Divine Descent (Demon Slayer Arc Begins)

The vast, bizarre hall was so silent it seemed capable of swallowing every sound.

After successfully persuading Loki to stay behind, Kashu stepped out through a shimmering portal.

Before him lay only a straight passage leading toward another identical portal in the distance.

Kashu chuckled softly. "That's convenient. It won't even give me a chance to get lost."

"Fou~"

The pure-white beast lightly leaped from his shoulder. Its toes touched the ground, sending out silent ripples as it reached the portal first.

Kashu quickly followed. The instant his fingertips touched the portal, several messages flooded into his mind.

[Dimensional Gateway Activated: Time Flow Ratio 120:1]

[Mission: Purge the corruption of this world and resolve the world's calamity]

Immediately afterward, the voice that had sounded when he was on the brink of death echoed once more.

"As the price for your second life, set forth."

Unlike the cold, neutral tone of the previous messages, this voice carried an unquestionable will.

Its owner was the one who had pulled him back from the edge of death in that explosion. The price was this contract of service.

Kashu remained calm. "No need to remind me. Every gift from fate comes with a price. I understand that perfectly well."

Creak—!

The heavy dimensional gateway opened, and Kashu entered with Fou.

The mountain forest lay shrouded beneath the night, its deathly silence steeped in crushing oppression.

The wind moaned as it swept past twisted branches, casting swaying shadows like demons baring their claws and fangs.

"Fou!"

The little beast perched quietly on his shoulder let out a warning growl.

"Mm. The smell of blood is strong. Looks like this place—"

Kashu's words cut off abruptly as a vicious gust struck from behind!

A dark figure lunged at him, hooked claws shooting for his back!

A flash of sword light left behind only a fading arc.

As Kashu sidestepped, his sword precisely severed both incoming claws.

In the faint moonlight, he finally saw his attacker clearly.

It wore a tattered kimono, with shriveled grayish-white skin, a twisted face, protruding fangs, and bloodshot eyes. It looked exactly like an evil demon.

Kashu frowned in confusion.

"What the hell is that?"

The one-armed monster staggered backward, roaring and cursing in a mixture of pain and madness.

"Bastard, another demon slayer!? It hurts! It hurts! I'll eat you!"

"Japan language? Demon slayer?"

A flicker of surprise passed through Kashu's eyes, but his hands did not stop moving.

This thing had more intelligence than a zombie, yet was far weaker than a Dead Apostle. Was it a monster unique to this world?

Before the demon could react, Kashu was already upon it. With a backhand slash, he impaled it and pinned it firmly to the ground.

"Hey. If you don't want your soul scattered, answer me honestly. What is a 'demon slayer'?"

The damage inflicted by his sword was far beyond an ordinary cut. The demon thrashed wildly, yet its wound showed no sign of healing, and its miserable howls gradually weakened.

"Bastard! Why... why does it hurt so much... Just... just wait until I recover..."

The demon had no intention of answering Kashu. It merely struggled desperately.

Yet as time passed, its severed arm never regenerated, and even its curses grew weak.

Kashu crouched down unhurriedly and looked down at the dying demon, a cold smile curling at his lips.

"Looks like we can have a proper talk now, Mr. Demon."

At the same time, deep within the forest.

Tanjiro crashed heavily to the ground. Forcing himself to perform Hinokami Kagura had drained away every last bit of his strength.

Ringing filled his ears. Dizziness and agonizing pain swept through his body, leaving even his breathing ragged and broken.

He struggled to rise, but an even stronger scent of blood came from behind him—

That wasn't his blood!

Tanjiro twisted his head around in disbelief, his pupils suddenly shrinking.

"How... I clearly cut off his head?"

"You thought you defeated me?"

"How pitiful. Did your pathetic delusions make you happy?"

The pale-skinned young demon—Rui—walked over slowly, threads in his hand pulling along a head that had rolled aside.

"I cut off my own head with my threads before you could sever my neck."

Rui casually pressed the head back onto his neck, already irritated that he had spent so long fighting Tanjiro.

"That's enough. I'm going to kill both you and your sister. I haven't been this angry in a long time!"

Tanjiro had no time to care about the demon's killing intent. He could only desperately try to regulate his breathing and stand again.

Breathing... If I regulate my breathing, then... huh?

He suddenly froze. The scent of the wind had changed!

It was no longer the breeze flowing through the forest, but a heavy, violent current that crushed the air and stopped his breath cold!

Rui instantly became alert as well. Before he could activate his Blood Demon Art, a figure wrapped in a hurricane had already charged in with overwhelming force!

The tremendous impact slammed Rui viciously into a tree trunk. Before he could react, a broad sword blade pierced straight through his chest!

Rui cried out in pain. "Who are you!?"

Kashu expressionlessly pulled out his sword. Another flash of steel followed, and a head shot into the sky.

"The one sending you on your way."

Kashu watched the demon before him turn to ash inch by inch amid unwilling howls before finally turning around.

His gaze swept over the boy struggling to rise from the ground before settling on the petite girl lying in a pool of blood nearby.

That was another demon.

!!!

Tanjiro, whose sense of smell far surpassed that of ordinary people, caught the scent of killing intent!

That unfamiliar, icy killing intent was aimed at Nezuko!

He forced out a hoarse shout. "Please wait! Nezu... cough, cough... Nezuko has never hurt anyone! She's my—"

Kashu did not stop walking. His gaze passed over the distinctive uniform on the boy's body as he asked in confusion.

"Boy, as a demon slayer, are you going to protect a demon?"

Tanjiro roared himself hoarse. "Nezuko isn't a demon! She's my sister! She's family who fights by my side!"

"Sister..."

Kashu stopped. In his mind appeared the image of a girl who had always quietly followed behind him.

"I see. She's your sister."

He returned to Tanjiro's side and crouched down. His palm covered the boy's wounds, and a glowing green spell quietly lit up, swiftly easing the intense pain.

Feeling his pain fade, Tanjiro stared at the strange sight in shock.

"This power... You... you're willing to believe me?"

Kashu stood and brushed his hands together, his tone casual.

"My intuition tells me you aren't lying."

He looked at Tanjiro and smiled.

"Perfect. I'm very interested in demon slayers. Boy, tell me about them?"

"Don't move!"

A cold shout rang out from behind Kashu, interrupting their conversation.

A black-haired young man wearing a half-and-half haori stood with his hand on his sword. His expression was blank, but his sharp eyes were filled with vigilance.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

Kashu calmly turned around and spread his hands to show that he meant no harm. A gentle yet unreadable smile rested on his face.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Kashu Animusphere, a knight from Europe."

"I heard the Voice of Revelation and came specifically to confront this calamity. I hope to cooperate sincerely with the demon slayers here."

Giyu: (￣-￣)?

Fou: (/ω＼)

Kashu: ︿(￣︶￣)︿

Sir, I wasn't lying either.