"Looks like I'll have to pay more attention to intelligence from now on."
Aoki stretched.
Both mental strength and control are closely related to intelligence.
"Speaking of which, I remember I still have two free attribute points to allocate."
Aoki glanced at the system panel and added to intelligence and agility.
Strength was sufficient for now.
Because demons naturally possess rapid regeneration abilities, constitution was slightly less important.
"There's one last reward."
A gourd appeared out of thin air in Aoki's hand, about twenty centimeters tall, light yellow in color, and looked quite ordinary.
"Is this the Demon Wine Gourd?"
After a moment,
Aoki's eyes lit up.
Before obtaining the Demon Wine Gourd, he guessed it might be a treasure that could capture demons and refine them into wine.
Like the Purple Gold Red Gourd in Journey to the West.
In reality, his guess wasn't wrong, but it was completely unrelated.
The Demon Wine Gourd could only hold wine, not demons, and it couldn't be used in combat. Its special effect was that it could turn ordinary wine into demon wine.
Demon wine was wine that even demons could taste.
In some ways, this is even more precious than being able to capture ghosts.
Some things you only realize are precious after you lose them.
Like taste.
Lately, everything he ate tasted like sand; those who know, know.
More anticipated than having another fighting method is the chance to taste food again.
"It's almost dawn."
Aoki tied the ghost wine gourd to his waist, put on his sun hat, and slowly descended the mountain.
The effects of "Blood Boiling" hadn't fully recovered, and in his excitement, he'd used "Spatial Travel" too many times; now he was a little weak.
By the time he reached the foot of the mountain, it was already bright daylight.
Beside the low hill was a wide road, bustling with people and vehicles.
Following the road, he arrived at a bustling town.
High-rise buildings, grand courtyards, and numerous shops
lined the streets, teeming with tourists. Aoki, wearing a straw hat, walked the streets unnoticed.
He had seen more than one person wearing a straw hat along the way.
This was Azabu, a world apart from his previous home.
The latter was still in ancient times, while the former was beginning its modernization.
Here, Aoki realized he was in 1910, not 1810.
He left the main street and entered a less crowded alley.
Both sides were lined with shops selling all kinds of food:
udon, ramen, tempura, sushi, eel rice… a wide variety of dishes were available.
Passing a peculiar shop, Aoki stopped.
It was a small shop with a red lantern hanging at the entrance, bearing the words "Izakaya" (Japanese pub).
Aoki's fingers lightly brushed against the ghost sake gourd at his waist, and he turned and entered the izakaya.
Just like from the outside, the shop wasn't large, with only six tables separated by a curtain. Inside, a figure was busy at work.
It seemed to have just opened; the izakaya was deserted, with only one customer.
Aoki glanced over instinctively and was immediately stunned.
It was a young girl in her prime, with delicate features and a beauty mark under each eye, making her look incredibly cute.
She wore a pink kimono embroidered with flowers, which pushed up her chest, revealing a figure beyond her years.
However, the most striking feature wasn't her pretty face or her voluptuous figure, but her long, cherry-pink braided hair, with only the tips turning light green.
The girl seemed to notice his gaze, turning her head to look at him. A slight surprise appeared on her pretty face, which then blossomed into a bright, sunny smile.
"Uncle Yokoki's sake and grilled chicken skewers are both excellent!"
"Thank you!"
Aoki casually looked away, took off his straw hat, and sat down at the table at the far end.
A still-attractive woman approached, carrying a plate with several small dishes, which she placed on the table.
"What would you like to drink, sir?"
Aoki took out his ghost sake gourd: "A draft beer, please, and fill it with sake."
"Please wait a moment, sir."
The woman picked up the ghost sake gourd and left.
At the same time, a middle-aged man emerged from behind the curtains, carrying a food box and a sake bottle.
"Little Mitsuri, your grilled chicken skewers and sake are ready. Oh, and I also put some sakura mochi in there."
"Thank you, Uncle Yokoki!"
The girl with the cherry blossom-colored braided hair happily took the food box and sake bottle and ran excitedly outside.
The middle-aged man shouted at her retreating figure, "Tell your father to come to the bar next time!"
Aoki quietly withdrew his gaze.
Kanroji Mitsuri.
This was the first "acquaintance" he encountered in this world besides Muzan Kibutsuji—not counting Reiyuko, whom he wasn't familiar with.
Judging by the time, Kanroji Mitsuri shouldn't have joined the Demon Slayer Corps yet.
If he were still human, he might have tried to strike up a conversation, but he was a demon now, so it was best to stay away. He
pretended to sit for a while, and as more customers arrived, Aoki quietly left the izakaya.
Facing the bright sunlight, he squinted: "I should find a place to stay first."
He decided to stop for the time being.
His power had increased too quickly; his strength was far from what it should be.
He needed to recuperate.
In the evening, a kind-looking young man with thick eyebrows and large eyes suddenly stopped Aoki.
"Sir, I see you have extraordinary talent and exceptional physique; you're a martial arts prodigy, one in a million. Would you like to join our dojo?"
Aoki sized him up. "Extraordinary physique? How did you figure that out?"
The honest-looking young man froze, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Aoki suddenly asked, "Who taught you that line?"
He could tell at a glance this was a complete sales novice!
"I learned it from a novel,"
the honest-looking young man said, his face full of shame. He quickly explained, "However, I'm not lying to you. Judging from your physique and demeanor, you're really suited for our Aoki-ryu."
"Aoki-ryu?"
Aoki was taken aback. Was that name for real?
The honest-looking young man said earnestly, "Aoki-ryu is a bare-knuckle martial art, known for its fast, fluid movements and continuous attacks."
"Then we really are destined to meet,"
Aoki pondered slightly. "Does your dojo have accommodation?"
Learning martial arts was indeed a good choice.
In truth, he wasn't skilled in close combat, let alone bare-handed fighting; he had mostly fought on instinct.
This was one of the reasons he couldn't unleash his full power.
The honest-looking young man was overjoyed: "Yes, yes, yes! We have many empty houses; as long as you're willing to join the dojo, you can live there for free!"
"Then let's take a look!" Aoki said.
He sensed something was amiss, but being skilled and daring, he didn't mind going to see what was going on.
(End of Chapter)
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(End of Chapter)