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The moment Muzan's body shattered into countless fragments and fled in all directions, Kaito smiled.
"This scene is truly a replay of history," he remarked, sighing with emotion after having learned about Tsugikuni Yoriichi's life in The Underworld.
"But there's no need to worry. As long as the barrier remains, Muzan cannot escape."
"What I fear is that he might split into minuscule parts and hide, making it impossible for the swordsmen to find him," Kagaya expressed with some concern.
The barrier would one day be dismantled.
If a piece of Muzan's flesh and blood were to hide in some overlooked corner, he could potentially escape and survive.
By this time, the paper clone had already dispelled the protective barrier. Several swordsmen, each utilizing their unique abilities, were frenziedly slashing at the scattering flesh and blood alongside "Yoriichi."
However, the number of fragments Muzan had split into was far too great; the few swordsmen simply couldn't cover all of them.
"There's no need for concern."
Kaito smiled as he looked back at Nakime and Gyokko, who were bound on the ground behind him.
"Only when Muzan is completely dead will these two demons disappear."
"My apologies, I overlooked that point," Kagaya came to his senses, speaking with a hint of shame.
"Not at all. At a critical moment like this, it's only natural to be overly anxious about the outcome," Kaito expressed understanding. "Please rest assured, the thousand-year curse borne by the Ubuyashiki family will be completely eradicated tonight."
As the two spoke, Kanae and Mitsuri hurried over from a distance.
"Master! Mr. Uchiha!"
The two young women stood before them and bowed.
Upon raising their heads, both looked at Kaito with awe in their eyes.
Kanae was the first to report on the situation from the other battlefield: "Master, Mr. Uchiha, a large number of demons have fled. Those who couldn't escape in time have all been slain. Shinobu is currently leading some team members in caring for the wounded."
"You've both done excellently, Kanae, Mitsuri," Kagaya praised them gently.
"You flatter me; I didn't perform to the best of my ability," Kanae shook her head, feeling deeply sorry for the comrades who had fallen in the Infinity Castle earlier.
"I'm sorry; I couldn't protect everyone properly," Mitsuri also lamented. "Even though protecting everyone was my first task since becoming a Pillar, there were still some casualties among the members. In the end, Mr. Uchiha saved both Shinobu and me."
"Is that so? I too have seen those children who sacrificed themselves," Kagaya's mood grew heavier.
Kaito shook his head slightly but did not join the conversation.
Seeing the solemn expressions on the three of them, he suddenly realized something.
In his view, war inevitably came with sacrifice and casualties—this was entirely normal.
After all, this was not the world he was born into.
In the world where shinobi were the mainstream force, war was considered the norm, and such things were all too common.
Even though he wasn't a shinobi himself, his perspective had inevitably been influenced by that world, he thought.
But now was not the time to dwell on such matters.
Kaito turned his gaze to the interior of the barrier. Thanks to the efforts of the several swordsmen and "Yoriichi," the visible parts of Muzan's fragmented flesh had been cleared away.
However, the two Upper Rank demons bound behind him still existed, proving that Muzan must still be lurking in some corner, clinging desperately to life.
The swordsmen were now searching through the ruins of the buildings and every nook and cranny of the courtyard, almost digging three feet underground, yet they found nothing.
"It seems they cannot locate the remaining parts of Muzan," Kaito spoke up.
"However, by now, his power should be extremely weak. This is the perfect time for me to utilize the barrier's final function, which should be sufficient to eliminate him."
"It seems you've always had a well-thought-out plan, whereas I became impatient at the critical moment," Kagaya smiled self-deprecatingly.
"Understandable, Mr. Ubuyashiki," Kaito said. "After all, this matter holds entirely different meanings for you and for me."
He leaped up onto the torii gate once again.
"Muzan, I know you can hear me," he began, forming hand seals as he spoke.
"Earlier, I heard you say that no god has ever punished you or anything of that sort. Indeed, the gods will not punish you. Or rather, your very existence was originally a playful creation of the gods."
Kaito's shocking statement instantly captured everyone's attention.
"Of course, for self-preservation, I won't go into details," he added, clicking his tongue lightly as he recalled Hakuten's private warning.
"Initially, I intended to use a ocular technique called "Susano'o" to end your existence, which would nominally complete a fitting drama."
At this point, he was almost explicitly hinting, but he couldn't say any more.
Several perceptive individuals present seemed to understand something, their expressions turning profoundly complex in an instant.
Kaito continued speaking.
"However, I later changed my mind."
As he formed his hand seals, "Yoriichi's" body began to transform into a mass of blazing flames.
"For the thousand years since your emergence, those who have opposed you have always been humans."
The mass of flames began to disperse, once again transforming into sword beams of various colors.
"Countless, ordinary humans possessing merely flesh and blood."
Kaito's hand seals stabilized, and the Nichirin Blade rose into the air once more, reaching the apex of the barrier.
"Therefore, what brings about your end is precisely these ordinary humans, supported by their undying conviction!"
In an instant, countless sword beams soared skyward once more, gathering around the Nichirin Blade like stars orbiting the sun, beginning to rotate slowly.
"Swordsmen, channel your strongest strikes and converge them here!" Kaito called out to the swordsmen within the barrier.
Hearing his words, the swordsmen unsheathed their blades once again, unleashing several grand, colorful sword beams that flew upward, merging into the "constellation" of stars.
"The next strike will be one that gathers the collective conviction of the entire Demon Slayer Corps."
Kaito's spiritual energy flared brilliantly around him, his long hair and clothes fluttering fiercely in the wind.
Simultaneously, the eight torii gates linked together by the shimenawa rope outside the barrier erupted with radiant light once more.
In the next second, all the paper talismans began to burn, and the Nichirin Blade fragments that had been barely maintaining the barrier on the ground and surroundings exploded into powder.
At the top of the barrier, the Nichirin Blade, now enveloped by countless "stars," began to descend.
The powdered Nichirin Blade, infused with the sunlight unleashed by the burning talismans, converged towards the descending stars.
The Nichirin Blade's descent accelerated, countless "stars" enveloping it as it absorbed the final golden beams of light shot from the torii gates.
Kaito sensed the name of this strike through some profound connection.
"Blade of Demon Destruction!!"
In the blink of an eye, the Nichirin Blade also shattered explosively, merging with all the stars to form a massive, translucent blade flowing with golden light, which plunged into the center of the barrier.
In that instant, sunlight bright enough to illuminate half the sky spread out rapidly from the epicenter of this transparent blade.
The flowing sunlight was unstoppable, bypassing all obstacles and filling every inch of air within the barrier's space.