Demon Slayer Chapter 161

Demon Slayer Chapter 161, titled "Flapping Butterfly Wings," plunges further into the chaotic battle against Upper Rank Two, Doma, as his delusional philosophy clashes with Inosuke Hashibira's primal fury and Kanao Tsuyuri's strategic resolve, ultimately revealing the insidious impact of Shinobu Kocho's sacrifice. Doma tells Inosuke that his belief in heaven and hell is a human fantasy, claiming that righteous individuals suffer tragedies while the wicked thrive unpunished. He dismisses these beliefs as products of mentally weak people, calling humans pitiful. Inosuke, incensed, vows to create hell for Doma himself. As he charges, furious at Doma for disparaging his mother's life, Doma retaliates with Blood Demon Art: Freezing Clouds. Inosuke counters with Beast Breathing, Tenth Fang: Whirling Fangs, rotating his blades to disperse the icy mist. Kanao attempts a surprise attack from behind, but Doma anticipates her, swiping his fans at her neck. She parries, but the force knocks her into the water. Doma, clinging to the roof, taunts Inosuke to come down and face him, showcasing his manipulative and sadistic nature in the thrilling narrative of the Demon Slayer manga.

Doma then informs them that, with Akaza's defeat, he is pressed for time. He creates ice dolls using Crystalline Divine Child to battle the Demon Slayers, stating that these dolls are as powerful as he is. Inosuke and Kanao are initially confused but are quickly shocked when the dolls deploy Scattering Lotuses. Doma, leaving them to fight the dolls, walks away, infuriating Inosuke. Kanao urges him to focus on the battle as a doll uses Frozen Lotus to slash at Inosuke, forcing him back. Doma notes with intrigue that Inosuke isn't inhaling his toxic fog, a unique resistance he hasn't encountered before. As the dolls conjure more icy fog with Cold White Princesses, freezing the room, Doma, fascinated by Inosuke's fighting style, decides to force the Demon Slayers to reveal all their techniques, believing this information will be useful for their future demise. As Kanao desperately fends off another Lotus Vines onslaught, she hopes she and Inosuke can keep Doma contained in the room a little longer, unaware of the grim plan unfolding. This tactical maneuvering by Doma underscores his cold, calculating intelligence, contrasting sharply with the raw emotion of his opponents.

However, Doma abruptly decides to create a fifth doll to accelerate the combat or face Muzan's reprimand. He forges the doll within his fans and releases it, and the new doll immediately deploys Wintry Icicles, knocking Kanao back further. Soon, Inosuke's arms are slashed by the icy vines, worrying Kanao, who urges him to hold on. She herself becomes overwhelmed by the continuous onslaught of ice lotuses. Doma overhears her and expresses confusion about how they can survive any longer. Confident that his dolls will record all battle data, he decides to leave. As Doma opens the cult room door, his face inexplicably begins to melt, to Kanao's hopeful astonishment. He collapses to the floor, and in his confusion, his mind flashes back to Shinobu Kocho. This sudden and mysterious affliction, clearly a result of Shinobu's lingering poison, indicates a crucial turning point in the battle, revealing the delayed but effective impact of her ultimate sacrifice and promising a dramatic shift in the power dynamics of the climactic Infinity Castle Arc of the Demon Slayer manga.