Akaza walked out of the dust, the excitement fading from his face. He looked at Aoki, puzzled.
"What happened just now? Why didn't I sense your fighting spirit move?"
"I actually wanted to keep fighting you," Aoki said, a hint of regret in his voice.
He'd determined that he couldn't beat Akaza yet, but Akaza couldn't kill him either.
This kind of high-intensity, high-pressure battle would help him improve his fighting skills and perfect his combat system.
"But," Aoki sighed, "I'm a little worried that the other Upper Moons, or even Muzan Kibutsuji, might be on their way here."
Akaza clenched his fist, pointed it at Aoki. "Too bad. This isn't a fight you can choose to avoid."
"No, I can decide!"
Aoki's figure suddenly disappeared.
Akaza's gaze froze.
Again!
He hadn't sensed the fighting spirit move. He'd just vanished!
At the end of the street...
Byoki, who had been watching, stared, stunned, at the figure that suddenly appeared before him.
"Aoki Style, Tempest!"
Aoki's attack swept over him like a violent storm.
Byoki didn't react. In an instant, his body was riddled with fist-sized holes, his limbs were destroyed, his head was pierced.
Compared to the fight with Rui, Aoki's power had increased again. Combined with the surprise attack, he'd almost crippled the Lower Moon in one move.
Akaza caught sight of Aoki the moment he appeared. He summoned Compass Needle, focused it.
"Annihilation Style, Final Style: Blue Silver Chaotic Afterglow!"
Whump, whump, whump!
A hail of projectiles rained down, like hundreds of rockets firing at once.
Aoki didn't try to block. He stopped his attack, teleported away.
Boom boom boom!
The projectiles landed, the earth shattered, buildings collapsed.
The entire street was like a plowed field, the ground broken, all the houses reduced to rubble.
A mass of mangled flesh gathered, formed a human shape. It was Byoki.
Akaza's attack had helped him escape the wounds inflicted by Demon Devour.
But his face was pale. The regeneration had clearly taken a toll.
"The traitor is so strong. This isn't what we agreed on!"
Byoki cursed inwardly, forgot everything else, turned and ran.
He didn't want to experience that again.
For a moment, he'd truly felt death.
He was only supposed to lure out the traitor. His task was done. The Upper Moon was responsible now.
Even if the traitor escaped, that man couldn't blame him.
Akaza watched Byoki run, his voice cold. "Fool!"
Didn't he realize the traitor could cross space?
Running was suicide.
Then...
Akaza's expression sharpened. Compass Needle reacted, a powerful fighting spirit appeared behind him.
He didn't turn. He kicked upwards, behind him.
"Annihilation Style, Leg Style: Crown Splitter."
He was too fast. Aoki could only defend.
Thump!
It was like a hammer blow. Aoki's arm ached. He vanished again.
"Where did he go?"
Akaza frowned.
He couldn't sense him. The traitor had left Compass Needle's range.
He hated losing track of his enemy.
Then, Compass Needle reacted again. Akaza turned. "Annihilation Style, Leg Style: Flowing Flash Multitude of Lights."
A flurry of kicks, like a burst of light, but he hit nothing.
"Again!"
Veins bulged on Akaza's forehead. "What is that power? A Blood Demon Art like Nakime's?"
It was rare.
The fight was unpleasant.
Akaza suppressed his anger, calmly searching for a way to counter this power.
The traitor was strong. Even he couldn't beat him quickly. Combined with that ability, he was like a slippery, unkillable rat.
He'd fought opponents he couldn't beat. But he'd never met an enemy this "disgusting."
Then, Akaza realized something.
Why hadn't the traitor attacked?
Had he given up?
No!
Lower Moon Three!
Akaza's eyes widened. He ran towards where Lower Moon Three had fled.
He heard muffled crashes, a bad feeling washed over him.
He turned a corner. Akaza's gaze turned icy.
Aoki heard him, turned, smiled. "You're too late."
As he spoke, Lower Moon Three was completely devoured. The System's voice flooded his mind.
[Killed Lower Moon Three, Gained 500 Experience.]
[Constitution +1.]
["Lower Moons' End" Complete. Rewards Issued.]
["Hunter and Prey" Complete. Rewards Issued.]
[Congratulations! Leveled Up!]
[Congratulations! Leveled Up!]
[Congratulations! Leveled Up!]
Leveled up three times?
Aoki blinked, confused. He calculated quickly.
He was almost level 9. Lower Moon Three was 500 experience. "Lower Moons' End" was 1200. "Hunter and Prey" was 400.
It was enough for three levels!
Akaza's face was ice, his golden eyes burning with rage.
He didn't care about Lower Moon Three. But the traitor had killed him in front of him. It was a slap in the face.
"Technique Deployment!"
The giant snowflake pattern appeared. Akaza charged Aoki.
Aoki blinked, hesitated.
The situation had changed.
Three levels. "Hunter and Prey" had given him a skill point.
He had four skill points. He could learn a skill.
Should he learn Transparent World? Could he kill Akaza here?
Akaza had a tragic past.
Lower Moon Five, Rui, was hateful, pathetic. Akaza was pitiable, a soul lost in darkness.
But Aoki wouldn't hold back.
Akaza's past didn't matter. He'd killed countless humans. He deserved to die.
Besides, killing Akaza was the best way to free him from his twisted existence.
But if he learned Transparent World, he'd have to wait for Demon Devour Level 2.
Leveling up took more experience now.
It would take a long time to get four more skill points.
Aoki hesitated for less than a second.
He made his choice.
Learn!
He had to.
It was a perfect chance. He might not see Akaza again.
Killing Akaza would give him a lot of experience. "Upper Moons' End" would give him even more. It was worth the wait.
Aoki shimmered, dodged Akaza's attack. He was about to call up the System.
Then...
A terrifying presence crashed down, a wave of oppressive power. Malice filled the air. The world became a hellscape.
A young man walked out of the darkness. White shirt, black jacket. Plum-red eyes, pale face.
---
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