THUD.

The impact echoed through the endless halls like a stone dropped into a void. A lone human tumbled onto the polished, icy wooden floor of the Infinity Castle, the air knocked clean out of their lungs. They groaned, dazed, palms scraping against the lacquered planks as they pushed themselves upright.

Then they felt it— A pressure. An oppressive, suffocating awareness.

Dozens of eyes—wrong shapes, wrong colors, wrong hungers—snapped toward them from every balcony, pillar, and swirling shadow.

Kokushibo straightened slightly, one hand drifting toward the hilt of his blade. All six of his eyes tightened on the trembling human, unblinking, evaluating—measuring whether they were worth the effort of killing.

Beside him, Douma leaned forward with childlike excitement, hands clasped. “Oh my! A human?” he chimed, voice sugary and hollow. “How delightful~”

Akaza clicked his tongue, already irritated. “Tch. Nakime,” he barked without looking away, “explain this.”

The Biwa demon sat perfectly still in the shadows. Her long fingers plucked a single low note that reverberated through the castle. “I did not summon them,” Nakime said softly, her eye unmoving.

A piercing shriek split the air. “HUH?! HUMAN? HERE?!” Hantengu wailed, curling into himself like a terrified insect. “L-LORD MUZAN IS GOING TO KILL US!”

From his splintered form, Sekido snarled, sparks crackling. “Then they should die for trespassing.”

Karaku stretched lazily, grin wide. “Oh come on, Sekido… wouldn’t it be more fun to play with them first?”

Aizetsu turned his sorrowful gaze to the human, shoulders slumping. “This is… deeply unfortunate for them.”

Above them, wings flapping excitedly, Urogi burst into laughter. “Can I chase them? Pleeease? It’s been forever since we had live prey!”

From the cluster of emotions, Zohakuten crossed his arms, glaring with disdain carved deep into his tiny face. The air around him vibrated with disapproval.

Elsewhere, porcelain clinked wetly. Gyokko wriggled within his pot, grotesque face twisting with glee. “Oooh… such smooth, unblemished skin. I could make a simply lovely vase out of them…”

On an upper platform, Daki curled her lip in disgust. “Ugh. Why is a gross little human even here?”

Beside her, Gyutaro hunched over, scratching at his neck with a sick grin. “C’mon, Nee-chan… don’t be like that. Look at ‘em… all tiny and scared. Kinda cute, ain’t it?”

From the shadows, Kaigaku scoffed with open contempt. “Pathetic. Just kill them already and move on.”