Vengeance (
Summary[]
As Kanae Kocho lays dying in Shinobu's arms, she begs her younger sister to quit the Demon Slayer Corps. She knows she is trying too hard but believes that perhaps she too also wants to live a normal life and eventually grow old. Shinobu tearfully rejects her idea and answers she will never quit until she avenges her. She asks for what kind of demon it was who attacked her, adding that she could never live a normal life again with her death. Kanae answers the demon appears to have blood on his head; the memories of her sister's last moments in her mind as Doma greets her.
Kanae describes Doma as always grinning and laughing, speaking with a calm and kind voice, evident when he introduces himself. One of his victims calls out to Shinobu for help. Doma chastises her for interrupting their meeting and swings at her, but Shinobu rushes forward and takes the woman in her arms, as Doma grows impressed with her speed and wonders if she is a Hashira. However, when she asks the woman if she is alright, she suddenly falls to pieces.
Stunned by the gruesome scene she has just witnessed, Shinobu stares blankly as Doma tells her to leave the woman's body, promising to eat it later. She turns to face him as she remembers Kanae had said her killer wields a pair of sharp fans, just as Doma reveals his weapons. The demon introduces himself as the leader of the Eternal Paradise Faith; his role is to make with those faithful to him happy and that he will devour her without wasting anything. As Shinobu realizes Doma is the demon who killed Kanae, she retorts that the woman wasn't happy pleading for her life, only for Doma to answer that he did "help" her; by killing her, she is no longer in pain or afraid.
He believes because everyone fears death, it is his role to eat them, taking everything they were in him to "save" them. Shinobu responds that his actions sicken her, surprising Doma with her harsh and prickly personality despite never meeting her before. He surmises something painful has happened to her and opens his ears for her to speak. The Insect Hashira answers what she feels isn't just painful; he has killed her sister, grabbing her haori and demanding he remember where he saw it. Doma realizes the haori belongs to his former opponent who uses Flower Breathing; he describes Kanae as kind and cute, adding that he regrets not being able to eat her, just as Shinobu attacks him without warning.
Using Insect Breathing, Dance of the Bee Sting: True Flutter, she stabs Doma in his left eye. The Upper Rank compliments her since he was unable to stop the blow, as he retaliates with Blood Demon Art: Frozen Lotus. The extremely cold attack freezes part of her clothing and face, as Shinobu retreats and remarks that the air is so cold, it could freeze her lungs. Though he commends Shinobu for her speed, Doma calls her attack pathetic for not beheading him. Shinobu responds that she knows this but questions if he is aware about the use of poison.
Suddenly, pain strikes Doma in the head and his skin begins to decay. Shinobu, about to find out if her poison can work on an Upper Rank, remembers Kanae and hopes she can succeed. Doma falls to his knees in severe pain and vomits blood, remarking that the poison is more powerful than the one she had used on Mount Natagumo, disappointing Shinobu to realize that demons do share their information, making poison a double-edged sword.
At that moment, his coughing slows and he gets up to face her, revealing he had successfully decomposed the poison in his body, offering her a sarcastic apology. He makes note of the sound her sword made when she sheathed it and surmises it is where she changes the poison she uses. Doma becomes excited to face a user of poison and believes he can get used to the pain, asking if she has more planned for him. Shinobu, having anticipated he would survive her initial attack, draws her blade to face Upper Rank Two.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Kanao Tsuyuri
- Shinobu Kocho
- Kanae Kocho (Flashback)
- Doma
Events[]
- Shinobu realizes Doma is Kanae's killer.
- Doma reveals his reasons for killing people, angering Shinobu.
- Shinobu Kocho vs Doma