In order to infiltrate Doma's side, Kanae Kocho had not brought her Nichirin Sword with her, because Nichirin Swords carried the energy of the sun, and to demons, that was extremely sensitive.
As long as she carried a Nichirin Sword, Doma would almost immediately notice her identity as a swordswoman.
However, Kanae Kocho's goal was not to use a Nichirin Sword to sever Doma's head.
In that case…
Whether she had a Nichirin Sword or not did not actually mean that much to Kanae Kocho.
For Kanae Kocho, being able to successfully infiltrate Doma's side and delay him all the way until now already counted as a success.
For the current Kanae Kocho, all she needed to do was ensure her own safety.
Of course, without a Nichirin Sword in hand, Kanae Kocho's combat strength had undoubtedly been greatly reduced.
...
Doma widened his rainbow-colored eyes and observed her for quite some time before truly confirming that this demon-hunting swordswoman had not brought a Nichirin Sword.
It was difficult to imagine a swordsman being so negligent.
"I remember that, to a swordsman, a Nichirin Sword is an extremely important partner. I never expected a swordswoman like you to abandon yours."
At some point, two golden iron fans had appeared in Doma's hands. The surfaces of the fans were engraved with pinkish-purple lotus flowers and green lotus leaves, while the edges were almost as sharp as blades.
As he spoke, Doma lightly waved one of the fans. Fine ice crystals scattered out and began mixing into the surrounding air.
Kanae Kocho had dodged his attack just now, and her movements had been extremely agile. From that, Doma could roughly sense Kanae's strength.
He had killed many swordsmen. With reactions this nimble, Kanae could rank among the top five.
Ranking among the top five meant that, in the Demon Slayer Corps, she at least possessed the status of a Hashira.
However, even if she was a Hashira, it did not truly mean much to Doma. His Blood Demon Art was practically the natural enemy of swordsmen who practiced Breathing Styles.
Many powerful swordsmen had fallen under his Blood Demon Art while "breathing" without even realizing it.
Even if they noticed, it would be of no use, because as humans, they had no way to stop breathing. As long as they breathed, they would inevitably inhale the ice crystals he scattered through the air with his fans.
At that moment, Kanae Kocho held her breath. At the same time, she took a mask from inside her clothing and put it on.
For this hunt, masks were considered essential equipment.
Of course, with the current level of technology, they might not be able to completely block the ice crystals, but they were still enough to play a major role.
Seeing Kanae Kocho put on the mask, Doma could not help stopping the motion of his fan.
"It seems you came prepared."
As he spoke, Doma lightly pushed off the ground.
Whoosh!
He almost turned into an afterimage. The golden fan blades in his hands swept through the air, their sharp edges giving off a chilling gleam.
Without a Nichirin Sword, Kanae Kocho naturally did not dare meet Doma's attack head-on and could only dodge at once.
As a powerful Hashira, Kanae Kocho was naturally not weak. But compared with Doma, Upper Rank Two of the Twelve Kizuki and the Ice Demon, she was far, far inferior, not to mention that she had no Nichirin Sword in hand.
In just a short while, danger surrounded her on every side.
Sensing Doma's strength, Kanae Kocho could only grit her teeth inwardly while continuing to evade with all her effort.
But it was impossible to dodge every attack.
Rip!
The edge of the sharp fan swept across Kanae Kocho's arm. As it tore through her clothing, it also sliced open the flesh of her pale arm.
Blood almost immediately flowed down from the wound.
At the same time, the ice crystals mixed into the air attached themselves to her, nearly following the blood from the wound into her body.
Sensing this, Kanae Kocho's expression changed slightly. While enduring the pain of the wound, she dodged another of Doma's attacks.
"It seems your hunt has failed."
Doma looked at the young woman, who had fallen into disadvantage at his hands in such a short time, and spoke softly.
"Let me take you to the world of ultimate bliss. Let me grant you salvation."
"True salvation is ending your life. As long as you are killed, more people who might have been eaten by you can be saved, and you can also be freed from this sorrowful cycle."
Even in such a dangerous situation, Kanae Kocho's voice remained gentle. There was even compassion in it for the demon who wanted to eat her.
"You really are very kind."
Doma's face carried a gentle smile. "You even want to save a demon like me? You are probably the first swordswoman I have ever met who wanted to save demons. When other swordsmen see me, they are always filled with hatred carved into their bones. They have never had any thought of saving demons at all.
Can you tell me why?"
"Because demons like you were once human too."
"You were once people like us, people who could bathe beneath the sunlight. Yet now, you even fear the warmth of the sun."
Kanae Kocho dodged Doma's attack once again. Looking at the demon, her purple eyes were filled with pity for him.
"That really is a rare way of thinking. I have never felt that from any other swordsman."
Doma shook his head.
"I only want to completely sever the chain of this tragedy."
Another wound was cut open on Kanae Kocho's body by the fan, yet her voice remained gentle.
"That truly is a pity." Doma shook his head. "Because I do not think becoming a demon is anything sorrowful. On the contrary, I think being human is something extremely pitiful."
From the bottom of his heart, Doma believed that humans were regrettable beings.
If one became human, that was truly pitiful.
He genuinely looked down on humanity.
Compared with the vast majority of people in this world, who had been forced to become demons or deceived into becoming demons, Doma had taken the initiative to ask his lord to turn him into one.
Kanae Kocho took a step back, her voice low.
"That is only because demons like you have long forgotten the memories that once belonged to you as humans. You have forgotten the past. If you remembered the beauty of once being human…"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have not forgotten my memories from when I was human."
Doma's face continued to wear that gentle smile as he lifted a hand and pointed to his own head. "My memory is excellent."
Kanae Kocho's beautiful purple eyes lifted slightly. This was probably the first time she had met a demon who had not forgotten the memories of being human.
Every demon she had slain before, at the moment before death when they recalled their memories as humans, would have endless regret and sorrow well up in their eyes.
But the one before her was probably a true demon.
She truly could not imagine how someone who had once been human could feed on those who had once been his own kind.
How had he done it?
"When you devour those who were once your own kind, does your heart not stir in the slightest? Do you not find it unbearable? Do you not feel sorrow? Do you not feel pain?"
Kanae Kocho, who held compassion even for demons and wished to free them from the cycle of sorrow, was rarely angry at this moment.
"Sorrow? Pain? Unbearable?"
Doma shook his head.
"I have never felt those emotions. What does pain feel like? What does sorrow feel like? What exactly are human joy, anger, grief, and happiness supposed to feel like?"
Whether as a human or as a demon, Doma had never been able to understand human emotions. There had never been any fluctuation in his heart, so naturally, he could not feel so-called joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.
To Doma, these so-called human emotions were all illusions, things that had never truly existed.
Kanae Kocho had not expected Doma to answer like this. Looking at the demon before her, whose face wore that gentle smile, her purple eyes carried tender pity.
"You demon… you are truly pitiful."
"Pitiful? I do not feel it."
Doma shook his head.
"Rather, you are the one who will feel sorrow and pain, aren't you?"
"Almost all of them do when I eat them."
As he spoke, a gentle smile appeared on Doma's face.
"But I will still grant you 'salvation.' Perhaps you do not think this is 'salvation.'"
"But as I see it, allowing your flesh and blood to become one with me is how I grant you 'salvation.'"
...
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