Beneath the night sky of New York, sin and neon lights intertwined.
On Broadway, a grand opera had just concluded. Dressed in finery, ladies and gentlemen filed out of the opulent theater, their faces still wearing expressions of lingering satisfaction.
They discussed the brilliance of the soprano or the exquisite nature of a certain set piece, preparing to board their limousines and head to the next banquet of high society.
Amidst the crowd, a young man with a handsome face and refined attire stood out, looking entirely out of place.
He had slightly curly black hair and skin so pale it was almost sickly. A pair of scarlet eyes, like two solidified blood ambers, gazed indifferently at the bustling scene before him.
In his eyes, this prosperity was nothing more than a group of soon-to-rot lumps of flesh wiggling about pointlessly.
His name was Kibutsuji Muzan.
A moment ago, he had still been in the Infinity Castle, burning with rage because of that damnable Demon Slayer Corps.
The next second, the World spun, and he appeared in this strange, noisy place, reeking of inferior beings.
A panel, visible only to him, flickered before his eyes.
[Welcome to the "Marvel Universe", player Kibutsuji Muzan.]
[All players involved are divided into three major factions based on their essential attributes---]
Kibutsuji Muzan's scarlet eyes swept quickly over the text. When he saw the faction division, his expression did not change in the slightest, as if everything were a matter of course.
[Assigned Faction: Raid Faction---]
A blood-red skull emblem flickered in the corner of his vision.
"Marvel Universe--- Player--- Faction---"
Kibutsuji Muzan paid no mind to the noisy system prompts; his attention was firmly captured by something else.
Sunlight.
He subconsciously looked up at the night sky, which was fractured by the skyscrapers.
Although it was currently night, he could clearly perceive that the Sun existed in this World.
That eternal curse which had forced him into hiding for a thousand years, and which he was willing to pay any price to overcome.
"Blue Spider Lily---" He muttered to himself, his voice carrying an obsession that had remained unchanged for a millennium.
No matter which World he was in, this goal would never change.
Just then, the piercing sound of sirens approached from afar, and several Police cars roared toward a nearby jewelry store.
Several masked robbers were rushing out with bags, firing their guns wildly at the pursuing security guards.
Bullets struck the walls, sending sparks flying. The crowd screamed in terror and scattered in flight.
The ladies and gentlemen who had been elegant and composed just moments ago were now in a sorry state, shoving each other and making a spectacle of themselves.
Kibutsuji Muzan stood in place, unmoving.
A panicked, heavy-set woman bumped into him. Not only did she not apologize, but she glared at him viciously, muttered a curse, and continued to flee for her life.
Kibutsuji Muzan's brows furrowed slightly, and a flash of displeasure crossed his scarlet eyes.
What a group of--- lowly creatures.
He cast his gaze toward the robbers. They were in a fierce firefight with the arriving Police. Gunshots, shouting, and the sound of shattering glass mingled together, turning this prosperous street into a chaotic battlefield.
"Reputation Points--- Exchange for everything---"
Kibutsuji Muzan recalled the explanation on the system panel.
Although he held this so-called "System" in contempt, if he could use it to find the Blue Spider Lily and find a way to overcome the sunlight, he did not mind playing along with these ants.
He needed to test the "rules" of this World.
Kibutsuji Muzan began to walk, unhurriedly heading toward the center of the firefight. His pace was as leisurely as an after-dinner stroll, standing in stark contrast to the panicked, fleeing crowd around him.
"Hey! Kid! Are you looking to die? Get down!"
A Police officer hiding behind a patrol car noticed him and shouted loudly.
Kibutsuji Muzan ignored him and walked straight toward the robbers who were pinned down by gunfire at the entrance of the jewelry store.
"Where did this lunatic come from?"
A robber also spotted him and raised his gun, aiming at Kibutsuji Muzan.
"Get lost! Or I'll blow your brains out!"
Kibutsuji Muzan stopped and gazed at him quietly with his scarlet eyes. There was no fear, no anger in that gaze, only the coldness of looking at a dead object.
Being stared at with such eyes, the robber felt a chill seep from his very marrow. He pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
The bullet shot precisely toward the center of Kibutsuji Muzan's forehead.
However, the bloody scene of a bursting head that had been expected did not occur.
The moment the bullet was about to touch his skin, a layer of extremely thin, almost invisible black material appeared on the surface of Kibutsuji Muzan's body.
The bullet struck it as if hitting an indestructible steel plate, instantly deforming and falling powerlessly to the ground with a crisp "ding".
The ferocity on the robber's face froze. The shouting Police officer also opened his mouth wide, forgetting to shoot.
"Not a bad toy." Kibutsuji Muzan spoke, his voice flat and without a ripple.
"Too bad, it's too weak."
As soon as the words fell, his arm mutated and elongated without warning.
It was no longer a human arm, but a black flesh-whip covered in eerie patterns, with several sharp bone spurs branching out from the tip!
"Swish!"
The flesh-whip tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistle.
The robber who had fired the shot did not even see what happened before his entire upper body was torn to pieces by that flesh-whip.
Blood and fragments of viscera splashed onto the gorgeous display window of the jewelry store like a sudden downpour.
"Ah—!"
The remaining two robbers let out inhuman screams. They threw away the money bags, turned their guns, and fired wildly at Kibutsuji Muzan.
"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!"
The dense barrage of bullets hit Kibutsuji Muzan, but only elicited a series of metallic clanging sounds; they could not even tear his suit in the slightest.
"D-Devil!"
One of the robbers completely broke down; he threw away his gun and turned to run.
But Kibutsuji Muzan did not give him that chance.
"Squish!"
Another tentacle, like a black thorn, extended from Kibutsuji Muzan's back and caught up to him with even greater speed, piercing accurately through his chest from his back.
The barbs at the tip of the tentacle opened, firmly hooking his heart.
The robber froze in place, looking down at the black thorn that had pierced through his chest, the light of life in his eyes rapidly extinguishing.
The last robber was paralyzed on the ground with fear, his crotch wet and warm. He watched this man who had slaughtered his companions while taking a leisurely stroll, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.
Kibutsuji Muzan walked up to him and looked down at him from above.
Then, he slowly raised his foot.
"Bang!"
The robber's head was easily crushed like a ripe tomato.
The entire process took only a little over ten seconds.
The street fell into a deathly silence. Whether Police or passersby, everyone stared in disbelief at the man standing in the pool of blood. His expensive suit remained spotless.
Kibutsuji Muzan slowly raised his hand, and the panel visible only to him appeared once more.
[Congratulations to the Raid Faction player—Kibutsuji Muzan, for successfully killing 3 civilians and gaining 500 Reputation Points.]
"Five hundred points---"
A flash of clear disgust crossed Kibutsuji Muzan's scarlet eyes.
Too little.
This efficiency was barely higher than stepping on a bug by the roadside.
His gaze passed over the trembling Police officers and turned toward the deeper parts of the city.
This World must have things of more "value" than these pieces of trash.
Those so-called "players," or perhaps the strong individuals of this World itself.
He needed higher-quality "food."
Just then, a nimble figure descended from the sky and landed between Kibutsuji Muzan and the Police cars.
It was a man wearing a red and blue spandex suit with a spider emblem on his chest.
"Hey, buddy!"
Spider-Man struck a landing pose he thought was cool and said in a relaxed tone.
"The cosplay party is over. Wherever you got those special effects, it's time to call it quits."
He saw the corpses on the ground; although his tone remained relaxed, his eyes became grave.
Kibutsuji Muzan looked at this suddenly appearing, strangely dressed man, his scarlet eyes narrowing slightly.
From this man, he sensed a life energy far exceeding that of an ordinary person.
Although still weak, it was much stronger than those robbers from just before.
"An interesting specimen."
The corners of Kibutsuji Muzan's mouth finally curved into an arc—a smile filled with scrutiny and cruelty.
"Perfect. Let me see how many Reputation Points I can get from killing you."