The group chat suddenly lit up with activity.
The new mission announcement instantly sent shockwaves through every member.
"A mission? Finally, we've got a mission?"
"This is the first one, right? The group's very first mission."
"Twenty thousand points? That's insane!"
"I'm definitely in this time, no question about it!"
…
The chat exploded with excitement. Even Izumi was prompted out of silence. But faced with all the enthusiasm, all she could do was softly chant a quiet "Amitābha," at a loss for anything else to say.
"A mission from the chat group?" Kevin Cross raised an eyebrow, a little surprised.
From his perspective, once he'd delivered the xenon lamps, it should've made defeating Muzan Kibutsuji nearly effortless for Shinobu Kocho and the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps. If everything went according to plan, there shouldn't be much risk involved if any at all. The possibility of an injury-free takedown wasn't out of the question.
And yet, the chat group still issued a mission complete with a whopping 20,000-point reward. Was this just a generous bonus?
Kevin began to reflect on the original Demon Slayer plot. No matter how he ran through it in his head, it didn't seem likely that Muzan could pose a threat now that they had the xenon lights.
Could it really just be the system giving out free perks?
Still, he couldn't completely shake off his unease. In many of the web novels he'd read before crossing over, chat group systems often attracted all sorts of chaotic elements: reincarnators, cosmic horrors, reality-bending invaders, and worse. So the question nagged at him: was something like that happening here?
"Shinobu, in your world, have there been any strange occurrences lately? Anything... out of the ordinary beyond the demons?"
Shinobu looked puzzled. "Strange? No, not really. The demons are more than enough trouble on their own. But thanks to the xenon lamps you brought, things are finally looking up. We can actually start wiping them out."
"Nothing unusual at all? No bizarre individuals, odd behavior, unknown creatures? Any signs the demons have started changing?"
"None at all. I promise, Kevin." She shook her head firmly.
"Alright. That puts my mind at ease." Kevin exhaled and glanced back at the chat, tempted to directly ask the system what was going on. But the group offered no answers radio silence.
Still, considering the mission offered 20,000 points, and the upgrade from Eternal Mangekyō to the Rinnegan required 100,000, this task didn't seem too risky. So maybe it really was just a high-reward, low-risk opportunity to mop up Muzan and his kind.
Feeling reassured, Kevin turned his attention back to the group.
Sure enough, everyone was tagging him Uchiha Izumi, Saeko Busujima, even Brunhilde the Valkyrie. They were all eager to join the mission.
After some thought, Kevin made a decision.
Since this was the first mission, it held a certain significance. And the risk seemed manageable. It might even be the perfect opportunity for everyone in the chat to meet face-to-face. A real-world gathering. So why not let everyone join in?
@everyone!
This mission isn't dangerous. Everyone can come. Let's tackle it together and finally meet in person.
"Alright, let's do this!" -Saeko Busujima
"I've been looking forward to meeting everyone. So excited." -Brunhilde
"I still haven't seen what Kevin actually looks like. What if all those photos were filtered? If they were, I might have to return my order." -Kumoko
"Amitābha." -Izumi
"I'm in." -Uchiha Izumi
Watching all the excitement, Shinobu felt a mix of emotions happy, nervous, and maybe even a little anxious. These girls were her sisters in the group. Would things go smoothly once they all met? She'd heard stories about Tengen Uzui's three wives getting into constant spats, sometimes even breaking into full-on brawls. Uzui often had to come to the Butterfly Estate just to patch up scratches on his face.
Still, she kept her concerns to herself. With her sisters visiting, she had to prepare a proper welcome. Good food, a clean house everything had to be perfect.
The Butterfly Estate bustled with activity in anticipation. Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the Demon Slayer Corps' leader, sent over supplies. He himself didn't plan to show up just yet. After all, the curse had ravaged his face beyond recognition. Though he wasn't originally unattractive, the damage made him feel like an eyesore. He joked once that he was afraid the girls might mistake him for a demon and attack on sight.
That was a joke… mostly. But given his status, it really wasn't the right time to insert himself.
This was a chat group gathering, plain and simple. His time to appear would come when they went after Muzan together.
That night, the members tapped "Accept Mission," and in a blink, they were transported to the Demon Slayer world.
A spacious room with wooden floors, sliding doors, and traditional Taisho-era design greeted them. Many were captivated.
Some thought it looked primitive. Others called it nostalgic. A few felt it was just… weird.
But overall, curiosity won out.
Kevin looked at the five women now standing before him wait, four women and one oversized spider. Along with Shinobu, the host of this world, the entire group had finally gathered.
"So handsome..."
The reaction was almost universal. Aside from Shinobu, Izumi, and Saeko who had already seen Kevin in person Kumoko, Brunhilde, and Izumi couldn't help but light up at the sight of him.
Even Brunhilde, a veteran Valkyrie who had seen countless legendary warriors, found herself quietly nodding with satisfaction. A man worthy of a Valkyrie had to be exceptional. Kevin passed every check charm, strength, presence.
He was more than qualified.
____________________
NEXT CHAPTER : Gathering
(The girls of the chat group finally meet face to face, and sparks fly some of excitement, others of jealousy. Izumi struggles with her vows as she faces new emotions, Saeko makes a bold move on Kevin, and even Kumoko gets flirty (despite being a giant spider). As laughter turns to intoxication, secrets stir in the night... and Kevin wakes up with more than he bargained for. The battle for his heart and maybe more has officially begun.)
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