Chapter 4: Dude, Aren't You Afraid of Me?
Bloodfang watched the boy silently from within the forest.
Young.
Alone.
Overflowing with vitality.
To the demon, the boy looked like a freshly baked loaf of bread—warm, fragrant, irresistible.
Suppressing its hunger, Bloodfang considered how best to enjoy him.
Should it first break his limbs and eat him while he screamed?
Or should it savor the process, letting terror ferment until despair reached its peak?
Fresh… or rich in flavor?
What a delightful dilemma.
A flicker of madness flashed through Bloodfang's eyes as it slowly licked its fangs.
As for the katana resting beside the boy?
It never once considered it a threat.
Aside from sunlight and powerful Demon Slayers, human resistance was meaningless.
In fact, those futile struggles only made the meal more enjoyable.
Judging from the boy's worn clothing, he clearly wasn't a Demon Slayer.
And night had just fallen.
Out here, in the wilderness—
No one would hear his screams.
Come to think of it, Bloodfang hadn't eaten proper meat in quite some time. Perhaps if it consumed enough humans, it might once again draw that person's attention… and glimpse her splendor.
Before it could decide, the boy suddenly lifted his head.
His gaze swept the forest—
And locked directly onto Bloodfang.
Such sharp perception.
Bloodfang's anticipation surged.
It stopped hiding.
Straightening its body, it stepped casually toward the boy, deliberately entering the range of the campfire's light.
The flames illuminated its face.
Bloodfang grinned, its mouth splitting wide enough to reveal fangs stretching nearly to its ears.
Playing first was always more fun.
Sure enough, upon seeing its monstrous form, the boy placed a hand on his sword.
Next, he would either turn and flee—
Or scream and charge in panic.
That was how it always went.
But this time…
The boy brushed off his clothes, stood up calmly with blade in hand, and walked toward it.
No fear.
No hesitation.
Instead, he looked at Bloodfang with a gaze that made the demon uncomfortable.
It wasn't terror.
It was scrutiny.
Curiosity.
Bloodfang's muscles tensed. The killing intent and bloody aura it had restrained surged outward.
…He's approaching me?
Not running?
Commendable courage.
I really want to tear that delicious body apart right now.
"Young man," Bloodfang spoke for once, its voice rough and wet,
"aren't you afraid of me?"
You are afraid deep down, aren't you?
But the boy asked something else entirely.
"You're the ghost?"
Kucha Natsumi drew his Nichirin Blade.
The emerald edge gleamed coldly in the firelight.
He stared at the humanoid monster standing nearly two meters tall before him.
Ashen skin.
Bulging muscles like gnarled roots.
Crimson eyes burning in the dark.
"If this thing has a name," Kucha mused,
"it should count as an elite monster, right?"
Before Bloodfang could react, the blade was already slashing toward its neck.
The demon activated instantly.
Its right claw lashed out like a steel whip, smashing against the Nichirin Blade.
Sparks flew.
The force was enormous.
With higher base stats, Bloodfang's raw strength was overwhelming. Kucha even suspected hidden racial bonuses.
But he remained calm.
Using the rebound force, he twisted mid-motion, spinning with the momentum.
The blade traced a horizontal arc, grazing the demon's throat.
It should have hit.
Yet Bloodfang forced itself backward half a step using sheer physical power—an utterly unreasonable maneuver.
Kucha licked his lips.
As expected.
A Constitution of 28—ten points higher than mine.
Even with technique, that clash nearly numbed his hands. His blade had almost slipped free.
More interesting, though—
This AI could instantly adjust evasive movements in response to his attack patterns.
This combat system…
"You're pretty interesting," Kucha said honestly.
Bloodfang frowned.
"Are you a Demon Slayer?"
"Not yet."
"Oh?" The murky liquid in Bloodfang's eyes churned.
"Then you're a samurai? How nostalgic. It's been years since I last tasted samurai flesh."
"Oh," Kucha muttered,
"there's trash talk too."
He assumed a sword stance and inhaled deeply.
A scorching stream of air escaped between his teeth.
His chest thundered like a war drum.
"Let's continue."
"Let me see what this game prioritizes—positioning, or resource control."
Wind Breathing surged.
Power flowed through his limbs, condensed into a single force.
His feet slammed into the earth—
Bang!
Already a blur, the Nichirin Blade dragged a raging storm straight toward the demon.
[First Form: Dust Whirlwind Slash]
Bloodfang didn't retreat.
Grinning, it hardened its claws into twin spears and thrust them into the heart of the storm.
The campfire was snuffed out instantly.
But darkness didn't grant the demon an advantage—
Because it was swept away along with it.
The man-eating demon, Bloodfang.
Its smile froze.
The ferocity in its eyes turned to confusion.
Its head separated from its neck—
And fell to the ground with a dull thud.
…Beheaded?
How could this brat be so strong?!
The headless body thrashed wildly, limbs twitching in a final, chaotic spasm.
But it was already over.
As shock and anger faded, a strange sensation rose within Bloodfang's fading consciousness.
A fog that had long clouded its mind slowly dispersed.
So that's why…
The way the boy had looked at it earlier—
That wasn't fear.
It was the gaze of someone examining livestock.
Like a child seeing a piglet for the first time.
…Piglet?
Ah.
My younger brother…
The severed head cracked like burning paper at a funeral, dissolving into ash.
At last, Bloodfang remembered its name.
And its past.
It had been turned into a monster by monsters, drowning in cannibalistic sin.
Yet now—
It looked at the boy who had freed it.
"Kid… what's your name?"
"Kucha Natsumi."
"…I really did meet a remarkable one."
The demon sensed—perhaps only imagination—that the boy seemed distracted.
Of course he was distracted.
Kucha was genuinely confused.
Wait.
Didn't we just exchange basic attacks?
I even used breathing techniques and sword forms.
Why were you still using basic attacks?
You didn't even dodge.
No matter how long your reach is, it can't beat a one-meter blade.
And you died in one hit?
His biggest takeaway from the fight was simple:
Fighting monsters in the dark was annoying.
Visibility sucked.
Other than that?
Nothing.
Honestly, chopping wooden stakes during training was more fun.
Is this it?
Where's the numerical challenge?
Is this how this stage is balanced?
As Bloodfang's panel shifted from red—
[Bloodfang ???]
—to green—
[Bloodfang (Ino Shin)]
—it seemed the demon had more to say.
Faint images flickered at the edge of Kucha's vision.
…A cutscene?
Seriously?
He casually answered, then immediately selected:
[Skip Cutscene]
When the accelerated distortion faded, only a small pile of ash remained.
"What was he about to say again?"
Kucha scratched his head and opened the system panel.
"Heh. Knew it."
"Killing monsters really does give experience."
Wind Breathing LV.2
Basic Understanding
Progress: 221 / 1000 (+48)
"…Well."
"You weren't completely useless."
"I'll accept your last bit of goodwill."