Chapter 276: The Sickly Lord... Challenges the Pillars?
Is it worth trading the entire fortune accumulated by a family over three hundred years for a single item?
To those who have never encountered the Reincarnation Game, anyone willing to make such a trade must seem completely insane.
However—
Kagaya Ubuyashiki did not hesitate in the slightest.
And now, feeling the demonic-hunting power surging within his body, he was more convinced than ever that the exchange was worth every bit.
The short dagger in his hand—
Was a weapon forged from pure demon-hunting energy, its hardness far surpassing that of a Nichirin Blade, and imbued with potent anti-demon properties.
Any creature with an evil heart and a body of darkness would have their internal organs shattered just by the slightest contact with this power.
And Muzan Kibutsuji—
Both morally corrupt and physically steeped in darkness, was utterly restrained by the demon-hunting energy.
Its threat level even surpassed the Breath of the Sun, which Muzan himself regarded as his greatest nemesis.
After all—
Breathing techniques, in essence, rely on rhythm and technique to tap into the flow and energy of all things, strengthening the heart and lungs, significantly boosting oxygen intake, and instantly enhancing one's physical capabilities.
These techniques come with slight elemental enhancements.
The Breath of the Sun, for example, mimics the energy fluctuations of the sun, emitting solar-like energy to inflict heavy damage on Muzan Kibutsuji.
This elemental counteraction is akin to water naturally suppressing fire.
But demon-hunting energy is different—
Its suppression of evil creatures transcends natural laws and penetrates the soul itself.
"Lord Ubuyashiki?"
Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Pillar, could hardly believe what he was sensing—the frail figure now standing protectively in front of him.
The lord who had always appeared sickly and weak at every Pillar Meeting had imprinted a fragile image in everyone's mind.
Thus, Gyomei felt as if he were dreaming now.
"Evil shall ultimately be purged!"
The short dagger swung—
The minotaur's massive battle axe was split in two. A radiant streak of golden light pulled Kagaya Ubuyashiki's body forward, driving him straight into the minotaur's neck.
Thunk.
The head rolled. Blood spurted.
The minotaur's thick, hulking body fell rigidly to the ground, raising dust as its blood dyed the surrounding grass red.
[Minotaur's Lair Cleared!]
Prompt: +1000 EXP to the player, +500 Reward Points.
The thick fog gradually lifted.
The three of them returned to the edge of the Grand Forest.
"Clearing one dungeon is worth the same as killing two hundred goblins?" Gyomei Himejima pressed his palms together, mourning the slain creature.
It was his habit. Whether it was man-eating demons or grotesque monsters from the game, he would always offer prayers, hoping their souls would find peace.
Of course, the prayers came after the fight. Gyomei never hesitated in battle.
"Leveling up in the New World is incredibly tough. Each player only gets three lives. After that, you can't revive anymore," Konohamaru said indignantly. "The only solution is to build a [Resurrection Altar], imprint your soul onto it, and keep upgrading it to increase your revival count."
It sounded simple—
But the materials to build an altar were extremely rare. Upgrading it was even more costly. At minimum, constructing one altar required fifty thousand Reward Points.
On top of that—
The [Resurrection Altar] had range limitations. It couldn't be too far from the player. That meant you couldn't just plop it down in your clan's territory—it had to be expanded outward.
Which inevitably led to endless battles.
Enemy factions would try to destroy your [Resurrection Altar] to slow your progress in hunting corrupted entities.
And repairing a destroyed altar? That also cost a hefty amount of points.
"Here, take this."
As they parted ways—
Konohamaru reached into his inventory and pulled out a business-card-shaped piece of paper.
As soon as Kagaya Ubuyashiki accepted it, black text floated before his eyes.
[Would you like to add "Eighth Hokage" as a friend?]
Konohamaru explained, "It's a friend function in the game. Once added, you can communicate over long distances by spending Reward Points. Super convenient."
It cost five Reward Points to create a card like that.
And long-distance communication had its own pricing too.
"Thank you."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki bowed slightly, showing no disdain just because Konohamaru was a kid.
Their silhouettes gradually faded from view.
At that moment—
Inside the Ubuyashiki clan's great estate—
The Nine Pillars had all gathered.
Aside from the Sound Pillar and Shinobu Kocho, who had already been waiting at the estate, and the Owl Flame Pillar, the remaining Pillars had all arrived on time.
"What nonsense—to think you'd let the Lord personally face danger. Some of you ought to be stripped of the Pillar title," hissed the Serpent Pillar, Obanai Iguro, the white snake around his neck coiled like a scarf.
His tone was calm, but his words were sharp as blades.
"You bastard! Always saying things that piss people off!" shouted the hot-tempered Wind Pillar, Sanemi Shinazugawa, gritting his teeth and glaring daggers at Obanai.
Off to the side—
Shinobu Kocho smiled as she watched the drama unfold. The Owl Flame Pillar kept his head down, quietly enjoying his sweet potato miso soup.
Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Pillar, was completely zoning out.
Giyu Tomioka, the Water Pillar, stood motionless like a statue—expressionless and radiating "keep out" vibes.
Only Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Pillar with her bubblegum-pink hair, flailed her arms nervously, trying to break up the argument.
Suddenly—
A clear, resonant chime echoed, cutting through the rising tension.
"It's Lord Ubuyashiki."
That bell signaled the beginning of the Pillar Meeting.
Everyone immediately knelt in unison, heads bowed, as they awaited the approaching figure.
At last—
Gyomei Himejima, who had been accompanying Kagaya Ubuyashiki, joined the others, kneeling with reverence.
"Thank you all for coming to this sudden [Pillar Meeting], despite your busy schedules," came a soft, clear voice.
The Nine Pillars immediately sensed something was off—
In the past, the frail Lord could barely move without the help of his wife or attendants.
But now, Kagaya Ubuyashiki knelt smoothly and returned their salute with full dignity.
"Lord Ubuyashiki—your body?" Sanemi was the first to react, jumping to his feet in shock upon seeing the Lord's healthy face.
The others raised their heads as well—
The grotesque scars that had always marked the Ubuyashiki family's curse had vanished without a trace.
"Could it be… Muzan Kibutsuji is dead?"
"The curse… has lifted!"
Everyone immediately thought of the most likely cause.
Only Muzan's death could break the Ubuyashiki family's ancient curse.
But Kagaya gently shook his head and said, "Muzan Kibutsuji is not dead. My temporary recovery from the curse is because I received an unexpected invitation—one that allowed me to become a player in the Reincarnation Game."
His gentle voice recounted the events of recent days—
And the true reason for this urgent Pillar Meeting.
"No way…"
Even Giyu Tomioka, usually as expressive as a rock, looked visibly shaken.
The Owl Flame Pillar bellowed, "Exactly! No matter how many times I hear it, it's just too unbelievable!"
The other Pillars had mixed expressions—
Except for Shinobu Kocho, who now carried a beginner's short staff at her waist and clearly felt the game's power, the rest remained skeptical.
But Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled and said, "It's alright. I will prove the existence of the Reincarnation Game to you all."
He stepped into the center of the courtyard, strewn with gravel.
Suddenly, a golden samurai sword appeared in his hand.
It had the shape of a Nichirin Blade, but the blade gleamed gold—not like a warrior's weapon, but more like a noble's ornamental sword.
"I will use the power I obtained from the Reincarnation Game… to defeat you all!"
"You can come at me together."
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