Chapter 259: Defeat

"What a pitiful sight.

Kibutsuji Muzan, is this the extent of your resolve? The battle isn't even over yet. Even a cornered rabbit will fight for its life. Yet, you appear so weak."

Throughout his journey, the man had faced numerous opponents. There were demons worthy of respect, mindless "tumors" driven by instinct, and even great heroes from the distant Age of Gods.

Not every battle was exhilarating, but at least each one brought a sense of accomplishment. That joyful satisfaction was the best remedy.

But this battle was different.

At this point, Li Mo had already begun to feel disdain for Kibutsuji Muzan.

Had he reached the end of his rope?

No, he was still far from that stage.

Yet, despite this, he had called out Kokushibo's name.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

The whip-like tendrils formed from his arms had been severed countless times. The same went for the tendrils on his back, yet none of his attacks had dealt any real damage.

That so-called Spell of Thororm.

It completely countered him.

How to defeat the enemy?

How to counter it?

Where was its weakness?

Kibutsuji Muzan knew nothing about Norse mythology. He didn't believe in gods or Buddhas. The only opportunity he could grasp was...

Ten minutes.

The ten minutes the opponent had mentioned!

He could still split, but the speed and quantity were much slower than before, nothing like his former self. His opponent's swordsmanship was far inferior to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's, but it was still enough to destroy all his flesh.

Damn it, who concocted this poison? Why does it know me so well!

Glancing at the situation of the other Upper Moons, those useless fools still hadn't dealt with their opponents. There was no hope in relying on them! It seems I have to rely on myself!

Ten minutes.

Several minutes had already passed since the battle began. Kibutsuji Muzan had never felt time pass so slowly. When would those ten minutes end?

Wait.

Has it already ended?

The sensation of the tendrils returning was no longer one of powerlessness. His opponent was no longer letting the attacks land but was now dodging.

The tables had turned!

Almost instantly, as Li Mo swung his Nichirin blade towards him, Kibutsuji Muzan launched a surprise attack with the eight tendrils from his lower body. It was a trump card he had never used before.

And then.

"Missed?"

The tendrils passed through his opponent, as if piercing nothing.

An illusion?

Instantly, the memory of the disappearing blue spider lily from before flashed in his mind.

"Yes, it's an illusion."

A cold voice confirmed Kibutsuji Muzan's speculation.

The swordsman with the Nichirin blade was now closer than before, having leaped into the air at some point.

The magic he had learned from Medea was varied. There was the projection magic that Emiya Shirou excelled at, the golden needle magic Illya used to create familiars from her hair, the reinforcement magic that enhanced physical abilities...

And among them, illusion magic.

When Kibutsuji Muzan called out Kokushibo's name, Li Mo knew he had already won. The thousand-year-old demon king had lost his will to fight, unable to see through even such a crude illusion.

Because—

—A being with power but no resolve... is not worth mentioning.

His eyes turned cold, his pupils narrowing into vertical slits like a fox's.

Authority, activate!

The symbol of 「Human Evil」, also known as the 「Beast of Original Sin」.

It is the evil of humanity's self-destruction.

It is the beastly nature within humanity.

It is the evil that inevitably exists as long as humanity exists!

「Authority of the Beast」.

All that is born from the womb shall be restrained!

A wisp of aura was drawn from his spiritual foundation, and in that moment, Li Mo seemed to connect with something. The nascent Beast of the Nasuverse was the only one of its kind in this world, occupying the unique "symbol" of this world in a way.

Sun Breathing.

Thirteenth Form.

Beginning with the Dance, ending with the Flame Dance.

Kibutsuji Muzan had five brains and seven hearts. These multiple organs granted him near-immortality and formidable regenerative power.

The essence of a demon's life force lies in its brains and hearts. To break Kibutsuji Muzan's immortality, one must simultaneously destroy all twelve of his organs. The Thirteenth Form of Sun Breathing was created for this purpose.

Today, Li Mo could hardly imagine how exceptionally talented Yoriichi Tsugikuni must have been to create such an impenetrable attack in an instant.

Kibutsuji Muzan's entire body was locked within the attack.

Sun Breathing, the Bright Red Blade, the "sun" concept infused through magic, and even the 「Authority of the Beast」.

Each slash of the blade corresponded to the scars Yoriichi Tsugikuni had left on Kibutsuji Muzan's body.

Kibutsuji Muzan saw it... that tall, slender swordsman seemed to grip his blade once more, continuing the unfinished work from centuries ago.

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, ahhhhhh————!"

Illusion? Delusion? A vengeful spirit from the past? For a moment, Kibutsuji Muzan couldn't tell. From the moment his trump card hit the illusion, the fleeting opportunity had already slipped away.

Five brains, seven hearts. All destroyed. Even if these organs could move freely within Kibutsuji Muzan's body, the Thirteenth Form of Sun Breathing passed down by Yoriichi Tsugikuni sealed off any possibility.

All twelve organs were destroyed at this moment. Kibutsuji Muzan's immortality vanished in an instant. This move also destroyed his limbs, causing massive blood loss. Kibutsuji Muzan collapsed to the ground, completely paralyzed.

The new wounds Li Mo inflicted on top of Yoriichi's old scars pushed Kibutsuji Muzan's health to a dangerous level. His regeneration had stopped.

He hated demons.

These creatures often had ridiculously long health bars, and consuming flesh could rapidly restore them. If this were a game, it would undoubtedly be a terrible one.

"Wait... I have a question. You and I, we're no longer human. Why are you helping them?"

The fox's tail swayed behind him. Kibutsuji Muzan would never forget that moment's aura, as if encountering a natural predator. He was certain that the being before him was not human.

"Perhaps because it pleases me?"

"We are both superhuman beings. Why must you oppose me so? From now on, I will show you respect. Please, let me live."

"Is that so?"

Li Mo looked at Kibutsuji Muzan's health bar, the red representing his life force steadily rising.

He saw it clearly.

So he remained silent.

—Swallow Return.

The Bright Red Blade, infused with Swallow Return, sliced through Kibutsuji Muzan's neck, dismembering him. In the next second, flames imbued with the "sun" concept engulfed Kibutsuji Muzan's body.

This directly thwarted Kibutsuji Muzan's last-ditch effort.

"If I had known you were this kind of trash, maybe I should have just beheaded you from the start."

These flames carried the concept of the sun and the power of the 「Authority of the Beast」 to restrain him.

It should have...

But then, a change occurred. Layer upon layer of flesh began to proliferate on Kibutsuji Muzan's body, forming a cocoon-like structure reminiscent of a fetus. It was a biological self-preservation mechanism, allowing him to briefly sustain his life within the flames. The remnants of his health bar showed he was hanging by a thread.

All those who rely on last-ditch survival mechanics deserve to die.

Gripping his Nichirin blade, Li Mo silently cast a fire-resistant spell on himself and charged into the flames. If that's how it is, then he would mince Kibutsuji Muzan into pieces!

"You really came close to me!"

After Li Mo entered the flames, Kibutsuji Muzan didn't retreat. Instead, he moved closer.

It seemed Kibutsuji Muzan wasn't trying to escape but was deliberately luring Li Mo in.

In the next moment, the demon king, with his charred, massive body, pounced on Li Mo, enveloping him entirely.

"Kibutsuji Muzan is dead. But that doesn't mean demons no longer exist in this world."

When a person loses all hope of escape, the malice in their heart bursts forth. This was especially true for a self-centered being like Kibutsuji Muzan.

As a swordsman, don't you wish for a world without demons? Then I will give you all of myself. You will continue to exist in this world as my successor.

How strong would a yokai-turned-demon be?

As Kibutsuji Muzan watched his flesh merge into his opponent's body, he couldn't help but wonder.

But one thing puzzled him. Why was there no resistance at all?