At this time, within the Eternal Paradise Sect, Douma was devouring people. The entire lobby was drenched in blood, the walls soaked with red, and the floor slippery with gore.
But no matter how much he consumed, his upper and lower body remained disconnected. The severe burning pain surged in waves, distorting his once calm expression.
Unlike Kokushibo, who had experienced both glory and failure, Douma lacked maturity. Kokushibo had grown from his struggles, but his obsessive pursuit of perfection led him astray. In contrast, Douma's life had been smooth sailing from the start. He had never known hardship. He viewed human lives as insignificant, believing that by consuming them, he was performing a benevolent act. This twisted worldview stemmed from his origins.
Douma was born into a religious cult. From the moment he opened his eyes, his appearance was seen as divine—rainbow-colored irises and hair as pale as white oak. His parents believed he was a special child who could hear the voice of the gods. But Douma, even as a child, thought otherwise. He saw his father as hopelessly foolish and considered the Eternal Paradise Sect founded by his parents to be meaningless and dull.
To Douma, the blind faith of the believers was pitiful. He never once heard the voice of any god. When adults wept and prayed before him, treating him like a divine oracle, Douma only found it absurd. Why were they confessing their woes to a child?
Eventually, his mother discovered that her husband had been unfaithful. In a fit of madness, she hacked him to death. Blood splattered across the house like a macabre painting. Then, unable to live with what she'd done, she swallowed poison and ended her own life.
Douma watched it all without emotion. He wasn't saddened or scared. He only thought, How troublesome. This mess will take a while to clean up.
At the age of twenty, Douma met Kibutsuji Muzan and requested to become a demon. Thus began his blood-soaked life of cannibalism.
Now, as he chewed on the severed head of a woman, Douma experienced something entirely new—fear. A blade wreathed in blue flames had slashed through his body earlier, its power terrifying enough to shake him to his core.
Suddenly, the doors creaked open. Two figures stepped into the courtyard.
It was Kochou Shinobu and Kanao. Both held their Nichirin Blades tightly, their expressions grave.
Upon seeing the horrific scene—blood, broken limbs, and the remains of innocents beneath Douma's seat—they were instantly filled with rage.
"Two women..." Douma murmured, his vibrant eyes scanning the newcomers. According to Muzan's intelligence, the Insect Pillar specialized in poison.
From their perspective, Douma's condition looked absurd—his upper body propped awkwardly on the throne while his lower half sat slumped beneath it. His irises bore the inscription "Upper Rank Two."
Then Shinobu's rage boiled over as she remembered something.
"Do you recognize this haori I'm wearing, demon?"
Douma stared at her, puzzled at first. After a moment of silence, he finally responded.
"Oh… it was that woman I accidentally killed. What a shame. I really wanted to eat her."
Kanao's expression darkened, her eyes sharp with murderous intent. Shinobu laughed coldly, a cruel smirk curling at the corner of her lips.
"You look so pathetic now. Much weaker than I expected."
She added, with a mocking tone, "You disappoint me so much."
These words pierced Douma deeper than any blade. He had never been emotionally connected to anyone—he lacked empathy, love, or sorrow—but he wasn't entirely void of feelings. To be mocked by food enraged him.
His expression twisted into something monstrous.
Shinobu had struck a nerve with ease. Clever and precise, her words made the emotionless predator lose composure.
"Teacher," Kanao said, voice low and steady, "he's just a beast. A mindless creature. It can't comprehend emotion."
Master and disciple, both poised and venomous, prepared for battle.
"I'll eat you both!" Douma snarled, veins bulging across his forehead.
With a swift motion, he picked up his fan and waved it hard. Glimmering lotus-shaped ice crystals burst forth.
"Blood Demon Art: Lotus Leaf Ice!"
Shinobu and Kanao leapt aside, narrowly avoiding the glittering barrage.
Douma's mobility had clearly declined due to his injury—he could no longer move freely and was mostly confined to one position. Shinobu quickly assessed the situation. If I can get close enough, I could pierce him with my poison. But my strength alone can't decapitate him... Kanao must deliver the final blow.
Meeting her teacher's gaze, Kanao instantly understood. She adjusted her stance, gripping her Nichirin Blade tightly in a lunging position.
Now!
Both charged forward from different angles, their movements blindingly fast.
Douma's eyes narrowed. He twirled his fans, scattering countless ice petals, each razor-sharp.
"Blood Demon Art: Scattered Lotus!"
Kanao reacted first. With her keen vision, she could predict Douma's movements by observing micro-changes in his joints.
"Flower Breathing, Second Form: Mikageume!"
Her blade danced through the air, slicing in arcs like falling plum petals, cutting down the icy barrage before it could touch her.
Shinobu, on the other hand, didn't parry. She dodged with surgical precision. In her mind, time seemed to slow down. Every ice shard, every gust of wind—it was all crystal clear.
Shinobu had mastered the Transparent World, thanks to James's special training.
Oddly enough, despite not awakening the mark of the red blade, Shinobu had grasped the Transparent World faster than anyone else. Meanwhile, even someone as visually gifted as Kanao had failed to unlock it.
"You underestimate me!" Douma bellowed.
He exhaled a bitter wind, and in the swirling frost, small crystalline ice figures emerged—miniature warriors shaped like children.
"Blood Demon Art: Crystallization of the Prince!"
Was it similar to the Avatar Technique used by Upper Rank Four?
Shinobu and Kanao didn't panic. They continued slashing with precision, keeping their distance while launching ranged attacks with their sword energy.
During James's strategy meetings, he had emphasized the dangers of clones—never assume they can't use Blood Demon Arts.
When the little ice men failed to achieve anything, Douma's expression darkened. He inhaled deeply and clapped his hands together.
Behind him, a massive ice statue rose—its palms extended toward Shinobu.
"Blood Demon Art: Mist Ice Water Lily Bodhisattva!"
Boom!
The statue's palm crashed down, pulverizing the floor into rubble. Shinobu vanished under the debris.
Kanao, however, saw this as her opening. She lunged straight at Douma, closing the distance with lightning speed.
But Douma didn't panic. The massive Bodhisattva behind him opened its mouth, releasing a chilling gale.
Suddenly—
"Beast Breathing, Eighth Fang: Explosive Rush!"
A wild figure burst through the back of the Bodhisattva like a cannonball, smashing straight through!
It was Inosuke.
The three had planned this ambush in advance with the help of a messenger crow. Shinobu and Kanao would confront Douma head-on, while Inosuke—known for his ability to mask his presence—would strike at the perfect moment.
The Bodhisattva shattered to pieces. Douma gasped, coughing up blood. Before he could react further, Shinobu appeared at his side, blade drawn, knees bent in a thrusting stance.
Kanao's Flower Breathing had already reached his front, while behind him, two gusts of air roared toward his neck—Inosuke's dual blades slicing with ferocity.
He could feel it—the searing pain in his neck. Am I going to die?
Shinobu's blade pierced straight into his chest, unleashing a massive dose of her custom-made poison. Simultaneously, Kanao's pink slash tore into the left side of his neck. Inosuke's jagged swords tore at the right side like saws, grinding through flesh and bone.
Swish!
His head was severed. It flew into the air, tumbling before landing atop the bodies of the women he had once consumed.
"What do you have to mourn?" Shinobu said coldly. "You were just a beast."
Douma's eyes widened in shock at her final words.
And with that—he died, eyes frozen in disbelief.
Upper Rank Two, Douma: Defeated!
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)