Kibutsuji Muzan, now reduced to half a head, screamed in the seemingly infinite world of lamplit wooden rooms, long halls, and shifting corridors.
He bit his lips so hard they tore apart.
"THAT LITTLE SHIT!!!" Muzan lost control, his eyes trembling with pure rage.
In his current weakened state, it would take him a month or more to return to peak condition.
And he would have to hibernate the entire time.
To reconstruct his body safely, he had to hide from everyone inside the castle.
This searing shame…!
He had already experienced it before.
"FUUCCKKKK!!!" He vented his anger one last time.
After thoroughly calming himself, Muzan turned his gaze toward the one-eyed woman sitting in seiza across the floor, head lowered. Her very long black hair rested on her hips. Wearing a loose black kimono, she held an old biwa in complete obedience and silence.
"Do not let anyone in. Disobey and I'll make sure you suffer a painful death."
He threatened her in a low voice, glaring.
"Yes, my lord," she whispered monotonously.
Muzan released his demonic pressure, which worked perfectly on lesser demons, and began forming a flesh cocoon to recover his strength.
While doing so, his remaining brain thought only of how he would hide for the next century to avoid ever meeting that true monster again.
It was the rational choice.
If he could not defeat that person, he would simply wait until they died of old age.
Just as he had done three hundred years ago.
With that decided, he finally began the long healing process.
….
Kamado House.
The resting room, the only part that remained unbroken, was lit by the hearth at the center.
Takeo, the third sibling, glanced worriedly at his big sister seated near the sleeping Rokuta and asked quietly, "Nee-chan, is Mother going to be alright? S-She was…"
He clenched his fingers nervously, still shaken by the recent events.
Hanako and Shigeru were also sleeping nearby the hearth. They had been rendered unconscious by their eldest brother when he saved them from the collapse.
Nezuko, worried herself, gently patted Rokuta's head and answered with confidence, "Onii-chan said not to worry, that he'll take care of everything. I believe in Onii-chan. It will definitely be alright, so you should get some sleep and stop worrying…"
Hearing those words, Takeo let out a tired sigh and rolled himself deeper into the warm blanket.
He was only ten years old, after all.
Experiencing such cruelty and monstrosity had left an irreplaceable scar on his mind.
As soon as he closed his heavy eyelids, he fell asleep without noticing.
His last thought was:
Had their Onii-chan always been this strong?
On the other side, Nezuko's eyes were closing on their own, though she resisted the drowsiness with all her might.
No matter how many times she recalled what she had witnessed, in the end an overwhelming feeling for her Onii-chan welled up from the bottom of her heart.
He woke up early and prepared charcoal for hours.
He had descended the mountain in such harsh weather for their sake, never asking for anything in return.
And even though he must have been exhausted, he arrived just in time to save their lives from the demon.
He risked his own life to protect them.
He defeated the demon while keeping them safe.
Now he was looking after their mother all by himself while they rested…
"Onii-chan…" She pressed her lips together and steeled herself to do whatever she could for him tomorrow.
He had already done so much for them.
So she would do everything in her power to spoil him later.
That was what she decided.
And so she stayed awake, watching over her siblings.
....
At the separate shelter where charcoal was made, Kie lay on the ground, writhing in agony.
Her nerves visibly convulsed beneath her skin as she squeezed her eyes shut against the unbearable pain.
Her neck was bloodied, and constant sweating had already soaked her clothes from the inside, making them cling to her body.
Tanjiro sat cross-legged beside her head, silent.
After comforting Nezuko and Takeo earlier, he had sent them to sleep and told them to rest easy, that he would fix everything.
Afterward, he carried Kie here. For his own safety, he gagged her mouth with cloth and tied her hands behind her back with rope.
If she turned into a demon mid-hug, there would be no distance between them. Precautions were absolutely necessary.
'Let's do this…' Taking a deep breath, he started the mission.
He lifted her trembling body and pulled her tightly against his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder as he hugged her while seated.
Her bound arms were bent backward, so he used only his own strength to press their bodies closer.
Kie shook violently as if in pain, but he held her steady without effort.
[9:45]
The timer began the instant contact was made.
A few minutes passed. Kie's violent shaking gradually subsided. She calmed a little.
Yet her human presence had already vanished. He could sense it, smell it.
Her body was evolving fast. If it failed to assimilate the demon blood properly, she would die in agony.
'Ha… this scent is killing me…' The longer he held her, the stronger a sweet fragrance seemed to pour from her skin.
'Is she releasing pheromones or something…?'
Tanjiro's mind grew foggy. Heat spread through his body from the close contact.
Even though his thoughts stayed clear, he instinctively tightened his arms around her back. Their necks brushed, skin sliding against skin.
Kie's body finally went still.
Her heart still beat, but her eyes remained closed, as if in deep sleep.
[00:09]
Only seconds left.
Tanjiro waited patiently. He looked calm, yet worry for his mother gnawed at him.
Memories of two lifetimes had fused; the love for this family ran bone-deep.
[Mission completed!]
[Initiating Kie's demonification!]
The moment the notification appeared, Kie's body convulsed again. A powerful demonic aura surged from her.
Tanjiro calmly laid her on the ground and stepped back.
The system only guaranteed successful transformation, nothing about sanity or gentleness.
He had to prepare for the worst.
With a thought, the Heavenly Demon Sword slid into his hand.
He watched her closely, Transparent World active.
In seconds, her blood fully turned demonic. Her organs were now bathed in it, evolving rapidly before his eyes.
Her flesh grew denser; her cells underwent metamorphosis.
Everything was complicated, but one thing was clear: the process was going perfectly.
At this rate, she would wake any moment.
And just as he expected, within a minute Kie opened her eyes, now pink with three blood-droplet marks circling each pupil.
Her skin looked rejuvenated.
Her body had matured further, curves more pronounced.
The tips of her hair glowed bright red under the moonlight.
In one fluid motion, she stood. The gag and rope fell away on their own.
She was perfectly still, silent.
Then she turned and met Tanjiro's gaze with quiet curiosity.
'What now…' He braced himself for anything.
But to his shock, no trace of demonic cruelty showed in her eyes.
Her lips parted slowly.
"Ta… Tan… jiro…" she managed, voice rough.
Feeling no malice, Tanjiro let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Even with all his strength, his mind was exhausted: death, transmigration, frustration, worry, fighting Muzan, and now this. Everything had worn him down.
"Just two hours of sleep would be enough…" he muttered.
BAM!
Before he could react, Kie was in front of him. She pulled his head into her soft, overflowing bosom and smiled with pure motherly warmth.
"Drink… milk… Tanjiro… grow big and strong…"
His whole body froze. Goosebumps exploded across his skin.
WHAT!?
******
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