Boom!
Standing at the unobstructed doorway was a grotesque-looking youth, his body covered in deep blue tattoos that marked him as a sinner, radiating an unending oppressive aura.
Under the deep night, there was a deathly silence!
A chilling aura filled every corner of the room.
The illusion formed by sharp killing intent—Kamihara Tetsuya could not forget this incredibly familiar feeling.
The surrounding air seemed to grow heavy. Kamihara Tetsuya's face darkened, his chest rising and falling erratically. He could hear his own heartbeat accelerating wildly.
The kanji etched in his golden eyes read: Upper Moon Three!
Kocho Kanae's pale lips parted slightly on the sickbed. This was a true Upper Moon!
Both of their brains raced, contemplating countermeasures.
But Kocho Kanae's wound was infected, and her temperature was soaring; how much combat power she had left was an unknown.
No matter how much they brainstormed, it was impossible for the two of them alone to fight Akaza!
Kocho Kanae's beautiful eyes curved, and she smiled slightly. Even if given another chance, her choice would not change.
Kamihara Tetsuya's pupils reflected Kocho Kanae's poignant smile. His two fists clenched unwillingly, his lips moving as he silently said, "Your nichirin blade is under the bed. Take it and run!"
With that, Kamihara Tetsuya turned, leaving Kocho Kanae with a tall silhouette.
"Wait…"
Kocho Kanae reached out her small hand, wanting to grab Kamihara Tetsuya, but only touched the corner of his clothes.
Kamihara Tetsuya once again faced Akaza directly.
"I thought you were already dead," Akaza laughed. He had killed many people in this small town, so the Demon Slayer Corps would certainly send people over.
But he did not warn Kamihara Tetsuya.
That Lord's blood was not so easy to obtain. This was his second test for Kamihara Tetsuya: only by surviving against a Demon Slayer could he become strong!
Kamihara Tetsuya cursed inwardly, his eyes cold. "You shouldn't be disappointed."
"Heh heh!"
Akaza didn't care, his indifferent gaze shifting behind Kamihara Tetsuya.
Bang!
In that instant, Akaza shot out, his figure vanishing in a flash, moving like an eerie phantom.
Almost instantly, he passed through Kamihara Tetsuya and appeared before Kocho Kanae, his fist, the size of a cooking pot, directly smashing towards Kocho Kanae on the sickbed.
"So fast!"
Kocho Kanae's face was filled with shock, only one thought remaining in her mind: this was the power of an Upper Moon!
Sharingan!
Kamihara Tetsuya's eyes turned blood red, two blood-colored tomoe appearing. Seeing through Akaza's movements, he fiercely punched Akaza's back.
If Akaza insisted on attacking Kocho Kanae, he would also take Kamihara Tetsuya's punch.
Bang!
Akaza's face showed a sneer. He spun around, targeting Kamihara Tetsuya.
Their two fists collided, generating surging airwaves that, wave after wave, blew away the items in the room.
Kocho Kanae rolled and fell to the ground. She turned her head and saw her nichirin blade placed under the bed.
"This woman is my prey. Do not lay a hand on her, Akaza!" Kamihara Tetsuya said coldly.
Even among demons, there was no harmonious coexistence. When encountering humans with special physiques, conflicts would also arise.
The strong preyed on the weak, and only the fittest survived!
This was the rule among demons!
"I just thought she was too weak and would disrupt our fight," Akaza laughed wildly. He generally did not kill women or children, but Demon Slayers were an exception.
As he spoke, Akaza increased his strength, pressing down on Kamihara Tetsuya.
Kamihara Tetsuya's expression changed. From Akaza's fist, an irresistible, powerful force emanated.
"Hmph!"
Akaza roared, taking a stride forward, and landed a heavy punch on Kamihara Tetsuya's chest.
Bang!
Kamihara Tetsuya's body was heavily struck, instantly flying backward, shattering the hard wall.
Landing in the open space outside, he tumbled seven or eight times. Kamihara Tetsuya awkwardly climbed up from the ground, a pang of pain coming from his chest. He looked down.
He had been punched through by Akaza, leaving a bloody hole the size of a fist in his chest.
However, for a demon, this injury was no different from a mere scratch.
Flesh regenerated, and in an instant, he was back to normal.
Akaza walked out of the house, marveling, "Those blood-colored eyes, are they your Blood Demon Art? It seems you've eaten quite a few people."
With the Black Dragon Society's demise, Akaza naturally assumed Kamihara Tetsuya had devoured everyone inside, which was why he could increase his power to such an extent in just one day.
Kamihara Tetsuya remained silent.
The talkative Akaza continued, "It's a pity your body can't keep up with your eyes!"
Those blood-colored eyes could see his movements, but Kamihara Tetsuya's body couldn't keep up.
But it was enough to show that his choice was correct; Kamihara Tetsuya indeed had the potential to become a top-tier powerhouse.
Akaza excitedly said, "It's alright, decades or centuries from now, you will definitely grow stronger, and then we can fight with all our might."
Kamihara Tetsuya gave a cold smile. Decades, centuries—that was too far off. He only wanted to seize the present!
Sharingan · Genjutsu!
A cold, blood-red gleam flashed in Kamihara Tetsuya's eyes, and immense ocular power surged out like a tide.
Akaza, who was intently staring at Kamihara Tetsuya, unexpectedly fell into the genjutsu.
Everything around him began to change.
Akaza's face showed interest. He hadn't expected Kamihara Tetsuya's eyes to also possess the ability to cast genjutsu.
In the genjutsu, time flowed backward, and the centuries Akaza had experienced unfolded one by one. Seeing his memories of fighting those strong individuals, Akaza, for a moment, was somewhat unwilling to break free from this genjutsu.
What was at the end of his memories?
At the same time, a hint of curiosity arose in Akaza's heart. With this expectation, he waited quietly.
The memory sequence finally stopped at the moment he transformed into a demon, when That Lord's hand passed through his skull.
"That's it? How boring!"
Akaza felt he had wasted his time.
In a daze, he seemed to see a river, its surging waters separating two banks. On the opposite bank, shrouded in thick fog, three figures were calling out something.
Yet, their voices could not penetrate the dense fog.
After observing for a moment, Akaza lost patience and withdrew his gaze. He only wanted to fight strong opponents!
"Technique Deployment, Destructive Kill: Compass Needle!"
Akaza no longer hesitated. He made a starting pose with both hands, and a twelve-pointed snowflake array appeared beneath his feet, emitting a dazzling light and spreading a profound aura.
Seeing the deployed snowflake array, Kamihara Tetsuya, who was about to punch Akaza's head, quickly retreated.
That was the core of Akaza's Blood Demon Art.
Akaza possessed a special energy within him, which he called "Fighting Spirit." It allowed him to sense his opponent's Fighting Spirit like a compass, making his own attacks and evasive movements as precise as if drawn by a magnet.
The stronger the opponent's Fighting Spirit, the stronger the Compass Needle's reaction, and the higher its corresponding strength and accuracy.
The stronger the enemy, the stronger he became!