"Do not beg the gods for everything." Yae Miko's voice lingered in their ears, velvet smooth, sly as a fox's grin. "The gods only open doors. It is your wishes, your will, that step through them. Show them, live them, and blessings will follow."
Her words seemed carved into the very air of the shrine.
---
When the Demon Slayer Corps and their lord finally descended from the rebuilt Raijin Shrine, they did so in silence, each man and woman lost in thought. The bells of Miko still rang in memory. The white glow of the Eye of God burned in their hearts.
Even the most hardened Slayers, men and women who had slaughtered countless demons without flinching, walked away with their composure cracked by wonder.
For the Fox Immortal had said something that no one had dared hope: mortals like them could be chosen by the gods. They could carry an Eye of God and rise like the heroes of myths.
And she had revealed truths: that "Takamagahara" was only the mortals' name. The gods themselves called their home Teyvat. That the so-called heroes of legend were not born extraordinary, but had once been mortals who proved worthy of divinity.
For many, it felt as though their entire lives had just been re-written.
---
At the foot of the shrine steps, a Slayer spoke timidly.
"My lord… why did you not beg the Fox Immortal to lift your curse?"
The speaker was Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Hashira, rough of tone yet carrying genuine concern. His storm-gray eyes flicked toward Kagaya Ubuyashiki, pale and frail as always, but smiling gently.
Kagaya's one seeing eye softened. "Sanemi, good child. Lord Narukami saw the sins that haunt this land—the man-eating demons—and sent the Fox Immortal with envoys. For that alone, I am content. My curse is small compared to what she has given us."
His voice trembled, not with weakness, but with relief.
"Kibutsuji Muzan will fall. The children will destroy him. When that day comes, the curse binding my family will break as well. My pain is nothing compared to the families torn apart by demons."
Even in his suffering, he blessed them. The Corps lowered their heads, awed by his serenity.
---
Nearby, Shinjuro Rengoku clenched his fists. The words about "good wishes" stung. His wife's illness had eaten away at his faith. The gods would not heed a selfish plea. Yet as he recalled the Fox Immortal's radiant form, his despair cracked. If he could only pray hard enough—perhaps for strength to fight, not for himself but for others—then maybe, maybe…
Kyojuro Rengoku, still only a boy, stood beside him with a fire already burning. "I'll train harder, Father. Until the gods themselves see my flame!"
Shinjuro's eyes glistened, pride and grief mingling.
---
The Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, threw his head back and laughed, jewels glittering. "How flamboyant! The Eye of God, eh? It would be divine to wield such a thing—but hah, what's meant for me will come, and what isn't… not even a god's whisper will change it." He slapped his chest, his wives rolling their eyes behind him.
"Instead of dreaming," muttered Sanemi with a snarl, "we'd better keep killing. Every day we rest, another family dies."
The Snake Hashira, Obanai Iguro, nodded curtly. "The lord should be escorted back to the estate. Snake and Wind will see him safely home. The others should resume their work."
Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira, pressed his palms together, tears already streaking his face. "Amitabha… to think the gods' eyes watch us now. How tragic that demons, born from sorrow, must perish beneath such divine witness." His beads clattered in trembling hands as he walked away alone, weeping silently.
One by one, the Corps split apart. Giyu Tomioka left wordlessly, his quiet footsteps vanishing down the mountain path.
"Come. We return to headquarters," said Shinjuro Rengoku firmly.
"Yes, Father," Kyojuro agreed, voice ablaze. "And I'll train Mitsuri until her sword arm glows like fire itself!"
"Ah! Y-yes, Purgatory-senpai!" cried Mitsuri Kanroji, stumbling after him with her cheeks flushed. Though only a year younger, she admired his relentless drive. Her body had always been strong, her appetite prodigious—but Rengoku's training was punishing. On her first day, he had ordered five thousand practice swings. She had collapsed in hunger and tears by sunset, but never stopped.
Behind them, the Kocho sisters—Kanae serene, Shinobu rebellious—bowed politely before slipping away. "We'll investigate the haunted site near the Eternal Bliss Sect," Kanae explained, tugging Shinobu along.
The Corps returned to their duties, but with new hearts. They no longer fought in darkness. Now they fought under the gaze of gods.
---
That night, under a starless sky, the Kocho sisters walked a forest path. The air was sharp, the silence broken by crow calls like whispers of ill omen.
"Sister… do you really believe the Thunder God watches us?" Shinobu asked, her voice quiet but carrying defiance.
Kanae frowned gently, tapping her sister's head with two fingers. "Don't be disrespectful. The Fox Immortal spared you before. Do not test her patience."
"I wasn't disrespectful," Shinobu muttered, puffing her cheeks. "I only wondered… if the gods would ever grant me an Eye of God."
Kanae smiled wistfully. "I doubt it. My wishes are small. Perhaps Gyomei, with his prayers, or Tengen, with his flamboyant heart. Not me."
"Then I've no chance either," Shinobu sighed. "If even you aren't worthy, how could I be?"
Kanae reached to squeeze her hand. "Don't think that way."
But their words fell away as the woods around them rustled unnaturally. Leaves shivered, though no wind blew. Both sisters froze.
Swords flashed free of their sheaths. Kanae slid into stance, lavender eyes scanning the dark. Shinobu held her wisteria pouch ready, standing back-to-back with her sister.
"Be careful, Shinobu. There's more than one."
"What?!" Shinobu's breath hitched, her sword snapping into guard.
From the gloom came a man's voice—smooth, too smooth. It dripped honey, like a priest preaching false comfort.
"Oh~. Such vigilant little butterflies. I had meant to wait, to greet you farther from the mountain. But when I heard you whisper about the Eternal Bliss Sect… ah, I simply could not resist."
Kanae's skin prickled with dread. The pressure that oozed into the clearing was crushing. Sweat ran cold down her temple. She had never felt this weight, not even facing Upper Rank demons.
Her lips parted, trembling. This… could it be a Twelve Kizuki? A demon of the Upper Moons?
The voice chuckled darkly. "No need to look for me, little flowers. I am the very demon you were sent to find. And I… have come to find you."
Shinobu hissed, rage cutting through fear. "I have nothing to say to a demon. Crawl back to your pit!"
Kanae's knuckles whitened on her sword hilt. "What is it you want?"
The voice smiled through the trees. "Only a small request. Tell me everything you saw at the shrine. Speak, and I will reward you… with eternity. With bliss beyond fear."
The forest fell silent. Two sisters stood ready, their blades poised, hearts hammering. Above them, unseen eyes—perhaps godly, perhaps demonic—watched.
And the first true test of the gods' promise was about to begin.
-----------------------------------------------------
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31
-----------------------------------------------------