Reiyuko screamed, swearing in that instant that she had seen death itself approaching.
Even though her true body was elsewhere, controlling the puppet through someone else's eyes, the swing of that blade felt as though she were staring straight into the face of death.
Her mind blurred with strange, fragmented images: a group of people lying in a pool of blood, a girl hiding inside a crate, soldiers invading a home and committing atrocities, a…
The strange visions faded quickly as the sharp pain in her head flared.
"You are not dead yet. Continue."
Muzan's cold voice briefly echoed in Reiyuko's mind. She realized, as always, that she was not fragile. Moreover, this wasn't even her true body. What reason did she have to fear?
As if in response to Muzan's words, the demonic blood within the arrowhead seeds she controlled surged violently, accelerating the puppet's regeneration.
The colossal flesh giant, split into hundreds of pieces, reassembled rapidly.
"Fear me, tremble before Lord Muzan's power!"
Reiyuko shouted, fanatical and unhinged. The weak attacks of humans meant nothing to demons. Only the sun could truly threaten them.
"High-speed regenerating cells, huh? You're becoming more and more interesting."
Lan Daotianwu stroked his chin, a rare smile of delight spreading across his face.
He was not just a master of magnetic fields. True magnetic field experts like him combined martial prowess with astonishing intelligence. Each could be considered a leading scholar in one or more fields.
He was curious. What kind of cells could regenerate so rapidly? Where did they get the energy required to obey conservation laws?
It was a shame that crossing worlds had given him nothing beyond this tattered cloak. Yet that was no concern.
This was an interesting specimen, but such peculiar beings were not uncommon in this world. That Muzan fellow was clearly a master in this domain.
Lan Daotianwu looked forward even more to meeting such a "worthy opponent."
"Demons have regenerative abilities. Only sunlight or a Nichirin blade can truly kill them."
Shinobu provided the explanation just in time.
Despite the child's wickedness, he at least maintained some sense of morality. At the very least, they were fighting demons. That alone was enough.
But where could Lan Daotianwu find a second Nichirin blade to use?
As for Shinobu's sword, it was barely strong enough to cut pork cleanly. That was not an option.
Yet there was indeed a second blade. Murata's Nichirin sword remained, but Reiyuko had already seized it to threaten herself.
She held it cautiously, despite her dislike.
Crack!
Without hesitation, the flesh giant crushed the sword into a dozen pieces. Reiyuko's restrained, cruel laughter accompanied her mockery.
"Without these troublesome metals, your attacks are nothing more than tickles!"
Lan Daotianwu stroked his chin, an intrigued smile on his face.
"Really? Then give me more surprises. Don't your cells have limits? Do you even possess telomerase in your body?"
"Talking to a creature with neither strength nor wisdom is a waste of time. Since your master refuses to show himself, you "
"Be quiet for now."
The words had barely left his lips when Lan Daotianwu spread his hands, forming claws. From the fingertips of his youthful hands, currents surged, shaping a sword of pure electrical energy.
Sword of Hell: Crescent Moon
Using a long-forgotten technique, rarely mastered due to its difficulty, he attacked the clown before him.
This time, Shinobu, concentrating fully, could finally observe some of his movements.
Or rather, she glimpsed the flow of his "motions."
The blade of light, extending from his fingertips, moved hundreds, perhaps thousands of times in an instant, shining like silver moonlight in swift brilliance.
Even more terrifying, the attack was not random flailing. It followed a precise, observable pattern.
Beautiful and dazzling, yet deadly and horrifying.
"Ah!"
Reiyuko's scream of pain erupted. Half of the flesh puppet's body collapsed under the strike.
What was shocking was that Lan Daotianwu did not use a Nichirin blade.
Half of the arrowhead seeds maintaining the puppet's cohesion were shattered. Protected deep within the corpse, yet still destroyed effortlessly.
Even more frightening were the wounds themselves. Not as obvious as a Nichirin cut, yet impossible to repair, no matter how much Reiyuko concentrated.
How did he do it? What mysterious power did this boy possess?
Reiyuko shrank back in fear, but Lan Daotianwu's mind was far from this puppet.
This attack was a simulation of the legendary technique Sword of Hell, developed by the ancient Heavenly Commander through rigorous study of the Dharma Sutras.
Although his version was weakened, a mere imitation, it retained a key property: determination.
Only a few masters of magnetic fields could truly wield this. It was easy to crush foes with raw power, but preventing cellular regeneration required extreme skill.
Determination imprinted one's will onto the magnetic field itself, embedding the effect of the strike deep into the opponent's cells.
Destruction became permanent.
The Sword of Hell allowed this with terrifying precision.
Even without a Nichirin blade, Lan Daotianwu's electric simulation of the technique devastated the demon's cellular structure.
Its self-repair continued, but the flow of electric currents made recovery extremely difficult.
Even without the sword, he could annihilate demons as easily as slaughtering chickens.
"Since your master refuses to appear, watch closely through this clown's eyes."
Lan Daotianwu spread his hands. Somehow, the fragments of the Nichirin blade Reiyuko had shattered floated into his palms. Dozens of pieces hovered within the magnetic field, instantly reconnecting under the invisible current.
The shattered sword reformed, stronger and sharper than before.
"Interesting. This mineral stores solar energy efficiently, like a natural solar battery."
"That is Crimson Ape Ore, mined closest to the sun," Shinobu whispered.
The boy's actions and abilities were unlike a normal human. He was not a demon; he did not consume humans.
The hostages, though killed by Reiyuko's seeds, had little chance of survival anyway.
"I see. So your cells fear ultraviolet light. Solar energy, then?"
Lan Daotianwu traced a finger over a twitching piece of flesh. The blade barely touched it, leaving burns in an instant.
Fascinating. The demon cells had extraordinary activity, dividing almost infinitely without telomerase. Unlimited lifespan, incredible regeneration.
Yet even the slightest UV exposure was fatal. They had no immune system.
They were like moving piles of cancer cells, endlessly dividing, fully relying on regeneration to excise infected areas.
Lan Daotianwu found these demons incredibly interesting, rarities even in his original world.
The Nichirin blade, though less remarkable, was intriguing. It stored solar energy efficiently and could read the wielder's life force, changing color accordingly. Otherwise, it was nothing special.
He was more interested in harnessing real power than examining a single weapon.
"My curiosity grows. Since you refuse to face me, I will first strike this lump of flesh."
Lan Daotianwu raised the sword. He stared at the colossal flesh giant, at Reiyuko behind it, and at Muzan himself.
"Watch closely. If you cannot counter it, this will be the move that brings you down in the future."
The blade darkened, veins of fiery patterns running across it.
He adjusted his breathing, inhaling air that seemed to charge his body with visible, crackling electric arcs.
Using this world's breathing method, his electric power easily exceeded 500,000 volts. Though modest, it proved his strategy was correct. To break the world's Heavenly Lock, one had to use local methods.
Flame-like patterns appeared over his head. Not battle markings, but an effect of this breathing method, storing energy like ancient martial arts energy.
Reiyuko froze, hypnotized by a fleeting illusion.
A young man with a single ponytail, a sword etched with flame patterns, stood before her, exhaling violently, eyes crimson, staring coldly, his earlobes vibrating slightly.
"What is there to celebrate? What do you take life for?"
"Ahhhh!"
The scream erupted from the flesh giant, carrying pure terror. Whether it came from Reiyuko or the puppet, it was impossible to tell.
Lan Daotianwu had already struck.
Sword of Hell: Solar Eclipse