The narrow alleys of the Entertainment District pulsed with life and concealed menace, the sounds of laughter, music, and the occasional clatter of a stray cart blending into a deceptive harmony. Karina moved with purpose, each step calculated, her violet eyes scanning every corner, every shadow, every subtle shift in the rhythm of the district.
It had been two nights since her arrival. The courtesans had begun to murmur about her skill and composure, and the minor demons she had dispatched were only the first whispers of her true capabilities. Tonight, she would do more than observe—she would begin mapping the patterns of the Upper Rank demons, and the threads she uncovered were disturbing.
High-end houses, particularly those frequented by the wealthiest patrons, were not random in their targeting. Karina noted the subtle shifts in energy: exits that were blocked, servants absent from rooms where they should have been, and the faint, almost imperceptible tremor of malevolent presence lingering near the walls.
From above, Daki watched. Her crimson kimono flowed silently over the rooftops, a predator cloaked in elegance. She had sensed Karina from the moment the foreign slayer entered the district, and now, the precision with which Karina moved, the way she probed without exposing herself, stirred both curiosity and irritation.
Karina paused on a rooftop overlooking a lantern-lit courtyard. Her mind traced the demon patterns like threads in a tapestry, connecting disappearances and sightings in a network invisible to ordinary observers. Predictable yet clever, she noted internally. The demons were methodical, but they relied too heavily on fear and misdirection. She could read them.
A flicker of movement caught her attention—subtle, almost playful, yet deliberate. She turned, barely shifting her stance, and observed a shadow weaving between two buildings. A minor demon, perhaps testing, perhaps unaware of her presence. Karina's hand went to her hilt, and without sound, she released the second form of Arcane Breathing: Shadow Veil Strike. The blade flickered, intangible and precise, severing the creature's path and leaving nothing but a faint shimmer of displaced air.
Below, the sound of alarmed shouts rose from the house she had just observed. The patrons and courtesans reacted instinctively, confusion spreading like wildfire. Karina allowed herself a measured pause, evaluating. The minor demons were acting as scouts, testing both the district and the newcomers.
Meanwhile, Daki's crimson gaze narrowed. This foreign slayer was not only observant but anticipatory. She moved through the district like a shadow made tangible, weaving between hazards and mapping weaknesses with a speed and accuracy that was unsettling. Gyutaro, watching from a hidden vantage, felt the unusual aura radiating from Karina and muttered under his breath, "A demon without horns… this one is dangerous."
Karina descended to street level, blending seamlessly into a group of patrons and courtesans moving through the main corridor. Her violet eyes flicked constantly, cataloging escape routes, enemy positions, and patterns of human traffic. She paused in front of a high-end teahouse, the faint scent of blood tinging the air. Not yet active, she noted, but preparing.
From the shadows, the subtle hum of Daki's observation followed her every step. Karina's posture, her rhythm, and the aura of controlled power were impossible to ignore. She was not ordinary prey, and the Upper Rank demon's instinct recognized it immediately.
A sudden disturbance—a servant dragged screaming through a side entrance—prompted Karina to react. Her blade flashed, cutting through the air with deadly precision. The minor demon responsible collapsed, leaving no trace of its attack beyond the echo of terror in the courtyard. Patrons froze, then scattered, but Karina's eyes were already scanning for the next threat.
Tanjiro, appearing from a nearby alley, paused at the edge of her perception. "Karina!" he called, voice urgent yet cautious. "Are you—are you alright?"
She turned, a faint smile curving her lips. "I am fine," she replied. "The threats are manageable. For now." Her gaze returned to the rooftops, to the crimson glint of Daki's presence lingering just out of reach. "But the Upper Rank is aware," she added, almost as an afterthought.
Tanjiro's brow furrowed. He had witnessed countless battles, yet there was something different about Karina—calm, precise, and far more perceptive than most slayers. "We'll need to work together," he said. "She… Daki is stronger than anything we've faced."
Karina's eyes met his, sharp and assessing. "I intend to be ready."
Above, Daki's eyes glinted like molten rubies. She was a predator, centuries old, and yet she felt an unfamiliar tension, a prickling unease at the presence of this foreign slayer. Karina was methodical, intelligent, and utterly unpredictable. The Upper Rank siblings would soon learn that one anomaly could unravel even the most carefully maintained dominion.
And Karina moved through the district, silent, vigilant, a force unnoticed yet already reshaping the battlefield. The first threads of suspicion had been traced, and the stage was set for confrontation.