Haganezuka

After mooching a meal, Muzan came over to Yanagisawa Noriyuki's place.

As for Yoriichi, he had more or less come to terms with things. Carrying a Nichirin Blade and an ordinary sword, he set off to wander the world, casually killing any Half-Demons he encountered for Muzan along the way.

With two swords hanging from his waist, he looked like a dual-wielder.

Muzan was very dissatisfied with Tamayo's research progress.

How many years had it been?!

She still had not figured out how to overcome Wisteria Flowers!

So he intended to bring Yanagisawa Noriyuki over to help Tamayo work on it.

Yanagisawa Noriyuki had been leisurely taking his afternoon nap when Muzan's arrival startled him awake. He rolled over, dazedly climbed up from the tatami, and saw an enormous Demon King standing before him.

He woke up instantly.

After not seeing him for decades, he had suddenly appeared right in front of him.

"Go!"

Seeing that he was awake, Muzan grabbed him straight out of bed and took him directly to Tamayo's home.

Tamayo had also been napping. Startled awake by Muzan, whom she had not seen in decades, she jolted in fright. Like a ghost, he stood outside the window, casually holding another demon and watching her.

Tamayo got up, threw on a coat, pushed open the door, and looked at Muzan.

"Boss, what are you here for this time?"

Muzan set Yanagisawa Noriyuki down. "Your research is too slow. I found you an assistant."

Finally back on the ground, Yanagisawa Noriyuki straightened his clothes, held out a hand, and forced a smile onto his face. "Hi..."

Tamayo: "..."

Fine, it was her problem. Even after decades, she still had not figured out why Wisteria Flowers harmed and repelled demons.

With the air of someone entrusting them with an important task, Muzan solemnly patted both their shoulders. "Work hard! I have faith in you! Don't slack off."

With that, he vanished from the spot.

At most, Wisteria Flowers could weaken demons, poison them, and cause no fatal harm. Besides, he was no longer afraid of sunlight, so they could not stir up much trouble.

Moreover, Tamayo had once told him that if he was truly afraid, he could simply start eating Wisteria Flowers in advance. After eating them for a few years, he would naturally overcome it. If he looked on the bright side, perhaps he would stop fearing them after only a few times.

The process would just be painful.

Muzan had no intention of making himself suffer for nothing. Let Tamayo lose her hair over it!

His best support had come to his side. How could he waste him?

After giving the two of them their orders, Muzan began working on another matter.

One of his demons had discovered someone suspected to be Haganezuka.

In the Edo region, there was a child who depended on his father for survival. However, his father was gravely ill and bedridden.

The child survived by stealing. He had been caught and punished by the magistrate's office many times, but because he was still young, he had not been executed.

If one of Muzan's demons had not overheard rumors while passing by, they never would have found him.

Judging from the description, it was almost identical to Akaza's human life in the original story.

By the time Muzan rushed over, the child had become well-known far and wide because he stole everywhere and had been branded with a criminal's mark. Muzan had little trouble gathering plenty of information.

That child really was named Haganezuka!

"That guy lives here. What do you want with him?"

Haganezuka's neighbor pointed toward his home and looked at Muzan suspiciously.

Muzan smiled. "I'm a doctor. I heard there's a child here whose father is seriously ill."

"Fine, what overflowing kindness..."

The man muttered, shook his head, and left.

Another passerby came by. Seeing that this unfamiliar man seemed to be looking for Haganezuka, an old woman approached with concern written across her face. Clearly, she had not heard what Muzan had just said.

"Hello? Are you here looking for that child, Haganezuka?"

Muzan gave the approaching old woman a strange look. "Yes. Why?"

The old woman sighed. Assuming Muzan had been robbed and had come to demand compensation, she tried to persuade him.

"That child's father is seriously ill. He's been trying to earn money to buy medicine for his father. He's a pitiful child too, so please don't blame him too harshly."

Muzan understood what she meant.

"Don't worry. I'm a doctor. I only came to see whether I can treat his father."

The old woman sighed in relief and hurriedly led Muzan toward Haganezuka's home.

When they pushed open the door, the courtyard was empty. Through the half-open wooden door, they could see a man leaning against the wall, coughing violently.

The old woman hurried over and poured him a cup of water, introducing Muzan as she did so.

"He's a doctor. He came specifically to examine you."

The man's coughing finally stopped. He looked weakly at Muzan.

Muzan nodded in greeting, then stepped closer to examine him.

He had learned quite a bit of medicine from Tamayo and Yanagisawa Noriyuki, and he possessed both their memories. Treating an illness was still within his capabilities. Besides, Yanagisawa Noriyuki's ability was healing to begin with.

After examining him, Muzan roughly confirmed that it was only bronchitis. However, due to the long delay and lack of money for medicine, it had worsened to the point where even treatment had become difficult.

It was not actually hard to deal with. Muzan could resolve it directly with a single healing treatment.

But for his own purposes, Muzan decided to speak with Haganezuka first.

After the old woman left, Haganezuka soon ran home carrying a small packet of medicine.

Haganezuka's clothes were made from rough, grayish-brown scraps of cloth. They were practically just a piece of fabric that had been sewn together a few times, secured around his waist with a strip of black cloth.

His clothes were covered in patches, their edges already frayed. The black cloth around his waist was tattered as well, and the fabric tied around his wooden clogs had clearly been reattached several times.

Bruises from beatings could be seen on his wrists, ankles, and neck.

His short black hair was somewhat messy, but as he clutched the medicine in his hands, Haganezuka's face was full of smiles.

When he saw the unfamiliar person sitting inside the house, his first reaction was wariness.

Muzan wore a gentle smile. "Hello, I'm a doctor."

Haganezuka relaxed at those words, then hesitated. He wanted the doctor to examine and treat his father properly, but he feared he would not have the money to pay him.

Muzan continued, "I want to treat your father, and I won't charge a fee. However, I need to speak with you alone."

Muzan hoped to turn Haganezuka into a demon, but he would not force him to do so. What he was doing now was more out of pity for a character from the original story.

He felt that since he had come to this world, he should help if he could those characters from Demon Slayer who had made his heart ache with pity in his previous life.

After closing the bedroom door, Muzan looked at Haganezuka in the courtyard.

"I examined him just now. Your father's illness is only bronchitis. It should not have been difficult to treat, but because it was delayed for too long..."

Hearing that, Haganezuka hurriedly asked, "Is there a way to treat it?"

Muzan nodded. "There is, but it will be somewhat troublesome."

"As long as you can treat my father, anything is fine!"

Haganezuka, only in his teens, stood before Muzan and spoke anxiously.

"No matter how much money it takes, I'll find a way!"

Muzan smiled. "Don't worry, you don't need to pay. I can prepare the medicinal ingredients."

Haganezuka's expression changed in shock before he asked, "Then... what do you need me to do?"