Demon Slayer: Upper 0 seems to be a waste

Chapter 325 Death

What is the world like after death?

This was something Rinko had never imagined before.

Because he never thought he would die, and later he felt that he couldn't have imagined it no matter how hard he thought about it. After all, imagination is limited. Even if you imagine something you've never seen, it's hard to have a concrete shape, let alone something that can't even be described in words.

But he himself did have some of his own insights into death.

For example, the ghosts that always followed him.

Only his departed soul.

But this time, there was an almost eerie silence.

I didn't catch up with him, I didn't grab him, I didn't say anything nonsense to him, I just followed him, hiding in his shadow, unable to shake him off, but at least I remained silent.

But what we see now is different from what we experienced before.

A void world, with no boundaries and no direction. It's not pure darkness; there is light. I don't know where the light comes from, but at least I don't feel pain or fatigue anymore. I'm just a little lost.

After being busy for so long, after all feelings and worries vanished in an instant, a sudden and immense sense of helplessness overwhelmed me.

Where should he go?

Yes.

He never thought of it.

Where would he go after he died? He hadn't even considered the possibility of dying. Death is a very vague concept, and even if he almost died, it's still far from actually dying.

This moment is real death, no longer an illusion, no longer a mirage, but a fact: dead. Utterly dead.

In short, Rinko started walking and just kept moving forward without any clear purpose.

Walking along this border, he saw something familiar.

The butterfly is embracing someone, and they are holding hands as if waiting for someone.

When the little girl he had only seen on the battlefield rushed towards them, the three of them hugged each other and wept, but as they left, they turned away.

They walked towards him.

?

Is he walking towards him?

why.

Rinko looked at the girl who walked up to him, slightly raising his head. She looked back at him, and silence filled the air.

He looked at the two girls, one tall and one short, behind Shinobu, but before he could say anything, Shinobu spoke first.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Rinko, I'm so sorry."

what.

Cried.

Rinko rarely sees people cry.

After all, ghosts almost never cry, and he rarely cried either, only once.

But the one crying now isn't him, isn't the ghost, it's Shinobu. So Rinko carefully raised her hand, placed it on Shinobu's head, and gently touched it.

"Why should Shinobu apologize? I'm the one who should apologize. I cherished the gift you gave me, but the explosion was too powerful, and I failed to protect it. I'm sorry."

The girl's cries echoed in the quiet space.

Ren cried there, apologizing to him again and again, but it was okay. He had never been angry with her. Ren was a good person; she would be strong. Besides, she had family by her side. They would take good care of her.

He saw the two girls walking towards Shinobu, and Rinko knew it was time for him to leave.

So he didn't stay there any longer; this wasn't a place for him, he realized.

Ren is waiting for someone, and someone else is waiting for Ren's arrival.

So, who will wait for him?

Oh no, Father and Mother probably forgot about us long ago and were reincarnated hundreds of years ago.

The sound came from the shadow behind.

They really don't know how to talk.

But parents—that was such an unfamiliar word to Rinko that she had no recollection of it at all.

Rinko walked aimlessly forward, not knowing where he was going. It seemed that no one would wait for him, but why did no one tell him where to go?

I do not know.

You can't expect Tamayo to come and get you. She went to find her children and husband; they've been waiting for her.

Well, that sounds great. Tamayo finally has her own real child and doesn't have to hold on to him anymore.

However, because Tamayo did something wrong, they will all go to hell together.

"So hell really does exist."

Rinko stopped at that moment, stood there, and suddenly realized.

Yes, they exist; both heaven and hell exist.

Where should he go?

I don't know where to go.

"Why don't you know where to go either? You've been telling me to go to hell all this time."

That's what they say, but look, there's no hellfire here, is there? Look over there, the flames lead to hell, and look over there, the light leads to heaven.

Lin Yang finally appeared after a long absence. He raised his hand, pointing to the raging fire in the distance, and then to the light on the other side.

It turned out to be the case.

He stood on the dividing line, moving forward aimlessly, because he had not made a choice.

"Then where should I go?"

I don't know, it probably depends on where you want to go.

"why."

After a moment of silence, it seemed that even Lin Yang didn't know the answer.

After all, this was the first time the other party had experienced something like this.

Perhaps it's because you mean nothing.

"You really don't know how to talk."

Rinko turned to look at the other person. Rinko's face was expressionless, but there was probably a slight dissatisfaction on his face.

"Am I wrong? Think about it, people who do wrong go to hell. You killed so many people, but you're not awake in hell because I didn't do anything wrong, I didn't kill anyone. Doesn't that mean you're nothing?"

It sounds somewhat reasonable, albeit a flawed one.

[Haven't you realized it yet? You're already dead, and you are me, and I am you, you idiot. I'm dead, and you're dead too. You lived for Muzan, but my wish has already been fulfilled. You're just a demon formed from my dissipated consciousness, a projection of my wish, a demon born from my obsession. So, you are the ghost in my shadow. Don't you understand?]

Lin Yang walked over and approached him. At this distance, he looked into those eyes.

The eyes were exactly the same, except that those eyes didn't have any markings or glow in the dark.

Are you still thinking about these useless things?

Lin Yang couldn't help but sigh.

Rinko was neither disappointed nor frustrated; on the contrary, he looked at the other person and spoke.

I don't think so.

【What.】

"It's nothing. I don't think so."

Rinko stood there and spoke.

"Perhaps it was too long ago. I truly had nothing. I may have indeed been the obsession of a lost soul, but time heals all wounds and changes everything. What I experienced, what I felt, what I remembered, the people I knew, the things I saw, the scenes I witnessed, the gifts I gave, the gifts I received—even if everything is gone now, the memories remain. These memories belong to Rinko, to me, not to you. Yes, you are dead, Rinyo, and Rinko is the one who survived. You cannot deny my existence."

silence.

A long silence.

Rinko looked quietly at the boy standing in front of her, but unexpectedly, she showed no surprise, anger, or resentment. On the contrary, she was calm and even smiled.

It's great that you think that way.

"What do you mean..."

Before the words had even finished, the last syllable was still lingering in his mouth.

The boy named Lin Yang in front of them then vanished.

It vanished before our eyes, like a star falling to the ground and shattering, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Rinko had longed for such a scene, where the ghost would completely disappear, but when it actually happened, it was a rather different experience.

The extra memories and emotions in my mind filled in the gaps, and the puzzle finally took on a complete shape.

The departed souls are no longer departed souls, and the obsessions are no longer just obsessions.

He is Rinyang, he used to be, but he is Rinko, and he is now.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

So now the path is at his feet, and the choice is up to him.

Hell or Heaven.

What's the difference?

I don't know, after all, it's my first time dying.

But he can sit down and think about it.

People who make mistakes go to hell, so ghosts go to hell.

Akaza is going to hell, Doma is going to hell, Kokushibo is going to hell, and Rui is probably going to hell too. Perhaps someone is waiting for them, or someone is with them, or someone is thinking of them.

Rinko sat there, facing both heaven and hell. No one came to pick him up, no one was waiting for him, and he didn't know where to go.

But he thought.

If Muzan dies.

In short, they will have to appear in hell.

So he stood up, dusted off imaginary dust from behind him, and straightened his clothes a little. He might have to wait a long time, but that didn't matter, since he had nothing in a hurry to do anyway.

He walked forward toward the raging fire, from cool to scorching. The flames lingered around him, not burning him, but he could still feel their heat.

He was being held back. Lin Yang was already dead, and he didn't know who would be holding him back. So when he turned around, he saw the unexpected presence.

Zhu Shi.

Ah, Lin Yang, that liar.

"Miss Tamayo".

"sorry."

She looked like she was about to cry.

Why do people always cry when they see him, whether they're human or ghost?

"I'm sorry for being stubborn. I'm sorry for what I did to you. I'm sorry for being so one-sided, so presumptuous, and so self-righteous. I'm sorry..."

I'm sorry so many times, and there's so much I need to apologize for.

Rinko stood there quietly, looking at Tamayo. Did she hate her? Yes, but did she hate her to the core at this moment?

It's not pure anymore.

After all, everyone is dead.

But have I let go of it? No.

But it's precisely because they once cared, once liked, and once valued that they were especially angry at the moment of betrayal.

"I haven't forgiven you yet."

Rinko spoke softly.

Tamayo kept her head down, still apologizing, tears falling one by one onto Rinko's hand. It was so hot, hotter than flames.

"But thank you too, that's what Lin Yang said."

This name seemed to be unexpected for Tamayo. Her tear-filled eyes looked at him. Don't show him that expression.

“Your children and husband are waiting for you, Miss Tamayo. Hold on to them this time.”

Rinko slowly but resolutely pulled her hand away from Tamayo's.

"Lin Yang... no, Lin Guang! If we continue, it will be very dangerous!"

It was Tamayo's voice, as if she wanted him to stay.

It's okay, he thought.

"Muzan is already dead! Going any further will be very painful!"

what.

That's unexpected.

Rinko paused for a moment.

But it only lasted a few seconds.

"It's okay. Then I don't need to wait for him, I'll go find him."

Rinko took a step forward and spoke.

Muzan will go to hell.

This doesn't sound surprising at all.

After all, Muzan committed far too heavy a sin for both humanity and the so-called gods.

Rinko stepped on the flames, walking step by step toward hell, into the deeper hell. The flames scorched her flesh, but compared to being burned by the sun, it was nothing.

If this is already so painful just from here, what is Muzan going through in the deeper parts?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Will you take me with you this time, Lord Muzan?"

He reached out to the heinous, sinful demon king, whom no one would pity. Those blood-red eyes stared at him, for the first time, from below. And that scarred, crisscrossed hand with sharp claws gripped his slender arm, so tightly that the nails dug into the flesh, and blood trickled down his arm.

It was like a ghost falling into hell grasping at the last spider's thread.

Muzan captured him.

Then he was dragged into the endless abyss as well.

He will stay in hell for a long time.

Rinko thought.

But it's okay.

There's nothing to look forward to in heaven.

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Congratulations! The main story has officially come to an end. We've finally entered the bonus chapter where our dreams can come true.

Thank you to everyone who has read this far, and thank you for your support. Next up is the promised side story submission segment. The side story will be written in two parts: one part is the side story submissions I'm writing, and the other part is a wrap-up side story that I've already planned, featuring everyone reincarnated. I'll include a lot of things I want to say, and it will be a completely happy and joyful reincarnation.

The ending where everyone dies is a bit of a personal preference, and some teachers might think, "So what if everyone dies?" But personally, I'd rather live a difficult life to twenty-five with all the aftereffects, leaving behind either a bunch of kids or a hopeless wife and a bunch of kids. It's better to die gloriously in this battle, without any aftereffects or worries. Everyone dies together, some going to heaven, some to hell, and when they're reincarnated and meet again, they can all just be friends. No one has to die! I think that's a truly happy ending! Of course, I'm open to opinions that might be flawed.

In conclusion, thank you all for reading this far! Let's begin the wonderful bonus chapter!