Ding! Ding! Ding!
The clash of Nichirin swords and iron fans rang crisp and sharp in the silent night.
Sparks burst forth, crimson against the darkness.
"Blood Demon Art: Lotus Ice!"
"Breath of Flowers, Second Form: Honorable Shadow Plum!"
Petal-pink sword arcs blossomed like peach flowers, surrounding Shinobu's elder sister, Kanae, as she cleaved the flying ice crystals apart.
"Urgh!"
Suddenly, Kanae tasted iron. Blood spilled from her lips.
Doma smiled faintly.
"It seems the poison has taken effect. Impressive—truly worthy of being a Hashira, to endure so long beneath my ice crystals."
Kanae dropped to one knee, gripping her sword to keep herself upright.
"What… what is this…?"
Doma's voice was sweet as poison.
"My ice crystals contain my frozen blood. I disperse them into mist with my fan. When your skin touches them, you freeze. When you breathe them in, your lungs decay. For Demon Slayers who rely on breathing techniques… it is absolute bane."
He tilted his head, smiling brighter.
"And yet, you persist. How beautiful—your will to fight moves me. I can't wait to make you one with me."
Kanae's grip tightened. "Damn… you…"
"Such defiance. But alas, your time is up."
Just then, a voice dropped from above.
"You done talking, diarrhea machine?"
Before Doma could react, a size-42 shoe sole slammed down on his face.
BOOM!
Dust exploded everywhere.
Kanae stared, dumbstruck, as the haze cleared. A tall, handsome man stood there, holding a girl in his arms—stepping atop Doma's shattered body.
"Big sister!"
Shinobu's cry snapped Kanae from her daze. Only now did she realize—the girl in his arms was her own younger sister.
"Shinobu? Cough… what are you doing here?!"
Shinobu wriggled free from the man's hold, running to Kanae with tears streaming down.
"Sister—you're alive! Thank goodness!"
Having already lost their parents, she had nearly drowned in despair upon learning Kanae faced an Upper Moon. To find her alive was overwhelming relief.
Kanae embraced her tightly. "I'm sorry, Shinobu… for worrying you."
The man—Mo Yucheng—cleared his throat.
"Hate to ruin the reunion, but shouldn't we deal with the pile of demon crap first?"
By now, most of Doma's body had already regenerated, leaving only half a head unfinished.
"You're right!" Kanae flung her Nichirin sword toward Mo Yucheng.
"Strike now—don't let him recover!"
But Yucheng only caught the sword lazily, smiling.
"No rush. Let me play with him first."
"But—!"
"Don't worry, sister," Shinobu interrupted. "Mr. Mo is strong. He won't be in danger."
Yucheng nodded.
"Shinobu, take your sister and back up. At least a hundred meters. Trust me."
She understood instantly. Grabbing Kanae, she retreated into the distance.
Meanwhile, Doma's regeneration completed. He stood, fan in hand, face plastered with his ever-present smile.
"My, that was unexpected. A kick from the sky, hmm?"
"Yeah," Mo Yucheng grinned, resting the sword on his shoulder, one hand in his pocket, exuding delinquent swagger.
"Bet you didn't see that one coming."
"You… are you a Demon Slayer too?" Doma asked curiously. His outfit was foreign, and he couldn't sense the man's aura at all—just like an ordinary human.
"You don't need to know much," Yucheng smirked. "A dying demon doesn't deserve answers. Just try out my ability before you go."
Doma struck first.
"Blood Demon Art: Scattering Lotus Petals!"
"Too slow."
Yucheng slipped past the attack and suddenly declared—
"Are you here to take a dump?!"
"…What?"
Doma froze. Then—his gut twisted violently.
Oh no. Something big was coming.
Before he could react—
Pfffft! Splurt! Pffffftttt!
The sound was obscene. His trousers soaked through instantly, foul brown liquid trickling down his legs and pooling at his feet.
It had been centuries since he felt such a human sensation. For a fleeting second, he almost… savored it.
Then came the agony. Because—
It wouldn't stop.
PFFFFTTTTT—SPLOSH!
Kneeling, palms to the ground, Doma groaned as filth poured endlessly from his body. The air grew thick with stench.
Mo Yucheng watched, nodding in satisfaction.
"Nice. Very nice. This ability's busted."
Right on cue, his system chimed in:
[Ding! Abstract action detected. +500 Abstract Points!]
From afar, Kanae and Shinobu looked on, stunned.
"…Demons can… get diarrhea?" Kanae whispered.
Shinobu's lips twitched. Even knowing Mo Yucheng's power was absurd, seeing it firsthand was still mind-breaking.
But a demon was still a demon. Even while shitting himself raw, Doma had fight left in him.
"Blood Demon Art: Frozen Cloud!"
White frost burst outward, engulfing Yucheng. In the cover, Doma leapt back, trailing a nasty brown streak across the ground as he fled.
"No! He's trying to escape!" Kanae cried.
But Yucheng only sneered.
"Run? From me?"
He raised the Nichirin sword—and brought it down in a casual, almost lazy chop.