Chapter 312: The Small Cheat Im Gave
Among the 'Upper Ranks', Muzan had the worst impression of Douma.
This was because his personality was very unsuited for a Demon, and he even started something called the Eternal Paradise Cult.
Back then, Muzan had warned Douma about this, telling him not to let the cult become too ostentatious.
This was also the main reason why the Eternal Paradise Cult's influence never spread beyond Joy Town, and its official followers numbered only around two hundred and fifty.
Now.
Douma was defeated and captured by the opponent just a few minutes before he arrived, which made Muzan's view of him even worse.
"If this bastard isn't dead later, I'll kill him myself. What's the point of keeping useless things?"
Although Muzan cursed him, his apprehension towards Captain Steve Gus did not decrease in the slightest. He knew very well the value of Douma as 'Upper Rank Two'.
Even the weakest 'Upper Rank Demon' required two Hashira from the Demon Slayer Corps to team up against, and even then, victory wasn't guaranteed.
And that Demon who wasn't afraid of Sunlight was able to defeat Douma within five minutes, indicating that the opponent's Strength might be comparable to 'Upper Rank One' Kokushibo.
This was very troublesome.
Kokushibo's Strength, if not for being controlled by his Blood, would require considerable effort even for Muzan himself to fight against.
Moreover.
Muzan Kibutsuji's extremely cautious personality made him seriously suspect that the 'Demon' who defeated Douma had not yet shown their full Strength.
If that were the case, then the opponent's true Strength might be comparable to his own.
"What exactly are they? Are they really Demons? Impossible, all Demons originate from my Blood, but I can't sense them..."
Muzan stood on the ruins covered in Ice and Corpses, looking up at the Bright Moon in the night sky, hesitating. At this moment, the appearances of Gus and Mekko seemed to float before his eyes.
"That's right!"
"The two of them don't look like Japanese people. Could they be something from Overseas? If they aren't Demons, but something else, would eating them still be useful?"
Carrying this doubt in his Heart, Muzan Kibutsuji returned to the magnificent and luxurious Infinity Castle by ordering Nakime.
"Gather all the 'Twelve Kizuki'!"
Regardless, he decided to capture Gus and Mekko first. Whether they were useful would be known once they were eaten. He might as well use these Subordinates to test them out.
Facing the possibility of solving his weakness to Sunlight, Muzan was happy to risk the direct Subordinates he had cultivated over the past few hundred years. As long as the goal was achieved, what did it matter if they were all sacrificed?
Nothing was more important than him becoming a perfect Creature!
At the same time.
At the foot of Mount Fuji, in the vast Aokigahara Forest, the depths of this place, known as the 'Suicide Forest' by many Japanese, were already showing signs of activity from many Humans and various artificial objects.
This was the Base built by the World Government from Another World, centered around the Star Gate.
To avoid attracting the attention of the Japanese Government, and also due to Orders from above, the Construction Department did not undertake large-scale construction here. They merely cleared some Trees within a fifty-meter radius, leaving enough space to move around, and then used this Timber combined with large Trees to form an outer wall.
As for living quarters, Wooden Houses and Tree Houses were built directly on the tree trunks, all for the sake of concealment.
In terms of security.
Surveillance Den Den Mushi were placed in hidden spots, while Army Soldiers holding Automatic Rifles guarded the open areas. From time to time, a few figures flashed past at high Speed.
However, with the Base not yet built into a Fortress, this was all they could do. The main facilities were a simple Biochemical Safety Station and a two-story small building not far away with its Rooftop covered in thick shrubs and vegetation.
This small building housed many Transponder Snails and Technicians. They were responsible for transmitting, receiving, and relaying Transponder Snail Signals, reporting the various forms of Intelligence sent by the Exploration personnel to the Command Center on the Sea Star Mainland, or relaying Orders from the Command Center to each Exploration Squad.
The Combat Screen Feed between Captain Guts and Douma, previously recorded by Mekko, had already been transmitted through here to a Projection Screen in the Otherworld Strategy Committee.
"Report, this is the Otherworld Combat Power Evaluation Agency's Evaluation Report on Douma!"
A young staff member in a Suit walked into the Committee Meeting Room and placed a Document containing three pages in front of Chairman Fernandez.
"Alright, you may leave."
"Yes!"
After the former quickly left, this Big Shot, who was also the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Executive Committee, expressionlessly flipped through the Document's Content. After reading it, he looked up at the four Vice Chairmen and asked, "Would you like to take a look?"
"I don't need to. The Live Broadcast Screen Feed earlier was very clear."
Kong Ming indifferently waved his Feather Fan. With his eyesight as a Marine Vice Admiral, he could tell Douma's level at a glance.
Simply put, he was a Paramecia System Ability User with extremely strong Self-Healing Ability. His Strength, Speed, and other combat aspects appeared to be below the level of a 10 million Berry bounty.
Considering everything, he was likely a character worth around thirty to forty million Berry.
His Self-Healing Ability and the Cold Air reported by Captain Guts were the main difficulties, requiring Armament Haki for Defense or holding one's Breathing to prevent invasion.
Despite this, he was only at the level of a Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel. With a Nichirin Blade, perhaps any Headquarters Lieutenant Commander could defeat him.
Of course.
Considering the frail Physiques of these Otherworlders, it was quite impressive that this Douma possessed such Strength, and he was worthy of praise.
However, Kong Ming not needing to see the Evaluation Report didn't mean the other three Vice Chairmen from the Administrative Department and the Ministry of Justice didn't need to.
Just as they were quickly flipping through the pages, Chairman Fernandez himself took out two folded Documents and handed them to Kong Ming, who was seated to his Right Hand side.
"Take a look at this."
Kong Ming took it, puzzled. The moment he unfolded it, a look of surprise immediately appeared on his face. He glanced at what was written on it.
Headline: Muzan Kibutsuji.
Life Story: Born in Japan's Heian Era, he was born as a stillborn infant. Later, a Doctor used a certain Prescription to extend his life and treat him, but due to the worsening of his condition during the process, he accidentally killed the Doctor, causing the treatment to be interrupted. He could only survive with a 'Demon' Body, becoming the progenitor of Demons.
Goal: Find the last main ingredient, the 'Blue Spider Lily', in the Prescription to eliminate his Fear of Sunlight or find other methods.
Personality: Cautious, even timid. If severely injured once, he might hide for over a hundred years.
Physique: Immortal and ageless. Compared to Otherworlders, he possesses a stronger and tougher Physique, has five Brains and seven Hearts distributed throughout his upper Body. He can freely change his appearance, gender, and Scent. He has the Ability to completely transform into anything visible to the naked eye and can distinguish genetic differences by consuming Blood and Meat.
Ability: By giving his Blood to Humans, he can turn them into Demons. While giving Blood, he also plants a Curse within the Demon's Body.
Through the Curse, Muzan can read the Thought of all Demons and know their Position. They can also transmit information to each other's minds. Demons who leak Intelligence related to Muzan will have their Cells destroyed by the Curse and die.
His regeneration Ability is unparalleled. He can instantly recover while being attacked. Even if his Body is cut into pieces, he can easily recover completely. Even if he self-divides, as long as a small piece of Meat remains, he can quickly regenerate and recover, and regeneration does not consume any Stamina.
Muzan can freely Control his Cells. In Combat, his Body can transform into strange and varied limbs at will.
For example, his arms can turn into thorny Whips, with a maximum length of ten meters. Nine long Whips can extend from his back, with a maximum length of four meters, and each Whip's Speed reaches the Speed of sound. If hit once, it can destroy the opponent's Cells completely.
The eight tube Whips that grow from his front are his killing move, with a maximum length of seven meters and Speed surpassing the Speed of sound.
Blood Demon Art:
Black Blood Thorns: Releases a large amount of Blood and Meat Thorns that cause instant death upon contact.
Muzan can release a wide-range Shockwave similar to Conqueror's Haki. While possessing extremely strong physical Destruction power, it also carries a fierce mental Impact, which can cause the entire Human Body's nervous system to become chaotic, leading to spasms, rendering people unable to move, unconscious, or even causing death.
Note, Muzan possesses a wide-range Perception Ability similar to Observation Haki, sensing Human Aura.
Weakness:
The only Weakness is Sunlight or any attack with the nature of Sunlight.
Muzan has long surpassed the Demon's Limit. The so-called Demon's Limit is when a Demon has an extremely strong obsession before death, they might break through the limit and achieve Head regeneration. Even if decapitated by a Nichirin Blade, they will not die.
Influence/Power:
Muzan has twelve of the strongest Demons under him, called the 'Twelve Kizuki', further divided into six 'Upper Ranks' and six 'Lower Ranks'.
Ranked one to six based on the Wa-language numbers in their Pupils, the 'Upper Ranks' are far stronger than the 'Lower Ranks'. Below is detailed Data/Files on the 'Twelve Kizuki' and 'Nakime'.
Upper Rank One · Kokushibo.
Upper Rank Two · Douma.
Other:
Muzan has an 'Infinity Castle'. Through the Blood Demon Art of a Demon named 'Nakime', he can return Inside the City at any Time and place through sliding doors that appear out of thin air. The 'Infinity Castle' Main Body's Position is unknown. It is suggested to use a certain Devil Fruit Ability to lock onto Muzan's Position or enter Inside the City with him at Superhuman Speed to pursue him.
Evaluation: Given the characteristic of being almost impossible to kill at night, the overall Combat Power is roughly equivalent to a Vice Admiral.
Mission:
Capture Alive only.
After reading, Marine Vice Admiral Kong Ming's mood was complex. He didn't even know what to say first; there were simply too many things he wanted to ask.
Especially, where did the Content on this come from?
Wasn't the Intelligence from the Exploration personnel sent here immediately?
This single piece of Paper practically revealed everything about Muzan Kibutsuji and the 'Twelve Kizuki', no, it even stripped off their underwear, leaving this progenitor of Demons with no mystery left before the World Government.
That's right.
This was a 'small cheat' that Im gave them.
There was nothing else to do; without this, the possibility of capturing Muzan Kibutsuji was too low. Not only that, but he also personally drew a small diagram.
That was the second piece of Paper in Kong Ming's hand.
The moment he unfolded it, he felt an incredibly high level of drawing skill wash over him. He usually enjoyed drawing ink paintings and such, so he did have some artistic attainment.
The Streets, buildings, and clock tower on this Paper, although drawn with only monochromatic pencils, had very clean lines, which was pleasing to the eye.
Yes.
Im had searched deep within his memory and redrawn the manga Content he had seen back then. However, the 'Infinity Castle' that surged from underground to the Surface was not on it, making the Street surface appear clearer and more distinct.
Below was a line of handwritten annotation, stating, 'Based on this diagram, search for similar Cities'!
Actually, Im didn't know if this would be useful. He was well aware that if it wasn't, it would likely just be a waste of Time and energy for the people below.
But so what?
As long as there was a sliver of possibility, from his perspective as the 'Big Boss' of the World Government, it was worth it. It wasn't like he wasn't giving them Salary and Benefits.
"This..."
"Don't ask, because This Old Man isn't clear either. You just need to know it came from above." Chairman Fernandez stopped Kong Ming from asking further questions.
Kong Ming could only nod, but how could a smart person like him not think more? He speculated in his Heart, perhaps it was some kind of Prophecy-type Devil Fruit Ability?
Although he had never heard of such a Devil Fruit.
But thinking of the World Government's eight hundred years of Foundation, he didn't find it strange anymore.
Next, after the other three Vice Chairmen finished reading the Evaluation Report on Douma and the Data/Files on Muzan Kibutsuji, the Meeting could finally continue.
"So, Captain Steve Gus is bringing back this 'Upper Rank Two' of the 'Twelve Kizuki', huh? Doesn't seem like much to me."
Vice Chairman Marlon Wilfred, who was in charge of Finance, said with a relaxed smile.
"Indeed, our main issue is not having Nichirin Blades, which makes it difficult to kill these Demons!" The speaker was Vice Chairman Hobson Samuel, who was in charge of Justice.
"I think we need to pay close attention to the fact that, according to this Data/Files on Muzan Kibutsuji, he can sense the Position of Demons. So, if Captain Gus brings Douma over, it will directly expose the Base on the other side of the Star Gate!"
Vice Chairman Burwo Gabriel, formerly the Vice Minister of the State Council Administration Department, clearly thought of more details, and this received strong agreement from Marine Vice Admiral Kong Ming across the table.
"Exactly!"
"Also, according to the Report from Captain Gus and his team, Douma mistook them, the Kabaneri, for Demons who could move in Sunlight. So, Muzan must have already received this information. What will he do next?"
Marine Vice Admiral Kong Ming picked up the Feather Fan on the table, scanning the gazes of his other Colleagues, and asked in a deep voice.
"He will capture Gus and Mekko at all costs, except for his own!"
Chairman Fernandez answered his question.
At the same Time, unable to resist his craving for a Cigar, he took one out of his pocket and lit it. The process of exhaling smoke relaxed him, and his Brain seemed to think faster. He continued to deduce based on the known Intelligence and logic.
"Considering Muzan's personality, for such an important Matter, he will likely summon the so-called 'Twelve Kizuki', and even other Demons..."
Marine Vice Admiral Kong Ming nodded, waving his Feather Fan, subtly blowing away the smoke in front of him, and said, "The problem now is how we should respond, and how to make good use of the Value of this foreknowledge Intelligence."
"What are your thoughts?"
Chairman Fernandez asked, holding the smoking Cigar. Marine Vice Admiral Kong Ming, while his Brain worked at high Speed, stated his thoughts one by one.
"My thought is that the 'Twelve Kizuki' are insignificant; Muzan Kibutsuji is the top priority. If we forcefully kill the former, the latter will definitely be startled and hide, which would be very troublesome."
"Then we need to lock onto his Position, which is the Position of the 'Infinity Castle'. The method I can think of now is..."