The room was eerily serene, almost tranquil, save for the malicious presence at its center. Douma stood amidst the frozen remains of his cult's former occupants—delicate sculptures of ice that once were human beings, now rendered lifeless by his twisted whim. His eyes, as vibrant and deceptive as stained glass, sparkled with mirth as he hummed an absent tune. In his hands rested two ornate warfans, their sharp edges gleaming under the flickering light of the Infinity Castle.
On the far side of the room, Shinobu Kocho, Kanao Tsuyuri, and Giyuu Tomioka stood poised. Their swords gleamed, their stances unwavering.
Douma's cheerful voice broke the tense silence. "Ah, my lovely guests! Such beautiful faces! Especially you, Miss Kocho. That little pout—how charming!" He tilted his head, his rainbow-like eyes locking onto Shinobu.
"Spare us the flattery," Shinobu snapped, her tone clipped but calm. Her violet eyes glimmered with fury held in check, her grip firm on the hilt of her Nichirin blade. "You're going to pay for what you've done to my sister… and everyone else."
Douma's grin widened, and he waved a fan theatrically. "Oh, my dear Kanae! She was so lovely, wasn't she? Her voice was like a melody. I didn't want her to leave, but alas…" His smile sharpened, his voice lowering. "She tasted divine."
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet further as the words struck Shinobu like a physical blow. Giyuu shifted slightly, placing himself subtly between Shinobu and Douma, his expression impassive but his blue eyes smoldering with controlled fury.
Kanao's hands trembled slightly on her blade, her usually calm expression marred by a flicker of anger. "You'll regret that," she murmured, her voice quiet but steady.
Douma's laughter rang out, high and melodic, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Regret? Why would I regret such a delightful meal? But come now, let's not dwell on the past! Let's make this little encounter memorable!"
Douma moved first, a graceful blur of motion. With a flick of his fans, he unleashed a torrent of ice shards, each one razor-sharp and glittering like starlight.
"Spread out!" Giyuu commanded, his voice cutting through the din like steel.
The three slayers scattered. Giyuu advanced straight toward Douma, his blade flashing as he deflected the icy projectiles with calculated precision. Shinobu darted to the left, her movements fluid and unpredictable, while Kanao leaped to the right, her agility carrying her safely out of the storm.
"Water Breathing: Fourth Form – Striking Tide!" Giyuu's voice echoed as his blade carved through the air, a cascade of flowing strikes aimed at Douma's torso.
Douma parried with a flick of his fans, his movements effortless and almost dismissive. "Oh, you're fast, Mr. Tomioka! But predictable."
A sudden movement from Shinobu interrupted his taunt. Her slight frame blurred as she closed the distance, her blade coated in a shimmering purple sheen. "Insect Breathing: Dance of the Dragonfly – Compound Eye Hexagon!"
Her rapid strikes targeted Douma's vital points, each one calculated to inject her deadly wisteria-based poison.
Douma's expression didn't falter. He twisted his body unnaturally, evading her strikes with fluid precision. "Such a creative technique, my dear Shinobu. But I'm afraid it won't work on me. Poison and I are very well acquainted."
Shinobu's eyes narrowed, her lips pressing into a thin line.
As Douma deflected Shinobu's blade, Kanao seized the opening. She moved like a shadow, her blade flashing as she executed Flower Breathing: Fourth Form – Crimson Hanagoromo. Her sword traced a vibrant, scarlet arc through the air, aimed directly at Douma's neck.
The demon's fan shot up just in time, catching the blade with a metallic clang. He laughed, a grating sound that set Kanao's teeth on edge. "A coordinated effort! How delightful!"
Kanao's eyes burned with determination as she pushed against his fan, her muscles straining. "You won't mock us for long."
Douma's grin widened. "Mock? Oh, little one, I'm simply enjoying myself!" With a sudden surge of power, he pushed Kanao back, sending her skidding across the icy floor.
Giyuu surged forward again, his blade glowing faintly in the dim light. "Water Breathing: Eleventh Form – Dead Calm."
The room seemed to freeze as Giyuu's presence enveloped it, his movements becoming impossibly smooth and precise. He aimed a deadly thrust at Douma's chest, his expression unreadable.
For the first time, Douma's smile faltered. He spun his fans, creating a swirling barrier of ice to block the strike, but Giyuu's blade broke through, grazing his shoulder.
A thin line of blood appeared on Douma's pale skin, and he stared at it in surprise. "Oh my, that's new! You're full of surprises, aren't you?"
Shinobu didn't wait for him to recover. She launched into Insect Breathing: Dance of the Centipede – Hundred-Legged Zigzag, her movements a blur as she weaved around Douma, her blade aiming for his back.
At the same time, Kanao executed Flower Breathing: Sixth Form – Whirling Peach, her strikes creating a vortex of petals that enveloped Douma's other side.
Douma's grin turned feral, his eyes gleaming. "Beautiful! Truly beautiful!" He clapped his hands together, and an explosion of ice erupted from his body, forcing the slayers to retreat.
The three slayers regrouped, their breaths visible in the frigid air.
"This is going to take everything we have," Giyuu said quietly, his gaze steady on Douma.
Shinobu's lips curled into a smirk, though her eyes were sharp with focus. "Good. I prefer it that way."
Kanao nodded, her grip on her sword tightening. "We'll end this, no matter what."
Across the room, Douma tilted his head, his expression almost childlike. "Oh, are you three whispering secrets about me? How rude! But don't worry—I'll make sure you all become beautiful ice sculptures soon enough."
Shinobu stepped forward, her voice cold as the air around them. "You underestimate us, Douma. That will be your downfall."
The demon's laughter echoed again, but there was a flicker of tension in his gaze as he watched the three slayers close ranks once more.
The battle resumed with renewed intensity. Giyuu took the lead, his sword carving a path through Douma's icy constructs with relentless precision. Shinobu and Kanao flanked him, their blades moving in perfect synchrony as they exploited every opening.
Shinobu's strikes grew faster and more unpredictable, her slight frame a blur of motion. Each cut of her blade carried a potent dose of poison, her determination to avenge Kanae driving her beyond her limits.
Kanao's movements were graceful yet deadly, her Flower Breathing forms weaving an intricate dance of destruction. She fought not just for herself, but for Shinobu, for Kanae, and for the countless lives Douma had taken.
And Giyuu, ever the stoic, fought with a quiet fury that burned beneath his calm exterior. His blade was an extension of his will, each strike precise and unyielding.
As the three slayers pressed Douma further, the demon's confident grin began to waver. For the first time in centuries, he was being pushed to his limits.
The clash of blades and the crackling of ice echoed through the Infinity Castle as the battle raged on. Each moment brought the slayers closer to victory, but Douma's power was far from spent.
In the face of overwhelming odds, Shinobu, Giyuu, and Kanao stood united, their resolve unshaken. The stakes were higher than ever, but they would not falter.
For this was their duty.
Their lives.
Their vengeance.
AN: Sorry for this little mistake, I missed a chapter, but now the events are in correct order.