8 Vol. III Demon Slayer: Floating Comment

What was once a somewhat cute face had now become grotesque, distorted by the swelling of her body. The almost tangible stench radiating from her made Haruto's brows furrow deeply.

This… this creature's strength had grown explosively!

Though she had been demoted to Lower Rank Six, the oppressive aura she emitted now far surpassed what it had been when she was Lower Rank Four.

"Oh my, you recognized me," Mukago chuckled, awkwardly propping up her bloated waist. "I thought with how much weight I've put on, it might take you a little longer to figure it out…"

"...You need to leave. No—find somewhere to hide, but not too far or too close," Haruto instructed sharply.

He wasn't paying attention to Mukago's words, his focus was on the nightmarish scene before him. Those twisted, half-human, half-insect abominations were mercilessly slaughtering villagers. Others had retreated into the shadows, their insectoid heads vanishing into the darkness. He had no idea where they were going.

Haruto glanced at Yae beside him, issuing his warning. He hadn't expected to face something this overwhelming.

It was clear the creatures were extensions of Mukago—perhaps a grotesque manifestation of her Blood Demon Art. But the real danger wasn't just here. These creatures might radiate outward from her, destroying nearby villages and leaving devastation in their wake.

If any of those insect-headed monsters reached another village, Haruto would need Sora's help to mobilize the Demon Slayer Corps to clear them out.

This had to end quickly. Mukago had to die.

Obeying his words, the girl fled into the forest with Jiro in her arms, avoiding the grotesque stench that filled the air.

Haruto drew his Nichirin Blade, the hilt spinning in his palm as it emitted a radiant bluish-purple glow.

"Still, I'm not surprised you recognized me," Mukago said with a maddening grin as she inched closer. "After all, the reason I look like this… is entirely your fault!

"If it weren't for our last battle… do you think I'd have become such a hideous wreck? Even though I've turned into a demon, I was still a girl who cared about appearances! Who could accept this kind of transformation?"

Why do demons always talk so much? Haruto thought, irritation flashing through his mind.

A demon could start a fight immediately, yet they always seemed compelled to ramble on forever.

A flash of light cut through the air as Haruto's blade cleaved one of the insect-headed creatures in two just as it was about to devour a villager.

These monsters were different from typical demons.

Instead of crumbling to ash when struck by the Nichirin Blade, they dissolved into pools of green sludge.

"Run!"

Haruto shoved aside a paralyzed villager, whose legs had given out in fear, and swiftly continued his rescue.

He moved like a whirlwind through the chaos, his blade rising and falling with deadly precision. Within moments, a large number of the abominations lay defeated at his feet.

"Ahahaha! Look at you running around like that!" Mukago's laughter echoed through the village. "Humans… always trying to do the impossible! Do you think you can kill all my 'bugs' so easily?"

She raised her arms, and from beneath the tattered hem of her black dress, an unholy swarm of grotesque black insects emerged, surging toward the remaining villagers. They burrowed into mouths and bodies, taking control.

In an instant, the affected villagers transformed. Their necks stretched unnaturally before snapping back, their heads morphing into monstrous insect shapes. Any trace of humanity vanished as they began attacking others with frenzied violence.

"Ahahaha! Without you, Pillar, I would never have realized my true potential!" Mukago cackled wildly. "Ever since I awakened this Blood Demon Art, I've devoured over thirty villages. That's how I got this strong… and this fat!"

Haruto froze mid-step, his icy gaze locking onto her.

There was no point in saving anyone now. If even one of the infected villagers survived, Mukago could turn them into monsters again.

Thirty villages… That's over a thousand people. No wonder she's this powerful now. She might be the strongest of the Lower Ranks.

If she wasn't stopped here and now, it wouldn't be long before she joined the Upper Ranks, a demon capable of mass infection and control.

She had to die.

Sora disappeared into the night sky as Haruto steeled his resolve. Without hesitation, he lunged toward Mukago, his blade aimed for her throat.

"Breath of the Stars: First Form—First Light!"

The white-haired swordsman's figure blurred before her eyes.

This feeling—this terrifying familiarity!

For years, the memory of this swordsman had haunted her, burned into her very being.

If not for him, she wouldn't have been so gravely injured.
If not for him, she wouldn't have suffered the humiliation of being demoted by Muzan himself to Lower Rank Six.

Every day since, she had lived in fear, terrified that her failure would anger Muzan further and he'd crush her head with his mere will.

But then, a year ago, she awakened her Blood Demon Art: Parasite of the Demon Bug. Driven by this newfound power, she had consumed humans relentlessly. Though her body became misshapen and her sanity wavered, her strength soared.

She no longer cared about appearances or madness. If it made her stronger, she would endure anything.

And now, her moment for vengeance had arrived.

"Blood Demon Art: Rotten Shield!"

A crimson shield materialized, spinning in front of her. Haruto quickly adjusted, retracting his blade and pushing off the shield with his foot, flipping gracefully to land behind her.

Mukago, now heavy and sluggish, lacked her former agility. Her rolls of fat blurred the line between her neck and torso.

Suddenly, her head twisted 180 degrees, and her arms snapped backward with a sickening crack. She spread her hands wide.

Thick, gnarled roots erupted from beneath her dress, shooting toward Haruto with terrifying speed.

With a snort of disdain, Haruto's blade moved like a storm, slicing the roots into pieces.

"Looks like you haven't improved much beyond controlling bugs."

A flash of steel, and her left arm was severed, flying through the air.

Mukago froze in shock before letting out a furious shriek.

"Haven't improved? After all I've eaten?! You dare say that to me?!"

The ground trembled as a massive flower burst forth, spinning violently. Razor-sharp petals tore through everything in their path—houses, carts, corpses, even the insect monsters—shredding them all into confetti.

The chaos subsided. Mukago scanned the devastation.

Where was the swordsman? Had he been reduced to dust in the onslaught?

She turned, her bloated body straining under its own weight. All she saw was…

Stars.

The night sky shimmered with countless stars, dazzling and beautiful, as though they were within reach.

One of them flickered. A gust of wind brushed past her neck.

"Breath of the Stars: Seventh Form…"

The swordsman's voice was gentle, almost kind, as it reached her ears.

"Gamma Ray."

Mukago staggered back, her eyes wide with disbelief. A moment later, her body collapsed into a grotesque heap of flesh.