Clash of Sword Styles - Water Hashira's Chase

Four Resonances… Unconditional follower… D+?

The words left Kai astounded, puzzled, and ecstatic. D+ Skills weren't just a way to divide the Skills into levels. They represented the genuine strength of a 6th-floor Contestant. If Kai didn't have his Glitch and had enough Luck, then he would have gotten Skills from Hidden Missions, too. Yet, those Skills' grades would have never crossed the equivalent grade of his floor.

For example, Kai was a 4th-floor Contestant, and the equivalent grade that represented his floor was D-. Top powerhouses of the 4th-floor had at most 2-3 Skills of this grade, and at least 1 or 2 Low-level Common-graded Items. The only reason that Kai enjoyed skills reaching above D- was because they were given to him by the Blood Essences. And Magical Creatures, even at the equivalent grade, were stronger than the Contestants. This discrepancy of strength between magical creatures and Contestants vanished as one went up the floors, but not because creatures became weak; instead, it was their numbers that decreased with higher grades.

So, it shocked Kai that a Beginner-level Title had granted him such an absurd D+ Skill. Not to mention, Titles, more often than not, had only two levels. Beginner and Advance. In rare cases, they had three, and four levels of Titles that were almost unheard of. To get such a Skill at Beginner-level meant that the next Skill might be C+ or even B- grade.

Kai's breathing quickened. But these thoughts weren't the only reason for his ecstasy.

It was the 5th point under the Effect section of the notification.

'All such sexual activities will come under Consensual Sex and the said target will become the Contestant's unconditional follower.'

Kai remembered another Title that required him to have unconditional followers.

[

Title: Dimensional Leader

Specification: Make 3 main-storyline characters follow you voluntarily and unconditionally

Status: (1/3)

Effect:

1. Intelligence +3

2. Worth +5

3. Charisma +10

4. Luck +1

5. Skill: Dimensional Summoning

]

Like Adulterer, the Title, Dimensional Leader, also granted Kai a Skill at Beginner-level. And if he were to predict this Skill's grade, then based on Heart Rhythm, there were excellent chances of it being at least a D grade as well.

Now that guess excited Kai.

But soon he frowned, his eyes lingering over the Heart Rhythm's stats up and down. There was no direct HP, MP, or SP consumption, true. However, there were no direct instructions to go about this Skill, either.

'It seems,' Kai contemplated, 'I must use a combination of manipulation and true feelings to achieve these Resonances. It's a Skill that demands much but gives even more in return. Let's hope it will be worth it.'

One more crucial point was bubbling in Kai's heart, though. He couldn't use this Skill for just anyone. If he were to get unconditional followers, then he must get the best of that Random World. Kai squinted his eyes, imprinting this thought into the back of his mind.

Suddenly, another notification popped up.

[[

Allowance time finishing in 9… 8… 7…

]]

'Fuck!' Kai cursed, looked around, and decided to go down the mountain's slope.

The moment the countdown reached 0, with an audible pop, Kai got exposed to the Random World.

What happened next, Kai couldn't have fathomed in a hundred years of contemplation.

Kai's hazel pupils became the size of needles. Goosebumps covered the back of his neck and hands, and the extremities of his fingers and toes throbbed with rushing blood. The wind rustled the surrounding leaves, and lifted his Haori, blowing it up towards the mountain. His white hair seemed to hang midair as though time had slowed down.

Kai's instincts were roaring bloody murder.

And then the shout came down the mountain, tearing the wind and cold alike, and making him shudder to the bone.

"NEZUKO!!!"

Kai looked over his shoulders, ignoring the intense trembling of the wooden case on his back, and saw a black spot dashing towards him, enlarging with every next moment.

He kicked the snow and blindly ran down the mountain using his full Agility. It was too soon, Kai told himself. Other than the basic information on Demon Slayers and the Demons, he knew nothing. He had thought to get some information from a Sponsor before, but never could he have imagined that the Systems had already decided to fuck him in the ass.

"Let go of her! Coward!!!"

'What's up with this guy?' Kai thought, frowning. Icy wind blasted against his face, making his eyes water, but he kept running, his feet leaving deep impressions on the snow.

Once again, Kai looked over his shoulder and got a tremendous shock.

'How can this be?' Kai asked, facing forward, gritting his teeth. 'How is he faster than me?'

It wasn't Kai's fault that he doubted such a possibility. This was Kai's first time encountering a main-storyline Character from a Random World whose difficulty grade was D+. Yes, the Magical World of Harry Potter was also a D+, but that was because he had combined three floors' worth of missions, and it focused on Magic rather than physique.

Not to mention, the info Kai had received from the Systems mentioned that these Demon Slayers were human. He knew that below the 3rd Set, and if only the Active Attributes were considered, then Contestants were nothing but at the limits of human beings' capacities. With Kai's Agility of 18, it meant that whoever was chasing him was already near the threshold of 20 points known to the Contestants.

The entire sky was blanketed by a thick layer of clouds, but even then one could feel that the sun had already set by the golden-pink glow shooting out of the horizon.

And as Kai saw this glow, another image formed in his mind like a distant memory.

A blade, surrounded by gurgling water, was hacking at him from behind. [Image 1]

Kai's feet slid against the snow, turning it into the water as he unsheathed his fangs. He spun around and saw a boy around his age with long, ruffled hair, with a flaming scar at the top-left of his head, hissing out a misty breath. His eyes were two red torches fueled by anger, and there was a Katana in his hands.

Kai's needle-like eyes saw the boy taking in a deep breath of air, and suddenly, the danger he was feeling shot through the roof.

Total Concentration Water Breathing - Fourth Form: Striking Tide!

Kai could see it. Water, in a lethal zig-zag motion, coming at him in a flowing fashion, aimed at his neck. [GIF 1]

'This bastard!' The Blood Demon's breath seeped out with his demonic anger. With Murasame in his right hand and Afro's Tachi in his left, Kai took the stance and lunged.

Twin-Saber Style - Dance of the Giant Serpent!

Blades flashed, steels kissed steel, and when the clash ended, blood spurted out, painting the snow red.

'Impossible!' The word echoed in Kai's mind.

A giant scar was running down his neck, snapping his collarbone. If it wasn't for him redirecting the quick successive blows using his sabers, then it would have landed on his neck, Kai knew.

"Ahhh!" the boy shouted, spun, and hacked at Kai once again.

'No, this is getting out of hand,' Kai reflected, dodging the attacks, slithering over the snow, and trying to nick the attacker with Murasame. 'If I am not wrong, then reinforcements will come soon for this guy, and then I will be surrounded.'

He must run. Now.

"I said…" the boy hissed again, jumping towards Kai, "… let… Nazuko… go…"

The boy vertically spun forward in the air, releasing a flowing razor-sharp water attack in a circular motion. [GIF 2]

Water Breathing - Second Form: Water Wheel!

Kai hissed back. He jumped forward, too, outstretching his hands to his left, and his body whirling like a tornado.

Twin-Saber Style - Kiss of the Giant Serpent!

A resounding boom blasted the snow between the two, and both Kai and the boy got thrown off in the opposite direction. But it wasn't something in Kai's favor, either.

Kai slid on the snow and realized he was getting up and up towards the peak, and not down. 'Damn!' He cursed, sheathing his swords. 'This pesky bug is trying to hold me back, even in anger. What a strategic play!'

Kai dare not use Emotion Manipulation. Not now, when he was the lone Contestant in this world. Yes, the same Contestants were also watching him the last time when he had used Emotions Manipulation to spread despair in Candidates 47, 55, and 39's hearts as per the draft saved by his Self from the second timeline. But, now with only one target, and with only one Contestant, such a loss of happiness would stand out like the blood sprayed on the sheet of snow.

Kai couldn't lose his advantage over these absurdly powerful beings, called Sponsors. The less they knew about him, the more Kai would surround them in mystery, raising his ultimate price before the 3rd Stage.

However, Kai also knew he must do something, and the sooner the better.

The boy was already running up towards him again. Kai didn't unsheathe his sword, instead, he threw his hands back, and with strained muscles, pushed forward. The red jewel on his forehead gave out an ethereal bloody glow.

All the snow surrounding Kai slid down as though an avalanche had come, and swept the boy away, burying his shrill, angry cries. Kai had already shown his Advance Telekinesis Ability, and though others must have taken it as a Skill, he cared little about it.

Seeing the opportunity lying in front of him with bare breasts, Kai grabbed at it. He again kicked the snow, gaining speed as he went down, and keeping himself in the thick of trees.

The sky had already gained a darker shade, the clouds making it look darker than it already was.

After running for half an hour continuously at his full speed, Kai climbed up a tree and sat down, puffing loudly for air. The snow had already made it worse for him to run. With his webbed feet stuck inside the socks, Kai was getting annoyed as well. The wound around his neck had already healed, but he could still feel the uncanny edge of the blade. There was something odd about that Katana, Kai recalled, but couldn't put his finger on it.

The wooden box shuddered again.

Kai looked at it and wondered why the creature inside hadn't come out, breaking the door.

'Maybe it can't somehow,' he guessed, breathing through his mouth. 'What did the boy call it? Nezuko…'

After a few minutes, Kai dropped noiselessly over the snowy grounds and stealthily slithered down towards the yellow candle-like lights in the distance. Finally, he could see a village.

Kai had just gone down some hundred feet when he stopped.

It wasn't him alone who seemed to have become a statue. Everything had gone quiet around him, Kai observed, sweating in the cold weather. The wind had abandoned him, the rustle of leaves had vanished, and something more than a dangerous feeling had come to rest in his heart.

Inside him, Selene sent out a greater burst of Soul Chill to calm his headache down.

It was then he felt it.

It was then he saw him.

A tall young man, wearing a mask of serious and emotionless expressions, was running towards him like a shadow. [GIF 3]

He was fast. Too fast. Faster than Kai could even think. One moment he was still coming at him, and in the other, he had already arrived.

Anchored in the river of time, Kai felt like a boat that was fated to drown. He saw the man taking a stance midair, breathing, hissing, and suddenly, he wasn't a man, but death.

Water Breathing - First Form: Water Surface Slash!

Something exploded in Kai's mind. Something more than anger. Was he rooted to the ground with fear? No. He was just slow.

With one thought, his socks and sandals burst apart, and with another, 5 points entered his Agility and 4 in his Stamina. And the boat wasn't anchored anymore, but sailing, the wind high and mighty.

There was no time to unsheathe the sabers. But this blue figure wasn't Kai, but Golduck-Kai.

Golduck-Kai's tail burst with a bluish-white steely glow.

Iron Tail!

Kai put 70 MP in the Skill, with 140 HP getting consumed by default. The Base Damage increased to 100 HP and 45 MP. He spun, and the empowered tail slammed the sword with audible tink. [Image 2]

Kai didn't wait for the result. With the sudden, heavy boost in his Agility and Stamina, he flew like a bullet, his webbed feet gripping the slippery snow methodically.

By the time Kai stopped, he had already crossed dozens of miles, leaving the village behind and entering the wilderness.

Kai breathed in and out, calming his blood. The adrenaline rush left him, then. And the pain found the path to his brain.

Kai looked back over his shoulder, and what he saw made him shake his head in dismay. It seemed he had underestimated the terror of facing the D+ difficulty with his 4th-floor Stats.

Half of his tail was gone, warm blood dripping over snow and mud like the pitter-patter of rain.

A Random World to counter his Glitch…

Kai was only now feeling the true meaning of these words.

************

AN:

Nezuko - Main Character's sister

The boy - Tanjiro

The young man - Water Hashira Giyu

[

Skill Iron Tail Activated

Time Limit: 30 Seconds

Skill: Iron Tail

Grade: D-

Specification: Give the tail a steel-like magical property

Requirement: HP>0, MP>0

Attributes:

1. Consume HP and MP to give the tail a magical steel-like property

2. For every point of MP, two points of HP will be consumed

Effect:

1. Base Damage: 30 HP, 10 MP

2. For every 10 MP consumption, Base Damage +10 (HP) +5 (MP)

Warning: Base Damage limit - 200 HP

]