The Hashiras had become stronger, Kai observed.
Only a few months had passed since he had left Daki in their care as the Betrothal Gift.
However, much had changed in those past months, for both him and the Demon Slayers of his Verse Fusion Random World.
For Kai, it was him meeting his father, Alan Stormborn.
Then, the Tales of Beedle the Bard became a Grimoire, changing the existence of the Characters within.
If those changes weren't enough, then Kai had learned another truth about himself — the name of his Bankai!
Kai still had to figure out its mysteries, though.
The Ad Infinitum had separated a greater part of itself in deciphering the Bankai and the steps that would lead Kai to obtain it.
It would need him some time, but, rather than knowing nothing, it was a great step forward.
Kai needed to figure out how to use Bankai before his Main Mission was over. Otherwise, not only he wouldn't become the Selfless Hashira, but he would also lose his two Standalone Titles — Demon King and Demon Slayer.
On top of this disaster, he would also fail to gain the Demon Progenitor Title — the Extremity of Verse Fusion Random World.
So, much depended on the state of Verse Fusion Random World itself for Kai to accomplish.
For him to evolve the current state of this world, he required the full cooperation of the Demon Slayers.
On the other hand, for Hashiras, they had come to know the man called Kai.
Not only he had created a Selfless Breathing Art, but he had also achieved Total Concentration: Constant. He had defeated two Upper Moons singlehandedly and that, too, without achieving Bankai.
Captured one alive...
One could even say that, for the Hashiras, Kai had become as much a motivation to become stronger as their motivation to end Muzan, the two Demon Kings becoming an eternal milestone hanging in their minds.
So, it didn't come as a surprise that the Hashiras lost their minds when they saw Black.
One was already too much. Now, this black-haired man was also oozing out power equivalent to the Hashiras.
Not to mention, the power they were sensing from Black was just too crude.
If Kai's power was water for Hashiras, then Black's power was nothing but unrefined ores.
To the Hashiras' dismay, Black's arrival was just the beginning.
A red-haired female, wearing a black robe, walked in the hall.
There was a pattern of red clouds scattered on her robes. However, it was her face that caught the Hashiras' eyes.
Surrounded by the pale white skin of her face, Meg's eyes were letting out a purple glow.
With her Chakra Manipulation and Origami Creation Master Abilities, Meg was nearing her true powers already. Now, combined with Level 3 Ephemeral Demon, a power granted to her by Kai, she could match any Hashira's gaze and not come out short.
"A demon!" the Wind Hashira roared, unsheathing his sword.
However, something much greater than mere willpower obstructed the path of that sword, preventing it from leaving the sheath completely.
"Haa!" The Wind Hashira let out a shout, his muscles bulging up.
But no matter how much strength he poured into his grip, he just couldn't pull out the sword.
If he were to go another step forward, then it would be counted as nothing but full-out war, destroying the delicate balance hanging by the thinnest thread.
"Sanemi," Kagaya called out, smiling. "Let it go."
The Wind Hashira looked at the leader with puzzlement.
It was then Kai opened his eyes, suddenly canceling the Telekinesis' hold.
With a BANG the sword escaped the sheathe out of the Wind Hashira's control, a horrifying chill running down his spine.
The Wind Hashira was seated next to the Stone Hashira. So, when he lost control, the sword went right toward Black, who was opposite the Stone Hashira.
It was the strike of metal against metal, the sound echoing throughout the hall, deafening the ears.
No one had taken out any sword, though.
In between the Wind Hashira's sword and Black's throat, was Black's finger, a drop of blood trickling down the blade's edge; its color blue.
Black chuckled. "Careful now," he said, flicking off the sword. "What if you... beheaded me?"
Meg couldn't help but giggle at that, taking a seat next to Black and opposite the Wind Hashira.
"My brother," Kai introduced the Item to everyone. "When we were children, we used to call each other White and Black. You can call him Black, too."
Shinobu harrumphed, getting salty over not hearing about a brother before.
Kai's lips twitched. He then looked at Meg.
"She's my follower, Meg. The Demon Transformation is something that I have formulated in a lab," he explained. "Not only is it temporary, but it also has a chance of granting Blood Demon Art."
The Hashiras listened to the conversation, stunned.
The Leader of the Demon Slayer Corps fell into a contemplative silence, then.
Time didn't stop, though.
Just as Meg took her seat, they all saw an even more absurdity walking into the hall.
With a muscular build, and wearing a white t-shirt over denim shorts, Red Sun swaggered his way in, yawning. His face was pale white as well, his eyes letting out a purple, demonic glow.
The only thing that differentiated him from Meg was that the threat oozing out from him had surpassed everything, entering into the realm of Bankai.
The Hashiras exchanged glances with each other.
"He's Robin," Kai introduced. "He lost his son to the demons."
Red Sun's mouth almost twitched.
Among all the White Serpent Pirates, only Rintaro and Kai knew that Red Sun had a son in the Primordial Tower; a fact the 11th-floor Contestant managed to hide from everyone.
So, saying that demons got his son wasn't entirely false, either.
Red Sun already considered Kai the greatest of the demons.
Kai smiled at Red Sun, and this time the latter's mouth did twitch.
The Hashiras' expression unknowingly softened. Even Meg couldn't tell if it was a lie her master had told or...
Red Sun's eyes shifted between the Hashiras, and he took a seat opposite the Love Hashira.
Meg's face instantly fell, a vein throbbing on her forehead. Rascal!
Just as Red Sun sat down, two more females walked in the hall.
Spawn had donned her true appearance, coating herself under the black skin, her red cloak flapping without wind as if it were alive. The Byakugan in her eyes glowed with purple color, giving her a deathly, demonic appearance.
Next to Spawn, Moraine the Elegant walked in her Demon Slayer uniform.
She was carrying her Claymore on her back, seven-colored hue flashing into existence now and then behind her. Neither the pale, white skin nor the intense, purple glow in her eyes could make a dent in her beauty, though.
"Selena," Kai introduced the Spawn. "She had lost her son as well when I found her. You know Moraine already. Her family had been ravaged by demons... Sigh! She was the only one who survived."
The Hashiras' eyes stirred.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked at the two new arrivals as they sat down opposite the Water and Serpent Hashiras. "What about the armor?" he asked.
Kai looked at the man and smiled. "You will know soon," he said, looking at all of them.
Soon?! What did he mean?!!
And a terrifying fact thundered in the Hashiras' hearts simultaneously, like a lightning bolt.
They looked at the four demons sitting in front of them and realized...
... there were more to come where these had come from!
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