[Ding! You have gained 1 Prayer Point!]
[Ding! You have gained 1.3 Prayer Points!]
[Ding! You have gained 1.1 Prayer Points!]
[Ding! You have gained 100 Prayer Points!]
[Ding! You have gained 300 Prayer Points!]
[Ding! You have gained 1000 Prayer Points!]
[Ding! You have gained 3000 Prayer Points!]
...
As Quinn drove along the highway, system notifications kept chiming in his mind about accumulating prayer points. In just five minutes, he'd already collected over 20,000, and the number was rapidly approaching 30,000.
Quinn wasn't surprised in the slightest.
Hearing was unreliable—seeing was believing.
In the current Marvel universe, aliens didn't roam the streets and gods and demons didn't fill the skies. Even S.H.I.E.L.D., an agency specifically established to handle supernatural events, rarely encountered extraordinary phenomena that went too far beyond what ordinary humans could process.
Most threats could be handled with strategy and advanced weaponry.
In their ingrained worldview, so-called extraordinary beings were nothing more than troublesome nuisances rather than invincible forces.
But the appearance of the Lower Rank demon had shattered that understanding.
The frustration, discouragement, despair, and shock that arose from this were emotions hard to imagine under normal circumstances.
Then, on top of that foundation, the Flame Hashira had appeared and instantly killed the Lower Rank demon with a single slash. By directly witnessing the fight, they understood the gap. By comparing the two, they felt the chasm even more deeply, shattering their hard-won new understanding once again.
If the Flame Hashira had been an enemy, it would have undoubtedly caused their worldview to completely collapse.
Fortunately, the Flame Hashira was human and an ally.
His appearance, which shattered people's perceptions of reality, had a positive effect. It made people wonder if they'd gone mad or were dreaming, while simultaneously filling them with hope, boosting morale and fighting spirit.
This kind of hope that emerged after experiencing despair...
The emotional surge was several times greater than the previous moments of despair.
Moreover, whether it was Tony, Coulson who'd become a demon, or the S.H.I.E.L.D. special forces operatives—none of them were ordinary people.
Even though the special forces were comparatively weaker, they were still far superior to regular military units.
The emotions they expressed and the amount of prayer points they generated were unmatched by ordinary civilians.
However...
"Without comparison, there's no understanding of the gap. After experiencing despair and hope, what happens when despair comes again?"
Quinn gripped the steering wheel, a smile playing across his lips.
Hell's Kitchen, 50th Street - Old Housing Area Slated for Demolition
"...And that's the whole situation!"
Tony finished explaining Coulson's circumstances.
Kyojuro stood with his hands clasped behind his back, pondering for a moment before exclaiming, "I never imagined such a thing was possible!"
"I'm glad you're willing to believe it!"
Tony breathed a sigh of relief.
Although Kyojuro's personality was somewhat excessively cheerful, his words revealed a deep-seated hostility toward demons as a whole.
Tony had been afraid that even after explaining everything at length, this guy from another era would still insist on slaying all demons without exception. That would've been a real headache.
"Hahaha..."
Seemingly sensing Tony's concern, Kyojuro laughed heartily. "You don't need to worry! Although I don't personally know this Miss Tamayo, I have similar examples around me. My tsuguko, Tanjiro, joined the Demon Slayer Corps alongside his sister who'd been turned into a demon, and together they fight to slay demons."
At first, I didn't believe in demons that don't eat people either.
But our lord firmly believed it was possible. On the train before I traveled through dimensions, Tanjiro's sister—despite being a demon herself—risked injury to protect the passengers.
Therefore, I firmly believe that exceptional demons do exist in this world."
As he spoke, he turned to look at Coulson, who was being supported by two special forces soldiers and still leaning heavily on them. Kyojuro bowed sincerely at a ninety-degree angle. "I'm very sorry. I misunderstood you at first."
"No, it's... it's okay!"
Coulson was still missing part of his mouth, so his words came out slightly slurred.
But his surprise was still evident.
Perhaps he hadn't expected someone with such overwhelming power to be so humble. While apologizing for a misunderstanding was basic etiquette, in this chaotic modern era, people had become far more self-centered.
Those who possessed power were even more arrogant, believing everything they did was inherently right.
"Thank you for your understanding!"
Kyojuro bowed to Coulson once more, then straightened and looked into the darkness in the distance. A woman in a deep purple kimono with a gentle face and elegant bearing, accompanied by a handsome young man, was slowly approaching.
With just one glance, Kyojuro sensed the different aura emanating from them compared to ordinary demons. He immediately laughed heartily. "You must be Miss Tamayo and Mr. Yushiro that Mr. Tony mentioned! I never expected there would be beings like you among demonkind."
"I'm the one who's truly surprised!" Tamayo replied in a gentle voice. "That Tanjiro Kamado, whom I parted ways with not long ago, has become this generation's Flame Hashira's tsuguko, and now we've even met in another world."
In the Demon Slayer Corps, the term "tsuguko" didn't refer to an adopted child, but rather to the successor who would inherit one's position as a Hashira.
To join the Demon Slayer Corps, one had to first undergo training from an instructor to learn breathing techniques, then pass an examination to officially join. After that, members progressed through ten ranks: Kinoe, Kinoto, Hinoe, Hinoto, Tsuchinoe, Tsuchinoto, Kanoe, Kanoto, Mizunoe, and Mizunoto.
Ordinary members could only become Hashira by continuously completing missions and defeating either a certain number of demons or a single Lower Rank demon.
However, there were also exceptionally talented individuals whose skills grew by leaps and bounds as soon as they joined the Corps.
Such individuals were usually adopted as tsuguko by current Hashira and groomed to become the next generation's pillars.
"I get along very well with young Kamado, and he's making rapid progress. He'll definitely be one of the pillars supporting the Demon Slayer Corps in their fight against demons after we're gone!"
At this point, Kyojuro seemed to remember something and asked, "Does Miss Tamayo know young Kamado personally?"
"Yes, he came to me seeking a way to turn his sister back into a human."
"Then there's absolutely nothing to worry about!"
Kyojuro said confidently. "Although he's still inexperienced, his intuition is incredibly sharp. If he believes you're trustworthy, then there's definitely no problem."
"Thank you very much for Mr. Kyojuro's trust!"
Tamayo spoke calmly, then changed the subject. "Speaking of which, did Mr. Kyojuro come into this world alone?"
As soon as she asked, everyone's attention focused on him.
If a single Flame Hashira was this powerful, then dealing with demons wouldn't be difficult at all if he had companions with him!
But the answer was destined to disappoint them.
"I have no idea!"
Kyojuro admitted frankly. "I was chasing a demon into an alley, and when I emerged, I found myself in a bustling metropolis I'd never seen before. At first, I thought it was an illusion created by the demon's Blood Demon Art, but later I realized I might have been transported to another dimension."