Muzan Kibutsuji

After failing to land several consecutive blows, Sanemi realized that his opponent was definitely trained and far beyond his ability to defeat. He calmed down considerably.

Why was this guy giving his younger siblings snacks? Out of kindness?

At that thought, Sanemi laughed at himself. Even a man who was supposed to be a father could sell his own children. Could the kindness of a stranger really be trusted?

This was the environment Sanemi had grown up in. It was truly difficult for him to believe that someone would be good to others for no reason.

"Hey!"

"Your punches are slow, kid!"

Hiruma said with a smile. The next moment, he threw a swift punch that grazed past Sanemi's face with terrifying force.

In an instant, Sanemi's eyes widened, every hair on his body standing on end as waves of fear surged through him.

This guy had deliberately missed. At that realization, he sucked in a cold breath. His opponent was far stronger than he had imagined.

"I really don't mean any harm. Otherwise, do you think you could stop me?" Hiruma patted Sanemi on the shoulder and smiled faintly.

"Then what do you want? Charity?"

"I don't believe there are good people in this world who do things without expecting anything in return!" Sanemi's face darkened, and he remained highly vigilant.

"Eh!" Hiruma chuckled and teased, "Well, you've met one today. I just happen to like sticking my nose into other people's business."

"Huh?!" Sanemi looked at him as if he were an idiot. Was something wrong with this guy's head?

Ignoring Sanemi, Hiruma walked into his house. Just as Sanemi was about to stop him, Hiruma waved without turning around and said:

"Yesterday, some guy named Genya Shinazugawa tried to rob me."

Sanemi froze at those words. That damned man had caused trouble again.

"I'm sorry!"

"I acted impulsively!"

He immediately bent at the waist in a ninety-degree bow. Though he despised that bastard of a father every moment of every day, he felt guilty when he thought about how he had just attacked Hiruma, who was also a victim of his father.

Hiruma did not care in the least. After all, Sanemi was a loyal and affectionate person. He turned back with a grin and said, "Forget the apology. Do you think he could beat me?"

But then he changed the subject and continued, "Still, I'm the victim here. It wouldn't be a problem for me to recuperate at your place for a few days, right?"

"This..." Sanemi was momentarily speechless. He was clearly in the wrong over this matter, but supporting such a large family was already difficult enough, let alone feeding another person.

Hiruma understood Sanemi's predicament. He took out a stack of cash from his clothes and tossed it to him.

"This is for my lodging and meals!"

Sanemi's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He had never touched this much money in his life, and he was completely dumbfounded. Was this what the world of the rich was like?

Wasn't this far too much?

Of course, he would soon realize that the money Hiruma had given was perfectly reasonable.

By evening, the Shinazugawa family was having dinner. There was one more person in the already cramped room, making it even more crowded.

The table was covered with all sorts of delicacies the family had never seen before, and the sheer amount of food was baffling.

"Why aren't you eating?"

"It's not poisoned!"

Hiruma asked through a mouthful of food, holding a roast chicken with his cheeks stuffed full.

"Mr. Tendo, please take this money back. You're Sanemi's friend. If you want to stay with us, there's no need to pay," Mrs. Unyielding said softly as she pushed the money toward Hiruma.

After swallowing the food in his mouth, he waved his hand. "Ma'am, Sanemi once saved me. If you keep refusing, you'll make things difficult for me."

Sanemi froze at that. When had I ever saved your life?

How did I not know that?

"Go on, eat! It won't taste good once it gets cold!"

Without their mother's permission, the little Shinazugawa children could only stare with drool hanging from their mouths. They were poor, but they listened to their mother.

"Th-Then... thank you, Mr. Tendo!"

As soon as Mrs. Unyielding finished speaking, the little children echoed her in their childish voices.

"Thank you, Mr. Tendo!"

What... was going on with this guy?

Sanemi could not understand. Or rather, everything he had believed after so many years in the slums had been overturned.

Or perhaps he remembered what Hiruma had said to him: I just happen to like sticking my nose into other people's business.

With Hiruma, this little ray of sunshine, joining them, laughter never stopped at the dinner table. The Shinazugawa family had not heard such laughter in a very long time.

After night fell, Sanemi sat outside alone, still unable to understand why.

Just then, Hiruma sat beside him and joked:

"What, do you still think I'm a bad guy?"

Sanemi haughtily turned his head away. "Who knows? I've seen plenty of people who are good at pretending."

"Think whatever you want!" Hiruma stood up and stretched. No matter what, he had made it in time. Now he only needed to find a way to get the Shinazugawa family to move away.

That was what troubled him the most. According to the plot, Mrs. Unyielding would turn into a demon, and the Shinazugawa family would be nearly wiped out.

So who could turn an ordinary person into a demon? Or rather, aside from the trash boss and the Upper Ranks, which demon would dare do such a thing?

At that moment, in some corner of the slums, the dead-drunk Genya Shinazugawa was venting his anger at the air.

Suddenly, a black figure entered his blurry vision. He had been worrying over having nowhere to vent his frustration, and now a punching bag had delivered itself to him.

"Damn it, who are you?"

"Don't you know this is my territory?"

"Oh?"

A cold voice questioned him. It seemed to rise from the abyss itself, carrying a chilling aura that made Genya Shinazugawa instantly sober.

Under the moonlight stood a tall young man. His clean, immaculate suit was completely out of place in the filthy alley.

The man's skin was pale and bloodless, like a sheet of paper. His plum-red eyes revealed bloodlust and brutality.

After merely meeting the man's gaze, Genya Shinazugawa was so terrified that he did not dare move. It was not that he did not want to run, but his legs had already gone weak.

At that moment, he could not even take a single step, much less turn around and flee.

He could not possibly imagine what kind of terrifying creature stood before him. This was the progenitor of all demons—

Muzan Kibutsuji.

He had only one nemesis: the already deceased Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

In this era, aside from sunlight, no one could kill him. At least, that was the case for now.

"What did you just say? Say it again!" An eerie curve formed at Muzan's lips. He was in a good mood today because he seemed to have received news of the Blue Spider Lily.

He would not kill this little bug before him. Instead, he intended to give him an opportunity. As for whether he could endure it, that would depend on his luck.

"I-I-I..."

Staring into those crimson eyes that seemed to devour people whole, Genya Shinazugawa stammered in terror. He dropped to his knees with a thud. He knew he had kicked an iron plate again.

He simply could not understand why such a tiny slum had so many iron plates.

This was unreasonable!

"Please spare me! Don't... don't... don't kill me!"

He frantically kowtowed, not daring to look Muzan in the eyes.

"I don't feel like crushing bugs today!"

Muzan's icy voice nearly froze his blood. But when he heard that he would not die, he still let out a breath of relief.

The next moment, Muzan's index finger pierced his temple.