"This guy! He actually set fire to the whole place!" Rengoku Shinjuro snapped back to reality, cold sweat running down his face.
"I see," Giyu Tomioka nodded calmly.
By starting a fire, Uzui Tengen had managed to create chaos, forcing unrelated people to flee. Although the district's residents would likely stay behind to fight the fire, this tactic significantly reduced the chances of civilians getting caught in the crossfire during the battle with the demons.
"He really just... set everything on fire..." Kanae was utterly dumbfounded.
"Amitabha..." Himejima Gyomei, the blind monk, muttered prayers under his breath as tears streamed down his face.
"What are you all waiting for? If we stand here any longer, the whole district will burn down and the demons might escape!" Sanemi Shinazugawa shouted, before dashing full speed towards the Kyogoku House.
Despite its vastness, it would only take a few minutes to run across the entire pleasure district.
"Let's go!" Rengoku Shinjuro, the eldest among them, urged, immediately following suit.
Giyu Tomioka, Gyomei Himejima, Obanai Iguro, Shinobu, and Kanae—all seven Hashira, including the two who wielded the divine Visions—rushed toward the weakest of the Upper Moons, Upper Rank Six.
"Put out the fire! Someone alert the town magistrate! We must catch the arsonist!"
"Water! Bring water!"
"Help us! Hurry!"
"Protect the geisha and get them to safety!"
The pleasure district was ablaze. Fire spread rapidly across multiple establishments, with panicked cries echoing in the chaos. Oiran and geisha fled with their heads covered, while the guests who had come seeking entertainment ran wildly, terrified.
"The owners of these establishments probably want to tear me limb from limb by now," Uzui Tengen muttered, listening to the angry shouts of the people around him. Despite the mayhem, he remained calm.
"Though I apologize, using even the most underhanded tactics to save lives is still a good deed. After all, when it comes to protecting others, it doesn't matter if the methods are noble or shady."
It was only property being lost. As long as people survived, they were the true victors. Everyone should cherish the opportunity to live on.
Just as he finished speaking and was about to rejoin the main group, a soft sound caught his attention at his feet.
Uzui Tengen looked down and paused in surprise.
There lay a beautifully ornate, pale purple glass orb encased in a golden frame.
Inside the orb, a stunning soundwave pattern shimmered delicately.
Bending down to pick it up, he held it before his eyes, watching as the glass orb emitted a gentle glow.
"Haha! My brilliant methods have been acknowledged by the gods themselves!" Uzui Tengen laughed heartily.
"What belongs to me is mine; no one can take it from me!"
"The power of sound... it aligns perfectly with my breathing technique. Thank you, divine gods, for your recognition."
He raised his arms toward the sky in exultation.
From the Sky Island, the god Indra observed the scene with a slight smile.
"This Vision wasn't granted by me but was automatically issued by the 'Humanity Force System.'"
The system had already begun to take control over the beliefs of the Demon Slayer world.
Uzui Tengen's actions and resolve had contributed decisively to the protection of humanity in this world, triggering the automatic granting of a Vision.
Indra now had control over half the Demon Slayer world's authority, allowing him to create Visions by extracting its fundamental rules.
---
**Kyogoku House**
"What's going on out there, madam? Why is everyone putting out fires?"
The oiran Daki, dressed in her full attire, sat in front of a brass mirror applying makeup. Her stunning face twisted into a scowl of irritation.
"Lady Warabihime, please stop with the makeup for now! You need to evacuate quickly. The fire will reach us soon," the owner of the house said, her voice filled with growing anxiety. Unlike the panicked geisha running to safety, Warabihime seemed completely unbothered by the danger.
The owner had long felt unease around Warabihime, whose cruelty and coldness made her seem inhuman. Despite her role in the house's success, Warabihime had mercilessly abused and mistreated the other geisha. Over thirty women had either committed suicide, run away, or been killed under mysterious circumstances, and the owner knew that many of them had been tormented to death by Warabihime herself.
As the fire spread closer, Warabihime remained unconcerned, more focused on her makeup than her own safety. The owner, trembling with cold sweat, couldn't help but recall an old story she'd heard as a child from a teahouse grandmother. A tale of a cruel, cold-blooded oiran who would tilt her head in a sinister way whenever she grew angry—a demon disguised as a woman.
"Hmph. If the fire's that close, then go put it out. I'm the oiran here, and this house should prioritize protecting my living space above all else," Warabihime snapped, glaring at the owner with a sideways glance.
"B-but..." The owner stammered, overwhelmed by fear as the memories of that old story flooded back.
"No buts. Don't forget, this house only prospered because of me," Warabihime said coldly, her eyes sharp and merciless.
"Y-yes... you're right," the owner replied, trembling. Her suspicions grew stronger by the second. Warabihime's cruelty, her disregard for others, her callousness in the face of danger—all matched the descriptions of the demon from that old tale perfectly.
As the landlady prepared to flee the room, heavy footsteps echoed from behind. She turned around to see a man with a scar-covered body and a menacing expression, holding a long blade, walking into the room.
"Wh-who are you?! What... what do you want? Why... why are you carrying a sword? Let's talk this out, everything can be negotiated!" The landlady, terrified, quickly put on a fawning, submissive expression.
It wasn't uncommon for clients who had been cheated by the courtesans in the pleasure district to behave in extreme ways.
"You need to leave immediately. The woman behind you is a flesh-eating monster." Sanemi Shinazugawa, glaring at the woman with a twisted expression behind the landlady, tightened his grip on his blade. The courtesan, Warabihime, seemed to be transforming. The ornate ribbons on her kimono began moving like snakes.
"Agh!" The landlady turned towards the wall and saw Warabihime's shadow twisting into something demonic. Screaming, she scrambled and crawled her way out of the room.
"The sword you wield, and that presence... you're a Demon Slayer, aren't you?" Warabihime's elegant kimono unraveled into slithering sashes as a sinister smile crept across her brightly painted lips, revealing sharp fangs. In her left eye, the character for "Upper" appeared, while in her right, the character for "Six."
"Not just any Slayer, but one of the pillars, I presume. You must be responsible for the fire too," Warabihime sneered.
"The one I'm after is your brother. You—get out of my way," Sanemi barked, wasting no time. In an instant, he lunged at Warabihime, and before she could react, her body was split into pieces. Her head, torso, arms, and legs were severed and fell to the ground with a sharp, sickening thud.
"Huh?" Warabihime's severed head landed on the floor, her face frozen in shock.
"Huh? What're you staring at?" Sanemi growled. "Tell your real brother, the true Upper Moon Six, to show himself—or I'll crush this head to pieces." He stomped on Warabihime's head, driving part of it deep into the floorboards.
"You... dare... stomp on my sister's head..."
Warabihime's dismembered torso began to swell as a raspy, eerie voice filled the room. In mere moments, a skeletal demon took form, his body growing rapidly until he stood tall, fully regenerated.
At that instant, Sanemi was greeted by the sight of blood-red crescent moons appearing before his eyes.
......
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.