Demon Slayer: Starting with the Kingdom

Anyway, he will never be able to catch up with Yoriichi.

What difference is there between dying now and dying two or three years later?

It's just a matter of enduring a few more years of suffering...

Thinking this, Yan Sheng slowly lowered his head and looked down at the empty street.

He truly couldn't understand why, if the gods had created a prodigy like Yoriichi who defied all societal norms, they would have chosen to have someone as mediocre as him born into the world as his elder brother.

Thinking about these things now is pointless...

Yes, nothing matters anymore...

"Brother, are you trying to kill yourself?"

Just as Yan Sheng was getting closer and closer to the edge of the roof, a slightly unfamiliar yet quite familiar voice suddenly rang in his ears.

Yan Sheng paused, startled, and then turned sharply to look in the direction from which the sound came.

Under the night sky, Mitsuha, holding Tamayo, landed lightly not far from him, like a fairy descending from the heavens.

"It's been a long time, elder brother. It must have been almost three years since you left without saying goodbye, right?"

"...Mitsuba?"

His pupils contracted sharply as he stared incredulously at the smiling Mitsuha before him, completely stunned for a moment.

"How is this possible? Mitsuha, you've already..."

Aren't you already dead?

Before he could utter those words, Yan Sheng sensed the powerful ghostly aura emanating from San Ye in the next instant.

I see……

In an instant, Yan Sheng understood everything.

Mitsuha became a demon.

The coffin placed in the national mourning hall was actually an empty coffin.

His sister chose this method to escape her destined death.

Realizing this made Yan Sheng feel quite conflicted at that moment.

For a demon hunter, the fact that his own sister has become a demon is undoubtedly a tremendous irony.

But as an older brother who felt indebted to his sister, Yen Sheng was undoubtedly happy to see her recover her health and be able to walk and jump again.

Perhaps even Yan Sheng himself didn't realize that among all his complexities, there was no anger towards Mitsuha's choice.

It's as if he doesn't find it particularly infuriating that Mitsuha chose to become a demon in order to survive...

"How pitiful, elder brother..."

With her hands behind her back, as if she could see right through Yan Sheng's mind, Mitsuha tilted her head and looked at him with a big smile, saying:

"It's only been a short time since we last met, how come you seem to be getting ahead of me?"

Behind Mitsuha, Tamayo's eyes widened in disbelief as she heard this.

Mitsuha, do you and your brother usually talk like this?

"Let me guess...it must be because of Yoriichi's brother, right?"

It struck Yan Sheng's heart directly. Seeing his sudden change in expression, San Ye's smile grew even brighter.

"I know, elder brother."

She raised her arms horizontally, tiptoed along the roof ridge, and continued speaking in a cheerful voice:

“I have always known that since that morning, deep in your heart, you have always regarded Yoriichi as the goal you have pursued throughout your life.”

To catch up with Yoriichi, to become Yoriichi, and even to surpass Yoriichi...

From that day on, this nightmare called 'Yoichi' has been deeply, deeply rooted in your heart.

Standing firmly in front of Yan Sheng, San Ye raised her hand and gently poked Yan Sheng's chest with her index finger.

"For the past ten years or so, it has been haunting you, tormenting you, and robbing everything from your heart."

It is this that destroyed the inner strength you should have as a normal human being.

It was also this that almost turned you into a numb, walking corpse...

To satisfy it, you constantly give up everything around you: family, reputation, wife and children, even... me.

How tragic, elder brother, you have abandoned everything.

You gave up almost everything you could give up, but in the end, you still couldn't satisfy it, you still couldn't become a strong person like Yoriichi, you couldn't even touch him!

You ask, what meaning does such a pathetic life ultimately have?

With a light step, Mitsuha moved behind Yan Sheng, her pupils now shaped like datura flowers.

Through the karmic threads surrounding Yan Sheng, she had already foreseen her brother's fate.

Yan Sheng will not die tonight; his end will come three years from now.

At that time, he would be twenty-five years old and die in endless resentment and despair due to the side effects of the marks.

I see……

Does that legendary skin mark really have such serious side effects?

The gods really do never do anything that doesn't benefit them!

"So, elder brother..."

Gently placing her hands on Yan Sheng's shoulders, San Ye tiptoed and tilted her head from behind to look at Yan Sheng's silent face, then asked with a smile:

"Why...didn't you choose to become a ghost?"

Why not choose to become a ghost?

Like a thunderclap from a clear sky, Mitsuha's question pierced the depths of Yan Sheng's heart.

He slowly raised his head, and his calm, deathly expression finally showed a hint of emotion.

In my ear, Mitsuha's seductive voice continued to speak:

"Once you become a ghost, you can live forever."

Once you become a demon, you will have eternal life, and in that virtually infinite time, you can hone your swordsmanship to its ultimate perfection, until the day you finally catch up with your brother Yoriichi...

Even if one day in the future you grow tired of everything you're currently pursuing, you'll still have countless opportunities to start over and choose the goals you want to stick to again.

Look! Your future will be full of infinite possibilities. You will be freed from the control of the gods and will be able to decide for yourself the path you want to take!

"Brother! Don't you think this is a very worthwhile choice?"

Mitsuha's tone was full of excitement, and Yan Sheng's silence gradually crumbled.

His breathing became more and more rapid, and his pupils gradually dilated.

Amidst Mitsuha's expectant smile, he slowly turned to look at her behind him, uttering only one word.

Chapter 43 Borrowing the heads of the Ubuyashiki

"I'm curious……"

“You seem to have been quite curious about me these past few days, Ms. Tamayo.”

Startled by Mitsuha's sudden retort, Tamayo choked for a moment, then pretended not to hear and continued:

"Why did you try to persuade your brother to become a ghost... It seems you hate him?"

The two sat side by side on the high eaves of the castle tower in the dead of night. When Mitsuha heard this, she simply shrugged.

"I wouldn't say I hate him, but it would be a lie to say I have no resentment at all."

But no matter what, he was still my elder brother, and it seems that after the news of my 'death' spread throughout the country, he did indeed rush back to check on me.

For me, that's enough... since my brother still remembers me, his little sister, to some extent, instead of completely ignoring me.

As his younger sister, it shouldn't be too surprising that I helped him out when he was in despair, right?

Although I'm not really sure if my choice counts as saving him...

"Why do you say that?"

"Because my elder brother's obsession runs too deep."

With her arms outstretched, Mitsuha leaned back against the roof tiles, her eyes dim and her voice slightly low.

"For a vain goal that is impossible to achieve, I have poured everything into it time and time again."

It's like a gambler who's already lost everything at the table. In the endless time to come, whether the elder brother will sink deeper and deeper into this mess, or whether he'll wake up in time and rediscover the meaning of his life, is entirely up to him...

Okay, let's not talk about this anymore.

In an instant, her tone shifted back to its original lightheartedness. Mitsuha turned to Tamayo sitting beside her and said with a smile:

"The stronger a human is, the longer it takes to transform into a demon. With your strength, brother, I think it will probably take several days to complete."

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, I'll definitely be stuck here for the next few days.

So, Miss Tamayo, why are you still sitting here? Didn't Lord Muzan just tell you to hurry over to him?

What, could it be that you're reluctant to leave my side?

Before deciding to transform Yan Sheng, Mitsuha contacted Muzan through a mental dialogue.

While agreeing, Muzan also subtly suggested to Mitsuha that Tamayo should hurry over to his side.

It is said that he is about to visit a well-known and knowledgeable doctor. Rumor has it that this doctor can cultivate blue spider lilies through a special combination of medicines. Muzan needs Tamayo to accompany him to verify the truth of the matter.

Similar situations have occurred frequently over the past few centuries, and although they have all invariably turned out to be nothing but empty promises, Muzan is still willing to try to believe each time.

After all, it's better to be safe than sorry... what if this time it's really true?

Of course, Mitsuha doesn't think so at all.

After all, how could a god possibly allow those humans who are in His hands to deliver the Blue Spider Lily to Lord Muzan?

As long as Muzan-sama continues to rely on humans, he will never truly find the blue spider lily he desires...

"Unfortunately, I have absolutely no such thoughts."

Faced with Mitsuha's teasing, Tamayo simply stood up with a cold expression, seemingly preparing to leave.

Although she harbored deep hatred for Muzan, as a demon under Muzan's control, Tamayo was unable to disobey Muzan's orders.

In order to survive, and to live until the day she can find an opportunity to kill Muzan, she is now forced to obey Muzan's orders.

Wherever he tells her to go, she must go.

"That's a real shame. I was hoping that Miss Tamayo could stay with me for a little longer..."

After all, you've done a great job these past few days, whether as a tour guide or a maid. You truly deserve to be someone who frequently serves Lord Muzan.

I'm sure Miss Tamayo thinks the same way, doesn't she?

“I told you, I have absolutely no such thoughts.”

Faced with Mitsuha's usual sarcasm, Tamayo simply repeated her words with a cold face.

Just kidding, I'm the one who serves you, the one who takes your jokes and mocks you all day long!

You've been happy these past few days, but I've been feeling terrible!

Rather than serving Mitsuha Tsugikuni, she would rather go back to serving Muzan.

Tamayo even suspected that if she stayed by Mitsuha's side for a while longer, she might become the first demon in the world to be angered to death by a demon.

If evil spirits could be angered to death.

"Alright, I'm leaving."

"Take care~ Oh, right, Ms. Tamayo..."

After waving goodbye, Mitsuha suddenly called out to Tamayo.

Under Tamayo's questioning gaze, she squinted and said with a smile:

"Although you may not consider me a friend, I've always thought of you as a very nice person."