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As the golden sunlight filled every inch of space within the barrier, the entire structure blazed with brilliant light.
Instantly, the area surrounding the Ubuyashiki estate became as bright as day.
By this time, the Demon Slayer Corps members had gradually gathered, their faces illuminated by the sunlight that tore through the black night.
Everyone watched the barrier with some tension, awaiting the final outcome.
Just then, the paper talismans and spiritual power chains sealing Nakime and Gyokko on the ground suddenly loosened and fell away, revealing the two bodies inside, which were blackening and turning to ash.
"Kibutsuji Muzan... is dead."
Witnessing this scene, Kagaya suddenly felt a physical lightness wash over him.
Immediately after, he stood up directly from his wheelchair and loudly proclaimed: "Muzan has been annihilated! We, the Demon Slayer Corps, have WON!!!"
"WE WON!!!"
Mitsuri shouted, emotionally throwing her arms around Kanae.
"We won," Kanae smiled, tears involuntarily welling up in her eyes and beginning to fall. "We've won. There are no more demons in this world!"
Clatter.
The Nichirin Blades held by many members fell to the ground.
In the next second, everyone began to cheer, embracing each other amidst great weeping and laughter.
"We won!"
"WE'VE WON!!!"
"Muzan has finally been destroyed!!"
"There will be no more demons from now on!!"
"Wuuu... Mom, Dad... your vengeance has been served…"
"It's over! It's finally over! Banzai!!!"
Various voices intermingled into a cacophony of catharsis.
At this moment, no one stood on ceremony; everyone began to vent their emotions with complete abandon.
Inside the barrier, the several swordsmen had been forced to close their eyes when the blinding sunlight filled the space, temporarily losing their vision.
Only when Kagaya's voice came from outside the barrier, followed by the rising cheers, did the few of them open their eyes, their hearts swelling with emotion.
By now, the light within the barrier had gradually weakened. The Pillars opened their eyes and looked at each other, then also began to laugh heartily.
Tanjuro smiled as he watched them.
As the light gradually died out, the barrier finally dissipated.
Kaito leaped down from the now somewhat decayed wooden torii gate.
"Mr. Uchiha."
Kagaya looked at him solemnly, then bowed deeply from the waist.
"Thank you for your assistance."
"THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!!"
At this moment, both the members behind Kagaya and the Pillars within the estate grounds followed suit, bowing deeply to express their most sincere gratitude to Kaito for his help to the Demon Slayer Corps.
Faced with such heartfelt thanks from everyone, Kaito was momentarily at a loss for words.
Truth be told, this was his first time encountering such a situation.
Back in his original world, even after he defeated Ōtsutsuki Kaguya and rebuilt the Pure Land—deeds that constituted significant contributions to the world—the circumstances were far more complex. With numerous factions and power structures, even in the face of a common enemy, everyone's primary concern was immediately their own vital interests.
Recalling it now, he had remained busy with trivial matters even after the war, to the extent that he couldn't even attend the victory banquet held by the youkai. This ultimately led to his farewell with Seimei being so rushed.
His experiences in this world, however, were much more straightforward, involving only the two opposing camps of humans and demons. The members of the Demon Slayer Corps all harbored pure convictions in their quest to slay the evil demons.
Many sought revenge for family members killed by demons, while others simply did not wish to see others suffer the same tragic fate they had endured—like the Kochō sisters.
Some shouldered the danger alone, embarking on a bloody and perilous path to protect their remaining family—like Shinazugawa Sanemi.
Yet others simply risked their lives purely to protect others—like Rengoku Kyōjurō.
Kaito didn't know all the details, only what he had gleaned from the Pillars he had interacted with.
Although their personalities and reasons for slaying demons varied, they were all fundamentally kind people.
Even the most hot-tempered Sanemi was gentle at his core.
That was why they had so quickly and without dissent accepted the suddenly appearing Kaito back then.
Kaito had experienced many feelings in this world that he never had before. Everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps had shown him that humanity could possess such profound gentleness.
Speaking of which, he wondered how things were now in his original world.
Kaito's mind drifted momentarily.
"Mr. Uchiha, is something the matter?" Kagaya, seeing Kaito momentarily stunned, couldn't help but ask.
"It's nothing," Kaito returned to the present, a smile gracing his face.
He knew he would be returning soon, so he decided not to dwell on it too much for now.
For now, it was enough to simply be happy together with everyone.
...
The night had not yet faded.
But for the members of the Demon Slayer Corps, this night was completely different from all the nights that had come before.
After this night, humanity would no longer need to fear the monsters lurking in the darkness!
With the Ubuyashiki estate destroyed, everyone now gathered at the nearby Butterfly Mansion.
Although the Butterfly Mansion, serving as the Demon Slayer Corps' medical facility, was quite spacious, it was still far too crowded to hold several hundred Corps members comfortably.
But no one minded.
Everyone's hearts were filled with boundless joy and satisfaction.
Members sat on the ground in the mansion's courtyard, talking and laughing animatedly in small groups, completely unable to suppress their exhilaration.
Inside the main hall of the Butterfly Mansion, the Demon Slayer Corps leadership, along with guests Kaito and Kamado Tanjuro, were all assembled.
"This will likely be the final Pillar meeting," Kagaya said, kneeling at the head of the room and smiling as he looked at each young face present. "Thank you all for your dedication."
At this moment, the corners of his eyes were slightly damp.
"My gratitude to each person here, to all the swordsmen who fought bloodily over these thousands of years, and to all those who have aided the Ubuyashiki family. The thousand-year-old wish of our Demon Slayer Corps has finally been fulfilled today."
"We also thank you, Oyakata-sama," Gyōmei spoke as the representative of the Pillars. "And we thank the Ubuyashiki family for their thousand years of dedication."
Kagaya smiled and nodded, then addressed Kaito and Tanjuro again: "And once more, thank you both, Mr. Uchiha, Mr. Kamado."
"You are too kind," Tanjuro smiled with simple sincerity. "I must also thank all of you, and Mr. Uchiha as well."
"There's no need to keep thanking me," Kaito waved his hand dismissively. "You should just move on to the practical matters at hand. You must be aware that most of the Corps' swordsmen began training to kill demons from a young age. Aside from combat, they possess no other means of making a living. Now that the demons are gone, the future path for these young people is uncertain. These are matters that you, as the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, will likely need to resolve, Mr. Ubuyashiki. Your responsibilities are still heavy indeed."
"That is true," Kagaya nodded. "Fortunately, the Ubuyashiki family has accumulated considerable assets over the millennia. We can continue to provide employment for everyone afterward. We can make arrangements for this after daybreak."
He looked at the several Pillars.
"And what about you few? What are your plans for the future?"
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