After saying this, Ren booked three of the best rooms. Kocho Shinobu criticized him for wasting money, but he retorted with a single sentence.
"I've killed so many evil demons; can't I enjoy myself a little? It's not like I'm continuing to play music and dance."
After booking the rooms, the three of them ate a sumptuous lunch and then split up.
Ren and Giyu went to scout the routes. While they couldn't say they knew the entire Tokyo area like the back of their hands, they needed to at least know the surrounding road conditions.
This way, if they encountered an evil demon they couldn't defeat, they could figure out a way to retreat.
As for Kocho Shinobu, she went to a nearby library to buy the latest books on medicine and pharmacology, preparing to concoct a poison strong enough to severely injure an Upper Rank demon.
At the same time, she wanted to see if there were any methods to alleviate the side effects brought on by the Mark, or even treat the internal organ damage caused by unlocking it.
And all of this was for Ren.
Ren had unlocked the Mark for her sake, so Kocho Shinobu hoped he could live on in good health.
Meanwhile, while Ren was checking the surrounding routes, he was also asking passing pedestrians about nearby medical halls, pharmacies, and clinics, as well as inquiring about information related to Tamayo.
He wanted to get in touch with her. If something went wrong with Kocho Shinobu's body in the future, he hoped Tamayo would be able to treat her.
Even though they didn't say it explicitly, both of them were working hard for the sake of the other.
Giyu: 'What about me? Am I hated? That's impossible, I'm not hated by others!'
...
In the blink of an eye, night arrived. Ren immediately strapped the wooden box containing the Nichirin Heavy Sword to his back and walked onto the main street.
Giyu and Kocho Shinobu hid in the shadows to see if any of the Twelve Kizuki would appear.
The city at night was still brightly lit. Although the flow of people on the streets wasn't as high as during the day, it could still be considered a sea of people.
"Fighting on the main street is too dangerous, and it's easy to hurt passersby. Since that's the case, it would be better to..."
Thinking of this, Ren immediately ran into a deep, narrow alley. It was pitch black inside, flanked by tall buildings. The alley was piled high with garbage, which would effectively mask the smell of fresh blood.
For an evil demon, this was absolutely an excellent hunting ground. They could grab a passerby, eat them, throw the corpse into the garbage heap, and then leave by climbing over walls or running along the rooftops.
Even if bloodstains and corpse remnants were left behind, people would only think it was the work of a perverted serial killer and would not suspect an evil demon.
To people nowadays, evil demons were nothing more than legendary creatures.
Ren took out a dagger, cut his own arm, and dripped fresh blood onto the ground, just like on Mount Fujikasane, using his own blood to attract demons.
This trick worked every time.
To those starving demons, his fresh blood was the most delicious food.
"Oh my, what a fragrant scent..."
Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from above. Ren immediately looked up and saw a lizard-like demon clinging to the wall on the left. It had a ferocious smile on its face and its eyes curved as it spoke.
"Little brother, your blood smells truly fragrant! Can you let big brother have a sip?"
"You're actually quite polite..." Ren's eyes sharpened as he spoke, his tone carrying waves of killing intent as he questioned, "But what if I refuse?"
"It doesn't matter. I was only asking symbolically anyway. You are destined to become my food today!"
Whoosh!
Before the lizard demon had even finished speaking, the long tongue in its mouth shot out like a bullet, aiming for Ren's chest, wanting to lick his blood.
Seeing the demon coming aggressively, Ren quickly bent down. In an instant, the demon's long tongue struck the wooden box on his back.
The immense force directly tore the wooden box apart, revealing the Nichirin Heavy Sword inside. At the same time, Ren keenly noticed that the lizard demon's tongue was secreting a dark green, foul-smelling liquid.
'Is it poison? Hmph, a petty trick.'
Ren drew his sword and leaped into the air, stepping onto the wall of the building. He rushed toward the lizard demon and swung his sword.
"So you're from the Demon Slayer Corps! Damn it!"
The demon cursed inwardly, daring not to be careless or underestimate the enemy. Its long tongue shot out again, and this time the speed was even more ferocious; one could even hear a piercing whistling sound.
Ren turned his body slightly, dodging the tongue attack while sweeping his heavy sword horizontally. With a single strike, he severed the demon's long tongue, and the distance between the man and the demon continued to close.
"Kid, I didn't expect you to have some skill, but don't underestimate me. I am a demon with a Blood Demon Art!"
"Blood Demon Art: Reverse Light Invisibility!"
As soon as the voice fell, the demon's body disappeared from Ren's vision, entering a transparent state like a chameleon.
However, Ren was unmoved. He simply swung his sword, slashing through the demon's throat in one go.
With a pfft sound, the demon's head flew up and fell onto the garbage heap deep in the alley, its eyes filled with disbelief.
"Why? Why can you still see me?"
"Because my sense of smell is far superior to ordinary people. By the way, don't you think invisibility is the most useless Blood Demon Art? We swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps are extremely sensitive to the smell of blood. Even if your body is invisible, we have ways to sniff you out and cut off your neck. Don't you agree, guy in the sky?"
After saying this, Ren immediately looked up at the sky. Thirty meters in the air, a demon that looked like a bat was flying, drooling as it looked at him with greedy eyes.
'This guy's aura is much stronger than the lizard demon just now. It's probably also a demon with a special ability, I just don't know what its Blood Demon Art is.'
"I didn't expect to encounter a demon hunter with Marechi blood. The heavens are truly favoring me. As long as I eat you, I will definitely become stronger, and then I can become one of the Twelve Kizuki!"
"Hmph, a guy who likes to daydream! I'm too lazy to talk nonsense with you; you're not worthy to listen!"
Ren leaped up and sprinted wildly, quickly reaching the rooftop. Since that guy was flying in mid-air, he wouldn't be able to hit it unless he stood on higher ground.
"Do you think I'm a fool like the one you just defeated? Blood Demon Art: Sonic Screech!"
Roar!
The bat demon opened its bloody mouth, and an invisible sonic shockwave suddenly shot out, heading straight for Ren.
Although he couldn't see the opponent's attack, Ren still perceived the location of the demon's attack through the sound of the wind and the flow of the air, and he hurriedly leaped backward to retreat.
With a bang, the invisible sonic shockwave hit the roof of the building, blasting a deep small pit into the surface, as if it had been pierced by a bullet.
'What a powerful Blood Demon Art. Its power is no less than a sniper rifle bullet!'
While Ren was surprised, the demon had already flapped its wings and soared higher, flying to an altitude of fifty meters. Ren couldn't jump that distance at all.
"Haha, I'm flying so high, let's see how you get up here! Blood Demon Art: Sonic Screech!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The bat demon used its Blood Demon Art again. Streak after streak of invisible sonic shockwaves rained down from the sky like a violent storm, blasting dense clusters of small pits into the roof, possessing impressive power.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]