The old woman stared at Raiden, terror flooding her clouded eyes.
She did not understand why he wanted to befriend a demon.
She also understood that refusing was not an option.
The weight of death pressed down on her so heavily that she nodded over and over, frantic and desperate, like a puppet whose strings had been yanked too hard.
The man standing before her was terrifying.
She had exhausted every hidden technique she possessed, every last trump card, and yet she still could not withstand even a single casual strike from him.
[Ding]
[Successfully added Sound-Devouring Demon as a friend]
[Detected intimacy level: Initial Acquaintance]
[Random reward granted]
[Obtained Skill: Blood Demon Art, Sound Devour, Mastery Level]
[Fuse skill now?]
[No]
Once Raiden had obtained what he wanted, the old woman had no further value.
The man standing nearby felt his legs go weak.
He had barely escaped death, only to fall into something far worse.
Would this white-haired swordsman kill him next?
The thought had barely formed when the old woman's head slipped from her shoulders and dropped to the ground.
There was no sound.
No motion he could follow.
The man did not even see how it happened.
He stared at Raiden, his mind blank.
The nichirin blade at Raiden's waist had never left its sheath.
"Raiden, wait up…"
Zenitsu finally caught up, his voice hoarse as he took in the devastation around him.
The demon in Raiden's grasp was already crumbling into ash, its form breaking apart and vanishing into the night air.
Did he do all of this?
Zenitsu had only been gone for a short time.
What had he missed?
Raiden glanced at him briefly, then inhaled slowly, testing the air.
No other demonic presence remained.
He turned and walked past Zenitsu.
"Let's go. The mission's finished."
Zenitsu stood there, stunned.
Finished?
He had not even seen the target.
Raiden, however, was already thinking ahead.
He returned to the nearest Demon Slayer Corps outpost, a modest station nestled along the road. Sitting down, he opened the system panel.
[Fuse skill: Blood Demon Art, Sound Devour?]
[Yes]
Information flooded into his mind.
Sound Devour strengthened the user by consuming sound within their audible range.
The more sounds absorbed, the greater the reinforcement returned to the body.
As the knowledge settled, a strange ripple spread through Raiden's body.
It felt gentle, almost subtle, like snow melting into parched earth.
Through his Echoing Ears, he sensed the world differently.
Insects chirring in the dark.
Footsteps far beyond ordinary hearing.
Even the distant hum of the night sky itself.
All of it resonated within him.
His heart changed.
It was no longer just flesh and muscle.
It became a rhythm, a living metronome for Sound Devour.
Each beat drew in sound, converting it into raw power that surged through his limbs.
Raiden looked down at his hands.
The strength coursing through them was unmistakable.
Sound Devour alone should not have produced this level of reinforcement.
But paired with Echoing Ears, it became something far more dangerous.
The more he heard, the stronger he became.
The synergy was perfect.
He was confident now.
Even a Kinoe-rank demon would fall.
After a moment, Raiden deactivated the skill and examined himself carefully.
No changes to his body.
No loss of control.
No signs of demonization.
The system had clearly altered the rules of Blood Demon Arts, allowing him to wield them without consequence.
That was useful.
Very useful.
With that precedent set, Raiden found himself genuinely looking forward to the next mission.
At dawn, a Kasugai Crow descended, cawing sharply.
"Southwest. Reinforcements needed."
Zenitsu's sparrow chirped in response.
"…What are you even saying?"
Zenitsu stared at it, irritated. Everyone else had proper Kasugai Crows. His only made noise.
Night fell over a small town.
Three Demon Slayer swordsmen and Zenitsu stood frozen in the street, staring at the scene before them.
The powerful demon that had plagued them for two days lay broken on the ground.
And standing beside it was Raiden.
Where did this monster come from?
Was this really a newcomer?
A demon nearly at Kinoe level, defeated in a single strike?
They had barely been able to injure it, their blades only leaving shallow cuts.
Raiden had not even drawn his sword.
Earlier that day, he and the blond boy beside him had smiled politely, introducing themselves as new recruits and asking for guidance.
"How exactly are we supposed to guide him?" one swordsman muttered weakly.
Zenitsu said nothing.
He knew Raiden was strong.
He had not realized how overwhelming that strength truly was.
Raiden clicked his tongue softly and nudged the demon's corpse with his foot.
"Luck never lasts."
The demon had possessed a Blood Demon Art, but the reward had been nothing more than average aptitude.
Useless.
"Next mission. Asakusa, Tokyo. A demon sighting has been reported."
The Kasugai Crow perched on Raiden's shoulder.
Zenitsu sighed and followed him without complaint.
Raiden paused.
Asakusa.
That place.
The meeting point of Tanjiro, Muzan Kibutsuji, and Tamayo.
Perfect.
It saved him the trouble of finding an excuse.
According to the crow, they were still hours away.
"Zenitsu, move faster."
Raiden wanted to arrive before nightfall.
Muzan had avoided attacking Tanjiro because of Yoriichi's earrings.
As long as Raiden did not push too far, there was a real chance Muzan would accept him.
Once in Asakusa, his first objective was clear.
He needed information.
Specifically, Miss Rei's background and social connections.
If he could trace her circle, he could approach Muzan without raising suspicion.
"Raiden, why are we here?"
Zenitsu tugged at his clothes, uncomfortable and overwhelmed.
The noise of the city assaulted his senses.
Why come here instead of hunting demons?
____
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