The sudden progression of a character is a classic in fiction, but Doma would never have believed he'd witness it in person.
'I gave you a divine weapon to logically exploit your potential, and you prefer the help of shonen style? WTF!' he thought, before addressing Kokushibo.
"You seem different, Kokushibo-senpai~" Doma said in a friendly tone, even though he felt a bit uneasy facing this variable.
"Kokushibo? Oh yes… I never told you my real name," replied the six-eyed demon, displaying a slightly troubled expression.
A rare expression on his face, which Doma was used to seeing as calm and patient.
Even when Doma came to steal his tea, Kokushibo simply reprimanded him with a sparring session or a heavy glare.
"My real name is Michikatsu… Michikatsu Tsugikuni. I hope you'll remember this name," he said in a composed tone, without too much decorum or etiquette.
The man bound by countless rules was no more. In his place, Doma faced a relaxed and confident individual.
'If I didn't have the Paradise of Vanity, I would've thought I was dealing with someone else,' he thought, staring at the demon brandishing his katana.
Yet, Doma wasn't repelled by this unknown facet of Kokushibo.
On the contrary, he appreciated seeing him free from all restraints.
"Michikatsu-senpai, then? The name sounds good," he said, nodding as if giving his approval.
"But tell me one thing, Michikatsu-senpai…" Doma leaned slightly toward the demon from his elevated position.
"Why are you talking as if Muzan were your enemy? Don't you know he could kill you with a single thought? Personally, I've managed to avoid that fate with a little trick or two, but that doesn't seem to be your case," he explained, as his multicolored eyes narrowed slightly.
Doma didn't believe in any trick on Kokushibo's part.
After all, he knew the latter was a man of honor and principle.
The ice demon was simply feigning an expression of distrust to push the Upper Moon One to speak on a question that intrigued him.
"I am aware of that fact," Kokushibo replied, without the slightest trace of fear in his voice.
Nevertheless, he had just admitted that his life no longer belonged to him.
"However, Muzan will not kill me now, nor will he try to intervene during our fight," Kokushibo declared confidently, as both he and Doma could clearly feel Muzan's eyes upon them.
Many wouldn't understand why Kokushibo was so sure of Muzan's non-interference.
However, Doma grasped Kokushibo's idea after his confident statement.
'Indeed, it's in Muzan's interest for me to wear myself out against Kokushibo,' he thought, keeping his composure.
Muzan's idea wasn't bad, but Kokushibo was no longer a mere opponent for Doma.
The ice demon had sustained no damage since the hostilities began in the Infinity Castle.
"I see… then let's finish this, Michikatsu-senpai~"
Barely had these words been spoken when the ice Buddha chained several punches toward Michikatsu.
The latter extended his blade and cleanly severed the Buddha's arm, despite it being reinforced by Hlökk.
'He won't last long at this rate,' the ice demon analyzed, observing Kokushibo's regeneration.
With every acrobatic exchange between Kokushibo and the giant Buddha, the Upper Moon One always ended up damaged.
Yet, the demon kept trying to climb the ice structure to reach Doma.
Was it futile? Normally yes… but not this time.
"Doma, he's getting closer to you!" Hlökk's worried voice echoed in the ice demon's ear.
The situation was strange from a logical standpoint, since Kokushibo was evolving before the eyes of two divine beings.
However, Hlökk quickly regained her calm upon seeing her partner's perfectly serene face.
As if Doma had foreseen this from the start.
'Indeed… why am I afraid?' she thought, watching Kokushibo dodge several of the Buddha's blows before chaining the first and fourth forms of his breathing style successively.
Finally, Kokushibo reached the Buddha's shoulder where Doma stood.
"It's over!" he shouted, lowering his katana toward Doma.
'Blood Demon Art — Sixteenth Form: Moonbow, Half Moon'
The air vibrated under the power and resolve of a man determined to right his wrongs by performing one final act of justice before his death.
Unfortunately, the world is an unjust place.
Ding!
With the exception of the lotus on which Doma sat, the entire Buddha statue was severely damaged by the desperate attack of a man with nothing left to lose.
When the dust settled, the sight that met the spectators' eyes was both unreal and shocking.
(Image)
"H… how?" Kokushibo stammered, incredulous.
But Doma didn't bother to respond. He released the blade he had caught in his hand before delivering a violent fan strike to the abdomen.
"Blood Demon Art: White Oni."
By accelerating the vector of an action multiple times, Doma can stack the generated force through the accumulation of explosive speed.
The blow exploded outward, producing a massive shockwave upon impact with the target.
Under the impact, the Upper Moon One was hurled to the other end of the Infinity Castle.
It was only after about ten seconds, as his body crashed through and tore apart several walls in its path, that he finally slammed violently into an obstacle.
"Cough… you've been going easy on me from the start, haven't you?" As Kokushibo's terrifying regeneration took effect, he soon noticed Doma's shadow looming over him.
"Sorry about that, but I also recommended you use that damn ice katana," Doma sighed conflictedly, after apologizing to Kokushibo.
There was a silence between them, before it was broken by Kokushibo.
"You're not going to finish me off?" he said, without an ounce of fear.
"And why would I? We're friends, I'll have you know," he replied, as if it were obvious.
Kokushibo's face tensed temporarily, but he soon displayed another smile.
"Indeed, but that's also why I want it to be by your hands and not Muzan's… I don't want to die like a monster," he explained, his voice filled with various emotions.
"Idiot…" Doma lightly struck Kokushibo on the head with his fan.
The demon stared at him, clearly confused by the gesture, but it gave Doma the urge to hit him again. Fortunately for Kokushibo, he held back.
"Haven't you considered the possibility of another option? Staying under Muzan or dying isn't the only path," he said, gazing at the majestic horizon of the Infinity Castle.
Even though the latter was stained by the spectacle of the war between demons and humans, Doma easily relaxed while observing Nakime's power.
"No, impossible, someone like me—" Kokushibo wanted to refuse Doma's proposal, but the latter interrupted him without mercy.
"Stop overthinking, idiot! I'm not asking you to marry me, but to become my companion on my path! Of course, you'll have to make amends for all the harm you've caused, but you won't do it alone, that's something…" Doma launched into a long diatribe to convince Kokushibo that suicide is stupid.
Muzan's demon stared at his face without paying attention to the words after listening at first. The words about atoning for his mistakes resonated strongly within him.
Especially since, from a logical standpoint, suicide would only be a form of escape from his actions.
'Yoriichi… Can I really live? Can I really have companions and no longer live in the shame of a past stained with the blood of innocents?' The idea of leading an eternal life of atonement under Doma was starting to make sense to him.
"So? Are you ready to follow me and honor your name once more, Michikatsu Tsugikuni?" Doma said, calling his full name and extending a handshake.
Kokushibo… No, Michikatsu no longer hesitated and wanted to accept Doma's offer.
He no longer wanted to live as a monster or as a mere swordsman, but as someone good.
That's why the demon's hand was about to grasp Doma's, but he ended up letting out a shrill scream.
The gesture left Hlökk and Doma perplexed, but it lasted only a moment.
The moment the ice demon noticed the agitation in Michikatsu's veins as the latter screamed in pain.
he immediately understood the situation.
"Kokushibo, you've betrayed me too!"
Muzan made his appearance.