"Bastard! What have you done? Look at what you've done!"
After Lan Daotianwu mercilessly killed the hostages, the first to react violently was Reiyuko herself.
This demon, who had been controlling a battlefield of corpses, glared at the figure standing under the moonlight and roared.
For Reiyuko, this moment was her only chance in life to face a Pillar alone.
Her so-called intelligence was nothing more than reliance on her Blood Demon Art and the Corps' lack of intelligence. If they had been prepared, the Demon Slayers would never have given her a second chance to set up such a killing ground.
And Reiyuko knew she would never again face Shinobu Kocho, the opponent best suited to counter her.
Like always, Reiyuko might have fled in fear, like a startled bird. This time, no one could have stopped her if she tried.
But she could not. She could not show weakness now. Instead, she had to show rage, pure, unbridled rage.
Her fury left little room for thought. She knew that if she failed and fled again, Muzan would not spare her. She might escape death but would be punished by her cruel master. So she resolved to fight to the very end.
"Come! Fight me!"
The corpses she controlled suddenly froze. Their bodies twitched violently, then exploded like empty soda cans packed with firecrackers.
Yet instead of blood and flesh, the explosions revealed countless resilient blood vessels, each centered around the prominent seeds embedded within their chests.
Even the hostages who had been decapitated by Lan Daotianwu exploded in the same manner. Bones shattered, and blood vessels radiated outward from the seeds at the core.
The Blood Demon Art had transformed these vessels into superhumanly tough structures.
Thick, sinewy tubes intertwined like intestines, weaving a network across the battlefield. Shredded flesh adhered to these vascular frameworks, as if held together by plant-like roots.
Within moments, a colossal flesh-and-blood giant, tens of meters tall, rose from the carnage.
"Die!"
With a roar of pure rage, Reiyuko swung the giant's massive arm at Lan Daotianwu, smashing it into the roof. The mansion crumbled beneath the impact.
"Hahaha, you underestimated me!"
Reiyuko's laughter was manic, and Shinobu watched the ruined mansion with concern.
"What is so funny, clown?"
The calm voice echoed again across the courtyard. Shinobu spun around, startled. Lan Daotianwu now stood on the mansion's gate, his gaze cold and contemptuous as he observed the monstrous figure.
"Impressive speed," Shinobu thought, gripping her blade tightly. Among the Pillars, her speed was her pride. She was the weakest in strength, but fastest in movement.
Yet this child had circled behind her without detection. The speed was terrifying.
"What are you staring at?"
Noticing Shinobu's gaze, Lan Daotianwu looked back. His heterochromatic eyes were filled with the same indifferent contempt.
"Show me your special ability, or do you want me to push you a little further?"
His gaze flicked toward Murata, lying immobilized on the ground, an unspoken threat clear in his expression.
"What exactly are you planning?" Shinobu demanded.
"That big lump of flesh may be garbage, but it isn't something an ordinary person with cold weapons can handle," Lan Daotianwu observed her Nichirin blade with keen interest.
"So what powers do you rely on? Enhanced physical abilities? I am very curious."
Do not misunderstand. Lan Daotianwu did not think these humans' feeble powers compared to the might of manipulating magnetic fields. But, like learning an ultimate martial art, even minor powers could be instructive.
This world was not his own. The rules differed, yet he could still study and adapt.
Who says humble, obscure abilities cannot be developed into something extraordinary?
Once, his ancestor Hai Hu may never have mastered legendary techniques, yet the White Family produced the Six Wonders of immense power. While watching a simple comedic animation, Lan Daotianwu even conceived the devastating Hai Hu Explosion Fist.
Shinobu exhaled deeply. She may never understand Lan Daotianwu's logic, but at this moment, her only option was to fight.
Drawing upon the Insect Breathing derived from Water Breathing, she inhaled sharply. Her form blurred as she attacked the colossal flesh giant.
Dragonfly Dance: Compound Eye Hexagon
To the untrained eye, her speed seemed to create six afterimages simultaneously. She plunged into the giant, injecting it with potent toxins prepared in advance.
The construction of the Nichirin blade, combined with the concentrated wisteria extract, tore away chunks of the bloated giant as it shrieked in agony.
Lan Daotianwu watched with interest. He was breathing almost in sync with her.
Breathing Techniques, he realized, could be learned with observation. There was nothing difficult about compressing air into the lungs to oxygenate the blood rapidly, creating a temporary surge in muscle strength. For him, this technique was no obstacle.
Martial arts energy in his world, cultivated through circulation and storage in the body, was similar. Breathing Techniques here extracted immediate physical power directly from the lungs.
While simple, Lan Daotianwu found many intriguing aspects.
First, the air in this world was not ordinary. Though lacking the magnetic fields of his own world, subtle, strange forces existed.
Second, the human body itself had peculiar variations. Not fully evolved like magnetic masters, but enough to be unique.
He began to learn, adapt, and refine the technique, mimicking his ultimate monk-inspired methods to channel internal currents for power.
As Lan Daotianwu experimented, Shinobu continued battling Reiyuko.
It was ironic. Even though he had helped her solve the hostage crisis, Shinobu still struggled.
The flesh giant, pierced by toxins, dropped portions of its body in agony. Yet it only shrank slightly and quickly regenerated the severed parts, restored by Reiyuko's seeds interlaced throughout.
Shinobu's lips twitched. Her match with Reiyuko was disastrous. If the giant were a simple brute, she could handle it easily. Hand Demons, for instance, she could kill blindfolded.
But this giant was only Reiyuko's corpse puppet. It had no brain, no core each seed acted as its own nucleus.
Other Pillars might dismantle it with ease. Shinobu, however, struggled. Her blade, adequate for slicing meat, was insufficient.
"Giggling, is that it? Is this all a Pillar can do?" Reiyuko laughed, believing herself unstoppable.
Her gloating was abruptly cut off.
"Enough, clown. Stop messing around," Lan Daotianwu said calmly.
"Bring out your master, Muzan. He must be watching."
Reiyuko froze, then shrieked in realization.
"It's you! You did all this! You're the one Lord Muzan seeks!"
"I have no patience to repeat myself, nor to give warnings."
He clenched his right hand. Channeling 400,000 volts, he shaped an invisible blade.
Electric Celestial Sword
A weakened version of his Magnetic Celestial Sword, but one of Lan Daotianwu's most dangerous techniques.
Shinobu tried to follow his movement with her eyes, but all she saw was a wisp of smoke vanishing under the moonlight.
Then came the sound of countless bodies cracking and burning. The massive flesh giant was shredded into hundreds of pieces, torn apart by the invisible electric blade, its stench of burning flesh filling the air.