Kapitel 21: Muzan Basks in the Sun, the World Begins to Merge
In front of Sawamaki Shrine, the crowd swelled like a restless tide. Among them were the residents of Tokyo, who had survived a night of terror, and others—both humans and demons—who had arrived for their own reasons.
Not far away, inside a pavilion, Tamayo cautiously pulled back a corner of the heavy black curtain shielding her from the sunlight. Her gaze settled on the high platform of the shrine, where the "Demon King" was tied to a wooden stake, and her cheeks flushed with emotion.
"It really is Muzan Kibutsuji. He's been captured and is about to be executed!"
At long last, her life's mission would be fulfilled. Once the Demon King died, all the demons cursed by him would vanish alongside him.
The curse that had once bound her had already been lifted long ago—when Muzan Kibutsuji had been pushed to his limit after being slashed into thousands of pieces by Yoriichi Tsugikuni. During his moment of vulnerability, Tamayo had developed a serum to sever her connection to him.
Tamayo let the curtain fall back and instructed, "Yushiro, close the window."
Yushiro hesitated, then asked in disbelief, "Lady Tamayo, aren't you going to keep watching Muzan Kibutsuji's execution?"
Tamayo shook her head gently. "Just knowing it's truly him is enough."
As she spoke, she thought back to the violet barrier that had enveloped Tokyo the previous night. Despite being a demon herself, she had been unharmed by it.
"By the way, Yushiro, tonight you'll accompany me to Narukami Shrine to offer our thanks to the gods."
Yushiro looked horrified. "Lady Tamayo, that's out of the question! We're demons. What if the gods strike us down with lightning on a clear day?"
Tamayo chuckled softly. "You've never eaten humans, Yushiro. If the gods were to punish anyone, it would be me for the sins I've committed."
Yushiro's face turned resolute. "No. I won't allow you to go."
Tamayo's expression hardened. "Yushiro."
Yushiro immediately deflated, his defiance crumbling.
Among the crowd stood a frail man with red hair and a burn scar on his forehead. He was supported by two children as he gazed at the high platform of the shrine in the distance.
The ten-year-old boy beside him, also red-haired and bearing a similar burn scar, asked curiously, "Father, you're still not feeling well. Why did you travel here overnight?"
Tanjuro Kamado smiled gently and placed a hand on the boy's head. "Tanjiro, this is tied to an important story from the Kamado family's past. Don't worry—I'm fine now. When we get home, I'll tell you the story."
"I want to hear it too, Father!" said the nine-year-old girl holding his other hand, her wide eyes sparkling with excitement.
Tanjuro chuckled. "Alright, Nezuko, you'll hear it too."
Then, looking back at Tanjiro, he rested a hand on his head again.
"Tanjiro, I won't be able to take care of your mother and your siblings for much longer. You're the eldest son. You'll need to take on that responsibility one day."
Tanjiro's clear, resolute eyes met his father's. "Yes, Father. I'll take good care of Mom and my siblings. I'll grow into a strong, dependable man—just like you!"
Tanjuro smiled warmly. "Good, good. That puts my mind at ease."
At that moment, Tanjiro flinched and clutched his forehead. "Ow! Something hit my head!"
A crisp sound rang out at his feet. It was an ornate glass ornament with an elaborate frame. It looked expensive, something that only a noble might own.
"What is this? It's so beautiful," Nezuko said as she picked it up curiously. "Brother, look."
"Nezuko, this must be very valuable. We have to return it to its owner," Tanjiro said, taking the item from her hands.
The moment it touched his palm, the object—a Vision—began to glow.
A majestic yet gentle voice spoke directly to the Kamado family.
"Hahaha! Do you wish to become a strong and dependable man to protect those you love? I recognize your wish. Take my blessing and live your life with greater freedom."
Tanjiro's eyes widened in shock. "Father! It's glowing! And it's speaking!"
Tanjuro, regaining his composure, smiled and patted Tanjiro's head. "That is the blessing of the gods upon you, Tanjiro. A man's word is his bond. Don't let the gods down."
Tanjiro clenched the Vision tightly in his hands, his resolve growing stronger with the newfound power. "Yes, Father. The gods have blessed me. I will not let them down!"
Nezuko's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Big Brother, you're amazing! Even the gods have blessed you!"
A loudspeaker crackled to life, announcing the start of the trial.
On the high platform of the shrine, the chief priest of the Kannushi clan stood, holding the loudspeaker with an expression of righteous fury. He glared at Muzan Kibutsuji, who was bound to the wooden post with his mouth sealed by sacred talismans.
"Muzan Kibutsuji! For a thousand years, you have ceaselessly created demons to devour humans, leaving countless families shattered and countless evils in your wake. Just last night, you murdered members of the imperial family and numerous shogunate nobles. You orchestrated the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, causing untold suffering and death at the hands of your monstrous creations."
"Your crimes are heinous! A sin for all eternity!"
"Therefore, you are sentenced to death by sunlight!"
"If you have no objections, we will now carry out the execution!"
Muzan's eyes widened in terror.
So this was why he had been bound here with a large parasol above his head—to prolong his torment before the sunlight burned him alive.
He struggled and made muffled noises, "Mmm! Mmm!"
Objections? His mouth was sealed shut! This is torture! Pure, cruel torture!
"Begin the execution!"
At the command, Sanemi Shinazugawa stepped forward and drove his blade through the parasol, piercing it to create a hole.
The noon sunlight streamed through, striking Muzan Kibutsuji directly.
Sizzle, crackle—
The sound was like pork skin hitting a boiling oil pan. The places where the sunlight touched Muzan's skin began to burn immediately.
"MMMMM!" Muzan's eyes bulged in panic, his muffled screams growing frantic.
The sacred talismans prevented him from regenerating, and his body was paralyzed.
As the crowd watched Muzan burn, cheers erupted, rising to a fevered pitch.
Foreign ambassadors and journalists recorded the scene, their fervor making it seem as though they were witnessing an act of divine retribution.
As the cheers grew louder, more holes were torn into the parasol, until the sunlight completely engulfed Muzan.
In the end, Muzan Kibutsuji was burned to death beneath the scorching sun.
In his final moments, one thought lingered in his mind: I have objections!
The moment Muzan perished, Kokushibo, the Upper Rank One demon hiding in a secluded kendo dojo, disintegrated into ash.
Akaza, Doma, and the other Upper Ranks followed, their anguished screams fading as they were reduced to nothingness.
With Muzan dead, the priests at the shrine began fielding questions from foreign ambassadors and journalists.
Within a single day, terms like "Vision," "Divinity," "Wishes," "Narukami," "Fox Spirit," and "Demon Slayer" were plastered across newspaper headlines and spread throughout the world.
Meanwhile.
In Celestia, on the Heavenly Throne:
[Ding! Faith from 21% of the Demon Slayer world's total population has been acquired.]
[Ding! The Vision-based divine system (Vision-to-Godhood) has become the sole system within the Demon Slayer world.]
[Ding! Influence of Teyvat's world consciousness has expanded to 99% of global recognition.]
[Ding! Teyvat's interference with the Demon Slayer world has reached 98%.]
[Ding! Permission to control 95% of Teyvat's world authority has been obtained.]
[Would you like to initiate the assimilation process?]
"So this is my first time doing this… and surprisingly easy," Noah murmured to himself.
Seated on the Heavenly Throne, the Primordial Ring of Law rotated slowly behind him, emitting faint, otherworldly light. As the system's notifications echoed in his mind, Noah felt his heart quicken with anticipation.
From the void, a faint and intangible thread connected itself to the Primordial Ring of Law. Within his consciousness, the "Human Realm Force System" and the "Constellation System" began sketching out the shadow of a blue planet.
The "Human Realm Force System" had already taken control of 95% of that world's authority.
Every individual who had expressed faith in "Teyvat," worshipped "Narukami no Mikoto," admired the Vision wielders—or even envied them—was now bound by destiny, their fate tied to the threads of the Constellation System.
The "Human Realm Force System" was tyrannical in its design. Any slight connection to it was enough to entrap a person's destiny.
At this moment, Noah had already gained control over the fates of 21% of the human population of the Demon Slayer world.
"It's so easy to bind their fates," Noah remarked. "Now I finally understand how Phanes, that Descender, was able to suppress Teyvat's Three Moon Goddesses and the Seven Dragon Sovereigns to claim the seat of Celestia."
Faith was just the surface of the "Human Realm Force System's" strength. The true terror lay in its ability to control destiny.
"System, based on the current situation, what consequences and benefits will arise from assimilating the Demon Slayer world into Teyvat?"
As he asked, Noah felt the continuous influx of World Power and Faith Power flowing from the void, a tangible manifestation of the Demon Slayer world's submission.
Assimilating an entire world was no small feat.
Even though the Demon Slayer world had a weak power system, its actual size was comparable to that of Teyvat.
It was, after all, an entire planet—and one that existed outside the "Tree and Sea" worldview's framework, within a different dimensional latitude.
The system replied, [Would the host prefer to directly integrate the Demon Slayer world into Teyvat as a single entity, or establish Teyvat as the divine realm while designating the Demon Slayer world as a lower realm?]
This was a question Noah had already considered carefully.
If the Demon Slayer world were directly integrated into Teyvat, the latter's surface area would double.
However, this would exponentially increase Teyvat's energy consumption, something the already fractured world could not sustain.
The system continued, [If the Demon Slayer world is developed as a subordinate realm to Teyvat, the system will shift the Demon Slayer world from the Tree and Sea framework to the Quantum Sea framework.]
"Will the Quantum Sea erode the Demon Slayer world?" Noah asked with curiosity.
[No,] the system explained. [The Demon Slayer world exists independently outside the Tree and Sea worldview, with its own unique rules. It will not interfere with or be interfered by the Quantum Sea.]
Noah understood.
If the rules were mutually exclusive, then they could not erode one another.
Once the Demon Slayer world became a subordinate realm, it would provide Teyvat with a continuous flow of World Power, becoming one of the cornerstones of Teyvat's future growth.
If enough subordinate realms were established, Teyvat could one day become a unique entity within the Quantum Sea, standing out as an unparalleled existence.
Perhaps it might even grow into the only universal superworld within the Quantum Sea.
And who knows—at that point, it might even be able to challenge the Star Rail worlds on the Imaginary Tree.
If more unclaimed worlds that weren't subject to the Quantum Sea or the Imaginary Tree could be assimilated, Teyvat might even become the third axis outside of both frameworks.
"Begin the assimilation process using the second method," Noah instructed.
[Understood. Initiating calculations.]
[Assimilation process activated: Demon Slayer world will be incorporated into Teyvat as a planetary subordinate realm.]
[Teyvat's world core will be strengthened by 40%.]
[Teyvat will gain several new world laws.]
[Teyvat's tolerance for harmful forces and knowledge will increase by 35%. Fifteen percent of harmful forces and knowledge will be nullified outright.]
[Teyvat's barrier, 'The False Sky,' will begin its evolution into a true world wall. Quantum Sea erosion will be reduced by 80%.]
[Teyvat's core structure, the 'Ley Lines,' will be repaired by 80%, gaining auto-repair functionality and the ability to purify harmful forces.]
[The Vision-based godhood system will partially break free from the Seven Elemental Authorities' restrictions, allowing Visions to be created without relying on the seven elements.]
[Final analysis: Teyvat's lifespan extended to 5,986 years, with continuous extensions supported by the Demon Slayer world's World Power supply.]
[Assimilation process initiated. Establishing a passage between the two cosmologies.]
[Requesting temporary transfer of host's authority to ensure the success of the assimilation process.]
"Permission granted," Noah replied calmly.
The moment Noah gave his consent, the Primordial Ring of Law behind him rapidly expanded, ultimately forming a massive Saturn-like ring that hovered above Celestia.
The Seven Statues of the Seven Nations, tasked with stabilizing the Ley Lines, erupted in blinding beams of light that pierced the heavens.
Across the nations of Teyvat, the citizens watched in alarm as this unprecedented event unfolded. But when they recognized the source of the light as the Statues of the Seven, their fears subsided. They interpreted the phenomenon as the work of their gods and a sign of divine protection.
Beneath the earth, the Ley Lines—long damaged and irreparable—began to mend rapidly under the influence of the newly flowing World Power. The restoration was silent in areas where the Ley Lines were already stable, but in regions where they had been broken, the changes were dramatic.
Inazuma, Yashiori Island
The entire island was bathed in a vibrant aurora that painted the sky in seven colors. The land, once choking under the corruption of the Tatarigami, emitted thick black smoke as the pollution was purified at an incredible speed.
In just a few breaths' time, what had seemed like a post-apocalyptic wasteland was transformed into a livable environment. Even the unnatural storm clouds that had darkened the skies began to dissipate, revealing rays of sunlight.
Although the island had yet to regain its former lush and verdant appearance, it had reached a point where humans could once again live and farm on the land.
The chaos of the disrupted Ley Lines had subsided, and the rampant elemental creatures—spawned from the energy leaks—gradually calmed, becoming far less aggressive.
"The Tatarigami has been purified… in an instant?"
Sangonomiya Kokomi, who had been organizing the citizens of Watatsumi Island and the shrine maidens of Narukami Shrine to restore the Warding Stones, stared at the now-clear sky in bewilderment.
"Kokomi-sama! The grudge of Lord Orobashi has vanished, and the dark clouds are gone!"
The common folk of Watatsumi Island, unaware of the greater forces at play, did not know what had caused these miraculous changes. However, the removal of the land's pollution and the calming of the monsters brought them immense joy.
This meant that Yashiori Island, which had long been abandoned, could now be reclaimed for farming.
Watatsumi Island, created from the coral and divine power of Orobashi himself, had never been connected to the Ley Lines. As a result, its arable land had been steadily depleting, making it increasingly unsuitable for human habitation.
"This must be reported to the Shogun immediately!" Kokomi declared, turning her gaze toward Narukami Island.
For the Inazuma of today, no news could be more important than the restoration of farmland.
Sumeru
Deep within the rainforest of Avidya Forest, the Forest Ranger Tighnari was leading his students in purifying a Withering Zone. However, as the seven-colored light swept across the area, the Withering Zone began to dissipate rapidly, leaving him utterly astonished.
Not only that, but even the gray scales on the arm of his student, Collei—scars left by Eleazar—began to fade under the light.
"Master, my arm…" Collei exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement as she looked at the patches of gray on her skin that had disappeared.
Tighnari was stunned as he examined the phenomenon. "Even Eleazar… can be healed?"
Liyue, the Chasm
Far below the surface, the miners who had long battled against the lingering corruption of the Abyss watched in awe as the dark, festering aura that had plagued the Chasm began to recede.
A veteran miner wiped his eyes in disbelief. "Is the Chasm… healing itself?"
Nearby, Yanfei, who had been surveying the area on behalf of the Qixing, paused and looked up at the rainbow-like glow that lit up the caverns. "This must be an intervention from the heavens themselves…"
Throughout Teyvat, similar scenes unfolded. From Mondstadt to Fontaine, from Snezhnaya to the ruins of Khaenri'ah, the broken, corrupted, or devastated lands saw miraculous transformations. The Ley Lines, once fragile and fractured, were now pulsating with renewed life, and the entire world resonated with the harmony of restoration.
Above Celestia, the massive Primordial Ring of Law spun steadily, its light interwoven with the energies of both Teyvat and the Demon Slayer world.
The path between the two worlds had been established. The first step toward a greater Teyvat had been completed.
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