LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 32: Chapter 32
"This guy! He actually set fire!" Purgatory Shinjuro exclaimed, breaking out in a cold sweat.
"That's it," Tomioka Giyu nodded. Creating a fire would force unrelated people to evacuate quickly. While the residents of Yoshiwara would still be left to fight the blaze, it would help minimize the casualties among innocent bystanders.
"He actually set fire..." Butterfly Kanae was dumbfounded.
"Amitabha..." the blind monk Gyomei lamented, continuing to recite Buddhist sutras.
"What are you all waiting for?! If we delay any longer and Yoshiwara burns down, the demon might escape!" Sanemi Shinazugawa shouted before sprinting towards the 'Kyogoku House' with all his strength.
Despite Yoshiwara being a large district, it only took a few minutes to run from one end to the other.
"Let's go!" Purgatory Shinjuro, the oldest among them, quickly followed.
Tomioka Giyu, Gyomei Himejima, Iguro Obanai, Butterfly Shinobu, and Butterfly Kanae followed. Among the seven Hashira-level demon slayers, two of them wielded Visions, making them even stronger than the swordsman Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who created the breathing techniques five hundred years ago.
The demon slayers rushed into the fight with determination.
*The Weakest Upper Moon*
"Fight the fire! Alert the town officials! We must catch the arsonist!"
"Water! Quickly, get some water!"
"You, come and help!"
"Protect the geishas first!"
Fires broke out throughout Yoshiwara, with nearly every gatehouse set ablaze. People putting out the flames shouted and struggled under the firelight, while the oiran and geishas fled, covering their heads. The guests had already fled in a panic.
"The shopkeepers of these gatehouses are going to want to tear me apart." Hearing the yelling and cursing, Tengen Uzui remained calm as he observed the chaos.
"I'm sorry, but no matter how despicable the method, it's still a good deed if it's used to save others. Protecting people doesn't require honorable means." He thought to himself. It was just some financial loss—staying alive was what mattered most, and people had to cherish the chance to live.
Just as he was about to join the rest of the Hashira, a sound caught his attention. Tengen Uzui looked down and was momentarily stunned.
It was a lilac glass bead wrapped in an intricate golden frame, bearing a magical soundwave pattern that made it stunning to look at. He bent down, picked it up, and held it up to his eyes. The glass bead emitted a soft glow.
"Haha, hahahaha! Have my flamboyant actions been acknowledged by the gods?" Tengen Uzui laughed loudly.
"What's meant to be mine will eventually be mine. If it's not mine, you can't take it from me! The power of sound waves aligns so perfectly with my breathing technique. Thank you, Lord God, for this blessing."
Tengen Uzui stretched his arms toward the sky.
Takumi, who was watching the broadcast from Sky Island, smiled slightly.
"This Vision was not granted by me personally, but by the 'Human Realm Power System.' The system has begun to integrate with the faith of the Demon Slayer World. Tengen Uzui's actions and mindset are crucial in protecting humanity, hence the Vision was automatically triggered."
Currently, Takumi had obtained half the authority of the Demon Slayer World, allowing him to extract the world's rules to create Visions.
…
*Kyogoku House*
"What's going on, boss lady? Why are there fires everywhere?"
The demoness Daki, disguised as an oiran, was touching up her makeup in front of a bronze mirror, her beautiful face full of annoyance.
"Lady Warabihime, there's no time to touch up your makeup. Go outside and take shelter—the fire will spread here soon," the landlady urged, unease growing as she looked at Warabihime, who wasn't panicking like everyone else.
Over the years, she had realized that Warabihime was cruel and cold, seemingly inhuman. Although Kyogoku House had grown and prospered thanks to her, Warabihime had been abusive, tormenting other geishas. Over thirty girls had committed suicide or escaped, and many were even tortured to death by her. Her indifference was inhuman, and now, instead of worrying about the fire, she was more concerned about her appearance.
She wasn't human.
"Hmph, put out the fire when it comes close. My top priority is to protect my life," Daki tilted her head and glared at the landlady.
"But..." The landlady's voice faltered. She recalled a story from her childhood, told by an old woman in the teahouse—cold sweat ran down her back.
"No buts, boss lady. Don't forget that this establishment grew so large because of me," Daki replied coldly.
"Y-yes..." the landlady nodded, trembling.
Daki was almost identical to the demoness in the old story—a cruel, cold-blooded oiran who glared at people when displeased.
Just as the landlady was about to turn and flee the room, heavy footsteps echoed behind her. She turned to see a man with scars covering his body, holding a long blade and walking toward them.
"Who are you? What do you want? You have a knife... If you have anything to say, let's discuss it! Everything is negotiable!"
The landlady was startled, trying to act submissive and flattering.
It wasn't uncommon for guests deceived by the oiran to react with violence.
"Get out of here. The woman behind you is a monster," Sanemi Shinazugawa said coldly, staring at Daki, whose expression was twisting as the sash around her body started writhing like a snake.
"Ah!" The landlady screamed, seeing Daki's shadow twisting demonically on the wall, and she fled, stumbling as she ran.
"That blade... and that aura, you're a demon slayer, aren't you?" Daki sneered, her beautiful clothes decomposing into sashes twisting like snakes. She smiled, her bright red lips revealing sharp teeth. The kanji for 'Upper Moon' appeared in her left eye and 'Six' appeared in her right.
"And you're probably the strongest Hashira among the demon slayers. You set this fire, didn't you?"
"The demon I'm looking for is your brother. Get out of my way," Sanemi replied, moving quickly.
In an instant, before Daki could react, her head, waist, hands, and legs were torn apart and scattered across the room.
"Huh?"
Daki's severed head fell to the floor, her expression frozen in shock.
"Come out, the real Upper Moon Six! Or else I'll crush this head," Sanemi shouted, stepping on her head and forcing it halfway into the floor.
"How dare you... step on my sister's head..." A raspy voice echoed as Daki's severed body expanded. A gaunt demon emerged, transforming into a complete form in an instant.
Suddenly, a bloody crescent moon appeared in front of Sanemi Shinazugawa.