Chapter 160

Similar Features, Returning Memories (なる・る) is the one hundred and sixtieth chapter of Koyoharu Gotoge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
Doma asks if he and Inosuke had met in the past, causing Inosuke angrily retorts his statement and demand his hands off his mask. However, Doma is sure they have and that he knows him from somewhere. Inosuke reponds again that he has not met Doma before. Doma mentions the one he encountered before was Shinobu, leading Inosuke to comment that he felt as if he had met her before, hoping to ask her the next time they met. When Kanao attempts to lead Inosuke away, saying Doma is spouting random nonsense, Doma becomes surprised and offended, stating his only saving grace is his seriousness and long and clear memory, even during his human years. With that, Doma pierces his own skull with his finger, to Kanao and Inosuke's shock and disgust. Doma fiddles with his brain until he reaches a particular memory and retells it to the two.

Fifteen years ago, there was a young woman with a baby, roughly 17-18 years of age. She was abused by her husband and mother-in-law daily and encountered Doma's Paradise Faith Cult. She had no siblings or parents and had no place else to go to. When Doma first met her, her face was severely swollen from the beatings, commenting it was "pretty rough" even to him, the woman was even partially blinded. But when he touched the woman's face, her face went back to normal. She was so beautiful, it left a lasting impression on even the apathetic Doma. He mentions she had the same face as Inosuke and concludes she must be his mother.

Inosuke says that he has no mother and was raised by boars, to Doma's amusement; "You're a human, so a human must have given birth to you". Inosuke charges forward and readies his Beast Breathing: Sixth Fang, to Kanao's concern, only for Doma to state this encounter is a miracle and simultaneously slash at Inosuke's chest twice creating an X-like mark. He quickly summons more ice and knocks both demon slayers into the cult room's pond. As Kanao urges Inosuke to calm down, Doma continues his story. He had no intention of eating the woman, as "having someone beautiful next to you feels pretty good, you know?" Though he considered her unintelligent, she was talented at singing. The woman continually sang a pinky-promise lullaby to her baby, Doma mentioning that she sang with different lyrics each time and adding the song soon became a village song. Inosuke realises that pinky promise was not because of Shinobu. He purely planned on letting her live her life but learned that though she wasn't particularly smart, the woman, named Kotoha, was sharp. She soon learned Doma devoured the followers of the cult. Confronting him for his lies and fleeing the temple, Kotoha apologised to Inosuke, cursing herself for continually making mistakes, going the wrong way and repeated saying she was sorry.

She became lost in the forest and unable to find the human village. Cornered at a cliff's edge, she apologises once more to Inosuke before dropping him off the cliff into the water. Doma kills her shortly after. He believed the baby would died dropped from the cliff and cried at how sad the situation has become. Inosuke suddenly figures out she was killed, his mother was killed. Doma ate her to the very bone and noted if she went to her husband, he would continue beating her. And if she was alone by herself on the road, she would end up dead as well. Doma mocks Kotoha's life for being so unfortunate, "Was there ever a happy moment in her life?", and calls her existence pointless. Kanao furiously tells him to shut up. As Inosuke grabs his fallen sword from the water, he remembers his mother's love for him.

Doma comments "It truly is a miracle, meeting you here". Inosuke, filled with rage, declares "The demon who killed his mother and my friends is right before my eyes". Inosuke stands and thanks Doma for letting him remember everything, but voices he won't cut off his head now. He takes a stances and readies to fight Doma, declaring "I'll show you what true hell is like".

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Kanao Tsuyuri
 * Inosuke Hashibira
 * Doma
 * Shinobu Kocho (flashback)
 * Kotoha Hashibira (flashback)

Navigation
Глава 160