryu felt a sharp tug on his head. The demon had grabbed a handful of his hair and started dragging him across the snow-covered dirt. 

The pain on his scalp was intense, and struggling only seemed to intensify it, so he decided to leave it be and endure.

After what felt like an eternity, Ginryu and the demon arrived at the center of the village, where a gruesome scene awaited him. 

Various body parts and viscera were scattered around, painting a horrific picture of the demons' merciless rampage. 

Ginryu could see some of the demons gnawing on the remnants of flesh clinging to the bones of their victims. 

The nauseating smell of blood hung heavy in the air, threatening to make Ginryu empty the contents of his belly.

The surviving villagers were being herded towards the center, where Muzan questioned each person brought before him one by one. 

Depending on his whims, he either turned them into demons or fed them to his minions. It was a sickening spectacle of power and sadism.

Thud!! 

The demon dragging Ginryu threw him among the others who were still alive. Amidst the chaos and horror, Hana's voice called out to him, a desperate whisper filled with tears. 

Ginryu looked around and could tell that more than half of the villagers had either been slaughtered or turned into demons.

They had taken Hana's mother, and the fear in Hana's voice revealed the dire situation they were in. 

Ginryu didn't know how to respond or what to say. There was nothing they could do except wait and accept their cruel fate.

Just as hope seemed to fade away completely, a demon suddenly approached them, asking, "Which one of you is Ginryu?" Fear gripped Ginryu's heart, and his mind raced to find an answer. How did they know his name? Then it hit him - they had taken Hana's mother, who had once seen the flower in his house. Panic clouded his thoughts, leaving him speechless.

The other villagers, driven by a desperate sense of self-preservation, pointed at Ginryu immediately, betraying him without hesitation. 

Betrayal stung within him, but he understood their actions. Survival instincts overpower empathy in times of cruelty and fear.

“You little brat, you should have answered,” the demon taunted, closing in on the still-stunned Ginryu.

"Gin, Gin," Hana called out, her voice filled with worry and concern for Ginryu. However, he couldn't help but feel a profound sense of betrayal. 

He understood why Hana's mother had exposed him, but he couldn't control the mix of emotions swirling inside him.

Crack!! Scream!!

And then, in an instant, Ginryu's world turned into a nightmare. The sound of his leg bone crunching filled the air, accompanied by his agonized scream.

"So, you can talk," the demon remarked callously, dragging Ginryu by his hair towards the center, where unspeakable horrors awaited.