The phoenix born from the ashes

Chapter 38: One coin, two faces

3rd PoV

The night was getting longer and longer. The sun was not far from raising and the moon and not far from going down. 

At the beginning of the night, three upper moons were standing against 4 pillars. Now,  two demons lost their battle and their life. Three hunters were embracing death, holding their final string of life. 

 A city in ruin after the massacre of Doma's puppets. Fire dominates the territory, smoke covering the sky, causing the moon to be hidden. Ironically, it was the night of a crimson moon. It was like the sun and the moon could be seen at the same time.

But the smoke could only be seen in the city, however, far, really far from there, a landscape, a beautiful yet deadly landscape. Almost frightening as it was as dead as his ancestor.

In this dead land. Two figures could be seen. Both had long hair tied in a ponytail, wearing haorie and a katana. They were standing before each other, showing no signs of hostility.

Those individuals were Kokushibo, upper moon one or formerly known as Tsugikuni Michikatsu, and Ikki, the strongest demon slayer, also known as Tsugikuni Izuku.

Both were staring at each other, both with an emotionless face. Both use the See-Through World, inspecting each other. A thing that Ikki didn't do the first he saw him. And what he saw disturbed him.

Ikki" That's not normal...not a all."

What he saw inside Kokushibo's body was strange and shouldn't be possible.

Ikki" Eight hearts and six brains. I knew that Muzan had seven hearts and five hearts but he was the first demon, their creator. That's because of his anatomy that Yoriichi created the thirteenth form. The only way to contain Muzan, waiting for the sun to rise. But he's not Muzan. How did he gain so many organs?"

"How?"

"How what?"

"How do you have so many organs?"

"I did tell that Lord Muzan kept a sample of my blood hidden. I didn't lie. However, I omitted the fact that he mixed my blood with his."

Even though Ikki's face held no emotions, his brain was working at full potential, trying to ingest the information

Ikki" So in other words..."

Kokushibo" I became what Lord Muzan was. I am at the pinnacle of existence."

This time, Ikki frowned at this answer. This got way more complicated than he thought it would be. He was sure that he could take Kokushibo without any problem. He was sure that he could take prime Muzan without any difficulties either but the two of them, having their strength combined, their speed, their techniques. 

Ikki" I don't want to be arrogant but I still believe I got this. The only problem is that I'm fighting a monster who is over 600 years old and if he has Muzan abilities, cutting his head would be useless. And he surely got all of Muzan's memories. The difference between our experiences is astonishing." to die

Ikki" I don't understand. Why? Why are you doing all of that? We have the same blood running in our veins yet we're so different."

Kokshibo" We have the same blood. When I died, I had nothing left other than regret, sorrow, and rage. But more importantly jealousy. I was so jealous of Yoriichi for being everything I ever wished to be. In the end, I just thought that it was impossible to become him. To become this perfect."