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"Oh~ your mark is so special~"
Precisely dodging Uzui Tengen's slash with a flash of movement, Doma looked at the mark on his chest and exclaimed in amazement.
"Although I heard about it from the Holy Maiden long ago, this is my first time seeing with my own eyes how it's born!
So amazing! It really just popped out with a whoosh! Your speed and strength have both increased so much! Is this the blessing of the Great God?!"
"Graah!!"
Completely unresponsive to Doma's words, Uzui Tengen merely had red eyes, swinging his dual swords as if he didn't care about his life, continuously launching attacks at him.
"Tengen!"
"Lord Sound Hashira!"
Nearby, after their initial shock, Tanjiro and the others also came back to their senses, providing cover for Uzui Tengen who had already lost his reason.
"But you know... I heard from the Holy Maiden before that these marks actually have a flaw."
Ice Breathing · Fifth Form · Two More Dragons!
With a wave of his small fan, he created two more ice dragons to entangle with everyone. Doma's figure flashed back to his beloved little speaker, looking at everyone with a smile.
"I wonder if you've heard—except for that legendary Child of God, all demon slayers in this world who awaken the Demon Slayer Mark ultimately cannot live past twenty-five years old."
With this casual tone, he revealed extremely important information.
[What?]
Hearing this, Tanjiro couldn't help but be stunned.
Those who awaken the mark cannot live past twenty-five?
"That's right~"
Seeing the doubtful expression still on his face, Doma smiled and continued explaining:
"The Holy Maiden is an existence who has survived from the Warring States period until now. Her elder brother is that legendary swordsman you speak of.
Regarding this point, I think your Demon Slayer Corps should already have some suspicions, right?
The Holy Maiden has seen far more marked swordsmen than you—her words absolutely cannot be false~
So what this means is, little one, you now have at most nine years left to live~
Nine years later, you will certainly die."
Raising his finger to point at Tanjiro, Doma then turned his hand to point at Uzui Tengen, whose eyes were completely red and who was only focused on fighting the ice dragons.
"As for him... two years at most."
"Oh my~ so pitiful. Clearly having such beautiful wives, yet in two years, he'll be taken away by the Great God. Really, really so pitiful~"
"What do you mean... taken away by the Great God?"
Tanjiro subconsciously asked.
"Huh? Little one, you still haven't figured it out?"
Blinking rapidly, amused by Tanjiro's denseness, Doma patiently replied:
"Why do you think that something like the Demon Slayer Mark would come without a price?
Why do you think our Great God would be so generous and selfless?
With just a heated mind and a thought, you can whoosh~ surpass hundreds of years of our demons' accumulation!
Gaining so much power for nothing, and finally living to a ripe old age, living freely without any price to pay~
In the end, why do you all take it for granted that such good things would happen in this world?"
Looking at everyone who had subconsciously stopped their attacks—except for Uzui Tengen—with a smile, Doma said leisurely:
"The answer is, it's absolutely impossible~ There's never been such a perfect thing in this world~
The pawns of God are still pawns. As pawns, you should understand that there will eventually come a day when you're discarded after being used.
Relying too heavily on the power granted by God will ultimately, after everything is settled, be swept into the trash heap by our Great God all at once—isn't that what being taken away by Him means?"
"Like this little brother who's already gone berserk..."
Turning to look at Uzui Tengen again, Doma said with feigned regret:
"He only just awakened his mark not long ago. If he immediately finds a way to lower his body temperature and heartbeat, to turn it off,
then he could actually escape his fate and normally live past twenty-five... but little one, you absolutely cannot."
Looking at Tanjiro, Doma smiled:
"Because your mark has been awakened for too long. Even if you find a way to turn it off now, it will be very difficult for you to live past this limit.
So young yet about to die—truly pitiful..."
[I'm... going to die?]
Hearing this, Tanjiro's consciousness wavered for a moment.
Never having seriously considered the question of death, he was suddenly informed that no matter what, he could only live to twenty-five at most.
For him, currently only sixteen, this undoubtedly carried considerable impact.
Suddenly, in his mind, he thought of his parents, of Nezuko and his younger siblings...
So that's how it is—after his father passed away, he would also follow soon after, leaving his mother and siblings all alone in this world?
"Don't let your thoughts run wild, Tanjiro."
Beside him, Himejima Gyomei, who had begun breathing heavily due to the continuous erosion of poison, spoke in a deep voice:
"Demon intelligence is not to be trusted. Moreover, even if everything he said is true, there was that exception of the Child of God in the past. Not all marked swordsmen are unable to..."
"Hahahaha!"
Hearing this, Doma suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"Big guy, you're so cute. Why would you think I would lie to you?
Or rather... what do you have that's worth me lying to you about?
Would you humans go and deceive a few ants?"
His voice suddenly turned cold. Doma tilted his head looking at the people before him. Under the moonlight, his gorgeous eyes were as cold as ice.
"I can guarantee that my words are absolutely true. If you don't believe me, big guy, you can try it yourself.
Your age has undoubtedly already surpassed twenty-five. Once you awaken the mark, when dawn comes, you will die faster than me.
Additionally, the reason that Child of God was an exception was not because he found some special method.
Simply because his mark was innate.
He was the messenger of God, born to slay our Lord, so from the moment he was born, he possessed everything that all martial artists in this world could hardly obtain in their entire lives.
But unfortunately, he failed.
Not only did he fail, he ultimately died at the Holy Maiden's hands."
"What did you say?!"
Everyone's expressions changed upon hearing this, and even Kanae showed some shock.
Although Doma never explicitly stated it, combining his words, everyone understood that the Holy Maiden he spoke of was Tsugikuni Mitsuba.
The legendary Child of God of the Demon Slayer Corps was actually killed by Tsugikuni Mitsuba?!
Her strength was actually terrifying to such a degree?!
"It's true. This is what the Holy Maiden personally told me. The Holy Maiden has no reason to deceive me, just as I have no reason to deceive you.
So, little ones, you should hurry up and commit suicide."
Resting his chin on his hand, Doma said with a smile:
"Because you absolutely cannot win against the Holy Maiden. Her power completely transcends the common sense of this world. No matter how you struggle, it is meaningless.
It's because she's willing to play with you that your Demon Slayer Corps has been able to continue existing until now.
Ah~ sorry sorry~ I didn't seem to phrase that clearly. Let me rephrase...
The reason your Demon Slayer Corps has been able to continue existing until now is simply because the Holy Maiden wants to play with you.
Your meaning for existence is merely as something to barely relieve her boredom in her long life—nothing more.
You might think I'm provoking you, but don't misunderstand—I really don't think that way! The Holy Maiden doesn't think that way either!
We simply look down on you, that's all! Really!"
With a very sincere tone, Doma spoke these final words from the bottom of his heart.
"How pitiful you all are. Unfortunately, the Holy Maiden has already declared that this time she will definitely eradicate the Demon Slayer Corps completely, so I cannot advise you to leave the Demon Slayer Corps...
So, everyone should hurry up and commit suicide. This way, perhaps you can die more easily?
Otherwise, if you fall into the Holy Maiden's hands and don't die to her satisfaction, don't make her happy.
With her temper, she really will make you come back to life and die over and over, many times repeatedly. That would really, really hurt, you know?"