"He looks quite impressive," was Daki's initial thought as she assessed Aoki. Yet, her perception swiftly shifted as realization dawned: "Huh? Why is he a demon?" Her next thought clarified her stance: "No! He's a
The traitor!"
Her expression hardened imperceptibly, and without hesitation, she instinctively retreated. However, before she could fully withdraw, Aoki, lightning-fast, closed the distance and positioned himself above her.
In an instant, ribbons shot forth from Daki's form, but Aoki didn't flinch; his descending punch collided with Daki's chest with tremendous force, driving her down and rending her open with a resounding boom that fractured the ground.
The shockwave spread, causing the teahouse to crumble amid startled cries and frantic retreats from onlookers like Mijin, who were caught off guard by the spectacle. Panic gripped the surroundings as confusion reigned.
Aoki emerged from the rubble, facing off against two figures: Daki and a man with short, black-green hair—Gyutaro. Daki's clothing had been stripped down to essentials, revealing a beautiful yet fierce countenance adorned with pink tattoos and eyes marked with the characters "Upper Moon" and "Six."
Opposite them, Gyutaro bore a similar tattooed visage, his upper body bare except for loose blue pants, his stance hunched and his eyes bearing the same engravings as Daki's.
Aoki focused his attention on Gyutaro, identifying him as the true Upper Moon Six. Despite Daki's considerable strength among the Lower Moons, she paled in comparison to the Upper Moons.
"Surprising to see a traitor in our midst," Gyutaro jeered, his voice tinged with a hint of madness as he raked his face with his nails, drawing blood. "Brother, kill him! Kill him quickly!" urged Daki.
Aoki's response was measured. "Before we engage, let's talk," he proposed calmly. "Is there an Upper Moon you dislike? Tell me where to find them. I can help you eliminate your adversary, like the Upper Moon Five who's been suppressing you."
He didn't disguise his motives; he aimed to capitalize on Muzan Kibutsuji's strategic moves, which involved the Upper and Lower Moons. If Daki and Gyutaro perished, his campaign against the Upper Moons would inevitably surface.
"Hehehe, very well," Gyuaro chuckled nervously, his demeanor betraying a hint of instability. "I'll reveal that secret when you're about to die!"
Before any further dialogue could unfold, the tension snapped as Gyutaro lunged forward with explosive force, generating a shockwave as he dashed towards Aoki. Midway through his assault, he swung his arms, sending two blood sickles slicing through the air, aimed to strike Aoki from either flank.
Aoki swiftly parried the sickles with a powerful arm swing. Undeterred, Gyutaro summoned the sickles back, this time launching himself into the air, a maniacal grin spreading across his face as he aimed the blades at Aoki's neck.
Reacting swiftly, Aoki countered with a powerful downward strike, meeting Gyutaro head-on with a thunderous clash that sent Gyutaro hurtling backwards, his grin fading into shock as he gazed at Aoki in disbelief.
Aoki wasted no time, his figure coiling like a spring as he launched himself towards Gyutaro like a cannonball. "Go to hell!" he thundered, his intent clear.
Daki, not to be outdone, unleashed a flurry of silk ribbons that enveloped Aoki, attempting to ensnare him. Aoki halted, tearing through the ribbons with a single motion, then turned to face Daki. Her black hair had turned white, save for a grass-green tip, and a yellow eye now adorned her forehead.
With a swift series of motions, two blood sickles whirled towards Aoki, their edges laced with razor-thin blades of blood. Gyutaro followed close behind, his once-bilateral eyes reduced to a solitary orb.
Gyutaro orchestrated their assault, Daki providing supporting attacks. Aoki maintained his composure, meeting Gyutaro head-on. The sickles and ribbons danced around him, yet his countenance remained placid, his gaze unwavering.
"Come," Aoki murmured calmly, his eyes steady as he prepared to engage Gyutaro.
Gyutaro and Daki's combined onslaught continued unabated. Blood sickles spun and silk ribbons soared, but Aoki stood firm, using his fists alone to thwart their advances.
The impact of their clash reverberated through the surroundings, reducing nearby buildings to rubble and marring the ground with deep craters. Gyuaro's expression darkened, the gravity of the situation dawning upon him.
The traitor's strength far exceeded his expectations.
Initially, reports had depicted the defector narrowly escaping the clutches of Lower Moons in their brief skirmishes. Subsequent updates heralded the defector's defeat of Lower Moon Five, and, most recently, an encounter with Rui, one of the Upper Moons, ending in mutual failure.
Now, facing the defector head-on, Gyutaro realized the true extent of Aoki's capabilities.
He recalled Muzan Kibutsuji's earlier advisements: the defector possessed the ability to teleport instantaneously. Yet, despite the confrontation, Aoki had refrained from utilizing this aptitude.
Moreover, the defector's prowess extended to negating demons' regenerative capabilities—an ability that defied Muzan Kibutsuji's previous analyses. Merely severing flesh and blood around wounds no longer sufficed; extensive tissue removal was necessary to restore their regenerative abilities.
Adding to Gyutaro's apprehension, every wound inflicted by the defector seemed to diminish his strength, stamina, and regenerative capabilities further.
The situation appeared increasingly dire.
"Did you foresee death at the hands of a demon hunter, only to find death at a demon's hands instead?" Gyutaro's thoughts raced, his face contorted in a feral grimace. For the first time since becoming a demon, he sensed the specter of death looming over him.
Suddenly, a colossal fist tore through the remnants of the silk ribbons, entering Daki's and Gyutaro's sight.
"No!" Gyutaro gasped, raising his arms in a futile attempt to shield himself.
The ensuing impact shattered both arms and tore his right shoulder away.
"Ah!" screamed Fallen Princess in agony.
Gyutaro hurriedly cradled his sister and attempted to staunch the bleeding, but he soon realized her regenerative abilities had yet to return
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T/N: There is a patreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release up to 15 chapters.
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