"Watch out—Muzan is about to self-destruct! He's trying to escape!"
From atop the high wall, Tamayo shouted in warning the instant she saw it. She had once been at Muzan's side and had personally witnessed how he had escaped through self-detonation back then.
"You're overthinking it."
Kurosaki Rei sneered and flashed forward. Long before his first strike, he had already completed the incantation for a Binding Art. His left hand thrust out as he directly released it.
Binding Art No. 61: Six Rods Light Prison.
Six pillars of golden light slammed down and bound Muzan in place, suppressing both his movements and his attempt to self-destruct. Immediately after, Kurosaki Rei's blade descended.
Like dense lightning flashing at extreme frequency, countless slashes erupted amid Muzan's screams. Kurosaki Rei manually chopped Muzan into tens of thousands—hundreds of thousands—of pieces.
When the last of Muzan's brains was shredded, Qiumo let out a long, delighted cry, as if intoxicated by the sweetness of devoured souls.
"Is… is it over?"
The Love Hashira stared at the fragments scattered across the ground. None of the flesh twitched. There was no sign of movement.
The Hashira, along with Tanjiro and the others, remained on high alert, eyes locked on the minced remains while constantly scanning their surroundings, afraid that some fragment might slip away in a blind spot under cover of darkness.
Standing before the heap of flesh, Kurosaki Rei finally stopped slashing. He flicked the blood from his blade, exhaled a long breath of turbid air, and the demonic markings on his face slowly faded.
"It's over. You can all rest easy," he said calmly. "I'm certain—Kibutsuji Muzan has been killed."
Because of Kurosaki Rei's authority, everyone present let out a collective sigh of relief. As the tension broke, coupled with severe injuries and the backlash from Ghost God, several Hashira immediately collapsed to the ground, their bodies going slack.
What followed was the overwhelming joy of victory.
In this battle, not a single Demon Slayer had fallen—yet the millennium-old Demon King had been ended. It felt almost dreamlike.
The lingering unease was mostly because many of the Hashira had prepared themselves for a fight to the death. This victory felt… a little too easy.
Kurosaki Rei, however, knew it was only right.
He alone had borne the brunt of Muzan's faction's combat power. The Nine Hashira were all enhanced versions after mastering Ghost God, each at peak condition. If they still couldn't suppress and stall Muzan—who had already taken one of Kurosaki Rei's slashes—then there would've been nothing he could do.
By the time he arrived, Muzan had already been significantly weakened by Tamayo and Shinobu's poisons. After prolonged fighting, his stamina and strength were far below their peak.
Under those circumstances, Kurosaki Rei could completely overpower Muzan head-on and hack that trash-tier boss into meat paste.
After all, compared to Kokushibo, Muzan had no clear advantage in raw power—only higher Constitution and absurd survivability.
And Kokushibo, with superior combat skill, had already been slain.
Muzan was never going to be Kurosaki Rei's match.
To prevent Muzan from self-destructing once things went south, Kurosaki Rei had quietly completed the Binding Art incantation while the Hashira were talking to Muzan—just to ensure a guaranteed kill.
Binding Arts didn't merely interfere with the physical world; more importantly, they restrained the soul itself. That was why Muzan couldn't self-destruct—because doing so required splitting his soul and attaching fragments of it to every piece of flesh to escape. Once his soul was bound, that method was impossible.
With Six Rods Light Prison locking Muzan into a single, intact soul, every strike from Qiumo became true damage. Shredding Muzan's body was equivalent to shredding his soul. Death was inevitable.
Kurosaki Rei dared to guarantee Muzan's death to the Hashira because he had already completed this world's main storyline and received the prompt from the Terminus Space.
[Main Quest: Final Ring Completed. Would the Pioneer like to return?]
Kurosaki Rei chose No.
Explorers had a three-month stay in this world, regardless of faction. Completing the main quest granted the option to return, not a mandatory recall.
His physical condition was still fine, with no urgent injuries to deal with. With the remaining three weeks, he could continue training—and observe how the Demon Slayer Corps handled its future.
"Godfather! That was amazing, Godfather!"
Xiaochahua rushed out of the courtyard, shouting excitedly. Nezuko also ran out, hugging Tanjiro tightly in joy.
Seeing that Muzan was truly dead, the Nine Hashira finally broke down—some crying from excitement, others from the release of long-buried sorrow.
At that moment, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was helped out by Amane. The Hashira immediately composed themselves and looked at him with concern.
"Master, your health—should you really be out here?"
Kagaya waved weakly, then bowed deeply to everyone.
"Thank you all… for your valiant struggle."
Too frail to say much more, he was supported by his wife as he walked to the pile of flesh. After confirming there was no movement, he let out a long breath.
"At last… our ancestors' wish has been fulfilled. The demon has been destroyed."
Strangely, after he said this, the scars caused by his illness appeared to fade before the Hashira's eyes—as if some curse were lifting.
Kurosaki Rei found it curious as well. He had examined Kagaya before and even attempted Kaidō treatment, but with little effect.
Kaidō could heal injuries, but curing diseases was far more difficult. In the end, Kurosaki Rei had only used a recovery item to slightly improve Kagaya's condition.
Now it was clear—this wasn't a hereditary disease at all, but a heavenly curse. With Muzan's death, Kagaya's illness eased. Just days ago, the man had been bedridden.
Demon Slayer reinforcements gradually converged on the estate. News of Muzan's death spread rapidly. Upon hearing it, many Demon Slayers wept openly, feeling a profound sense of catharsis.
Kasugai Crows carried the news across the country. In truth, even without messages, some Demon Slayers had already sensed it.
In the midst of battle, demons they were fighting suddenly turned to ash—proof that the one who created them, Kibutsuji Muzan, had died.
"Lady Tamayo!"
Yushiro looked on anxiously as Tamayo rapidly aged, as if nearing death.
Kurosaki Rei frowned and walked over.
"Don't worry. She won't die," he said. "It's just the side effect of a half-human, half-demon body."
Tamayo spoke calmly. With her aged appearance, she now resembled a kindly old grandmother.
She had long anticipated this outcome. Surviving at all was already a blessing. By her estimate, she could still live for several hundred years—more than enough time for medical research.
"Even now, Lady Tamayo is still beautiful in my eyes!" Yushiro said fervently.
Tamayo didn't reply, only smiled. Aging was hard for any woman to accept, but the joy of Muzan's death was enough to wash away all worries.
The Demon Slayers celebrated their victory. Zenitsu had already started pestering Tanjiro and Nezuko, insisting on calling Tanjiro "big brother."
Shinobu's disciple, Kanao Tsuyuri, quietly approached Tanjiro, tugged at his sleeve, and whispered something that left him momentarily dazed.
Watching all this, Kurosaki Rei relaxed and smiled faintly. He walked aside and sat on the steps outside the courtyard gate.
The battle had drained him badly. High-level Kidō demanded enormous soul power. Even after using recovery items mid-fight, he was nearly empty now, his head feeling light.
By then, the Demon Slayer medical corps had arrived and began treating the wounded. Kurosaki Rei waved them off.
"Let me sleep it off."
With no obvious external injuries, he walked to his room under the group's worried gazes, pulled out the large bed he'd bought from the sailor-uniform girl, and lay down.
...
Summer heat lingered. Warm winds stirred the bells beneath the eaves, their chimes crisp and clear.
Kurosaki Rei sat along the wooden corridor, eating chilled watermelon and greeting each Hashira as they arrived.
After finishing the last slice and washing his hands, he entered the inner room, where all ten Hashira had gathered.
Seated at the front was Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Weeks had passed, and he seemed reborn—his former scars completely gone, revealing a handsome face.
He smiled gently.
"This will be the final Hashira Meeting."
He knelt and bowed deeply, forehead touching the floor.
"Thank you all for your years of fighting. With my frail body alone, I could have accomplished nothing."
The Hashira, who deeply respected their master, quickly returned the bow and spoke words of gratitude.
Rising, Kagaya said warmly, "From today onward, the Demon Slayer Corps is officially disbanded. I hope all of you will have peaceful, happy futures."
The Hashira smiled. Since Muzan's death, many Demon Slayers had already returned home. The Hashira themselves had mostly been resting or enjoying leisure, waiting for this final order.
Of course, there were exceptions. Even with Muzan gone, some continued to train relentlessly—Kurosaki Rei among them. He kept up daily conditioning and occasionally sparred with the Stone Hashira.
"Considering that many of you may only know battle after all these years," Kagaya continued, "the Ubuyashiki family will provide positions for anyone who needs them. If you lack clear plans, you're welcome to continue working with us."
The Ubuyashiki family, blessed with generations of brilliant heads, had accumulated vast wealth to support the Corps. Now that it was disbanded, Kagaya had to consider the future livelihoods of its members—poverty, at times, could be more terrifying than demons.
"I still dislike her," Shinobu said with a smile, "but I'll continue medical research with Lady Tamayo."
Her eyes shone brightly. Kurosaki Rei had kept his promise—not only killing Dōma, but delivering his head to her. She hadn't indulged in desecration; exposing it to sunlight was closure enough.
"I'll probably return to inherit the family business," the Flame Hashira said cheerfully. "Even without demons, there are still many people who need help. I want to keep living to protect others."
One by one, the Hashira shared their plans. In the end, aside from Shinobu, none chose to remain under the Ubuyashiki household.
Kagaya didn't press the matter. He knew the Hashira were people of strong will. Offering a path was enough.
At last, he turned to the only one who hadn't spoken.
"Rei-kun," he asked gently, "what do you plan to do next?"
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.Part One is officially complete — and it's now available
Go check it out and dive into the full experience.
Claim early access here: [email protected]/voidink08
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🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.Part One is officially complete — and it's now available
Go check it out and dive into the full experience.
Claim early access here: [email protected]/voidink08
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews unlock 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.