Kanae could no longer unleash her breathing techniques in rapid succession like before. At this moment, she was still in the recovery phase from her previous move.
Struggling to lift her Nichirin Blade, she placed her hope in the Tekkai (Iron Body) technique that Yohan had taught her.
The frost had faded, but multiple gashes had appeared on her body. Her skin was blue and white from frostbite.
"It hurts, doesn't it, child? Don't be afraid."
"Soon, I'll devour every last bit of you. Then, you'll live with me forever, finally receiving your true 'salvation'!"
Doma beamed at Kanae Kocho with a twisted delight, already fantasizing about what she would look like after being "redeemed."
Kanae said nothing. At this point, even the slightest movement would send waves of searing pain through her lungs. She knew she had inhaled too many of the icy crystals earlier.
She stared intently at Doma, Upper Rank Two. It struck her that he had never used his full strength from the beginning—he was merely toying with her.
"But this childish arrogance… this is my last chance."
Kanae thought silently.
If Doma had gone all out from the start, she would've been finished long ago. It was his arrogance that had allowed this battle to drag on.
Her body ached more and more with every passing moment. But if she could keep him playing along like this, there might be a chance—
Her only hope now was to drag this fight until dawn and attempt to perish alongside him.
This battle against an Upper Rank demon had made her painfully aware of the vast gulf between a Hashira and an Upper Rank.
She was… truly weak.
"Die, Doma!"
Kanae's eyes sharpened once again. No matter what, she couldn't fall before sunrise.
"How interesting… you really are a fascinating one."
Doma was visibly entertained by her resolve. He decided to play with his prey a little longer.
The battle raged on.
Yet aside from the tears in his clothing, Doma's wounds had already fully healed.
On the other hand, Kanae Kocho was deathly pale. Her breathing was erratic, and her hand trembled as it gripped her blade.
She had no idea how long until sunrise, but Kanae was certain: today, she was likely going to die here.
She was fully aware of her physical condition. Her lungs burned with unbearable pain, making it impossible to properly use breathing techniques. Her body was covered in frostbite and deep wounds. The only thing allowing her to hold her sword was pure willpower.
And at that moment—she didn't know why—images of her sister Shinobu surfaced in her mind, followed by the girl she had taken in, Kanao Tsuyuri. She thought of Mitsuri with her sakura-pink hair, and of Yohan—the one person who had ever truly intrigued her.
The Butterfly Estate.
She might never see them again.
Kanae Kocho wasn't afraid of death. In fact, the day she joined the Demon Slayer Corps, she had already accepted it.
What she feared… was not being able to see the people she missed one last time. The ones who cared about her.
That was the only regret that tore at her heart.
"Let me tell you something,"
Doma said, a sly look on his face.
"Remember that family you were investigating in that small town?"
"They didn't even know this place existed. They truly didn't know anything about the Eternal Paradise Sect."
"Because I was the one who sent someone to tell them about it."
"Hahaha! A little threat to their son was all it took for them to do exactly what I said."
"See? That's what people are like. All those silly emotions—love, hatred, sorrow—they're just so stupid!"
Doma studied Kanae Kocho's expression carefully, eager to see her reaction to this cruel revelation.
"You—!"
Kanae didn't respond further. But in her pale face, a fire had ignited in her eyes.
Now she understood the source of the strange sense of unease she'd felt before—it had all been Doma's doing.
She no longer listened to anything he said. Clenching her sword with trembling hands, she slashed at him with all her strength.
Their battle became mechanical, repetitive.
Doma began to feel bored.
"She's lost her spark," he muttered.
Shaking his head, he decided to end things quickly and consume her.
Just as he was about to strike—
"Sister!!"
A voice rang out from the side of the battlefield—Shinobu's voice.
"Am I dying? I must be… I'm even hearing Shinobu's voice."
Kanae felt as if she were hallucinating.
"Sister, it's me! It's really me—Shinobu!"
It wasn't a hallucination. Shinobu and Yohan had finally arrived at the battlefield!
Without paying Doma any mind, Shinobu dashed straight to Kanae. The moment her hand touched Kanae, her sister collapsed into her arms.
"Sister! Sister! Wake up!"
"Shinobu, take your sister and treat her. I'll handle things here."
Yohan, who had arrived with Shinobu, immediately applied a blood-circulation technique to Kanae's body, all while facing Doma with full vigilance.
Shinobu didn't argue. She could see with terrifying clarity how close her sister was to death. She had to start treatment immediately.
"Yohan, please… don't get yourself killed!"
Once Shinobu carried Kanae to safety, Yohan finally allowed himself a moment to breathe.
He trusted Shinobu's medical skills and his own blood-activation technique. As long as the sisters were off the battlefield, he could fight without restraint.
Doma had watched everything unfold silently from the sidelines.
Once only Yohan remained, Doma finally spoke:
"You… you must be that Yohan Lord Muzan mentioned."
He had never seen Yohan before, but for someone to dare face him without even wielding a Nichirin Blade—
This had to be the one.
"That's right. I'm Yohan."
"And you're Doma, Upper Rank Two? You're absolutely unforgivable."
Yohan's voice was ice-cold. The moment he had seen Kanae's battered state, his fury had exploded.
"Hahaha! I really am lucky."
"Looks like today I get to enjoy not one, but two beautiful young women… and earn Lord Muzan's praise."
Doma was practically giddy.
"You'll be in hell soon enough. I doubt Muzan will have time to reward you."
"Though I'm sure one day… he'll be joining you down there."
Yohan's tone was calm—eerily so.
"You clearly don't understand the difference between me and Akaza, Upper Rank Three."
"I'm really looking forward to that face of yours when you realize it."
"That other woman? She was already half a corpse. No fun at all."
"But you… you might just entertain me."
Doma relished these games. He lived for them.
As he laughed, Yohan suddenly appeared before him.
"Go die."
"So fast!"
Doma barely had time to react before Yohan was already in front of him. In a panic, he quickly flapped his fans.
An ice-lotus crystal bloomed between them.
CRACK!
The sound of the ice shattering was sharp—and a second later, Doma's right cheek was struck brutally.
Blood splattered. Half his face was a crimson mess.
"Close one… I didn't think you'd be this fast or this strong."
"If that ice hadn't blocked it a little, I'd have lost half my face just now."
"Well then, try this!"
Doma's playfulness vanished. He was no longer smiling.
Blood Demon Art: Cold White Princesses.
Once again, two massive, maiden-shaped ice lotuses appeared. Their lips parted slightly, releasing a freezing mist toward Yohan.
Doma was eager to see Yohan struggling to breathe, face twisted in pain.
The cold surged forward—but soon began to dissipate.
From within the mist, Yohan emerged once more.
He appeared before Doma again, and once again threw a punch.
This time, it was the left side of Doma's face that took the hit. Though his wounds were already beginning to heal, his facial symmetry was completely ruined.
He looked… utterly wretched.