Lucien Graves observed with interest. This being had great research value.
"You… you are a Demon Slayer?"
The creature's voice trembled slightly. With only a head remaining, it was far from dead and could still speak.
"A Demon Slayer?"
Lucien stroked his chin thoughtfully. What kind of being could survive being blasted into minced meat? Its body was real flesh and blood, not a ghost or soul.
He lifted the creature's head with one hand, inspecting it from every angle.
"Damn it, you hateful humans are just food."
Infuriated by Lucien, the creature lunged and bit a chunk of flesh from his arm.
Lucien's face remained impassive, showing no sign of pain. With a casual toss, high-temperature steam erupted from his arm, five-colored light radiating as the flesh regenerated instantly.
"You… you are also a demon."
The creature recoiled, staring in disbelief at Lucien's regenerating arm. Human flesh, consumed, yet regenerating as if nothing had happened.
But the answer came from the barrel of his Gatling gun.
Da da da…
A rapid burst of fire shredded the creature's newly regenerated head.
"Incredible… can it regenerate infinitely?"
Brain matter and blood splattered everywhere. Lucien, holding the smoking Gatling, watched the head wriggle and rebuild itself, curiosity sparkling in his purple diamond-patterned eyes.
Da da da…
Da da da…
Round after round, the creature regenerated, and Lucien kept firing.
"Stop… stop!"
After roughly ten cycles, the creature could no longer hold back. Constant blasting was agonizing, and daylight approached—exposure to sunlight would end it.
"Run out of energy, have you? Can't regenerate anymore?"
Lucien exhaled two smoke rings, the Gatling barrel glowing faintly red.
"Hmph, I am a demon. My body is immortal, you cannot kill me."
The creature snorted, disdainful.
"Is that so?"
Lucien's Gatling vanished, replaced by a watermelon knife in his hand.
"Useless."
The creature froze, expecting a Nichirin Blade, the sacred weapon of the Demon Slayer Corps, capable of absorbing sunlight and slaying demons with lethal precision.
Yet the knife in Lucien's hand emitted no sunlight aura—it was ordinary, useless against it.
The creature exhaled a sigh of relief.
Lucien returned moments later with a pile of firewood. The creature had regenerated to its knees, soon to be fully mobile. Its cellular regeneration was remarkable.
Lucien set the wood ablaze, standing in front of the creature with the watermelon knife, a chilling smile crossing his face.
"You… what do you want to do…"
Sweat streamed down the creature's face, terror evident in every word.
"To see if I can burn you to death."
With two swift slashes, like cutting fruit, Lucien severed the head and skewered it on a branch, roasting it over the fire.
"Ah… ah… demon!"
The creature wailed, pain more intense than dismemberment. The scent of roasting flesh filled the air.
Lucien calmly pulled out a pack of spicy strips, eating while observing the creature's reactions. Its cellular regeneration made burning the only effective way to end it.
Drip… drip…
Fat and fluids sizzled into the fire, fueling the blaze. After roughly five minutes, the creature stopped struggling.
"Tsk, a bit troublesome, but fire still works."
Whether demon or human, fire was absolute. Two or three intense fires could finish anything.
Yet this being was unusual—flesh and blood with cellular regeneration, unlike traditional demons or vampires. Lucien considered: mutated zombie, perhaps?
"Is this a zombie world?"
Just as he contemplated, a sweet, clear voice called out.
"Oh my! Did you kill this demon?"
A girl appeared, wearing a snow-white haori over a short uniform and skirt, green-striped thigh-high socks accenting her legs. Her light green eyes sparkled with curiosity, framed by tear moles and three long cherry-pink braids tipped with green. Delicate, charming, and full of life.
Lucien froze momentarily, memories flickering through his mind.
"Your eyes… beautiful, like lavender gems."
Kanroji Mitsuri stepped forward gracefully, tilting her head, eyes fixed on Lucien.
"Your eyes are beautiful too."
Lucien smiled, realizing the world he had entered. He had once loved this girl, though her story was brief, a minor character in his memory. Yet she had moved him—he liked her, loved her, just as he had loved Nami and Mikasa.
Lucien had always been single-minded in his affections, cherishing every beautiful woman he had encountered in movies and anime. His love could be summed up simply: love them, then protect—or punish—them entirely.
"Thank you!"
Kanroji Mitsuri blushed at his compliment, nerves causing sweat to bead on her forehead. Her shyness was charming and uncontrollable.
"You are truly adorable!"
Lucien's heart skipped a beat. Mitsuri's figure, combined with her shy demeanor, made her irresistibly protective. He wished he could merge his strength and care with her.
Kanroji Mitsuri cupped her cheeks, cherry-pink hair rising in slight steam.
"Well… um, did you kill this demon? Are you a member of the Demon Slayer Corps?"
Her words stumbled, regaining composure as she blinked her lively green eyes at him.
"I killed it, but I am not part of the Corps."
Lucien handed her the unfinished spicy strips.
"What is this?"
Curious, Mitsuri smelled them—spicy, numbing, and intriguing.
"Try it, it's a snack from my world."
"Then I won't be polite."
Her mouth watered as she took one, tasting it.
"Wow… spicy… delicious!"
Her eyes lit up. Nothing she had eaten compared to this, not even cherry blossom mochi.
Kanroji Mitsuri tilted her head, savoring the flavor and glancing back at the smoldering fire. "And you… you just killed it alone? Without any support?"
Lucien casually shrugged, crunching on the spicy strips. "It was more of a test… and a snack break."
Mitsuri laughed lightly, the sound delicate like wind chimes. "You're… quite extraordinary."
Lucien's eyes sparkled faintly. "Extraordinary? Perhaps. Dangerous? Definitely."
The fire crackled, casting dancing shadows on the two figures. A moment of calm settled, strange yet comforting, between the two warriors from different worlds.