Go Pick Up Your Head!

At this point, Upper Rank One and the upper-rank ceiling had both arrived.

More than forty years had passed, and Muzan had always been very annoyed.

Because he had discovered that this place did not have sunflower seeds!!!

Why were there no sunflower seeds?!

Every time he went to watch some excitement, he could not even snack on sunflower seeds!

Luckily, there was watermelon for him to gnaw on.

Thanks to his tentacles, Muzan could always hold up a book with one tentacle while holding watermelon in his hand. Even if his hands got covered in watermelon juice, it did not affect his leisure reading.

After tossing aside the rind, Muzan washed his hands and used his Blood Demon Art to arrive near Yoriichi's home.

It was now before dawn, and the sun had not yet risen, but Yoriichi was already up making breakfast.

In this era, Uta was already considered very long-lived at over seventy. But by now, her body had grown weaker and weaker, and she could barely do any work.

Even breakfast had to be made by Yoriichi, and she could only eat things like porridge.

Muzan knocked on the door. Yoriichi, who was cooking porridge, glanced back, opened the door, and saw Muzan outside.

Yoriichi still looked young, but the experiences of the past forty or fifty years had given him a hint of old age.

Yoriichi could guess why Muzan had come. He pointed toward Uta's room and said, "She'll wake up soon. Wait a moment first."

"Alright." Muzan found a place to sit, then looked curiously at Yoriichi, who was busy nearby.

"Where are your son and grandson?"

"They joined the Demon Slayer Corps."

Muzan: "..."

Not bad, huh.

Creak~

The door let out a soft groan. Carrying a bowl of porridge, Yoriichi opened it and walked inside.

In the small room, the elderly Uta lay on a tatami mat beneath a cotton blanket, struggling to open her eyes.

Yoriichi set the porridge aside, crouched down to help Uta sit up, then picked up the bowl and fed her with a spoon.

Leaning against the wall, Uta smiled. After swallowing a few spoonfuls of porridge, she could not help coughing again.

Once her coughing finally stopped, Uta looked at Yoriichi.

"You don't blame me for refusing to become a demon, do you?"

Yoriichi shook his head. "No."

Uta smiled. "You've worked hard taking care of me all these years. It's a pity I have to leave you alone."

Yoriichi seemed to understand what she meant. His expression turned somewhat bitter as he set down the porridge and leaned against her.

Seeing that there was not much time left, Muzan hurried inside.

Uta looked at Muzan and smiled. "Lord Muzan..."

"This really is the last time. Are you sure you don't want to become a demon?"

Uta shook her head. "There's no need anymore. I've had enough."

She had been happy. She had children, a husband who loved her, and had experienced everything she had wanted. She was content now.

Everyone had their own aspirations. Uta no longer asked for anything.

"Ah..." Muzan sighed. "Fine. I'm leaving."

Uta smiled and leaned against Yoriichi. "Yoriichi, open the window. I want to watch the sunrise."

"Alright."

Ten days later, Yoriichi arrived at Infinity Castle and looked at Nakime.

"Where's Muzan?"

Nakime said nothing. She lightly plucked the strings of her biwa, and with a soft chime, Yoriichi appeared in Muzan's courtyard.

The moment Muzan looked up and saw Yoriichi, he understood that Uta was gone.

He lowered his book, then suddenly noticed that Yoriichi's face was expressionless, even carrying a sense that he had seen through everything and let go.

"Don't tell me you've let go too and don't want to live anymore?!"

Yoriichi: "..."

Apparently not.

Muzan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on, don't be sad. Uta made her own choice."

Muzan got down from his rocking chair and somehow produced a small sweet pastry out of thin air, handing it to Yoriichi. "Eat something sweet. Stop making such a bitter face."

As Yoriichi ate the sweet pastry, tears could not help falling from his eyes.

"I don't know why, but I've always had the feeling that I've been given so much happiness I was never meant to have."

Muzan raised an eyebrow. The world of Demon Slayer really was mysterious.

"Who cares whether you were meant to have it or not? As long as you're happy, that's enough. Don't overthink it."

Yoriichi nodded.

Then Muzan added.

"Oh, right. Kokushibo is looking for you."

Yoriichi: "?"

"He's trained with the sword for decades and wants to fight you. Want me to have Nakime send you over?"

Yoriichi nodded and took the paper Muzan handed him, wiping the pastry crumbs and grease from his hands.

Out of curiosity, Muzan was teleported along with him.

Decades of wandering had also left Kokushibo somewhat weary. He had opened a dojo and spent every day and night honing his existing techniques and training his body.

And whenever some fool who did not know his place showed up, he would gladly "accept" them. His strength had increased greatly.

After receiving word from Muzan that Yoriichi was coming, he immediately went to an open field.

Yoriichi and Muzan were sent over by Nakime as well.

Kokushibo looked solemn and serious as he drew his long sword and stood ready. Looking at Yoriichi, who had already taken the sword Muzan handed him, he took a deep breath.

"Come. Don't hold back!"

Whoosh—Yoriichi drew his sword.

Having lost his wife not long ago, Yoriichi truly needed an outlet. A terrifying aura radiated from him, and Kokushibo immediately felt the pressure multiply.

Tsugikuni Yoriichi showed no mercy as he used his full strength.

Sun Breathing!

The blade seemed to carry blazing flames as it stirred up scorching waves of heat.

Thirteenth Form!

In the next instant, Kokushibo's vision flashed. Pain came from his neck, the world spun before his eyes, and his head was cleanly cut off.

Instant kill!

Kokushibo had not even had the chance to use his swordsmanship before he was directly beheaded...

"Alright! Kokushibo loses!"

Watching from the side as the referee, Muzan shouted at the sight.

Yoriichi sheathed his sword and looked at his headless older brother. "Thank you."

He felt that his brother had used this as an excuse to give him an outlet, and he truly did not feel as bad now.

Kokushibo did not look pleased. He had been brimming with confidence only to be instantly defeated. He had never been especially magnanimous, and now it felt like he had been slapped in the face.

Though there was indeed some truth to it, and he had never expected to defeat Yoriichi, he should at least have lasted a while!

"Alright, stop scowling. Go pick up your head!"

Muzan reminded Kokushibo from the side.

His head was still lying on the ground!

Kokushibo's expression darkened even further. He walked over, bent down to pick up his head, pressed it back on, and glared at his boss.

Naturally, the swords the two used were ordinary swords. Otherwise, before surpassing their limits and overcoming decapitation, they could not withstand such treatment.

Besides, Nichirin Blades truly did more damage than ordinary swords.

Muzan walked over and patted Kokushibo on the shoulder.

"Cheer up. You've definitely grown stronger. At the very least, you're the strongest besides Yoriichi and me."

"I'm not that fragile."

Kokushibo glanced at Muzan, then looked toward where he lived. "I prepared lunch."

"Awesome! Kokushibo is feeding us today!"

Since Muzan was too lazy to cook, aside from buying meals outside, he took turns freeloading meals at all the demons' homes.

Yoriichi: "..."

Of course, he had not escaped being freeloaded off either.

Though Kokushibo's cooking was not very good, he knew how to enjoy life and would hire others to cook for him.

Though humans were still the most tempting thing for demons.

They naturally would not refuse the chance to enjoy other food.

Ordinary food digested quickly, but it was far easier to obtain than their former food.

So long as they were not overly obsessed with strength or encountered someone whose continued existence was a waste of air, they generally ate properly.