Shinji got no answer. The evil ghost wailed, as if unwilling and unable to respond, its face twisted in agony.
He looked at this monster pinned to the ground with bone spurs, covered in blood, unkillable, his thoughts churning.
It had terrifying regenerative abilities.
Not a demon. Not a ghost in the usual sense.
He searched through his memories from before crossing over.
This thing… pale skin. Sunken eyes. Crimson pupils.
Had nearly unlimited regeneration. Wouldn't die even if its heart was pierced.
Spiritual attacks caused it pain, but wouldn't kill it.
Bloodthirsty. Cruel. Had consciousness, but was clearly controlled by bestial instinct.
And it wasn't a demon or ghost in this world's traditional sense.
Had an immortal body.
If his guess was correct
This world wasn't just Inuyasha and Nurarihyon no Mago.
Another work was also fused.
"Interesting." Shinji murmured.
He suddenly understood. This world was far more complex than he'd imagined.
More dangerous.
And more full of opportunity.
Tsubaki stood in an area not affected by the battle, watching.
That monster was pinned by Shinji's countless bone spurs, unable to move. But it wasn't dead. Those crimson eyes still moved, full of hatred and fear.
"What exactly is that thing?" she murmured.
Not a demon. Not a ghost.
Yet it had regenerative abilities most demons lacked!
This was not normal!
As she was thinking, Kikyō had already arrived beside her.
Silently. Unnoticed.
The shrine maiden in white and red, her black hair flowing and bound at the ends. Longbow in hand. Her form radiated with invisible spiritual power.
Her expression was still that cool, detached look.
"Are you alright?" Kikyō asked.
Tsubaki gritted her teeth.
"…Thank you."
The words came out reluctantly.
She didn't want to owe Kikyō a favor.
But the truth was, if not for Kikyō's arrow and that demon warrior's intervention, she would probably be dead now.
Kikyō didn't dwell on her attitude.
She just looked at the monster pinned to the ground.
"That thing…" She frowned. "I've never seen anything like it either."
"It's not a Yokai," Tsubaki said. "My barrier has a restraining effect against demons, but it was completely useless against this thing."
"Not an ordinary ghost or phantom either," Kikyō added. "My purifying arrows can hurt it, but not kill it, spiritual purification has no effect."
The only effect was raw power.
They looked at each other, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.
Shinji paid no attention to the two puzzled shrine maidens behind him. His focus was entirely on the monster before him.
He had more or less figured it out.
These works were probably also from a series he'd seen in his past life.
Its name was… Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
A world where slaying demons was the main theme.
But unlike Inuyasha and Nurarihyon no Mago, that work had demons yet those demons weren't yokai. They originated from a progenitor of demons, a human transformed by some strange drug.
That progenitor could infect humans with his own blood, creating demons.
The demons created had immortal bodies. Their only weaknesses were sunlight and Nichirin blades forged from steel containing solar energy.
If this was one of those, shrine maidens' spiritual power wouldn't be very effective.
Because, as far as Shinji knew, the existence of Muzan Kibutsuji was probably related to 'gods.'
Not human, not demon. Possibly something in between, the forces of purity and impurity.
Of course.
For Kikyō, dealing with such a thing—sealing it, at least—wouldn't be difficult.
She could even seal Magatsuhi.
But Shinji was only guessing. He hadn't confirmed.
He needed to confirm further.
"Can you understand me?" he asked.
The monster's eyes moved, fixing on him.
"Kill…"
"I know you want to kill me, but before that" Shinji crouched down, eye-level with it. "Answer me one question."
The monster didn't speak.
But its gaze said enough.
It was listening.
Shinji knew what to ask.
If this thing really was a demon from that world
Then it must know a name.
The progenitor who created all demons.
The existence that made countless people fear.
"You," Shinji spoke.
His voice was soft, but clear in the monster's ears.
"Do you know Muzan Kibutsuji?"
Instantly, the monster's body stiffened.
Not because of the bone spurs this time. Because of fear. Pure, instinctive fear.
Those crimson eyes widened.
The hatred in its gaze was replaced by sheer terror.
It looked at Shinji like he was a death-dealing ghost.
But it was the ghost itself!
"How… how do you know that name…!?" Its voice trembled. "How do you know... that lord's name!"
That lord.
Shinji's eyes narrowed.
So he'd guessed right.
This thing knew Muzan Kibutsuji.
And from how it addressed him…
It was probably one of the demons Muzan had personally created.
"Just as I thought." Shinji murmured.
He stood up, looking down at the monster pinned to the ground.
By now, the monster had completely stopped struggling.
It just stared blankly at Shinji, its eyes full of disbelief.
"Wha… who are you…" it asked. "How do you know that lord's name…"
"Could you also be…"
"What I am doesn't matter." Shinji cut it off.
He looked into those terrified eyes and smiled.
That smile in the moonlight looked especially sinister. Like a hunter looking at prey caught in a trap.
"What matters is...." he said.
"I've confirmed it."
The monster's body trembled even more.
In the distance.
Kikyō and Tsubaki had both heard that name.
Muzan Kibutsuji. An unfamiliar name.
But from the monster's reaction, that name
Was anything but ordinary.
"Who is that?" Tsubaki frowned.
Kikyō shook her head. "I don't know."
Her gaze fell on Shinji's back.
That figure in red and white armor stood in the moonlight, like a demon god emerging from hell.
He knew that name.
He knew where this monster came from.
He...
How many more secrets did he hide?
Kikyō didn't ask.
But in her heart, a bit of curiosity stirred.
And anticipation.
This demon warrior named Shinji.
Always seemed to bring her surprises.
[Shikon Jewel · Pure Spirit: Affection +1]
[Current Affection: 52 (Trust)]
[It sends you a message: "That monster's smell is very unpleasant."]
["But you handled it well."]
Shinji looked at the prompt on his panel.
Quite satisfied.
Tonight's gains were greater than he'd expected.
Not just new abilities.
But new information.
The world of Demon Slayer existed here too.
That meant Muzan Kibutsuji might exist.
Those powerful demons might exist.
And the Nichirin blades that could slay demons might exist too.
Danger and opportunity coexisting.
"Interesting," he murmured. "Getting more and more interesting... this world."