At least in Kocho Shinobu's understanding, every Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps would absolutely sacrifice themselves to protect their comrades.
"No, you two go. With all due respect, the enemy is very strong, and your strength would only hold me back."
Qingshui said indifferently.
Calling it "holding back" might be an exaggeration, but truthfully, Kocho Shinobu and Kanroji Mitsuri could only slightly restrain Doma's attacks; their impact on the battle was not significant.
The gap in raw power was undeniable. Kocho Shinobu's abilities were entirely focused on poison and speed, but Doma's ice control was incredibly powerful. Unless her speed reached the level of The Flash, Barry, it wouldn't make much difference. Even if Doma was poisoned, his terrifying regeneration would allow him to rapidly break it down.
This was unless Kocho Shinobu sacrificed herself as she did in the original timeline, using absolute toxicity to temporarily suppress Doma's regeneration and combat power.
Kanroji Mitsuri had only just become a Hashira, and her Nichirin Blade wasn't even suited for her newly developed Love Breathing.
She was still a far cry from the fully realized Love Hashira who would awaken her Demon Slayer Mark a year later in the original timeline and play a central role in the fight against Upper Rank Four.
Currently, Kanroji Mitsuri hadn't grown enough to participate in an Upper Rank-level battle, and Kocho Shinobu could only create an opportunity to kill an Upper Rank by sacrificing her life.
It wasn't necessary.
"Oh my, don't chase them away! These two new ladies are so strong, they must be Hashira too, right? Why don't you let them play with me for a bit, and you can go deal with Gyokko-senpai? You're so strong, Gyokko-senpai might not even be your match!"
Doma chuckled, waving his fan, and with a flick of his wrist, thousands of ice crystals and snowflakes appeared.
"Sigh, Kocho Shinobu, Kanroji Mitsuri, I'm sure you've noticed that the enemy's abilities significantly affect the use of Breathing Styles. You two aren't suited to fighting an enemy like this."
Qingshui said helplessly, as he swung his sword to shatter an ice clone and simultaneously used Yoriichi Type One to blast apart an ice pillar, saving Kanroji Mitsuri who was almost hit.
"But, Qingshui-senpai, you…"
Kanroji Mitsuri said, worried.
"I'm different from you."
Qingshui uttered the classic line of a certain Water Hashira who wasn't hated by anyone.
"I've studied the Turtle Breathing Technique; I can temporarily switch my breathing to internal circulation. His Blood Demon Art doesn't have much effect on me."
"On the contrary, don't forget your duties as Hashira. If another Upper Rank Demon appears in Swordsmith Village, the swordsmiths will suffer devastating damage. I'm sure you understand how the Demon Slayer Corps will change in the future."
"What's more, with your combined abilities, defeating this Demon would surely result in casualties. But if it's me, I can at least escape unscathed."
As if to prove his words, Qingshui, relying on his Score and Yoriichi Type One, bravely pushed forward, bearing the vast majority of the pressure from Doma. For a moment, he fought Doma to a standstill.
If these two women continued to get involved, his current state might be disrupted.
Besides Doma, Muzan and Kokushibo were too strong. He might not encounter an enemy again who could give him enough pressure without putting his life in too much danger.
However, Kocho Shinobu and Kanroji Mitsuri did not see Qingshui's action this way.
"Shinobu-chan, we…"
Kanroji Mitsuri looked at Kocho Shinobu.
Kocho Shinobu also stopped, watching Qingshui single-handedly block almost all of Doma's attacks.
Just then, in the distance, a towering blaze erupted from the Swordsmith Village.
The defenses there had clearly encountered an irresistible force; otherwise, something like this wouldn't have happened.
"Mitsuri, let's go! First, we kill the other Demon, then we come back to help Qingshui!"
Kocho Shinobu suddenly remembered what her sister had said before her death. She grabbed Kanroji Mitsuri's hand, gave Doma a reluctant look, and decisively turned to leave.
Seeing the two girls he had already considered his food about to leave, Doma was naturally unwilling.
However, not understanding human emotions, he didn't know what urgency or anger felt like. His face still wore that smiling mask, pretending to be an emotional Demon.
"Hey! Ladies, don't go! Can't you stay and play with me? I shouldn't be annoying, right? After all, none of my colleagues find me annoying."
Doma waved his fan in the direction Kocho Shinobu and Kanroji Mitsuri had left, and endless frosty vines flew out, surging madly towards them.
"Save it."
Qingshui seized the moment to form a hand seal, unleashing Wind Release: Great Net Technique, which sliced the frosty vines into pieces.
"Someone like you, who can't even beat me alone, wants to take on two more? I think there's something wrong with your head."
Qingshui looked at Doma with disdain.
He didn't know if taunting would work on Doma, who had almost lost his emotions, but it wouldn't hurt to try.
"Sigh… why do you have to force me?"
Doma put on a helpless expression, covering his face with one of his fans.
"But since those two left, I don't have to worry about this technique being too powerful and accidentally turning their bodies into minced meat, which wouldn't taste good."
As Doma spoke, the surrounding ground, frozen by frost, began to tremble and crack.
The next moment, thick white mist of ice transformed into an impact, sweeping through the surroundings.
Qingshui had to temporarily retreat with Yoriichi Type One, while also using Wind Release to disperse the ice mist.
And when the ice mist cleared, Qingshui's eyes became incredibly serious.
Before him was a colossal ice sculpture, even larger than a Tailed Beast, with its hands pressed together, sitting cross-legged on an ice crystal lotus.
And Doma stood precisely on the head of this massive ice sculpture.
"Blood Demon Art: Freezing Fog - Lotus Bodhisattva!"
Now things were getting interesting.
In the distance, at the edge of their vision, Kocho Shinobu and Kanroji Mitsuri, who were running at full speed, also sensed the massive commotion behind them. They turned their heads and saw the enormous Lotus Bodhisattva, and the tall figure holding a Nichirin Blade, standing in front of it. His silhouette looked incredibly tragic against the backdrop of its colossal size.
"Shinobu… Qingshui-senpai…"
Kanroji Mitsuri's face was filled with worry.
Kocho Shinobu didn't speak, merely tightening her grip on the hilt of the Nichirin Blade at her waist. She pushed her body even harder, accelerating her pace.
…
…
"You really are impressive, Upper Rank Two. Looks like I'll have to go all out now."
Qingshui moved his hand away from his chest, expelling the fine ice crystals he had inhaled, and took a deep breath.
His Nichirin Blade was drawn once more!
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