Doom & Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Xover

Chapter 55

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Davoth by Andrew Hulshult (first half)

The Slayer let out a low-pitched growl as he stood up, assuming a fighting stance to continue his battle with the Dark Lord. However, the warrior was cut off by the Dark Lord stating, "Despite your best efforts, you will not be able to best me in combat. It was predestined, like you."

The Slayer's brows furrowed out of confusion as he demanded, "Elaborate."

"You believe that, by resurrecting me and finishing me off, you will cease the demonic threat. That is what you think compelled you to restore my physical form, but you would be wrong. I was the one that influenced you to resurrect me as well as the various other decisions you have made up until this moment." The Slayer remained still, listening as the Dark Lord continued with his explanation, "Every decision you have made in your life, every thought you've had was never your own. I planted them into your psyche, compelling you to do what I want. When I was betrayed by the Maykrs, I had devised a long and elaborate plan for my resurrection to take place. A plan that would span many years and take time to fulfill. You were the one that I chose to resurrect me. I needed to motivate you, fill you with a resolve unlike any other, to see your mission through until the end. I influenced the death of your family, I implanted seeds of doubt within the foolish Samur to bestow my strength onto you, the strength to resurrect me. Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design." The Dark Lord observed the Slayer's expression through his visor, his expression not shifting whatsoever at the revelation brought to him by the Dark Lord. Davoth mocked, "Every choice you believe you made has been nothing more than a lie, a deception to disguise my influence over you until you have resurrected me. How does it feel knowing your entire life is a lie? To know that you have never made a choice in your life, you were nothing more than a puppet. Do you feel humiliated? Devastated?"

The Doom Slayer stood still for a period of time in silence, seemingly unphased by the news he had just received as he simply retorted, "You never chose my successor, I did."

Davoth scoffed upon hearing the Slayer's response as he answered, "There was never a need. You served your purpose the moment you resurrected me. All that's left is to eradicate you like the pest you are." The Dark Lord ignited his blade once more, taking up a fighting stance along with the Doom Slayer as the two warriors prepared to resume their fateful battle. They stared at each other intensely, their gazes not shifting from one another as their arms twitched in anticipation of the fight.

The Slayer vanished from his position, kicking from the ground with enough force to send the debris around him flying into the air. The Dark Lord whipped around with his shield raised, blocking the Slayer who swung his crucible at Davoth from behind. The Hellwalker twirled back before landing on his feet and vanishing once more. He seemingly teleported around the Dark Lord, striking blow after blow against the Dark Lord's sword and shield which he struck his weapons against. The Dark Lord slammed his shield into the ground, generating a shockwave that rapidly expanded in every direction, forcing the Doom Slayer to retreat back as he slid against the jagged floor of the area until he came to a grinding halt.

The thrusters of Davoth's suit ignited all at once, generating enough thrust to lift the suit off the ground and make him rapidly ascend into the air. The Slayer bent his knees before springing into the air in pursuit of the God. Davoth was able to catch the Doom Slayer as the warrior lept towards him, spinning around before hurling the Doom Slayer into one of the nearby buildings that had survived the crash of the Dark Lord's tower. The Slayer was thrown with enough force to send him crashing through several buildings, tearing through the hard Immoran metal as it caved in underneath the force. The Slayer quickly stabilized himself as he fired both of his grappling hooks towards the building he was just blown out of to stop his backward momentum. The warrior felt the G-forces slam into his body as he stopped flying backwards and began reeling himself forward. He used his suit's thrusters to boost himself towards the Dark Lord before extending his argent hammer and slamming into one of the buildings, holding back enough not to destroy it but had enough force to launch it from it's position at the Dark Lord.