He blocked it.
Hikaru had actually blocked the demon's attack.
And in doing so—he finally saw it clearly.
It was a demon.
Humanoid at first glance, but that illusion shattered the moment one looked closer. Those fanged jaws, those clawed hands, the glowing crimson pupils set within pitch-black sclera… And that guttural hiss—it was more beast than man.
There was no mistaking it.
This was a creature born of darkness.
And yet, as he held off the demon's claws with his blade, something inside Hikaru shifted.
He'd done it—something even the body's original owner hadn't managed.
He'd deflected an attack from this thing.
It wasn't just strength.
Something else had changed.
And then—like a system window blinking open in his mind—a screen appeared, as if summoned from the depths of his consciousness:
— — —
Name: Hikaru
Affiliation: Demon Slayer Corps
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
— — —
Status
Strength: F
Endurance: F
Agility: F
Magic: —
Luck: D
Noble Phantasm: —
— — —
Active Skills:
Mist Breathing (F): One of many Breathing Styles. Lacks power, but excels in perception and deception.
Calm Mind (F): Allows the user to maintain composure under pressure, improving awareness and enabling precise reaction to enemy attacks.
— — —
Equipment
Nichirin Blade (F): A demon-slaying katana infused with sunlight energy, capable of killing immortal demons.
— — —
That was his status screen—the undeniable sign of a system.
It was called the Heroic Spirit Accomplishment System.
Heroic Spirits were beings recognized by the world for transcendent feats—achievements beyond the limits of mortals.
And this system functioned on that very principle: every significant deed he performed would be recorded and converted into stats, skills, or traits.
Just like now.
By predicting and successfully blocking a demon's strike, the system had awarded him a skill: Calm Mind.
One moment of success was all it took to become a stepping stone.
One blocked attack—would never strike him the same way again.
It seemed weak now—yes. The growth was slow, tied to real effort and experience.
But precisely because of that...
Its potential was limitless.
Of course, that only mattered if he stayed alive long enough to use it.
Still—he could finally see it.
A sliver of light in the darkness.
All his stats might be rated F, but he knew what that meant.
In this system, F wasn't "feeble."
It represented the upper limit of a normal human.
And that… was already enough to survive.
His mind finished syncing with the information in a fraction of a second.
Meanwhile, the demon—whose attack had been parried—let out a furious snarl.
"You little wretch…!"
Its voice was low and guttural, like gravel grinding in a blood-soaked throat. Its eyes blazed, the rage inside it boiling over.
Demons weren't mindless. But most were driven by instinct and hunger.
The creature growled, then lunged forward—faster, harder.
The ground shook.
The wind howled.
Even before the demon reached him, its pressure was already crashing down like a wave.
Hikaru knew—there was no way he could stop this one head-on.
He dropped into a low stance.
And then—
Steel met claw in a blinding clash.
His hands trembled. Pain exploded through his palm. The impact numbed his arms, and the Nichirin Blade almost flew from his grip.
But he held on.
His trained reflexes kicked in.
He twisted his wrists, angling the blade just enough to redirect the force—sliding the demon's claws inches past his chest.
The beast shot past him like a charging storm.
Hikaru spun on his heel.
His breath slowed… matched the rhythm.
Mist Breathing.
Vapor swirled around his body, thin streams of fog coiling at his feet. Even the faintest shifts in the air became clear to him—like the world itself was being revealed.
And within that mist…
The demon's form stood out.
He struck.
A sideways slash—aimed at the neck.
The neck: a demon's only true weakness.
If severed by a Nichirin Blade, the demon's body would disintegrate—completely erased.
But—
CLANG!
A sharp crack rang out.
The blade struck the demon's neck—sparks flew.
But it didn't cut through.
Too hard…!
The force flung Hikaru back. He landed and quickly rolled, using the momentum to recover his stance.
He exhaled—slowly.
Calm Mind.
The skill kicked in. His heartbeat leveled. His panic faded.
The demon paused, lifting a hand to the white line on its neck—where the blade had landed.
"You damn brat…"
It glared at him.
Eyes boiling with hatred.
"You should've just died already…!"
Its roar echoed, fangs glinting beneath the blood moon.
The demon crouched low, now moving on all fours. Its posture—more beast than man—was that of a predator ready to pounce.
The air around it trembled.
A wave of bloodlust radiated from its body.
Hikaru didn't flinch.
He raised his sword and lowered his body.
His gaze locked onto the demon's neck—right where the mark had been left.
Then—
The ground cracked beneath a thunderous step.
The demon charged—wild and reckless like a raging boar.
Dirt exploded, grass scattered, raw power surged from its limbs.
Hikaru didn't retreat.
He stood his ground.
Lowered his stance, hands gripping the sword tight.
Wind howled.
The blood moon gleamed above.
And in that final moment—
The demon closed in.
Its claws stretched forward—mere inches from his eyes.
One second to decide life or death.
Hikaru moved.
"Mist Breathing, Second Form—Eight-Layered Mist!"
His body tensed.
Breath held.
All of his power compressed into one clean strike.
A flash of white erupted from the blade.
Mist spun around them like a blooming storm.
The slash carved through the demon's neck—clean, exact.
The head slid off, trailing dark mist.
Both landed on the ground.
Hikaru stood tall.
The demon's body twitched—
Then a jet of black blood burst from its severed neck.
Thick liquid soaked the grass beneath.
He lowered his sword and slowly returned it to its sheath.
And in that quiet moment—
A new message appeared within his mind.
— — —
[Trait Acquired: Anti-Demon (F)]
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