"What kind of monster is that?"
Obanai Iguro and Giyu Tomioka gripped their Nichirin Blades, shock painted across their faces as they watched the Armored Titan emerge from the swirling steam. Neither of them could comprehend the sight.
"How insidious! It seems you discovered me long ago and intentionally revealed a weakness!"
From the nape of the Armored Titan, Lucien Graves stepped onto its shoulder, his face streaked with blood-like lines beneath his amethyst, diamond-patterned eyes. Steam poured from his body, rising like mist around him. Wang Xu's heart sank.
This guy is even more troublesome than Zhou Wei. Without the Titan's regenerative abilities, he would already be dead.
"You've been to the Attack on Titan world," Wang Xu said, his eyes gleaming with greed as he looked at Lucien, as if assessing a treasure.
Lucien said nothing, his expression only growing colder.
"Do you have the ability to traverse other worlds, or perhaps a cheat ability?" Wang Xu's impatience was evident.
"Since we're from the same place, let's lay our cards on the table."
Lucien jumped from the Titan's shoulder, which crashed to the ground and began dissolving into steam.
"What's your cheat ability? You shouldn't be a Reincarnator, just a simple traverser."
"Reincarnator? You've met Reincarnators like those from the Main God Space? Did you encounter them in Attack on Titan?" Wang Xu's excitement grew. "If Reincarnators exist, there must be countless worlds. Anime, novels, movies—all could be real. And you can go to them?"
He paused, narrowing his eyes. "You're not a Reincarnator either, just a traverser like me. You know information I don't."
Wang Xu's excitement surged. There were more people from their world than he expected.
Lucien Graves remained silent, recognizing Wang Xu's attempt to extract information. This was no fool; he was cunning, analyzing far more than a single sentence would suggest. Dangerous. Extremely dangerous.
"Forget it. I'll devour you, take your memories, and your cheat ability." Wang Xu's glee radiated, even activating his sixth sense.
A kukri appeared in Lucien's hand. His body tensed, every fiber alert to the deadly danger Wang Xu posed.
"Interested in joining forces?" Lucien suddenly glanced toward Giyu and Obanai. His plan was simple: team up to take down Wang Xu. This enemy was far too dangerous to face alone.
"Did you kill Tanjiro, Sanemi, Muichiro, Tengen, Shinobu, Mitsuri, and the others?" Giyu's voice was calm, impartial, weighing the situation.
Obanai's glare followed Lucien, sharp and wary.
"That's a baseless accusation. Who said that?" Lucien frowned, annoyed. It was time to act. Giyu didn't know the full truth. Perhaps it was merely speculation. Regardless, Lucien would feign righteousness, insisting he was framed.
"You're framing me," Lucien said, glaring at Wang Xu.
"Your act is weak. I only killed the Stone and Mist Pillars," Wang Xu replied calmly, unimpressed by Lucien's performance.
Giyu then grabbed Obanai and, with several consecutive jumps, leapt onto the ruins and disappeared. Lucien froze, astonished at the sudden retreat.
"The people of this world aren't fools," Wang Xu noted. Originally, he had intended to fight all three together, but Giyu's withdrawal disrupted his plans. The strategy of letting enemies weaken each other first was wise. With the Twelve Kizuki potentially approaching and the Demon Slayer Corps' strength diminished, confrontation now would be unwise.
Lucien forced a strained smile. "The other side wants us to be mutually wounded. You wouldn't be the cicada, would you?"
"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. What if I'm the oriole?" Wang Xu's hands extended vertically, ten transparent threads piercing the ground like deadly spears.
Lucien's golden storm flared around him. Armor, helmet, arm guards, chest plate, goggles, and boots materialized, metallic clangs echoing through the battlefield. War-like music swelled, amplifying the tension.
Within five minutes and twenty seconds, Lucien's strength would double. If he failed to kill Wang Xu, retreat would be the only option.
Wang Xu's eyes went cold as he sensed Lucien's surge.
Lucien inhaled deeply. Golden lightning hissed through the air. As he leaned forward, the ground beneath boomed and collapsed in concentric circles. Stones and debris flew in every direction.
"Instant Kill."
A fiery red kukri shot toward Wang Xu's neck. But Wang Xu was ready, sidestepping while launching five sharp threads toward Lucien's chest.
"Crack…"
Lightning erupted. Lucien vanished, rolling sideways, slashing with his left-hand kukri. Wang Xu's thread-bound right foot collided with the blade. Mountains seemed to collapse, the earth splitting within thirty meters, sending sand and stones flying.
"Bang! Bang!"
The battlefield fractured, leaving a jagged gully. They collided head-on and then elastically recoiled, crashing like titans against each other.
"Bold demon, dare you show your tricks before an expert? Great Might Heavenly Dragon, World-Honored Ksitigarbha! Great Luo Dharma Incantation, Prajna Buddhas! Prajna Paramita Om!" Lucien roared.
Golden lightning erupted. Behind Lucien, a twenty-meter divine dragon appeared, his right hand transforming into its head, striking at Wang Xu. The sudden attack sent chills down Wang Xu's spine.
"Spider's Nest!"
A dense web of silk erupted around Wang Xu, shielding him as he retreated rapidly.
"Bang!"
Even with the defense, Wang Xu's body exploded outward like a cannonball. But the transparent threads that bound him quickly repaired every fracture, restoring his upper body in moments.
"Instant Kill!" Lucien's golden form streaked through the battlefield again, ready to strike while his opponent was vulnerable.