Chapter 10 Nine Pillars Gathered
Creak, creak—!
The sound of wooden wheels rolling over the ground came to an abrupt halt.
Arthur, who had been waiting with a blindfold on, heard a respectful greeting.
"Thank you for waiting, Mr. Arthur. We have arrived at headquarters; you may remove your blindfold."
"Fuwu!"
A fluffy touch brushed against Arthur's hand; it was Fufu protesting.
"Ah! My deepest apologies! I will remove it for your little pet right away!"
The logistics personnel from the Kakushi Corps quickly went to untie the black cloth from Fufu's eyes.
It seemed that to hide the headquarters and protect the Ubuyashiki Clan from demon threats, the Demon Slayer Corps' security measures were indeed taken to the extreme, not even sparing pets.
Arthur pulled off his blindfold, briefly adjusted to the light, and then surveyed the secluded courtyard hidden deep within.
Crushed stone paths wound through, with wisteria flowers cascading like waterfalls on both sides, their subtle fragrance permeating the air.
Deep within the courtyard, an artificial stream gurgled, spanned by a rainbow bridge.
He jumped off the cart, understanding dawning on him.
The circuitous route and the secluded scenery explained why the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters had remained hidden for so long.
Arthur crossed the rainbow bridge, and the figures of Tanjiro and Nezuko came into view; they had clearly arrived earlier.
The unconscious boy was casually placed on the ground, while his sister, Nezuko, was hidden inside a wooden box.
Besides them, nine figures stood prominently in the courtyard, their attire varied, but their aura was uniformly sharp and formidable.
They were the Demon Slayer Corps' strongest fighters—the Nine Pillars.
If not for the Master's direct command, only the biannual Pillar Meeting could bring them all together.
"Ho, the silver-haired young man in the report who dealt with Lower Moon Five, that's our guest, right?"
A somewhat flamboyant voice spoke. The speaker was tall, with a dazzling diamond-studded forehead protector, and carried two striking Nichirin Blades on his back. It was Uzui Tengen, the Sound Pillar.
At this moment, he looked at Arthur's unique hair color with great interest.
He secretly approved of the other's flamboyant aesthetic.
"To be able to contend with a member of the Twelve Kizuki, impressive!"
"I didn't expect such a strong individual outside the Demon Slayer Corps; truly admirable!"
Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar, wearing a haori with a flame pattern, spoke in a booming voice, his eyes filled with admiration.
Kanroji Mitsuri, the Love Pillar, wearing a slightly daring uniform, twirled her cherry-pink braided hair with her fingertips, but couldn't help but steal glances at Fufu on Arthur's shoulder.
'What a handsome guest, and he's carrying such a cute little animal; he must be a gentle person!'
Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Pillar, dressed as a monk, was the most robust.
He stood in the center, hands clasped, two lines of tears slowly falling.
"For such a young guest to be able to slay Lower Moon Five, he must have endured many hardships. Namu Amida Butsu."
"Tch, who cares about that!"
Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Pillar, interrupted his lament with a fierce voice.
The man had spiky white hair, scars crisscrossing beneath his half-open uniform, and glared menacingly at Tanjiro on the ground.
"First, deal with this member who's with a demon! This is a serious crime!"
"Shinazugawa is right."
From the corner, Iguro Obanai, the Serpent Pillar, spoke coldly.
He wore a black and white striped haori, and the white snake around his neck hissed and flicked its tongue at Tanjiro.
"As a Demon Slayer, to associate with a demon is absolutely unforgivable."
Among the Nine Pillars, only Tokito Muichiro, the Mist Pillar, looked at the sky as if detached, his expression indifferent.
As if everything happening around him had nothing to do with him.
...
Arthur watched with folded arms, having no intention of interfering, merely listening to the Nine Pillars' judgment of Tanjiro and Nezuko.
Although he had only arrived yesterday, the information he already had was enough for him to make a simple judgment.
The enemy's strength was divided by moon phases, with a total of Twelve Kizuki.
And the nine individuals before him were called Pillar-level swordsmen, far stronger than the Lower Moon Five he had previously slain.
Yet, the Demon Slayer Corps, possessing such combat power, had been entangled with demons for a thousand years, often at a disadvantage.
Was there a vast power gap between Upper Moons and Lower Moons?
Or was the number of Demon Slayers insufficient to deal with the number of demons?
"Mr. Shinazugawa, please put the box down. This is causing me great trouble."
The commotion interrupted Arthur's thoughts, making him look up.
Sanemi Shinazugawa snatched the wooden box where Nezuko was hiding, and the Kakushi members were trying to stop him.
The man glared fiercely at the struggling Tanjiro, scoffing.
"How dare you say a demon will fight to protect humans? That's absolutely impossible! Bastard!"
Before his words finished, Sanemi Shinazugawa abruptly drew his Nichirin Blade from his waist and stabbed it into the wooden box with a backhand strike.
The wind, suddenly tore through the air!
Sanemi Shinazugawa felt his hand go empty, and looking closely, the wooden box had already landed steadily in the guest's hand not far away.
'So fast!?'
The Pillars' hearts trembled, their pupils constricted; no one present could clearly see Arthur's movements.
Such speed, even the Sound Pillar, known for his explosive power, would be ashamed.
Arthur slowly put down the wooden box, his smile undiminished, but his tone carried a hint of playfulness.
"Are all you demon hunters so hot-tempered?"
"One after another, talking about violations and punishments—surely that's something only a leader has the authority to decide."
Sanemi Shinazugawa's forehead veins bulged, and he sneered.
"Less talk! Such a small matter doesn't require bothering the Master!"
"Mr. Shinazugawa, please stop—"
Kocho Shinobu's words were cut short as Sanemi Shinazugawa already launched his attack!
Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!
Sanemi Shinazugawa pushed off the ground, shattering gravel, and with a fierce gust of wind, a emerald blade light chopped down directly!
Arthur's smile vanished. With a raised hand, a platinum longsword appeared out of thin air and swung forward casually.
The wind, with even greater ferocity, roared and reversed!
A solid tornado formed out of nowhere, instantly swallowing Shinazugawa's attack and violently sweeping his rapidly charging figure into the air!
"A weapon appearing out of thin air?"
"Mr. Shinazugawa!?"
"I knew it…"
"What kind of power is that?"
"A swing of a sword generated a storm?"
Amidst the Pillars' exclamations, Sanemi Shinazugawa tumbled awkwardly in mid-air, then crashed heavily to the ground.
"Damn it!"
He quickly rolled over. Though not seriously injured, he felt utterly humiliated and roared, charging forward again!
Wind Breathing, Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash!
A full-body rotating slash brought even stronger sword pressure, vowing to tear the person before him to shreds!
Arthur, however, had no interest in continuing the entanglement. He swung his sword again, generating another storm, which blew Shinazugawa away even more awkwardly.
He then turned his head, casting his gaze towards the dwelling deep within the courtyard, and said loudly.
"If you were trying to confirm the so-called platinum sword, I've already taken it out. Aren't you going to show yourself?"
"My deepest apologies, I had no intention of testing you."
A gentle and soft voice rang out, as if carrying a peculiar calming power, instantly quieting the clamor in the courtyard.
"It's just that this frail body is truly inconvenient to move, so I couldn't stop Sanemi's impulsiveness in time."
"Master!"
The Nine Pillars became solemn, all kneeling on one knee, bowing their heads in respect.
Even Sanemi Shinazugawa, who had just been fuming, immediately reined in his ferocity, his attitude respectful.
Soon, a luxuriously dressed man, needing his wife and daughters' support to move, slowly walked out.
He possessed a dignified demeanor and graceful movements, but the upper half of his face was covered with diseased marks, a shocking sight.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the current Master of the Demon Slayer Corps.
He looked at the platinum sword in Arthur's hand with eyes that were almost blind, his weak voice containing an indescribable excitement and hope.
"Finally…"
"The key to severing this thousand-year destiny has finally appeared…"
He turned his gaze to Arthur, with undisguised pleading in his eyes.
"Mr. Arthur, are you… willing to become our hope to break this curse?"