It Really Is

Muzan slowed his movements, pretending not to notice, and continued walking forward at an unhurried pace.

At this moment, the person hiding around the corner had already raised the weapon in their hand high, waiting for Muzan to turn the corner before striking.

As if unaware, Muzan slowly turned around. The person suddenly brought the iron spike in their hand down.

The next second, the iron spike was caught by Muzan. He also clearly saw the person attacking him: a long-haired woman in tattered clothes.

She realized her assassination attempt had failed and was even more terrified by Muzan's absurd reaction speed and strength, hastily trying to retrieve her weapon.

But Muzan's hand was gripping it tightly. She couldn't snatch it back at all, so she decisively let go and tried to escape.

Unexpectedly, the next second Muzan grabbed her wrist and yanked her forward.

She lost her balance and fell to the ground.

Muzan still held her hand tightly, looking down at her.

In her eyes, the man with absurd strength looked terrifying, and his expression seemed displeased.

But she didn't know that Muzan was actually feeling a bit delighted and excited. The current scene seemed to closely resemble the description in the manga.

Could it really be Nakime?!

Muzan looked at the terrified woman on the ground, and without a word, his fingernails instantly grew long, and he stabbed forward.

Nakime's pupils constricted. Intense pain shot through her forehead, followed by a burning sensation that spread throughout her entire body, making her feel like she was about to explode.

Muzan withdrew his hand, flicked the bloodstains from his fingers, and watched the woman curled up on the ground, screaming.

Finally, after a moment, her cries quieted down. Apart from her heavy breathing and rapid heartbeat, her expression became calm. The moment she became a Demon, she understood that the presence before her was the infamous Demon King, and she had become his subordinate.

Nakime showed no emotional change and accepted the shift in her identity immediately.

Having long suffered abuse from her husband and lived a difficult life, she was mentally numb. As long as she was alive, she had no other thoughts.

She slowly got up and knelt on the ground with a respectful expression.

Muzan was finally able to confirm that the woman before him was indeed Nakime, the "secretary" of the Scum Boss from the original story.

However, after reading Nakime's memories, Muzan couldn't help but feel some sympathy for her. He was also fortunate to have found her before she started killing people solely for the thrill of it.

Otherwise, if Nakime got addicted to killing, he would have had to counsel her.

After all, he quite admired Nakime. She was an excellent support, and he didn't want to give up on her.

However, Nakime's current almost numb psychology was indeed quite twisted.

Nakime's screams had also attracted the attention of those around her. Muzan grabbed Nakime by the shoulder and flashed away with her.

Nakime's Blood Demon Art was naturally the same as in the original work—Infinity Castle.

But honestly, thinking about it now, he didn't seem to have much need for Infinity Castle. At most, it would just be an extra place to live...

Muzan brought Nakime to his residence, tossed her aside, and lay back in his beloved rocking chair before looking at her and saying:

"Stop kneeling. Go pick a room."

At the same time, Muzan notified his subordinate demons to come over and explain the rules and requirements for Nakime's future conduct.

Things like not killing innocents and the necessity of studying hard.

Perhaps influenced by the nine years of compulsory education, Muzan felt that his subordinate demons shouldn't be illiterate!

Meanwhile, at Muzan's suggestion, Yoriichi began to pay attention to his elder brother, Tsugikuni Michikatsu's situation.

In fact, Tsugikuni Michikatsu wasn't trying too hard to hide his emotions.

The heavy summer rain beat down on the courtyard. Yoriichi saw Tsugikuni Michikatsu practicing his sword, as he had done every day for ten years, through the window. The raindrops, the size of red beans, struck Tsugikuni Michikatsu's body like pebbles, falling densely.

Yoriichi clearly saw the unwillingness and suppressed emotions on his elder brother's face. Muzan's words kept echoing in his mind.

Yoriichi felt a pang of sympathy. He picked up a bamboo umbrella nearby, pushed open the door, and opened it.

Michikatsu was immersed in the sound of the dense rain and hadn't noticed Yoriichi approaching with the umbrella until its shadow fell over him.

The raindrops pattered on the umbrella. Water dripped from Michikatsu's hair. He turned and saw Yoriichi, his face full of worry. His already displeased expression grew even more somber. He looked at Yoriichi with a dark face, his voice filled with impatience and disgust:

"What are you doing here?"

"Brother, the rain is too heavy. Please rest for a while."

Yoriichi held the umbrella, and the raindrops dripping from its edge fell onto his shoulders.

"I don't need your concern!"

Tsugikuni Michikatsu pushed Yoriichi away. He didn't need Yoriichi to shield him from the rain!

Yoriichi took a step back. Under the heavy filter of his previous perception, he had only seen Michikatsu's actions as his desperate efforts and strong will. But now, with Muzan's reminder, he finally realized that Michikatsu seemed to harbor some dissatisfaction towards him.

As Muzan had said, the overly competitive Michikatsu saw his younger brother, whom he should have protected, become a genius, while he himself became the "weak one." This unwillingness fueled jealousy and madness.

"You don't have to push yourself like this. No matter what, I'm still just your brother."

Yoriichi looked at his brother, who had raised his sword and was swinging it in the rain again.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu frowned at his words and stopped. He turned to look at Yoriichi again, a mocking smile on his face:

"You think everyone is born a genius like you?! Huh?!"

His suppressed emotions erupted uncontrollably. Kokushibo lunged forward, roughly grabbing Yoriichi's collar and roaring at him:

"I've worked so hard for so many years!

Every day, I practiced my sword, practiced my sword! And I still couldn't compare to you! Why?!

Just because you're a genius?!

Why is it you!

It should have been me!

I should be the one standing in front of everyone!"

Tsugikuni Kokushibo's dream was not just to become the strongest samurai, but also a strong person who could bear everything, stand in front of everyone, protect the weak, including Yoriichi, and shoulder the responsibilities of the strong.

But in a blink of an eye, Yoriichi, who should have been the weak one, had become a power he couldn't reach. Meticulous, gentle, and strong. The more perfect Yoriichi was, the more envious he became.

After venting his frustrations, Tsugikuni Kokushibo saw that Yoriichi, whose collar he was still gripping, had a face full of pity. His anger surged even more. His expression turned calm, and he shoved Yoriichi away:

"I don't need your pity. Get lost."

Yoriichi watched as Tsugikuni Kokushibo turned and picked up the sword that had been thrown to the ground. He remained silent for a long time, then, with a sorrowful expression, bowed slightly: "I'm sorry."

Tsugikuni Kokushibo glanced at him as he turned his head, let out a mocking "Tsk," and shifted his attention away from Yoriichi.

He didn't need anyone's pity. He only needed to rely on all his efforts, surpass the so-called genius, and then become the strongest samurai, the strongest person who could protect the weak.