Chapter 271: The Thousand-Year Fear
The drunken man's head exploded. The man and woman behind him stared in horror at Muzan, clearly unable to process what had just happened. Who could imagine a person's head just... bursting?
By this point in his life, Muzan had developed a very good temper. He could usually tolerate being accosted by someone. But this man had touched his deepest nerve. How dare he suggest that he was about to die? This was unforgivable.
The second man, his reason suppressed by alcohol and rage, swung his fist at Muzan. He was taller and heavier; he must have thought his odds of winning were high. Clearly, he was mistaken.
Muzan kicked the large man, sending him flying. His body contorted into an unnatural, fatal angle in mid-air.
The last woman, terrified, collapsed to the ground, tears streaming from her eyes. She clamped her hands over her mouth, desperate not to be noticed, and began to crawl away. But Muzan appeared in front of her as if teleporting. She crashed into him and fell back down.
"Does my face look unwell? Is it pale? Do I look weak?"
As Muzan stroked her cheek, she didn't dare move. This strange man, with his crimson, draconic eyes... combined with what he had just done, the woman knew she was about to die. She was too terrified to even speak.
"Do I look like I don't have long to live? No. I am an existence infinitely close to perfection."
His fingernails, normal just a moment ago, instantly elongated, turning a deep purplish-blue. He plunged them into the woman's forehead.
"What do you think will happen if I just keep giving you my blood?"
Dark purple spread from the wound, and the woman's blood vessels bulged across her entire body. Her skin took on a sick, purplish hue, and her flesh began to writhe and melt, like spoiled fruit. Her body dissolved into a pool of crimson sludge, her life extinguished. The sludge then evaporated into a black mist and dissipated into the air.
Muzan snapped his fingers. Two demons appeared, kneeling behind him.
"Bring me the head of that demon slayer, the one wearing the Hanafuda-like earrings!"
"As you command."
"Your will be done."
The two figures vanished. Muzan concealed his presence and discreetly returned to his residence.
I can't stay here any longer. I must leave immediately.
Those earrings... from them, he felt a fear that had been passed down for a thousand years.
"Is that woman a demon?" Yushiro said, staring at Nezuko with open hostility. "And she's so ugly!"
"Ugly?" Tanjiro repeated, stunned.
Liam moved in an instant, slamming Yushiro to the ground. "Your mouth is filthy. Looks like you've never been beaten properly." He kicked Yushiro, sending him flying, and then stood beside Nezuko.
"Open your dog eyes and look clearly!" Liam declared. "Nezuko's skin is fair, her eyes are wide, and her features are perfectly proportioned. Your aesthetic sense is the problem!"
"Lady Tamayo is the most beautiful in the world! All other women are hags!" Yushiro retorted stubbornly, his nose broken and his face covered in blood.
"Yushiro!" Tamayo called out, a vein throbbing on her forehead. "Why are you being so rude?!" She had only just finished treating the mother and daughter Liam had subdued, and in that short time, Yushiro had already caused trouble.
Yushiro immediately trembled and buried his head like an ostrich.
Liam snorted. Because Liam had stood up for her, Tanjiro's own anger subsided. As for Nezuko, having been praised so thoroughly, she was overjoyed, gently rubbing her head against Liam's arm like a happy cat.
The three of them followed Tamayo to the patient room. After some introductions, they all had a basic understanding of each other. Once they confirmed the mother and daughter were stable, they moved to a quiet room.
"I have altered my own body and broken free from Muzan's control," Tamayo patiently explained. "We no longer need to consume human flesh to survive. Now, we only need to ingest a small amount of human blood."
"Human blood..." Tanjiro was still conflicted, but Tamayo's next words eased his worries.
"We do not kill humans for their blood. We purchase it at a high price from the poor and those in need, using quantities that will not negatively affect their health."
Hearing this, Tanjiro visibly relaxed. He couldn't smell any lies on her. He suddenly realized—that was why he hadn't smelled the characteristic, foul odor of a demon on them.
"Furthermore, Yushiro was turned by me, so the amount of blood he requires is even less."
Nezuko lay down on the tatami floor, curiously observing her surroundings. As for Liam, while he was curious about Tamayo's medical skills, he was primarily focused on expanding his senses. If he remembered correctly, demons should be coming to hunt them. He was curious to see what level of enemy Muzan would send. Was it the minor characters from the original story, or would he send one of the Twelve Kizuki directly?
"Besides Muzan, are there other demons who can turn humans?" Tanjiro asked.
Tamayo shook her head. "In two hundred years, I have only succeeded in turning Yushiro. But please do not worry, I have no intention of increasing the number of demons. I only offer it to those suffering from mortal wounds or terminal illnesses, and only after receiving their full consent."
Tanjiro sighed in relief. "As long as you aren't experimenting on innocent people."
After talking for a while, Tanjiro looked at her with burning hope. "Is there a way... to turn a demon back into a human?"
"Yes. A way to turn a demon back into a human does exist."
The hope that had just flickered in Tanjiro now blazed into an inferno. "Please, you must tell me!"
Just then, Liam stood up. "An enemy is coming."
Tamayo spoke quickly. "Then I must ask you both to gather as much demon blood as you can. I am developing a cure and require a large number of demon samples."
Tamayo had two requests: first, to draw some of Nezuko's blood for study, and second, to retrieve blood from demons with a high concentration of Muzan's power.
"They're here!"
Liam's sword was already out. Two brightly colored Temari balls smashed through the walls of the room, aiming for Tamayo and Yushiro.
A cold light flashed. Liam's blade intercepted both balls, slicing them clean in half.
So fast! Tanjiro hadn't even had time to react.
The Temari demon, Susamaru, simply grew new arms from her sides. She now had six arms, each holding a Temari. She hurled all of them at Liam, their trajectories changing speed and direction unpredictably.
"Too slow," Liam scoffed.
He blurred past her. His Nichirin Blade flashed, severing all six of her arms and cutting her in half at the waist. He then moved again, using Water Breathing to close the distance at a speed far exceeding Tanjiro's, appearing instantly before the male demon, Yahaba, who was hiding in the trees on the compound wall.
"How-?!"
Yahaba, his eyes closed, was using the special eyes on his palms to track his opponent. But Liam's speed was so extreme, even his vector-seeing eyes couldn't lock on. He barely registered that someone was approaching, and by the time he did, all four of his limbs had been severed. Liam's blade flashed again, turning the demon's limbs and the eyes on his palms into mincemeat.
"Who the hell are you?!" Yahaba screamed, his face-eyes now blind, as he had to open them to see. But now he couldn't even make out the man's appearance.
Tanjiro had watched the entire battle unfold. Beside him, Nezuko's eyes were sparkling.
"Mr. Liam is so strong, Nezuko."
"Mmph!" Nezuko nodded. She had just taken the restorative medicine Tamayo gave her and was now full of energy. It was a medicine completely free of human blood, a rare boost for her, as she usually had to rely on sleep to recover.
Liam brought the two dismembered demons before Tamayo, and Yushiro immediately began to collect their blood.
Tamayo looked at the female demon, Susamaru. "Do you know Muzan Kibutsuji's true identity? That man is nothing but a coward!"
"What did you say?!"
Even as just a head and torso, Susamaru felt a deep, primal fear. If any information about that man was revealed, she would die!
"That coward... he is constantly afraid of something!"
"Shut up! Shut up!"
"Do you know why demons aren't allowed to gather? Why demons kill their own kind? It's to prevent them from gathering together to attack him! He arranged it that way!"
Susamaru's confidence in Muzan was clearly shaken. "Shut up! Everything you're saying is a lie! Lord Muzan is all-powerful!"
A strange fragrance filled the air. Tamayo used her Blood Demon Art, causing Susamaru to fall into a hallucinatory state. Tamayo's art made one's mind sluggish, making it impossible to lie. It was, in effect, a perfect truth serum.
The moment Susamaru realized she had revealed information about Muzan, massive, grotesque arms burst from her stomach, chest, and throat. The arms gripped her own head and crushed it.
Nearby, Yahaba, whose eyes were still destroyed, also began to swell, then collapsed into a puddle of goo.
"This is Muzan's curse," Tamayo explained. "The cells Muzan gives to other demons are cursed. Only he can kill other demons with his demonic power. Humans must rely on sunlight or a Nichirin Blade..."
The morning sun streamed into the courtyard. Nezuko and the others had hidden in the cellar long before dawn. As they prepared to part ways, Nezuko spontaneously hugged Tamayo and patted Yushiro on the head.
"I'm sorry," Tanjiro explained. "It seems Nezuko thinks of you as humans."
Hearing this, Tamayo began to cry. She had been forced to become a demon by Muzan, and now, to be acknowledged by someone, to be seen as human... she was truly happy. Tamayo offered to take Nezuko in and continue her treatment, but Tanjiro politely refused.
The two set off once more, with Nezuko climbing back into her custom-made box to rest. Walking down the bustling street, they received another order from the crow. This time, their destination was Natagumo Mountain.
Before long, the two met up with Zenitsu Agatsuma, a golden-haired boy in a golden robe. He looked like a pathetic coward, but he had thick skin.
He spotted Liam and looked like he'd seen a ghost. "I know you! Big Bro Liam, save me! I'm definitely going to die on this next mission! I'm not even married yet, I can't die!"
A vein twitched in Liam's temple. "If you're that afraid of dying, why don't you just kill yourself now?"
"Hey, what are you saying?!" Zenitsu wailed. "I'm miserable because I'm afraid of dying!"
Liam drew his Nichirin Blade. "In that case, wouldn't it be better to just die now?"
"I'm gonna die! I'm definitely gonna die!" Zenitsu shrieked, tears and snot streaming down his face, and scrambled to the front of the group.
Liam's party eventually arrived at a mountain forest and found a house with two young children cowering nearby. After Tanjiro spoke with them, they learned that the house was haunted and the area was dangerous. But they were Demon Slayers; this was why they were here.
Just as they were about to investigate, a window burst open, and a man covered in wounds fell out. He landed in a pool of his own blood. "I... finally made it out..."
He couldn't say another word before he choked and died.
Liam looked at the others. "Let's go in together. Tanjiro, you and Nezuko protect them."
"Right!" Tanjiro nodded, having complete faith in Liam's strength. With him and his sister protecting the children, he felt confident.
The door to the house opened, revealing a demon with tsuzumi drums embedded in his upper body. "Why do you people keep coming into my house?! It's so annoying!"
The demon, Kyogai, struck one of the drums on his body, and the entire room began to rotate rapidly. Hurried footsteps echoed, and then a man wearing a boar's-head mask crashed into the room. He was shirtless and held two chipped Nichirin Blades.
"Pig Assault! Come on, monster, hurry up and die!"
As Kyogai beat his drum again, the walls, floor, and even gravity itself began to change...