"Heh~ The pinnacle of all races, huh... How very arrogant."
"..."
The oni was smiling at Escanor’s words. He looked like he might laugh himself to death at that sky-piercing arrogance.
"This is hilarious. No matter how much damage you’ve done to me, you’re still human in the end... You’ll grow old and die someday, that much is obvious. Ah, that’s it! You can just become an oni, too! If you’re recognized by "that person," you could definitely rise all the way to Upper Rank!"
The moment the oni said that, Ume, who had been growing uneasy inside, looked up at Escanor and said, "E-Escanor? You’re not... going to become one of those things, are you...?"
Ume was smiling, but she looked deathly pale with worry.
"Hoho. What nonsense are you spouting?"
Escanor looked down at her and replied.
Whoosh—
BANG—!!
Escanor swung his fist with terrifying speed and force, and the oni was completely crushed by the blow.
"...Ghh...."
The oni could barely speak, trembling little by little in pain.
"To dare make a ‘proposal’ to me... Your stupidity is your crime."
Then Escanor extended a hand, and from far away, a massive axe flew into it and locked into his grip as if it had been waiting there all along.
"Whether I become an oni or not... the one who decides that is not you... it is I."
"...Kuh! Haa... haa... Looks like I was underestimated...?"
The oni slowly recovered and began to regain his original form, then picked up the golden fan that had fallen beside him.
"Ume. That is an order. Hide with Gyutaro right now."
"What? But..."
Escanor glared at Ume.
"Are you... disobeying my words?"
"!!"
Ume felt even more fear from Escanor’s overwhelming presence than she had from the oni.
"Y-You better not come back...!!"
Saying that, Ume dragged Gyutaro, who was lighter than her, as far away from the battlefield as she could.
"Eh~ Why~ It’d be more entertaining to let you watch our fight..."
"Hoho. A fight, you say? You mean getting beaten one-sidedly, don’t you?"
Escanor smiled at the oni as if he were beneath contempt. Of course, that wasn’t really why he was smiling.
"As expected of the woman I acknowledged... She doesn’t cower before my pressure and still speaks her mind..."
"I like it."
"Hm? What did you say?"
"A bug like you doesn’t need to know."
"Eh~ That’s mean! If you say things like that..."
[Blood Demon Art.]
Whoosh!
[Frozen Clouds.]
Fwoosh!
"Hmm?"
"Did that hurt your feelings?"
A cold, freezing chill that could turn everything to ice spread around Escanor.
"Now... why don’t you try becoming an ice statue?"
With those words, the oni unleashed a chill colder than anything else. It was so cold that buildings touched by even a little of it were turning to crystal and collapsing before they could fully freeze.
"Ah, sorry~ I forgot you were a normal ‘human.’ Hahaha! Too bad, but I should go find those kids who ran off earlier..."
Flinch!
Doma sensed something ominous and turned around. This was a presence far stronger than "that person."
Whip!
He spun back in a hurry and looked toward where Escanor had been standing, but what appeared before his eyes was...
Swish!
"....Huh?"
A night sky pouring down snow.
"It was quite refreshing. Perfect for using on a hot day."
"A... AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Doma’s upper and lower body had been cleanly severed.
It hurt...! It hurt too much! The oni was feeling pain he had never experienced before. It was a sickening sensation, like his body was being scorched by the sun... He couldn’t even regenerate.
For the first time in his life, the oni screamed in agony. He screamed so hard that blood came out of his throat.
"Hmm... So if you cut with a sacred treasure, they can’t regenerate. Is that also thanks to my power?"
Escanor said that and laughed heartily.
"Hahahahaha! As expected of me!"
"Damn it... That axe... You’re a Demon Slayer Corps member, aren’t you?"
The oni’s arrogant, carefree tone from moments ago was gone. He glared at Escanor and spat out curses.
"Demon Slayer Corps? Is that something like the Holy Knight order?"
But Escanor was hearing the term for the first time. Was it a place like the Holy Knights he had once belonged to...?
"Well... That’s none of my concern. More importantly, get up already. How long are you going to keep whining? Or are you scared because my attack hurt too much?"
"Kuh..."
The oni felt it. An insurmountable wall. A bizarre man whose Blood Demon Art didn’t work on him... and his body still hadn’t regenerated. This man had clearly seen the technique being used, yet he hadn’t dodged. Had he deemed it not even worth avoiding...?
"...It seems my guess was right after all."
"W-Wait!"
"Hm?"
Just as Escanor raised his axe as if there was nothing more to see, the oni hurriedly called out to stop him.
"Y-Yeah. I admit it... You’re much stronger than me... But could you stop here for today? If you’re not a Demon Slayer Corps member, then there’s no point in killing me!"
For the first time in his life, the oni begged another for his life. Because living to take revenge later was a better choice than dying here to an opponent he couldn’t beat.
"Hmm..."
However, Escanor looked down at the oni with a cold expression. Was he displeased by the sight of him begging for his life?
...Gulp...
"...What is your name...?"
"I-I’m called Doma..."
Escanor addressed the oni named Doma.
"You. Would you care to play a game with me?"
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