Institutional Improvements

Just as he had expected, Muzan was walking through the bustling streets when a voice full of delighted surprise called out to him:

"Doctor?!"

Muzan turned toward the sound and saw a slightly aged figure staring blankly at him with an ecstatic expression.

Tears actually shimmered in his eyes, and he seemed somewhat dazed.

"Haganezuka?"

Muzan asked tentatively.

The aged figure wore grayish-brown clothes, and his black hair, streaked with gray and white, still retained the hairstyle Muzan remembered.

"It really is you!"

Haganezuka hurried through the crowd, half-running toward him in delight.

Muzan brought Haganezuka to a restaurant, poured some tea, and smiled.

"I've been looking for you for quite a while."

Already past forty, Haganezuka smiled like a child in front of Muzan, who still looked only twenty.

"While I still live, I want to repay your kindness."

The moment Haganezuka finished speaking, hurried footsteps suddenly rang out from outside. They rapidly drew closer, and in the blink of an eye, three people rushed into the restaurant with swords in hand.

"Demon!"

"Get away from here! He's a demon!"

The Demon Slayers shouted as they raised their blades and charged.

Muzan immediately felt his mood sour and glanced at Haganezuka beside him.

The moment he saw the doctor who looked exactly as he had back then, he had already begun to suspect something.

Now, as the panicked crowd fled while the doctor showed no fear whatsoever, and the Demon Slayers raised their blades to strike at Muzan, he received his confirmation.

One Demon Slayer grabbed Haganezuka's wrist, trying to pull him away as he shouted a warning, "This guy is a demon! Run!"

Muzan stood and caught the Nichirin Blade with one hand. Seeing Haganezuka being held by the wrist, utterly fearless and unwilling to leave, put him in a much better mood. He smiled.

"Do you want to become a demon?"

Haganezuka nodded firmly.

Although the Demon Slayers did not understand the full situation, it was obvious that this man wanted to become a demon!

Without hesitation, they raised their blades and slashed at both of them together.

Demon Slayer!

Muzan grabbed the Nichirin Blade and exerted force.

Crack!

The sturdy Nichirin Blade snapped in two.

Then he kicked each of them aside. "Stop making trouble."

Turning back, Muzan extended his fingernails and, under Haganezuka's slightly nervous gaze, stabbed one into his head.

Before becoming a demon, Haganezuka had never imagined that it would hurt this much!

And why did it have to be through the head?!

The three Demon Slayers watched helplessly as a demon was born before their eyes, but their abdomens hurt like hell from the kicks, leaving them completely unable to get up. They glared viciously at Muzan.

Having witnessed this, how could they not know that this man was none other than the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji?!

Haganezuka, who had regained his youthful appearance, seemed to have regained a youthful mindset as well. He followed Muzan into the Infinity Castle and curiously looked around.

"From now on, you'll be called Akaza. Consider it a farewell to your former self."

Akaza nodded. "All right."

Muzan continued, "As a demon, I won't make you work yourself to death either. But I have one requirement!"

Akaza's expression turned serious. He listened carefully to hear what Muzan would demand, determined to accomplish it with all his strength!

"You must learn to read every character!"

Akaza: "???"

What did you say???

"All right, I'll send you to Kokushibo first. Learn from him."

Kokushibo: You're really giving me more work to do! I still need to practice my swordsmanship!

From that day onward, Akaza began his miserable days of studying. Kokushibo could not be bothered to supervise him much, simply tossing books at him and largely leaving him alone. He would only come by from time to time to deal with the questions that had piled up.

Akaza: I want to cry.

Who knew becoming a demon meant having to learn to read?!

After spending several years on it, Akaza finally passed Muzan's assessment.

It had been excruciating.

He had thought that after becoming a demon, he would serve Muzan without hesitation, no matter what he was asked to do.

After all, even though Muzan was the Demon King, he had left Akaza with a very good impression. Akaza believed Muzan could not possibly do evil, and he had been determined to repay him with his endless life.

But he had never imagined that the first step in repaying him would be learning to read!

You could have sent me into battle, made me fight, even made me kill people!

I had honed myself for my entire life, and then you turned around and made me study.

This was genuinely enough to make someone cry to death.

Still, during those years, he had not only learned to read. He had also mastered his Blood Demon Art—Destructive Death—strengthened his determination to grow more powerful, and learned some strange "rules" among demons.

For example, Muzan liked it when others called him Boss. Of course, calling him Lord Muzan was fine too.

Muzan liked stabbing people in the head.

Demons were not afraid of sunlight, so go sunbathe boldly!

It was fine not to eat people. Just make sure to eat properly.

There was a type of demon beyond Muzan's control—Half-Demons. Kill them whenever you encountered them!

Things like that.

Before long, every demon received a notice from Muzan.

Muzan established several rules. Although they were not particularly useful, those with special titles would at most be granted the authority to create demons by Muzan. Other than that, they were merely titles, but they still stirred up competitiveness among the demons.

The first was the Twelve Kizuki.

They were divided into Upper Ranks and Lower Ranks.

Six members each.

Kokushibo took the position of Upper Rank One, and Akaza became Upper Rank Two. Anyone else who wanted a position could apply at the Infinity Castle.

After becoming one of the Twelve Kizuki, they could be challenged at any time in a Blood Battle for Rank.

The loser would be replaced.

As for Tsugikuni Yoriichi, he was given the title of Ceiling.

Tsugikuni Yoriichi: Muzan, is something wrong with your brain?

He also established the Star Rank, specifically for powerful support personnel.

Tamayo, Nakime, Yanagisawa Noriyuki, Maruoka Kinuko, and Maruoka Gōnin were granted the title of Star Rank.

In truth, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, Kokushibo, Tamayo, and the others had no desire to play along with Muzan's nonsense, but they still gave him some face.

Muzan: Then should I thank you?

In short, the system among demons was finally complete.

However, considering that Tamayo and Yanagisawa Noriyuki were still busy working on the Wisteria Flower, while everyone else had their own matters to attend to, Muzan did not make a huge fuss by summoning all the "ranked members" to the Infinity Castle for a pointless meeting.

Infinity Castle.

Muzan pointed at Akaza, who had passed his literacy examination, and scolded Kagetsuki Chiyo, who stubbornly refused to study.

"Look at him! He learned every character in just a few years! You're a demon several hundred years old, so why can't you let me worry less?!"

Kagetsuki Chiyo looked like a student who had been called outside by a teacher for a scolding. He lowered his head and remained silent.

Muzan could tell that he was the type who admitted his mistakes but refused to change.

So he simply stopped wasting time.

He looked at Akaza. "I'm leaving him to you. Teach him to read."

Then he glared at Kagetsuki Chiyo. "If you don't learn to read, don't even think about leaving the Infinity Castle!"

"Nakime, if he uses illusions, teach him a lesson!"

Nakime nodded.

After giving his instructions, Muzan left the Infinity Castle.

Akaza and Kagetsuki Chiyo were left staring at each other.

Akaza was dumbfounded. He had barely endured several years of hardship to learn every character, and now he had to go through the trouble of teaching someone else???

"Hehe..."

The "bad student" Kagetsuki Chiyo scratched his head and looked at Akaza sheepishly.