Chapter 179 — Compass Perception
Although Akaza's body might feel fine right now, once the supply of rare blood stopped, he might suffer from even worse hunger during his journey.
Ren looked at Akaza, feeling somewhat awkward.
He only hoped Akaza wouldn't suffer too much on the road—and wouldn't resent him...
Akaza turned his head.
With a gentle expression, he said, "Ren, thank you. If it weren't for you, I might not have made it through."
"Mm."
"I'm not going to eat humans anymore. I know the Tamayo you mentioned. I'll go find her."
"Mm."
"Strange. Your face looks a little off."
Ren felt guilty.
"Does it? You must be mistaken, right?"
Then Ren continued,
"Oh, right. If you see pheasants or wild boars on the way, eat plenty. It's best not to enter the city on an empty stomach."
Akaza was stunned.
He hadn't expected Ren to care about him so much.
"I understand."
Akaza's expression became serious.
Then Ren's expression immediately changed.
"Akaza, you've passed my test. But if you continue eating humans, I'll kill you immediately."
After sensing Ren's aura—
Akaza knew he wasn't joking.
And Ren really did possess the ability to do it.
Thinking of this, Akaza smiled faintly.
"Ren, don't worry. If I really have to eat humans, I'll eat myself first."
"I'll do my best. Also, could you call me Hakuji from now on?"
"I don't like the name Akaza."
Ren smiled at that.
"Hakuji and Koyuki are together now. Do you really want Koyuki to remain a widow down below?"
Akaza's expression immediately became solemn.
"I take back what I just said."
Time continued to pass.
Ren stopped the bleeding from the wound.
Then he began digesting some of the insights he had gained.
You exchanged blood with your opponent!
During the blood transfusion, Ren had clearly felt a small amount of Akaza's blood enter his own body uncontrollably.
But it no longer mattered.
Akaza had already escaped Muzan's control.
Therefore, there was no curse power contained within this blood.
Ren discovered that the moment Akaza's blood entered his body, it was suppressed and then converted into his own blood.
Ren paid no attention to it.
But now—
that blood had changed.
[The speed of your blood circulation begins to increase, and your body is changing!]
[Your "Demonic Power" is gradually increasing. After observing your own body, your mastery of Blood Demon Art has also improved!]
Your blood has become more vigorous!
[Your understanding of Destructive Death has reached the highest realm. Under the influence of the transformation of your bloodline, your comprehension of Destructive Death has also improved!]
You have achieved enlightenment!
[You are reconstructing the techniques of "Destructive Death" in your mind!]
[Once, twice, three times, four times—you continuously deduce and analyze them!]
Rarely did sweat appear on Ren's forehead.
At the same time, his body began undergoing some kind of transformation.
This immediately caught Akaza's attention.
What is this?!
Akaza exclaimed in shock.
For some reason, he suddenly sensed a demonic aura coming from Ren.
Could Ren be a demon?
Impossible.
Ren could travel during the daytime, proving that he was human!
But what exactly did this aura mean?
Akaza was immediately thrown into confusion.
And what happened next only confused him further.
Ren's body began making cracking sounds.
It was a sound Akaza was extremely familiar with—
the sound of human bones colliding and being compressed.
"Is Ren really cultivating right now?"
Akaza was baffled.
Hadn't he just given Ren a blood transfusion?
How could Ren suddenly achieve enlightenment the very next second?
Immediately afterward—
A loud boom suddenly erupted around Ren.
Boom!
The power wasn't particularly great, but the familiar blue sphere of light still caused Akaza's pupils to widen.
Destructive Death!
That was his Destructive Death technique!
He had been right here the entire time.
So who had created this technique?
Akaza looked around.
There were only two people inside the train car—
himself and Ren.
The answer was obvious.
This Destructive Death had been created by Ren.
Even while he had been unconscious!
At this point, Akaza's mind was racing.
What is going on?
How did Ren learn Destructive Death? Had I taught him before?
Could he really have developed it himself?
That was impossible!
During their previous battle, Akaza had never seen Ren use this technique!
Could it be...?!
A guess suddenly surfaced in Akaza's mind.
Did Ren teach himself?
How was that possible?!
He had only fought Ren once.
How could Ren possibly have learned his Destructive Death?
But the facts were right before his eyes.
No matter how Akaza tried to rationalize it, he couldn't change the truth.
"Looks like I didn't lose unfairly after all. There really are geniuses in this world."
Akaza couldn't help giving a bitter smile.
At first, he had been somewhat skeptical.
Ren looked so young, while Akaza himself was an ancient demon who had cultivated for several hundred years.
Yet Ren had defeated him with only a few moves.
Akaza was a martial arts fanatic, and he was extremely sensitive to strength.
That was precisely why he had refused to believe it.
But now—
he was completely convinced.
In his eyes, Ren was hardly even human.
A secret technique he had passed down and refined for hundreds of years had been learned so easily by another person.
That alone was enough to prove how astonishing Ren's talent was.
Boom!
Again.
Another blue sphere of light surged from Ren's body.
This time, the sphere was larger and brighter than before.
The impact violently shook the surrounding air.
The turbulent air brushed against Akaza's hand, causing a faint stinging sensation!
"Is that... Destructive Death: Final Form — Blue Silver Chaotic Afterglow?!"
Akaza's expression was filled with shock.
At this moment, he couldn't even put his feelings into words.
The Blue Silver Chaotic Afterglow, which he had spent decades creating—
had actually been copied just like that by someone?!
Ren's brows furrowed tightly.
Ever since he had exchanged blood with Akaza—
his body had begun to change.
The most obvious change was that his affinity with Blood Demon Art was increasing at a linear rate.
Then, his physical condition began changing as well.
He could feel his bones and flesh growing, as though his body were becoming extraordinarily powerful at this moment.
Then—
his understanding of Destructive Death suddenly increased!
Ren speculated that these changes in his body might have been caused by Akaza's blood.
[You have achieved enlightenment and are gradually analyzing the technique "Destructive Death"!]
[You have fused Destructive Death with Breathing techniques. After deducing it tens of thousands of times in your mind and combining it with various techniques, including Shadowless Hands and Flame Breathing, you have ultimately created the swordsmanship "Destructive Asura"!]
[You have developed "Destructive Death: Compass." You have achieved enlightenment. You have comprehended "Compass Perception"!]