As Enmu died, the Infinity Train, now without the demonic consciousness controlling it, began to lurch and shudder violently. What once moved forward smoothly like a steel serpent now twisted like a beast gone mad. Each carriage rocked wildly, like small boats trapped in a furious storm, teetering on the edge of derailing.Lucas stood atop one of the carriages, unmoving. His eyes were calm and sharp, like a blade honed to perfection. The moment he had severed Enmu's neck, he knew this would happen. Killing the demon meant disrupting the spell that had fused Enmu's body with the train. It was inevitable that chaos would follow.Fortunately, Enmu hadn't fully merged with the train before his death. Only a few of the front carriages had begun to transform, and the rest remained structurally intact.Chunks of Enmu's purple-black flesh began to peel away from the first few carriages, flaking off like burnt paper. The cursed tissue dissolved into particles of dust and vanished into the cold night breeze—like a final whisper of the demon's presence.Lucas narrowed his eyes, scanning the train.Although Enmu had been defeated, the danger wasn't over yet. The wild motion of the train threatened the lives of the passengers inside.Without hesitation, Lucas sprang into action. Using Thunder Breathing, his body blurred into streaks of lightning as he dashed through the train cars, moving from one to the next in a blink. He rescued passenger after passenger, lifting them out of danger before disaster could strike.He moved like a phantom, pulling children from collapsing compartments, catching elders before they hit the floor, shielding unconscious bodies from falling debris.Within moments, the train's violent thrashing slowed. The momentum died down, and with a final screech of iron and a cloud of smoke, the train came to a halt.Silence fell.Only the wind howled quietly outside, and faint orange embers glowed where Enmu's corrupted flesh had burned away.Lucas stood in the middle of it all, eyes fixed on the still-smoking carriages. He took a long breath, steadying his nerves. The battle had ended—but now came the part he disliked the most: the aftermath.The cleaning up. The saving. The decisions.He wasn't a saint. He had never aspired to be. But watching innocent people die when he could do something about it—that wasn't something he could walk away from.Just then, a boy jolted awake.One of the four children Enmu had enslaved to sneak into the dreams of the Demon Slayers, the boy looked around in a panic. His eyes were filled with confusion and fear."I… why am I out?" he muttered. "Wasn't I inside the dream, searching for the spiritual core?"He wasn't the only one. The other children stirred as well, sitting up, dazed. Each had been sent to destroy the core of a Demon Slayer's spirit in exchange for the promise of a "beautiful dream."But something had broken that illusion.Something had brought them back.Tanjirou and his companions slowly opened their eyes as well. Kyojuro Rengoku released his grip from around one girl's neck, his expression grim but alert.They had all been pulled into Enmu's dream world—and yet none of them had made the decisive move to escape. Not entirely.So why were they awake?Kyojuro narrowed his eyes.Was it broken?A demon that could trap even a Hashira in a dream… There was no doubt about it now—this was no ordinary foe. This was one of the Lower Moons, perhaps even one of the highest-ranking.But if the illusion was gone… Had the demon abandoned the illusion? Or had something more drastic happened?Tanjirou looked around, his expression cloudy.This feels wrong, he thought. I hadn't even cut myself yet… I was just about to. So why did the dream vanish?From the corner of the room, the boy who had been assigned to Tanjirou whispered, "He's dead… thankfully."Everyone turned toward the boy, stunned."Dead?" one of the other children echoed in disbelief.The man who had manipulated them with gentle words, the demon who had promised them eternal dreams—gone?Even with the chains of manipulation broken, the children didn't cheer. There was no joy, only exhaustion. They were drained. All they wanted now was to sleep for real.Kyojuro stepped forward."Who died?" he asked in a steady tone.The boy looked up at him, dazed. "The one who gave us the dream ropes… the one who told us to tie them to you."Kyojuro frowned. "Was there something strange about his eyes?"The boy blinked, then nodded. "Yes… his eyes had writing in them. The words 'Lower Moon One.'"A sudden shift filled the room. The air itself seemed to heat up.Tanjirou, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Rengoku all fell silent, their expressions hardening."Lower Moon One…" Kyojuro muttered. "The strongest among the Lower Moons."No wonder he had been able to trap a Hashira in a dream without resistance.But if he was truly dead… who had killed him?"Where's Lucas?" Zenitsu asked, looking around. "When did he disappear?""Why are you looking for me?"A calm voice answered, and everyone turned to see Lucas stepping into the carriage.The door creaked behind him as he casually walked in, brushing a bit of soot off his shoulder.Kyojuro stared at him, and for the first time, his usually cheerful and blazing eyes showed an emotion Lucas could clearly identify—surprise."You're alright?" Kyojuro asked, blinking. "Where's the demon?""Killed it," Lucas replied nonchalantly, as if he were discussing the weather."Killed it?! You—Mr. Lucas, you killed Lower Moon One?!" Tanjirou stammered in disbelief, eyes wide with awe.He remembered how much trouble the Lower Moon Five Spider Demon had caused them back on Natagumo Mountain. That demon had slaughtered dozens of Demon Slayer Corps members.Back then, even Lucas had been forced into a defensive battle.But now… he had killed Lower Moon One single-handedly?And more impressively—he wasn't even injured. There wasn't a scratch on him. Not a single drop of blood.Tanjirou's nose twitched instinctively, confirming it—Lucas's scent was calm, clean, and resolute. There was no pain or hesitation in it.That meant he'd defeated Enmu without even being pushed to his limit.That kind of strength…Amazing, Tanjirou thought."Excellent!" Kyojuro declared, walking over with an approving nod. "You've protected the lives of everyone on this train. That alone is worthy of high honor."Lucas didn't respond. He simply looked toward the eastern sky where the first light of dawn was beginning to break."It's not over yet," he said quietly. "The real battle is just beginning."Kyojuro tilted his head, confused. "Not over? But you killed the demon. Are there more?"Lucas's gaze darkened. "Enmu was just the prelude. Akaza… he's the main event."The name sent a chill down everyone's spine.Akaza.A member of the Upper Moons. One of Muzan's most powerful lieutenants. The gap between Lower Moons and Upper Moons was like the difference between a candle and a wildfire.Lucas knew better than to underestimate Akaza.In the original timeline, Akaza appeared after the train crash and engaged Rengoku in a brutal battle that cost the Flame Hashira his life.Lucas had no intention of letting that happen.His goal now was twofold—protect Rengoku, and if possible, attempt something bold:Make Akaza his friend.It sounded ridiculous—impossible even. But with Lucas's system, befriending demons was not outside the realm of possibility. All it took was strength and the right opportunity.If he could earn Akaza's respect in battle, perhaps he could plant the seed of trust.But the idea of trying to kill Akaza? Lucas dismissed it immediately.Even Rengoku, with all his strength, had only managed to wound him. And when it seemed like Rengoku had pinned him in place, Akaza had simply ripped his own arm off to escape.An Upper Moon's regeneration was monstrous—severing limbs meant nothing to them. Killing one without sunlight or poison was next to impossible.That battle's coming soon, Lucas thought. I'll need everything I have.Behind him, Kyojuro glanced around warily. "Another demon? Where?"Lucas didn't answer directly. He just stared into the horizon.The sun was rising. The air was growing warmer.But so was the tension.A new nightmare was approaching.---
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