Chapter 38: Chapter 38
"I bought it!"
"There are such terrifying monsters in the world! I must spread this news to the whole world!"
"This is a miracle from God! Miracles are happening in all the shrines in this country!"
"I must get the first-hand news!"
Reporters from newspapers from all over the world, stationed in Tokyo, were hiding in the shrines, excitedly and fearfully taking pictures of the writhing demons outside, suppressed by the light of the gods.
"Oh my God! If demons truly exist, then gods must also exist. Otherwise, how can we explain this completely unscientific miracle!"
A pastor held a Bible, chanting. It was the first time in his life that he believed in gods and witnessed a miracle, even though it was a foreign god.
"Look! What is that?! It's actually flying in the sky! What a magical power!"
"And what's going on with someone wielding a holy sword like a hero from mythology? Is that a gift from the gods?"
The scenes of the demon slayers, wielding their Visions, killing demons and healing the injured, were filmed by reporters from all over the world.
After these reporters inquired further, the shrine priest raised his chin and proudly shared some information about the "Ningshen" and the "Vision," causing these foreigners to exclaim in amazement.
The Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps killed demons from eight directions in Tokyo, gradually closing the distance and converging on the Imperial Palace.
Although Tokyo had become a veritable ghost town, the number of demons wasn't as large as they had feared. Even if Muzan Kibutsuji created demons, it was impossible to turn an entire city into demons. Compared to the number of humans, the number of demons was still pitifully small.
The Twelve Kizuki were working tirelessly to create lower-level demons, but even so, the number of demons remained below ten thousand.
Most of the people killed by the demons were soldiers and patrol officers trying to fight back. The number of civilians killed was fewer than the number of demons.
"Breath of Insect: Dance of the Centipede, Hundred-Legged Viper!"
Shinobu Kocho moved at an incredible speed, forming a centipede-like phantom as she ran. Every demon she passed seemed to be torn apart by the giant centipede.
"At this pace, we'll reach the palace soon, sister."
"After all, we have the Visions, and Lady Yae has placed a large barrier to suppress the demons. These demons within the boundary have completely lost their ability to move."
Kanae Kocho spoke to her sister while using the power of her Vision to heal those injured by the demons.
People whose arms, legs, or even stomachs had been torn by demon bites were healed and restored one by one.
The survivors wept, treating Kanae as a divine being. In Shintoism, everything is considered a god, and the earth gods worshipped everywhere are often monsters.
In the eight directions, each Hashira was continuously slaying demons under the guidance of the paper cranes.
Though each of them had killed over 500 demons, they felt no exhaustion. These demons had no power to resist under the barrier, and killing them was as easy as cutting vegetables.
Even the Vision holders were closing in on the palace.
"It seems I was the first to arrive."
Tengen Uzui stood on the stone bridge leading to the Imperial Palace. The Vision on his waist glowed slightly, and invisible sound waves spread around him, allowing him to perceive everything nearby.
He had reached the palace, filled with demons, faster than anyone else because he didn't need his eyes to see. He knew everything in the vast area around him, making it impossible for any demon to escape. He didn't need to waste time searching.
At that moment, the demons in the pavilions of the palace were feasting on human corpses. Judging by their clothing, the victims were maids and servants who had worked for the noble families in the palace.
A large number of ordinary women had also been captured, and their screams filled the air.
Tengen Uzui, born into a noble family and trained as a ninja, knew the behavior of the nobles. Even after becoming demons, these tendencies hadn't changed.
The demons only wanted to consume the most "delicious" children and women.
This country had long been corrupted by these nobles, but no one had an answer to solve this problem. Now that they had turned into demons, he would kill them.
Previously, even killing a minor noble could have caused trouble, let alone the royal family. It would have been seen as an offense to the ruling class.
"There are four Upper Rank demons and a total of seventeen Lower Rank demons here. It's an exaggerated number. If there were so many Upper Rank demons before, I wouldn't have stood a chance against even one of them."
"This is my first time using this technique. Let's see if I can finish them all in one go!"
"Breath of Sound: Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes!"
The two large chain blades in his hands swung continuously. The Vision on his waist glowed brightly, and two-meter-wide crescent blades flew towards the gate of the palace.
*Boom...*
The moat, the city wall, and the pavilions on the wall were shattered instantly by the purple crescents.
The demons in the pavilions were blown to pieces, unable to regenerate under the effects of the sound waves.
"So these are the demon slayers I've heard of—the Ubuyashiki clan. How dare you invade the palace and offend our Emperor? I will devour you!"
An Upper Rank demon, seemingly in command, charged forward with a group of demons.
Tengen Uzui engaged them in battle. Empowered by his Vision, he was now more than ten times stronger than his former self, surpassing even Yoriichi Tsugikuni from five hundred years ago.
Five hundred years ago, Yoriichi had slaughtered demons with ease, and now, as a Vision holder, Tengen was even stronger.
While Tengen fought, the other Hashira joined the battle.
Some foreign reporters, undeterred by the danger, followed behind the Demon Slayer Corps, capturing images.
…
*On a Sailboat in Tokyo Bay*
Ayato Kamisato grabbed Muzan Kibutsuji, who had been frozen into an ice sculpture, and jumped off the sailboat. Ayaka Kamisato created a thin layer of ice on the sea, and the two quickly ran towards the harbor.
Ayato said, "Thankfully, Lady Yae told us to wait here, or we might have let him escape."
"But Lady Yae probably doesn't have the power to predict the future. This must have been prompted by the god of Celestia."