The moment Raiden confirmed it, Muzan's back split open as flesh-like tendrils shot out, sharp as thorns, striking straight toward him.
The attacks were fast, but to Raiden, they were still lacking.
If he had chosen to fuse the ability right in front of Muzan, then he already had confidence in the outcome.
Muzan had yet to fully neutralize Tamayo's poison, and the aging drug was still affecting him. Under those conditions, Muzan's strength was only slightly above Raiden's at best.
Defeating him would not be easy, but it was no longer out of reach.
Raiden shifted lightly, avoiding the incoming tendrils as he felt the changes begin within his body.
Before activating the ability, he had checked its description.
Demon King's Body allowed him to temporarily take on demonic traits. In that state, his physical strength would surge, and his regeneration would reach an entirely different level.
More importantly, even outside the transformation, it granted him an incomprehensibly long lifespan.
As the fusion began, heat flooded his body.
It felt as if flames were burning beneath his skin, his blood boiling as energy surged through every vein.
His heartbeat quickened, powerful and steady, like a war drum.
His muscles tightened and expanded, becoming more defined, as though forged from steel. Strength filled every fiber.
A faint cracking sound came from his bones as they adjusted, growing denser and stronger.
Dark markings spread across his skin, thin and intricate, glowing faintly as they extended. They pulsed with energy, reinforcing his body with every second.
These were not just markings, they were alive with power.
Muzan attacked again.
This time, three tendrils lashed out together, slicing through the air like venomous serpents.
Raiden moved instantly, his body slipping back with precision. The ground beneath him thudded under the force of his speed.
As he retreated, he reached out.
His hand snapped forward and caught one of the tendrils mid-air.
It writhed violently, trying to break free, but Raiden's grip was absolute.
His fingers tightened like iron, crushing its resistance. The strength flowing through his arm completely suppressed Muzan's power.
At the same time, the fusion continued.
Power surged through him, amplifying everything.
His senses sharpened. His vision became clear to an unnatural degree, every movement around him slowing as if time itself had stretched.
The invisible barrier that had held him back for so long shattered.
In that instant, something within him broke free.
Power poured out like a flood, filling every part of his body.
His muscles stabilized, compact yet filled with explosive strength.
His bones hardened further, reinforced to a level beyond human limits.
His aura rose sharply, spreading outward like an unseen force. The pressure alone made the air feel heavy.
Muzan stopped.
Not because of Raiden's transformation, but because of what he felt.
That presence.
That aura.
A demon.
Raiden's body carried the unmistakable presence of a demon.
Muzan's expression changed completely.
How was that possible?
All demons originated from his blood. That was an absolute truth.
Yet Raiden had become something similar without it.
That alone was enough to shake everything Muzan believed.
But it did not end there.
Raiden's power had changed as well.
It had risen.
Not gradually, but instantly.
Muzan felt it clearly.
Raiden had stepped into the same realm as him.
His pupils shrank as realization hit.
Raiden had broken through right in front of him.
Without hesitation, Muzan attacked again.
Nine deep red tendrils burst from his back, shooting forward with lethal speed.
They moved like living weapons, glowing faintly, each one capable of killing instantly.
He could not allow Raiden to stabilize at this level.
That was the only thought left in his mind.
Fear crept in, something he had not felt in centuries.
Raiden moved.
His body flickered, slipping between the attacks with ease. Every strike missed by a fraction, as if he had already seen them coming.
Even in this incomplete state, he already had the advantage.
With partial demonization and strength at the highest level, Muzan was no longer his equal.
The fusion reached its end.
Completed.
Raiden's presence surged once more, heavier, more oppressive.
Every movement he made carried overwhelming force.
Muzan's attacks lost their impact, reduced to desperate attempts.
Raiden now stood at the same level as him.
In some ways, even beyond.
Raiden looked at him and smiled.
"Now you have no way out."
===
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