The Entertainment District had grown quieter as midnight approached, yet beneath the superficial calm, a storm of unseen energy simmered. Karina moved with her usual precision, tracing invisible lines of demonic activity, her violet eyes scanning rooftops, alleys, and corridors with unwavering focus. The earlier skirmishes with minor demons had been mere tests—warnings, probes to gauge her presence.
From a high vantage point, Daki observed. Her crimson kimono flowed like liquid fire across the rooftops, lantern light glinting off the silk as she leaned slightly forward. Every motion, calculated and fluid, mirrored centuries of predatory practice. But her eyes, sharp and piercing, betrayed a rare stir of emotion: curiosity—and unease.
This one is different, she thought, her voice a whisper carried only by the wind. She moves with awareness, precision… she is not ordinary prey.
Beside her, Gyutaro's form blended into the shadow, his grotesque smile flickering as he sensed the aura that radiated from Karina. "I can feel it, sister," he murmured, voice low and uneven. "The one we observed… she is not human. Not truly. There is something… wrong with her."
Daki's gaze narrowed, her fangs glinting faintly. "Wrong? Perhaps. But more importantly… she is dangerous. She disrupts the flow of my domain, even without knowing it. She walks among my territory and leaves traces of order, not chaos. That is… unnatural."
Below, Karina moved through the streets, oblivious to the crimson gaze that followed her every step. Her senses, however, were not blind. The faint ripple of Daki's energy brushed against her perception—subtle, like a shadow against the periphery of consciousness. She did not yet know the identity of her observer, but instinct told her a powerful presence lingered above.
She allowed herself a moment to pause, her hand brushing lightly against the hilt of her blade. Upper Rank, she noted silently. Power beyond expectation. Observation only for now. Her first priority remained understanding the district's demon patterns, but the tension in the air demanded heightened caution.
A faint cry erupted from a nearby alley. Karina's stance shifted seamlessly, her body flowing into readiness. A minor demon surged from the shadows, faster and more erratic than those encountered before. Karina's Mirage Blade flashed—her first form of Arcane Breathing executed with surgical precision. The creature fell before it could reach a fleeing patron, leaving only a ripple in the air.
Tanjiro, appearing once more, moved beside her. "Karina, I can feel it too," he said, urgency sharpening his voice. "Something… powerful is watching us."
Karina's violet eyes flicked upward, catching the faint shimmer of movement along the rooftops. "I am aware," she said calmly. "Attention has shifted. The predator recognizes a threat. That is confirmation enough. The Upper Rank is watching. We proceed with caution."
Her words, calm yet authoritative, carried weight. Tanjiro nodded, understanding the gravity. The presence of an Upper Rank demon in direct observation was not casual. It signaled a potential escalation—one that could endanger both them and the civilians of the district if mismanaged.
Above, Daki shifted slightly, her eyes never leaving Karina's figure. She leaned forward, examining every subtle motion, every nuance of posture and rhythm. This foreign slayer was precise, composed, and yet undeniably lethal. I must consider her carefully, Daki mused. Underestimating her would be… fatal.
Gyutaro, sensing the intensity of his sister's focus, tensed. "She is an anomaly," he repeated, his voice threaded with unease. "Not even the others—Tengen or Tanjiro—compare. We must act cautiously."
Karina moved silently through the district, cataloging energy flows, noting weak points, and anticipating potential threats. She had yet to engage with an Upper Rank directly, yet her senses told her the battle would not be far off. Every shadow, every whisper, every echo of movement was a piece of the puzzle she had begun assembling.
By the time the first hints of dawn tinted the sky, Karina had completed her initial reconnaissance. Patterns were mapped, weaknesses noted, and a subtle understanding of the district's rhythm was established. Yet the Upper Rank demon's attention remained, a persistent, invisible weight pressing from above.
Karina's hand rested lightly on the hilt of her blade. She did not fear what watched her. She respected it, as she always respected formidable adversaries. And when the time came, she would respond with precision, with Arcane Breathing, and with the calm inevitability of a hunter who had already calculated every possible outcome.
Above, Daki's eyes glimmered one last time before fading into the shadows. "Interesting," she whispered, a predator acknowledging the emergence of another force. "This one… may be a threat unlike any we have faced."
And somewhere within the labyrinthine streets below, Karina moved onward, unaware of the full weight of the gaze upon her—but ready, in every fiber, for the inevitable clash that would soon follow.