I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 388 The Dream Master Arrives Online

Of course, upon seeing the appearance of the Master's family, not only did the Pillars immediately lose their composure, but all the Demon Slayer Corps members present also stopped what they were doing, completely shocked by this unbelievable scene.

Their respect and love for their lord, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, came from the bottom of their hearts.

The "sacrifice" of their lord is one of the deepest pains buried behind their victory.

But at this moment, this pain, which could never have been filled, was instantly soothed by the lord's safe return. In its place came a tidal wave of ecstatic shouts and endless gratitude toward Riley for creating this miracle.

They rushed toward their lord, and once they had maintained a certain distance, they all bowed respectfully.

Many team members were so excited that they knelt on one knee to express their highest respect and welcome for their lord's return.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki gently stroked the heads of the children in his arms, calming their overwhelming excitement, then raised his head, his gaze sweeping gently but firmly over each team member present.

"Everyone, there is no need to worry. As you can see, the curse that plagued our clan has vanished with Muzan's demise. We... have returned. Seeing you all safe and sound, celebrating this hard-won victory, fills me with immense joy. Thank you for your hard work, my children."

His words, like a warm spring breeze, completely dispelled the last trace of gloom remaining in this joy of victory.

And this is just the beginning of this "surprise" feast.

Just as everyone was still immersed in the immense shock and joy of their lord's return, the dimensional barrier began to ripple once again.

This time, it was a woman who stepped out.

She wore a simple kimono that was washed faded but clean. Her face was delicate and gentle, and her eyes were pure but with a hint of natural timidity and confusion, which was out of place with her surroundings.

Her demeanor was virtuous and gentle, utterly devoid of any "wildness." She glanced uneasily around the brightly lit, bustling courtyard, watching the smiling but mostly scarred and powerfully armored swordsmen. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, her fingertips turning slightly white from the force. She was just an ordinary, even somewhat timid, woman who had never seen so many strangers, especially these warriors forged in blood and fire. Even though they were laughing, their invisible aura instilled an instinctive fear in her.

However, a stronger force sustained her, preventing her from backing down. She remembered the words of the strangely dressed young man named Riley—"Go through this door, and you will see your child." For this faint yet precious promise, she struggled to suppress her panic, mustered the greatest courage she had ever possessed, and tiptoed slightly. Her clear yet timid eyes searched anxiously and cautiously through the crowd, looking for the face that remained forever in her memory as an infant. She looked so intently, so full of anticipation, that she ignored all the curious glances around her.

In the crowd, Inosuke Hashibira, who was stunned by the miracle before him, was struck as if by lightning the instant he saw the woman! He abruptly removed the boar hood from his head, revealing a handsome face filled with utter shock, bewilderment, and an unprecedented, almost terrifying, shrinking tremor. His massive body even took a slight step back, his eyes, always filled with fighting spirit and disdain, as untamed as a wild beast, now fixed on the woman, his pupils trembling violently. His lips moved, but no sound came out. The unique, warm, and gentle scent of his mother, long since blurred in his memory, instantly overlapped with the woman's delicate and gentle face, and her timid, searching eyes!

A surge of bitterness and throbbing, originating from the deepest part of his blood, erupted in his chest like a volcano, shattering all his defenses. This boy, who had always claimed to have "no mother," raised by wild boars, and believing in the "King of the Mountains" creed, now faced with the very source of life, the longing that had been deeply buried in his subconscious surged forth like a flood bursting its banks.

"Mom...Mom...?" A faint, trembling syllable finally escaped Inosuke's dry throat, so soft it was almost drowned out by the surrounding noise. The syllable was unfamiliar yet burning hot, searing his throat. All his usual arrogance, recklessness, and nonchalance vanished, replaced by a desperate desire to get closer, yet a fear of rejection, a fear that his "wild" appearance would disappoint or even disgust his mother—a helplessness and apprehension like that of a lost child. He froze on the spot, like a sculpture suddenly imbued with emotion, unable to move, simply staring blankly at the woman who was also looking at him, her eyes gradually welling with tears and an indescribable excitement and confirmation—Kotoha.

Qin Ye's gaze finally pierced through the crowd, settling on the tall boy who had removed his hood, revealing a handsome face filled with panic. Though time had passed and the infant had grown into a young man, the features between his brows, the connection of blood, instantly confirmed to her—this was her child! The child she had abandoned everything, risked her life to protect, and thrown off a cliff hoping he would survive! He was truly alive, and had grown so tall!

"Inosuke...?" Kotoha's voice was soft and choked with emotion as she tentatively called out the name, the only blessing she could give the child (Inosuke in Japanese means "one, longevity," implying a blessing). She no longer hesitated, forgetting the unfamiliarity and fear around her; her eyes were fixed only on the seemingly bewildered boy. She took a step forward, then another, her steps unsteady yet exceptionally firm.

Inosuke panicked even more as he watched her walk towards him. He instinctively wanted to back away, to put on his hood and hide, but his body felt as heavy as lead. He looked down at his training clothes, which were covered in dust and sweat, and touched his messy hair. A feeling he had never experienced before, called "ashamed of himself," gripped him.

"Feed...Inosuke!" Tanjiro Kamado was the first to react. His keen nose had already detected the intensely fluctuating scent emanating from Inosuke, a mixture of fear, longing, and immense sorrow. He also sensed the shared bloodline and pure, almost overflowing, maternal love emanating from the gentle woman. He gave Inosuke a strong push and whispered, "Go! That's your mother! She's calling you!"

Zenitsu, unusually, didn't complain. Looking at Inosuke's near-tearful expression, and then at the gentle woman who, though frightened, was still striving to reach her son, he unusually urged seriously, "Yeah, you idiot! What are you standing there for! Your mother is waiting for you!"

Encouraged and pushed forward by his companions, and under the ever-approaching, tearful yet incredibly warm gaze of his mother, Inosuke finally overcame his immense fear. He no longer retreated, but instead, as if using all his strength, charged forward. His movements still carried a wild, reckless edge, but just before reaching Kotoha, he abruptly stopped, his tall frame slightly hunched, as if trying to shrink himself and lessen the oppressive feeling.

He looked up, his usually wide eyes now brimming with tears, like a lost little animal finally finding its way home, timidly and with a sob in its voice, asking again, "You...you really are...Mom?"

Kotoha's tears finally fell, but she smiled. She reached out and, without hesitation, gently stroked Inosuke's cheek, a gesture as tender as if touching the most precious treasure in the world. Her palm was warm and slightly rough, bearing the marks of past labors.

"Yes, Inosuke...it's me, Mom." Her voice was gentle yet firm, filled with boundless love and the joy of having found someone she had lost. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Mom couldn't protect you...I let you suffer so much all by yourself..."

Feeling the real, warm touch on his face, and hearing that gentle voice, vague in his memory yet now incredibly clear, Inosuke's last line of defense completely crumbled. He could no longer hold back, and with a "waaaah," he burst into tears like a real child. He lowered his head abruptly, burying himself in his mother's shoulder and neck, his tall body trembling violently from the intense crying.

"Mom...Mom..." he called repeatedly, his voice muffled, his arms tightly wrapped around his mother's slender body, as if he wanted to make up for all the hugs he had missed over the years, yet he was also afraid that this was just a beautiful dream that would disappear if he let go.

Kotoha, tears streaming down her face, hugged her son tightly, gently patting his back as she had soothed him to sleep as an infant years ago, softly comforting him again and again: "It's alright, Inosuke...it's alright, Mommy's here...Mommy found you..."

This stark yet perfectly natural scene—a tall, wild boy crying like a child in the arms of his gentle, delicate mother—silenced the previously noisy crowd once more. Many, watching this deeply moving reunion, had tears welling in their eyes. Even the usually hot-tempered Sanemi Shinazugawa silently averted his gaze, his lips pressed tightly together; Gyomei Himejima was also in tears, softly chanting Buddhist prayers for the mother and son who had overcome life and death to be reunited.

Tanjiro and Nezuko snuggled together, genuinely happy for their friend. Zenitsu wiped his eyes, muttering, "Seriously... this makes me want to cry too..."

Inosuke hugged his mother tightly, as if trying to draw back all the warmth he had missed over the years. He smelled the faint, clean scent of soap on his mother, mixed with a subtle, warm aroma unique to the depths of his memory, which brought him an unprecedented sense of peace. All pretense, all strength, crumbled at this moment, leaving only the most primal bond of blood.

"Mom...I...I always thought...I didn't have a mother..." Inosuke's voice was muffled on his mother's shoulder, with a heavy nasal tone and a sob in his voice. "The mountains...wild boars...they raised me...I'm a great fighter! I'm the king of the mountains!" He seemed to be proving to his mother that he was doing well, or perhaps he was trying to justify his current state. His words were incoherent, yet they conveyed a heartbreaking sincerity.

Kotoha's heart ached as if pricked by needles. She hugged her son even tighter, her voice so gentle it could melt water: "Yes, Mom knows, Inosuke is amazing, so strong... He's grown up all by himself and become such an incredible child... It's Mom's fault, it's Mom's fault for not being by your side..." Her tears dripped onto Inosuke's messy hair. "It won't happen again, Mom will never leave you again..."

"Really?" Inosuke suddenly looked up, his eyes brimming with tears as he gazed at his mother, as if afraid she might change her mind.

"Really." Qinye nodded vigorously, gently wiping the tears and dust from her son's face with a handkerchief, revealing a tender smile through her tears. "Mom promises."

Inosuke looked at his mother's smile, a smile like sunshine that instantly dispelled all the unease and gloom in his heart. He stared blankly, and then, a somewhat clumsy, yet incredibly genuine smile slowly bloomed on his still tear-stained face. It was no longer a defiant grin, nor the triumph of winning a match, but a pure, heartfelt smile, a childlike contentment and happiness.

He buried his head in his mother's arms again, this time not in a fit of despair, but like a little animal that had finally found its home, making satisfied, nasal humming sounds, snuggling close to her, as if trying to merge himself into this warmth that he had regained.

This deeply moving scene added another layer of profound warmth to this already miraculous banquet.