The Crystal's Whisper and The Wind's Embrace

Chapter 66: The Infinity Castle

Night had fallen soft over the mountains. Another day has passed, another intense training session. The world was quiet under the stars.

A warm breeze rustled the trees, carrying the faint scent of wisteria and sweat from long hours of training. The courtyard was empty now. The estate quiet.

At the far edge of the veranda, beneath the soft glow of a lantern, Tsukiyo and Sanemi sat side by side.

They weren't touching—but they didn't need to. Their closeness had become something unspoken, resting in the silence between words.

Sanemi leaned back, arms behind his head. His white hair was slightly messy, eyes half-lidded but alert.

"Didn't think I'd enjoy the quiet this much," he muttered.

Tsukiyo smiled. "You always complain about people talking too much. This should be paradise."

"Tch. Not when you're quiet. Then I have to wonder if something's wrong."

She turned her head toward him. "Sanemi..."

"Hm?"

She hesitated, then spoke quietly, "I'm... scared."

Sanemi shifted slightly. "Of what's coming?"

She nodded, gaze lowered. "Of losing people again. Of not being strong enough when it matters most."

He was quiet, then said gruffly, "You're stronger than half the idiots in the Corps. And more stubborn than me, somehow."

That earned her a faint laugh. "Somehow?"

"...Maybe not somehow," he muttered.

A pause.

Then, he added—low, rough, almost too soft: "I'm scared too."

She turned, surprised.

He didn't look at her. Just kept his eyes on the stars, face unreadable.

"Not of dying," he clarified. "I've been ready for that since I was a kid. But—if something happens to you..."

His jaw clenched. "I don't know what I'd do."

The air thickened between them. Her heart stuttered.

She shifted closer, reached over, gently brushing her fingers against his.

"You'll never lose me," she whispered.

They were close now—closer than they'd ever been in stillness. Their faces inches apart. The warmth of her breath brushing his skin. His hand, rough and calloused, brushed hers as if uncertain, then rested there.

He leaned in, his forehead nearly touching hers. And then—

A soft rustling came from the hedges nearby.

They both froze.

Then—

"Idiot, you're breathing too loudly!"

"Shut up, Inosuke, you're the one who headbutted the bush!"

"Please, please don't get caught—she'll glare and he'll break our legs—"

Tsukiyo's brow twitched. She stood abruptly.

"Kamado. Agatsuma. Hashibira."

The three boys popped up from behind the bushes, guilty expressions painted across their faces.

"We were just—uh—uh—doing recon!" Tanjiro grinned nervously.

"Research on the psychology of love under high-stakes battlefield pressure!" Zenitsu added, bowing dramatically.

"I thought you were gonna kiss, and I wanted to throw a rock!" Inosuke bellowed.

Sanemi stood, cracking his knuckles. "I'm going to end you."

All three ran around, screaming.

Tsukiyo just placed a hand on her forehead. "Why do I get the feeling they were sent by Mitsuri?"

Sanemi grumbled, cheeks still faintly pink. "I was this close."

But the laughter vanished in a heartbeat. Sanemi suddenly stiffened.

His hand shot forward—lightning quick—and caught something midair.

It squirmed between his fingers.

"...What the hell—?"

Tsukiyo turned toward him—and froze.

An eyeball.

Veined. Bloodshot. Floating on its own.

It writhed between Sanemi's grip, twitching unnaturally.

Tsukiyo's eyes narrowed.

"Demon surveillance."

Sanemi crushed it in his hand.

The veins burst, and the eye turned to black sludge.

The three boys backed up, now wide-eyed.

From the trees, a crow dove toward them, cawing urgently.

"Emergency! All Hashira report to Ubuyashiki estate immediately!"

Tsukiyo and Sanemi were already moving.

By the time they arrived—it was too late.

The Ubuyashiki estate stood in eerie silence.

The night was breathless.

Muzan Kibutsuji stood calmly in the garden, his pale skin gleaming under the moonlight. His expression was unreadable—inhuman.

And across from him, Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat with a soft smile, surrounded by lanterns.

The air crackled with energy.

Sanemi's hand hovered over his blade.

Tsukiyo's fingers trembled.

"Muzan," Kagaya said gently, "you've come at last."

Muzan didn't speak. His red eyes narrowed.

"This body has little left in it," Kagaya whispered. "But my spirit remains undefeated."

Then—he smiled.

"I welcome you with everything I have left."

And with a sudden flash—the estate exploded into blinding light.

The ground roared.

Flames swallowed the garden.

Tsukiyo screamed, reaching out for Sanemi—but the world twisted.

A pulse tore through the earth.

Reality fractured like glass.

And then—

They fell.

Down into a world of shifting walls, endless darkness, and humming, pulsating energy.

The Infinity Castle.