17 Muzan

[Ding! Dungeon mission activated:]

[Main Quest 1/1: The World is Tainted Again]

[Quest Description: Evil spirits are rampant, treating humans like livestock! Kill the Demon King and purify the world!]

[1) Kill Muzan Kibutsuji before the end of the dungeon, with fewer than 3 current Pillars☆]

[2) Kill Muzan Kibutsuji before the end of the dungeon, with 3 or more but fewer than 6 current Pillars☆☆]

[3) Kill Muzan Kibutsuji before the end of the dungeon, with 6 or more current Pillars or all surviving☆☆☆]

In the dim alley, Aomori frowned.

Kill Muzan? And ensure all the Pillars survive?

Kibutsuji Muzan, also known as the Demon King, is the ultimate antagonist of the Demon Slayer world, the progenitor of many man-eating demons, and the source of many tragedies.

Evil demons not only possess far superior strength to humans but are also extremely difficult to kill. Only sunlight and items with relevant properties can kill them. Muzan's abilities far surpass those of ordinary demons.

To resist the evil demons, humans established the Demon Slayer Corps, with the Pillars being the strongest members. However, humans with their flesh and blood have never been a match for evil demons. If Muzan hadn't always looked down on humans, the Demon Slayer Corps would have been wiped out long ago.

So, this task is much more difficult than the previous one, and there's a reason why the original was jokingly called "Pillar Extermination Blade." Only a few Pillars survive the final battle.

And the dungeon mission is only one because if Muzan is killed, will the other demons also die along with him?

Aomori's thoughts were racing, but he quickly responded in reality. He stood up, stretched his body, and said to the concerned Tanjiro, "I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"That's good. I saw you lying in the alley and thought something happened to you," Tanjiro patted his chest, relieved. "Seeing you dressed so lightly, you must be cold. Shall I take you to Granny Tamayo's to warm up? Granny Tamayo is a very kind person."

In the midst of winter, with heavy snowfall last night, and Aomori wearing the newly drawn sportswear, it's no wonder Tanjiro would think so.

"No need." Aomori's physique was strong, and this level of cold wasn't a problem. He looked Tanjiro up and down, finally focusing on the basket he was carrying behind him.

Tanjiro noticed his gaze and said with a smile, "I brought charcoal from home to sell in town. Just finished selling and was about to head back home."

He smelled a very pleasant scent from Aomori, so he firmly believed that Aomori was a good person and acted quite familiarly.

'Is this the opening plot? Confronting Muzan at the beginning? Avoid or fight?'

In an instant, Aomori made up his mind. He solemnly said to Tanjiro, "Do you trust me?"

"?" Tanjiro nodded in confusion.

"Okay, let's go back to your house first. I suspect your family is in danger."

"Danger?"

"No time to explain, let's talk on the way."

Aomori took out his Poké Balls and released Pidgeot and Absol. "Pidgeot, keep watch from the sky. Absol, carry this kid."

"Pidgeot!" Pidgeot flapped its wings and flew into the sky.

"Absol!" Absol bit Tanjiro's clothes and hoisted him onto its back.

"What is this?" Tanjiro had never seen an animal like Absol before, and they came out of those small balls?

Tanjiro felt his understanding of the world crumbling.

"Which way is your house?"

Dazed, Tanjiro pointed to the right.

"Sit tight, we're off."

"Ah, wait!"

...

Under the cover of night, two shadows hurried through the snowy landscape.

"Aomori-san, are you sure what you said is true? Are there really man-eating demons in this world?" Despite sensing the truth from Aomori's scent, Tanjiro still asked incredulously.

"Yes, a thousand years ago, for some reason, a man named Muzan Kibutsuji turned into a demon and gained the ability to turn humans into demons. Unless the Demon King is killed, demons will not disappear. I came here to hunt him down."

"You came here?" Tanjiro suddenly understood. "You mean that Demon King might target my family?"

"Yes."

"What should we do?" Tanjiro panicked; his family meant everything to him.

"Don't worry, I'm here." Aomori said calmly.

Feeling the mysterious creature beneath him, watching Aomori effortlessly traverse the snow, Tanjiro suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of security and quickly calmed down.

"Okay!" He nodded vigorously.

"Oh, there's one more thing."

"Huh?"

...

Passing through a small grove, they could already see a small cabin emitting a faint orange light in the distance.

"No smell of blood!" Tanjiro relaxed completely.

Aomori also nodded. It seems they arrived in time.

At the door, Tauros stopped, and Tanjiro immediately jumped down and knocked on the door.

"Mom, Nezuko, I'm back!"

With a creak, the door opened quickly, revealing a cute girl with a headscarf, placing her index finger on her lips, "Shh," she whispered softly, "Welcome back, big brother. The kids are all asleep. Keep your voice down."

"Okay." Tanjiro took a deep breath and spoke softly, "Nezuko, did anything happen today?"

"Nothing, everyone's fine." Nezuko saw Aomori behind Tanjiro and asked curiously, "Big brother, who is this?"

"He's Aomori-san, I met him in town..." Tanjiro stammered, not knowing how to explain why he brought Aomori home.

"Hello, Aomori-san." Nezuko bowed politely and said, "Come in first and we'll talk. It's cold outside."

Aomori shook his head and took two steps back. "I won't come in. Tanjiro, remember, no matter what sounds you hear later, don't come out. It'll be fine by morning."

"Aomori-san, are you..." Tanjiro wanted to help.

"Tanjiro, your job is to protect your family." Aomori's tone became solemn. "Don't wait until you regret losing them."

With that, Aomori turned and walked into the small grove without looking back.

'The taste of sadness. Could it be that Aomori-san...' Tanjiro gritted his teeth, closed the door, and locked it.

He picked up an axe and held it firmly in his hand, sitting down at the door.

Nezuko and her mother watched his actions, feeling a bit panicked. "Tanjiro, what's going on?"

"Mom, there's something dangerous outside. Don't worry, I'll protect you. I promised Dad." Tanjiro held the axe, staring at the door, praying in his heart, "Aomori-san, please be safe!"

Aomori entered the forest and summoned Bibi Bird. In such a dark night, even with sharp eyesight, it was useless.

"You guys stay here."

Absol and Pidgeot responded with a nod.

Starting with Kibutsuji, this was a rare opportunity. If this opportunity was missed, the cowardly boss would hide, and who knows where he would go. Aomori couldn't wait for two years until the end of the original plot.

However, even with this opportunity in hand, without the Sunlight Sword, Aomori was more than capable of self-preservation but had a hard time killing Muzan, whose regenerative ability far exceeded that of cockroaches. The terrain here was complex, and it would be difficult to wait until dawn.

Regardless of which method he chose, the likelihood of success was low. He regretted not teaching Abosolo how to use the Clear Blue Sky.

In this situation, he could only rely on one his best techniques.

[Healing Technique] is awesome!

At the same time, the usually home-bound otaku boss inexplicably had an impulse, thinking deeply, and left his lair, coming to this forest. He happened to encounter Aomori, who was sitting under a tree, preparing himself.

Their eyes met, and Aomori and Muzan both smiled.

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