Chapter 194: Sunshine Shines on All x I Will Rid This World of Demons
Kagaya Ubuyashiki lowered his posture very, very low...
He was the core of the Demon Slayer Corps, the pillar in the hearts of all demon slayers, including the Hashira.
In the original story, it was his death that triggered the battle of the Infinity Castle. It was his death that inspired all the Hashira, as well as Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, to fight Muzan to the death.
With this bow, all the Hashira, including Gyomei Himejima and Sanemi Shinazugawa, fell silent...
Gyomei Himejima fingered his prayer beads in silence. Not far from him, in a corner of the wooden corridor, Giyu Tomioka, wearing his tri-colored haori, watched quietly. As Roy's senior brother among the nine Hashira, the only one with a deep bond with him, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
He remembered that night on Mount Sagiri, with Master Sakonji Urokodaki, Senior Brother Sabito, Junior Sister Makomo, and other fellow disciples, all worrying about Eiichiro's temperament. They were certain then... given Eiichiro's personality, he would never kneel to the Master. But none of them could have imagined that one day... things would be reversed. His Master... the current head of the Ubuyashiki family, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps who had fought demons for nearly a thousand years, would kneel and bow solemnly to the boy...
Giyu Tomioka couldn't help but wonder, if Master were here, would he take off his tengu mask, revealing a dumbfounded face underneath?
Right, the mask was already cut by Eiichiro...
Thoughts churned like the gentle breeze brushing his face...
Roy wore white clothes, coarse linen robes, with a green-and-black checkered haori draped over his shoulders, just as when he left home. On his feet were the wisteria shoes his mother Kie had sewn stitch by stitch. He reached out, his figure blurring, and held Kagaya Ubuyashiki's arm, stopping him from truly bowing down.
"Master Kagaya, our relationship is one of cooperation. No need for such formality."
"It was cooperation before. Now," Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked at the boy with burning eyes, smiling, "I feel Eiichiro-sama is more suited to lead the Demon Slayer Corps than I am."
"Cough cough cough..." Perhaps because the bowing motion was too strenuous, or his emotions fluctuated too greatly, Kagaya Ubuyashiki coughed uncontrollably after speaking only two sentences.
Amane immediately took out a handkerchief and handed it to him. Kagaya took it and wiped his mouth, a stain of blood faintly visible...
Roy quietly transferred a layer of Nen, flowing along his arm into his limbs and bones. He frowned. He expected Kagaya's health to be bad, but not this bad... His internal organs were weak, his blood and energy depleted. His heart was like an old car engine ravaged by time and miles; no matter how much fuel was added, it couldn't start again. Even if...
He didn't blow himself up like in the original story, he probably wouldn't live for another two years.
Gurgle... Nen flowed into Kagaya Ubuyashiki's body like a gentle stream.
The sickly leader of the Demon Slayer Corps froze. Feeling a warmth appear out of nowhere in his body, helping him fight the cold... Kagaya's nearly blind eyes trembled rarely. He smiled at Roy. "I finally get to experience Eiichiro-sama's magic personally."
"Is this warm current 'Divine Power'?"
Kagaya savored the power carefully. Warm as spring, unlike the erosion of the [Curse] that aged him prematurely. He said enviably, "I dare let Eiichiro-sama know, I didn't choose to give up the position of leader on a whim."
"It's just as well. With your means, perhaps you've already discovered that I don't have much time left to live."
Roy directed the Nen along Kagaya's blood vessels and meridians, deeper towards his heart, saying softly, "Just call me Eiichiro."
Kagaya nodded. With Roy's Nen support, he seemed to have more strength to speak. His white eyes looked around, sweeping over Gyomei Himejima, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Tengen Uzui... Giyu Tomioka, and the other Hashira one by one. Only then did he speak again. "To be honest with Eiichiro-sama, actually... I wanted to die long ago... death would free me from the torment of the curse..."
"But dying is easy, living is hard... My death doesn't matter, but I cannot accept my children and grandchildren continuing to be cursed, dying before thirty generation after generation. They could have had great lives, seeing the wider world. Even dying of old age like an ordinary person would be happiness in my eyes..."
"But because of Muzan Kibutsuji, because of him alone, my entire clan suffers. I cannot tolerate it. I must kill him!"
"And you..." Kagaya grabbed Roy's hand tightly, saying sincerely, "You are my hope. You are the hope of thousands like me whose families were destroyed by Muzan Kibutsuji!"
"Master..." Gyomei Himejima clasped his hands together, tears streaming down his face unnoticed. He had lost the children he sheltered since childhood.
"Master..." Sanemi Shinazugawa banged his head on the ground, his eyes fierce. He had lost his parents.
"Master..." Shinobu Kocho's beautiful eyes rippled, tears flickering. She had lost her sister.
Then Tengen Uzui, Muichiro Tokito, Obanai Iguro, Mitsuri Kanroji... and Giyu Tomioka. He lost his sister, Sabito, Makomo, and other fellow disciples...
Because of Kagaya's words, reopening old wounds... an atmosphere of sorrow spread... Besides the nine Hashira, every member of the "Kakushi" squad and other departments present had a deep-seated blood feud with demons, with Muzan!
Roy watched and listened quietly. While controlling the Nen deeper into Kagaya's heart, he thought of Kurapika, of Kurapika's silence. In the future, the Kurta Clan would be annihilated, leaving only the blonde boy on a path of revenge. Just hearing the word "Spider" could make him lose his cool instantly, almost killing Majitani, who posed as a Spider during the Hunter Exam... Roy remained silent. His hand moved, only to be tightly grabbed by Kagaya's left hand. "I don't say this to gain sympathy. I just want to tell you... I have never been more serious than I am now."
Kagaya took a deep breath, saying solemnly, "Kiriya is still young, unfit for great responsibility. Eiichiro-sama's ability is extraordinary..."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki got straight to the point. "As the leader, I can make the decision for Gyomei, Sanemi, and the others right here. We switch allegiance to Eiichiro-sama, willing to honor the Sun as God. As long as... they can become stronger, increasing the chances of killing Muzan Kibutsuji..."
Kagaya turned his back to Gyomei Himejima, pausing. "Gyomei, come here. Kneel and pay respects to Eiichiro-sama."
"Amitabha~" Gyomei Himejima bowed, crashing down like a golden mountain or jade pillar to kneel at Roy's feet. He touched his head to the ground. "Gyomei Himejima pays respects to Eiichiro-sama."
[Notification: "Potential Believer" Gyomei Himejima... "Loyalty" +10...]
[Loyalty can be further increased through "Gifts," triggering "Conversion" conditions for ordination as a formal believer...]
Roy's eyes moved, his emotions fluctuating with complexity. He glanced down at Gyomei Himejima and said helplessly to Kagaya Ubuyashiki, "You're not switching allegiance; you're entrusting orphans to me..."
And bringing a whole crowd to entrust... Even without using En to read their minds, Roy could clearly see from the corner of his eye that the Hashira's gazes changed drastically with the Stone Hashira's bow. One could imagine... how impactful the Stone Hashira's bow was to everyone!
Rustle... Kyojuro Rengoku finished flipping through the booklet and finally came back to his senses.
The young man with yellow hair tipped with red noticed the scene. His heart moved, a thought of "as it should be" appearing out of thin air... He moved his feet, quietly coming to Roy's side, standing a step behind him.
"The capable should lead." Kagaya Ubuyashiki "looked" past Roy's shoulder at Kyojuro behind him, saying frankly, "Hindering a subordinate's growth is a leader's greatest dereliction of duty."
Kagaya smiled. "I am merely pushing the boat with the current."
"Sanemi."
"Here."
"Kneel and pay respects to Eiichiro-sama."
"Yes."
Sanemi Shinazugawa rose with his head lowered, walked to Gyomei Himejima's side, removed his sword, and slammed his forehead onto the ground with a BANG, burying his entire face in the earth. He said in a muffled voice, "Offended you previously, many transgressions. I hope Eiichiro-sama will disregard past grievances and forgive this subordinate... I, Sanemi Shinazugawa, am willing to honor the Sun as Master. Paying respects to Eiichiro-sama."
[Notification: "Potential Believer" Sanemi Shinazugawa... "Loyalty" +5...]
[Loyalty can be further increased through "Gifts"...]
5 points? Didn't trigger "Conversion" conditions like the Stone Hashira... Roy glanced discreetly at Sanemi Shinazugawa and smiled at Kagaya Ubuyashiki. "He couldn't say such refined words. You taught him, didn't you?"
Kagaya smiled without speaking. Sanemi buried his head in the dirt, his face burning. He wanted to bury his whole body to avoid embarrassment... Little did he know, those 5 points of "Loyalty" already surprised Roy.
Not everyone can switch sides immediately, especially when holding a grudge...
"Kyojuro,"
"Here."
"Help them up." Roy called out Kyojuro. He glanced at Tengen Uzui and Muichiro Tokito, then said to the rest, "You are not allowed to bow either, especially... Senior Brother."
Roy raised his voice specifically to remind Giyu Tomioka. Turning back to look at everyone, he looked calmly at Kagaya Ubuyashiki. "You have heart, I won't pretend not to see it."
"But I still stand by my view."
The boy said word by word, "You still need to lead the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Eiichiro..." Kagaya opened his mouth but was interrupted by Roy raising a hand.
"Whatever you have to say, wait until I remove the [Curse] from your body."
What?!
"Eiichiro Kamado, you can remove the Master's curse?!" Sanemi Shinazugawa sprang up from the ground like a spring!
He looked at Roy in disbelief. Just as he stood up, dusty-faced, a large hand pressed the back of his head, slamming him back onto his knees with a BANG. Then, the Stone Hashira roared, shaking everyone's eardrums!
"Sanemi Shinazugawa, you are too presumptuous!"
"Call him Eiichiro-sama!"
Gyomei Himejima's thick forearm was almost as thick as a person's thigh. His blind eyes glared like an angry Vajra. Looking up at Roy, he asked with heavy breathing, "Eiichiro-sama, forgive his rudeness. May I ask... is what you said true?"
"Eiichiro-sama... Eiichiro-sama..."
Tengen Uzui looked over... Muichiro Tokito looked over... Shinobu... Obanai... Kyojuro, even...
Giyu Tomioka rarely straightened his back, whispering, "Junior Brother."
In this instant, the air in the room was like a calm pool into which someone dropped a bomb. With a roar, splashes flew... impossible to return to the previous calm state...
Thump.
"Eiichiro-sama, please save my husband."
Kagaya was stunned... He watched blankly as his wife Amane's knees went weak, bowing deeply to Roy. Behind her, thump... thump... sounds of his daughters Hinaki and Nichika kowtowing followed...
The man who had always been calm, even when facing Muzan's arrival on the day he planned to die with his wife and daughters, detonating the bomb without a frown... looked at Roy with trembling lips. He made "Hah... hah..." sounds, unable to form a complete sentence. Clearly... he had lost his usual composure and calm...
"Nen" flowed like a stream, finally reaching Kagaya Ubuyashiki's heart. In that nearly dried-up, cracked heart field, Roy keenly discovered a mass of black energy constantly gnawing at and absorbing Kagaya's vitality, just like the "negative emotions" once attached to himself and Ginta, constantly devouring Kagaya's life energy...
Can be illuminated and killed...
The boy nodded. "Call Kiriya, Kanata, and Kuina out too. I'll clear you all at once."
Thud~ The sound of a heavy stone landing in their hearts echoed loudly, enlivening the nearly stagnant air in the room...
"Amitabha." Gyomei Himejima chanted a Buddhist prayer, tears gushing like a spring... He banged his head on the ground, saying respectfully, "Thank you, Eiichiro-sama."
Thump... thump... thump... Several soft sounds of knees hitting the ground followed...
Except for Sanemi Shinazugawa, who was already prostrate, Tengen Uzui, Shinobu Kocho, Muichiro Tokito... including Kyojuro Rengoku, and even... Giyu Tomioka, all knelt together, thanking sincerely: "Thank you, Eiichiro-sama."
Panel notifications chimed in Roy's ears...
[Notification: "Potential Believer" Gyomei Himejima, "Loyalty" +15, triggered "Conversion" conditions, please conduct ordination...]
[Notification: "Potential Believer" Sanemi Shinazugawa, "Loyalty" +20, triggered "Conversion" conditions, please conduct ordination...]
[Notification... Notification... Notification...]
In this bright noon...
As Amane Ubuyashiki bowed repeatedly in thanks and went to the inner courtyard to bring out Kiriya and the other children...
Roy whispered, "Praise the Sun. Illuminate and Kill immediately!"
With a thought, he drove the "Nen" to transform into light swords wreathed in solar flames, suddenly striking at the black curse coiled within Kagaya Ubuyashiki's heart...
Infinity Castle.
Muzan Kibutsuji, who was hiding, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart. He fell to his knees with a thump, scaring Nakime so much she snapped a biwa string...
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