Morning sunlight broke through the clouds, pouring freely over the completely transformed wilderness.
It was an ordinary morning of the Taisho era, yet for the demon slayers standing upon this land, the weight of that sunlight was heavier than anything else in the world.
As the black flames of Amaterasu faded, the vast canyon carved into the earth lay in silence before them. Clear spring water surged from the ruptured underground veins, refracting the sunlight into a brilliant rainbow.
Kibutsuji Muzan, along with the strongest Upper Ranks under his command, had been completely erased from this world.
Clang.
A hand lost its strength, and a deep-blue Nichirin Blade fell onto the rubble with a clear, ringing sound.
That sound seemed to trigger something.
Tanjiro's legs gave out as he dropped to his knees on the dew-covered grass.
He stared blankly at the rising sun on the horizon, and tears instantly overflowed from his eyes.
He did not shout in victory.
He buried his face into the earth, his shoulders trembling as a hoarse, suppressed cry escaped him.
It was a cry of relief, a farewell to his slaughtered family, and the release of a cruel fate that had finally come to an end.
Not far away, Nezuko ran over and tightly embraced her brother in the sunlight.
"Amitabha…"
Gyomei Himejima pressed his palms together as tears streamed down his face.
"It is over. The long-cherished wish of generations of swordsmen has finally been fulfilled today."
Sanemi Shinazugawa looked up at the clear blue sky. A smile, more painful than tears, appeared on his usually fierce face.
He closed his eyes, as if he could see his mother smiling back at him from the clouds.
Giyu Tomioka stood quietly in the wind, a faint, relieved smile appearing on his lips for perhaps the first time.
Kyojuro Rengoku, Tengen Uzui, Mitsuri Kanroji… every surviving Hashira and Corps member released the burden of a thousand years in their own way.
And the one who had brought all of this to an end stood atop a remaining boulder, quietly closing his eyes.
In his mind, the system notifications rang out endlessly, flooding his vision.
[Ding! Detected that the host has killed Twelve Kizuki: Upper Rank One, Kokushibo, and Upper Rank Three, Akaza!]
[Ding! Detected that the host has killed the Progenitor of Demons, Kibutsuji Muzan!]
[Lethal blow confirmed! The core combat power of the Infinity Castle has been completely annihilated!]
[The main storyline of the current world has fully collapsed and been restructured! The demonic shadow that has shrouded humanity for a thousand years has been forcibly ended by the host through absolute martial power!]
[Final settlement in progress…]
[Settlement complete! Congratulations to the host for achieving the ultimate milestone: Terminator of an Era!]
[Basic clearance rewards and milestone rewards obtained: 100,000 Dimension Points!]
[Special reward obtained: Little Garden · Miniature Divine Realm!]
Hearing the long string of zeros in his mind, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Rin's lips.
One hundred thousand points.
Combined with the 15,000 points gained earlier for assisting Shinobu in killing Doma within the Infinity Castle, his total had reached an astonishing level.
[Current Dimension Points: 133,990 (Previous total 18,990 + Doma assist reward 15,000 + final settlement 100,000).]
However, what truly caught his attention wasn't the points.
It was the special reward titled "Little Garden · Miniature Divine Realm."
With a thought, Rin immediately opened its detailed description.
[Item Description: Little Garden · Miniature Divine Realm. An absolute private dimension belonging exclusively to the host.]
[Privilege 1 · Absolute Laws: All physical laws, energy systems, and time flow within the Divine Realm are determined by the host's will. Without the host's permission, no existence— even conceptual entities— can enter.]
[Privilege 2 · Divine Realm Anchor: The host can open a gateway to the Divine Realm in any world at any time, allowing recognized companions to enter. Companions within the Divine Realm are immune to all external curses, erosion, and the passage of time.]
[Privilege 3 · Infinite Growth: The Divine Realm begins as a medium-sized island and can be expanded indefinitely using Dimension Points, eventually evolving into a complete universe.]
The moment he finished reading, Rin's breathing paused ever so slightly.
This was a treasure perfectly suited for him.
As a transmigrator, he was never meant to remain in this low-tier world forever.
Sooner or later, he would travel to higher worlds to obtain stronger powers and more resources.
But traveling between worlds came with a fundamental problem...
What about the people he cared about?
If he left Shinobu Kocho behind, she would age, fall ill, and eventually die within a few decades, returning to dust.
But if he tried to forcibly take her across worlds, an ordinary human body and soul simply could not withstand the rejection and erosion of foreign laws.
Now, that problem had been solved.
The Miniature Divine Realm—a portable universe entirely under his control.
By placing companions inside it, he could grant them a form of immortality and protect them from all external threats.
And when he arrived in a new world, he could open the gate at any time and bring them out again.
Not to mention the first privilege, "Absolute Laws." Within the Divine Realm, he was an omnipotent creator.
"So now I even have a private island for a honeymoon. Haah.. "
Rin opened his eyes, a trace of uncontrollable delight reflected in his dark pupils. He raised his right hand, and a faint, star-like diamond mark appeared in his palm—the anchor for opening the Divine Realm.
"Rin..."
A gentle voice came from below the boulder.
Rin looked down.
Shinobu Kocho stood there, the morning light falling over her hair and casting it in a soft golden glow.
She looked up at him, her violet eyes reflecting his figure—clear, calm, no longer burdened by the sorrow of the past.
She opened her arms, a bright, radiant smile blooming on her face.
Rin chuckled softly, leaping down from the boulder. He landed precisely in front of her and pulled her into his embrace.
"Are you hurt?" Shinobu Kocho buried her face against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat as she breathed in his faint, cool scent.
"With just those scraps, they couldn't even touch me."
Rin gently stroked her hair. "But you… you can finally live without carrying that hatred."
"Mm." Shinobu Kocho nodded firmly, her voice filled with relief. "My sister's vengeance… it's finally complete."
In this wilderness, scarred yet reborn, the sight of the two embracing carried a rare sense of quiet peace.
Not far away, the Hashira, having steadied their emotions, began walking over, supporting one another.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya, accompanied by Amane, stepped forward at the front, moving through the scattered ruins.
Looking at the vast canyon and sensing the complete disappearance of demonic presence, his eyes grew slightly moist.
"Rin-dono."
Kagaya stopped, straightened his posture, and led all the Hashira and Demon Slayer Corps members behind him to kneel on one knee.
Swish.
The sound of fabric brushing echoed in unison.
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and even Sanemi—all of them lowered their heads without hesitation.
"The thousand-year curse has been severed today."
Kagaya's voice carried across the morning wind, solemn and steady.
"From this moment onward, demons will no longer exist in this world. On behalf of all humanity, the Demon Slayer Corps offers you our deepest gratitude for saving the world."
"Thank you, Lord, for saving the world!"
The unified shout echoed across the sky and reverberated through the canyon.
Rin loosened his hold on Shinobu and turned to face the battle-worn yet reborn swordsmen.
He didn't move to help them up. He knew this was a necessary ritual—an outlet for their emotions and a way to affirm their faith.
Internally, a quiet wave of relief washed over him. No one died. Not the loud idiot Tanjiro, not the overly cheerful Mitsuri, not even the hot-headed Sanemi. The Hashira who had fought the demons and their inner struggles till now were all still breathing. That was... good. More than good. But admitting that out loud? Hell no.
"A title like 'Savior' is too tacky. I'm not interested."
Rin kept his hands in his pockets, his tone as lazy and casual as ever. "I just happened to clear away some trash blocking the road. Now that Muzan is dead, the Demon Slayer Corps has fulfilled its purpose. Disband if you want, get married if you want."
He walked over to Tanjiro and lightly kicked his boot. "Especially you. Take your sister back home and go back to making charcoal. Stop running around headbutting people."
"Yes! Rin-san!" Tanjiro looked up, grinning brightly.
Rin clicked his tongue softly, turning his face away so no one could see the faint, barely-there softening at the corner of his mouth.
He turned to Ubuyashiki Kagaya. "Master, after the Corps disbands, you'll be handling the compensation, right? Your family's wealthy enough to cover it?"
Kagaya nodded with a gentle smile. "Of course. Every swordsman will receive enough to live the rest of their life in peace."
"Good. We've been at this all night. Everyone disperse. Time to go eat breakfast."
Rin waved a hand, then turned and took Shinobu Kocho's hand, walking away without a trace of attachment.
Only someone paying very close attention would have noticed how his eyes were brighter than usual.
The morning sun stretched their shadows long across the ground.
Shinobu walked beside him, feeling the warmth of his hand, and asked softly, "Now that the Demon Slayer Corps is gone, and demons no longer exist… what will you do? Will you stay at the Butterfly Mansion?"
She knew his origins were mysterious. That kind of power clearly didn't belong to this era.
Somewhere in her heart, she already sensed it...
He ..wouldn't stay.
Rin didn't stop. He only tilted his head slightly to look at her.
"I've already overturned this world. There's nothing left worth staying for."
Her heart skipped.
Her grip on his hand tightened unconsciously.
Sensing her unease, the smile at the corner of Rin's lips deepened.
He stopped, interlaced his fingers with hers, and pressed the faint, star-like diamond mark in his palm against the back of her hand.
"So I'm thinking of going somewhere else. A different world."
He leaned close to her ear, his voice low, almost teasing.
"I just got myself a private island floating in the stars. The climate's whatever I decide. No one can disturb us. And as my personal doctor… and cook…"
He paused, his gaze turning sharp and intense.
"Want to come with me?"
Shinobu's eyes widened.
Another world? An island in the stars?
If anyone else had said it, she would have dismissed it as nonsense.
But from him..
There was no doubt.
Looking into his eyes, she felt a surge of excitement she had never known before.
She didn't hesitate.
"I'm your personal doctor. If you die out there, who's going to take care of your body?"
She lifted her chin, smiling brightly as she tightened her grip on his hand.
"Where you go, I go."
Rin laughed.
He scooped her up in his arms, catching her off guard as she let out a small cry, and strode forward into the distance.
A new journey had just begun.
___
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