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Chapter 360: Muzan Turns to Ash
Katakuri coldly interrupted Muzan's begging.
His gaze passed through the ruins. Landing on that small figure staring closely at this side in the distance.
Brulee was covering her mouth, looking at him with teary eyes. There was no fear in her eyes. Only full adoration and pride.
Seeing that look. Katakuri's cold, hard heart suddenly softened for an instant.
"I just want... To take my sister home early for snacks."
As his voice fell. Katakuri's fist swung out for the third time. This time. He poured all his Haki, all his power, everything into this strike. Without any reservation.
"Mochi: Peerless: Meteor Smash!!!"
Rumble—!!!
Accompanied by a loud noise that seemed to shatter the earth's crust, a massive pillar of black-red light directly pierced through the entire Infinity Castle. Cleaving this extra-dimensional fortress that had existed for a thousand years completely in half down the middle!
And in the very center of that light pillar.
The Progenitor who commanded demons for a millennium. Muzan, who was regarded as a nightmare by countless people. Didn't even have time to let out a final scream. He completely vanished within that destructive light.
Leaving only sky-filling dust. And the rising morning sun... visible through the crack even deep underground.
The roaring sound finally subsided completely. The sky-filling dust slowly settled in the dim light of dawn.
That huge crack running through the entire Infinity Castle was like an ugly yet hope-filled scar, leading straight to the surface. The first ray of sunlight poured down along the crack like a golden waterfall, illuminating that bottomless giant pit.
Also illuminating the scorched earth at the bottom of the pit where nothing remained.
No flesh and blood. No severed limbs. Even that nauseating demon aura had completely evaporated with that punch.
The Demon Progenitor, Kibutsuji Muzan. This nightmare that had coiled in the darkness for a thousand years. Was like a drop of water falling into magma. He didn't even have time to leave a last word. Just so abruptly, completely... gone.
"D... Died?"
In the ruins not far away, Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro, stared with his heterochromatic pupils, his voice dry as if swallowing sand. He stared dead at that deep pit. As if expecting that monster to crawl out again like a cockroach.
However. One minute passed. Two minutes passed. Except for the dust dancing in the sunlight, the bottom of the pit was dead silent.
"Ah..."
The tall body of the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, swayed violently. Two lines of hot tears rolled down from his white eyes. He pressed his palms together, the giant prayer beads in his hands crunching.
"Namu Amida Butsu... Finally... This day has finally come..."
For the Demon Slayer Corps, this moment was too unreal. For this day, they had paid with hundreds of years of time. Sacrificed countless brilliant swordsmen. Drained the blood of countless generations. They had prepared for total annihilation. Prepared for mutual destruction. Even just a few minutes ago, they were desperately thinking about how to stall that monster.
But now. Someone told them. It's over. Just so simply and brutally... ended?
"Hey! Big guy!"
Inosuke Hashibira ignored the wounds still spurting blood on his body and waved his broken dual blades excitedly.
"You're too strong!!! What was that punch? Was it a Boar Rush?! The Great Lord Inosuke wants to learn it too!!!"
Smack!
A hand gently patted Inosuke's boar mask.
"Quiet."
Tanjiro Kamado supported himself against the wall and stood up with difficulty. In his red eyes, the reflection of that tall back standing in the sunlight appeared.
The killing intent on that man had completely dispersed. Replaced by a calm as deep as the sea.
"There's no scent of malice..."
Tanjiro sniffed, murmuring somewhat dazedly.
"Although he looks fierce... But that scent... Is very sad, yet very warm."
In the center of the ruins.
Katakuri slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. The black-red Haki wrapped around his arm dissipated like a receding tide. He looked down at his fist. A trace of scorching heat still remained on his knuckles. But that heaviness that had pressed on his heart for a long time completely vanished with that punch.
Turns out. Letting go of that so-called "perfect" frame. No longer living for the gaze of others. Throwing a fist simply to protect the person one wants to protect. Is such a satisfying thing.
"Big Brother!"
A voice carrying a crying tone came from behind. Katakuri turned around. Only to see that small figure running toward him stumblingly.
Brulee's face was covered in dust and tears. On that face with a long scar, the brightest smile in forty years bloomed at this moment. Without any concealment. Without any inferiority. Like a small flower blooming in the ruins.
"Brulee."
Katakuri's mouth full of fangs grinned slightly. Even without a scarf to cover it. Even revealing that face mocked by countless people. He was more composed at this moment than ever before.
He reached out that massive palm. Gently placing it on Brulee's head.
"We should go home. Go home... for afternoon tea."
Brulee nodded vigorously, burying her face in her brother's warm, large hand.
"Yeah! I want to eat Big Brother's favorite donuts! The biggest kind!"
"Okay."
A trace of a smile flashed in Katakuri's eyes.
Just then. A rush of footsteps sounded. Those scarred Hashira supported each other as they walked over. Although everyone carried wounds. Although their eyes still held awe for that punch just now. But more than that was a gratitude from the bottom of their hearts.
"Sir..."
Sanemi Shinazugawa put away that irritable expression. He took a deep look at Katakuri, then lowered his head extremely solemnly.
"Although I don't know who you are. And regardless of whether you are human or not. This kindness... The Demon Slayer Corps will not dare to forget it until death!"
Rustle.
With the Wind Hashira's movement. All Demon Slayer Corps members present, no matter how heavy their injuries. All knelt on one knee in unison. Even the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito, who usually thought of nothing but dazing out, lowered his head at this moment.
This was respect for the strong. And even more, gratitude to the savior who ended this millennial fate.
Katakuri looked at this group of people. These humans who were clearly as weak as ants, yet dared to swing swords at an elephant for their beliefs. If it were the old him, perhaps he would have scoffed at this, thinking it was the self-satisfaction of the weak.
But now. He saw a certain light in these people that forced him to look sideways. That was the light belonging to "family."
"No need to thank me."
Katakuri said indifferently, his voice low and hoarse.
"I was just cleaning up trash blocking the way. Besides..."
His gaze swept over the wooden box Tanjiro was carrying on his back. Observation Haki allowed him to clearly perceive the aura inside.
"Even if I didn't act. The future... Belongs to you."
After saying this sentence. Katakuri didn't stay any longer.
Hum—!!!
A dazzling golden pillar of light descended from the sky without warning. Directly enveloping the figures of him and Brulee. That familiar spatial fluctuation came again.
"Goodbye."
Brulee turned around and waved vigorously at Tanjiro and the others.
"That kid with the earrings! You must protect your little sister well!"
Tanjiro paused. Then revealed a smile as bright as sunlight and shouted loudly:
"I will!!! Thank you!!!"
The light shot up into the sky. In that piercing radiance, the figures of Katakuri and Brulee gradually became illusory.
Leaving only that Infinity Castle turned to ruins. And that sun slowly rising.
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