Side Mission: Bloody Purge

Side Mission: Bloody Purge

"Lady Muzan, have you seen those latest firearms? How do they compare to your Man-eating Demon subordinates?"

Kibutsuji Muzan wore a black kimono embroidered with flowers as red as blood, exuding an aura of noble, icy elegance.

Even the daughters of those wealthy, powerful clans could not compare to such bearing. That was also why Hirohito had initially been willing to hear her out.

Muzan sat in the guest seat below, her expression tranquil. Every movement she made was completely soundless. Only after Prince Hirohito spoke did she ponder briefly before answering,

"They have decent killing power. With sufficient ammunition, excellent soldiers can fend off attacks from several ordinary Man-eating Demons."

She neither mocked nor praised them.

The smile on Prince Hirohito's face faded slightly, but he soon shook his head and laughed.

"Indeed, these firearms are ultimately mere worldly objects. Compared to the immortal demons under Lady Muzan's command, they still fall far short."

Muzan did not reply, which counted as tacit agreement.

She had never cared much for so-called restoration or reform. In her eyes, humans who would turn into a handful of dirt within mere decades were simply showing off their fleeting lives.

They had originally been nothing more than her food.

But one day several years ago, for some reason, she had suddenly received an insight.

Kibutsuji Muzan hated and cursed the gods, so naturally she did not believe it was divine revelation. Yet somehow, she came to understand many things.

She realized that humans were numerous, that human hearts were greedy and complex. She no longer looked down on humanity, instead beginning to control it.

The results of that change were excellent.

It so happened that Japan had completed the Meiji Restoration and entered the Taishō Era. Every trade and even the cities themselves were undergoing immense changes, leaving countless restless hearts and desires for her to exploit.

For example, those warlord forces that kept emerging and had now begun trying to control the entire nation.

Although the warlord magnate known as Katsura Tarō had been defeated by various factions several years ago, the warlord forces still held the advantage.

More and more nobles and officials had come to understand Muzan's terrifying power. More importantly, the elderly among them were unwilling to die, kneeling before Kibutsuji Muzan and begging her to grant them an elixir of "immortality."

Hah. Kibutsuji Muzan sneered inwardly. In all her thousand years, she had never imagined that humans were such feeble creatures.

After all, humans like Tsugikuni Yoriichi only appeared once in a millennium!

Prince Hirohito had already learned some information about the Blue Spider Lily. He believed that his long-cherished wish would soon be fulfilled. After that, he could slowly deal with those so-called Demon Slayer Corps. Everything in this world would be his to take as he pleased.

Suddenly, within the dim room, an ugly creature crawled out of an exceedingly valuable glass jar.

Several figures instantly appeared behind Prince Hirohito, shielding the prince behind them.

Upper Rank Five: Gyokko saw this and curled his lips in mockery.

These humans truly did not know whether they lived or died. When they were with Lord Muzan, they took no precautions, yet whenever he appeared, they always acted so wary. What foolishness.

Did they not know that Lord Muzan was the most terrifying monster in the world?

Muzan nodded, signaling Gyokko to speak directly. She did not regard Prince Hirohito highly at all. In fact, quite a number of this nation's nobles and officials had already become Man-eating Demons dependent on her favor.

"Lord Muzan, traces of the Demon Slayer Corps have appeared near Mount Fujikasane. A Lower Rank Candidate and a Public Order Officer under the Minister of the Left have died."

Muzan remained expressionless, and Hirohito showed no reaction either. He was even somewhat baffled. Was the murder of a Public Order Officer such a major matter?

As for holding the Ubuyashiki Family accountable, the Minister of the Left alone would be more than enough.

Gyokko knew that Lord Muzan would react this way, so he continued.

"Two more humans claim they wish to join you, my lord. They say they know the exact location of the Blue Spider Lily and are also aware of the origins of the humans who killed the Public Order Officer and the Lower Rank tonight..."

"Oh?"

Kibutsuji Muzan narrowed her scarlet eyes. In an instant, she began reading through Gyokko's memories. She saw the two figures dressed in night clothes, their unusual skills, and... their greed for power...

"Gyokko, you have done well."

"I am very interested in these two humans."

Heian-kyo had once been Japan's capital. But as the Heian Period passed, everything from that time—whether the era of gods, demons, and strange tales or its mysterious powers—had faded away.

The Japanese Emperor had also moved the capital to what had once been Edo, now Tokyo City.

Within Heian-kyo, the Minister of the Left frowned. He too wore a military uniform. The current cabinet had long been controlled by warlords and the new wealthy capitalists, and he had chosen to stand with the warlord faction. In truth, that faction was also heading toward success.

He could sense that the people of the entire nation were boiling with fervor because of the Meiji Restoration. An uncontrollable urge for destruction demanded a war sweeping across the whole world to vent itself.

Just like the war currently raging in the distant West.

"Minister! Minister!"

A frantic cry startled him awake. The soldiers behind him all held long rifles. He was not guarding against civilians or the samurai who had long fallen behind the times.

He was guarding against Man-eating Demons!

Within the shadows of the hall stood a Man-eating Demon with the words Lower Rank Two clearly engraved in its eyes. It too held this so-called Minister of the Left in contempt, but Lord Muzan had forbidden them from eating these officials without orders.

"Minister of the Left! Public Order Officer Hirano and the Man-eating Demons sent to Mount Fujikasane are all dead! Only a few returned, saying they encountered a Hashira-level Swordsman from the Demon Slayer Corps!"

The Minister of the Left was still considering what he could extort from the Ubuyashiki Family over Hirano's death. That family possessed immense wealth, enough to fill his pockets.

But suddenly, the powerful Man-eating Demon in the shadows moved.

The Man-eating Demon named Rokuro had long black hair and an equally thick beard. His nostrils twitched as he emerged from the shadows. Ignoring the Minister of the Left's wariness, he said,

"There is an unfamiliar scent. Humans—and... their bodies are very strong."

The Minister of the Left was startled and immediately waved his hand. In the courtyard, an army squad promptly raised their firearms and went on alert. Those Demon Slayer Swordsmen were not much weaker in swordsmanship than the legendary Shinsengumi of old.

Fortunately, they had guns now.

But the next moment, several figures suddenly appeared atop the outer wall, tossing several pitch-black objects into the courtyard.

The next moment.

Boom!

High-Explosive Grenades from a high-tech world detonated in Taishō Era Japan.

Amid flying flesh and blood, the Minister of the Left was shaken to his core by the terrifying blast, unable to control himself.

Rokuro's pupils shrank as well. The power of such firearms was likely enough to threaten a Lower Rank Demon.

In an instant, his body became an afterimage as he lunged at them, but Vincent roared and blocked his path.

The Professor also instantly raised her hand cannon and fired a booming shot.

You have triggered Side Mission: Bloody Purge

Mission Description: Quite a few humans have already joined the Man-eating Demon faction. Purge them. For every person killed, you will receive additional rewards.

Failure Penalty: None

Additional Reward: Killing high-ranking figures may grant Singularity rewards.

A flash of light flickered in Bai Cangshu's hand, and a silver revolver appeared. Without even aiming, he raised it and fired into the hall.

Pfft!

The Minister of the Left's pupils widened as he slumped in his chair. A bullet had struck between his brows, blowing the back of his skull clean off. He died an exceedingly swift death.

You have killed Minister of the Left: Kōno Kōsuke. Obtained 300 Dimensional Points.

Side Mission: Bloody Purge additional reward triggered. Mission participants have obtained E-rank Anomaly Point x1.

Bai Cangshu whistled. He had not expected his random lucky shot to directly trigger the effect of Knocking on Misfortune's Door.

Vincent and Elizabeth's eyes also lit up with delight. They had not expected the Side Mission triggered by this madman to offer such generous rewards. Killing an ordinary Plot Character had earned them an Anomaly Point.

Only the Professor frowned slightly. She knew that the greater the reward, the greater the danger.

This world was becoming more and more dangerous.