"What is that?"
The Sukuna Demon pointed at the light blade Ryu was holding and sneered, "A child's toy?"
A search of the priest's memories revealed that human society had no similarly shaped weapons in practical use; there were only movie props or children's toys.
Ryu gave his wrist a light flick, getting a feel for the weapon as he nodded.
"It is indeed a toy, and an expensive, official one at that."
A certain Japanese toy manufacturer that specialized in tricking children out of their money was also a major corporation in the Cyberpunk parallel world. While it couldn't dominate a region like Arasaka, Militech, or Kang Tao, it at least had a seat at the table.
And in that world where capital could freely manipulate military power, they couldn't have reached such a high position with toys alone. Their main business was the "Mechanical Ultra Mercenary Series" of full-body cybernetic modifications, as well as various personal weapons beloved by youth fraternities.
This somewhat flashy light blade was one of those models—Ryu had already tried to choose an understated style, but the main theme of that world was iridescent colors and lasers, so he had no choice.
The Sukuna Demon narrowed its eyes. It could sense an astonishing amount of heat gathering on the light blade, but its tone was still full of mockery.
"Brats just love flashy things!"
"Don't look down on children, you old geezer."
The muscles in Ryu's back clenched as he leaned his body slightly forward.
"Countless monsters far stronger than you have been destroyed by the power of children!"
—Whoosh!
Ryu took the offensive. The Sukuna Demon, long prepared, raised its longsword, and the two vastly different blades clashed.
Screeeech!!!
Searing sparks flew. A glimpse of the Sukuna Demon's hideous, terrifying face flashed by, but the resolve in Ryu's eyes remained unshaken.
The demon sword, forged with flesh and blood, and the light blade, armed by technology—products of two completely different paths—both displayed power far beyond ordinary swords. In their continuous exchanges, neither the ground nor the surrounding trees could hinder them; only charred, severed surfaces were left in their wake.
Ryu's eyes were icy, like a lurking mantis, constantly searching for a fatal opening.
Ryomen Sukuna noticed this as well, but he only wanted to laugh at Ryu's expression—
"Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Your skills aren't bad, brat, but a mere mortal cannot kill me!
The world is just that unfair!"
"..."
Ryu said nothing in response, simply putting another thirty percent of his strength into his hands!
Physical means could only destroy the body. Fire and lightning could cause damage but not a fatal blow. To slay a wicked demon like Sukuna, one had to directly infuse it with "evil-purifying power"—this is what the samurai guardian spirit had told Ryu, though he couldn't explain exactly what this "evil-purifying power" was.
This samurai—Nishikida Kagetatsu—possessed a special talent from birth. His blade could not only defeat bandits and villains but could even slay demons and monsters.
Now, it was Ryu's turn to do it!
Clang!
"What's wrong? You took the initiative to attack, but is this all you've got, kid!"
Amidst the sparks, the longsword fell again and again. The demonic god's tall physique, combined with this demon sword, gave it an attack range of a full five meters!
When Sukuna moved, it was as if it transformed all the space within its field of vision into its own domain, its blade capable of striking Ryu's vitals at will.
In comparison, the youth's light blade was much shorter. The enemy only needed to strike continuously with the tip of its longsword to force him into a steady retreat.
At a glance, regardless of their swordsmanship, the advantage was obvious.
—But the turning point came in an instant!
Crack!
The blades clashed again, but the sound was subtly different. A small fragment chipped off a blade and flew past, cutting Ryu's cheek and drawing blood.
Yet even though he was the one injured, an irrepressible grin spread across his lips:
The one damaged was the demon sword!
"Damn you!"
The Sukuna Demon noticed this as well. It abruptly changed its strategy, pouring all its strength into an attack at the cost of leaving its center exposed. The longsword moved so fast it seemed to disappear, wielding the clumsy nodachi with the agility of a short sword.
It wanted to overwhelm Ryu with a swift assault, but Ryu, despite this being his first true battle, was unusually calm. He didn't rush to seize the opportunity recklessly.
Ryu's offense and defense remained methodical, deflecting the enemy's attacks one by one and launching counterattacks in the same motion.
Gradually, he felt himself breaking free from his passive, disadvantageous position. He had grown accustomed to, and was even beginning to master, the rhythm of the battle!
Was this the effect of [Demon Brain]? Or was he just naturally gifted?
But one thing was certain:
He was getting stronger!
His physical conditioning, his passion for combat, his swordsmanship skills—everything he had accumulated in the past had been like collecting beautiful works of art. It was done for a kind of self-satisfaction, with no urgent need for use.
But now, these works of art, regardless of their material or value, were all being tossed into a giant millstone. Under the constant guidance of a certain samurai guardian spirit, they were violently crushed into countless fine grains of sand and mixed together.
Once reforged, they would become iridescent, translucent, indestructible vajra relics!
This tangible growth was far more exhilarating than the virtual training of [Demon Brain]!
His body grew incredibly excited. Not only did his temperature rise, but his thoughts also became feverish. Much of his everyday common sense was cast aside, leaving only one thing to remember and think about in his mind—
Kill!
Kill!
Slaughter this demonic thing!
—Clang!
The searing light blade slashed past its eyes. The Sukuna Demon barely dodged it, then turned and spewed a cloud of thick black smoke, which was difficult to distinguish and evade in the darkness of the night.
But Ryu was completely fearless. Even though he couldn't open his eyes and his nose was filled with a stench that could make one weep, he took a step forward without hesitation.
Having already achieved a union of minds with Nishikida Kagetatsu, he didn't even need his eyes. He could sense the demonic god's position with his eyes closed, almost as if he had gained an extra field of vision.
His movements grew swifter, his techniques sharper!
When he cut through the black smoke and left a long gash on the Sukuna Demon's face, the momentum shifted. He had seized the initiative, suppressing the demon, and his entire being radiated the soaring feeling of a dragon released into the sea!
This familiar sense of frustration, of being turned on by an underdog, sent Sukuna into a fiery rage:
"You! It really is you pulling the strings! Damned Kagetatsu—"
Pfft!
The light blade sliced across Sukuna's chest. Ryu forcefully cut off its speech with excruciating pain, his eyes seeing nothing else as he simply swung his weapon~
Sukuna's concentration wavered for a moment, and it was nearly diced into seven or eight pieces by the incredibly sharp futuristic weapon!
Ryu's movements no longer showed any signs of inexperience. Instead, he was like a heroic warrior accustomed to the battlefield, fighting with masterful ease and a commanding presence!
If one were to observe from a third-person perspective, they would see wisps of blue smoke coiling around Ryu, faintly outlining the figure of a person superimposed over him:
[Well done, boy!]
Suddenly, these words echoed in Ryu's ear. He wasn't the least bit surprised; instead, he felt a satisfying sense of inevitability.
—It seemed their compatibility had deepened during the battle, to the point where they could now speak directly.
[It is a difficult foe. Don't overthink it, and don't have any reservations. Let yourself go completely and throw your entire being into this fight!]
Nishikida Kagetatsu was growing excited as well:
The Sukuna Demon was one of the few demonic gods he had failed to completely destroy. Limited by the circumstances at the time, he could only seal it away. The local villagers, out of gratitude and to protect the seal, built this shrine.
The years flowed by. Nishikida Kojūrō Kagetatsu had long since passed away, leaving only his heroic spirit behind.
Without a physical body, Kagetatsu couldn't fight the Sukuna Demon, but to encounter a heroic youth like Ryu tonight... wasn't this also a blessing from the heavens?
Voom!
His concentration broke through its limits. Ryu felt everything around him freeze in an instant, with only his mind continuing to operate at high speed.
I can see it!
I can see everything!
Every single spot, even the most minute detail, was rendered with perfect clarity in his eyes!
This included the healing wounds on the Sukuna Demon's body, and the jagged, uneven edge of that demon sword—
"How can this be... to lose to a mere human again! Aaaargh!
Die, Kuse brat!"
—An opening!
Zzzt!
Light blade, maximum power!
An incredibly hot slash "pierced" through the blood-hungry demon blade, cleaving Sukuna's head in two!
________________________________________
Get rewarded for helping with our community goals!
🎯 Reward for all: +1 bonus chapter at 50 Powerstones.
🚀 Tier Reward: Help us reach 20 members for +5 chapters on all stories!
👻 Join the crew by searching Ms. Medusa on (P). You know the spot! 😉