Big Brother's Betrayal

Tanjiro stared down at his blood soaked hands. He didn't know what happened. All he could feel just moments ago was a ravaging hunger, but after that hunger became satisfied he came too and found himself standing over the corpses of an entire family. Their blood was smeared all over the room and not a single wall wasn't painted the color of a deep scarlet. The smell of metal was so thick in the air that it caused Tanjiro to scrunch his nose from the strong odor. But the scariest thing to him was that the scent wasn't at all displeasing to his senses. In fact, it fueled a deep desire to have a taste for more of that delectable human flesh he could still taste inside of his mouth. But despite his animalistic instincts and the dark voice speaking inside of his mind telling him to go out and hunt for more; he felt guilty. As he stared at the mutilated bodies that laid at his feet, he could feel a tear roll down his pale cheek. "I'm so sorry… Please forgive me. I'm so sorry!" He fell to his knees and began to wail with the echoes of a broken heart. The grief he was experiencing felt like it was killing him. Just how did this all come to happen?

Earlier That Day

The Kamado's lived a seclusive life up in the wintery mountains a good distance away from even the nearest village. The patriarch of the family, Tanjuro Kamado, died about a year ago and left his wife and his six children behind after he succumbed to a mysterious ailment that he had been suffering from for years. But before he died, he past on their families legacy to his oldest son Tanjiro by teaching him their families traditional dance called The Dance of The Fire God as well as gifting him with their families heirloom that he always wore which was a pair of Hanafuda earrings. He did this to ensure that their legacy would continue on even into the next generations to come, while also passing on the torch to his son and dubbing him the new patriarch of the Kamado's and giving him the responsibility of taking care of his sibling's and mother. But despite the loss of his father, Tanjiro did not falter when it came to his new role as the head of the household, even though he was only twelve years old when his father passed away. He loved his family with all his heart and would do anything to make sure that they were cared for and safe. His father taught him the virtues of family and what it meant to be a strong man, and his words of encouragement stuck strongly to him even a year later.

Early in the morning, the snow was still high from it falling the night before but at least the skies seemed calm today. With the path seemingly clear, it was about time for Tanjiro to make his regular trip to the local village at the base of the mountain so that he could sell coal and make money to provide for his family. He stood in front of his house and knelt down on the ground as his younger sister Nezuko helped him to saddle the heavy woven basket full of coal onto his back. "I'm sorry you have to do this again even when it's not your turn big brother." Nezuko said apologetically, feeling bad for making her brother pick up her slack. Tanjiro stood back up with ease despite the heavy coal now strapped to his back and turned to face his sister who was only a year younger than him, and smiled down at her with an expression that sparkled like the freshly fallen snow. "Don't worry about it. Your leg's still healing after all. What kind of big brother would I be if I let you go down the mountain injured like this?" He said as he affectionately rubbed her head.

Nezuko returned his smile, but both were interrupted when they heard the cries of two small children approaching them from around the house. Their other two younger siblings, Takeo and Hanako, came sprinting and flung themselves at Tanjiro who quickly reacted by grabbing ahold of them and hugging them close. Takeo, the second oldest son, nuzzled his face into Tanjiro's Haori jacket with snot dribbling down his nose. "Do you really have to go so soon big brother? You promised you were going to play with us today!" Hanako who was being held in Tanjiro's other arm also had snot dribbling from her nose which she sniffed back as she nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah! Can't you just go later so that you can play with us first?" Tanjiro chuckled slightly as he placed his siblings down and hunched over so that he could be at eye level with them. "I'm sorry you guys, but you know the trip down the mountain takes half a day alone to get to the bottom. I have to leave early if I want to make it back before nightfall. But don't worry, Nezuko will still be here to play with you after I've left!" Nezuko walked closer and also kneeled down to face her siblings as she took their hands in her own. "That's right! You still have your big sister here so we can play as much as you want!"

Hanako stopped crying as she smiled and swiftly hugged her older sister after being consoled but Takeo on the other hand was still very upset. "But that's too long of a wait for me! I want to play with you, not Nezuko! You told me you were going to help me practice my axe swing today too! Why don't I just come with you? I'm ten years old now so I'm old enough to make the trip to the village. If I helped you sell the coal, then maybe we could come home faster together!" Takeo declared with a huff. He was the second oldest son of the Kamado family and he was at that age where he was starting to want to be considered a man too just like his dear older brother. He wanted to help carry some of the responsibilities around taking care of the family so that Tanjiro wouldn't have to shoulder everything on his own. He was a Kamado man too, and he wanted to start being treated like one. Tanjiro sighed as he understood where his brother was coming from because not that long ago he was in the same position when he was begging his father to give him more responsibilities too, but he thought that Takeo was still too immature to be given a task such as accompanying him to the village. But he knew another way that his brother could help out and also ease his mind.

"You're right. You are ten years old now. You're becoming a fine man! So let's make a deal. While I go to the village and sell the coal, you stay here and make sure that everyone is safe. You've got your trusty axe and I know you're manly enough to protect mother and our siblings if an intruder were to come, right? Can I trust you with holding down the fort while I'm gone?" As soon as Tanjiro said those words, Takeo's eyes lit up like the northern star. "You can count on me big brother! I'll keep everyone safe! But if you don't come home before sun down like you said then I am rushing down the mountain to get you myself!" Tanjiro laughed seeing his brother's enthusiasm and couldn't help but ruffle his hair. "Good. I'm depending on you. And don't worry, I'll be home before you even remembered I was gone!" As the siblings walked with Tanjiro to the edge of their hamlet to send him off, their mother Kei approached them with the two youngest children with her, Shigeru who was holding her hand and Rokuta who was sleeping strapped to her back. "I hope you weren't planning on leaving without telling your mother farewell." She said teasingly as she walked over to her eldest son and gently placed her forehead against his own, lovingly nuzzling him. "I thought you were still sleeping mother, I'm sorry. I didn't want to disturb you." He said as he slightly bowed to her. Kei tsked her tongue as she waved a finger at him. "That's no excuse. I'm your mother, I should be the first one you tell when you're about to leave." She said lightly scolding him. Tanjiro's face drooped into a slight frown at his mother's tender but also harsh words.

"You're right. It won't happen again." Kei grabbed her son by the chin and gently raised his face so that they could look at each other in the eyes so that he could see the look of love she was directing at him. "It's all okay now. Thank you for being so considerate and allowing me to get a little more rest. Now you be careful on your trip down the mountain. The snow is still fresh and I would hate for you to get injured since you can't see what you're walking on." Tanjiro smiled back at her as he confidently pointed to his nose. "No need to worry! I can use my acute sense of smell to help me with my surroundings! There's no log or stone that will trip me up! And this isn't my first time leaving home mother, I know this mountain like the back of my hand." Kei looked at her son with an abundance of pride. Tanjiro truly was the light of their entire family. He was beginning to remind her more and more of her deceased husband every day. And not just because they looked so similar, but because of how much alike they were in character. She and Tanjuro couldn't have asked for a better son.

Kei got everyone in an orderly line as they faced Tanjiro and bowed to him before giving a hearty shout. "Have a safe trip!" They all yelled in unison. Tanjiro's lips curled into a grin that reached from ear to ear as he started walking away while waving back at his family, eagerly awaiting to see them again when he returns. "I love you all! I will see you all at sun set!" He continued walking while keeping up a good pace down the beaten trail as he made his way down to the village. He was making good time and was able to make it to the village in only five hours compared to the standard eight hours it normally would have taken. Perhaps he was quick in his stride because of the lovely send off his family had given him, that was motivating him to be faster than usual since he didn't want to keep them waiting too long. He started his journey at the early brim of dawn and made it around lunch time where foot traffic was at its highest peak among the locals. Which was perfect because the more people he saw the easier it was for him to sell off the coal. As Tanjiro walked down the wide streets of the sparce village, a local who was a regular buyer of the Kamado's coal called him over. "Hey! Tanjiro! It's been a while since we've seen your face around here!"

Tanjiro gleefully ran over to the local and bowed to him out of respect as his elder. "It's nice to see you as well. Since winter is setting upon us, now is the perfect time to be selling my families specialties. We would hate for you all to freeze during this years cold. Winter seems like it will be harsh if the snow is already falling now." They completed their usual transaction with the gentleman buying a hefty bundle. "Before you go, let's catch up. How's your family doing? I haven't seen your father in quite some time. In fact, it seems only you and Nezuko appear around these parts nowadays. How is Tanjuro? Is he alright?" Even though Tanjiro still had a smile plastered on his face, there was no hiding the deep sadness that shown behind his reddish brown eyes. "He passed away last year. As you know, he was very sick. He just couldn't hold on any longer. But don't feel bad for us! We are doing just fine! My father entrusted everything to me, and I will do my best to play my part for my family!" The older man sighed but couldn't help but admire Tanjiro's positive attitude and determination. Young boys with such an honest and pure soul like his were hard to come by these days. "Well still, you have my condolences. Had I known, I would have offered up some more help. Take this bag of potatoes so you can feed your family. Think of it as a trade for the coal on top of the money I paid you for them."

Tanjiro did not decline his generous offer and carried the sack with him as he continued his rounds in the village, stopping by every vendor and home offering his coal to sell to them. Tanjiro always loved how kind the people were that lived here. This small area was the only part of the world he's ever known, and it was a good part. As naïve as he was when it came to how things were in the other parts of Japan, he was content in this small slice of heaven where everyone was supportive and always looking out for each other. He prayed every day that this peace would last. Eventually, Tanjiro had sold every last bit of coal and summed up a good amount of money as well as rations the locals had supplied him with as an extra thank you. He looked up at the sky and noticed snow clouds were beginning to form, but luckily since he had finished earlier than expected he estimated that he would be able to make it back home before the next bout of snow was set to fall. Tanjiro tiredly sighed as he wiped the sweat off his brow and sat on a rock so that he could rest a moment before he made his way back up the mountain. "That went way better than I expected! At this rate, I will be home in no time!" As Tanjiro relaxed, he couldn't help but eavesdrop on the nearby conversation of two locals who were talking in earshot of him, and from the tone of their voices, whatever they were talking about was troubling, which would explain the smell of fear that Tanjiro was detecting on them.

The two women that were talking were actively shaking and their faces seemed pale as they continued on with their conversation. "It's true I tell you. A stranger was spotted in the village just moments ago. My husband said he was dressed weirdly in some western garb unlike what we wear. And when my husband spoke about him, I could hear the terror in his words." The other woman she was speaking too gulped as she listened intently. "I can't imagine your husband being so fearful of someone. But I believe you if you say this to be true." The wife who spoke first clutched her hands together as she recalled her husband's looks of utter horror. "He said that when he tried to talk to the man to see if he was interested in buying some of our produce, the stranger glared at him almost with a murderous intent. My husband said he could feel the man stabbing him with his eyes and just with a single look he feared for his life. What mortal has the ability to bring a grown man to his knees like that?" Tanjiro's head perked up when he heard her say the word mortal because that just seemed like an oddly specific choice of words for her to choose. Aren't all men mortal? But yet she spoke as if it were possible that this stranger might not be.

"I heard from my sister who lives in the south about a rise in demon attacks. But we don't get many if any demons at all in these parts. I didn't want her to move because I feared for her life, but she said it was best for her financially to live closer to the major cities. But if this stranger truly is a demon, then what could he possibly be doing here? I would hate to believe that our safe little town might become infested with those monsters just like everywhere else!" The second woman said as a shiver drove up her spine from the mere thought of a flesh eating demon walking amongst them. "But it's still daytime so I highly doubt that he could be a demon. It's a known fact that they can't walk in the sunlight." Said the first woman but the other woman shook her head due to her friend's naivety. "That's not necessarily true. For one, the sun has been blocked by the clouds for the majority of the day because of the snowstorm that's been approaching. Days like these are the perfect opportunity for demon's to roam while the sun is out." Tanjiro couldn't believe what he was hearing right now. None of what they're saying could possibly be true! Demons? Those things only existed in folklore and stories told to children to get them to listen to their parents when they're misbehaving. At least that's how his parent's raised him. Could a threat like a man eating demon be a real thing? He wasn't so sure anymore.

"Well, regardless of if he's a demon or not, I think the danger has past. He's already been spotted leaving the village so our town was never his true destination. I'm pretty sure he was seen heading up towards the mountain, but only the gods know what his purpose would be for going there. There's nothing up there but thick woods." Tanjiro stood up with a panicked expression. So the mystery visitor these women were talking about was heading into the mountains?! That's where his family was! If what they were saying about demons was real and not just stuff from myth, then he had to get to his family as soon as possible! He grabbed the woven basket sitting beside him which he had filled with the gifts from the villagers and took off running back to the trail which led to his home. He had to make it there as soon as possible! He didn't know just how long ago the stranger started going up the mountain, but he knew that if he was fast enough he could probably catch up to him especially since he knew the terrain better. Tanjiro knew shortcuts that the stranger didn't so there was little doubt in the eldest Kamado sibling's mind that he wasn't going to find this mystery man before he found his family first.

Tanjiro felt his lungs starting to hurt while he was running because of how thin and icy the air was becoming the more the sun started to set. He had been tracking up the mountain for about 3 hours now and there was still no sign of the stranger that those women were talking about. Maybe they were wrong and he wasn't heading this way, or maybe Tanjiro was just too far behind. But he wasn't going to give up and start slowing down until he knew for sure that his family was not in danger. "Wait a minute… What is this smell?" Tanjiro said aloud to himself as he stopped in his tracks and pinched his nose as he detected a scent that he had never smelled before in his life. It was putrid and he could feel as his nostril hairs started to singe inside of his nose from how potent the scent was. It was the smell of blood, but a lot of it like someone was stained in the aroma of death. But it wasn't just the blood that he could smell. He could smell something else, something evil that was otherwise indescribable. If darkness had a smell, then that would be the most accurate way of explaining this sensation. "Ugh! This odor, it's completely foul! But there could only be one explanation for this… That man must be near." With his newfound motivation knowing that his target was near, Tanjiro ignored the pain in his lungs and began running again.

The smell only grew stronger the closer he got, until it was almost unbearable. He left the woods and found himself back on the clear trail, and standing only ten feet in front of him was the man that matched those women's descriptions. He was a handsome looking gentleman, which was apparent even though Tanjiro could only see him from the back, but his broad shoulders and confident stance is what made the man seem so alluring. But just like the woman had said before, his clothes were the weirdest thing about him. Tanjiro had never seen someone wear something like that. He wore a white Fedora atop his night sky hair, and a black suit jacket with white dress pants and black leather loafers. It was clear that this man was not a local to these parts but came from somewhere more civilized. Perhaps he was from one of the big cities where the locals said demons were known to congregate. Tanjiro could sense that same malice that first woman's husband must have sensed upon meeting this stranger; there was no more denying it. He truly was not a human. A human could never possibly be as evil as the man standing in front of him was. Just to be safe, Tanjiro reached around his back and grabbed a hold of the axe he had tucked underneath his Haori.

Tanjiro didn't know what he could possibly do against this man, but he would be damned if he didn't try something. He was the only one standing in between this demon and his family. And even if Tanjiro were to die, he'll have died knowing he went down fighting for the sake of his loved ones. "Hey! Mister!" Tanjiro boldly blurted out loud enough for the stranger to hear. There was no turning back now, he finally initiated contact and anything could happen now. The man stopped walking and slowly started to turn around, and the minute that Tanjiro saw his face, he felt his soul leave his body. The man's eyes were anything but human, but the mark of a demon. They were an unusual red color with many long veins and reptile like pupils. His gaze alone was enough to take any person down, but Tanjiro had to be strong in the face of fear. Right now the man didn't seem hostile so maybe talking to him would be the best approach. "I live in these mountains. And I don't mean to be rude, but I've never seen you here before. Could you please state your name and your business for coming here? Because these are considered sacred grounds." Tanjiro said as respectfully as possible to not trigger a negative response.

The man turned around and with a stoic expression, scanned Tanjiro's appearance without even giving a response back to his question almost as if he thought the young boy wasn't worth addressing. That is until he noticed the Hanafuda earrings dangling from Tanjiro's ears. The man started to walk closer until he and Tanjiro were face to face, and Tanjiro felt his knees start to buckle from his domineering presence. "You. Boy. What is your name?" The man asked Tanjiro as he sneered down at him. "I asked you first, but if it makes you feel better I will answer as long as you tell me your name in return. I am Tanjiro Kamado. Now, you are?" He said as he tightened the grip on the axe he still had hidden behind his back. The man smirked almost as if that was what he was hoping for Tanjiro to say, like he was expecting it. "So, you're a Kamado? Interesting. I was just looking for your family too, how nice of you to send a welcoming party. My name is Muzan Kibutsuji." Tanjiro didn't like the sound of that one bit. How did this Muzan know of his family? They lived pretty secluded away from the rest of the world, so how could a monster like this know who they were? Either way, this wasn't a good sign.

"Why are you looking for us? Just what do you want?" Tanjiro said as he glared at Muzan and allowed his voice to become more pointed, showing that he wasn't afraid and could be just as intimidating if he wanted to be. Muzan continued to smirk as he removed one of the leather gloves that he was wearing. "Because you have something that I want. Your family are the only people who know The Dance of The Fire God. It's a special skill I require that only someone from your family can perform. Tell me young man, do you know this dance?" He said with a misleading smile in hopes of lowering Tanjiro's guard. However, Tanjiro knew that he must have some kind of nefarious plans if he wants something as specific as that. But what would a demon want with a dance that brings blessings? It seemed kind of ironic. Since Tanjiro was the eldest son and was the only one in his family that knew the dance, perhaps the best way to keep his family safe was to just give the demon what he wanted and send him on his way. "Yes, I know The Dance of The Fire God. My father passed it down to me since I am the oldest. Now that he is gone, I am the only one who knows how to perform it. If it's a blessing that you want then you will have to give me time to set up and prepare."

Muzan started to chuckle as he raised his ungloved hand to stop Tanjiro from speaking any further. "There's no need for that. I already received my blessing you see. It was you, finding me. You made this all the more easier for me to do… this." Tanjiro had no time to react as Muzan pounced on him and pressed him into the ground firmly, Tanjiro's body was now sunken so deep in the snow that it made it that much harder for him struggle for freedom. "What are you doing?! Get off of me right now!" Tanjiro said as he gripped onto Muzan's arms and tried to pry them off of his body with no luck. "I am going to turn you into a demon, just like me. I need someone who has the potential to learn sun breathing. You look like your full of vitality so I have no doubt that you will survive the transformation and become my ultimate creation! A demon who can walk in the sun!" Tanjiro's eyes widened as the fear started to finally take ahold of him. Turn him into a demon?! No way in hell was he going to let that happen! But what can he do in this predicament? He was being so easily overwhelmed and he couldn't even move. "Hold still. When you wake up, you'll be another one of my children. Actually, I just thought of a wonderful idea. I only need one sun breather, and once you become a demon you'll be hungry. Since I have you now I won't be needing your family. To ensure that no one will appose me in the future, once you become a demon I will make sure that you kill them. It's only fair. A demon should have the right to a perfect first meal. What better meal than one full of love." The demon said as he laughed sinisterly.

Muzan started descending his pointed finger with his sharp claw like fingernail towards Tanjiro's forehead, and Tanjiro couldn't do anything except scream and beg for him to stop. He didn't want this! He didn't want to become a demon! "Please! You don't have to do this! I can help you in any other way! I promise! Just let me go!" But Muzan just continued to laugh, being full of ecstasy because of Tanjiro's desperate plights. "Goodnight, Tanjiro Kamado. When you awaken, you will be reborn as a demon with no attachments to the human mortal coil." Tanjiro screamed out in pain as he felt Muzan insert his fingernail into his skin and started injecting him with a large amount of his blood. Tanjiro's eyes rolled into the back of his head when he felt his veins begin to fill with the tainted substance and his body began to feel like it was burning in the pits of hell. He felt every ache and pain as his body began to morph and his organs on the inside started churning around and his bones started to crack and reform into a new stronger shape. He couldn't take the pain any longer and eventually past out, but the transformation continued even through his peaceful sleep. Muzan stood over him as he watched Tanjiro successfully going through the transformation process. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy would survive even with the large amount of blood he gave him that would have easily killed anybody else. He smiled knowing that he had made the right choice in choosing this boy.

The transformation completed two hours later and after waiting patiently, Muzan was able to see the fruits of his labor. Tanjiro was laying motionless on the ground just moments ago, but his eyes had suddenly sprung open and he sat up as he hunched forward almost lethargically as a demonic growl escaped from the back of his throat. His skin was much paler now and his spikey burgundy hair was a lot longer and reached down to his midback and wasn't the same color. It was a dark burgundy near the top and by the ends they hombred into a dark crimson red. The scar on his forehead had healed over leaving flawless smooth skin and his fingernails were now long and sharp just like Muzan's, and fangs protruded from his snarling lips. Muzan couldn't help but smile at his new creation and just how perfect he had come out, and he could sense just how strong he was especially as a newborn. And he was even more delighted when he saw Tanjiro's eyes which looked just like his, probably because of how much blood he had pumped into the young boy. It was nice and in a way it made him feel like they were related now due to the similar feature of their eyes. Muzan was proud of his new demon child and couldn't wait to see what he would be able to accomplish as his new right hand man. "Good morning Tanjiro. You must be so incredibly hungry. Come, let us get you something to eat." He said as he knelt down on the ground and extended a hand out for him to take. At first, Tanjiro was reluctant because he was still new to his senses, but he took the offer, nonetheless.

Back at the Kamado residence, everyone was beginning to worry because Tanjiro was now officially late. He had promised to come home way earlier before the sun set, but now it was closer to midnight and there was still no sign of his return. Takeo stood in front of the house with a serious expression as he held his axe in his hand in the same stance that Tanjiro had taught him. Nezuko sat inside with her mother and her other siblings as she watched Takeo from through the window. "It's starting to get too cold Nezuko. Can you please try to bring your brother inside? We are all worried but we can't stay up for him forever. If Tanjiro still hasn't returned, we will all go out searching for him together." Kei asked as she sat on her comforter while breast feeding Rokuta. Nezuko sighed and stood up as she put her Haori and scarf on to protect her from the sheer winds and went outside to stand next to her younger brother who stared off in the distance intently, trying to sense for any danger or for any sign of Tanjiro coming home. "Takeo, we must go inside. The snowstorm will hit us soon and it is much too cold for you to keep standing out here. Tanjiro will be fine, he probably just got caught up in town and saw the storm approaching too. Maybe he just didn't want the chance of getting caught in it." She said as she tried to speak with Takeo, who blatantly ignored her.

"Takeo, listen to me when I'm talking to you-" She reached out to grab him on the shoulder, but as soon as she did, he slapped her hand away and glared at her with tears pricking the corner of his eyes. "You should have just let me go with him! If you had just let me go, we could have sold the coal faster and big brother would be here with us right now! He's never not come home before! Something must have gone wrong!" Nezuko frowned as she pulled her little brother into a hug but he refused her embrace and quickly pulled out of it because he was still mad at her. "Takeo! That is enough! Tanjiro will be just fine! What we need to do now is go back inside and rest. If he isn't back by morning then we will all go looking for him together, okay?" She said as she tried her best to console her distraught brother, but his stubbornness proved to be too great as he refused to listen. "No! I'm not going back inside! If you won't help me go out and find him, then I will do it myself!" He shouted as he quickly took off into the forest leading down the mountain with Nezuko yelling after him. "TAKEO! STOP! It's too dangerous out there!" She said as she bit her lip in anxiety and then ran back inside to tell her mother what had happened. After telling Kei about Takeo running away, she was given permission to chase after him. But what they don't realize now is that this will be the reason that saves them from total destruction.

Thirty minutes after Takeo and Nezuko ran into the forest, Muzan and the newly demonized Tanjiro were now in front of the Kamado Residence. They had made it their rather quickly by using their enhanced speed and agility and made a three hour journey last only half an hour. Tanjiro felt his stomach howl in hunger pains which only got worse the minute he caught whiff of the smell of delicious human flesh which caused his mouth to start to water profusely. Muzan smiled as he watched his new creation salivate and stepped aside so that Tanjiro could go and indulge himself. "Be my guest. These humans are all for you. Eat to your hearts content, and don't leave a single one of them alive." Tanjiro stumbled forward, swaying side to side as he approached the thin wooden doors of the house. Kei was inside as she watched the other children while she waited for Nezuko and Takeo to return. She heard the footsteps on the patio and thought it was them, so she stood up to answer the door. "There you both are!" She said happily, but stopped smiling when her eyes scanned the unfamiliar, familiar version of her son who stood in front of her. "Tanjiro? Is that you? What happened to you? You look so… different. Like you're not my son." She started to tremble as she saw those blazing pinkish red eyes that had replaced her son's once warm reddish brown ones that were so full of happiness and life. But these eyes were anything but that.

Kei took a step back as Tanjiro got closer and she stumbled backwards as she went to guard her other three sleeping children who she was trying to hide behind her. "T-Tanjiro! This can't be possible… Not my little boy. Anybody but you… How? WHY DID YOU BECOME A DEMON?!" She said as she started to cry profusely while she clamored to stand up. Tanjiro still stood there saying nothing, almost like a ghost. Kei, desperate to get a reaction out of him and any semblance of his former self, foolishly pulled the hungry newborn into a hug as she cried into his green and black checkered Haori. "You are still my Tanjiro, aren't you?" She said as she stroked his cheek, but he said nothing and looked down at her with a blank expression. She smiled at him as she continued to stroke his cheek, thinking she was getting through to him. "Everything is going to be just fine, mommy is here. We will get you better. We can find someone who can heal you." Tanjiro started to move as he wrapped his arms around his mother which only made her cry harder. "You can hear me, right? Is my voice getting through to you? Tanjiro-" CRACK! In an instant, Tanjiro had squeezed her so tightly that her spine had snapped in half and crushed her organs, causing her to spit up blood.

An animalistic growl escaped his throat once he smelt the delicious aroma of human blood and he instantly started partaking of her flesh as he greedily consumed her. The sounds of wet munching awoke the children as they rose up wondering what all the noise was. "Mother? Did Tanjiro come back yet?" Said Hanako as she tiredly rubbed her eyes. Tanjiro, after hearing her voice, snarled at her and Hanako could see his glowing red eyes as they gleamed in the darkness. Hanako screamed as she backed up with her siblings behind her who were now also starting to cry and shriek in horror themselves. Hanako's eyes traced to the blood soaked floor where the mutilated body of her half eaten mother laid sprawled. From the outside, Muzan held a hand up to his ear as he listened to the symphony of the screaming children inside accompanied by the sound of tearing flesh, and then silence. It was like a beautiful orchestra that only a demon would find pleasing to the ear. Once the deed was done, he left Tanjiro to continue to eat until he was full. After some time, he could hear Tanjiro's human like crying after regaining consciousness after the attack. Crying is not what Muzan expected to hear from the newborn demon, but perhaps some of his human emotions were still left behind after the transformation. It wasn't uncommon for demons to keep some remanence of their past selves, even if they no longer had any of their human memories.

Muzan entered the home and saw the carnage that Tanjiro had left in his rampage. He grinned from ear to ear as he clapped in applause. "Amazingly well done! These blood splatters are like a signature, a true work of art signed off by a real bloodthirsty demon. I am so proud of you." Tanjiro hiccupped as he continued to cry. He didn't remember anything about who he was, but seeing these people for some reason brought him great sadness and he just couldn't understand why. "I don't know why I feel like this. I don't regret eating them but yet, why do their deaths bring me so much sorrow?" Muzan wasn't the one to comfort anyone, but it did make him uncomfortable to see a demon cry over spilled blood like this. Especially not from his newest and best creation who he needed if he wanted to become a true immortal. If he needed to play the fake supportive father figure, then so be it. "The feeling will fade away, eventually. But this is the natural order of things. We demons eat humans. You were just born and maybe that hasn't sunken in for you just yet. But you will stop hurting one day, I promise you." He said as he awkwardly started rubbing Tanjiro's back. He was finally able to cease his crying and hiccupped as he tilted his head to stare at Muzan. "Forgive me for asking, but who are you?" Muzan smirked as he already knew exactly what to say to appease this emotional demon's heart. "My name is Muzan Kibutsuji, and all demons call me lord Muzan. But you can call me father."

The two exited the house with Tanjiro completely drenched in the blood of his mother and three youngest siblings. "Where to now, father?" He asked as he hung his head low, still not feeling exactly okay with what he had just done. Muzan turned to face him and held out his hand which Tanjiro took hold of. "We're going home of course. Into the Infinity Castle." Tanjiro nodded but then jerked his head to the side as he caught the smell of two humans hiding behind a large pile of snow. Their smell was faint because the snow and blood was affecting his delicate nose, but their scent was strong enough for him to notice, but luckily Muzan hadn't caught on yet. Behind the large pile of snow, a trembling Nezuko sat on the icy floor with Takeo between her legs as she covered his ears to stop him from hearing the screams of their family, but he had heard everything despite her attempts at keeping his innocence. Muzan noticed Tanjiro staring and looked at him questioningly. "Is everything alright?" He asked the newborn but Tanjiro turned his attention back to his 'father' and shook his head. He didn't know why, but he wanted to spare those humans lives. He didn't want to experience that deep anguish again if he could avoid it. "Everything is fine. Let's get going, father." Muzan nodded and telepathically communicated with Nakime, the demon who controls the Infinity Castle, to teleport them in. And then they were gone in a flash as if they were never there to begin with.

After sensing the demons leave, Nezuko finally released Takeo's ears and he immediately started screaming and crying after witnessing such a traumatic event. Their beloved older brother, who had always loved them and swore to protect them and take care of them, had become a demon and killed everyone else. Nezuko and Takeo were now alone and had no where else to go. But who could care about that right now? Everyone they ever loved was gone. Just like that. Why did this happen? Why did everything go wrong so quickly?! "Big sister, why did he do this?! Why did big brother murder them?! Did he really not love us?! Has he been lying this whole time?!" Takeo said as he continued to scream. The loving image of his beloved Tanjiro that he held close to his heart was gone now. He could never think of him as the same person ever again. Not after what he did. Nezuko, who was now the only one left to take care of him, could do nothing except rub her grieving brother's back. Even though she wanted to cry herself, she couldn't show any weakness. She needed to try and be strong for the both of them. "I don't think it was his fault. That man with Tanjiro, he is the real one to blame. I bet he is the person that turned our older brother into that monster…"

Takeo pushed away from his sister and glared at her with an intensity of anger she had never seen on the ten year old's face before. "Who cares if that man turned Tanjiro into a demon?! He didn't make Tanjiro kill them; he did that all on his own! And when I find him… I'm going to kill him myself! I promise you! He will pay for what he's done!" He screamed out with rage that was like erupting from a volcano. Nezuko's eyes grew wide at the nonsense Takeo was spewing out right now. Tanjiro was still there brother, there has to be a reason for why this all happened. Tanjiro would never willingly do any of this, and for Takeo to dare say that he never loved them was a total insult to their older brother. He loved them more than anything and he should know that! Nezuko grabbed him forcibly by the shoulders and shook him to get him to stop. "ENOUGH! Don't you dare talk about big brother like that! He loved us with all of his heart! It was that man who did all this! He is the one we should want to kill, not our Tanjiro! We will get our revenge; I will not deny you that. But Tanjiro is just as much our family too and we need to save him. He let us go, he noticed us, and he didn't say a word! He's still in there somewhere I just know it. We just need to find him. Okay?" Takeo reluctantly nodded as he started crying again. Nezuko pulled him into a hug and finally, allowed herself to give into grief as well. This was undoubtedly the worst moment of their lives. And now was the right time to cry, but once that was over, they needed to get to work on solving this mystery and figure out just what that man wants with their big brother.