Most of the Lower Moon demons were strangers, after all, they were often used by the Demon Slayer Corps to rack up achievements, and the competition among them was fierce, leading to rapid turnovers.
But Douma still spotted an unforgettable figure among them.
Gyokko, the current Lower Moon Four.
His lower body was hidden inside a pot, while his upper body was covered in many baby-like small hands. Where his eyes should have been, there were two green mouths, and where his mouth and forehead should have been, there were two eyes.
"The pot is quite beautiful, but isn't his appearance a bit too casual?" Douma expressed that he couldn't appreciate it.
He tilted his head and looked for a while longer: "Hmm, it really still feels very unique."
He blinked, then suddenly clapped his hands together, a look of sudden realization on his face.
"So that's it, this is what they call art!"
"It's the kind of thing you don't understand but feel is incredibly impressive~"
Douma nodded with conviction and turned his gaze to the Upper Moons.
Compared to the tense Lower Moons, the Upper Moons appeared much more aloof.
Upper Rank Five was a fellow with a head full of black spikes, a fierce expression, and a burly physique, looking very unapproachable.
"He looks fierce, not very easy to get close to."
Douma thought, then looked at Upper Moon Four, Hantengu.
The old man with a high forehead was clutching his head with both hands, trembling and curled up in a corner, looking utterly pathetic.
"Oh my, is this person already Upper Moon Four?"
"He's really very stable," Douma thought, "but he still seems difficult to get along with."
Next, he looked at Upper Moon Three.
Short, peach-colored hair, golden eyes, and his entire body covered in dark blue tattoos. He wore a peach-colored short shirt and prayer beads on his ankles.
At this moment, he stood impatiently to the side of the high platform, not even glancing at the battle in the arena.
Upper Moon Three, Akaza.
Douma stared at him blankly for a moment, then suddenly cupped his face with both hands, feeling his heart pound.
Ah ah~ Is this what it feels like to fall in love?
His serious demeanor makes him seem easy to tease, even with a fierce expression he still seems honest and simple, and his liking for peach color makes him adorable... I really want to be his friend~
It would surely be fun to tease him, wouldn't it? His temper tantrums would definitely be interesting, wouldn't they? It would be so happy to be his companion, wouldn't it?
He will... he will definitely become my best friend!
A dazzling light, like a rainbow, flashed across Douma's rainbow-colored eyes, and a blush appeared on his cheeks.
Muzan, sitting on the high platform, glanced at him, then at Akaza, and scoffed.
Akaza, not understanding, looked up at his boss, then lowered his head, uninterested.
When he felt a direct, burning gaze, he turned to look at the wooden platform below and saw someone who wasn't even one of the Twelve Kizuki waving at him with an enthusiastic smile.
(≧▽≦)ﾉ
Akaza frowned and looked away, uninterested. He always disdained the weak.
"Ah, I've been ignored."
Douma put down his waving hand with a look of disappointment, then suddenly became full of vigor.
"In that case, I must become an Upper Moon. It's hard to make friends if the gap is too big."
"For friendship, for companionship, for Lord Akaza~"
He began to size up the potential opponents, assessing their strength.
Oh dear, won't this lead back down the same old path?
Douma tilted his head in thought, then shook it decisively: "Absolutely not!"
"I genuinely want to be friends with Lord Akaza now, and I truly want to be companions with everyone."
He nodded, thinking with great confidence: "So..."
"I will absolutely not be disliked!"
Douma again cupped his face, immersed in beautiful fantasies of the future.
Next, he began to diligently gather information on his opponents and store it in his mind, also taking time to observe the remaining two Upper Moons.
Upper Moon Two should be a female, her body tightly wrapped in tattered white ribbons, not a single piece of skin exposed.
Only a pair of emotionless red eyes were visible, and unlike Douma, they held a cold, dead stillness that was indifferent to everything.
"Mmm mmm~ It feels very hard to be friends with her."
"Everyone seems so cold."
Douma thought with a disappointed expression, finally looking at Upper Moon One, who was kneeling alone behind a curtain.
He wore samurai attire with purple snake patterns and black patches, his dark red long hair tied into a high ponytail, and sat sideways, his face unclear.
"He seems to be another aloof fellow."
"His posture is as dignified as a well-bred young lady... Perhaps he's cold on the outside but warm on the inside~"
"Pfft--" Muzan on the high platform suddenly covered his mouth and coughed a few times.
Douma looked up, blinking innocently.
"Huh? Lord Muzan just laughed, didn't he? Why?"
"Did he hear my thoughts? Is he secretly paying attention to me?" He showed a brilliant smile, "Ah ah, it seems Lord Muzan likes me very much."
"Indeed, no matter where I am, I'm always loved by everyone."
"It can't be helped~"
Douma swayed his body from side to side with a smile, completely unaware that Muzan's expression had already darkened.
What kind of thing did I just recruit... Muzan clenched his fists.
Then, with a cold face, he reduced his reading of Douma's thoughts.
The battle in the arena was nearing its end. Gyokko chuckled as he dragged his opponent into his pot and devoured him completely, the character in the eye on his forehead changing to "Lower Three."
He glanced at Lower Moon Two, chose not to continue challenging, and jumped down from the arena.
The challenges continued, with blood battles for rank changes among the Lower Moons, and potential demons challenging for a Lower Moon position, but the Upper Moons' side remained calm.
No one challenged them, and they remained cold and distant from each other.
"Oh dear, what a cold companionship."
"If I could join them, I could definitely make their relationships harmonious and friendly."
Douma was full of confidence in this.
Since he was so likable, it was only natural that he could make everyone get along harmoniously and lovingly through his efforts, right?
"I feel even more motivated now."
Douma carelessly twirled his iron fan, gathering information from the blood battles in the arena, evaluating and simulating in his mind.
It seems... they're all not difficult to deal with.
He turned his gaze to Lower Moon One.
So far, Lower Moon One had only been challenged once and easily defeated his opponent.
That was a demon covered in eyes of all sizes, their colorful pupils rolling around, looking in all directions.
Hmm, he looks a bit strange, let's take another look.
Douma tilted his head and watched for a while, then an eyeball on Lower Moon One's neck suddenly rotated and met his gaze directly.
That eye suddenly lit up, and then more eyes stared over one after another, gleaming with excitement as if they had spotted prey.
Douma raised a brilliant smile and waved politely and demurely at the other party.
If nothing unexpected happened, this would be his opponent.
He was strong, but there were ways to counter him.
While a head-on clash wasn't impossible to win, how boring would that be?
When more than half of the demons around him had left, and it seemed no more demons were initiating challenges, Douma finally raised his right hand like a well-behaved child raising his hand to answer a question in class.
"May I request to challenge Lower Moon One?"