Just as the demons were about to swallow him, lightning burst from Raiden's body.
It surged outward like a blade, cutting through the darkness as bright as daylight. Thunder roared, and arcs of electricity lashed through the air like wild silver serpents.
The demons screamed.
Their bodies charred instantly under the impact, the stench of burnt flesh spreading through the space. Wherever the lightning reached, they turned to ash in an instant.
The storm did not fade. It gathered around Raiden, forming a barrier of crackling energy that no demon could breach.
In seconds, everything was gone.
Only ash remained, along with the heavy smell of blood and burning.
On the wooden platform, a single object remained intact.
An eyeball.
The character "III" was engraved within it, faintly glowing in the dim light. It looked out of place among the destruction.
Raiden slowly raised his head, calm and composed. His eyes settled on the floating eyeball, and a slight smile formed.
"How about we get along, Nakime?" he said casually.
The eyeball was one of Nakime's abilities, used to observe distant locations. It was fragile, something that could be crushed with ease.
The fact that it remained untouched was deliberate.
Raiden had spared it on purpose.
He wanted her attention. The longer she focused on him, the more time the other Hashira had to finish their own battles.
As for his offer, he had no real expectations.
Nakime showed little interest even in Muzan, so there was no reason she would respond to him.
As expected, the eyeball stared back in silence, cold and unfeeling.
Then the sound of a biwa echoed through the Infinity Castle.
Sharp. Unsteady.
Annoyed.
Raiden's gaze sharpened slightly.
A moment later, the air shifted.
Loud impacts rang out from every direction, and doors burst open one after another. Another wave of demons flooded in, their forms twisted and feral, rushing toward him like a relentless tide.
Each one carried killing intent.
Raiden did not move.
A faint smile touched his lips as he raised his right hand. Lightning gathered at his fingertips, crackling softly as power built.
Then he laughed under his breath.
Lightning erupted again, tearing through the space and lighting everything in a blinding flash.
"Stop sending trash," Raiden said, his tone relaxed. "It just wastes time. You should be more concerned about losing control of your castle."
The lightning swept outward.
Every demon was erased.
Ash scattered through the air, the scene both violent and precise.
Far away, Nakime continued to play her biwa.
Blood began to drip from her fingers as they moved across the strings, staining the wood beneath her hands. Still, she did not stop.
Hidden behind her hair, her expression darkened.
She understood now.
These demons meant nothing against Raiden. Only an Upper Moon could slow him down.
But Muzan was still recovering, and both Kokushibo and Akaza were already engaged with other Hashira.
There was no one available.
Then her eye shifted.
She focused on another presence.
Upper Moon Four.
Yue.
At that moment, Yue was struggling against two Hashira, the Insect Hashira and the Sound Hashira. He was already being pushed back.
He was not strong enough to defeat Raiden.
But he did not need to win.
He only needed to delay him.
Nakime made her decision.
Her fingers struck the strings sharply.
The sound carried her command.
Yue's vision went dark.
The battlefield vanished.
In an instant, he was no longer facing the two Hashira. Instead, he stood in a quiet, unfamiliar room.
The pressure on him disappeared.
He let out a slow breath, relief washing over him.
Moments ago, he had been overwhelmed.
The precise, poison-laced attacks of the Insect Hashira had nearly caught him multiple times. The Sound Hashira's explosive strikes left him with no room to breathe.
He knew he would not last much longer.
But now, he was safe.
Or so he thought.
Nakime's voice reached him, cold and direct.
"Kill the Hashira in front of you."
Yue froze.
A single Hashira?
He turned.
And saw Raiden.
Raiden crouched on a high platform, relaxed, his expression showing mild curiosity.
Yue studied him for a moment.
Only one opponent.
The tension in his body faded.
If it was just one Hashira, then this was manageable.
Compared to facing two at once, this was nothing.
Confidence returned to his eyes.
This fight would be easy.
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Patreon = _Zeph