[HP : 1244/1920]
[Fatigue: 73/100]
The fight went on, like there was no end to it.
Ishida had no intention of being taken down by one of the strongest Kizuki of the Twelve and Upper Moon Two, Doma.
On the other hand, the Upper Moon Two, Doma, was surprised that a human, after all these years of him becoming a demon, was able to keep up with him in a fight for this long.
"The morning sun will be seen soon. I am sure you are happy about it."
Ishida positioned himself in fighting stance, his blade held in front of him with a determined expression. "I wouldn't describe it as happy."
Doma chuckled slightly at Ishida's response, finding it somehow funny. "Then, what will be the description, if I may hear it?"
"It's…" Ishida immediately launched himself for his next attack, "Infuriating," he said.
"I see," Doma replied. "Though, I sure don't understand why you would feel infuriated when it's you who will be saved from death because of the sunlight." He immediately launched an attack directed toward Ishida, who was finding an opening at the same time. "Scattering Lotuses!"
The ice crystals filled the air in a deadly blizzard, but Ishida's response was measured. He shifted his stance minimally and spun his body mid-flight, his blade moving in tight, controlled arcs that deflected only what was necessary. Several crystals grazed his uniform, but none found flesh.
[Fatigue: 75/100]
'Two percent,' Ishida noted. 'Better than the defensive dome.'
"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace."
The crescent slash that followed was precise, aimed not at Doma directly but at the source of his ice formation—disrupting the technique at its origin rather than trying to overpower its execution. The ice crystals dissipated as their generating force was interrupted.
[Fatigue: 78/100]
Ishida landed swiftly back to his position, taking a slight breather, trying to steady his breath as much as he could even with the increasing fatigue.
"Let me ask you something honestly, Moon Hashira," Doma spoke, already preparing for his next attack. "Do you really think there is even a single chance of you defeating me?"
Ishida's only response was to advance another measured step, his breathing rhythm unchanged. His sword remained at the ready, neither aggressive nor defensive, simply... present.
The demon created distance, ice forming beneath his feet to propel him backward. "Cold White Princesses!"
The ice dolls manifested again, but this time Ishida didn't engage them directly. Instead, he moved past them, his agility allowing him to slip through their formation like smoke. His blade flicked out once, twice—surgical strikes that severed the connection between Doma and his constructs.
[Fatigue: 81/100]
The dolls collapsed, their animating force disrupted.
"Impressive," Doma admitted, though his smile had become something sharper.
"Sunlight is almost visible," Sakura muttered to Kazuki from the sideline. "Though, it might take a few moments to penetrate through the forest."
"Still minimum eight to ten minutes left. Should we help now? Maybe we can help him get through the remaining time," Kazuki suggested.
"If he needs our help, he'll definitely tell us. If we jump in now, we'd just get in the way."
"Come on, we took down Lower Moon Six moments ago, remember?" Kazuki said.
"Let's wait and see."
...
"There's not much time left until sunlight." Doma spoke with a smirk on his face, as Ishida looked tired, his body almost giving up. He stood with his blade in the ground and one hand holding it. "If you can survive these attacks from here on for the remaining time, I would say you would have earned the chance to be alive to face me a second time—which no one has ever done, nonetheless."
Doma's eyes glinted like shards of ice under moonlight. His fan snapped open with a crisp flutter.
"Let's make it beautiful, shall we?" he said softly, almost tenderly. "Frozen Lotus."
In an instant, the air itself turned crystalline. Dozens of ice lotuses bloomed midair, each petal shimmering with deathly grace. Their presence was almost serene—until the freezing wind they carried bit into Ishida's exposed skin, stealing warmth from his very breath.
Ishida's vision blurred momentarily. His body screamed at him to stop moving, but his instincts took over. His footwork shortened, conserving motion; his sword moved in subtle patterns—tight, controlled, efficient.
The first lotus burst beside him—an explosion of razor-edged petals. The ground froze solid, cracks forming like spiderwebs across the forest floor. The shockwave sent dust and frost spiraling upward.
[HP: 1078/1920]
[Fatigue: 84/100]
He exhaled, slow and measured. "Still manageable," he muttered, more to himself than to his opponent.
But Doma wasn't done. The fan in his left hand flicked upward, releasing a shimmering wave that froze the mist in the air.
"Frozen Mist—Icicle Lotus!"
The air turned into a storm of glittering spears. Each shard sang as it sliced through space—faster than sound, sharper than thought. Ishida's blade moved instinctively now, tracing arcs of silver and shadow. Every deflection sent shockwaves up his arm. The cold bit deep into his knuckles.
'Too many... too fast.'
"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!"
A circular slash carved through the air in front of Ishida, creating a defensive wall of flames that melted several incoming ice projectiles. Kazuki landed beside him, his breathing heavy but determined.
"Kazuki—!" Ishida started.
"Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!"
Sakura appeared on Ishida's other side, her blade creating multiple simultaneous strikes that intercepted and shattered a cluster of ice shards coming from the left flank.
"We're not letting you fight alone anymore!" Sakura declared, her eyes fierce despite the fear she felt facing the Upper Moon.
Doma's smile widened. "Oh? The little ones want to play too? How adorable."
"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace!"
Ishida's crescent slash cut through another wave of ice projectiles, his movements still precise despite his exhaustion. The three of them formed a defensive triangle, each covering angles the others couldn't reach.
[Fatigue: 89/100]
Then, like a blessing from the heavens themselves, the faintest ray of golden light pierced through the dense forest canopy. It was weak, barely visible, but unmistakable—sunlight.
Doma's expression shifted instantly. The playful smile vanished, replaced by cold calculation. He took a step backward, away from where the light was beginning to filter through.
"Ah. It seems our time is up," he said, his tone carrying genuine disappointment. "How unfortunate. We were just getting to the good part."
He turned to leave, but paused, glancing back at Ishida with something approaching respect.
"You know, in my lifetime as a demon, I've killed many Hashira. Strong ones, skilled ones, determined ones." His rainbow eyes met Ishida's with an intensity that was almost admiring. "But this is the first time I've failed to kill one who stood before me for so long. You're quite remarkable, Moon Hashira. I look forward to our next meeting."
"Wait!" Sakura suddenly burst forward, her blade raised to strike at the retreating demon.
"Sakura, no!" Ishida's voice cut through, sharp with command.
But it was too late—she was already in motion. Doma turned his head slightly, his expression shifting to one of playful smirk.
"Ah, such an ugly expression. You really shouldn't ruin your face with anger — it doesn't suit you at all."
Sakura skidded to a halt, her face flushing with a mixture of anger and humiliation. "What did you just—"
But Doma was already gone, disappearing into the shadows of the forest with inhuman speed, fleeing from the approaching sunlight.
"That bastard—!" Sakura started, her grip tightening on her sword.
A heavy thud interrupted her. Ishida had collapsed to one knee, his sword planted in the ground as the only thing keeping him upright. His breathing was ragged, each breath a conscious effort as he tried to employ Total Concentration Breathing to manage the damage his body had sustained.
[HP: 1078/1920]
[Fatigue: 92/100]
"Ishida!" Both Sakura and Kazuki rushed to his side immediately, their earlier anger and adrenaline replaced with concern.
Kazuki knelt beside him, his hands hovering uncertainly. "Are you—should we—"
"I'm fine," Ishida managed between controlled breaths, though his trembling arms suggested otherwise. He looked up at both of them, and despite his exhausted state, there was something like pride in his eyes. "Good work. Both of you."
Sakura's eyes widened slightly, the demon's insult momentarily forgotten. "We... we just did what we could."
"You came when it mattered," Ishida said, his breathing slowly stabilizing as his technique worked to manage his condition. "That's what counts."
Kazuki looked at the destruction around them—the frozen ground, the shattered trees, the gouges carved into the earth. "You fought an Upper Moon for hours. And survived. That's... that's insane."
"Survival isn't victory," Ishida replied quietly, finally managing to steady his breathing enough to speak normally. "It's not enough."
The sunlight was growing stronger now, filtering through the forest canopy in golden beams. The nightmare of the night was finally over.
But, a question and doubt filled Ishida's mind...
'I am strong enough yet.'
And a determined vow too...
'I will get stronger. If I can't beat upper moon, there are still 2 stronger than him. There is no way I will be able to keep up against them, I need to grow, train and get stronger.'