"Ding."
"Successfully added Lower Moon Five, Rui, as a friend."
"Detected that the intimacy level between Lower Moon Five Rui and the host is 'First Acquaintance'. Random reward granted."
"Obtained skill: Blood Demon Art, Thread Manipulation (Mastery)."
"Do you wish to fuse Blood Demon Art, Thread Manipulation (Mastery), now?"
"No."
Raiden made the choice without hesitation, his lips curling slightly at the notification echoing in his mind.
He really never listened when spoken to kindly. It always had to come to this.
With a clean swing of his Nichirin blade, Raiden severed the remaining spider threads connecting Rui's head to his body. The final thread snapped.
Rui's body crumbled into ash, completely erasing the last trace of Lower Moon Five of the Twelve Kizuki.
Raiden calmly sheathed his blade and flicked the fading head aside as if it were nothing more than debris.
For a moment, the forest fell into unnatural silence.
Everyone nearby seemed to forget how to breathe.
Their eyes followed only one thing, the composed white-haired swordsman standing at the center of it all.
Murata's thoughts collapsed into nothingness.
The Twelve Kizuki is dead?
Even a Lower Moon was a walking disaster for the Demon Slayer Corps. Their presence usually meant overwhelming casualties, unless a Hashira intervened.
Statistics said it plainly. When a Twelve Kizuki appeared, more than eighty percent of the time, only a Pillar could resolve it.
And yet, right here, right now, a demon that had slaughtered countless swordsmen had been killed by a Kanoe-ranked slayer.
Murata's legs trembled as a cold chill crawled up his spine.
Terrifying.
It was absolutely terrifying.
He had been certain this mission would end in annihilation. That Raiden was cornered, doomed.
Instead, it felt as though Raiden had simply grown bored and decided to end the game.
Lightning-fast, clean, merciless.
Murata swallowed hard, recalling Raiden's earlier words to Rui.
Friends.
Was Rui killed because he refused? Because he hurt the yellow-haired boy? Or both?
Murata did not know.
But one thing was clear.
If Raiden ever asked to be friends with him, he would nod without hesitation.
"Damn it… Raiden."
Inosuke muttered under his breath, finally snapping out of his shock.
He had always known Raiden had been holding back when they sparred during breaks, but this was beyond expectation.
It was like comparing a single drop of water to an entire lake.
Inosuke did not even know what a Twelve Kizuki truly was, but his instincts screamed one truth.
If he had stepped into that battlefield earlier, death would have claimed him instantly.
Maybe faster than that.
"Raiden, the control is gone."
Tanjiro looked at him with shining eyes.
Even the Twelve Kizuki had fallen. Just how strong was Raiden, really?
Raiden nodded slightly. With Rui dead, the Spider Demon Mother no longer had the nerve to maintain control over the threads binding the Corps members.
"Will you come out on your own," Raiden said calmly, turning toward the dark forest, "or should I invite you?"
Before fighting Rui, he had already sensed another demon hiding nearby. Its presence was weak, barely worth attention.
Most likely one of Rui's so-called family members.
Behind a thick tree, the Spider Demon Elder Sister covered her mouth, her entire body trembling.
Rui is dead. Rui is really dead.
Wasn't he the strongest demon on this mountain?
Every demon slayer who came before had died here.
So how could this happen?
Raiden's voice reached her ears, and panic flooded her veins.
Even Rui could not defeat him. What chance did she have?
No. She had to escape.
The moment the thought took hold, it spiraled out of control.
As she stepped back, preparing to flee, she froze.
A figure stood silently on the tree branch before her.
White hair. Calm posture.
The same man who had just killed Rui.
Moonlight bathed him in silver, illuminating the terror on her face.
"Want to be friends?" Raiden asked softly.
His voice sounded as though it came from right beside her ear.
She froze, then nodded violently.
"I'm willing. I'm willing."
The words spilled out in a rush, as if even a second of hesitation would seal her fate.
"Ding."
"Successfully added Spider Demon Ayaka as a friend."
"Detected that intimacy level with Spider Demon Ayaka is 'First Acquaintance'. Random reward granted."
"Obtained Blood Demon Art, Dissolving Cocoon."
"Do you wish to fuse Blood Demon Art, Dissolving Cocoon (Proficient), now?"
"No."
"Very good."
Raiden's eyes flickered with mild surprise. Among Ayaka's abilities, only one Blood Demon Art was worth anything.
And he had gotten it immediately.
Two Blood Demon Arts in one night.
His goal at Mount Natagumo was already half complete.
Now all that remained was to wait for the arrival of the Water Hashira and the Insect Hashira.
Raiden vanished from the tree branch and rejoined Tanjiro and the others.
Ayaka stared blankly at the empty space he left behind.
Then joy surged through her.
He left. He really left.
As long as she agreed, she lived.
It had been true with Rui, and it was true now.
Clinging to that belief, she turned to flee down the mountain.
Then she stumbled.
Her body refused to move.
No matter how desperately she tried, she could only tremble in place.
Confused, Ayaka lowered her head.
And realized her head was no longer attached.
Her vision spun wildly as her body collapsed beneath her.
Staring at her own corpse, understanding finally dawned.
Raiden had never intended to let her live.
Friends. Bonds.
They were all lies.
Just like Rui's so-called family.
Even if she had done nothing wrong, her end would have been the same.
Of the remaining demons, the Spider Demon Father could not communicate, the Elder Brother's Blood Demon Art was too repulsive to bother with, and Tanjiro had already gone to confront the Mother.
Raiden arriving there would have changed nothing.
The Spider Demon Mother had long lost the will to live. Threatening her with death would only grant her wish.
It was better to let Tanjiro and the others handle the rest.
Meanwhile, Raiden focused on fusing the Blood Demon Arts he had obtained.
If he wanted to make friends with the Hashira, he needed strength worthy of their recognition.
Only then would friendship come easily.
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