Becoming Enkidu in DxD-Chapter 338: The Lower Ranks Gather!

"Puff—"

Blood sprayed in all directions as a severed head hit the ground.

[Ding, obtained 0.2% template inheritance rate!]

"Huff… finally done. Looks like all the demons in Japan are gathering toward Chiba now."

Staring into the dark sky in the distance, Yukinoshita Akira's expression grew slightly serious.

For three full days, Chiba City had been flooded with an abnormal number of demon appearances. Whether it was to maintain the peace of this area or to raise his inheritance rate, Akira had no choice but to throw himself completely into hunting and exterminating them.

In those three days, he didn't even know how many demons he had killed, but the inheritance rate had risen noticeably.

[Name: Yukinoshita Akira]

[Identity: Visitor from Another World]

[Template Inheritance: Tsugikuni Yoriichi (68.5%)]

[Breathing Styles: Sun Breathing, Water Breathing, Thunder Breathing, Flame Breathing, Stone Breathing, Wind Breathing]

[Talents: Mark, Swordmastery Divine Path, Sword Heart]

[Abilities: Swordsmanship MAX · LV10, Transparent World, Red Blade]

[Equipment: Nichirin Blade *5, Murata Blade]

[Item: Phoenix's Tears *1]

At a 68% inheritance rate, Akira didn't even want to think about how many demons he had cut down over these three days.

Ordinary demons were worth about 0.1% to 0.2%. Low-level demons gave around 0.3% to 0.5%. Upper-level demons could give anywhere from 0.6% to 1%.

And those stronger than that—

Those were the Lower Ranks.

But in these three days, what he encountered most were ordinary demons and low-level demons. Upper-level demons were extremely rare.

"My swordsmanship has already reached MAX, but I still feel like this isn't the true limit yet."

Ever since his inheritance rate had passed 50%, every further increase no longer granted him new skills.

What grew instead was his understanding of the sword—and of himself.

Even now, the increase in raw power felt smaller and smaller. What grew more was a kind of "state of awareness."

Transparent World, the Mark, Sun Breathing, and the sword techniques of Sun Breathing—

To Tsugikuni Yoriichi, none of these had been anything special.

They could even be called simple.

From the moment he was born, he had naturally understood the state of "transparency," been born with the Mark, and possessed power beyond human limits.

As for Sun Breathing and his sword techniques, all of them had been created as tools to fight Muzan Kibutsuji and the demons.

What was truly terrifying about Tsugikuni Yoriichi was his talent—almost like that of a demon itself.

Even without any conventional training, he had been able to reach that level purely through natural talent.

His true peak might not have been the moment he first met Muzan Kibutsuji and nearly killed him.

After that, for decades, in order to truly end that being—so he wouldn't repeat the failure of a single, incomplete killing strike—Tsugikuni Yoriichi began to train in earnest.

Until the very end of his life, even as an old man, he still possessed the power to kill Upper Rank One, Kokushibo, in a single attack.

If not for the moment his flame went out at the very last second of his life, Kokushibo might have died right there.

To still possess such strength in the final second of his life was more than enough to prove just how extraordinary Tsugikuni Yoriichi was—

And how his talent seemed to be loved by the world itself.

Now, Akira, who had inherited everything from Tsugikuni Yoriichi, with his young body, clearly had the potential to wield power that even surpassed Yoriichi when facing Muzan Kibutsuji.

"Krak—"

"So it's you who's been hunting the demons? You've killed so many in just three days… I suppose I should give you some praise."

At that moment, several figures emerged from the darkness.

Lower Rank One.

Lower Rank Two.

Lower Rank Three.

Lower Rank Four.

Four Lower Ranks at once.

Not only that—there were still many other demons lurking around them.

Akira frowned slightly and scanned his surroundings.

Where were the Upper Ranks?

And where was Muzan Kibutsuji?

Was this some kind of encirclement aimed at him?

But after checking again and again, he couldn't see a single shadow of an upper-level demon.

Nor could he smell that disgusting, rotten stench.

Which meant—

There were no Upper Ranks here.

"What are you looking for?"

Lower Rank Two, Rokuro, glared at Akira angrily.

What was this supposed to mean?

Was he not even worth acknowledging?

"Did no Upper Rank come?"

Akira looked calmly at Rokuro, the number Two carved into his eyes, and asked.

"To deal with you, there's no need to involve the Upper Ranks. We're more than enough." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"Oh? That's some brave talk. I've already killed Upper Rank Three, Upper Rank Four, and Upper Rank Six—yet you still dare to say things like that."

"Hmph. That was before. Now, all of us have received blood personally bestowed by Lord Muzan. Our power has already surpassed the Upper Ranks of the past."

As those words fell, all four Lower Ranks in front of Akira revealed twisted, unnatural smiles.

No demon was ever truly normal.

Especially after receiving Muzan Kibutsuji's blood, they had to endure indescribable pain. Any demon who could survive that process only became more insane.

"Just you?"

A trace of indifference crossed Akira's face.

It wasn't that he was underestimating them.

At his current level of strength, even Upper Ranks were nothing more than "dishes."

Let alone them.

Based on Muzan Kibutsuji's personality, Akira suspected these demons were nothing more than bait—or smoke deliberately thrown out.

After all, that "cowardly boss" had a habit of "firing" his subordinates.

In the original story, aside from Lower Rank One, Enmu, all the others had been personally killed by Muzan Kibutsuji himself.

The reason was simple—

The Lower Ranks were too useless, constantly replaced, and endlessly slaughtered by the Demon Slayer Corps.

"As long as we kill you, Lord Muzan will reward us with even more blood. When that happens, even the Upper Ranks won't mean anything anymore."

At that moment, Lower Rank One, Enmu, revealed a sickly smile that made people instinctively uneasy.

And not just him—

All the other Lower Ranks wore the same expression.

Akira guessed that Muzan Kibutsuji must have promised them something.

But to him, they were nothing more than test pieces.

And Akira was certain—

Right now, Muzan Kibutsuji was watching everything happening here through their eyes.

"Blood Demon Art · Forced Sleep!"

Enmu moved first, raising one of his hands.

A mouth opened in the palm of his hand—and began to speak.

"Sleep—"

It was a mental attack.

A spiritual hypnosis.

"Oh no, we can't let him take the initiative."

"Let's attack together."

"Kill him."

The other three Lower Ranks didn't hesitate.

At the same moment, they all launched their attacks toward Akira.

In their eyes, Akira was nothing more than a fish on the chopping block—

Ready to be slaughtered however they pleased.

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