Demon Slayer: The Second God Who Walks the Earth

Chiba Yo himself was completely bewildered, not understanding why his lord had kept him behind alone.

After the other pillars had left, Kagaya spoke.

"Now it's just the two of us here. You can confide in me about any troubles or pain you have. Keeping it inside will only make you feel worse."

His voice was steady and gentle, and his eyes seemed to possess the power to see through people's hearts.

Kagaya continued, "Every member of the Demon Slayer Corps has a lot of pain buried in their heart. Those who join the Demon Slayer Corps are all good kids, kind and gentle."

But precisely because of this, they can empathize with the grief of others, and feel immense guilt over unavoidable events.

Kind people are always more vulnerable to being hurt.

You and Kyojuro are both considerate people. I already know what happened during the mission from the crow; you must be feeling terrible.

Kagaya looked at Chiba Yo. Although half of his face was disfigured, he did not inspire fear at all. Instead, he had a kind and gentle appearance that made people want to get closer to him.

Kagaya's words hit the nail on the head for Chiba Yo. The two people who had died right in front of him were still haunting his mind. Even though he was strong enough to easily kill the demon, he couldn't save them.

After a moment of silence, Chiba Yo spoke.

"My lord... can I really protect others? Mingmin and the others are right in front of me, but I can only watch them die. Can someone like me really protect others like Teacher Rengoku and the others?"

Did that ghost's brother die because of me? Did I kill him?

Chiba Yo stared at the floor and said with some pain.

Chiba Yo asked several questions in a row. Although he had been enjoying himself these past few days, these questions would come to mind whenever he lay down, forcing him to think about them.

He originally joined the Demon Slayer Corps to avenge himself against the demons, but under Kyojuro's tutelage, his thoughts have shifted to protecting others.

However, these two consecutive missions made him feel that he had no one to protect, and that he had great power but could do nothing.

"Slaying man-eating demons is a way of protecting others, and you have already done that."

As for the brother and sister, it's difficult for humans to retain their consciousness after becoming demons. The moment they become demons, they are no longer the people they used to be. Since it has already eaten people, there is no problem with your act of killing it.

"All of this tragedy was caused by Muzan Kibutsuji, you don't need to blame yourself for it," Kagaya said, trying to comfort him.

Hearing Kagaya's words, Chiba Yo felt much better. He bowed to Kagaya and thanked him, saying, "I'm so grateful for your help, my lord."

"While it's not wrong to reflect on yourself often, try to be less hard on yourself in the future," Yaoya said with a smile, finally speaking to Chiba Yang.

“I understand.” Chiba Yo nodded.

He then left the mansion.

The Pillars meeting officially ended, but the Pillars who had not yet received their missions remained at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters to train. Pillars with stepsons would also take this opportunity to teach their stepsons.

At the same time, someone Chiba Yo unexpectedly came to him.

"Huh? Why is Mr. Tessouyama here?"

Chiba Yo looked at Tesmaru, who was wearing a fire man mask, and asked with some confusion.

"You actually asked me? I really don't know how someone as stupid as you became a Pillar. I came here to have the words 'Demon Slayer' engraved on your Nichirin Blade, which is only found on the Nichirin Blades of Pillar-level swordsmen, and also to see if you've treated the sword I forged properly." Tessumaruyama said, arms crossed, looking at Chiba Yo.

Although her words were somewhat impatient, one could still tell from her tone that she was very happy, after all, it was an honor for a swordsmith to forge a Nichirin Blade for a Pillar.

“I see. Well then, thank you for your trouble, Mr. Tesmaru. But I’d like to ask, Mr. Tesmaru, are you going to take the Nichirin Blade back to your village?” Chiba Yo understood and then asked Tesmaru.

He was somewhat worried that having his Nichirin Blade taken away might delay his mission.

"Of course not, I've already brought the necessary tools here, and I can finish this job in less than a day," Tetsuyama said, waving his hand.

Hearing this, Chiba Yang felt relieved and took out his Nichirin Blade. As he handed the blade to Tetsumaruyama, he suddenly remembered something and didn't immediately hand it over. Instead, he said to her with some delight, "By the way, I recently discovered that this Nichirin Blade turns red when I'm fighting. Would you like to take a look, Mr. Tetsumaruyama?"

Remembering Tessouyama's obsession with seeing the Nichirin Blade turn red, Chiba Yo asked her about it.

Upon hearing what Chiba Yo said, Tetsumaru couldn't sit still any longer and excitedly grabbed Chiba Yo's hand, pulling him outside the house.

"Of course I want to see! What are you still hesitating for? Hurry up and let me see the Nichirin Blade turn red!" Tessuma said as he pulled Chiba Yo out.

"Okay, okay, I understand," Chiba Yo said helplessly from behind.

Soon the two arrived at a training ground at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry..."

Tetsumaru is now constantly urging Chiba Yo on the side, his excitement is obvious.

Mr. Tetsuyama is still as impatient as ever.

Chiba Yo turned his head and glanced at Tesmaru, feeling somewhat helpless.

Then he turned his head, took a deep breath, and exhaled a white rainbow as he gripped the Nichirin Blade tightly.

The next moment, something strange happened. The originally pitch-black Nichirin Blade gradually developed a crimson hue in Chiba Yo's hand. This crimson hue gradually spread across the entire blade of the Nichirin Blade, causing a dramatic change in the blade's color.

"The Crimson Blade...it really is the Crimson Blade...the records...are true..."

Tessouyama, who was standing to the side, muttered to himself after seeing the changes in the Nichirin Blade.

Chapter 27 Swordsmith/He Dao

"Mr. Tetsu Maruyama, did you see that?" Chiba Yo said to Tetsu Maruyama. When he turned around, he saw that Tetsu Maruyama was standing there in a daze.

"Mr. Tetsumaruyama?" Chiba Yo called out to her in confusion.

"Thank you for letting me see the Crimson Blade with my own eyes..." Tessumaruyama realized what was happening and said softly to Chiba Yo.

"Crimson Blade?" Chiba Yang had never heard of this term before and was somewhat puzzled.

"Most swordsmiths hope to see their Nichirin Blades turn red after forging them. Do you know why?" Tetsumaruyama didn't explain the crimson blade to him first, but instead asked him this question.

Chiba Yo shook his head; he didn't even know that most swordsmiths wanted to see Nichirin swords turn red.

"This is all because of a sentence recorded in an ancient book that survived in the swordsmith village: 'A crimson blade called the Crimson Blade can suppress the regeneration of evil spirits.'"

Before Chiba Yo could say anything, Tesmaru Yama continued, "We swordsmiths painstakingly forge Nichirin Blades so that you can slay demons and protect more humans from being harmed by them."

The most troublesome ability of demons is their ability to regenerate continuously. Unless you cut their necks with a Nichirin Blade or rely on the sun, you simply cannot kill them.

The ancient text explicitly states that this weapon, called the "Crimson Blade," can prevent demons from regenerating. If you can forge this weapon, you will have a greater advantage in battles against demons.

Therefore, the swordsmiths in the swordsmith village all hoped to forge such a weapon. However, the only record about the Crimson Blade was this one sentence, and no one knew how to forge such a crimson blade.

After trying for a long time without being able to forge the crimson blade described in the records, some swordsmiths speculated that the Crimson Blade was the Nichirin Blade that turned red. After all, the Nichirin Blade is the only weapon that can damage demons and can also change color, so this explanation is quite credible.

Having come to believe this, the swordsmiths began to hope that the Nichirin Blades they forged would turn red, meaning these swords were likely Crimson Blades, and that the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen wielding them would gain a slight advantage in battles against demons.

Tetsuwanyama slowly explained to Chiba Yo. Originally impatient, she appeared very composed at this moment. As Chiba Yo listened to her explanation, he felt a sense of respect for these swordsmiths.

They may not be fighting demons on the front lines, but it is because of them that the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen are able to slay demons. They are also fighting demons and protecting humanity in their own way.

Their wish for the Nichirin Blade to turn red is actually a wish for the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen to survive in the battle against demons. Their hearts are also with the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen, for the swordsmith and the swordsman are comrades who are no longer on the same battlefield.

"However, this conjecture was quickly overturned. Swordsmen who use the Breath of Flame have a high chance of turning their Nichirin Blades red, but such Nichirin Blades do not have the ability to suppress the regeneration of demons."

Having understood this, the swordsmiths dismissed the statement in the ancient texts as mere legend. However, considering the possibility that it might exist, they still hoped that swordsmen wielding Nichirin Blades would turn their blades red, since the only record of crimson blades was their color.

Tetsuwan explained the reason to Chiba Yo, and Chiba Yo understood what she meant.

However, before Tetsumaru could finish speaking, she continued to look at Chiba Yo and said, "After seeing you turn your black Nichirin Blade into red, I had an idea in my mind. The crimson blade just now must be the Crimson Blade recorded in the ancient books."

The Crimson Blade is also known as the Nichirin Blade. However, turning the Nichirin Blade into a Crimson Blade is not simply a matter of using one's breathing technique to make it turn red. Rather, it requires the wielder to use a certain method to unleash the power of the sun contained within the Nichirin Blade.

The raw materials used to forge Nichirin swords are crimson iron sand and crimson ore mined from the mountain closest to the sun, both of which are ores that can absorb sunlight.

Therefore, the Nichirin Blades forged from them can harm demons, but the power of sunlight contained in the ore, which has absorbed sunlight for many years, is not fully utilized.

The Crimson Blade likely turned crimson and gained the ability to suppress the regeneration of evil spirits because it activated the power of sunlight contained within these two ores; after all, the sun is the natural enemy of evil spirits.

Chiba Yo was somewhat amazed by Tetsuwan's analysis. He could see from her understanding of the ore and her superb forging skills; otherwise, she would never have been able to make such an analysis.

"When I faced Lower Moon Two not long ago, it was indeed unable to regenerate its limbs after I severed them." Tessouyama's words reminded Chiba Yo of some details of the battle. It is said that demons can regenerate quickly, but he seemed to have never seen a demon regenerate since joining the Demon Slayer Corps.

Of course, part of the reason is that the ghost couldn't last more than a few moves against him.

Tetsumaruyama was not surprised when she heard Chiba Yo's words; she was very confident in her guess.

"If that's the case, then if I can figure out the conditions for turning my Nichirin Blade red, then the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen can become even stronger!" Chiba Yo quickly realized this and felt somewhat excited.

"I'll look into it right now!"

As Chiba Yo spoke, he picked up his Nichirin Blade and prepared to try it out. Although he could turn the Nichirin Blade into a Crimson Blade, it was as simple to him as opening his mouth when eating or taking a step when walking. He still didn't know the underlying principle.

"Wait a minute." But then Tessouyama stopped him.

Chiba Yo turned his head with some confusion and saw Tetsumaru Yamada extending his hand to him.

"Give me your Nichirin Blade first so I can engrave the words on it. I need to get back to the village before dark."

Tetsumaru-yama spoke to Chiba Yo.

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you." Chiba Yo understood and sheathed his Nichirin Blade, handing it to Tesmaru Yama.

"Don't worry, I'll return the sword to you as soon as possible. It won't delay your business. If you can really figure out how to turn the Nichirin Blade into a Crimson Blade, it will be a good thing for all of us." Tessumaruyama took the Nichirin Blade and assured Chiba Yo.

Then he went to get his tools.

In less than a short while, the Nichirin Blade returned to Chiba Yo's hands, but now the blade bore the inscription "Demon Slayer".

"Alright, my work is done. It's time to go. I wish you success in finding a way to transform the Nichirin Blade into a Crimson Blade. Goodbye."

Tetsumaruyama handed the Nichirin Blade back to Chiba Yo and said to him.

She was quite satisfied with her experience at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, and her goodwill towards Chiba Yang increased considerably. When she was engraving words on Chiba Yang's Nichirin Blade, she noticed that the blade had no nicks or chips and looked brand new, which showed that its owner cherished it very much.

Although the swordsmiths knew that it was perfectly normal for Nichirin Blades to wear down during battles with demons, she was still very happy to see her hard work intact.

"Thank you for your blessing. Goodbye, Mr. Tetsumaru."

Chiba Yo thanked Tetsumaru and waved to her with a smile.

Tiewanshan said nothing more, put on his straw hat, and turned to leave.

I should also try to find a way to turn the Nichirin Blade into a Crimson Blade...

After watching Tesmaru leave, Chiba Yo also turned and walked towards the training ground of the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.

Meanwhile, the three boys embarked on their journey to Mount Natagumo...

Chapter 28 The Conditions of the Crimson Blade & The Drawbacks of the Mark

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters

Chiba Yo hurriedly went to the mansion where Kagaya was.

"My lord." Chiba Yo greeted respectfully as he looked at Kagaya inside the room.

"Yang, what brings you here?" Yaozai asked Chiba Yang in a gentle voice.

"Does the Lord know about the Crimson Blade?" Chiba Yang asked Yaozai before directly answering.

After leaving Tesmaru-yama, Chiba Yo spent almost a day figuring out how to turn a Nichirin Blade into a Crimson Blade. He then eagerly came to tell his lord if it was possible to grant all the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen this power in the future.

Kagaya was taken aback for a moment after hearing Chiba Yo's words, then seemed to realize something and asked, "You mean the Crimson Blade that can suppress the regeneration of demons, right?"

“That’s right. Mr. Tessouyama, who forged my Nichirin Blade, analyzed that the Crimson Blade is a variation of the Nichirin Blade, and this has been confirmed in my previous battles. I have now found a way to turn the Nichirin Blade into the Crimson Blade,” Chiba Yo said to Kagaya with some excitement.

Kagaya's mindset changed slightly after hearing Chiba Yang's words. The report that the crow had given him did not mention the Crimson Blade, so Kagaya did not know that Chiba Yang could turn the Nichirin Blade into the Crimson Blade.

"Are you certain that the Crimson Blade can suppress the regeneration of demons?" Kagaya asked Chiba Yo.

“Hmm.” Chiba Yang nodded and continued, “I have confirmed in my battle with Lower Moon Two that Lower Moon Two that I wounded cannot immediately regenerate limbs.”

“Alright, since that’s the case, and the other Pillars haven’t gone on their missions yet, I’ll gather everyone here now and let the Pillars try it out first. If they can do it, we can gradually pass it on to the other swordsmen.” Kagaya chose to believe Chiba Yo’s words and immediately made the arrangements.

Kagaya is very concerned about things like this that can enhance the Demon Slayer Corps' strength.

Before long, the other nine pillars were summoned here.

Kagaya first explained to them, and after hearing Kagaya's explanation, the Nine Pillars' gazes focused on Chiba Yo.

“Alright, Yang, please begin.” Kagaya said to Chiba Yang.

Chiba Yo didn't keep them in suspense and went straight to the point: "The way to turn the Nichirin Blade into a Crimson Blade that can suppress the regeneration of demons lies in grip strength. Strong grip strength can activate the solar power contained within the Nichirin Blade, causing the Nichirin Blade's temperature to rise rapidly and gain the ability to suppress the regeneration of demons."

As Chiba Yo spoke, he took out his Nichirin Blade, then gripped the hilt with both hands and held it upright in front of him, revealing the obsidian-colored blade to everyone.

Then Chiba Yo began to increase his grip strength, and a touch of crimson appeared on the black blade and then gradually spread to the entire blade. In a short while, the originally black Nichirin Blade turned into a crimson blade.

"How magnificent!" Uzui Tengen exclaimed in admiration as he looked at the scene before him.