He once again narrowly dodged the sharp attack that was aimed straight at his neck, missing him by mere millimeters! Along with this heart-stopping evasion, a few strands of his golden hair were mercilessly cut off, fluttering down to the ground.
At this moment, the terrifying poison had begun to erode his nervous system, greatly affecting Yoizumi's limb coordination. He recalled when he first encountered Shinobu, how the deadly wisteria poison surged rapidly into his body, reaching his vital organs.
Yet, to his surprise, his body was eventually able to automatically dissolve and expel these toxins.
So, could the poison he was currently afflicted with also be neutralized in the same way, by adjusting his own functions and state, just as it did before?
However, the situation was extremely urgent. All his attention and mental energy were highly focused on tracking the hidden whereabouts of Lower Moon Four, leaving him no time to control the rampant poison within his body.
It seemed that to resolve this troublesome poison problem, he would have to wait for a suitable opportunity later.
He moved a few steps away from the black mist. If this black mist were in a confined space, it might have an impact, but in an open area, it would at most serve as a distraction.
To the right!
Yoizumi seemed to see through Mukago's position directly. He swiftly grabbed with his left hand, seizing Mukago's hand that was about to stab into his heart. It was just a few inches from piercing his clothes and reaching his heart.
He took advantage of her surprise and, with the burning wooden stick in his right hand, shoved it into her open mouth. The intense burning sensation made Mukago's face contort in pain as she forcefully broke free and retreated a few steps.
Her throat was burned.
She bit her lip in resentment. The wound healed in a few breaths. Such a wound was nothing to her, but she had been injured so many times by such a weak demon!
It was unforgivable! Mukago, furious beyond measure, stomped her feet, and her body leaped backward like an arrow released from a bowstring, landing steadily on the roof of a house in the blink of an eye. She squatted there, her legs slightly bent, her crimson eyes burning like raging flames, as if an endless torrent of anger was about to erupt from them at any second.
Normally, even when beaten by powerful Hashira, Mukago could only swallow her anger and flee, as her strength was no match for theirs. However, now, even a mere low-level demon dared to be so arrogant and trample on her dignity. How could she tolerate this?
"Blood Demon Art: Poison Flow - Burst!" With an angry roar, Mukago clasped her hands together. A fist-sized mass of eerie, dark green liquid rapidly condensed in her palms. The liquid seemed to possess a life of its own, constantly churning and bubbling, emitting a nauseating, pungent odor. Immediately after, Mukago's arm muscles tensed, and she threw the liquid forward with all her might.
The dark green liquid sphere, upon leaving her hands, exploded like fireworks, splitting into countless tiny droplets that shot forward like a dense rain. Yoizumi, standing not far away, was startled by the sight, and his eyes instantly sharpened. He keenly perceived that if these seemingly insignificant droplets hit their target, they would undoubtedly cause extremely terrifying consequences, and their power was not to be underestimated.
He hid behind a tree, watching the liquid fall to the ground with a sizzling sound, emitting a pungent, decaying, and nauseating odor. The front of the tree he was hiding behind was already riddled with holes, corroded through. If the tree hadn't been so thick, it might have been penetrated, and the liquid would have fallen on Yoizumi.
Looking at the lifeless tree, he seemed to foresee his own imminent end. Was there no other way?
Her Blood Demon Art was all troublesome, and his own Blood Demon Art caused a huge drain every time he used it. He could only use it in critical moments, otherwise, he would collapse even faster.
Komatsuse, please, you must come... "Where is it? Where is it?" Komatsuse ran home, not even taking off her shoes before rushing straight to Yoizumi's room. She was panting heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly, but she dared not stop for a moment, because at this moment, she had only one thought—to find that crucial nichirin blade.
Finally, after a tense and anxious search, her gaze fell upon the gleaming nichirin blade in the corner. Komatsuse rushed forward, taking large strides, and hugged it tightly to her chest. However, this blade, which normally didn't seem heavy, now felt like a thousand-pound burden, almost bending her back. What was worse, her hands seemed to be controlled by an invisible force, trembling uncontrollably, no matter how hard she tried to stop them.
The terrifying scenes she experienced during her encounter with the demon that day surged into her mind like a tide—the distorted face, the sharp fangs flashing before her eyes one by one. Her parents had probably also died by the demon's mouth.
Now, with the demon reappearing, the fear of near-death she had once felt instantly consumed her again.
Komatsuse felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat, beating violently, each pulsation accompanied by an indescribable pain. Her already fragile little heart was under immense pressure at this moment, and anxiety and panic spread rapidly throughout her body like a plague, making her feel soft and weak, as if she could collapse at any moment.
"Komatsuse, hurry up and move! Mister Yoizumi is still waiting for you to come back!" She cried out in her heart again and again, while using all her strength to hit her legs hard, trying to make them stop trembling. But everything seemed in vain; her legs continued to shake uncontrollably, as if they had completely escaped her control.
Just then, footsteps approached. It was the elder of the house, who had heard the commotion and hurried over from the next room. When he saw his granddaughter, who was usually cheerful and carefree, standing there trembling with a terrified expression, drenched in sweat, he was greatly shocked, and his heart instantly tightened.
Seeing her only relative, Komatsuse seemed to find her anchor. The nichirin blade in her hand dropped to the ground, and she rushed forward, throwing herself into the elder's embrace, her voice choked with tears.
"Grandma, I'm so scared!"
The elder gently stroked her trembling granddaughter in her arms. Although she didn't know what she had encountered, seeing her so vulnerable, the elder's heart ached.
"A-Se, it's alright, Grandma's here!"
"Tell Grandma what happened?"