Chapter 45: Side Quest: Blood-Colored Purge

"Miss Muzan, have you seen those latest firearms? How do they compare to your man-eating Ghost subordinates?"

Kibutsuji Muzan wore a black kimono embroidered with flowers as bright red as blood, her entire being exuding a noble and cold aura.

This demeanor was something even the young ladies of those prestigious, wealthy clans could not compare to, which was also the reason Hirohito was initially willing to listen to her speak.

Muzan sat in the guest seat below; her expression was tranquil, and her every movement was completely soundless. Only upon hearing Prince Hirohito speak did she ponder for a moment before replying:

"The lethality is decent. Excellent soldiers, under conditions of sufficient ammunition, can withstand the attacks of several ordinary man-eating Ghosts."

She neither mocked nor praised.

This caused the smile on Prince Hirohito's face to fade slightly, but he soon shook his head and laughed.

"Indeed, these firearms are, after all, merely mundane objects. Compared to those immortal, indestructible evil Ghosts under Miss Muzan, they are still far inferior."

Muzan did not answer, which could be considered a tacit acceptance of this answer.

She had never had much interest in so-called restoration or reform. In her view, these humans who would turn into a handful of Huangtu in a few decades were merely flaunting their own fleeting time.

Such things were originally just her rations.

But one day several years ago, for some reason, she suddenly received an epiphany.

Kibutsuji Muzan hated Heaven and cursed Heaven, so naturally, she did not believe it was an epiphany from Heaven, but she inexplicably understood many things.

She realized that humans were numerous; she realized that the human heart was greedy and complex. She no longer ignored humans, turning instead to begin dominating them.

This transformation had excellent results.

It just so happened that Japan's Meiji Restoration had ended, and it had entered the Taisho Era. Every industry, including the cities, was undergoing tremendous changes; there were too many restless hearts and desires that she could exploit.

For instance, those warlord factions that kept emerging and were now attempting to dominate the entire country.

Although the warlord giant named Katsura Taro had been defeated by various factions several years ago, the ones occupying the dominant position were still the warlord factions.

More and more powerful figures realized Muzan's terrifying power. More importantly, the old men among those powerful figures, unwilling to die, knelt one after another before Kibutsuji Muzan, begging her to bestow the "immortal" elixir.

*Snort*, Kibutsuji Muzan sneered in her heart. She had never thought in the past thousand years that humans were such a frail species.

When it comes down to it, a human like Tsugikuni Yoriichi is a once-in-a-millennium encounter!

Prince Hirohito had already gathered some news about the Blue Spider Lily. He believed that before long, his long-cherished wish could be fulfilled. After that, he would slowly deal with those so-called Demon Slayer Corps, and he would be able to take whatever he wanted in this world.

Suddenly, in the dim room, a rather precious glazed pot crawled out a creature with an ugly appearance.

Behind Prince Hirohito, several figures appeared instantly, protecting the prince behind them.

Upper Rank Five Gyokko saw this scene, his mouth curling into a mocking expression.

These humans who did not know whether they were living or dead—they took no precautions when with Lady Muzan, yet every time he appeared, they acted with such vigilance. Truly stupid and unaware of it themselves.

Did they not know that Lady Muzan was the most terrifying Monster in this world?

Muzan nodded, signaling for Gyokko to speak directly. She did not take this prince, Hirohito, seriously. In fact, a considerable portion of the powerful figures in this country had already become man-eating Ghosts who existed by looking to her for survival.

"Lady Muzan, traces of the Demon Slayer Corps have appeared near Fujikasane Mountain. One Lower Moon Candidate and a security officer under the Left Minister have died."

Muzan was expressionless, and Hirohito also had no reaction, even feeling somewhat baffled—was a security officer being killed such a big deal?

As for pursuing the faults of the Ubuyashiki Clan, the Left Minister coming forward for that would be more than enough.

Gyokko also knew Lady Muzan would have this reaction, so he continued:

"There are also two humans who say they want to pledge allegiance to you. They claim to know the detailed location of the Blue Spider Lily, and they know the origins of the humans who killed the security officer and the Lower Moon tonight..."

"Oh?"

Kibutsuji Muzan narrowed her scarlet eyes. In an instant, she began to read and search through Gyokko's memories. She also saw those two people dressed in night-traveling clothes, the other party's special skills, and... that greed for power...

"Gyokko, you have done quite well."

"I am very interested in these two humans."

——

Heian-kyo was the former capital of Japan, but as the Heian Period passed, the various things of the past—whether those ages of gods, ghosts, and strange tales, or the mysterious powers—had all faded away.

The Emperor of Japan also moved the capital to the former Edo, the current city of Tokyo. In Heian-kyo, the Left Minister frowned. He was also wearing a military uniform; the current cabinet was long controlled by warlords and those new capitalists who held wealth. He chose to stand within the warlord faction; in fact, this faction was also heading toward success.

He could feel that the people of the entire country were boiling because of the Meiji Restoration; there was an uncontrollable desire for destruction that urgently needed a war sweeping the entire world to vent.

Just like the war currently taking place in the distant West.

"Minister, Minister!"

A desperate cry startled him awake. The soldiers behind him were all holding rifles; he was not guarding against those commoners and the samurai who had long fallen behind the times.

He was guarding against those man-eating Ghosts!

In the shadows of the main hall, a man-eating Ghost with the characters for "Lower Rank" and "Lower Rank Two" clearly visible in its eyes also felt disdain for this so-called Left Minister, but Lady Muzan forbade them from eating these officials without orders.

"Left Minister! Security officer Pingye and those man-eating Ghosts sent to Fujikasane Mountain are all dead. Only a few returned, saying they encountered a Pillar-level swordsman of the Demon Slayer Corps!"

The Left Minister was still thinking about what he could trade with the Ubuyashiki Clan now that Pingye was dead; that clan had vast family assets, enough for him to be well-fed.

But suddenly, the powerful man-eating Ghost in the shadows moved.

!

The man-eating Ghost named Lulu, who wore long black hair and an equally thick beard, twitched its nostrils slightly. It emerged from the shadows and, ignoring the Left Minister's vigilance, spoke:

"There is a strange scent. It is human, and... the physical body is very strong."

The Left Minister was shocked in his heart and immediately waved his hand. In the courtyard, an army squad immediately set up their firearms to stand guard. Those Demon Slayer swordsmen's swordsmanship was no weaker than the legendary Shinsengumi of the past.

Fortunately, there were guns now.

But the next moment, several figures suddenly appeared on the outer perimeter wall, and several pitch-black objects were thrown by the other party into the courtyard.

The next moment.

Boom!

A high-explosive grenade from a high-tech world exploded in Taisho-era Japan.

Amidst the flying flesh and blood, the Left Minister was shaken to the core by that terrifying explosion, unable to control himself.

Lulu's pupils also constricted. This kind of firearm—its power was likely enough to threaten a Lower Rank Ghost.

In an instant, his figure turned into a blurred afterimage as he lunged toward the group, but Vincent roared and blocked his path.

The Professor also raised her Hand Cannon in an instant, and with a boom, she fired a shot.

……

【You have triggered the Side Mission: Blood Purge】

【Description: Many humans have already defected to the Ghost camp. Purge them; for every person killed, you will receive an additional reward.】

【Failure Penalty: Mu】

【Additional Reward: Killing high-ranking figures will grant a Singularity reward.】

A flash of light appeared in Bai Cangshu's hand, and a silver revolver materialized; without even aiming, he raised his hand and fired a shot into the main hall.

Pfft!

The Left Minister's pupils dilated as he slumped into his chair; he had been shot between the eyebrows, the back of his skull blown clean off, dying with extreme swiftness.

【You have killed the Left Minister, Kono Kosuke, and gained 300 Dimension Points.】

【Side Mission: Blood Purge, additional reward triggered; mission participants receive E-rank Singularity *1.】

Bai Cangshu whistled; he hadn't expected that his potshot would directly trigger the special effect of Doom Knocking.

Vincent and Elizabeth's eyes lit up at this moment; they hadn't expected the Side Mission triggered by this madman to have such high rewards, with a Singularity granted just for killing a common Plot Character.

Only the Professor frowned slightly; she knew that the higher the reward, the greater the danger.

This world was becoming increasingly dangerous.

(End of chapter)