The air was thick with tension, heavy with the frigid aura radiating from Douma. He stood at the center of the room, his once-effortless smirk now curling into a grimace as faint lines of cracks marred his icy constructs. Blood trickled down his forearm, an unfamiliar sensation for the Upper Moon.
"I must admit," Douma said, his voice still lilting, though a tinge of irritation colored his tone, "you three are quite persistent. How bothersome! But I suppose I can't expect all my guests to be obedient."
Giyuu, Shinobu, and Kanao surrounded him in a loose triangle, their swords gleaming under the fractured light of the Infinity Castle. Each slayer's breathing was measured, their gazes locked on the demon who stood between them and countless lives saved—or lost.
Douma exhaled deeply, and an eerie fog spread from his body, curling across the room. The cold gnawed at their skin, sharp and biting. With a twirl of his fans, the fog condensed into shimmering shards of ice that hovered in the air like a thousand daggers.
"Let's see how you handle this!" Douma's voice rang out as he clapped his fans together, sending the shards flying in every direction.
"Stay sharp!" Giyuu barked as he leaped forward, his blade a blur. "Water Breathing: Seventh Form – Piercing Rain Drop." His strike cut through the incoming shards, his movements precise and economical, deflecting the deadly barrage.
Shinobu darted to the left, her smaller frame giving her an advantage as she twisted and turned, avoiding the razor-sharp ice with an almost ethereal grace. She landed on a support beam above Douma, her gaze calculating.
Kanao stayed grounded, her movements deceptively calm as she executed "Flower Breathing: Second Form – Honorable Shadow Plum." Her blade flickered like a whip, shattering shards as they neared her.
The three slayers closed in simultaneously. Giyuu aimed for Douma's core, his strikes relentless and unwavering. Shinobu descended from above, her blade poised to strike at Douma's blind spot. Kanao swept in low, her attack targeting his legs to destabilize him.
Douma's fans spun, deflecting Giyuu's assault, while a sudden burst of ice shot upward, forcing Shinobu to change her trajectory. He hopped back, narrowly avoiding Kanao's slash, his grin returning as he landed lightly.
"You're all so synchronized!" Douma exclaimed, his tone almost admiring. "But it won't be enough!"
Shinobu narrowed her eyes, frustration flickering across her usually composed face. Her grip on her blade tightened, and she adjusted her stance. "Kanao, Giyuu," she called, her voice sharp and commanding. "Keep him distracted. I'll create an opening."
Giyuu nodded curtly, his focus unbroken. Kanao glanced at Shinobu briefly, worry flashing in her eyes, but she gave a resolute nod.
The two slayers launched themselves at Douma again, their blades a flurry of movement. Giyuu's strikes were calculated, each one aimed to draw Douma's attention, while Kanao's movements were fluid and unpredictable, keeping the demon guessing.
Shinobu, meanwhile, moved stealthily along the perimeter of the room, her small frame blending into the shadows cast by Douma's icy aura. Her breathing slowed, her focus narrowing to a razor-sharp point.
As Giyuu unleashed "Water Breathing: Third Form – Flowing Dance," and Kanao executed "Flower Breathing: Fifth Form – Peonies of Futility," Shinobu darted in from the side. Her blade shimmered with poison, and her voice rang out as she struck:
"Insect Breathing: Dance of the Bee Sting – True Flutter!"
Her blade moved faster than the eye could follow, aimed directly at Douma's heart.
For a split second, it seemed her attack would land. Douma's eyes widened, his fan only half-raised in defense.
Then, with an almost imperceptible shift, he twisted his body, the blade missing his heart by a hair's breadth. It sank into his side instead, purple veins spreading outward from the wound as the poison began to take effect.
Douma staggered slightly, his hand flying to the wound. His fingers brushed the spreading discoloration, and his grin faltered. "Oh my, that's quite potent," he murmured, his voice quieter than before.
Shinobu's lips curled into a tight smile. "That's just the beginning."
Douma's expression turned feral for the first time, his eyes narrowing as he laughed—a sharp, brittle sound. "You really think a little poison will stop me?"
He swung his fan, and an explosion of ice radiated outward, forcing the slayers to retreat. As the mist cleared, Douma's form emerged, his aura darker and more menacing. The wound was still there, and the poison clearly slowed his movements, but his regenerative abilities fought back fiercely, the veins beginning to recede.
Kanao's grip on her blade tightened as she watched Douma recover. Memories of her training with Kanae and Shinobu flooded her mind—their gentle smiles, their encouragement, their unwavering belief in her.
"I won't let you take anyone else," she whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with resolve.
She launched herself at Douma, her blade a blur as she executed "Flower Breathing: Sixth Form – Whirling Peach." The vibrant, petal-like arcs of her strikes forced Douma to focus on her, his fans spinning defensively.
"Such passion!" Douma taunted, though his voice sounded strained. "You remind me of your sisters. They had the same fire in their eyes… right before I snuffed it out."
Kanao's expression didn't waver. "You'll never understand the strength they gave me."
Her strikes intensified, each one faster and more precise than the last. Douma began to falter, his fans struggling to keep up with her relentless assault.
Seeing an opening, Giyuu moved in from the other side, his blade glowing faintly as he executed "Water Breathing: Tenth Form – Constant Flux." The swirling, dragon-like motion of his strikes complemented Kanao's offensive, creating a deadly rhythm that forced Douma further onto the defensive.
For the first time, the demon seemed genuinely cornered. His movements grew frantic, his grin faltering into a grimace.
"This… this isn't how it's supposed to go!" Douma hissed, his voice losing its melodic quality.
Shinobu, watching from the sidelines as she caught her breath, allowed herself a small smile. "He's losing his composure. Keep pressing him."
The battle raged on, the slayers working in perfect harmony to chip away at Douma's defenses. Each strike brought them closer to victory, their resolve unwavering despite their fatigue.
Douma, for all his power, began to falter under the combined assault. His fans moved slower, his icy constructs less precise. The poison in his system continued to spread, his regeneration unable to keep up with the damage.
And yet, even as he weakened, his laughter echoed through the room—a hollow, desperate sound. "Do you really think you can defeat me? I am Douma, Upper Moon Two! I am eternal!"
Giyuu's blade slashed through another of Douma's icy constructs, his voice calm and steady. "You're just another demon who's taken too much from us. And now it's time to end this."
Shinobu and Kanao moved in unison, their blades gleaming as they prepared for the final strike.
For those who wonder why the chapters are jumbled up, I messed the uploads up and posted the wrong one. My Bad. However, if you read the chapter before this one and then go on to read this chapter, everything should have fallen in place.