Bidding

"Malevolent Shrine…."

With that his eyes snapped open almost instantly, while the expressions of everyone present changed to that of fear.

*SLASH!!*

Body parts flew, while blood spilled all over and bodies dropped to the ground.

Susamaru body looked unrecognisable, having been cleaved into five parts along with her tamaris, and with Tanjiro his entire lower body was missing while Nezuko had been decapitated.

Lady Tamayo and Yushiro weren't spared from the onslaught either, with either of them having their bodies cleaved into three, at the neck, torso and lower body.

Being the only conscious one at the moment, the last thing Lady Tamayo saw was the feral smile on Sukuna's face before she too lost consciousness just like the others.

.

"Ughhhh.."

A few hours later, amongst the unconscious figures who had been dealt severe injuries by the attack from the king of curses, one slowly regained consciousness, something that should not have been possible due to the amount of injuries he had sustained.

Slowly opening his eyes the only thing he was met with a golden ray of light from the morning sun, which made him squint and his in discomfort.

'Is this the afterlife?..'

As the warm glow of the sun bathed his body he couldn't help but wonder if he had truly passed on to the next life.

'Wait..Nezuko..where's Nezuko?!'

His snapped out of his stupor and sprang up to his feet quickly and the only thing that flooded his vision was the view of a totally levelled area, pools of blood, and decapitated bodies that were burning under the sunlight.

Turning around he saw his sister Nezuko who was still unconscious and was about to get burned by the sun's rays.

"Nezuko!!"

He rushed out to her, however he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head to the left, seeing a figure which made him flatter in his steps for a moment, however he steeled his resolve, picked up his wooden bag and gently tucked his sister into it to protect her from the sunlight.

Meanwhile, seated regally on a small rock, Sukuna who seemed to be enjoying the warm glow and heat of the sun let out a small smile, at the interaction between siblings.

"You…"

After grabbing the wooden bag, Tanjiro rushed, grabbed his nichirin sword and pointed it at Sukuna, even though his hands shook in fear.

'How did he bring me back to life?! This is not possible! I saw myself getting bisected by his attack, I saw the blood! I felt the pain!!…'

Tanjiro gnashed his teeth in anger and fear, but he refused to lower his sword.

"You're being awfully hostile aren't you?.."

Sukuna asked while he rested his cheek on his fist and sighed.

"Of course I am!! You killed me and my sister!! Do you know how scared I was?!!"

Tanjiro couldn't stop the tears that rained down his eyes. No amount of near death experiences could compare to the cold embrace of death itself.

"Is this the thanks I get for bringing you and your sister back from almost dying?.."

Sukuna asked with a bored sigh, while Tanjiro's heart shook.

"You were the one who caused it all!! Damn you!!!"

Tanjiro wiped his tears and rushed towards Sukuna with his blade, however a mere wave of a finger was all it took from the King of Curses to scare the young demon slayer, as an invisible slash swept out cleaving through the air itself.

Tanjiro himself only felt a cold wind by his cheek and in the next moment, an incised wound appeared on his cheek and began bleeding.

"Damn you!"

Tanjiro tightened his grip on his sword, pouring all of his heart and will into the black blade before him and readying for a last attack.

"Tanjiro! Stop!!"

Just as he was about to move, a voice rang out from behind him which made him halt instantly.

"Lady Tamayo?"

Turning around, he saw Tamayo propping herself up to her feet as she walked towards them.

"Stop it Tanjiro! You can't defeat him!!" Lady Tamayo patted his shoulder however Tanjiro shook his head angrily, and turned around still pointing his blade towards the king of curses.

"He killed my sister and I! He has to pay for that!"

Tanjiro roared out with righteous indignation, however Sukuna only had a bored expression on his face as he let out a sigh once more.

"If you're planning on cutting me down with that dull blade then I must advise you against it. The only reason why these fakes have any recognition is because they've been soaked in a fair amount of cursed energy. That is the only reason why they can cut down these nobodies.."

Sukuna let out a smile, before he crossed his legs and rested his cheek on his right fist.

"Don't get me wrong. The only reason why I spared your pathetic lives is because unlike the other worms, you have a bit of use.."

Sukuna spoke in an ominous tone, while his smile slowly disappeared from his face, as Tanjiro and lady Tamayo felt a chill down their spines.

"As for you, woman, I believe you have something that belongs to me.."

Sukuna looked away from Tanjiro and focused on Tamayo who was standing behind the young boy.

'What does he want?…'

Tamayo thought for a few moments, before realization struck her, and her eyes widened.

She quickly unrolled her hair and took out an artifact covered in a white runic cloth.

"Good, good. If you had lied to me, I would've tortured you for eternity.." Sukuna let out a pleased smile.

"Now hand it over.."

He gestured to her with his fingers, like a God ordering a subservient human.

Walking step by step towards him, Tamayo slowly reached a few meters away from him and stopped as Sukuna raised his gaze to meet hers.

"Your gaze sits too high, I don't like it.."

Sukuna merely spoke, before an intense pressure emanated from his body and brought her to her knees.

"Lady Tamayo!!"

"It's alright Tanjiro!! I'm fine!!"

Tanjiro wanted to help out, but Tamayo refused and sent a small smile toward him to reassure him.

Slowly stepping up from his little throne, Sukuna walked toward her with his hands in his pockets and stood in a close proximity from her figure.

As she offered the artifact to her, Sukuna let out a small smile and picked it up, unwrapped it and let out a chuckle, intently watching what used to be a part of his body.

Still smiling, he tore off his upper robes and then gobbled up the finger whole.

*BANG!*

An overwhelming pressure burst out of his body, sending a wave of energy that crushed everything in the distance.

"Now tell me woman, why are you in possession of my finger?"

Sukuna asked as he flexed his shoulder muscles feeling the power coursing through them.

"My apologies..I did not know that you were the King of Curses, Ryoumen Sukuna..About 500 years ago, I was a human who was terminally I'll, so I sought for a remedy to prolong life, and then I heard of a legend, one in which a man named Muzan Kibitsuji, had been terminally I'll just like myself, but after swallowing a piece of your corpse, it granted him world shaking abilities and the power to create devils.."

She spoke everything in one breath, while Sukuna nodded.

"So you're saying there's a man out there who's been creating these demons to do his bidding? Interesting.. Why didn't you ingest my finger then..?"

Sukuna placed a finger on his chin, thinking for a moment, before he asked once more.

"I wanted to, but I knew I wouldn't be able to take all that power, so I only ingested a piece of skin.."

Tamayo spoke earnestly, but Sukuna simply nodded, before he closed the distance between them and lifted her chin with his finger.

"Normally I would finish anyone I have no use for, but although you have no use now, you might be useful in the future..why don't you follow me..I noticed your interest in my Reverse Cursed Technique. If you'll pledge allegiance to me as your Lord, Inwont mind teaching you everything I know.."

Sukuna's red eyes stared deep into her soul, and after a few moments, Tamayo accepted his offer and kowtowed to him.

"No lady Tamayo!! You don't need to serve someone like him!!"

Tanjiro roared out, however his shout only seemed to annoy the king of curses.

*SWOOSH!*

Moving even faster than before, Sukuna appeared before Tanjiro and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up into the sky once more.

"As for you, brat, I have a task for you..You are going to collect the remaining 18 of my fingers for me.."

Sukuna spoke with a laugh, as Tanjiro's face reddened with blood as he choked.

"I…will never!….serve …you!" The youth spat out coldly, however the king of curses merely smiled.

"I wasn't asking.." He stretched out his hand, and unleashed a small invisible slash that cleaved through his wooden box and slashed into Nezuko's skin, as she let out a painful squeal.

"No!! Stop!! I'll do it!! Stop!!"

Tanjiro couldn't help but admit defeat instantly. Although he didn't want to admit defeat, he couldn't put Nezuko's life in danger.