Demon Slayer:Multiverse crossover

"Is Shido-senpai okay?"

Mochizuki asked softly, her brow furrowed in concern.

"He's fine. Just a minor injury," James reassured her. "Our school has the best campus doctor in all of Tianshui County."

They were seated in the spectator stands, having watched the battle unfold more clearly than most—even clearer than the fighters themselves.

The gap in power was undeniable. A full qualitative difference. Until Shido entered the ranked level, it would be impossible for him to challenge elite opponents on equal footing. Even then, the heirs of aristocratic families wouldn't stand still—they were constantly improving. For ordinary students to surpass them? It was still a distant dream.

---

Later, James visited Shido Kazuhiko in the infirmary.

Though his injuries were mostly healed thanks to the doctor's extraordinary abilities, he was still being monitored for another half hour.

James sat beside the bed, watching as Shido shifted uncomfortably under the blanket.

"James-san... I'm sorry I embarrassed myself out there," Shido muttered, looking down at his hands.

"You didn't run away. You stood and fought." James gave him a rare smile. "That alone makes me proud of you. You're a true swordsman."

Shido's cheeks flushed red at the praise. James gave his shoulder a gentle pat.

"And don't worry... I'll handle Karita Koji. I can't pretend I didn't hear what he said."

With his five enhanced senses, James had caught every word of Koji's arrogant speech during the match. Even someone as even-tempered as James had found himself irritated.

Shido and Hikaru stiffened. Had James overheard everything? Including his exaggerated claims? How embarrassing...

Leaving the infirmary, James took Mochizuki's hand and glanced at the wrist display showing the next match assignment.

"Mochizuki, Nitta-san, let's go."

---

From the Top 128 to 64, then from 64 to 32, James advanced smoothly through the rankings. His battles were clean and decisive, never needing more than a few moments.

The strongest opponent he faced during this stretch was a student who had previously ranked ninth overall.

That student specialized in elemental magic, combining fire and wind.

The moment James stepped onto the platform, he was hit by a coordinated barrage of fireballs and wind blades. The wind intensified the flames, turning each fireball into a searing, basin-sized missile.

A clever tactic. The student had clearly studied James beforehand.

But it wasn't enough.

With a single sweep of his blade, James dispersed all the attacks. He stepped forward once—only once—and the opponent flew backward, crashing to the floor with a massive footprint embedded in the center of his uniform.

No struggle. No contest.

And just like that, the Top 32 were decided.

---

Now, it was time for the Challenge Round.

The 32 finalists stood at the center of a vast arena. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the stands. The rostrum and teacher's podium had been reassembled, and every instructor and administrator had returned to witness the upcoming matches.

Starting from the Challenge Round, all battles were held in one central venue. The previous four raised platforms had been merged into one large combat stage.

> "The challenge phase has officially begun. Students wishing to issue a challenge, please use the prompter."

Almost immediately, names began appearing on the large display hovering above the stage.

Normally, no one weak made it this far. Challengers had to choose their opponents carefully, estimating gaps in ability to avoid early elimination.

Some, like Shido, were lucky. Others... not so much.

Shinji Nitta, who was officiating the matches, reviewed the screen and nodded.

"The matchups have been confirmed. The Challenge Round begins now!"

This round was as much about fairness as it was about entertainment. It gave unlucky students a second chance, while simultaneously building momentum for the final tournament rankings.

And just as intended, the crowd erupted with cheers and clapping. The atmosphere became electric.

The first match began.

Shido Kazuhiko stepped forward, having chosen an opponent with less combat prowess. He fought cleanly and won with relative ease.

The second match followed. Then the third. Some students advanced. Others were eliminated. Within the hour, the Challenge Round concluded.

Satisfied with the pacing and the atmosphere, Shinji Nitta raised his hand.

> "Let the Ranking Tournament begin!"

A massive stone wall rose from the ground, dividing the large platform into two arenas.

The giant screen above the audience flickered rapidly.

> "Match confirmed!"

The 32 students had been split into two groups of 16. Each group would battle until only one finalist remained.

> "James, your opponent is: Ogikubo Sonoko. The match will begin shortly."

---

In the stands, whispers circulated rapidly.

"This seems... suspicious," one student muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"Look. James and Karita Koji are in the same group—but they don't face each other until the quarterfinals."

"...You're right. That does seem intentional."

"And the winner between them will probably face Shinomiya Saki. It's like they're setting up a final boss encounter!"

"This clearly acknowledges Shinomiya Saki as number one already."

James didn't concern himself with rumors or match-fixing.

During the early ranking matches, he deliberately slowed his pace—waiting until his opponents exhausted their abilities before delivering the final blow. It allowed him to observe and learn more about the patterns of battle in this world.

Eventually, the bracket narrowed down to the quarterfinals.

On one side: James vs. Karita Koji.

On the other: Shinomiya Saki vs. the previous fourth-ranked student.

In the teacher's section, a curious voice broke the silence.

"Who do you think will win—James or Karita?"

A teacher turned toward Mr. Motoyama.

The gruff instructor shook his head.

"I honestly have no idea. Even as his advisor, I don't fully understand James's capabilities."

---

The battle on the other side had already begun with roaring elemental spells.

Meanwhile, James and Koji stood calmly, facing each other in the quiet half of the platform.

"They say you're strong," Koji said, half-lidded eyes flickering with intensity. "But I never understood why. What makes you strong?"

His tone was condescending, but oddly emotionless—like he was stating a fact.

"But lately... I've started to change my mind. You reaching our level is impressive. You should be proud."

James raised an eyebrow, staring at him as if he were watching a child pretend to be a noble.

"You're still obsessed with bloodlines and social class?" James asked flatly. "That's pathetic."

"If this is all you're capable of, then I'm very disappointed."

Koji's expression didn't shift.

"Some people think I didn't fight you earlier because I looked down on you," he said. "I used to think that was nonsense. But now..."

He raised both hands, and an eerie smile twisted across his face.

"...I think they were right."

Behind him, flames surged to life.

A brilliant yellow inferno ignited from the ground, and from within it, dark silhouettes began to form.

One. Two. Four. Eight. Twelve...

Over a dozen massive flame serpents burst from the firestorm, rising high enough to block out the sun. The entire arena's temperature skyrocketed within seconds.

They coiled, twisted, and shot forward, aiming directly for James.

With one hand on his scabbard and the other on his blade, James unsheathed his sword.

A blinding arc of steel and spiritual energy flashed—

—and in an instant, every flaming snake was cleaved in half, their remnants dissolving into sparks.

"Flashy," James muttered. "But meaningless."

---

Koji's eyes narrowed.

Clasping his hands together, the broken serpents suddenly merged into a colossal fireball nearly ten meters wide. The color deepened from gold to crimson. The heat was suffocating.

It descended rapidly, engulfing the platform.

BOOM!!!

A wave of fire exploded across the field, crashing into the stone divider—but not breaking through.

For a moment, it seemed everything had been consumed.

But as the flames died down, a shimmering veil of sword light became visible.

Within the aura, James stood untouched. His blade had created a vacuum in the air, slicing away every spark that dared approach him.

"You're not bad," he said casually. "But you've still got a long way to go."

Koji's face twisted in fury.

He dropped to his knees, slamming both palms into the stone floor. Veins bulged across his arms as spiritual power surged from his body into the ground.

> "Explosion—CRACK!!"

The stone beneath James's feet fractured, glowing with molten heat.

In the next moment, pillars of fire erupted, spewing skyward like volcanic jets.

But James remained calm.

With quick steps and narrow dodges, he weaved between the blasts. The heat brushed his uniform, but didn't touch his skin.

"Large-scale, but unfocused," he murmured, stepping out of the danger zone.

Koji growled. "Then let's see you block this!"

---

James raised his sword. Its steel edge vibrated, emitting a deep hum. The blade began to glow—turning slowly red-hot. The air around it wavered from heat and pressure.

Everyone watching felt it.

A dense, terrifying energy began to gather around James.

Even the teachers tensed in their seats.

> "Hedao..." someone whispered.

The true power of the sword was about to reveal itself.

And the entire arena held its breath.

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

pàtreøn (Gk31)