Kibutsuji Muzan

*Asura's POV*

"Okay here's what I want you to do," I explained my plan to Tanjiro as we walked into the city.

"You're not going to lose them are you?" Tanjiro asked skeptically.

" I promise on my life. Just trust me this once." I said and he nodded.

"I'll go and buy everything as fast as I can," I said and ran off into the market.

*3rd POV*

" Umm... Mister have you known him for a long time." Ryuichi asked as Tanjiro thought about the question.

'I can't say I do.' Tanjiro thought as his mind worked on the statement. It was true, he hadn't known Asura for that long of a time. Though he was in some manner certainly a lot more harsh on his opponents and even harsher on himself than Tanjiro would like him to be but Tanjiro couldn't control the actions of others.

Thoughts of his own past began surfacing in his mind but he just took a deep breath and let the thoughts flow.

'Mountains weather down under a river's flow. ' Tanjiro thought back to Urokodaki's words and smiled.

"Well, I haven't actually. But I am indebted to him." Tanjiro said with a smile.

" From what I've seen he's a good person even if his attire would make you think otherwise. If he wants to teach you then try to learn as much as you can," Tanjiro said with a smile.

" Okay!" Ryuichi replied happily as Tanjiro patted his head.

"Hmmpf Hmppf."

"I'm not ignoring you Nezuko," Tanjiro said with a sigh as he patted her too.

*Asura's POV*

"Okay, I'll take that. Those will suffice too. Yeah, yeah that too." I was bartering with a shopkeeper.

" Okay, I'm going to give you a 10 percent discount on your first purchase." He said with a greedy smile.

"Not a single coin more than the amount I said beforehand," I replied.

" That'll end up more than 30 percent. I can't give you that much of a discount."

I didn't reply and just stood there looking at him.

"12 percent is my limit really."

No movement from my side.

" 14 Percent. It's my personal buying price."

I just stood there and looked at him for 15 minutes straight even as he started helping other customers who were visibly intimidated by me.

"My Grandma sews these clothes by herself. She's blind and pierces her skin."

Another moment of silence.

" Okay, the Grandma story is a lie."

'Knew it.' I thought with a stoic face.

"15 Percent."

'I think we can go a bit lower.'

" 20 Percent. That's my literal limit or my family goes hungry tonight."

" Throw in those sandals there for free and we have a deal," I said and he looked ready to snap my neck.

"Fine. You're scaring away my real customers anyway." He said and handed me the clothes and sandals.

"Thanks for the good-quality goods," I said chirpily.

" Yeah yeah move along." He said and shooed me away.

'Hehe, bargaining skills are the best.'

[Bargaining: Level Max]

"Sweet," I said happily as I found Tanjiro standing where I left him. Trying but failing to not get pushed around by the crowd that seemed ready to swallow him whole.

"Hey! Now put this on fast." I said and handed Tanjiro the clothes to change into.

"Here you nibble at these. And after that, I'll help you put these on. Okay?" I handed a Dango stick to Ryuichi and showed him the pair of sandals I bought for him.

"Uhh... Thanks, sir." He said and tried hard to stare at his Dango stick.

"Geez, just call me Asura no need to fuss about it. It's just Dango and a pair of sandals." I said and Ruffled his hair. I had a lot of Ramen stored that wasn't going to go bad but still it wasn't the best everyday meal for every child.

At one point or another, I would have to let Ryuichi go to the headquarters but I needed something under my belt. An achievement that would change me from just another name to something else. Something people wouldn't wanna mess with.

It also helped that I didn't exactly know how deep Muzan's clutches were in the Demon Slayer Corps. I didn't want to simply send him into a bloodbath. A bit of authority would help in getting that information.

" But you didn't get any for yourself," Ryuichi said and pointed at my feet that were bare of any covering other than makeshift slippers. I simply showed him another pair of sandals in my hands.

"These are for me but I'll wear them later." I lied through my teeth. These were for Inosuke. Knowing the brat he would probably not even notice that he was running miles with his bare feet.

'He's probably running through a mountain being a menace to society.' I thought wistfully. I kinda missed my loudmouthed twin.

"All ready," Tanjiro said and I explained the rest of the plan to him.

*30 Minutes later*

I was running through the market. Trying to catch a glimpse of a white hat or someone stupid enough to wear a coat and tie in this weather.

Then I saw him. Kibutsuji Muzan in the flesh.

Holding a little girl and thanking a street vendor while his wife was waiting for both of them. For a moment I had to stop and think. That's how good his acting was. I was sure it was Muzan, the pale skin, the Crimson Red eyes that made him look just a tad bit more like a predator in the night.

This was a thousand-year-old Demon. Someone that had taken too many lives to count and destroyed just as many if not more indirectly with his kin feasting on the flesh of the humans. This wasn't just a Demon. This was THE Demon. The one responsible for my mother's death. The reason me and my brother were brought up in the mountains and I still hesitated.

Something deep inside me was telling me to run. I was sweating right now. The short breaths I took were filled with such a strong scent of blood that I wanted to throw up.

'I need to do this. If I let this opportunity go then it would be too much of a waste. I need to do this. It's not a choice bastard it's a requirement. Move!' I tried to push my mind through.

I needed to do this.

____________________________________________________

Author's Note: Muzan would be a bit different here than in the manga. He would Feel like a thousand year old Demon. Someone strong enough to deserve the fear he gets. I don't think I would do the character justice if I left him at what he was in the manga.

As fun as it would be to just say I was procrastinating during all this time unfortunately i wasn't. This is a basic run down of everything that's happened in my life over the last few days:

1) I had family stuck in Ukraine. I think that one's pretty self explanatory.

2) One of my family members got surgery and I'm taking care of them.

3) The deadline of my practicals was moved forward by a week so essentially I'm giving them right after exams are over.

4) I'm surving off of 6 hours of sleep and a lot of coffee. My mental and physical health is fucked up beyond belief. I've genuinely never felt shittier.

5) The typing on phone thing is becoming more than just a nuisance. I'm getting knots in my thumbs making moving them for long periods of time constantly to be painful. I'm still saving for that laptop.

That's the bare bones of what's been going on. I'm trying to get back into writing because goddamit I wanna write these stories without interruption.

If you could please try to support me at my Patreön.

Patr eon.com/Ashara

But I'll keep trying to release chapters.

Take care of yourself everyone and hope you have a nice Day/Night.