Searching for the Dead
With a faint smile, Scribe didn't take the matter to heart.
After a few quick movements, his figure disappeared from the spot.
As time goes by, the moon gradually shifts its position.
On the distant horizon, a sliver of red appeared.
At the same time, a group of humans also arrived here.
"Are you sure a vehicle overturned here?!"
Looking at the scene before him, the leading man felt a twitch in the corner of his eye.
"Smack!"
He slapped his subordinate across the face, then grabbed him by the collar.
He pointed ahead while yelling at them.
"You're telling me this happened because a vehicle overturned?!"
A crater several meters deep, a crack several meters long, and countless fallen trees.
In addition, some people say they have seen a massive explosion and a beam of light in this location.
All of this, no matter how you look at it, doesn't seem like something as simple as a vehicle overturning.
"But that's what the person who came to report to us said."
Despite feeling helpless and angry, the subordinates could only swallow their anger.
He was secretly cursing his annoying boss, but he still managed to explain.
"The man said it was just a simple vehicle rollover accident."
"Where is that person? Where did that person go?!"
Another slap in the opposite direction, and the leader handed his subordinate a large pen bag.
"Call that person over here, I want to confront him face to face."
"I... I don't know."
Unable to shed a tear, the subordinate could only cover his swollen cheeks and mutter to himself.
"We originally wanted to keep him here, but we didn't expect him to disappear as soon as he went out."
"What do you mean 'disappeared'? Is he a ninja?!"
"Well, he just disappeared as soon as he stepped out the door."
Upon hearing his subordinate's explanation, the leader felt as if he had been tricked.
"Get out of here! Leave my team tomorrow!"
He roared and then kicked his subordinate in the stomach.
"Do any of you remember his name or what he looks like?"
The others looked blank, as if they didn't have much of an impression of the person who called the police.
Some people said he was holding a knife and looked somewhat dangerous.
Some people said that the man had some strange patterns on his body, and speculated that he might be a mountain spirit or monster.
Some of the female team members said the man was incredibly handsome, the most handsome man they had ever seen.
As she spoke, the female team member covered her face, saying with a hint of ecstasy.
'It's a pity I didn't find out if he was alive or dead.'
Looking at the group of oddballs under his command, the leader wondered if he was dreaming and hadn't woken up yet.
Meanwhile, the Scribe had already found Kyojuro and the others at the meeting point.
"Mister Scribe, are you alright?"
Upon meeting, Kyojuro and Tanjiro simultaneously stepped forward to inquire about the Scribe.
Do I look like something's wrong?
With a slight smile, Scribe spun around in place.
Seeing that the other person's clothes weren't too tattered and hearing that familiar tone of voice, everyone felt relieved.
"What about the ghosts? Have they all been dealt with?"
Sitting on the sofa, Scribe poured himself a cup of tea and began to drink it.
"No."
Without any concealment, the Scribe directly stated that he had not killed the ghost.
Everyone was taken aback by this answer.
Then, we looked at each other.
Judging from their expressions, it was as strange as hearing that the Scribe hadn't slain the evil spirit, as if a meteorite had struck the ground.
"Could it be that the ghost's power has reached a level that even the Mister Scribe cannot handle?"
As this doubt arose in his mind, Tanjiro felt a chill run down his spine.
Large beads of sweat dripped down his cheeks and onto the ground.
If such a demon were to appear, even the Demon Slayer Corps' top fighter, the Scribe, would be unable to defeat it.
Such a being would be the most terrifying news for both the Demon Slayer Corps and the general public.
"You don't need to be nervous."
Looking at the tense crowd, the Scribe knew they had misunderstood something.
"I had already severely injured the other party, but just as I was about to finish him off, he was rescued by other ghosts."
These words shocked everyone once again.
"A ghost saved another ghost?"
"Could such a thing even exist?"
"Mister Scribe, are you really sure it was one ghost that saved another?"
As soon as Zenitsu finished speaking his last words, he hurriedly waved his hand to explain.
Of course, I don't doubt what you said, it's just that...
Seeing Zenitsu's face flushed Zenitsu, the Scribe laughed heartily.
He waved his hand, indicating that the other person didn't need to be so nervous.
No explanation needed, I know what you mean.
He took a sip of tea and then spoke calmly.
"The idea of one ghost helping another ghost may sound absurd, but it's not impossible."
"Whether it is under the instruction of other beings or out of the ghost's own will, there are prerequisites for its existence."
"It's not just about ghosts helping ghosts; it's even possible for multiple ghosts to gather together. Dozens of ghosts could be a perfect match."
A single stone can stir up a thousand waves.
The more the Scribe spoke, the more unbelievable Tanjiro and the others found it.
Even Kyojuro, who was standing to the side, cast a curious and puzzled look at them.
He had heard of ghosts helping ghosts before.
But he had never even heard of dozens of ghosts gathering together.
Even in the books at home, there is probably no such record.
Curious?
With a raised eyebrow, the Scribe spoke with interest.
'If you'd like to hear it, I can tell you.'
"Then I'll leave it to you!"
Without any hesitation, Tanjiro bowed deeply and then sat down to the side.
Look at that straight back, it's just like a student listening attentively in class.
The others, though not as attentive as Tanjiro, nodded, indicating they wanted to hear.
"Alright, let's just call it a short story."
Seeing the expectant looks on everyone's faces, the Scribe could no longer keep them in suspense.
He recounted his childhood experience of a gathering of ghosts in a slightly abridged version.
As he spoke, he was also thinking about what had just happened.
For Tanjiro and the others, and even Kyojuro.
Facing two seemingly Upper Rank demons at the same time is far too dangerous.
Leaving aside the so-called God of Ninjas, Imamura, just the fact that Shinri Masato alone is enough to slaughter Tanjiro and the others.
The title of Upper Rank Three is absolutely built upon the lives of countless humans.
"Wait a moment?!"
Suddenly, the Scribe's pupils widened.
"If that Shinri Masato is Upper Rank Three, then where did the previous Upper Rank Three go?"
Chapter 340 Searching for the Dead
Long ago, during the time when the Scribe met Gyutaro and Koume, he also encountered Doma after he had become a demon.
At that time, Doma had become one of the Twelve Kizuki.
Moreover, it is the Upper Rank Six.
He found himself along with Upper Rank Four and Upper Rank Five, the three demons at the time.
During the fierce battle, he learned from Doma that Upper Rank Three had been born.
At that time, he seemed to know the identity of Upper Rank Three through Doma's description.
Enraged, he killed Upper Rank Four with a single strike, and then tried to extract more information from Doma.
Unfortunately, that guy ran too fast.
Moreover, judging from the traces at the scene, that guy massacred a group of humans after leaving the battlefield.
In the years that followed, I also searched for it.
But ultimately, because ghost stories were so rare, they didn't get many useful clues.
Even if I had searched the places I suspected, everything there had changed.
Not only are the people long gone, but even the surrounding buildings are completely different now.
Not everything, like the biblical figures such as the Scribe and the Tamayo, can withstand the test of time.
But until today, after encountering the demon named "Shinri Masato" and fighting with it, the long-buried memories resurfaced.
That guy's Upper Rank Three title is beyond doubt; the characters in his two pupils are the best proof.
If that's the case, then where did Upper Rank Three go?
Was he killed by the Demon Slayer? Or was he defeated in Rank-Swap Blood Battle?
Or perhaps, Doma told himself about Upper Rank Three was that it never existed in the first place.
As the speech slowed down, the Scribe's brain began to work at high speed.
Thinking about it carefully, Doma had no reason to deceive himself at all.
Moreover, based on her understanding of him, Doma wouldn't lie to her about something like this.