Chương 11: The Fearful Muzan and the Excited Ubuyashiki
"I survived!"
Believing he would be obliterated by the divine light descending from the heavens, Doma stared in fear at the red torii standing atop Mount Raiden.
The torii—being the leader of the Paradise Faith Cult, he naturally understood its significance.
In front of every shrine, a torii stands as a gate marking the boundary of the sacred domain where gods reside and the mundane world of mortals. Passing through signifies entry into a divine realm, and the torii serves as a reminder that disrespecting the gods could result in divine retribution.
"A god? Impossible! There's no way gods exist. Only Lord Muzan is the true deity of this world!"
Douma's multicolored pupils trembled as he gazed at the gigantic spectral torii, feeling an existential dread as if he were facing a natural predator.
He was well aware of the tricks and illusions played by humans at their shrines, but this—this was no human creation. Could it truly be a miracle of the gods?
Could it be that gods truly exist in this world?
Everything Doma witnessed was transmitted to Muzan Kibutsuji in the Infinity Castle, where the demon king, clad in a butler-like suit, was conducting experiments with vials of blood.
Crack!
The serene expression on Muzan's face twisted as blood vessels bulged across his forehead. A surge of crimson energy exploded outward, shattering the vial in his hand.
"Upper Moon Two... What did he see?"
Through his blood connection, Muzan could perfectly perceive Douma's memories.
A colossal pillar of light descending from the heavens.
The divine lightning within the light that obliterated even the immortal regenerative bodies of the Upper Moons.
And finally, the red torii shimmering in the sky after the light faded.
"A pillar of light from the heavens, lightning that annihilates demons... and that torii! What is this? What is this?"
Muzan's blood-red pupils quivered, and for the first time in centuries, he felt the gnawing grip of fear.
"What sort of force is this? Beyond the Nichirin Blades, could something else exist that can kill demons?"
"Gods? No. Impossible. There cannot be gods. If they existed, why have they left no trace for over a thousand years?"
Crack! Crack! Boom!
Muzan's seething aura shattered all the glass vessels in his laboratory.
For more than a millennium, from the Heian period to the present day, Muzan had roamed every corner of the nation. Never had he found any concrete evidence of gods. Even the so-called Onmyoji clans, with their centuries of tradition, were merely practitioners of simple illusions to deceive mortals.
If gods truly existed, then everything he had done—his massacres, his experiments, his defiance of natural order—should have invoked divine wrath long ago. Yet here he stood, alive and unchallenged.
"I must uncover the truth behind this! Even if I have to sacrifice a few of the Twelve Kizuki, so be it!"
Driven by this sudden dread of the unknown, Muzan immediately sent orders through the blood bond to Doma and all surviving demons near Mount Raiden.
The miraculous phenomena atop Mount Raiden lasted less than a minute.
At the summit, in the clearing where the dilapidated Takemikazuchi Shrine once stood, now stood a majestic torii faintly glowing with traces of divine lightning.
Anyone who beheld the torii would immediately sense its unearthly nature, as if it had fallen from Takamagahara itself, a divine artifact beyond mortal comprehension.
"Sister, it's exactly the same as the gigantic torii we saw earlier!"
The two female Demon Slayers who had witnessed the miracle at the mountain's base cautiously ascended the summit. Their steps were slow and reverent, their hearts pounding with awe and trepidation.
Shinobu reached out as if drawn to the sacred structure, but Kanae quickly pulled her back.
"Shinobu, you must not show disrespect within a god's domain!" Kanae knelt immediately, tugging her sister down with her. Together, they bowed their heads deeply, their foreheads nearly touching the ground.
"We apologize, O Divine One. We did not mean to offend Your divine presence. We only sought to offer our prayers."
The sisters dared not step beyond the torii, fully aware that crossing its threshold would mean entering a realm of the divine. With their hearts racing, they performed a hasty prayer before retreating.
"We must inform Oyakata-sama at once of the miracle we've witnessed!" Kanae whispered urgently as they descended the mountain.
If the Demon Slayer Corps could earn the blessings of a god, it would be a turning point in their centuries-long battle against the demons. Perhaps they could even plead for divine mercy to lift the curse afflicting their master, Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
The news quickly reached the Demon Slayer Corps' estate through a messenger crow. As Kagaya listened to his wife recount the letter, his hands trembled uncontrollably.
"Is it true? Could this be true? Lightning from the heavens, encompassing Mount Raiden... and a torii at Takemikazuchi Shrine?"
The normally composed master of the Demon Slayer Corps struggled to maintain his composure. His excitement was palpable, his voice quivering with emotion.
"I cannot believe this is happening. After more than a thousand years, a divine being has finally graced this land with their gaze!" Kagaya rose, his movements unsteady, prompting his wife, Amane, to support him.
"Amane, we must go to Mount Raiden immediately! The letter said a divine gate has appeared there, likely heralding the arrival of a god from the heavens. That shrine has been abandoned for over a century—we must restore it before the god steps upon this land!"
"Understood. I'll summon the priests. We'll ensure every ritual is performed flawlessly to welcome the deity." Amane nodded firmly.
Hailing from a lineage of shrine priests, Amane understood the gravity of hosting a god from Takamagahara. She had always believed in the existence of gods; after all, her family's prophetic dreams could only be explained by divine intervention.
That night, the miracle on Mount Raiden set the land ablaze with unprecedented fervor. Ordinary citizens, noble families, and even the nation's shogunate buzzed with speculation. Many sought to climb the mountain to worship the god, but the roads were swiftly blocked by government-backed priestly clans.
Takemikazuchi was no common deity to be worshipped by the masses. Only a select few would be permitted to approach, lest they offend the divine.
Meanwhile, in Teyvat.
At the Grand Narukami Shrine, the portal connecting the two worlds had been completed. Ei summoned the Kamisato siblings to the shrine.
"Kamisato Ayato, Kamisato Ayaka," Ei addressed them with solemn authority. "I have an important mission for you both."
Kamisato Ayato and Kamisato Ayaka stood respectfully, awaiting the Shogun's instructions.
Initially, they believed that following the purge of corruption and inefficiency within Inazuma, the Shogun needed them to fill critical positions for the nation's proper functioning.
But when the Shogun's fingertip touched their foreheads, flooding their minds with a torrent of information, the siblings were left stunned, their thoughts coming to a screeching halt.
What?!
A "World-Swallowing Plan"? Details about the Demon Slayer world? A scheme to supplant native deities? The Modern Takamagahara Mythos...
As the vast array of knowledge settled into their minds, they regained their composure, their shock palpable.
Kamisato Ayato, who had weathered countless storms as the head of the Kamisato family, recovered first. However, his heart felt as though it might leap out of his chest.
A high-ranking god from Celestia had entrusted this directive to the Shogun, appointing Inazuma to carry out the plan to annex the Demon Slayer world.
And now, the Shogun had chosen them, the Kamisato siblings, to spearhead this operation.
Ayato was both overwhelmed and doubtful.
What virtues or capabilities could he possibly possess to warrant such trust? That such a critical task for Teyvat's future was placed in his hands?
"Do you understand?" Ei's gaze bore into Ayato.
"Y-yes, Shogun-sama..." Ayato stammered, forcefully reigning in his spiraling thoughts and nodding with solemnity. His hand discreetly pinched his leg to keep himself focused.
"This gate," Ei gestured toward the torii before the Sacred Sakura, "is a portal to the Demon Slayer world. You, the Kamisato siblings, along with Yae Miko, will execute the operation. Call upon my name, and I will temporarily lend you my divine power."
The torii shimmered with a faint light, its gateway veiled by a luminous film. Beyond that glimmering surface lay an entirely different realm.
"Oh, such a tiresome life I lead~" Yae Miko sighed dramatically before casting a sly glance at Ayato. "Young Master Kamisato, if you have any questions, best ask them all now. Last-minute panicking won't save you."
Ayato took a deep breath. He understood that rejecting such a monumental task would only disappoint the Shogun. Kamisato's rise to prominence hinged on their unwavering loyalty to her will.
Ayaka, having shaken off her initial shock, patted her chest and turned to her brother.
"Shogun-sama, my first concern is about Inazuma's administration. With only the Yashiro Commission maintaining order, my absence may create a power vacuum, leading to inefficiencies."
"I have temporarily appointed Sangonomiya Kokomi as the head of the Kanjou Commission, and Sara will oversee the Tenryou Commission," Ei replied flatly.
"Poor little Kokomi," Yae Miko said with a hint of pity in her tone. "I can already imagine the endless workload she must be drowning under. She might even have to skip meals to keep up."
Ayato exhaled in relief. The Sangonomiya priestess was renowned for her competence, second only to himself within Inazuma's administration. Knowing Kokomi would handle domestic affairs while he was away gave him peace of mind.
"My second question," Ayato continued, "why must Shogun-sama replace that world's Takemikazuchi? After all, you already are the Raiden Shogun, the god of thunder."
At this, Ei turned toward the Sacred Sakura, where Noah, the god from Celestia, lounged lazily among the branches.
The Kamisato siblings followed her gaze, their attention drawn to the seemingly youthful figure who was, in truth, an exalted god from Celestia—a being even mightier than their Shogun.
"Do you think it redundant?" Noah's golden eyes glinted with mirth as he directed his gaze at Ayato before lingering slightly on Ayaka. Truly, she was as graceful as a lone heron, serene and poised. Her purity made one hesitate to tease her, preferring instead to sit quietly by her side, sipping tea and admiring the flowers.
"Every world operates on its unique set of rules and logic," Noah began, "but there's one universal constant: gods. No matter how weak or strong, gods embody a world's governing authority, akin to the roles of your Tri-Commission."
"To simplify, imagine the world as the Yashiro Commission. A god serves as its head, managing its affairs. Replacing a god means assuming the position of administrator. Once in that role, it becomes possible to gradually consolidate power until the world itself is firmly under one's control."
"Of course," Noah added with a chuckle, "your task is merely to supplant their deity. The process of devouring the world's essence—that's my responsibility."
Plucking a leaf from the Sacred Sakura, he smiled as though the matter was of no consequence. Indeed, from his perspective, annexing a world and seizing its governing authority was child's play, courtesy of his system.
Ei's role was akin to inserting a straw into the Demon Slayer world—a conduit through which Noah's system would absorb its essence.
"I understand,
"Good. Now let's assign roles." Yae Miko jingled her kagura bell, its chime crisp and clear. "Ayato, Ayaka, let's refine our cover story: My master is Narukami no Mikoto. However, due to mispronunciations over the centuries, the people of this world now know her as Takemikazuchi."
"Incidentally," she added mischievously, "none of the gods' names are correct. That's why no matter how fervently mortals pray, their calls go unanswered. Their gods simply can't hear them."
"Our mission? To act as divine envoys dispatched by Narukami no Mikoto herself. She has taken pity on this land's plight and sent us to cleanse it of its demonic blight."
Miko glanced slyly at Ei, whose arms were folded across her chest. This cover gave her ample opportunities to have fun, just like those ridiculous novels at Yae Publishing House: Reincarnated to Another World as the Almighty Raiden Shogun and Doing Whatever I Want.
"In this narrative, I'll be the head priestess, tasked with educating the world's warriors about the principles of... Takamagahara." She smirked.
"Takamagahara is merely a name coined by mortals," Ayato added with a knowing smile. "Its true name is Teyvat."
"You're quick on the uptake, young master," Miko teased.
"Then I, too, am an envoy of Narukami no Mikoto, just like my brother," Ayaka chimed in, her voice tinged with excitement. The idea of journeying to another world and playing the role of a divine emissary felt like something straight out of a fantasy novel.
She cast a glance at Noah, perched lazily among the tree branches, her heart filled with gratitude. This grand adventure was only possible because of him.
"Let's not waste time. Shall we?" Miko said, walking toward the torii gate.
"There's plenty of time—enjoy yourselves," Noah said, his tone dripping with amusement.
The Demon Slayer world's strongest demon was no more formidable than an exceptional Vision-wielder. For Inazuma, this mission was less a conquest and more a game of make-believe.
"Thank you for your kind words, ever-so-wicked god," Miko quipped with a playful roll of her eyes, stepping through the torii gate.
The Kamisato siblings, though slightly puzzled by her cheeky tone, wasted no time and followed her.
"Now then, I should prepare a Vision that fits this world's logic," Noah murmured as his golden irises glowed brightly. "After all, before the annexation, that world has no elemental energy to speak of."
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