224: Consequences of testing

"It... left?"

That whisper was like a stone tossed into stagnant water, yet it evoked no ripples. The air was filled only with suffocating silence.

"Kenya-kun," Doma's pale face turned towards the corner, his Multicolored eyes flickering with an inscrutable light, his gaze landing on Aki Tomoya, who was trying his best to hide, "Why don't you be the one to... 'confirm' it for everyone?"

"Me?" Aki Tomoya's body trembled violently, almost completely shrinking behind Kasumigaoka Utaha, his voice tight, "N-no, I can't... I won't..."

Swish—

Several sharp gazes instantly focused on him, the invisible pressure chilling his spine, causing cold sweat to break out.

"You're courting death!"

Ye Nianyao's icy voice was like a sword being drawn. She suddenly turned her head, her gaze like millennia-old frost, piercing straight toward Doma. Within that look churned not just anger, but an almost tangible killing intent capable of tearing the air apart. Those swept by her gaze felt a chill shoot up their spines.

Muzan met her gaze; his scarlet eyes were calm and waveless, but his voice clearly carried across the entire area: "I believe everyone present simply wants to confirm whether that existence has truly departed. After all, this concerns how we act next, and it also concerns... everyone's safety." He paused slightly, turning to Leader Luo and Director Zhou, "Instructor Luo, Director Zhou, what do you think?"

"Hmph!" Lin Zhenyue snorted angrily, the Decapitation Great Sword held in his hand from an unknown moment, his fierce killing intent sweeping in all directions like the onset of deep winter, "A few scurrying insects that dare not see the light, daring to stir up trouble at a time like this? You seek death!"

"Old Lin, calm down." Zhou Dong moved slightly, blocking Lin Zhenyue, his tone steady, "Although what Muzan said is unpleasant to hear, the current situation is unclear, so caution is indeed necessary. However, in my view, that Senior's aura... has indeed completely vanished from this realm."

Just as the tense atmosphere was about to snap—

A sudden change occurred!

The shell of Lin Luo, who had been standing silently with eyes as blank as an exquisite doll, suddenly had its dormant Purple-Gold Markings light up on their own! A soft yet tenacious halo shone from within, completely enveloping him.

Puff, puff... With several nearly inaudible light sounds, wisps of thin, ominous Dark Red bloody mist, as if striking an invisible barrier, were easily repelled by the Purple-Gold Halo before swiftly annihilating in the air.

Simultaneously—

Those originally empty eyes slowly turned, their gaze precisely passing over the crowd to land on the ashen-faced Aki Tomoya in the rear.

"What do you have in your hand?!" Shinobu shouted sternly, her gaze fixed on a rapidly dissolving Blood-Colored Crystal in his hand.

"I... I didn't do anything! Really!" Aki Tomoya was so scared that his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, waving his hands repeatedly and backing away, his voice completely changed pitch, "Mr. Doma gave this to me!"

The crystal in his hand was melting at a visible speed, and he instantly realized he had been used.

He frantically pointed at Doma, only to find Doma frowning slightly, a trace of "perfectly timed" surprise flashing deep within his Multicolored eyes, as if he too were taken aback by everything.

The atmosphere instantly tightened to its limit.

All eyes were focused on the shell that had suddenly "awakened" and the panicked Aki Tomoya.

In a flash of lightning and flint, Lin Luo's shell moved.

He transformed into a blurry phantom, moving so fast it exceeded the limit of visual capture.

"Don't!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression changed drastically. Almost instinctively, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, using her own body to completely shield Aki Tomoya behind her. This was her only reaction in the moment of crisis.

However, that seemingly simple punch descended with overwhelming, irresistible force, without any flourish.

Thud—!

The muffled sound of shattering bones and the splash of blood exploded simultaneously. Kasumigaoka Utaha's arms bent at unnatural angles. Excruciating pain made her vision go black, and she was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, blood arcing through the air in a tragic curve. She had completely lost consciousness upon hitting the ground.

Aki Tomoya, whom she had desperately protected, was violently thrown back by the terrifying shockwave, though not hit head-on. His chest caved in, ribs shattered, and blood sprayed wildly. However, the demonic recovery power within him instantly surged madly; his broken bones clicked, and flesh and blood healed at a visible rate. He lay paralyzed on the ground, staring at that figure with utter horror, completely unable to understand why he had become the target.

Fortunately, after striking Kasumigaoka, that figure did not pursue him but turned toward Doma on the other side.

"Just an empty shell..."

The terror in Doma's Multicolored eyes had not completely faded, but upon discovering that the opponent's attack trajectory seemed somewhat predictable and the speed was not entirely unreachable, the absolute fear he felt toward the mysterious existence dissipated by more than half, replaced by a trace of cold calculation and lucky (jǐng xìng - lucky/luck/chance). He could even predict the trajectory of the incoming punch, and his body was prepared for a perfect dodge—

However, the next second.

The phantom seemed to ignore spatial constraints. The moment he began to shift sideways, a hand covered in faint Purple-Gold Texture (wén lù - pattern/Markings), clamped down on his skull like an iron vise.

Doma's pupils contracted sharply, and Multicolored Ice Crystals instantly condensed and shot out wildly around him! Sharp ice spikes, a breath that froze the Soul, and Blood Demon Art imbued with Origin power... all attacks were unleashed without reservation!

Clang, clang, clang—Thud!

All attacks struck that seemingly thin layer of Purple-Gold Halo, scattering and dissipating like rain hitting glazed tiles, failing to even create a ripple.

The hand slowly closed its five fingers.

For the first time, pure, incomprehensible terror appeared on Doma's face. He opened his mouth—

"Bang!"

A crisp, muffled explosion sounded, like a ripe watermelon being smashed by a heavy object.

The Multicolored Ice Crystals shattered, and that handsome face, which always wore a hypocritical smile, along with the skull beneath it, turned into splattering ice shards and bloody mist in that hand. The headless torso stiffened for an instant before collapsing softly onto the ground.

A Purple-Gold Halo flowed silently. Lin Luo slowly withdrew his hand, his palm spotless. He turned around, his still-vacant eyes accurately bypassing the collapsed Aki Tomoya, locking onto Kokushibo, who stood silently at the edge of the crowd.

An invisible pressure descended like an overturned mountain, and the air was almost solidified.

Everything happened too quickly. Muzan's scarlet eyes swept across the scene rapidly, discovering that whether it was Leader Luo from the Special Affairs Department, Zhou Dong, or the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, everyone wore solemn expressions. No one moved to intercept; instead, they subtly adopted a posture of guarded observation. His heart sank, and his voice suddenly rose, carrying a trace of imperceptible urgency:

"Director Zhou! Instructor Luo! You're just going to watch?!"

Lin Zhenyue's white beard and hair moved without wind, and his aged face was filled with chilling coldness. His sharp gaze swept over Muzan and the demons behind him, his voice low yet clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"The killing intent was initiated by you first; the probing was also started by you." He paused, the edge of the Decapitation Great Sword reflecting the cold light, "Haven't you realized yet? My 'Grandson'... has never aimed his fist at anyone on our side."

As his voice fell, Kokushibo moved—or rather, he had to move.

Lin Luo's figure turned into an afterimage once more, taking a step to appear before him, and he brought down a single, simple punch with a resounding crash!

Kokushibo's six pupils contracted simultaneously. The bizarre long sword covered in eyes at his waist, "Void Cry God's Departure," was suddenly drawn, blocking in front of him!

Clang—!!!

The fist edge collided with the blade body, emitting a metallic explosion! A violent shockwave burst out in a ring, cracking the ground and sending gravel flying.

Kokushibo's arms holding the sword sank sharply, and the ground beneath his feet shattered inch by inch. The muscles on his stern face tensed, and his six pupils reflected an unprecedented gravity.

Lin Luo's attacks lacked any specific pattern, consisting only of the simplest and most direct punches, palms, elbows, and knees. Each strike was immensely heavy and fast as lightning, like a precision killing machine programmed only to 'eliminate threats'.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Bang!

Kokushibo rapidly retreated, his sword light like flowing silk, utilizing his sword techniques to the extreme—blocking, deflecting, and counterattacking! Every slash was incomparably sharp, capable of severing hardened steel.

However, all the slashes that landed on Lin Luo were like stones sinking into the sea. That Purple-Gold Halo was tougher than imaginable, possessing astonishing physical defense. Even the "Moon Breathing" Sword Qi attached to Kokushibo's blade, capable of slicing Souls, had no effect. Meanwhile, Lin Luo's fists and feet were immensely heavy; every direct impact jarred Kokushibo's hand, causing his blood to churn. His palms were splitting open.

Muzan's expression grew uglier. He could see that the movement pattern of this body was entirely based on some kind of 'threat perception' mechanism.

"No holding back now!" Muzan's eyes flared with intense blood-red light, and he roared, "Attack together and destroy this body! Otherwise, the consequences will be endless!"

As his words fell, towering Blood Flames erupted around him, and countless ferocious spikes and bone blades burst from his body. Akaza condensed the Fighting Spirit throughout his body, and snowflake patterns appeared around him as he prepared for action.

Almost simultaneously, Leader Luo and Zhou Dong, who had been silently observing, exchanged a glance. Zhou Dong stepped forward, spoke in a deep voice that carried unquestionable authority, though not loudly:

"Kibutsuji Muzan, I advise you—it's best not to move."

Beside him, the auras of several Special Affairs Department elites suddenly connected, subtly forming a formation capable of both offense and defense. The Demon Slayer Corps Hashira also silently adjusted their positions. Although their nichirin blades were not fully drawn, their ki was precisely locked onto Muzan and his subordinate demons.

The situation on the field instantly became subtle and tense. On one side was Upper Rank One fighting fiercely; on the other, the Demon King and his subordinates, eager to strike but restrained by the humans; and the third party was the Special Affairs Department and the Demon Slayer Corps, whose stance was clear as they watched coldly.

"Then you control him!" Muzan's voice was icy as his scarlet eyes swept over Zhou Dong and Leader Luo, "Director Zhou, Instructor Luo, if we break the net now... we might not be the ones suffering the losses!"

This statement precisely hit the most realistic concern of the Special Affairs Department at that moment—they needed to maintain overall stability, control unpredictable losses, and deal with the more complex overall situation.

Leader Luo and Zhou Dong looked at each other, their eyes filled with hesitation and helplessness. Control? How could they control this body with terrifying combat power, a clear objective, and absolute defense?

In this moment of stalemate—

"I'll pin this brat down!"

An aged yet resonant cold snort exploded.

Lin Zhenyue moved.

His figure was like lightning! The Decapitation Great Sword, resembling a door panel in his hand, stirred up a brilliant, violent arc of light. It wasn't aimed at Lin Luo, but instead, with immense power, it fiercely struck the sword Kokushibo was using to block!

Clang—!!!

The explosion was deafening! Kokushibo grunted, and both man and sword were sent flying backward by this sudden, brutal strike, crashing heavily into distant ruins, enveloped in dust.

Almost at the same instant, Lin Luo's pursuing punch paused slightly because his target had suddenly 'vanished,' and his vacant eyes turned toward the new 'intervener'—Lin Zhenyue.

The punch, carrying the terrifying power from before, which had smashed Doma's head and clashed with Kokushibo's demonic sword, struck mercilessly toward Lin Zhenyue's face!

"Damn kid!" Lin Zhenyue neither dodged nor retreated. Instead, he glared with wide eyes, cursed angrily, dropped his sword with his right hand, clenched his five fingers into a fist, and the muscles on his arm bulged like an old Dragon coiled around itself. He met the incoming punch with a counter-punch! "Are you trying to beat your grandfather to death?!"

Bang—!!!

The two fists collided, producing a muffled roar like a giant drum! A visible wave of Qi exploded spherically, kicking up all the gravel and dust on the ground.

Lin Zhenyue's body shook violently. With two 'crack' sounds beneath his feet, the hard stone slabs shattered, and his feet sank half an inch into the ground. His graying hair flew backward in the strong wind, and a trace of redness flashed across his face, yet he held his ground, not retreating a single step!

And Lin Luo's fist was actually firmly blocked by this punch, the Purple-Gold Halo rippling slightly.

Just at this moment when the old force was exhausted and the new force had not yet arrived, and the 'threat determination' inside the body seemed about to activate again for an even fiercer attack—

"Stop, Lin Luo."

A cool and familiar female voice sounded.