Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Chapter 250 The Only Sober Avenger

Kiritsugu's hands finally began to tremble.

He looked at the ten terrified faces he had rescued along the way.

He then looked to the other side, where Irisviel was holding Ilya and smiling gently at him.

"Kiritsugu, whatever decision you make, I will support you," Irisviel said softly.

"Daddy...hug me..." Ilya reached out her little hand.

Kiritsugu seemed to understand what this series of choices was all for.

He stared at the scene before him in anguish: "Why...why did you force me..."

""

"Aren't you a miracle? Why can't you save everyone? Why must you..."

"Has this already shaken you, Kiritsugu Emiya?"

The voice changed to Irisviel's voice, but it carried an endless chill.

Isn't your so-called justice just a simple math problem?

If you want to eradicate all evil in the world, and if you want this kind of choice to never happen again... there is only one way.

The scene changes again.

Kiritsugu found himself standing atop a towering mountain of corpses.

Beneath my feet lay hundreds of millions of corpses—the elderly, children, soldiers, and civilians.

The whole world was deathly silent.

There was no war, no quarrels, no suffering.

Because there's no one left.

Kill everyone.

The Holy Grail transformed into Irisviel's form, gently embracing Kiritsugu and placing a black dagger into his hand.

There would be no conflict if there were no humans.

This is the ultimate peace, this is the end of justice you've always sought.

Come, Kiritsugu, make a wish! Let me help you kill the last person in this world... which is yourself.

Kiritsugu stared blankly at the dagger in his hand, at the devastated and silent world before him.

Is this... my wish?

Is this the result I got after sacrificing everything?

"No...this is not..." Blood tears streamed down Kiritsugu's face. "What I want...is not this kind of thing!"

I

""

There is no light.

The bird felt itself falling, falling and falling.

Until their feet touched the hard ground.

He opened his eyes and found himself standing on a familiar street.

The cobblestone path is flanked by old Japanese-style buildings. The air is filled with the smell of disinfectant and... a faint scent of wisteria.

"here it is...

""

The bird's heart skipped a beat.

He strode forward, passing one familiar corner after another.

"Mr. Asuka! You're back!"

A delightful sound came through.

The bird looked back and saw a petite figure standing under the wisteria tree.

She was wearing that familiar butterfly-patterned kimono, and her face bore the smile he knew best.

"Tolerate..

"7

Asuka dropped the knife in her hand and rushed over without thinking, trying to grab the figure.

He touched her.

It was a real, soft touch, still carrying a faint body temperature.

"Welcome back, Mr. Asuka." Shinobu Kocho looked up, her purple eyes filled with tenderness. "Everyone is waiting for you."

"Everyone?"

The bird followed her gaze.

Deep within the wisteria grove, familiar figures emerged one by one.

Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Gatsuma, Inosuke Kubihira, Giyu Tomioka, Anjuro Purgatory...

His fallen and living comrades stood there unharmed, smiling at him.

"We always believed you would come back," Tanjiro said with a smile.

Inside the Butterfly House, a man wearing a striped fisherman's hat came out: "Oh my, isn't this the shop assistant? Long time no see!"

"Kisuke? You're here too?"

"What are you saying? You're right here in my shop!"

The scene shifts, and Asuka notices that the street she is on has become Urahara Store.

Yoruichi, transformed into a black cat, was licking her fur on the counter: "Yo, Asuka-kun."

Before Asuka could react, another urgent shout came from behind: "Asuka! Run! Those guys are coming to steal the water again!"

The bird shuddered and turned around in disbelief.

A thin, small boy was running towards him, his face dirty, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

..Kenta? "

The bird's voice trembled as it uttered the name that had long been buried deep in its memory.

That was the first companion he made after arriving in Rukongai.

It was also in front of him that his partner was beaten to death.

"What are you daydreaming about! Hurry up! If you don't move, you're going to get beaten up!"

Kenta grabbed Asuka's hand and dragged him into the alley.

The bird passively followed him, its mind a complete mess.

Is this a dream?

Or... did the Holy Grail send him back to the past?

No, that's not right.

The bird keenly sensed something was amiss.

None of this is right.

The streets look very similar to what I remember, but one section is a street scene from the Taisho era, and the other is the present-day Karakura Town.

If you look closely, you'll find that the clouds in the sky are actually stationary.

Moreover, besides the familiar smell of poverty, there was also a faint, almost imperceptible...

The smell of decay.

Buzzing...

A sudden throbbing sensation shot through his brain, and the bird instantly snapped out of his dazed state.

"An illusion?"

""

The bird's eyes turned cold.

He grabbed Kenta's wrist with his other hand, making him stop.

"What's wrong, Asuka?" Kenta turned around and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Stop pretending.

Asuka looked at her former best friend, her eyes filled with nothing but cold killing intent.

"Let me out. I don't have time to play this game with you."

Upon hearing this, Kenta, who had been looking anxious, suddenly froze.

His mouth split open, all the way to his ear, revealing a dark, gaping mouth inside.

[Hehehe... How did you find out? I hadn't even had a chance to twist your dream yet.]

The bird pointed to the surrounding scenery, then to itself.

"Tanjiro couldn't possibly be in the same scene as a conman. It seems that although you can read my memories, you can't understand the difference."

"I can't understand what kind of wish I have."

"And... although you acted very well, even the calluses on your palms were exactly the same."

"But Kenta never calls me Asuka."

"In his eyes, I will always be Brother Dog."

""

Kenta laughed loudly, and his body began to melt, turning into that familiar, nauseating black mud.

This is so boring... I was hoping to play a little longer with you, having such a sweet time...

The surrounding scenery began to distort, and the originally realistic Rukongai scene, like a charred painting, began to peel away and collapse.

What followed was an endless black wasteland.

In the center of the wasteland stood a huge cup made of black substance.

Welcome to... the interior of the Holy Grail.

A woman's voice came from inside the cup.

The voice sounded like Irisviel, but also like some ancient, more malevolent being.

Here, all your wishes will come true.

Here, all suffering will end.

Come, avenger from another world... let me see what your deepest nightmare is...

]

The black mud surged and transformed into countless tentacles, sweeping towards the flying bird.

"Fear?"

"Don't make people laugh."

The bird placed its hand on its waist, even though there was nothing there.

"6

"Since you want to see my nightmares, I'll let you see them to your heart's content."

Under the influence of Asuka's powerful will, even the illusion created by the black mud began to tremble.

Countless glass jars containing the dead rise from the black wasteland, filled with an unknown liquid.

Miserable wails rose and fell, and countless breaths of life dissipated, turning into spiritual particles that were absorbed into the bird's body.

Above the desolate sky, a cold gaze behind gleaming glasses surveyed everything, even the black mud sensed its indifference.

[I was wondering why you and I were so compatible; now I know it's your driving force as an Avenger...]

I never imagined that you harbored such a world-destroying rage!

Ignoring the Holy Grail's clamor, Asuka took a step forward.

"Speaking of which, is this my own dream?"

"In my own dreams, there shouldn't be any limitations on magic or spiritual pressure, right?"

Whoosh!

Facing the overwhelming malice, he swung a blade that did not exist, yet was omnipresent.

"Burn away all forms, devour heaven and earth—Karmic Fire Devouring Wolf."

The sound of a dream shattering suddenly rang out at that moment.