Chapter 44: Equinoctial Vermilion Eye |
Crack!
A hail of ice shards scattered across the ground.
The duo of Hashira sisters, perfectly synchronizing their similar breathing styles and even their blade work, had managed to corner the Upper Rank for some time.
Insect Breathing compensated for Flower Breathing's lack of binding capability, while Flower Breathing in turn made up for Insect Breathing's lack of raw offensive power. The sisters complemented each other perfectly, a synergy further enhanced by their superhuman speed. Many Blood Demon Arts simply couldn't keep up with them.
Despite their young age, the sisters possessed extensive combat experience and had quickly identified Doma's main weakness—otherwise, they would never have been appointed as Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.
He relied far too heavily on his Blood Demon Art!
The incomparable power of Upper Rank Three was beyond doubt; it was for good reason that Doma had once surpassed even Akaza. However, his combat effectiveness was largely dependent on his Blood Demon Art.
To describe Upper Rank Three's fighting style in a single word...
A mage!
However, the demon had been far too complacent when encountering the sisters and had greatly underestimated the strength of their synergy, which had placed him in a very disadvantageous position.
Doma had, of course, tried repeatedly to retreat to a comfortable distance. But the Kocho sisters were no amateurs; they immediately cut off his attempts, striving to stay as close as possible. Thus, almost every strike of a Nichirin Sword threatened Doma's life in one way or another.
It was previously believed that Shinobu was too petite and light for her strikes to possess enough power to decapitate a demon, but her swordsmanship training under Makomo had overcome that flaw.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...
Doma swung his fans amidst a flurry of dancing petals and fluttering insects, parrying the sisters' lightning-fast attacks.
The playful smile had long since vanished from the demon's lips, replaced by a focused gaze tracking every movement of Kanae and Shinobu. He darted constantly from side to side in an attempt to break the distance, only to be met by the Nichirin Sword of one sister or the other.
'I made a mistake,' Doma analyzed with a concentrated expression. 'Who would have thought these sisters' combat abilities would create such perfect synergy? Moreover, my techniques are limited in close quarters... I could ignore everything and just freeze them, but then I'd be risking my own neck!'
As one of the strongest demons with over a hundred years of existence, he possessed no less combat experience than any slayer. He easily discarded stray thoughts and focused on finding the sisters' weakness.
It had to be admitted that Doma possessed incomparable power and continued to hold a steady defense even in such a disadvantageous position.
Some of the sisters' attacks certainly reached their target, but his neck remained invariably intact, and his other body parts regenerated instantly.
To an Upper Rank, such injuries were like a drop in the ocean.
Over time, Doma became increasingly calm and composed.
"This ends now."
One could say the sisters had perfectly exploited his negligence and pressured the weakness of his Blood Demon Art, simply not allowing him to use it properly. But in the end...
They were unable to land a fatal blow!
And the longer the stalemate lasted, the better it was for him. Unlike humans, demons possessed nearly limitless endurance.
With such a high intensity of battle and active use of breathing techniques, the Kocho sisters would last an hour or two at most. First, they would begin to tire and gradually weaken, and then, sooner or later, they would make a mistake that could easily cost them their lives.
Doma refused to believe the sisters could maintain such pressure for four hours to drag the battle until dawn.
The moment they loosened their grip even slightly due to exhaustion, he would immediately turn the tide of battle, giving free rein to his Blood Demon Art.
If Doma understood this, Kanae and Shinobu understood it even more.
'I'm too weak if this continues...' Shinobu gritted her teeth in helplessness, her hands tightening around her Nichirin Sword.
Their flawless, perfect teamwork was crumbling against her blade's inability to threaten the life of Upper Rank Three.
Doma would already be in the afterlife if only she possessed Kanae's strength!
If only she were a little taller...
If only she were a little heavier...
But a battle to the death knows no "what-ifs."
Standing at barely five feet tall and weighing only eighty pounds, even an ordinary man could easily toss her aside with one hand. It was only natural that she lacked overwhelming physical strength.
The lack of power was partially compensated by superhuman speed and agility, but it was still not enough to gain a decisive advantage over Upper Rank Three.
Nearby.
Also sensing where things were headed, Kanae quickly ran through various options in her mind and made a decision. Her large violet eyes shone with determination and resolve.
Meanwhile, Shinobu's gaze darted toward the Flower Hashira in the middle of another combined attack, as if she could feel her older sister's intentions.
'Sister...' the Insect Hashira's heart clenched.
She knew about the final form of Flower Breathing called Equinoctial Vermilion Eye, which raises dynamic vision to the maximum, allowing one to see in slow motion.
However, using this technique was incredibly dangerous, as the immense strain on the eyes led to ruptured blood vessels and could cause partial or total blindness.
But now, they had no other choice!
Shinobu knew intellectually that they had to seize this opportunity to finish Doma; otherwise, once the demon's hands were untied, their problems would truly begin, and the chance would be lost.
The sisters' thoughts coincided.
Having made her decision, Kanae did not hesitate and took a deep breath, activating the final form of her breathing technique. Immediately, her beautiful eyes turned blood-red.
Flower Breathing... Final Form...
Equinoctial Vermilion Eye!