Feral beast

Time passed bit by bit. But whoever was scratching the wooden door did not stop. Muzan was getting tired of waiting.

"This is starting to piss me off."

Muzan muttered with irritation. Ozaki timidly held his hand, hoping that he calms down.

Squatting in a corner like this, she was also uncomfortable, but she was more nervous than annoyed.

"Who the hell is trying to break into my room?"

She complained in a low voice and continued talking by herself when Muzan didn't reply.

"Sorry I threw that glass of water earlier; I wanted to call for help."

"I was hoping someone sees it and comes to check on me."

Ozkai apologized for her mistake. She was sitting close to Muzan and felt sorry for him after touching his clothes; they were cold.

Ozkai knew Muzan must be cold too. She brought her hands to her mouth, breathed into her palms, and touched Muzan's face. 

She was trying to give him warmth, which made Muzan pause and then rub his hair with irritation.

"Stop acting kind!"

Muzan scolded her, then pointed towards the door.

"You wanted to call for help, by throwing that glass. But do you know who's behind that door??"

"A demon. There is a demon behind that door. Nobody can help you against a demon."

"You are such a fool."

Ozaki looked at Muzan wide-eyed. Demon? Why was there a demon in her house? She couldn't help but feel afraid. 

"Demon? Do they really exist? Maybe you are mistaken; it could be a wild animal."

Ozaki gulped; she was seriously hoping Muzan was wrong. But Muzan laughed strangely, then smiled 'kindly'.

"That is a demon; I felt her presence a long time ago."

"Hey, do you wanna know, why I am sure there's a demon there?"

Muzan smiled gently. He then opened his mouth, exposing his shrap teeth and his glowing red eyes.

"It is because.."

"I am also a demon!"

Muzan chuckled darkly. He decided to reveal his identity out of sheer boredom. He was looking forward to Ozaki's fearful screaming. 

But the eyes full of hope she showed, caught him off guard.

"You are a demon?! That's great."

Holding Muzan's hand excitedly, Ozaki quickly said what was on her mind.

"You gotta help me; if there's a demon outside, then my mother is in danger too."

"At first I thought this was a wild animal; I wasn't worried about it attacking her. She is sleeping next door with the doors locked."

"She was sick and fell unconscious, so I didn't want to wake her up. But this is an emergency."

Ozaki looked like she was in a hurry; she didn't know there was a demon in her house. At first she assumed this was an animal, and her mother would be fine, as the doors were locked.

But the situation was much more serious now.

Meanwhile Muzan felt Ozaki's mood; she wanted to help her mother, but he had some bad news for her.

"The demon won't hurt your mother."

Muzan muttered while looking at the closed door. Ozaki felt confused as to why he said so, then Muzan continued.

"She won't hurt your mother, because that demon is your mother."

Muzan dropped a bombshell. As for Ozaki, her mind went blank. 

Muzan didn't look at her; he was looking beyond the door, checking the memories of the demon outside the door.

"This morning, your mother wasn't sick. When she fell unconscious, she was already halfway demonized."

"Now, she has become a full demon, and needs a lot of energy. She is very hungry."

"Your mother is looking for food; you are the best food in her eyes. She is trying to eat you."

Muzan told the truth. Ozaki gripped her fist tightly; the corners of her eyes were red.

She believed herself a good judge of character; she didn't think Muzan was a liar. But even so, she didn't believe him outright.

She wanted to see for herself if the story about demons was true, and if her mother was an actual demon.

"I want to see her."

Ozaki decided to act. She stood up and approached the shaking door. The scratching noises were making her heart beat faster.

She stopped right before the door, her hands were feeling sweaty.

"If she attacks me, can you hold her down? You are a demon too; you should be able to do it."

Ozaki asked Muzan timidly. Muzan rested his chin on his hand and smiled insincerely.

"Who knows, maybe she is stronger than me."

Chuckling lightly, Muzan didn't promise anything. Although, he kind of wanted to see how Ozaki would react, after seeing her mother like this.

Would she still be so optimistic and polite?

"It's okay; just try to stop her. If you can't stop her, run away without me."

Ozaki said tremblingly; she was scared but walked towards the door courageously. This made Muzan frown.

In the original story, she had the same attitude before her death. Muzan knew this type of mentality; this was the attitude demon slayers had.

So weak physically, yet so strong mentally.

*Creak*

Ozaki held the door handle, unlocked it, and opened a gap in the door.

She wanted to peek out of the door, and close it quickly if something wanted to get in.

"Mother.."

But when she saw her pale mother squatting before the door, scratching it with her black nails, Her blood ran cold.

"Raaaagh!"

Ozaki's momentary shock was noticed by her mother; she pushed the door hard, and it opened with a bang.

The force made Ozaki fall to the ground; her mother didn't waste a second and jumped on top of her.

"Dear daughter, your mother is hungry. Stay still okay?"

Ozaki's mother held her down; saliva was pouring out of her mouth, and dripping on her daughter.

*Sniff*

Ozaki's shoulders shook. She couldn't bear seeing her mother like this; she began crying, but Muzan noticed something. 

She deliberately kept her mother's attention on her. She didn't want her to notice Muzan; she didn't want to endanger him too.

"What a noble nature; this demon-slayer-like thinking makes me sick."

Muzan muttered under his breath and got up. His movement attracted the demon mother's attention, and she turned towards him.

Ozaki felt pretty desperate when Muzan got noticed.

"What are you looking at, weakling."

But Muzan's casual attitude and complete disregard for his opponent, was a shock to her. It was also a shock to her demon mother, who was currently frozen in her spot.

"It's you.."

The demon mother trembled; tears involuntarily came out of her eyes. What kind of sick joke was this? The demon king himself was in her daughter's bedroom.

And he looked ready to judge her. She felt screwed.

"I didn't allow you to talk. Shut your mouth."

Raising his finger Muzan pointed it forward, and the demon woman fell to her knees. She started gasping, with sweat pouring down her face.

The ease at which Muzan defeated her mother dumbfounded Ozaki. She got up with a dizzy head and looked dazed.

"You are so strong. 

She muttered, then looked at him with expectation.

"If you controlled her this easily, is there a chance you can cure her? Can you make my mother normal again?"

Ozaki hoped Muzan had a way; she didn't want to see her mother look like this. But Muzan shook his head.

"There is no cure for being a demon, yet. Demons eat humans; that's how they survive."

"To live, she has to eat or at least drink human blood."

Ozaki didn't know what to say. She felt confused. Her kind mother had become a man eating demon.

She now had two choices: either let her mother keep killing people. Or ask Muzan to kill her, and put her out of her misery.

"Living this kind of cursed life, it's so sad."

Ozaki stared at her mother; she had become pale like a corpse. Her aggression was like a wild animal.

She was nothing like the kind mother she remembered.

"My mother is a kind woman; she would never hurt me. But now she is in so much pain, that she is trying to eat me."

"I know she must be hurting inside."

Ozaki smiled with tears in her eyes; she lovingly rubbed her mother's hair. She didn't want her mother to suffer like this.

"I heard demons are immortal. But you are a strong demon. Is there a way you can kill her?"

"If possible, please kill her and put her out of her misery. I can't do this, but you should be able to."

Ozaki begged Muzan to end her mother's life. When she took this decision, Muzan acknowledged her strong will. But still, he didn't agree.

Until now, he was watching the incident play out, but she seems to think he was actually here to help.

"Listen, you gave me good food before, so I helped you a little. But now that grace period is over."

"I have no reason to help you. In fact, you owe me a set of new clothes."

Muzan smiled and pointed at his suit. Ozaki looked dumbfounded; she blinked with confusion and patted her head.

"How can I forget? You are still wearing that wet suit; you must feel cold and uncomfortable."

"How can you help me, when you are uncomfortable? Here, you can wear my clothes."

With that said, Ozkai started removing her clothes directly. Muzan's face turned dark. Slapping the wooden floor, Muzan roared.

"Stop it! You dumbass!"

"I don't want your clothes! If you want my help, offer me something useful. Like this tavern."

Muzan rubbed his forehead; at least his roar had stopped her from acting silly.

"Today I had to run around the neighborhood, looking for a place to train. That's a total waste of time."

"I know this Tavern is a good place to train. So if you give it to me, I will help you."

Muzan put forward his condition. He believed this was a win-win situation. He will give her some time to think, before making a decision. 

But Ozkai didn't need time to think, she gently agreed.

"Take it. Just don't kick me out. I have nowhere else to go."

Muzan rubbed his chin thoughtfully; it seems having her as a helper, wasn't a bad idea. She was a future demon slayer; she could be his first human subordinate.

"Deal"

"Leave this room; it will get bloody later."

Muzan chuckled and stood up. Ozaki pursed her lips; she rubbed her mother's hair gently, then left the room silently.

Muzan no longer controlled the demon woman, and spoke to her softly. 

"I believe your daughter has potential, If she performs well; she will be my first human subordinate."

"Die peacefully, knowing you secured a better future for your daughter."

Muzan calmly spoke to the demon mother. Then he raised his hand towards her and squeezed his fist.

*Pop*

'Thank you, Demon King.'

Muzan heard her final thoughts, as she faded into dust.

Muzan tipped his hat with a sigh. She was the last demon, that old Muzan had created before his death.