Aoki walked down the empty street.
Dawn was coming soon.
This was when people slept deepest and the streets were emptiest.
He thought about which direction to go next.
He had been east, south, and north. Maybe he should try west?
He wondered what Tamayo had learned from the Upper Moon blood.
Thump thump...
A strange noise caught Aoki's attention.
"Sounds like a fight. It's far away, but I can hear it. The fighters must be strong... Could it be an Upper Moon?"
Aoki's eyes lit up, and he decided to check it out.
With the Transparent World, he only feared Muzan. He would even fight Kokushibo.
Whether he could win was another matter.
...
Pat pat.
Blood dripped. Kanae Kocho's face was pale, and her haori and uniform were stained red.
Across from her was a young man with metal fans. His hair was oak-white, with one blood-soaked section. His eyes were rainbow-colored, with "Upper Moon" and "Two" carved in them.
"Upper Moon Two!"
Kanae sighed.
She couldn't believe her luck. She ran into Upper Moon Two on her way back from a mission.
Doma covered his chin with his fan, smiling innocently. "You inhaled my Blood Demon Art. Your alveoli are freezing. It's painful, right? Don't worry. I'll eat you, and you won't feel pain or fear anymore."
Kanae didn't speak. She could barely breathe and had no energy to spare.
Even she was shocked by the twisted personality of this second-ranked Upper Moon.
"Don't struggle. You're going to die anyway," Doma said softly, raising his fan.
Kanae gripped her sword.
She was going to die with her injuries.
But she wouldn't give up.
Not just for herself.
As a Pillar, she was strong. Eating her would be a great benefit to a demon.
Upper Moon Two was already terrifying. She couldn't let him become stronger.
Dawn was coming soon. She just needed to hold on!
But...
"Can I really hold on until dawn with these injuries?"
Kanae felt heavy-hearted.
Just then, both Kanae and Doma paused.
Pfft!
Half of Doma's body exploded.
Aoki appeared next to Kanae, staring at Doma. "You reacted fast!"
"Traitor!"
"Mr. Aokimura!"
Kanae and Doma spoke at the same time, surprised and pleased.
"Looks like we don't need introductions," Aoki said calmly.
He recognized the girl as Kanae Kocho, the Flower Pillar he had met at Mount Natagumo.
He hadn't met the demon in person, but he knew him well.
Doma tapped his fan against his palm, smiling innocently. "Oh, I didn't expect to be the first to meet the traitor!"
Aoki frowned. "You're disgusting when you talk like that!"
He had activated the Transparent World and could feel the deep indifference beneath Doma's innocent smile.
Doma's smile didn't fade.
"Oh, you misunderstand me! I'm happy to meet you. That person has been wanting to catch you!"
Kanae swayed, barely keeping her balance. She said weakly, "Mr. Aokimura, let's work together and defeat him."
"You should rest somewhere!"
Aoki refused without hesitation, never taking his eyes off Doma.
Most Upper Moons were twisted, but Doma was the most twisted.
Doma had no human emotions and despised humans. He was twisted even as a human.
After meeting Muzan, Doma asked to become a demon, and his personality became even more twisted.
He thought eating humans was saving them, letting them merge with him. It was an honor for humans.
Doma especially liked eating women.
This made his relationship with Akaza, who never ate women, very bad.
"Oh, I should tell you, I introduced Gyutaro and Daki to that person."
Doma sighed. "They were my good friends. Today, I finally have a chance to avenge them!"
"I said, your fake smile is disgusting!"
Aoki flashed and appeared next to Doma, punching down hard.
"Blood Demon Art, Lotus Ice!"
Doma reacted instantly, waving his fan. Cold mist formed ice lotus crystals, and the temperature dropped rapidly.
Aoki didn't even look at the ice lotus crystals.
Crack!
Two lotus flowers landed on him, instantly forming frost. The flesh on the surface died.
But Aoki's fist landed on Doma's head, and half of his head exploded.
"Blood Demon Art, Wisteria Lotus!"
Doma ignored his injuries, using the force to retreat while waving his fan again.
Ice crystal vines with ice lotuses wrapped around them, coiling towards Aoki from all directions.
Aoki vanished and appeared behind Doma.
As he prepared to attack, sharp ice pillars suddenly formed in the sky.
"Blood Demon Art, Frozen Winter Icicles."
Aoki stopped, punched the ice pillars, and looked at Doma, who had created distance.
"No wonder Akaza lost to you!"
If Kokushibo was a swordsman and Akaza was a martial artist, Doma was a mage.
His wide-range ice Blood Demon Art, with both attack and control, was too effective against Akaza.
Doma still wore his fake innocent smile. "Akaza doesn't eat women! I've told him many times, women are very nutritious."
Aoki ignored his twisted logic and looked up at the sky. "Not much time left!"
He vanished.
"That attack is stronger than I thought. If I get hit too many times, something bad will happen."
The wounds on Doma's body and head hadn't healed. He put his hands together.
Rumble.
A giant ice Buddha, dozens of meters tall, rose from the ground.
"Blood Demon Art..."
---
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