On the wide street, members of the Black Dragon Society and the Akiyama Family, dressed in contrasting outfits, faced off in a tense confrontation. The air was thick with tension, as if ready to ignite like gunpowder.
Civilians hurried back to their homes, eager to avoid being caught in the impending conflict.
Toru Kanhara yawned, knowing there wouldn't be any real fighting. These standoffs happened frequently.
Both sides were constantly vying for control of local interests, using these confrontations to exert pressure.
It was all a matter of who would back down first.
"What's all the fuss about?"
A stern, authoritative voice broke through the tension.
The Akiyama members parted to make way for an old man with a cane—the patriarch of the Akiyama Family. His arrival commanded respect, and the people around him greeted him with deference.
As Toru had predicted, the tension didn't last long. With the arrival of key figures from both sides, they returned to the negotiating table, engaging in verbal sparring rather than physical violence.
After hours of debate, the confrontation ended in a stalemate, and both groups dispersed.
"Move aside!"
As the Black Dragon Society members were leaving, one of them spotted Akiyama Rinka. With a sneer, he raised his hand to strike her.
Rinka's eyes widened in fear, her face paling. The surrounding Akiyama members froze, helpless.
Whoosh!
A small stone suddenly flew through the air, striking the thug's hand.
The man's eyes reddened as he clutched his palm, now turning a deep purple. His expression twisted in pain, shocking everyone around him.
Initially enraged, the members of the Black Dragon Society quickly became confused and retreated with their wounded comrade.
The Akiyama family breathed a sigh of relief, though their faces remained tense. The conflict with the Black Dragon Society was intensifying with each incident, and it was clear to everyone that this fragile peace wouldn't last.
Akiyama Rinka picked up the pebble from the ground, her eyes scanning the area. She felt a sense of warmth, suspecting who had helped her.
Meanwhile, Toru Kanhara melted into the shadows, a cold glint in his eyes.
If a powerful demon, caused trouble in this small town, it would attract the Demon Slayer Corps. Toru needed to stay out of sight.
He would be leaving soon anyway. Helping the Akiyama family with this problem was the least he could do to repay their kindness over the past half month.
Now that he was a demon, human morals and rules no longer applied to him.
He could abandon restraint and embrace his freedom.
As night fell and dark clouds shrouded the moon, the town grew eerily silent. Few dared to venture outside after dark, given the ancient demon legends that haunted the area.
Toru reveled in his newfound freedom, his figure darting through the dark streets at inhuman speed.
"This is amazing," he thought, the wind howling around him. His face lit up with joy. If this had been his previous life, even someone as fast as Bolt would have been left in the dust.
At the Black Dragon Society headquarters, a group of strong men gathered in a spacious room, drinking together.
"Boss, I say we just kill the old man from the Akiyama family," one man snarled. Three scars ran down his cheek, making his face even more menacing. He slammed a double-barreled shotgun onto the table, his bloodlust clear.
The middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table, John Deere, frowned. He was the leader of the Black Dragon Society, an elite enforcer from the Western Mafia who had come to the island nation to expand their operations.
"This place isn't as simple as you think," John Deere muttered.
With the firepower they had, it would be easy to wipe out a small family in a town like this. But John had heard the ancient stories—of demons and the demon hunters who had battled them for generations.
It was rumored that the Akiyama family had close ties with demon hunters, which made John Deere hesitant.
He wouldn't make any rash moves until the truth of those claims was uncovered.
"There's no point discussing this further. I'm going to rest. You all should do the same," John Deere said, putting down his glass. He stood up, pushed the door open, and left the room.
The men left behind exchanged confused glances. The burly, scarred man who had earlier suggested killing the Akiyama patriarch scoffed, "John Deere, the Musketeer, seems to be losing his edge."
John Deere had earned his fearsome reputation in the Mafia by once storming a rival gang's stronghold alone, killing 17 men in a single night. He was known for being ruthless.
"Vic, why don't we just..." A young man with a sharp, monkey-like face mimed the motion of slitting someone's throat, a feral grin on his lips.
None of them were strangers to violence. In fact, exploiting weakness was their specialty.
The scarred man's eyes flickered with calculation. Their goal was to turn this town into a major hub for their drug trafficking operation, with shipments flowing in steadily from South America and the Golden Triangle. Every day of delay cost them huge sums of money.
Yet, John Deere wouldn't take any action against the Akiyama family.
"Let's tolerate him for a bit longer," the scarred man muttered, clearly wary of crossing John Deere. "But soon, we'll wipe out the entire Akiyama family."
"It's a shame you won't get that chance."
A cold voice echoed throughout the room, impossible to pinpoint.
Bang!
A strange chill filled the air, and suddenly the light bulb shattered, plunging the room into darkness.
"Who's there?!"
The members of the Black Dragon Society leaped to their feet in panic, fear twisting their faces.
Out of the shadows stepped Toru Kanhara, his bloodshot eyes gleaming. Two crimson magatama spun within his pupils, their eerie glow making the men shudder.
"Fangs, bloodshot eyes… could he be a demon?" the scarred man whispered in terror. He recalled John Deere mentioning something about demons, but he had dismissed it as a scare tactic.
"I don't believe it!"
The scarred man grabbed the double-barreled shotgun off the table, aimed it at Toru's head, and fired without hesitation. The room echoed with the deafening blast.
Bang!
Toru raised his right hand to block the shot, but the force of the bullet shattered his arm, spraying blood and bone fragments across the room.
The stench of blood filled the air.
Then, to the horror of the Black Dragon members, flesh began to regenerate, and Toru's arm healed within seconds.
"Not bad," Toru murmured, pleased. He had intentionally let himself be hit, testing the regenerative powers of his demon form.
The result satisfied him. His arm had been obliterated, but it only took five or six seconds to fully recover.
As expected, the only things capable of killing a demon were sunlight and the sun blades carried by demon slayers.
A cruel smile twisted Toru's lips. Immortality didn't mean he felt no pain. In fact, the excruciating pain only heightened his senses, fueling his murderous intent.
"Now die!"
Like a predator among helpless prey, Toru descended upon the terrified men of the Black Dragon Society. Screams echoed through the building as he slaughtered them all without mercy.
[Blood Demon Art Awakened: Soul Control!]