Shizen no Kokyou. (Shinobu x Male Reader) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 31

Douma looks at his right hand, which had a cut mark in between.

Douma: Hmm... That's the fifth time. And that was no good either. It didn't work. It's getting less and less effective. How many more times can you make the poison?

Shinobu was panting.

Douma: Oh? Are you having trouble breathing? You're sweating a lot, are you alright?

Shinobu: This is the strength of an upper-rank Kizuki... The poison isn't working at all. His resistance is abnormal.

Douma: That's because your lungs are dying. Hard, right? A moment ago, my blood demon art sucked your blood. It turned your frozen blood into mist, and my fans scattered it. Breathing itself is dangerous for you, as of now.

Shinobu: I'll use multiple strikes to inject a large dose!

She gets in a stance.

Shinobu: Insect Breathing. Dance of the Dragonfly. Compound Eye Hexagon!

She delivers multiple strikes to Douma, as the demon defends against them with his weapon, but Shinobu manages to strike him.

Douma: You're really fast! Maybe the fastest Hashira I've seen!

Suddenly, Shinobu feels a stinging pain on her torso, as she realises that Douma had delivered a huge cut across her torso.

She fell on her knees from the attack.

Douma: If you're this strong, if you had gone for my head, then maybe you would've been able to defeat me.

He suddenly starts to laugh.

Douma: *laughing* Ahaha, I guess not. Since you're so small.

Shinobu looks at her hands, as the blood drips down from her wound on them.

Shinobu: Why are my hands so small? Why didn't I grow taller? If I had been just a bit taller... I might've taken the demon's head and defeated him...

Shinobu: Arms... And legs... The longer they are, the more muscle they have... which is an advantage, but... Kanae was delicate... Even though she was taller than me... I envy Himejima, when he comes to rescue, everyone rests easy.

The memory of Kanae's last words comes to her mind.

Shinobu: I know what she was going to say next... "But perhaps you will lose to that demon". That's what she was going to say, but stopped.

Tears fall out of Shinobu's eyes, when suddenly, Kanae's spirit comes in front of her.

Kanae: Stand up. I won't allow you to cry.

Shinobu: Kanae...

Kanae: Stand up.

Shinobu:  I've lost so much blood. I CAN'T stand.

Kanae: That's no excuse. Pull yourself together. You're a Hashira.

Shinobu's eyes widen as Douma starts to speak.

Douma: *with his tongue out* Ara? What's this?

We see Douma's tongue disintegrating, as Shinobu's eyes fill with fear.

Douma cuts his tongue off, as it disintegrates completely, but a new tongue regenerates in its place.

Douma: You really are clever, aren't you? You've consumed so much wisteria, that it flows within your blood.

Shinobu keeps staring at the ground, unable to pull herself together.

Douma: Tell me. Was this your last resort? A final try to finish the job if things went sideways and I consumed you? Well, this sucks, but if I can't devour you now...