"Damn it… damn it… I'll definitely eat you."
Although the opponent moved with incredible speed, Yamai could not truly harm Lucien.
Yamai's rage was fierce, but impotent.
Lucien Graves said nothing. Calmly, he dug into Yamai's eyes, engraved with the Lower Moon symbol, with two fingers. He casually tossed them in his hand like walnuts, then squeezed them into liquid, his amethyst gaze fixed on the demon's empty eye sockets.
Within a minute, Yamai's eyes regenerated. At the same time, his headless body launched an attack, still under some form of control.
"Interesting. How is he controlling his body when his head is in my hand?" Lucien mused.
His breathing fluctuated between rapid bursts and rolling thunder. The machete in his hand left afterimages as he slashed repeatedly. In moments, Yamai's body erupted in blood, turning into a heap of minced meat.
"So only a Nichirin Blade and sunlight can truly kill you. I wonder if roasting you over a fire would work." Lucien muttered, retrieving a rope from his bicycle basket. He strung Yamai's head like a prize pig's head, tied it securely to the back of his cart, and ignored the demon's furious curses as he pedaled toward the Love Estate under the night sky.
A mere Lower Moon could not challenge Lucien. The combination of Thunder Breathing and Soru granted him extraordinary speed, near the velocity of sound. Continued cultivation of both techniques promised even greater swiftness.
"Damn it…" Yamai's voice raged, dragging across the ground, dirt and dust splattering. "If you're so capable, let me go! I'll definitely eat you!"
Lucien paid no attention, cycling casually and puffing on his cigarette.
An hour later, the glowing lights of the Love Estate appeared in the distance—the only signs of life for miles. Behind him, Yamai's threats grew increasingly frantic.
"Lucien is back."
Mitsuri, Hanazawa, and Sakura, enjoying dinner, set aside their bowls and rushed to the main gate.
"I'm back," Lucien called, dismounting with a calm smile.
Hanazawa's eyes shifted to the large packages stacked in his bicycle cart.
"I went to the city," Lucien explained, "to buy a few gifts. Just a small token of my appreciation."
"Gifts?" Mitsuri's eyes sparkled, excitement clear. Hanazawa and Sakura exchanged glances, curiosity evident but far subtler.
"Yes, all of these," Lucien said, nodding toward the cart.
"So many… all for us?" Mitsuri circled the cart eagerly.
Yamai, who had previously roared and threatened, now trembled under the wheel, sweating coldly at the aura of a Hashira. Fear rendered him silent.
"Let's go into the courtyard first! I didn't know what you liked, so I bought a bit of everything," Lucien said, pushing his bicycle inside.
"Oh… what's this?" Sakura bent down, spotting Yamai.
"Oh! This is a demon I ran into on my way back. I couldn't kill him without a Nichirin Blade, so I brought his head along," Lucien explained casually.
"Oh!" Hanazawa merely glanced and looked away, while Mitsuri's attention remained fixed on the gifts, her excitement undiminished. Sakura, however, lifted the demon's head cautiously, face paling as she took in the grim sight.
"Kanroji… Lady Kanroji, this demon is a Lower Moon," she stammered.
Her voice trembled, memories of nearly dying during the Final Selection still haunting her. She wasn't yet a full Hashira, so her role remained limited to logistics and support at the Love Estate.
"What?" Hanazawa and Mitsuri snapped back to attention.
"What do you intend to do with me?" Yamai glared, terror flickering in his eyes.
"Lucien… you can defeat a Lower Moon… the third-ranked Lower Moon?" Hanazawa and Sakura whispered in shock, watching as Lucien began unloading the packages.
"It's alright," Lucien said lightly. "I nearly didn't make it back myself."
One package revealed five round watermelons. "Don't mind him for now. Come, enjoy some watermelon."
"Watermelon!" Mitsuri dashed forward, practically drooling.
Hanazawa and Sakura remained vigilant. "With Mitsuri here, a Lower Moon can be managed easily," Hanazawa commented.
Lucien smiled. "Then I'll dig in."
Each watermelon was sliced into four portions. Mitsuri's eyes narrowed in delight as she savored her slice. "So sweet!"
Hanazawa and Sakura enjoyed their portions as well.
"Once you finish, check the rest of the gifts I bought," Lucien said.
A few minutes later, the three women were entranced by clothes, cosmetics, jewelry, dresses, and shoes, as if an entire store had been transported into the courtyard. Their eyes sparkled with excitement, many items entirely new to them.
"You girls take your time," Lucien said, yawning. "I'm going to rest now."
"Don't forget about this guy," Sakura reminded him, glancing at Yamai.
Lucien ignored the demon and walked toward his room, prepared for a full night of rest. Hunting the Sons of Destiny and other villains could wait until Nezuko adapted to sunlight.
Inside, a freshly folded futon awaited him on the tatami mat. Lucien lay down, eyes scanning the soft ceiling.
A light screen appeared, showing that the Natural Month Dice had reset. Thirty days remained until the first reward roll, though he had already claimed the New World arrival reward earlier—a set of ten tub-shaped potato chip boxes. No penalty, only gain.
Lucien closed the screen and exhaled, contemplating. In Attack on Titan, his training had reached a ceiling; no matter how much effort he put in, his power could not increase further. He didn't know if this world would behave similarly.
"It better not." He whispered.
Thirty seconds later, he fell asleep. Even in slumber, his Thunder Breathing remained active, inhaling and exhaling in the rhythm of Total Concentration: Constant. Mastery of this technique was the minimum requirement for approaching a Hashira's strength. In the Demon Slayer Corps, Hashiras represented the pinnacle of human power.
---