Chapter 46: Crossroads |
Crack! Snap!
The Kocho sisters shattered the ice before them into tiny fragments. The wind from their blades dispersed the frozen mist and repelled Doma's attack, yet their faces showed not a hint of joy—instead, they darkened with grim resolve.
"I was wrong..." Shinobu gritted out through clenched teeth.
It was clear she should have dealt with the other half of Doma's body to prevent him from using his Blood Demon Art. However, the Hashira had allowed such a glaring mistake, and the situation had swung drastically against them.
Kanae didn't say a word, but her crimson eyes grew dull and her vision began to blur. The side effects of using the final form were catching up to the Flower Hashira...
She said nothing.
But her mind was racing with a flurry of thoughts.
'What should I do now?'
'Keep fighting?'
'The chance to slay Upper Rank Three has slipped away.'
'All that's left is to hold out until sunrise.'
'But dawn is still a long way off...'
'Even in peak condition, I might not have enough strength left.'
'Is it time to retreat?'
But her vision was already failing.
She could barely see in the darkness.
Fleeing would only leave them exposed to the demon's strike.
"Now then... the game has begun! Which sister should I kill first?" Doma smiled, and with a graceful flick of his fan, he unleashed a wave of snow and ice upon the Kocho sisters—a savage frost that could freeze lungs and sharp shards meant to pierce hearts.
The demon was no longer holding back; his previous carelessness had nearly cost him his life. Unleashing his strongest Blood Demon Art against the Kocho sisters, Doma simultaneously brandished his second ice fan.
Crack! Snap!
Ice surged from the fan, forming a tiny duplicate of Upper Rank Three that immediately lunged toward the sisters.
A second followed, then a third...
In mere moments, five miniature ice clones of Doma surrounded the Insect and Flower Hashira from all sides.
"I can't express how much I've enjoyed your company. I felt I should return the favor," the demon grinned widely, finally allowing himself to relax. "By the way... can my clones use my Blood Demon Art too?"
At those words, the sisters' faces paled.
Before their eyes, the clones of Doma fanned out in unison, unleashing a soul-chilling frost from every direction.
'He...' horror flickered in Shinobu's eyes.
They had known the danger from the start and had done everything possible to prevent Doma from using his Blood Demon Art, yet its power exceeded their worst fears.
Each of these clones was as strong as a Hashira!
Boom!!!
A split second later, a raging blizzard slammed into the terrified sisters, forcing them back-to-back.
This single attack from Upper Rank Three would have been insurmountable for most, and even with the techniques they learned from Makomo, Shinobu and Kanae barely held their ground.
Meanwhile, Doma, knowing clones alone wouldn't finish them, joined the fray. A deluge of Blood Demon Arts flooded the battlefield.
Ice lotuses bloomed!
Winter icicles flew!
A frozen blizzard roared!
It felt as if winter itself had descended upon the ruined estate. The sisters were drowning in ice, their presence betrayed only by the occasional flash of their blades.
Failing vision prevented Kanae from fighting at full strength, and soon, an icicle pierced her shoulder.
Crimson blood froze instantly before it could even flow from the wound...
"Sister!" Shinobu's heart clenched in despair, but there was no time to mourn. She swung her Nichirin Sword with everything she had, desperately trying to relieve the pressure on her elder sister.
However, the wound severely restricted the movement of Kanae's right arm. Coupled with her failing sight, the Flower Hashira's situation became truly dire.
Yet, her gaze remained incredibly calm.
It seemed that the closer death approached, the more serene Kanae's heart became.
"Shinobu, run... run and don't look back once I use the final form with my other eye..." Her voice was faint but clear, reaching the ears of the gasping Insect Hashira. Shinobu froze, her small frame trembling.
"I'll never leave you!" Shinobu gritted out through clenched teeth.
"You are a Hashira now, and you aren't bound by my orders. But I'm asking you, do this one last time. Get the information about this demon back to headquarters..." Kanae spoke without a trace of emotion. Cold and focused, she now resembled the very ice clones that surrounded them.
"But... but..." Shinobu's voice wavered.
She wasn't ready to abandon her only remaining family, despite having lived alongside death for years and recently becoming the Insect Hashira.
"You have your whole life ahead of you, sister... Be kind to people, don't falter in the face of hardship, and work harder," Kanae added in a calm but commanding tone.
It felt as though they stood at a crossroads.
The once gentle and affectionate elder sister had become cold and detached, burying her love and boundless regret deep within her heart.
And the strict, grumbling younger sister would soon learn to look upon the world with a perpetually kind and positive smile, no matter what happened in her soul—even if her heart remained scarred with unhealing wounds.