--The hunter in the darkness!
Night had Mount Kumotori in a dense, impenetrable darkness.
A white, ghostly figure moved silently through the forest, as fast as the wind, yet without even stirring up a single leaf.
The Yaoshi's steps finally stopped in front of a small clearing.
The information here is exactly the same as the information he got out of that silly boy during the day.
A solitary grave, surrounded by a few old trees, and nothing else.
"This is it..."
The Yaoshi pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, forming a wild, manic arc.
His eyes, glowing eerily in the darkness, were fixed on the unremarkable patch of land in front of the grave, as if he could already see countless green flowers blooming wildly under the sun.
A secret that has lasted for a thousand years.
The ultimate answer that even the progenitor of demons couldn't find after searching for thousands of years.
Surprisingly, he, a newcomer who had only joined the Twelve Kizuki a few months ago, found it using a bit of cleverness.
What's this?
This is fate!!
This is the chosen one!!
"Muzan, oh Lord Muzan ~"
The Yaoshi chuckled softly, his voice brimming with undisguised superiority.
"In the end, your mind was still bound by the sorrow of being a ghost."
"How can one find the miracle flower that only blooms in the sun if one only dares to act in the darkness?"
He took a deep breath; the chilly mountain air calmed his heart, which was agitated by ecstasy.
Next, we just wait.
A high-stakes gamble.
A gamble where everything is at stake, the ultimate high-stakes gamble.
I bet that damned flower will really, just like that naive and foolish boy said, miraculously bloom at midday when the sun is at its strongest.
The Yaoshi found the largest tree with the densest leaves and the most shady branches, like a snake preparing to hibernate, and hid among its tangled roots.
He must stay here and wait for the rabbit to run into the tree stump.
He endured the daytime sunlight that made his soul tremble, waiting for that one and only chance.
The long night finally faded away as the first hint of dawn appeared on the horizon.
The first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and slanted into the forest.
"Sizzle..."
Even through layers of leaves, the light was like the most poisonous curse, causing the Yaoshi's skin to burn.
He instinctively shrank back, burying himself even deeper into the shadows.
An instinct from the ghosts, a fear of sunlight, surged up like a tide.
But he managed to suppress it.
His handsome face was slightly distorted from extreme restraint.
"To become the Ultimate Lifeform... this little bit of pain is nothing!"
He stared intently at the graveyard, beginning a long and agonizing wait.
Time passed, second by second.
He remained motionless, like a lifeless stone statue.
All he could hear were various annoying "noises".
"Buzzing..."
A reckless mosquito in the woods, attracted by the faint scent of blood on him, circled around his ear.
The Yaoshi's brow twitched involuntarily.
"Twitter!"
The birdsong in the trees also annoyed him terribly.
He suppressed the urge to turn every living thing within a hundred miles into a virus culture medium, focusing all his attention on that open space.
There was only one thought in his mind.
Flowering!
Bloom quickly!!
If he could get that flower and swallow it, he could break free from this damned curse and become the only god walking under the sun!
By then, what will become of the Demon Slayer Corps, the Upper Rank comrades, or even... that Muzan Lord Muzan...?
They will all be dust beneath his feet!
He will usher in a brand new era, dominated by this great "physician"!
Just as the Yaoshi was immersed in his grand plan, a vague, everyday sound drifted into his ears on the wind.
I'm back!
It was a boy's voice, full of sunshine and energy—the same silly charcoal seller from earlier that day.
Then came the children's cheers, and a woman's gentle reproach.
"Tanjiro, slow down, don't break the basket."
"Brother! Welcome home!"
"Brother! Did you earn money today? Can I buy candy?"
The Yaoshi's brow furrowed even more.
At the mountaintop, the little wooden cabin was now filled with warmth and life.
Tanjiro Kamado put down his basket, a particularly bright smile on his face.
"Mom, look! I sold all the charcoal today! And I even met an amazing doctor!"
He excitedly pulled out several packets of herbs wrapped in oil paper from his pocket and handed them to his mother, Kie.
"The divine physician heard about my father's illness and gave me these medicines for free! He said they can help my father recover!"
"Really? Thank you so much..."
Kie took the medicine packet and looked at her eldest son's face, which was covered in charcoal ash but still looked bright and energetic. Her eyes were filled with both relief and heartache.
"Brother! What does the miracle doctor look like?"
Nezuko's younger sister, brought over a basin of warm water and helped Tanjiro wash his face.
"The divine physician is so young and handsome, dressed in pure white, and speaks so gently, just like someone from a painting!"
Tanjiro enjoyed his sister's care while gesturing wildly as he described it.
He also said he was looking for a blue flower that only blooms during the day, to use in making a miracle cure that could save many lives!
"Wow! Brother, can you tell him what kind of flower blooms next to our family's ancestral grave?" The younger brother, Takeo, leaned over, his face full of curiosity.
"Of course! The divine physician was overjoyed when he heard that! He even said that he would come up the mountain to find me himself once he was done with his work!"
The family sat together, listening to Tanjiro talk about things in town; the small house was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Soon, the aroma of dinner wafted out.
There were no delicacies on the table, just a pot of steaming wild vegetable porridge and a few roasted potatoes.
But everyone ate with great relish.
The youngest, Rokuta, clung to Tanjiro's arms, insisting that his older brother feed him before he would eat.
Delia and Shigeru, one on each side, chattered excitedly about the beautiful stones they had found in the mountains that day.
Tanjuro Kamado, the father who had been lying on the sickbed in the inner room, also put on his coat and sat down at the table with Kie's help.
His face was pale, his body was thin, and he would occasionally let out a suppressed cough.
But as he looked at the group of lively and adorable children before him, his deep eyes were filled with a gentle smile.
"Tanjiro."
He took a sip of the medicinal soup that Tanjiro had brought him, his voice weak but clear.
Was that doctor a good person?
"Yes! That's right!"
Tanjiro nodded vigorously.
"He cured many people in the town! Everyone says he's a living bodhisattva!"
"Yeah..."
Tanjuro didn't say anything more, he just smiled and ruffled Tanjiro's hair.
That gaze pierced through the simple wooden door and looked into the deep darkness outside.
It's as if I can see some indescribable... shadow hidden beneath the tranquility.
The night grew deeper and deeper.
The laughter and chatter in the room gradually subsided, replaced by the even breathing of the children.
And in the dark woods not far from this warm place.
The Yaoshi slowly stretched his body, which had been as stiff as a stone.
He watched as the last light in the wooden house went out, and listened as the whole world fell into dead silence.
The face hidden in the shadows slowly revealed a cold, cruel smile, yet filled with endless anticipation.
"What a family that's so happy it's disgusting."
He licked his dry lips, a greedy glint in his eyes.
"Perfect timing, once I've finished creating this perfect body..."
"I'll use you guys as my first batch of... clinical trial subjects."