Though it might sound counterintuitive, Ryu was actually a person with very few material desires.
Strictly speaking, he had no strong attachment to most material comforts or forms of entertainment. Despite being born the young master of a financial conglomerate, he had always lived a remarkably disciplined life.
After realizing this world was a bit 'unhinged' and that unforeseeable changes might occur in the future, he had certainly made active preparations, strengthening his power and influence through various means. Ultimately, however, it was still a reactive approach, forced forward by pressure.
But now, he felt a sense of sudden enlightenment. The anxiety caused by the Sukuna Demon's appearance had mostly vanished, and the unease about the future that had plagued him for years was gradually dissipating. He was in an unprecedented state of peace.
—But he was by no means truly enlightened.
Quite the opposite, in fact. It would be more accurate to say he had thrown himself completely into the murky torrent.
Perhaps it was the thrill of life and death, or maybe the Sukuna Demon's appearance was simply too absurd. The immense pressure had made him throw caution to the wind. In any case, he now possessed a sense of being 'invincible under heaven.'
This wasn't to say he had suddenly evolved into a superman, capable of flying and doing the impossible. Rather, it meant that no matter what he encountered in the future, he would no longer be consumed by internal conflict.
Weak enemies would be conquered by force, declining ones crushed by resources, the simple-minded would be exploited, and the unassailable would be defeated head-on!
Once a goal was set, the only thing to consider was how to achieve it. If something was lacking, he would seize it. If he was constrained by something, he would shatter it!
He didn't dwell on what had happened on the helicopter. Ruri seemed to have much to say, but in the end, she suppressed it all, silently accompanying Ryu back to the mansion before going to arrange the various tasks he had assigned.
Although deep down she was quite looking forward to her 'punishment,' as a maid, she couldn't be ruled by personal desires. She had to complete her duties properly first.
If she really wanted to be punished, she could always 'accidentally' break a vase or something. Maids have been humiliated by their masters like that since ancient times—at least, that's what the manga say.
—
Hah... Hah...
Under the dim yellow spotlights of a flat, spacious arena, Ryu was panting heavily, a predator's grin on his face as he stared intently at the enemy before him.
It was a middle-aged man dressed as a ronin, holding a greatsword and wearing straw sandals. He appeared rather plain, but his aura was contained. When still, he seemed as harmless as dead wood or a stubborn rock, with only his eyes holding a spiritual charm, shining with a faint, sharp light.
In any story, a character with no distinguishing features like him was unlikely to be important. Yet Ryu was exceptionally serious, even more focused than when he had faced Sukuna. The brief exchange just now had proven him right; this was truly a master of the highest caliber.
'Come, challenger~'
The man spoke in a calm tone, 'Round two has begun.'
Those words sounded a little familiar—Ryu grinned.
Bang!
The young man stomped hard on the ground and shot forward, the light blade in his hand tracing a straight, sharp red line through the air.
Clang!
The middle-aged man swung his greatsword to meet it. The contest of strength was over in an instant, and as they each took a step back, their sharp blades flashed with a dazzling light once more.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The crisp, melodious clash of steel, the faint acrid smell of the high-temperature light blade cutting through the air, the intersecting shadows cast from above—everything played out ceaselessly in this arena, composing a unique concerto together~
...Hah!
Ryu slowly took off the headset. Noticing a figure moving in his peripheral vision, he casually picked up the towel that had been brought to his side and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He was using the 'NERvGear' headset to enter virtual reality, initiating a simulated battle with [Demon Brain] and transmitting all combat feedback to his physical body to achieve a training effect. It seemed like a shortcut, but due to the uniqueness of [Demon Brain], its efficiency was actually higher than real training.
Besides, he could also accumulate a vast amount of experience...
The opponent he had just chosen was [Nishikida Kagetatsu]. He had provided the moveset and statistical parameters, having the development team create this swordsman-type character over the course of a full week.
Although the time he was possessed was short, the [Ghost of Extreme Purity] skill, which claimed it could turn Ryu into a spirit medium, was no joke. It had unexpectedly left him with a wealth of swordsmanship insights and monster-slaying knowledge after the possession ended.
This wasn't surprising, as this skill originated from the character 'Miyamoto Musashi' in Baki the Grappler.
That version of Miyamoto Musashi was born from combining a cloned body with the summoned soul of Miyamoto Musashi, and the clone could perfectly execute Musashi's techniques.
In other words, [Ghost of Extreme Purity] itself was perfectly suited for possession by a samurai, allowing one to manifest a higher state of martial arts!
Ryu used this 'gift' to create a simplified version of Kagetatsu in the game to serve as his swordsmanship sparring partner—and he provided far more pressure than a normal boss!
Through this, as if fighting his left hand with his right, he was rapidly digesting the insights in his mind.
Unfortunately, Kagetatsu was essentially a magic swordsman. His sword skills were secondary; his greatest strength was the otherworldly power that could exorcise demons, and that power clearly couldn't be obtained just by 'imagining' it.
'Nothing happened while I was in the game, did it?'
'Mm, no.'
Ruri took the used towel, set it aside, and shook her head firmly at Ryu.
'Everything is normal.'
'You didn't... '
'Right! The dish you asked the chef to prepare is ready. Would you like to go and try it?'
Did she even need to ask?
Hearing this, Ryu was instantly energized. He got up and eagerly went to the dining room, where the team of chefs was already lined up neatly behind the head chef.
Casually acknowledging the chefs' greetings, Ryu sat down and immediately opened the silver cloche in front of him. As a plume of steam rose, the sight within came into view, making him nod slightly.
It was meat sliced extremely thin, looking incredibly fresh and tender. As for what kind it was—
Wild boar!
'Mmm!'
Ryu picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly with a satisfied smile on his face. This made the head chef lift his head with pride.
Ryu, in contrast, after seriously eating the piece of meat, lowered his head and looked at a spot on the dining room floor. To others, it looked like he was just spacing out, but from his perspective, there was a malevolent spirit swimming around in a small circle like a goldfish.
—Perfectly clear!
Thanks to [The Gourmet] and [All Attributes], after eating the meat of a boar that had been possessed by an evil spirit twice, he had directly unlocked his Yin-Yang Eyes!
And it was an active skill, too! Not purely passive like Mieruko's~
He had actually considered doing the same with Sukuna's corpse... but ultimately gave up on the idea.
After all, one can't be too much like Laios; you have to draw the line somewhere.
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