A man with short white hair tinged with a blood-red gradient on the right side stood before her, his rainbow-colored irises glinting with a sinister light. He was dressed in a crimson robe, the attire of a religious leader. His right eye bore the kanji for "Upper Moon" (弦), while his left eye was marked with the number "Two" (贰). A false, gentle smile spread across his face, making him resemble a benign priest, though Kanae knew better.
"Hehehe, I've been waiting for you. You're stronger than most Demon Slayers I've encountered. You must be a Pillar. My name is Doma, Upper Moon Two."
Doma clapped his hands together, his voice dripping with a sickeningly sweet charm. If Kanae didn't know he was a demon, she might have mistaken him for a harmless religious figure.
"So, you're a Pillar. Such a lively young girl, too. You deserve to have your name remembered. What is it?"
"I am Kanae Kocho, Flower Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps." Kanae gripped her Nichirin Blade with both hands, her eyes narrowing.
"Demon-san, if you can converse with me, then you must be capable of thought. You were once human before becoming a demon. I know that the urge to eat humans is something you can't control, but surely, you don't want to continue this existence of endless killing, do you?"
Doma's interest was piqued. This Pillar hadn't immediately attacked him. "Oh? Are you trying to preach to me? What an amusing Demon Slayer you are."
"Demon-san, you must know that the gods have already descended. I believe that if you sincerely repent to them, you can still find salvation."
Kanae believed that a Demon Slayer's duty was not only to save those who were targeted by demons but also to offer demons a chance at redemption from their cursed existence.
"Ah, I see. You think I'm pitiful and in need of salvation. Hehehe, yes, I am indeed very pitiful. So, can you tell me more about these gods? I want to repent to them, after all."
Doma's eyes gleamed with feigned innocence as he played along. Although he was fascinated by this woman who sought to save him, his real goal was to extract information about the gods—an order directly from Muzan Kibutsuji. For now, he would keep up the act.
"Do you really want to repent to the gods, Demon-san?" Kanae asked.
"Of course! That's why I'm here. But, you see, I'm afraid the gods might strike me down if I approach that shrine, so I haven't dared to go."
Doma clutched his chest, pretending to be sorrowful.
"If you truly wish for redemption, then let me take you to the shrine. If your repentance is sincere, the gods will not condemn you," Kanae replied gently.
While she was kind-hearted, Kanae wasn't naive. She knew that this Upper Moon demon was after information about the gods, likely sent by Muzan. If he was truly repentant, he would accompany her to the shrine.
"Sigh… it seems I have no choice, then." Doma dropped his act, his expression turning menacing as he bared his fangs. "I'll just have to capture you and get the information about the gods myself."
A terrifying aura engulfed the night as Doma's killing intent became palpable. Kanae felt a weight on her chest, as if something heavy was pressing down on her, even making her Nichirin Blade feel burdensome.
Her body moved on instinct.
"Breath of Flowers, Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo!"
Kanae unleashed two swift, crescent-shaped slashes aimed at Doma's neck.
Watching the young woman charge at him, Doma sighed in mock frustration.
"Normally, I'd enjoy playing with a girl like you, taking my time before devouring you so we could be together forever," he said as he drew two iron fans from within his flowing robes. The fans were adorned with delicate designs of purple lotus flowers and green lotus leaves, framed in golden bones.
"But that lord's urgent orders force me to finish this quickly. My apologies."
His false apology was followed by a deadly technique.
"Blood Demon Art: Frozen Lotus."
The iron fans emitted a chilling mist that enveloped Kanae, who had already closed the distance between them.
"Breath of Flowers, Second Form: Honorable Shadow Plum!"
Kanae Kocho reacted with incredible speed, swinging her blade in wide arcs that dispersed the icy mist surrounding her. Despite her quick reflexes, she felt an intense cold seeping into her body. She glanced down at her hand, which had turned a purplish hue, a clear sign of frostbite. A sharp pain in her chest confirmed that her lungs had been affected by the freezing mist.
*Cough, cough…*
Doma chuckled smugly. "I've killed 47 Pillars so far, you know. Every single one of them fell after I froze their lungs, making it impossible for them to use their breathing techniques."
He continued, his voice filled with twisted pride, "The Demon Slayers' so-called breathing techniques rely entirely on their lungs. My Blood Demon Art turns my blood into freezing mist. No matter how skilled you are, you'll eventually inhale enough of it. When that happens, with just a flick of my power, your lungs will turn to solid ice."
He watched Kanae's reaction, his false smile widening. "Do you feel despair yet, Flower Pillar?"
Kanae's eyes widened as she realized the true danger of Doma's abilities. Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped her sword. She now understood how previous Pillars had met their end against him. The breathing techniques, the very cornerstone of a Demon Slayer's power, were rendered useless by this Upper Moon demon.
"Just tell me what you know about the gods, and I might let you go," Doma offered, his tone deceitfully gentle, though his eyes were cold and calculating.
Kanae remained silent, her grip tightening on her blade. She had learned the hard way that demons would say anything to survive. Doma had already deceived her once, and she wouldn't fall for it again.
This demon was unlike any she had encountered before. He was a true predator, a being designed to exploit every weakness of the Demon Slayers.
"Not talking? What a shame," Doma sighed with feigned disappointment, baring his fangs once more. "I wonder, will your sister choose to save you, or will she cling to the secrets she holds?"
His voice dripped with malice as he added, "It'll be such a heartbreaking scene to watch!"
*Clang!*
The sound of steel clashing echoed through the forest as the battle between the two resumed in earnest.
…
"Hah… hah…"
Kanao breathed heavily as she stood amidst the remains of the demons she had slain, the ground littered with ash. She had exhausted nearly all of her resources, with only two vials of wisteria poison left.
"Thankfully, there are no more demons… I only have two vials of wisteria powder left."
She returned the remaining vials to her pouch, her thoughts immediately turning to her sister. "I wonder how Nee-san is doing. Even she might not stand a chance against an Upper Moon demon. I need to get to her as quickly as poss—"
Her words caught in her throat as she froze in place, her violet eyes widening in shock.
She no longer needed to find her sister. Kanae was already in front of her, but she was grievously wounded. The demon with the kanji for "Upper Moon Two" engraved in his eyes had her in his grasp.
Kanae's Nichirin Blade was still in the demon's hand, the blade piercing through her shoulder.
"Run, Shinobu… run… towards the shrine…" Kanae's voice was weak, strained from the pain.