"The time limit of the card is based on realistic factors. The flesh and blood of the demon are not permanent because they are separated from the main body and lose activity. Moreover, the Upper Rank is the recipient of Muzan's blood, and its strength as a secondary carrier is not ideal; it's definitely not comparable to that of the original owner."
Oboro took the card and studied it carefully.
As he spoke, he used the cleaver to cut off another piece of meat from Gyokko's body and transform it into a card.
In just a few minutes, Oboro methodically chopped a living Upper Rank 5 into pieces with his blade, severing large portions of his body.
The flesh and blood at the wound slowly attempted to regenerate, but without conscious control, it couldn't recover instantly.
"This is an excellent way to collect cards," Oboro remarked, his eyes gleaming with interest.
In such a short time, he had already accumulated more than twenty "Demon's Flesh and Blood" cards with identical effects. This meant that he could transform other people into demons by using these cards on them.
As he was about to cut another piece of demon flesh, the system's prompt echoed in his mind:
"The number of conversions for resources of the same type has reached the limit."
"The effect of the current system capabilities is still too weak, mainly due to the influence of my soul," Oboro contemplated. "After all, this is my first time traveling to another world. If I can perfectly implement the supreme will this time, then my soul shall sublimate through the perception and improvement of my own will. Perhaps I can also enhance the transaction with this 'world,' making the system stronger and more functional."
He carefully placed the card into the system.
When he looked up, he saw Gyokko's dull eyes with tears flowing from the corners. His mind was intact, but he couldn't move because Oboro controlled his brain.
The Upper Rank could feel everything Oboro said and did.
"Are you crying?" Oboro asked with a slight smile.
Logically speaking, how could a member of the Upper Ranks shed tears?
However, Oboro could sense Gyokko's soul wailing. What he had done to Gyokko triggered memories from the demon's human days, including why he had become a demon in the first place.
Oboro vaguely glimpsed his memories.
Two hundred years had passed since Gyokko became a demon. His transformation occurred just as the Edo period began and was heading toward its peak. On the surface, everything seemed to be thriving, but that was merely a façade. In reality, wars had never truly ceased since the Warring States period. Large-scale conflicts had simply evolved into smaller, regional skirmishes.
Even now, rebels and insurgents were plentiful.
The environment back then was far more brutal than it is now, not to mention the economic conditions. When the shogunate was first established, their priority was cleaning up the aftermath of the "Post-War Era."
Many people couldn't afford food and were displaced.
Gyokko once had a wife and children and a happy family.
He was a hunter and a butcher.
They earned a meager income by selling game or slaughtering livestock, maintaining a relatively comfortable life.
But one fateful day, a feudal lord stationed his troops in the village, and the nightmare began. The soldiers ate and drank excessively and forced the villagers to provide all supplies, especially food. They demanded fish and meat daily.
If they were refused, the soldiers would kill in protest. The lord publicly proclaimed the concept of "identity."
They labeled the villagers as untouchables, claiming that it was the villagers' "mission" and "honor" to serve them.
The army took root in the village with no intention of leaving until the entire community was exploited to the point that the villagers could only survive by gnawing on tree bark and eating weeds.
Then, one night, Gyokko was captured by several samurai and brought before the feudal lord, who gave him a horrifying order.
Having heard that Gyokko was an excellent butcher, the lord commanded him to kill and dismember people, intending to satisfy his hunger with human flesh.
Gyokko had no choice but to agree; otherwise, his wife and children would suffer.
Every day, he dismembered living people sent by the samurai in a dark hut. Yes, living people, because the feudal lord desired fresh food, and Gyokko was forced to be the executioner.
Gyokko gradually became numb.
First it was teenagers and young men, then the few elderly people left in the village, until nearly the entire village was depopulated. Then, one day, a familiar face appeared on his chopping board:
His wife.
Gyokko couldn't remember how he had processed her body. He simply worked mechanically, hoping to protect their children.
But in the end, his son wasn't spared.
One day, Gyokko finally heard that the lord was planning to leave with his army. When Gyokko went to meet the lord, he saw "exquisite delicacies" on his table: plates of raw meat and sashimi. The moment he saw the food, he could no longer control his emotions.
He exploded with rage.
He knew it was his son's flesh and blood.
However, against a group of samurai, his strength alone was woefully inadequate. He couldn't harm his enemies and was publicly ridiculed by the feudal lord. Just as he was about to be beheaded, a man appeared and saved him.
No more misery!
Afterward, Gyokko, now transformed into a demon, learned that the feudal lord and several retainers had been identified as rebels by the shogunate. They had fled to his village.
In the chaotic national situation, ordinary civilians like them became fish on a chopping board. They were slaughtered at will due to their low status. They had no ability to resist, and there was no law or fairness to protect them.
No one came to their rescue.
The villagers had prayed privately more than once, begging various gods for help, but their pleas went unanswered.
"He's also a pitiful man. But this kind of obsession can motivate you to become a powerful demon and demonstrate 'ambition.' Muzan is very good at choosing targets," Oboro commented.
Gyokko cried because of these memories from his human life.
In this moment, he was just like the villagers who were killed, their flesh and blood cut away piece by piece by Oboro.
This was the most unacceptable death for Gyokko.
Identity, hunger, and gods were the melodies interwoven deep within Gyokko's soul.
Since the Demon Slayer wanted to develop its own power system in this world, it would definitely create an environment conducive to the reproduction of demons. Thus, the world would inevitably become cruel.
Muzan was also one of the seeds. The Demon Slayer world was secretly making things easier for Muzan, intentionally creating such an environment and pushing the fate of all beings towards "misery."
Unfortunately, the truly valuable seed was Yuichiro Tsugumi, but the "fruit" produced by this artificial power system withered before maturing.
"You are just an experimental subject. Since there's no way to transform your entire body into a living card, you are of no use to me," Oboro stated coldly. "As an Upper Rank, your strength is adequate, but your mental fortitude is too weak. If your will were stronger, perhaps your Blood Demon Art could be extracted through cell genes and transformed into a skill card rather than a simple item or prop card. What a pity."
Oboro turned and walked away along the path.
"If you want to maintain your position in the Upper Ranks, I'm afraid your level isn't sufficient.
"When you see Muzan, remember to tell him not to waste his energy. If he wants to see me, it depends on whether I'm willing to see him."
I hope you're still alive a hundred years from now."
His calm voice reached Gyokko's ears.
In later generations, the position of the Upper Moons among the Twelve Demons remained unchanged for more than a hundred years. This meant that, at least in the near future, there would be changes among the Upper Moon demons, including the rise of Doma and the ascension of Gitara.
Without a good reason, Oboro wouldn't kill the Upper Ranks or the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. This combat power was vital to both sides.
If he wanted to change this world's power system, he needed to maintain balance. Only when both sides possessed a certain strength and number could a dazzling flame burst forth from their collision. This would be more useful for him to "fertilize and sow." At the very least, now was not the time to act recklessly.
He had already planted two seeds: one in the Kamado clan and one in the Demon Slayer Corps.
As for Muzan, they would have to wait a little longer.
A few minutes later, Oboro's figure disappeared.
The muscles throughout Gyokko's body began to move and change; his eyes gradually cleared.
His brain regained control of his body.
With a powerful blow, he punched his own head as soon as his arms could move.
Then, his head regenerated completely.
He swallowed anxiously, as if he had survived a disaster.
"I'm not dead!"
He had thought the man would devour him.
After all, if Oboro, a fellow demon, had consumed an Upper Rank 5 like himself, it would have been equivalent to accepting a large amount of blood from Muzan himself, which would have made him significantly stronger.
Yet, his opponent did not seem to take this opportunity seriously at all.
"Incomprehensibly powerful."
"He seemed to mention something about souls."