The lightning across the courtyard converged into a single point, as though the wrath of the heavens had descended upon the mortal world.
A spear of lightning took shape, roaring forward like an enraged dragon as it charged straight toward Sanemi Shinazugawa with overwhelming speed and power.
As one of the strongest Hashira, Sanemi's reflexes were flawless.
The moment Raiden began condensing his attack, a sense of danger surged through him. For the first time, he realized he might have misjudged the situation.
At this distance, no matter how fast he was, evasion was impossible.
"Wind Breathing, Third Form, Clear Storm Wind Tree."
Sanemi reacted on instinct.
Three azure wind blades surged upward from the ground, overlapping in front of him to form a defensive barrier.
The lightning Raiden unleashed had already surpassed ordinary limits.
The wind blades slowed the spear, stripping away part of its force, but they could not stop it entirely.
Bolts of lightning tore through the barrier, shattering the wind blades before striking Sanemi directly.
His upper haori blackened instantly. Faint burn marks appeared along the right forearm gripping his Nichirin blade. Even the blade itself was scorched dark.
The damage was not severe.
But the sight alone stunned the Hashira present.
"Shinazugawa got injured? He used the Third Form and still took damage?"
Obanai Iguro stiffened on the tree branch, his pupils narrowing.
If Sanemi had been careless, it would have been one thing.
But he had been serious, and he had used a breathing form.
That meant the boy standing there had earned the right to be taken seriously.
An arm wound was minor.
A neck wound would have been fatal.
Kocho Shinobu reached out instinctively, intending to intervene. Kagaya Ubuyashiki had not yet appeared, and Nezuko's fate remained undecided.
But her hand froze midair.
Her words died in her throat.
Raiden had injured Sanemi.
Blood seeped from Sanemi's arm, bright and unmistakable.
The wound itself was small, far less dramatic than the scars already covering his body. But those scars came from years of brutal combat and relentless training.
This wound was different.
"He really hurt Shinazugawa, that's incredible."
"That light was blinding. Where did the clouds go?"
"What a pity, such a promising young man is about to die."
"If only he didn't protect a demon, I'd want him as a drinking buddy."
Sanemi stared at his forearm, momentarily silent.
He had been injured.
By someone far weaker than himself.
Even if the Third Form had not been used at full strength, that was no excuse.
An injury was an injury.
Raiden.
That was his name.
Sanemi raised his head, licked the blood from his arm, and fixed his gaze on Raiden.
This time, there was no ridicule in his eyes.
Only focus.
Raiden observed the damage he had dealt, his expression unchanged.
But his heart sank.
That was it?
His full power, his perfected Sixth Form, had only managed this?
The wound would close within a day or two. It would not affect Sanemi's combat ability at all.
So this was the true strength of a Hashira at the highest level.
Raiden exhaled quietly.
After defeating two members of the Twelve Kizuki and witnessing the uneven power scaling within the Corps, he had overestimated himself.
There was a reason the Hashira stood at the top.
His gaze shifted subtly toward the inner halls of the estate.
The battle had gone on long enough.
By now, Kagaya Ubuyashiki should have appeared.
But there was still no sign of him.
Raiden dismissed the thought that the Master simply wanted to see more of his Thunder Breathing. He had already shown his strongest techniques.
That left only one possibility.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki wanted to see his Blood Demon Art.
He was likely observing whether its use would have any adverse effects.
Raiden understood the caution, even if it left a bitter taste.
If someone capable of using a Blood Demon Art suddenly appeared, any leader would investigate thoroughly.
Raiden lowered his Nichirin blade slightly.
He prepared to activate the Blood Demon Art he had acquired from Rui.
Among all the abilities he possessed, only this one was worthy of being used against the Wind Hashira.
The spider threads within his body stirred, beginning to awaken beneath his skin.
Then, a sudden sound echoed in his mind.
[Ding]
[Tanjiro Kamado's favorability toward the host has increased]
[Tanjiro Kamado's relationship with the host has advanced to Close Friend]
[Random reward granted]
[Skill obtained: Transparent World (Fragment)]
[Do you wish to fuse the skill now?]
Raiden's eyes flicked toward Tanjiro, who was restrained on the ground.
Fear, worry, gratitude, trust.
For the first time, Raiden realized how clearly emotions could be read on someone's face.
"Transparent World," Raiden murmured. "Perfect timing."
In the later stages of the Corps, three powers defined the strongest warriors, the Demon Slayer Mark, the Transparent World, and the Crimson Blade.
Among them, Transparent World was the most overwhelming.
Once fully activated, it allowed its user to dominate nearly every Upper Moon in direct combat.
Akaza's defeat had proven that.
When Tanjiro entered the Transparent World, Akaza could not react, could not counter, could not escape.
The speed of a human who had reached absolute clarity was something even a demon could not comprehend.
What Raiden had obtained was only a fragment.
But even incomplete, such a skill could not be weak.
Raiden straightened.
"Then," he said calmly, "the second round begins now."
[Do you wish to fuse the skill: Transparent World (Fragment)?]
[Yes]