With the official acquisition of her nichirin blade, the mission prompt also changed:
[Mission 1: Join the special organization against demons and obtain nichirin blade support. Complete! Rewards have been issued.]
[Mission Update: Mission Objective 3, kill any demon of Lower Moon rank or above. (Reward: Option to exit this trial, 300 T-points.)]
[System Description Update:
Death: Upon death, you will leave the trial and resurrect at 'D's' location. (Death Penalty: 12-hour experience in the Tentacle Little Black Room.)]
"Ah, damn, are we playing that hard? This evil god... goddamn Tentacle Little Black Room." This death penalty shocked Jean Stardust for an entire year.
[System Update:
Death Penalty: 12-hour experience in the Tentacle Little Black Room. → 24-hour experience in the Tentacle Little Black Room.]
"I'm sorry, Sister 'D', I was wrong."
Although she immediately backed down and apologized, the system description did not change again.
But looking on the bright side, there was actually no difference between 12 hours and 24 hours; as long as she didn't die, it was zero!
She secretly cheered herself up, suppressing her inner nervousness. After all, having picked up this blade, she would have to face those demons from now on.
---
"Hey, Boss, I see a light ahead. We're almost at that village."
Lush branches obscured the night sky, and the path through the forest was almost pitch black, with only dappled moonlight falling through the gaps in the leaves, illuminating the group on the move.
The speaker was a sturdy man dressed in coarse hemp clothes, looking like a peasant, but the fangs protruding from his mouth revealed his identity: a demon.
"Tch, this damn road. Why are all the collection missions assigned to us in such godforsaken places?" The leader complained. Although he was dressed more neatly, his hands, twisted into sharp claws, showed that he was also a demon.
Not just the two of them, the entire group of five had non-human characteristics. They were the runners heading to the village to collect living 'tributes'.
"Hehehe, I wonder if there are any pretty girls this time. I can hardly contain myself."
"No way, you actually want to do that kind of thing to food? Aren't you disgusted?" another demon remarked.
"Shut up, keep it in your pants. This food is for the higher-ups this time. Don't you dare touch them!" the lead demon scolded him.
But the scolded 'lustful demon' didn't take it to heart: "Boss, since the 'tributes' are off-limits, the ones in the village should be fine, right?"
The lead demon gave a casual "Hmph" and didn't say anything.
Seeing his proposal tacitly accepted, he raised his hands to cheer, but suddenly a gentle breeze brushed past. With a "shoo" sound, a metal throwing knife wrapped in green wind pierced his throat, rendering him speechless.
While all the demons' eyes were drawn to this sudden turn of events, from another direction, a figure leapt out from the shadows of the forest. Following the trajectory of the wind, they decapitated the nearest demon with a single strike.
The lead demon reacted immediately, pulling the demon with the knife still in its throat as he retreated to the side, shouting, "Enemy attack!"
Only then did all the demons see their attacker.
It was a figure that shone brightly on the dark forest path, illuminated only by the faint and dappled moonlight. Golden hair, fair skin, and white-and-gold clothing that was spotless and appeared so holy, utterly out of place in this dim environment and dark world.
This was Jean Stardust, holding the nichirin blade·white wind. With her appearance, the wind direction on the entire forest path changed, shifting from dark silence to a chilling killing intent.
"So... so beautiful," the demon with the dagger in its throat struggled to squeeze out a raspy voice.
Hearing this, the lead demon immediately threw him aside and issued orders to the other demons:
"Quick, catch her!"
The other two demons moved at the command, pouncing toward Jean Stardust's position. However, just before they could touch her, a gust of wind rose from the ground and blew them into the air.
At the same time, a flash of the blade fell, and both their heads were severed in a single stroke.
'Luckily it worked,' Jean Stardust thought to herself. This was a trap she had set in advance, and the reason she hadn't taken down another demon during the initial chaos.
Having successfully reduced their numbers, it was time to launch a counterattack. She stepped forward quickly, channeled wind elements into her nichirin blade, and slashed at the lead demon.
However, things don't always happen in threes; this time, she failed to achieve a result with a single strike.
A massive arm blocked the blade of white wind, and it could only cut in a few centimeters before it was unable to move any further.
"You didn't think I was like those useless trash, did you? I'm a Centurion!" The lead demon grinned and laughed loudly. Having lost three subordinates, he would surely be punished, but if he captured this beautiful Demon Slayer alive—or even just brought back her corpse—he would surely be rewarded.
But then, another throwing knife flew out of the forest following the wind's path, heading straight for the lead demon's neck. However, the claws that were meant to attack Jean Stardust suddenly twisted in a bizarre way to intercept the knife.
But Jean Stardust wasn't in a hurry at all. From the other side, after a short delay, another throwing knife flew out, about to hit.
"Too naive!" Suddenly, the clothes on the lead demon's back bulged, and a claw reached out from behind, catching the surprise throwing knife.
"Surprised? I was dismissed for stealing military supplies and called 'Three-Handed'. After becoming a demon, I actually grew three hands!"
"Yeah, I didn't expect that," Jean Stardust said with a smile. "But unfortunately, you don't have a fourth hand."
Then, the throwing knife stuck in the lustful demon's throat spun in a circle driven by the wind, severing his neck completely. It continued to spin as it flew toward the lead demon's neck.
In desperation, the lead demon quickly hunched his body and used his claws to block the path of the throwing knife.
Seizing this opening, Jean Stardust immediately activated the wind elements on the white wind blade stuck in his claws. Wind blades formed and severed his claws from the inside. Then, using wind elements to pull the lead demon toward her, she moved past him and decapitated him.
She flicked the blood off her blade, and the throwing knife that had spun out circled in the air before being caught steadily by Jean Stardust.
With that, all five demons had been slain.
Clap, clap, clap, clap. Along with the sound of applause, a figure carrying a massive spear on his back and wearing a trench coat armor appeared out of thin air.
"What a splendid battle, Lady Jean Stardust. It really got my blood pumping!"
Then, the armor surrounding his body gradually disintegrated, retracting into the form of a short sword. The man inside revealed his true appearance: sporting an old-fashioned pompadour, his lean muscles filling out the heavy armor, looking both majestic and capable.
This was the big brother who had come specifically to act as Jean Stardust's bodyguard—Brand.
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