"Be careful, don't inhale these gases! They'll restrict your breathing!" Yoizumi raised his voice, looking up at the moon's position. It was about five to six hours until dawn; this was going to be a tough fight.
He exchanged a look with Uzui Tengen, and their eyes met, both understanding the other's intent. Uzui Tengen remained in the rear, preparing his musical score, ready to assist whenever Yoizumi couldn't manage.
Yoizumi took a deep breath. No matter what, he had to remain calm. As a demon, Douma couldn't kill him unless it was the sun.
Shinobu and the others were humans, people who could die at any moment if they weren't careful!
Douma's target would definitely be those he could easily kill.
Then he would make Douma focus on him, unable to spare a glance for anyone else, and drag this out until dawn!
Having made up his mind, Yoizumi used Blood Demon Art: Instant Shadow to flash before Douma. His nichirin blade swiftly plunged into Douma's waist, dragging him backward. The two crashed through a house and fell into the ruins.
The next second, a cold gust of wind scattered the damaged house, sending wood splinters flying into the air. Yoizumi was sent flying backward, crashing into another building, his entire body largely frozen.
Douma stood in place, clutching his stomach, which now had a large hole. He instantly regenerated, then casually waved out a wide-spreading ice mist.
Douma looked at Yoizumi helplessly, "We're both demons, why hurt each other?"
"How about being friends with me? All the Upper Ranks really like me~" Douma's brilliant smile froze in an instant as Yoizumi's aerial attack directly sliced off half of his head.
"Oh, it seems we can't communicate properly~"
With his head regenerated perfectly, Douma's face turned cold. This repeated provocation was starting to annoy him.
"Blood Demon Art: Lotus Leaf Ice!"
He crossed his hands and swung out lotus-shaped ice crystals, sweeping directly at Yoizumi's body. The sharp ice crystals cut through his torso, and blood splattered. Yoizumi's regeneration ability was no less than Douma's; the newly cut wounds instantly healed.
"Clang!"
The golden fan and the nichirin blade produced a grating, teeth-aching friction. Both sides were rapidly swinging their weapons, moving so fast that only afterimages remained.
In this situation, Shinobu and the others dared not attack rashly. Even from a distance, the ice mist made their skin sting. If they got closer, the situation would likely be even worse.
Shinobu's gaze followed Yoizumi closely. What could she do? Her poison had no effect on Douma. The poison she used against Daki was running low, and she didn't know how long it could delay him.
If it really came down to it... would she have to use that method?
"..."
She had injected wisteria poison into her body day and night, just so that one day, when she met the murderer of her sister, she could allow herself to be devoured by him.
She understood her own weakness, so she would risk everything to get her revenge.
Killing one Upper Rank could save hundreds of lives.
She had made a promise with her sister to protect the happiness that had not yet been destroyed by demons.
She didn't know if the toxins in her body would achieve the desired effect; she hadn't injected nearly enough. But as long as it could work, making him weak, there would always be a way to cut off his head!
Taking advantage of a momentary lull in the battle, Shinobu activated Insect Breathing: Dance of the Dragonfly, Compound Eye Hexagon, lunging to Douma's side. She instantly delivered six consecutive stabs, injecting a large amount of poison into Douma's body.
Douma reacted, releasing Blood Demon Art: Spreading Lotus. Several ice vines, made of ice, simultaneously thrust at Shinobu. Yoizumi, of course, wouldn't let him succeed.
While his nichirin blade severed the ice vines, he used Snow Breathing Third Form: Thousand Feathered Crane Snow. Countless white feathers assaulted Douma's body, and in an instant, Douma's body was covered in wounds of varying sizes.
Blood splattered. Yoizumi and Shinobu retreated; such foul blood couldn't be allowed to splash on them.
Delaying regeneration seemed useless against Douma. He healed completely in a flash. He even had the leisure to exclaim, "Impressive."
Yellow lightning flashed blindingly in the dark night. Zenitsu, still asleep, was surrounded by electric light. Pebbles beneath his feet were shaken up, and the ground caved in.
"Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunderclap and Flash, Sixfold!"
The ground shattered from the impact. Zenitsu used the surrounding terrain to change direction multiple times, making it impossible for Douma to predict which direction he would attack from. His speed was so extreme that only golden streaks of light could be seen flashing.
Six thunderous roars, like lightning strikes, echoed consecutively.
Yoizumi bent slightly, his nichirin blade placed to his right, exhaling white mist.
"Breath of Snow First Form: Falling Snow!"
One white and one golden sword light pointed directly at Douma's neck. He had been struck by Shinobu earlier, and the poison was surging wildly through his body. It truly was a potent poison; even after he froze his blood, it continued to spread relentlessly.
He was even starting to feel numb.
Douma, unhurried, held his two golden fans to block his neck.
Blood Demon Art: Winter Icicles.
He created a large number of icicles, suspended high above Yoizumi and Zenitsu, attempting to impale them.
Yoizumi and Zenitsu were still exerting force, not even glancing at the icicles, because... "Hinokami Kagura First Form: Waltz!" Tanjirou's nichirin blade, wreathed in scorching flames, unleashed a circular slash, shattering a large number of icicles.
"Beast Breathing Fifth Form: Manic Fangs and Rending!" Slashes from all directions protected Yoizumi and Zenitsu from the remaining icicles.
Inosuke and Tanjirou had joined the battle!
"Really, so many of you bullying just one of me, that's really not fair~" Douma seemed displeased, his rainbow-colored eyes smiling gently, "For fairness' sake, I'll summon a few helpers too~"
Helpers?
"No, retreat!" Yoizumi shouted loudly.
The others dared not be complacent and all retreated. Where they had just been, giant ice lotus maidens, sculpted from ice, appeared out of thin air. They exhaled large amounts of ice mist from their mouths.
Wherever the mist reached, everything, without exception, froze into ice. The ground and houses were all frozen.
"You still have more people, so I'll summon a few more~"
A cold glint flickered in Douma's rainbow eyes, and four small ice figures, identical to him, appeared before him.
Blood Demon Art: Crystal Dolls!
Douma leaped to the highest point of the ruined house, casually crossing his legs, propping his chin with his hand, and looking down at the scene below with interest.
He looked completely detached, as if watching an interesting play from his high vantage point, his golden fan subtly swaying.
This guy didn't see them as a threat at all!
He wasn't even seriously considering them opponents!
He was truly arrogant.
Yoizumi dodged the breath from the ice maiden's mouth, trying to approach Douma above, only to notice countless ice vines assaulting him. His nichirin blade cut through the ice vines from the small Douma ice figures.
These ice figures, could they also use Blood Demon Art?
Whenever he tried to get close to Douma, his steps would be hindered.
Yoizumi wanted to use Blood Demon Art, but he was worried about excessive consumption and wasting his strength.
Even if he used Instant Shadow now to reach Douma, the speed of his swing would still be enough for Douma to react.
One ice figure shattered. Shinobu used Dance of the Bee Sting, True Flutter, quickly piercing the ice figure's head with a single strike. Poison couldn't be used on ice constructs.
That disgusting guy was still watching as if it were a show!
She would make him pay for his arrogance!
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