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Page 104
"Demon Slayer Corps".
Doma's voice carried a hint of flippancy, but beneath that flippancy lay an undeniable undercurrent of emotion.
He never imagined that he would encounter members of this organization in such a remote place.
Moreover, it appeared in such a bizarre form.
"Yes, former Demon Slayer Corps member, Saeko Busujima."
Saeko Busujima's voice came through the speaker of the [Hiyomaru], with a metallic quality, yet it was cold and piercing.
"Now, I'll send you on your way, Doma."
Doma gently covered his mouth with his ornate iron fan and let out a soft chuckle.
"Ha, woman, you're too arrogant."
His tone was full of contempt for those in power, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"With your strange iron shell and this sword that's practically useless to us Upper Moons?"
"Blood Demon Art: Mandala".
Before he could finish speaking, Doma's figure had already vanished.
He gently waved the iron fan in his hand.
A thick layer of ice instantly formed on the ground, and countless icy vines shimmering with cold light broke through the ice.
At the tips of these vines bloom crystal-clear ice lotus flowers, beautiful yet deadly.
Like living venomous snakes, they coiled around Saeko Busujima from all directions with astonishing speed, attempting to completely bind and crush her.
The air temperature suddenly dropped, and the cold was biting.
Inside the underground platform, Zhou Ye calmly watched this scene through the images transmitted back by the mechanical soldiers.
Nami crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"This guy's moves are pretty flashy, but I don't know if they're any good for show."
Jill held her breath; her palms were sweating.
This battle, which defied common sense, instilled in her a primal sense of dread.
She couldn't imagine how humanity could fight against this force that manipulates the elements of nature.
Faced with this overwhelming ice cage, Saeko Busujima did not back down; instead, her fighting spirit soared even higher.
The engines of the [Hiyokumaru] power armor emitted a deep roar, and a dark blue energy flowed around the joints.
"The Breath of Water".
Her voice was steady, carrying a resolute determination to cut off everything.
"Three-Type Flowing Dance".
The next instant, the dark red power armor turned into a blurry afterimage.
Saeko Busujima's body moved at incredible speed, like a fish swimming through raging waves.
Her movements were fluid and swift, full of rhythm.
The fiercely attacking ice vines all missed their mark, only managing to strike the ground in vain, scattering countless ice shards.
【Hiyokumaru】's support system optimizes every single one of her actions to the extreme.
Wherever it passed, it left behind only a few fading afterimages, confusing Doma's senses.
The contempt in Doma's eyes lessened, replaced by a hint of amusement.
"Oh? You've hidden yourself quite well."
"But how long can this tortoise shell protect you?"
His words were tinged with mockery, as if he still held the initiative.
Saeko Busujima did not respond to his provocation.
Her entire focus was on the battle.
As she moved and dodged at high speed, the light blue glow on the Nichirin Blade in her hand grew even stronger.
It felt as if real water was flowing over the blade.
"The flowing water reflects the dancing tide."
With a cold, low shout, Saeko Busujima dodged the attack of several ice vines in an almost impossible turn.
Her Nichirin Blade slashed downwards, drawing a sharp arc.
The powerful slash, accompanied by a whistling sound, struck a thick ice vine.
[Crack! 】
The sturdy ice vine snapped in response.
But this is just the beginning.
Saeko Busujima's figure did not pause at all. As if propelled by the tide, she released a series of upward-surging arc-shaped slashes from multiple tricky angles in a flowing manner.
The flashing blades continued endlessly, as if stirring up an invisible raging tide.
The once-fierce ice lotus vines snapped and turned into countless ice crystals under this series of swift and precise strikes.
The smile on Doma's face finally disappeared completely.
He felt threatened.
That's not just about the Nichirin Blade being effective against demons.
Rather, it is the astonishing destructive power that erupts from the perfect combination of skill and some unknown force.
"interesting."
He spoke softly, a dangerous glint in his colored eyes.
"It seems I underestimated you, woman of the Demon Slayer Corps."
His iron fan was raised again, and the chill around him became even more intense and icy.
Tiny ice crystals began to condense in the air, falling like diamond dust.
The real battle has only just begun.
Nanrika held Shizuka Marikawa's cold hand tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white from the force.
She watched the thrilling battle on the screen; every clash between Saeko Busujima and Doma made her heart leap into her throat.
"Is Saeko... is she and that guy named Douma evenly matched now?"
Her voice betrayed her nervousness.
"What will happen next?"
Nanri Kaori knew very well that if she were to face the demon that manipulated ice and snow, she would probably lose consciousness completely in a single encounter.
Nami twirled a sapphire she had chosen from her spoils of war between her fingers, the gem refracting a mesmerizing light under the lamp.
She glanced at the screen casually.
"not so good."
A slight smile curved her rosy lips, conveying a sense of relaxed detachment.
"It's about time the boss made his move."
"It's time for him to taste the good stuff that was specially prepared for that boy."
Zhou Ye's expression remained unchanged, as if the fierce battle on the ground, which was enough to subvert ordinary people's understanding, was nothing more than a pre-arranged drama.
"Saeko has bought enough time."
"I will take over the battle."
His voice calmly stated an established fact.
"The hydrangea potion prepared for Doma can be projected now."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Ye's ability of [Herrscher of Reason Fragment + Mumu Fragment] was silently activated.
During the previous battle at the Western-style mansion, Zhou Ye specifically collected the metal fragments stained with Doma's blood and flesh before he was pulverized by the repulsive field of the [Hiyomaru] power armor, and stored them all in the [Imaginary Space].
Through the analysis of combat data and samples brought back by the mechanical soldiers, Zhou Ye keenly perceived a key piece of information.
These demons, who were transformed by accepting Muzan Kibutsuji's demon blood, did not undergo fundamental changes in their gene sequences at the macroscopic level, and still retained their basic characteristics as "living beings".
The toxins in hydrangeas are still deadly to them.
The power of the Herrscher of Reason fragment + Mumu fragment was operating at high speed under Zhou Ye's will.
The particles in the air vibrated slightly.
In the blink of an eye, three vials of potions shimmering with a dark purple light materialized in his hand.
The vial was long and slender, and the liquid inside was viscous, emanating an ominous aura that subtly echoed the sweet, bloody smell emanating from Douma.
Immediately afterwards, the space in front of Zhou Ye rippled like the surface of water after a pebble was thrown in.
The three gates of the [imaginary space] slowly opened.
Three brand-new drones, with a completely different design from the previous ones, smaller and more agile, all black with intricate silver patterns, quietly floated out.
Zhou Ye carefully embedded the bottle of hydrangea medicine specially made for Tongmo into the delivery device on the belly of the drone.
He contacted Saeko Busujima, who was still fighting Doma on the ground, through a mental link.
"Saeko, US military forces have appeared on the outskirts of Raccoon City, as well as Umbrella Corporation's USS forces."
Zhou Ye's voice rang directly in her mind, brief and clear.
"They seem to be here to clean up the mess, or rather, to reclaim some assets."
Saeko Busujima, amidst the fierce battle, paused slightly in the grip of her Nichirin Blade.
Beneath the power armor visor of 【Hiyokumaru】, her delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that the battle had been interrupted.