Chapter 42: Doma's Move |
Doma.
He had become a demon relatively recently, yet in just a century, he had firmly secured his position as Upper Rank Two.
That was the case until recently, when Akaza overcame the vulnerability of his neck and received even more of Muzan's blood, leapfrogging him in a single bound to close in on the power of Upper Rank One.
Doma had always been detached from reality.
This was true not just by human standards, but even among demons. He was utterly devoid of emotion, yet Akaza's meteoric rise had still pricked the pride of the now-demoted Upper Rank Three.
Consequently, he had shaken off his lethargy, becoming far more proactive in seeking out suitable young women to feast upon in hopes of surpassing Akaza once more.
Demons feed and evolve by consuming human flesh.
However, at Doma's level, devouring the flesh of ordinary humans was practically useless; only those with the rarest blood or powerful bodies could provide any significant stimulus to his cellular development.
Thus, a smile played across the face of the Upper Rank Three when he laid eyes on the two girls; their potent auras marked them as exquisite prey.
A chill ran down the spines of the Kocho sisters at the sight of that smile, and visible goosebumps broke out across Shinobu's skin.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Doma," the Upper Rank Three said with a friendly smile. "I don't know your names yet, but I can already tell you're sisters by blood, aren't you?"
The usual tenderness and gentleness of Kanae vanished like mist in the wind the moment they stepped over the threshold. The Flower Hashira kept her gaze locked onto the demon, ignoring his pleasantries entirely.
"My apologies, but I have no desire to hear my name—and certainly not my sister's—coming from your filthy mouth!" Shinobu spat coldly, making no effort to hide her loathing and contempt.
"Now, why be so rude? I remember the name of every girl I've eaten, and I shall carry yours into the distant future as well," Doma replied, still smiling. He set aside a head he had been holding and began to rise slowly from his seat.
Swoosh!
"Insect Breathing: Butterfly Dance!" Shinobu snapped, finally losing her temper. With countless swings of her Nichirin Sword, she unleashed a massive cloud of fluttering butterflies upon the Upper Rank Three.
Unfazed, the demon drew a folding fan, and with an elegant flick of his wrist, he summoned a gust of freezing wind into the room.
Snap! Crackle! Pop!
Immediately following the gesture, frozen lotuses bloomed around the smiling demon, intercepting every single one of the fluttering butterflies.
The butterfly-shaped sword strikes left nothing but a network of fine cracks upon the lotuses before being completely neutralized and dispersed.
"There's no need for such haste... we have a long, passionate night ahead of us. Dawn is at least four hours away," Doma said, hiding the lower half of his face behind his fan. He had effortlessly parried the attack of the newly promoted Insect Hashira, his eyes glimmering with satisfaction.
'Exquisite...'
Their breathing and speed were excellent, even if they lacked raw power; their overall strength was nearly on par with the Hashira he had slain over the past century.
There was nothing to worry about. Three or even five such opponents posed no serious threat to him, let alone just one.
But the catch was the older girl...
Doma shifted his gaze to Kanae.
Only a year ago, he wouldn't have taken any Hashira from the Demon Slayer Corps seriously, as they were all beneath him.
However, in the past year, all the Hashira had mastered a new art of the sword and grown significantly stronger. He hadn't encountered it personally yet, but he knew from hearsay that these Hashira were now capable of pushing back the Upper Ranks.
On the other side of the clash...
Kanae was also measuring Doma.
Shinobu had just poured nearly all her strength into that strike, yet the demon hadn't even exerted himself. It was clear he was far more powerful than the young Hashira, and his true depth remained difficult to gauge.
"I will give you my name if you tell me about the recent reshuffling within the Upper Ranks," Kanae proposed calmly. The Flower Hashira's voice remained soft, but while it usually felt like a tickling spring breeze, it now carried the bite of an autumn wind—chilly and unfriendly, with the ominous notes of a fast-approaching winter.
It was no exaggeration to say that every Upper Rank was responsible for the deaths of countless Demon Slayers and more than a few Hashira.
If killing Muzan was the ultimate objective of all Demon Slayers, then eliminating the Upper Ranks was a vital step along that path.
Killing each Upper Rank was equivalent to stripping away Muzan's shields; once they all fell and the Progenitor of Demons was left entirely alone, nothing would stand in the way of their goal.
Kanae wasn't confident in her ability to defeat Doma right now, but with four hours left until dawn and her sister's superhuman speed, they might be able to drag the battle out until sunrise.
"I have already given you my name, and it would be polite of you to reciprocate. As for information on the Upper Ranks..." Doma's smile widened.
"Sister, watch out!" Shinobu cried, her eyes narrowing sharply.
Simultaneously with her shout, the Upper Rank Three blurred and vanished, reappearing an instant later behind Kanae with his fan raised to strike.
Whoosh!
"Flower Breathing: Ninth Form - Summer Sunflower!" Along with the cry, a radiant arc blossomed around the Flower Hashira in the blink of an eye. It was a seamless defense resembling a rising sun, and it met Doma's rapidly approaching fan with a resonant metallic clang.
Immediately afterward, Kanae put distance between them without a moment's hesitation, leaving a trail of afterimages in her wake. She had calculated her movement perfectly to trap Doma between herself and Shinobu.