Hearing this, Kurosaki Rei snapped back to the present from the harmonious atmosphere. He smiled and said,
"I want to travel—see the vast world out there."
"Traveling, huh? That's a fine choice as well,"
the Master said with a smile.
He had already planned to quietly provide Kurosaki Rei with some travel funds, though he wouldn't bring it up in front of everyone, fearing Kurosaki Rei might refuse.
It could be said that although Kurosaki Rei had not been with the Demon Slayer Corps for long, Ubuyashiki Kagaya felt a special affection toward him. It was precisely Kurosaki Rei's appearance that broke the millennium-long stalemate and brought the demon-slaying endeavor to its conclusion.
Now that his family's curse had been lifted and they themselves had benefited from it, Kagaya regarded Kurosaki Rei—and all members of the Demon Slayer Corps—as great benefactors of the Ubuyashiki family.
Originally, Kagaya had worried that someone like Kurosaki Rei—who seemed to know nothing but fighting and killing—might struggle to survive in a rapidly changing society, and thus wanted to look after him. But since Kurosaki Rei had chosen to travel, Kagaya would only offer his support.
After the meeting ended, the Nine Hashira went their separate ways. Some shed tears at the farewell—years of fighting side by side had forged deep bonds.
Through their conversations, Kurosaki Rei learned roughly what future each of them planned.
The Sound Hashira intended to return to his hometown and live in seclusion with his wives, reforming the ninja village, abolishing its cruel rules, and ushering in an era of freedom.
The Serpent Hashira and Love Hashira planned to open a small restaurant. Their relationship had progressed rapidly—they were already preparing to marry and had invited everyone from the Demon Slayer Corps to their wedding.
The Flame Hashira would return home to inherit the family estate, helping local people reclaim farmland and develop the economy.
The Stone Hashira planned to return to his old temple, repair it, chant sutras and worship the Buddha daily, and help farmers at the foot of the mountain with heavy labor.
The Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyu, planned to find his master. Because he was quiet and aloof, people once joked that he was going back to "live off his teacher," but in truth he wanted to take care of his teacher in old age before setting out to travel himself.
The Insect Hashira, Kocho Shinobu, with the Master's funding, opened a hospital together with Tamayo. Many of the children from the Butterfly Estate joined them, spending their days treating patients and conducting medical research.
The Wind Hashira finally stopped quarreling with his younger brother. After a heartfelt talk, the brothers embraced and wept, venting years of pent-up grievance and guilt. Afterward, they returned to their hometown, bought a piece of farmland with the Master's support, and began a simple farming life.
The Mist Hashira, having recovered his memories thanks to Tanjiro's "friendship brainwashing," was no longer so dazed. Being still young, he chose to go to school—whether he'd be bullied remained to be seen.
As for the younger generation who had yet to become Hashira, they too followed their own paths.
Inosuke decided to return to the mountains where he'd been raised and become a forest ranger, protecting nature. Tanjiro and the others were stunned by this, convinced Inosuke wouldn't last long before getting bored and coming to find them.
Tanjiro had originally planned to return to his hometown with Nezuko to resume their family trade of cutting firewood and selling charcoal. In the end, however, he didn't return to that remote village—he was kept behind by Kanao Tsuyuri.
Eventually, he and Nezuko opened a small eatery near Kanao's hospital. Thanks to Tanjiro's excellent cooking, they quickly won over the locals and business flourished. Nezuko became the shop's mascot, serving tea and dishes. Their happy life had begun to take shape—though Tanjiro, being dense as steel, still hadn't confessed to Kanao, despite Nezuko repeatedly hinting at it.
Speaking of Nezuko, since Tanjiro and Nezuko stayed in the city, Zenitsu stayed as well. He never abandoned his pursuit of Nezuko, though lately Tanjiro seemed increasingly annoyed by him. Like all brothers, Tanjiro couldn't quite escape the stereotype—while Nezuko herself hadn't rejected Zenitsu at all.
Zenitsu wasn't idle either. Through the Master's introduction, he became a courier—an early postal worker—employed by the state, with decent pay. Because he delivered letters at lightning speed, he received widespread praise and was reportedly due for a raise soon.
On holidays, Zenitsu would return to Mt. Sagiri to accompany Grandpa Jigoro, telling him exaggerated tales of his demon-slaying adventures. Whenever Kurosaki Rei came up, Zenitsu's descriptions grew especially dramatic, prompting Jigoro's hearty laughter—he loved those embellished stories.
Kurosaki Rei also returned to Mt. Sagiri once, staying for a week as a final farewell. Jigoro was deeply moved to see him, never imagining that his eldest disciple would become a Hashira within days of descending the mountain—and wipe out demons entirely in just two months.
He was immensely proud, greeting Kurosaki Rei with a smile every day. Occasionally, he still felt sadness remembering that his second disciple, Kaigaku, had died at a demon's hands. But as a cultivator who had lost many students, he didn't linger in grief—and with Zenitsu being so good at cheering people up, Mt. Sagiri was always filled with laughter.
After bidding farewell to the Hashira, Kurosaki Rei also left the Master's estate. Outside the gate, Tanjiro and the others were waiting.
"Senior Brother Rei / Big Brother Rei, are you leaving?"
Zenitsu and Tanjiro asked together.
Kurosaki Rei nodded.
"There are no banquets that never end. Muzan is dead, but our journeys are only just beginning."
He patted Zenitsu's head.
"Take good care of yourself. Take care of your teacher. And one day, take care of your family too."
Zenitsu's eyes shimmered with tears as he nodded.
"Don't worry, Senior Brother!"
After hesitating, he asked,
"Will you come back someday?"
Under Tanjiro and the others' gazes, Kurosaki Rei thought for a moment, then smiled.
"If fate allows… perhaps we'll meet again."
He had conquered this world and obtained its World Core after killing Muzan. If he wished, he could return at any time—even guide certain historical developments through ownership rights.
But life in the Space couldn't always be this peaceful. He'd already rested long enough in this world, and the road ahead was long.
Watching Kurosaki Rei's retreating figure, Zenitsu felt as though he'd suddenly grown up. The towering tree that once sheltered him was gone. Just as his senior brother said—everyone has their own journey, and his was one he would have to walk himself.
When daylight fully broke, Kurosaki Rei vanished beyond the horizon.
From then on, only the legend of the strongest demon slayer remained in this world.
...
As the sensation of weightlessness faded and his feet touched solid ground again, Kurosaki Rei's vision cleared. He was back in his room.
[No significant injuries detected in Pioneer. Begin settlement?]
Kurosaki Rei walked to the fridge, took out a bottle of cola, opened it, took a sip, and sat down on the couch.
"Begin settlement."
[Commencing derivative world reward settlement…]
Derivative World: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Difficulty: Lv.5–15 (Easy–Nightmare)
World Exploration: 89.9%
[Commencing task completion settlement for Pioneer No. 008…]
[All main quests completed. Reward: 10,000 Coins, World Core]
[Commencing side quest: Demon Hunter…]
[Side quest reward chests collected. Total Terminus Coins obtained: 83,489]
[Commencing hidden quest: Tamayo's Research…]
[Completion rate extremely high. Highest reward granted: Beyond-the-Shore Demon Bloodline item]
[Commencing hidden quest: Perfect Ending…]
[Perfect Ending achieved. Reward: +10 Free Attributes]
All tasks completed excellently. Overall world evaluation increased.
Commencing comprehensive evaluation…
Detected Pioneer Mark Level below world difficulty rating. Evaluation boosted. Experience increased.
Overall Rating: S+
Obtained S+ Honor Medal, usable for special privilege exchanges.
[Detected that Pioneer has naturally broken rank barriers in more than three attributes. Ascension trial waived. Extreme attribute reward available—please claim at the Enhancement Hall.]
Pioneer level increased to Lv.13.
[Based on overall performance, Pioneer may select four of the following seven rewards:]
+15 Free Attributes
B. 40,000 Terminus Coins
C. Legendary Random Equipment Chest (Muzan drop compensation)
D. Purple Random Item Chest (Guaranteed max-rating item)
E. Inheritance Crystals (Small) ×15
F. Special Title: Demon Exterminator
G. Purple Random Equipment Chest (Guaranteed max-rating equipment)
Kurosaki Rei looked over the rewards and, after some thought, checked the details of the Demon Exterminator title first.
Special Title: Demon Exterminator
Title Rank: A+
Origin:
Born from Pioneer No. 008's widespread renown in the Demon Slayer world after slaying countless demons and ultimately killing the Demon King Kibutsuji Muzan.
Effect 1:
While holding this title, the Pioneer deals an additional 20% true damage to targets commonly defined as demons, devils, evil beings, or spiritual entities.
Effect 2:
Upon entering worlds, the holder gains –1000 reputation with demon/evil factions and +1000 reputation with opposing factions. In some worlds, special starting identities may be selected.
Evaluation:
A legendary demon exterminator, stepping into the myriad worlds.
Kurosaki Rei pondered the description. Though named Demon Exterminator, its effects covered a wide range—essentially meaning that as long as the target fell under demons, fiends, monsters, or spiritual entities, he'd gain a massive 20% true damage bonus. That was huge.
As for why it applied beyond just demons, he suspected it had to do with how the title was born.
In the Demon Slayer world, the Terminus Space had opened a reputation system. By the time he left, his reputation had exceeded ten thousand—reaching the Epic tier.
He guessed that his story would be passed down through generations of Demon Slayers, eventually spreading among ordinary people. Since later generations wouldn't truly understand what demons like Muzan were, they'd likely mythologize him as someone who slew all manner of monsters and spirits—thus broadening the title's scope.
Whether that guess was correct or not, Kurosaki Rei figured one thing was clear: building reputation across worlds could yield extremely powerful titles.
As for choosing this title—there was no question. True damage was rare, the scope was broad, and it was a passive effect requiring no equipment.
With that decided, the remaining choices were easy.
He was already flush with Terminus Coins from side quests, so 40,000 didn't impress him. Purple-quality chests were also out—max-rated purple gear was worth maybe 30,000 coins, less efficient than currency. Item chests could potentially yield valuable bloodline items, but that kind of gambling was too unstable.
In the end, Kurosaki Rei chose A, C, E, and F.
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