After Goku and Giyuu defeated Akaza, the focus switched to Kanao, who was still fighting Douma.
"Speaking of girls... Akaza-dono's defeat was inevitable. Because he didn't want to eat girls..." muttered Douma. "I told him women were very nutritious because they can carry babies in their womb, so eating many of them would make you stronger... But he didn't listen."
"Not only didn't he eat them, but he didn't even want to kill them! Eventually, our Lord gave him special treatment, but, in my opinion, it wasn't fair. But... Now he's dead. How sad, he was my best friend..."
Douma pretended to cry.
"Shut up," said Kanao. "You're not really sorry. You don't feel emotions, do you?"
"You know, I've talked to a lot of girls in my life, but..." said Douma. "This is the first time I've talked with a rude girl like you."
"That's because I hate you. I want to sever your head and send you to hell, don't you understand?" said Kanao. "Goku-san gave me the opportunity by weakening you; now it's up to me to kill you!"
Suddenly, Douma disappeared and reappeared behind Kanao, with his sharp fan aiming for her neck. Fortunately, Kanao lowered herself and dodged. Then, she cut Douma's right part of the abdomen. Douma attacked again, but Kanao jumped and dodged.
She's reacting faster... maybe she's a bit more skilled than the girl I was about to eat earlier.
My skin won't stop getting goosebumps... if I don't focus my force until the fingertips, my body starts shaking... thought Kanao. Compared to this one, the demons I've faced until now were child's play...
"Flower Breathing: Fifth Form -- Peonies of Futility!" she then exclaimed, attacking Douma.
"Seven... Eight... Nine consecutive attacks! That's really beautiful! Now I'll do the same!" said Douma. "Blood Demon Art: Arid Hanging Garden!"
Douma released a flurry of attacks with his two fans.
"Second Form -- Honorable Shadow Plum!" exclaimed Kanao, countering.
I understand... Her eyes are special. She dodged my attacks and survived. She's not only clever, but she does things an average swordswoman can't do... thought Douma. For now, I'll crush her eyes.
Douma aimed his fan at Kanao's eyes. However, once again, Kanao lowered herself and dodged.
"Sixth Form -- Whirling Peach!" she exclaimed, aiming for Douma's head.
"What a well-trained body you have!" exclaimed the Upper Rank. "Blood Demon Art: Frozen Cloud!"
He created frozen clouds all around the place. Kanao jumped high to dodge.
If I hadn't closed my eyes tightly, they would have remained frozen, thought the girl.
"Blood Demon Art: Lotus Creepers!" said Douma again, creating climbing plants. Kanao managed to cut them, but she eventually fell on the floor. "Here comes my next attack!" said Douma. "White Blizzard Princesses."
From out of nowhere, two white princesses with blue hair generated. Breathing, the two of them created ice all over the room. Kanao jumped and barely dodged.
What a wide-ranging technique, I can't get close! she thought.
"Winter Stalactites," said Douma. A bunch of stalactites fell against Kanao, who had to roll aside to dodge. "You keep moving backwards. You can't sever my head if you move backwards, right?"
Suddenly, the demon disappeared.
He... disappeared... thought Kanao. Then, her sword disappeared from her hands. Douma reappeared shortly after with her swords in his hand.
"You weren't holding it properly, so I took it! I'll leave it here, come get it!" said Douma, placing Kanao's swords on the floor. "Blood Demon Art: Scattering of Lotus Flowers!"
Douma waved both of his fans and sent sharp ice shards against Kanao.
Is this a Blood Demon Art? Or are there a lot of blades? thought Kanao. Look. Observe and examine...
Suddenly, someone crashed through the ceiling. "HEEEY! INOSUKE-SAMA HAS DESCENDED FROM THE HEAVENS!"
Inosuke, with his usual boar mask on, arrived inside the room from the roof. "Beast Breathing: Fifth Fang -- Crazy Cutting!"
"The direction indicated by the crow proved to be true! Let's fight!" he exclaimed, landing on the floor in front of Kanao. "Two! You're Upper Moon Two, aren't you? So you must be the second strongest demon here! Ah! If I defeat you, I'll become a Hashira, just like the boss!"
"Huh? Boss? Who's the boss?" asked Douma.
"He's talking about Goku-san, I think, the one who poisoned you earlier," said Kanao.
"Oh, now I understand!" laughed Douma.
"When I become a Hashira, they'll call me the Beast Hashira! Or the Boar Hashira? Which one do you think sounds better?" asked Inosuke, turning to Kanao. But then, he saw the girl's wounds. "Hey! You've been beaten! If you get hurt, you'll die! Shinobu will be very angry, and you should know!"
Kanao didn't say anything.
"Is Shinobu... dead?" asked Inosuke.
"Oh! Of course, she's not, your boss saved her just in time!" exclaimed Douma. "But, I think I'll go eat her when I'm done with you!"
"Boss... Risked his life to save Shinobu...?" wondered Inosuke. "I'll slaughter you. Scum!"
Inosuke sprinted forward.
"Don't breathe the cold air he spreads!" shouted Kanao.
"Beast Breathing: Slice 'n' Dice!" exclaimed Inosuke, attacking Douma.
"Oh, what a sloppy technique! With those chipped swords and that strange way to use them!" said Douma. "Very interesting!"
Douma attacked Inosuke with his fan, but Inosuke lowered himself, and with his foot, he sent Douma's fan away.
"Wow, you're flexible!" asked Douma, regrabbing his fan. "That face is a mask, right?"
But then, Douma noticed Inosuke managed to take Kanao's sword.
"Don't let him take it anymore," said the boar, giving the sword to Kanao.
"You're fast," said Douma. "I didn't even notice."
The Upper Rank and the slayer clashed again, and Inosuke kicked Douma in the gut, but Douma swung his fan against his foot. Fortunately, Inosuke withdrew his foot just in time.
"Not bad!" said Douma. Suddenly, his eyes got sliced. The hit reached me!
"Beast Breathing: Ninth Fang -- Extending Bendy Slash," said Inosuke, showing his apparently broken arm. Actually, it wasn't broken; it was just Inosuke who was able to distort his body at will.
He dislocated all the joints in his arm... what will he do now? wondered Kanao. But then, Inosuke's arm returned to normal.
"Fuck! This technique is not accurate yet! I aimed for your neck, but I missed!" said Inosuke.
"Oh, so you can instantly fix the joints, isn't that painful?" asked Douma. "I've lived a long life, but I've never met a boy like you."
"Of course you didn't," said Inosuke. "Because I, Inosuke-sama... Am different from the others!"
But then, while he was speaking, he found himself without his boar mask.
"I knew it, that's a mask," said Douma, holding the mask in his hand. "This boar has been through a lot. How did you do the eyes?" asked Douma.
"Asshole... give it back!" said Inosuke.
"Oh, your face..." said Douma. "It seems pretty familiar to me."
Chapter 59 - End