Isekai Adventure in the Dimensional Cube

Akaza was now very excited.

Because of the person who appeared before him.

"Such a powerful and exhilarating fighting spirit."

Akaza couldn't help but let out such an exclamation.

Sensing fighting spirit was the core of Akaza's Blood Demon Art.

Anyone skilled in martial arts emitted fighting spirit, the only difference being the intensity.

Just as anger releases rage, and murderous intent releases hostility, a martial artist naturally exudes fighting spirit, whether they are a swordsman or anything else.

Akaza's Blood Demon Art, "Destructive Kill·Compass," was like a compass in sensing an opponent's fighting spirit, allowing his own attacks and evasive movements to become magnetically precise; the stronger the opponent's fighting spirit, the stronger the response of Compass, and the corresponding strength and precision of the technique also increased.

Using this Blood Demon Art as a core, Akaza employed a series of precise, swift, and powerful martial techniques against his opponents based on sensing their fighting spirit. For instance, the recently used "Destructive Kill·Chaotic Style" was one such technique, enabling an exceedingly precise strike to inflict excessive damage.

This sensitivity to opponents' fighting spirit made Akaza sharp and sensitive, allowing him to easily discern the strength of his opponents.

In Akaza's perception, the human before him radiated an astonishingly immense fighting spirit.

Such immense fighting spirit, having lived for hundreds of years, Akaza had never felt it from anyone else.

Even from that great one, it was the same.

Thus, Akaza was very interested in Reiger. Meeting him face to face only increased his excitement.

"Although it is not yet condensed or refined enough, and hasn't reached the supreme realm, but just in terms of the scale of this fighting spirit, in this world, you must be the strongest."

Akaza stared intently at Reiger, saying so.

"You must be very strong, extremely strong, and even have a chance to reach that supreme realm. It's a pity you are just a human."

Upon hearing this, Reiger lifted his eyelids, yet said nothing.

"Hey, how about coming to our side?" Akaza reached out his hand towards Reiger, smiling as he invited, "I will recommend you to that great one, to become a demon, how about it?"

Upon these words, before Reiger could speak, those around him became agitated.

"Don't listen to him! Big brother!"

Tanjirou was the most excited, excited to the point of overcoming his fear, finally managing to shout out.

"Box boy!"

Rengoku Kyoujurou also recovered his breath, hearing that his casual demeanor changed.

"Right," Akaza turned to face Rengoku Kyoujurou, saying, "You come too, Kyoujurou, although not as good as this one, your fighting spirit also delights me. I've killed so many pillars, and you are definitely one of the top among them, it's really a pity to be human, come become a demon, then you can become stronger."

"I refuse." Rengoku Kyoujurou did not even think about it, he bluntly stated, "I can't think of any reason to become a demon."

This response made Akaza look incredulous.

"Are you serious, Kyoujurou?" Akaza chuckled, "There are several reasons to become a demon just off the top of my head, and you say there are none? That's truly absurd!"

In a way, Akaza wasn't wrong.

There could indeed be many reasons to become a demon.

For instance, once becoming a demon, one would not die nor age, and as long as not exposed to sunlight, could live on forever.

Moreover, no matter how severe the injury or dreadful the illness, once becoming a demon, one could heal.

Not to mention, becoming a demon also granted superhuman strength, which was a benefit in itself.

Compared to frail and powerless humans, becoming a demon, in the eyes of many, was not a bad thing.

But———

"Becoming a demon means living in the shadows, unable to see the sunlight, and needing to consume human flesh and blood or else losing rationality, that is the truly absurd thing."

Rengoku Kyoujurou rebutted seriously.

"But compared to the benefits gained, what's such a cost worth?" Akaza said nonchalantly, "Even as humans, we can only be active for about half of the day, the rest is spent in useless sleep. Just in terms of active time, there's no big difference between humans and demons, one is during the day, the other at night."

"As for eating humans, that's just a way to supplement nutrition, a means to make demons stronger, it should be considered a good thing, where's the absurdity in that?"

Akaza's words made Tanjirou glare at him angrily and caused Rengoku Kyoujurou to shake his head.

"Our values and views on life are worlds apart, discussing this further is pointless." Rengoku Kyoujurou plainly stated, "Anyway, no matter what, I will never become a demon."

Akaza's smile disappeared.

"It's foolish." Akaza said coldly, "The body of a human is nothing but a burden."

"Limited life."

"Limited abilities."

"Limited time."

"Limited physicality."

"Everything about humans is just so limited."

"With such limited things, under such limited conditions, how can one pursue limitless strength, reaching the highest martial realm?"

Akaza was very cold in his demeanor, yet his voice was filled with heat.

"Only demons, with their limitless time and life, can escape the constraints of the body, continually improve themselves, keep getting stronger, until reaching that highest throne."

"Being such powerful beings, do you really want to watch your own strength merely blossom briefly, then let it vanish as your body ages and life ends?"

"If you truly think that way, then you are truly foolish."

Akaza's statement made Tanjirou unable to hold back.

"How is it foolish!?" Tanjirou angrily said, "Our lives may be limited, but it is because of this limitation that many valuable things arise, that's not something shallow encompassed by mere strength!"

However, Tanjirou's impassioned words were met only with a merciless response.

"Shut up!"

Akaza swung a fierce punch toward Tanjirou.

That punch, although it struck the air, caused the atmosphere to burst into a deafening boom. Immediately, Akaza's punch transformed into a gust of wind, roaring towards Tanjirou.

"Boom!"

The powerful punch wind struck, lifting a blast-like sound and disturbance.

However, the blow didn't hit Tanjirou but instead hit Rengoku Kyoujurou, who had timely arrived and used his blade to block.

"Mr. Rengoku!"

Tanjirou yelled as Rengoku Kyoujurou appeared in front of him.

"Be careful, young Kamado."

Rengoku Kyoujurou didn't turn around but simply left a word of caution.

Akaza maintained his punching stance, saying, "The weak must be aware of their weakness. It is because you are too weak that you place such importance on trivial matters. How could beings as frail as you understand the path of the strong, which can't accommodate anything superfluous?"

"Those are merely obstacles that hinder one from becoming stronger."

With that, Akaza turned his gaze back to Reiger who hadn't moved at all.

"You surely understand, right?" Akaza said with a smile to Reiger, "No, it doesn't matter if you don't understand. When you find yourself unable to advance no matter what, you will realize that the human body is only a restraint, and only by becoming a demon can you continue to grow stronger until..."

He couldn't finish his sentence.

"Until you touch that supreme realm, right?"

Reiger interrupted Akaza and finally spoke up.

"Yes! Exactly!" Seeing Reiger finally speak, Akaza was instantly delighted and said, "You still have a chance now, you can gain more time to hone yourself!"

"Come! Become a demon!"

"Then, you can keep fighting and growing stronger just like me!"

By then, Akaza had already spread his arms, ready to embrace Reiger.

Unfortunately—

"Do you know how long it took me to go from a mere human looked down upon by you to having this power?"

The words that Reiger spoke so indifferently stunned Akaza.

The next second, Akaza got his answer.

"Four months."

Reiger suddenly smiled at Akaza and said so.

"It took me just four months to grow from a powerless human to this level."

Upon hearing this, not only Akaza but also Rengoku Kyoujurou and the others showed a look of astonishment.

"Impossible!" Akaza exclaimed, "That clearly requires extensive training to possess such immense fighting spirit; it's impossible to achieve with a human body in just four months!"

Akaza simply didn't believe Reiger's words.

That was truly absurd.

"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean others can't," Reiger said lightly, "The fact remains, and your denial is futile."

Akaza's face instantly darkened.

"I just want to tell you, don't preach to others about what you can't do yourself," Reiger's tone remained calm and indifferent, "Using a human body can't continuously become stronger? Can't reach the highest realm without becoming a demon? Who told you that?"

"At least, I haven't encountered any limits yet, nor do I know what extremes are. I have no reason to abandon this human form."

"Moreover, in my view, this so-called supreme realm you speak of isn't such a difficult realm to reach. Perhaps in some time when you see me again, I will have already reached it."

"Of course..."

Reiger looked at Akaza, his expression half-smiling as he spoke.

"That's if you manage to leave here alive today."

That statement turned Akaza's face into an unmistakably ugly grimace.

"Technique deployment."

Akaza stopped the idle talk and posed ready for action.

"Destructive Kill· Chaotic Style."

Below his feet, a pattern of snowflakes emerged, causing his fighting spirit to surge.

Seeing this, Reiger narrowed his eyes and suddenly called out.

"Rengoku! Lend me your sword!"

Upon hearing this, Rengoku Kyoujurou hesitated for a moment, then without a second thought, he threw his sword to Reiger.

Reiger extended his hand and caught the sword.

"Indeed, this type of sword is more suitable for unleashing power, isn't it?"

Reiger weighed the sword in his hand, murmuring as if confirming something.

"Breath—"

Immediately, Reiger began to breathe.

The air around him instantly turned intensely hot.