On another quiet moonlit night, the lonely mountain forest echoed with the chirping of insects. A massive ice crystal lotus suddenly bloomed in the forest clearing. Layers upon layers of ice petals continuously unfolded from the inside out, the number of petals seemingly endless.
Under the moonlight, the beautiful ice lotus appeared even more crystal clear, pure, and flawless. Even the exquisite veins on the petals were clearly visible, surrounded by a white, smoke-like ice mist. The pistil of the flower remained tightly wrapped, with countless petals spreading out from its center, looking ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful.
"Mmm~ This ability is finally perfected." Doma's cheerful voice came from within the pistil. The ice lotus stopped blooming, no longer generating new petals. The ice petals wrapping the pistil burst open in an instant, revealing the figure standing leisurely on an exquisite ice lotus platform, the wide hem of his clothes fluttering lightly in the night wind.
Doma smiled and waved the golden fan in his right hand. The dreamlike, beautiful ice crystal lotus instantly dissipated into the night sky, leaving only a wintry chill in the air.
The defensive ability he had conceived long ago was finally perfected today. When sensing mortal danger, Doma could instantly bloom a huge ice lotus with himself at the center. The continuously generated and unfolding ice petals would protect him from all angles, and the layered petals could be quickly replenished even if destroyed, all while emitting an extremely cold air.
Compared to Doma's other Blood Demon Arts, these ice crystal petals lacked sharpness and flexibility but were colder, harder, and smoother. They were difficult to destroy, and even if a powerful attack could break through the numerous layers, the smooth, curved petals were enough to deflect the angle of the attack elsewhere.
Most importantly, this ability could be passively triggered. Over the years, Doma's other Blood Demon Art, "Hisōten," had also been growing stronger. His acute perception of himself could now extend to the outside world. By integrating Hisōten into this ability, he could rely on this extremely keen sense of danger to make the ice lotus burst forth in the face of a sudden crisis, even before he himself had time to react.
Mmm, an ability to prevent myself from being inexplicably killed in an instant.
"It's so beautiful~" Doma thought happily, swinging his fan. "It feels even more beautiful than my other abilities."
"As expected of me."Today is another day of feeling great about myself.
"Mmm—what should I name it?" He closed his fan, tapped his chin, and stood there lost in thought. The lotus petals, born and dying in an instant, untainted by troubles, pure and boundless, protecting a space of tranquility...
"I'll call it 'Jōrenge' (Pure Lotus Flower)," Doma clapped his hands and nodded in satisfaction.
"Oh dear, what time is it?" He looked up at the moon. "I've run quite far tonight. It's time to go home."
"I'll challenge Lady Enyo tomorrow night. I'm so excited~" Doma walked back with light steps, feeling that he should probably be looking forward to it.
As he passed through a town, he "saved" a wonderfully twisted little snack. Because he smelled so fragrant, he decided to finish his meal cleanly before going home. As he was enjoying his delicious meal, a rush of footsteps came from behind him.
"Demon!" a somewhat noisy shout rang out.
Doma turned to look at the newcomer, blinking his rainbow eyes innocently. He looked down at the half-arm he was holding in his right hand, then suddenly raised his left hand to his mouth, feigning panic. "Oh dear, I've been caught~"
"Die, demon!" The newcomer was a boy of fourteen or fifteen, with a delicate face that still had some baby fat. He wore tattered clothes and charged straight at him with a look of hatred, holding an axe.
Doma raised his hand and steadily caught the descending axe, licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, and showed a gentle and kind expression. "Whose child are you? It's very dangerous to be out alone so late at night~"
"Arashi Senzakigawa! I'm someone who specializes in hunting demons like you!" the boy shouted his name and kicked at Doma's face.
"Eh?" Doma tilted his head to avoid the kick, looking at him with some confusion. "But you don't seem to know any fighting techniques. Your breathing and footwork are a mess," he said, tilting his head.
The boy said nothing, pulling hard on the axe handle, but couldn't get it out. So, with a look of frustration, he let go, pulled out another axe from under his clothes, and swung it fiercely at Doma's head again.
Doma sidestepped, casually twirling the axe he had snatched, and said with a chuckle, "This axe isn't made of Nichirin material. You can't kill a demon with this, you know."
"It seems you're not from the Demon Slayer Corps, are you?"
"To run out hunting demons alone without understanding anything, it's a miracle you haven't died yet~" Doma raised the axe in his hand and steadily blocked the boy's next swing, asking with a curious smile, "Hey, Arashi-kun, why are you hunting demons alone? It's very easy to die like this."
"All demons must die!" Arashi swung his axe without any form, his expression growing more and more furious.
"Eh—what an interesting child~" Doma's eyes curved, and he showed a pure, innocent smile. "But, Arashi-kun, even though I'm a demon, I haven't done anything evil." Doma was always willing to tirelessly explain his philosophy of salvation to others. He was clearly doing a good deed, but people always misunderstood his benevolence. It was so frustrating.
"I saved him, you know, Arashi-kun," Doma pointed at the corpse on the ground and said seriously. "I..."
"Shut up! All demons, go die!" Arashi suddenly leaped back and growled with his head down, his voice becoming hoarse and strange.
"Eh? You—" Doma's eyes widened in novelty. "You have a demon's aura on you. You didn't just a moment ago..."
The boy looked up. His eyes had turned into yellow vertical slits, and he had grown the sharp teeth and claws of a demon. Doma tilted his head and sized him up for a moment, then had a look of realization. "Ah! You're a Demon-Eater, aren't you?"
"A person who can temporarily gain a demon's power by eating them. Wow! How rare."
"Die... Go die!" Arashi just roared and pounced like a wild beast. After demonizing, his speed and strength had greatly increased, though to Doma, he was still as weak and harmless as a baby.
Doma easily dodged to the side, his tone still calm and gentle. "Didn't I say I was saving people? Please listen to me first..." Arashi's claws grazed past his nose.
"Huh? Do you want to eat me?" Doma tapped his chin in thought. "It's not impossible to let you have a little bite, as long as you listen to me properly..."
"Roar—" Arashi roared, his body swelling, having completely lost his human form. He got down on all fours and charged at Doma like a battering ram.
"Oh my, don't be like that~" Doma laughed and ran off. "You look more like a demon than I do, Arashi-kun."
"Why don't you talk?" He slowed down to wait for him, enthusiastically playing a game of cat and mouse. "Eh—it seems you've completely lost your reason." Looking at the beast-like boy, Doma said with disappointment.
Demon-Eaters easily become irritable from consuming demons, especially when using their power. It seemed Arashi's situation was particularly severe. But the game of cat and mouse could still continue~
"Over here, over here, come and get me" Doma laughed and ran ahead, while Arashi, with his huge fanged mouth wide open, chased from behind. From time to time, Doma would stop to circle with him, holding out his right hand in front of his mouth and waving it, as if dangling a cat toy. "Aww It's hard when you can't eat me, right? You poor thing~"
"A little faster and you might just get a bite~"
Arashi let out an angry roar. The next time Doma held his hand out to his mouth, his neck suddenly elongated, and he bit down hard on Doma's hand.
"Mmm—" Doma thought for a moment and didn't pull his hand back. Seeing Arashi-kun trying so hard, I feel a little bad for him. Oh well, I'll let him have a little bite~
With a crunch, Doma's entire right hand was bitten off. He watched with interest as his hand was swallowed and said curiously, "It's the first time I've been eaten~ Hey, Arashi-kun, how do I taste?"
However, the only response was an unconscious roar and more attacking teeth and claws. Doma pouted slightly, feeling a bit bored. Just as he was about to draw his fans, a shout came from a distance, "Stop, demon!"
Doma turned to look and saw someone in a familiar uniform running over quickly. His eyes darted, and he instantly completed his mimicry, hiding his aura and suppressing the regeneration of his right hand. Then, with tears welling in his eyes, Doma ran crying towards the Demon Slayer.
"Waaah—Help! I'm going to be eaten by a monster!" he cried for help with teary eyes, hiding behind the Demon Slayer in fear, his body trembling.
The Demon Slayer drew his Nichirin Sword, blocked Arashi's attack, and firmly protected Doma behind him, shouting, "Demon, you will not eat anyone in front of me!"
"Get lost!" Arashi roared ferociously, not in his right mind, and swiped with his claws.
The Demon Slayer's sword struck his hard claws. He then grabbed Doma's arm and used the force to jump away. He looked at Doma's severed right hand and sighed with pity. "You run! I'll take care of this demon!" he said to Doma.
"Okay, you be careful," Doma said with tears, running away slowly, looking back every few steps. After running some distance, he stopped his tears, a carefree smile returning to his face, and his right hand regenerated in an instant.
Next, he found a good spot to watch the show and enthusiastically observed the battle between the Demon Slayer and Arashi Senzakigawa. After devouring Doma's hand, Arashi had gained the ability to create ice spears, and his physical abilities had also improved considerably, allowing him to fight on par with the Demon Slayer. But perhaps because a trace of his sanity remained, after fighting for a while, Arashi turned and ran.
"Oh dear, is the fight over already?" Watching the Demon Slayer chase after Arashi into the distance, Doma sighed with disappointment. He looked up at the sky and decided against giving chase. Mmm, it's almost dawn. I need to get home.
"Mmm, what an interesting night~"
Meanwhile, to shake off the Demon Slayer, Arashi ran into the mountain forest, taking a long, winding path through the deep woods. Then, he sensed a demon's aura in a cave. "A demon! Damn it!" In his demonized state with little reason, he charged in without a second thought.
The demon hiding in the cave was not weak. The two evenly matched opponents fought like the most frenzied beasts. Arashi devoured the demon's flesh, and the demon tore and gnawed at his body. The cave echoed with horrifying roars.
After an unknown amount of time, the primitive battle gradually came to an end. Only a lone figure remained in the cave. The flesh of man and demon had merged, it was impossible to tell who had devoured whom, or if it was a demon or a man.
Memories flashed through his mind like a picture book... a once-happy family of five, a father who had turned into a demon upon returning home one night, a mother and younger siblings who were eaten... and Arashi, who had devoured his father.
All memories dissipated like smoke, leaving no trace. All that remained in his mind was a hatred for demons, a hatred for the cause of all this tragedy—the Progenitor of Demons.
The figure in the cave staggered to its feet and walked outside. Upon touching the sunlight, it let out a sharp scream and recoiled back into the cave, covered in burns.
"Who am I?" the figure thought, confused. "I don't remember."
"What am I?"
"Human? It seems not anymore..."
"A demon? It seems not entirely... No, I can't be a demon! I can't... I absolutely can't!" He clutched his head and let out a hysterical roar, which gradually subsided after a long time, his eyes becoming hazy again.
"I feel... my name should have the character for 'storm' (嵐) in it." He looked at the dense, cross-shaped star patterns on his body. "Star... Hoshi..."
"From now on... I'll be called... Seiran (星嵐)."
The sound of footsteps entered the cave, getting closer. Someone came in. Seiran smelled the scent of a human, and drool dripped from his fanged mouth. "Human... is food!"
In his blank mind, both humans and demons were food. "Humans are delicious food, and demons are more nutritious food." Seiran pounced on the person who had entered the cave and ate his fill with satisfaction.
"And, Kibutsuji Muzan... is something that must be killed!" he said with a look of hatred. "Kibutsuji Muzan? What's that?" he then murmured in confusion, uttering the name that was an absolute taboo for demons. But... there was no pain, no curse, nothing happened.
Seiran stared blankly out of the cave, his yellow vertical pupils both bewildered and full of aggression.
In the Infinity Castle, Kibutsuji Muzan was engrossed in his experiments when he suddenly felt the connection with a demon of decent potential break. This happened every day. He didn't even lift an eyelid, not paying it the slightest attention. The sound of Nakime's biwa played in his ears; such days were quite pleasant. But... why did today's biwa music have a hint of cheerfulness and unreliability?
Thinking of Doma, who often came to talk to Nakime, Muzan's face instantly went from sunny to cloudy. Heh, my fists just clenched on their own.
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