The Demon Queen

Tamayo's Final Move

Muzan screamed as he was engulfed in flames. A bomb set off that immediately exploded the Ubuyashiki Estate, instantly killing the humans inside. Despite the excruciating pain coming from his flesh being burnt off, Muzan remained alive. He stood amidst the fire, regenerating from his bones that refused to crumble into ash. Muzan angrily grit his teeth as he stood there, using all of his power to bring his body back together.

That fucking shithead! He screamed inside of himself. I should have known that it suddenly became too easy to access this place!

His muscles and skin were slowly reforming on his bones.

But I never expected that nutcase to blow up his own family, Muzan thought. He looked around at the flames around him. Did his wife and kids know he was going to do this!?

Muzan breathed heavily, his naked body standing among the fire. He looked down at himself. His regeneration was proceeding slower than he had expected.

His eyes popped open.

Of course! He thought. All those damn wisteria trees around here are burning as well!

He slapped his hands over his nose and mouth.

And I'm breathing it all in!

His palms quickly grew horribly moist from his breath. 

I've got to get out of here! But my body isn't recovered enough to take off from here!

All of a sudden, he sensed something moving towards him.

It's not over!

A myriad of large, sharp, black spikes burst up from below Muzan. Before he could jump out of the way, he was impaled through his chest, then through his feet, legs, and arms. Muzan snarled, growling through the pain.

My body is almost regenerated enough to break free of this --! He started to pull his arms and feet from the spikes.

BANG!

The feeling of a punch stabbed into his stomach. Muzan looked down at himself to see Tamayo standing right in front of him, her fist absorbed into his gut.

"You ..." Muzan growled.

He noticed some paper sutras stuck to her body.

"You were waiting here all along under an invisibility spell ..."

Tamayo smirked at him.

"How long ... have you been following me using something like that ...?"

"Long enough to know that you lost your precious wife."

Muzan yanked his arms out of the spikes and grabbed Tamayo, pushing her further and further into his body.

Tamayo laughed.

"You're dead!" he snarled. "You're dead and you know nothing of my wife!"

"I knew enough to guess that you'd come here to prove something to her after you ruined your relationship," Tamayo said with a sadistically pleased smile. "I'm surprised Sakura tolerated you as long as she did. She had so many other options. But of course, she must have known that."

Muzan grabbed her by the hair. "Silence!"

"If I were you, I'd absorb Kokushibou right after you're finished with me," Tamayo said. "He's taken a liking to her. But he always had, even when I was still living with you."

Muzan froze. "You lie."

"Oh. I do?" She pushed herself more into his body. "You asked me how long I spied on you using the invisibility spell, Muzan. I'm only telling you what I saw." She looked intently into his eyes. "Kokushibou, Douma, Gyutaro. All of them."

Muzan stabbed his hand into the side of Tamayo's face. "I said silence!"

"I thought you should know, Muzan," she said. "Douma loves your wife, and Kokushibou has had his eyes on her from the beginning. They've gotten very close, Muzan. They've built a chemistry, and now, they will be inseparable, even in death."

"ENOUGH!" He slammed her face into his body and quickened his pace of devouring her. "ENOUGH! ENOUGH!" He shoved her body into his. He stood there, panting. "Sakura ... loves me ... not them ... NOT ANY OF THEM!" he screamed to his stomach. "She loves me. I might screw up but she loves me! She's loved me and only me for 1000 years!" He panted some more. "It doesn't matter what you say ... You're dead. I killed you. You don't exist anymore."

Are you sure about that? Muzan heard in his head.

"What?" Muzan held his head in his hands, starting to feel dizzy. "What does that sound like her?"

Because it is me, Muzan, continued Tamayo's voice. The last bit of me before I'm completely gone.

"Shut up," Muzan spat.

I thought I should tell you, Muzan.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Your impulsiveness got the best of you again.

Muzan fell to his knees. He couldn't move.

My fist was full of poison, Tamayo's voice continued. And I had even more poison on my body, underneath my kimono. Poison made special for you.

A stabbing pain shot through his body.

Muzan's eyes shone red. "You won't kill me," he snarled.

Oh, I don't have to kill you. Weakening you is more than enough.

The pain worsened. Muzan screamed and threw his hands to his face. The intense throbbing throughout his body wouldn't stop, and on top of that, it felt like his blood was boiling within his veins.

I need to get back to the Castle!

He started to sense the presence of many humans approaching, all with the auras of Demon Slayers.

Damn it!

Muzan's eyes flashed red again. He looked down at himself as he prepared to use all of his strength to evacuate before it was too late. His body was covered in the "X-shaped" scars he received from his battle with Yoriichi -- scars he thought he had been able to heal from himself. His rage grew exponentially, and with that, Muzan was able to jolt away back towards the Castle, the strands of his newly-white hair blowing in his face as he sped.