Although neither the human nor the demon were serious, the night was inherently quiet, and any slight movement would be infinitely amplified.
Moreover, even if they weren't serious, the battlefield where they clashed was not a place any Lower Rank could tread.
After such a commotion, even a deaf person would have almost heard it.
Mizuki's eyes slightly darkened as she looked at Douma, who was smiling nonchalantly.
Blood Demon Art doesn't have too much variability.
Simply put, Blood Demon Art is a superpower, but it's not impossible to possess multiple superpowers.
And the ice-based Blood Demon Art that Douma mastered, even with further development and research, was all extended based on the premise of 'ice'.
Information... that's enough.
Mizuki felt the urge to retreat.
If the cult members arrived, she wouldn't be able to explain herself.
Mizuki even suspected that some of the fanatical cult members wouldn't be afraid even if they saw Douma eating people in public.
Instead, they would become even more infatuated by his immortal, divine methods.
There was no way to persuade them.
Mizuki glanced at the girl beside her from the corner of her eye, and after much hesitation, she sighed in her heart.
Douma's eyes narrowed slightly.
Although Mizuki's emotional changes were not significant, they were quite noticeable to him.
Although Douma did not possess human emotions, this also made him exceptionally sensitive to the emotional fluctuations of those around him.
Is she planning to escape?
Douma covered his face with his iron fan, a serious expression appearing in his eyes.
The poison... it's not enough.
Even he hadn't anticipated that the opponent would detect the abnormality in such a short time.
One must know that, given the situation at the time, although the toxin had already entered her body, it hadn't even had time to take effect.
He had eaten Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen before, but none of them reacted so quickly.
She discovered it almost as soon as the toxin entered her body.
This woman is too perceptive.
While Douma liked to collect information about others, even letting enemies fully display their techniques before killing them to gather combat data, this didn't mean Douma liked to have information collected about himself.
If this woman escaped, it would be very troublesome.
A thought flashed through Douma's mind. Without any warning, he instantly appeared in front of Mizuki, saying with a regretful expression,
"How rude, Miss, to want to escape."
"Blood Demon Art: Lotus Leaf Ice."
Douma waved his twin fans, and large patches of lotus-shaped ice crystals showered forth.
Mizuki deliberately covered her mouth and nose, retreating backward.
"If you just let me eat you, you can enjoy eternal life and reach paradise together."
Douma expressed his regretful feelings while mercilessly waving his golden iron fan.
"Blood Demon Art: Frigid White Princess!"
As the iron fan waved, two lifelike maiden-shaped ice lotuses appeared in Mizuki's eyes, blowing out cold freezing air that swept across.
If this guy participated in a carving competition, Michelangelo would have to concede defeat.
While Mizuki mentally complained, she also had no intention of getting entangled with him any further.
Indeed, these peculiar Blood Demon Arts, whether freezing air or anything else, were all built upon the concept of 'ice'.
There was no need to collect any more information.
Using the sweeping freezing air as cover, Mizuki agilely backflipped several times to the girl's side, helped her up, and rushed out the door.
"Don't think of escaping!"
At this, Douma couldn't help but become a bit more serious.
"Blood Demon Art: Dark Winter Ice Pillars!"
Dozens of sharp ice spikes rained down from the sky, aiming to impale Mizuki.
These Upper Rank techniques are indeed one trickier than the last.
The range is simply beyond what ordinary swordsmen can imagine.
But who is Mizuki?
Even without Demonization, she was the second person in the Demon Slayer Corps, second only to Yoriichi, to awaken the Demon Slayer Mark.
This speed is just so-so.
Mizuki's speed increased by another notch, causing all of Douma's attacks to miss.
Seeing Mizuki about to escape with the girl, Douma almost subconsciously swung his iron fan.
"Blood Demon Art: Freezing Fog, Sleeping Lotus..."
Dozens of cult members holding torches swarmed in. Douma paused his fan-waving Hand and lowered it.
He watched Mizuki take the person over the wall and disappear.
After a while, he fanned his face, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"Well, let's just let it go this time. If I make too much of a fuss, Muzan-sama will blame me."
"Besides, that child... she will definitely come back..."
The crowd, holding torches, gathered around: "Founder-sama! Are you alright!"
Douma smiled at the approaching cult members, "I'm fine, I'm fine. I was just attacked by a ferocious demon, but I've repelled it."
"As expected of Founder-sama!" The cult members noticed the inhuman destruction inside the room and couldn't help but show fanatic expressions.
Douma just smiled at them... On the other side, Mizuki took the girl out of the city and gently patted her cheek.
The girl named Aiko instantly woke up, looked around, then looked at Mizuki, and said with a terrified expression: "What do you want to do!"
Mizuki calmly explained: "Your Founder is a demon. I just saved you from him."
Aiko was stunned for a moment, then angrily retorted: "Don't talk nonsense!"
"Founder-sama takes in homeless people like us; he is clearly a divine child who loves the world."
"In comparison, you, who attacked Founder-sama, are the demon, aren't you!"
"..."
Mizuki silently said: "I won't stop you if you want to go back, but I suggest you seriously think about what I said."
A clever housewife cannot cook without rice.
Mizuki was in this situation now, lacking evidence that Douma was a demon.
Hearing this, Aiko hesitated, stood up, and then tentatively retreated towards the city. She wasn't sure if Mizuki was lying to her.
After confirming that Mizuki made no move, she turned and ran... Mizuki watched her back disappear around the corner, heading towards the Eternal Paradise Cult, and silently turned to leave.
Just as she never resented Namiko for kicking her back then, Mizuki would not scold this girl either.
When you can't get enough food and have no place to stay, someone who takes you in and feeds you is like a benefactor in any era.
Unless she personally saw Douma eating someone, otherwise... no, as long as it wasn't herself being eaten, it might not be a big deal... Eternal Paradise Cult.
Douma fanned himself, smiling as he watched the cult members carry out the damaged furniture one by one and clean the room.
Suddenly, a cult member entered with a girl.
"Founder-sama, Aiko is back."
Douma beamed: "You're back, that's wonderful."
"You all may leave first." He waved his Hand at the crowd.
"Yes." Everyone quickly packed up their things, closed the door, and withdrew.
The last shred of doubt in Aiko's heart disappeared. She knelt on the ground, awaiting the Founder's favor.
Douma came and squatted in front of her, smiling: "So, how did you escape?"
Aiko looked up at Douma's handsome face, her cheeks involuntarily flushing, her heart pounding.
"That bad person... she, she didn't stop me."
"Is that so~" Douma smiled externally, but inwardly he was pondering.
This is completely different from the Demon Slayers I've encountered before.
She went to great lengths to save someone, yet she just let her leave? Didn't she know she would come back?
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