With the power of a demon, slaughtering a few ordinary humans was as easy as eating and drinking.
Even if those humans were armed with rifles.
Tetsuya's Sharingan perceived their every movement with crystal clarity. The exact angle of their aim, the minute twitch of their fingers on the triggers—dodging the bullets wasn't difficult at all. It wasn't that Tetsuya was faster than the bullets themselves; rather, his reaction time completely outclassed the ordinary men firing them.
An eerie wind swept through the spacious room. More than half of the Black Dragon Syndicate's top brass had been slaughtered, their mangled corpses littering the floor and emitting a sickeningly thick stench of blood.
But Tetsuya didn't have time to dwell on the pile of corpses.
A translucent system panel—visible only to him—popped up in his vision, neatly converting his newly awakened Blood Demon Art into text.
[Blood Demon Art Awakened: Soul Manipulation!]
[Reaper: Harvest the souls of the dead and store them within your body. Requires direct physical contact.]
[Devourer: Consume stored souls, converting them into pure energy for the host.]
[Puppeteer: Utilize the unique abilities of the harvested soul. The ability is permanently lost once the soul is consumed.]
[Imposter: Drape a harvested soul over your own body, perfectly replicating the target's physical appearance and voice.]
Tetsuya's eyes lit up. 'A soul-type Blood Demon Art? This wasn't even in the original timeline!'
Soul Manipulation: Reaper!
Tetsuya crouched down, lightly brushing his palm over the blood-soaked head of a fallen thug. He extracted the fragmented soul energy straight from the mangled corpse. The energy coalesced in the center of his palm, forming a semi-translucent, incredibly lifelike miniature figure.
It was the scarred brute from earlier. His eyes were tightly shut in a deep slumber, the terror from his final moments still etched across his tiny face.
"Soul Manipulation: Imposter!"
Tetsuya muttered. With a mere thought, the cluster of soul energy dispersed, wrapping around his physical body like a second skin. Bathed in the moonlight, his elongated shadow on the wall suddenly shifted shape.
A moment later, Tetsuya caught his reflection in a nearby mirror. His entire build and face had perfectly transformed into the scarred thug.
'So this is my Blood Demon Art. It's the ultimate tool for doing dirty work without leaving a trace!'
Pulling the soul energy back, he gathered it into his palm once more. The scarred thug's visage melted away, returning Tetsuya to his original form.
Soul Manipulation: Devourer!
Without hesitation, Tetsuya activated the Devourer ability. The thug's soul shattered into azure starlight, flowing directly into his body. Almost instantly, a satisfying sense of fullness welled up in his stomach. He could vividly feel his stamina replenishing, along with a marginal—yet undeniable—boost to his overall physical strength.
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Tetsuya finally understood. It wasn't that he didn't need to eat humans; it was that his diet consisted entirely of souls.
The ceiling for this Blood Demon Art was absurdly high. Harvested souls could disguise him, act as reserve batteries for prolonged battles, or even grant him access to the deceased's unique abilities. For example, if he managed to get his hands on Akaza's soul, he could theoretically use Akaza's martial arts and Blood Demon Art.
Just the thought of it made Tetsuya practically drool.
Taking a quick stroll around the room, Tetsuya collected the souls of every fallen Black Dragon Syndicate member. Thirty-four in total, ranging from the high-ranking officers to the low-level enforcers. Securing these souls finally gave him a small sense of security. If he ran into an ordinary Lower Rank demon right now, he might not win, but he could at least put up a decent fight.
"What's all the racket?"
Awakened by the screams, a disgruntled John Deere pushed open the double doors to the room. A thick, metallic stench of blood hit him like a physical blow, instantly sobering him up. His pupils dilated as the horrific carnage of the room reflected in his eyes. Terrified, John stumbled backward.
'It's the legendary man-eating demon!'
"Monster!"
John whipped out his sidearm, flicked off the safety, and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The muzzle flashed, sending several bullets screaming straight toward Tetsuya.
Bang!
Tetsuya scoffed. His calf muscles coiled tightly before exploding with force. The sheer power shattered the wooden floorboards beneath his feet as he blurred into a shadow, effortlessly weaving past the bullets. He materialized right in front of John like a phantom, wrapping a hand around the man's throat and slamming him brutally against the wall.
"Damn you... demon!" John choked out, his face turning a deep, violently bruised purple from the suffocating grip.
Tetsuya's crimson eyes stared back coldly. "From where I'm standing, you guys act more like demons than I do."
Tightening his grip, Tetsuya prepared to snap the boss's neck.
John's expression twisted in agony. 'Is this it? Am I going to die?'
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Suddenly, a flurry of light, rapid footsteps echoed from the hall. Tetsuya frowned. 'What is this presence? So fast. Who is it?'
Swish!
In the blink of an eye, a tall, slender silhouette darted around the corner of the hallway.
"Stop right there!"
A young woman drew her Nichirin Sword. The crystal-clear blade caught the bright moonlight, reflecting a blinding glare straight onto Tetsuya's face.
Squinting, Tetsuya took in the details of her weapon: an orange, four-leaf clover-shaped tsuba, a vivid green hilt, and a peach-colored blade humming with lethal sharpness. Carved directly into the steel were the kanji for Destroyer of Demons.
'A Hashira?' Tetsuya's expression shifted.
"Flower Breathing, Third Form: Flower Dance!"
A sweet, gentle smile graced the girl's face. Her delicate, soft voice practically whispered in Tetsuya's ear, yet every instinct in his body screamed of fatal, imminent danger.
Whoosh!
She was significantly faster than Tetsuya. Her tall figure danced forward gracefully. It was as if a flurry of vibrant, blooming flowers had materialized behind her, fluttering freely in the wind. Closing the distance instantly, she appeared right in front of him. The edge of her Nichirin Sword effortlessly severed his arm.
'Crap!' Tetsuya cursed inwardly, quickly activating his Sharingan as he scrambled backward in a panicked retreat.
Having forced Tetsuya to back off, the girl didn't press the attack. Her primary goal had been to save the hostage, not to give chase.
'She's way too fast!' Tetsuya grimaced. The situation was spiraling completely out of his control.
The Demon Slayer Corps usually operated on a delay. They typically only dispatched slayers after a demon had already caused a massacre. Originally, Tetsuya estimated he had at least until tomorrow night before any swordsmen arrived in this podunk town. By then, he would have been long gone.
For them to show up this quickly could only mean one thing!
Akaza hadn't just killed that middle-aged man.
'That bastard Akaza,' Tetsuya cursed inwardly. 'Just how many people did he slaughter around here?!'
"Cough! Cough!"
John Deere collapsed to his knees, coughing violently.
High above, the dark clouds shifted, revealing the bright moon and allowing its silver light to spill fully into the room. The illumination finally revealed the girl's true appearance to Tetsuya.
She was breathtakingly beautiful. Tall and elegant, she had waist-length black hair and striking violet eyes set in a delicate face. She wore two mint-green butterfly hair clips with pink edges adorning the sides of her head. She wore the standard Demon Slayer Corps uniform beneath a vibrant, butterfly-patterned haori, making her look exactly like a beautiful butterfly.
The Flower Hashira—Kanae Kocho!
A sweet, gentle smile rested on Kanae's flawless face as her beautiful eyes swept over the gruesome carnage in the room. A trace of sorrowful resignation touched her expression. "Did you do this?"