You've lost your mind

His black hair, edged with red, was tied in a high ponytail. Red eyes sat in a familiar face, and a red haori covered his yellow clothes. Earrings bearing sun-flower designs swayed gently, and a long sword hung at his waist.

Muzan's face lit up. "Hey, Yoriichi!"

"Muzan Kibutsuji..."

At that, Muzan realized something was wrong with Yoriichi's expression. His face was grave, his voice restrained, and he stood poised for battle. Even his eyes held murderous intent toward Muzan, and one hand had already closed around his sword hilt.

Muzan frowned and cautiously stepped back. "What are you trying to do?"

Clang!

Yoriichi abruptly drew the Nichirin Blade at his waist. Whoosh-

Sun Breathing!

Fiery crimson energy burst from the red blade. Yoriichi swung at him, and Muzan hurriedly retreated in alarm. There was no doubt about it. This little bastard wanted to kill him!

"Have you fucking lost your mind?!"

Muzan shouted, his nerves stretched taut as he put everything into dodging Yoriichi's attacks. Unlike the Muzan in the original story, he had spent the past century working hard to improve his strength. Though he was still no match for Yoriichi, he could at least barely evade his blade.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni focused entirely on swinging his sword, never uttering a word. His relentless attacks put Muzan under immense pressure. As Muzan dodged, the blade sliced through the hem trailing behind him, and threads of fabric drifted to the ground with their edges singed.

The blade repeatedly grazed his skin, leaving Muzan covered in burning wounds that struggled to heal.

Taking advantage of a gap between Yoriichi's attacks, Muzan hastily retreated to put some distance between them. He leaped into the air and landed on a high branch, warily watching Yoriichi, who looked up from the ground with his sword clenched in his hand.

Yoriichi gazed up at Muzan, standing on a branch several meters above the ground with the full moon behind him.

He did not know why the Demon King acted so familiar with him. But from the very first glance, Yoriichi, who knew the terror of demons and considered slaying them his duty, understood that he had been born to kill Muzan Kibutsuji.

Yet during their fight, Yoriichi had clearly sensed that the man before him had never taken the offensive. And although he could feel Muzan Kibutsuji's terrifying power and tremendous vitality, he sensed no malice.

That faint feeling of familiarity only confused him further.

He could not help looking up at Muzan.

"Do you know me?"

Muzan: "?"

Seriously? I raised you for five years!

Five whole years!

And now you're pretending you don't know me?

This is how you repay me?

But after a moment of stunned disbelief, another thought struck Muzan. Had Yoriichi lost his memory?

"Do you have amnesia?"

Yoriichi thought it over carefully. He did not believe he had lost his memory, so he once again prepared to kill Muzan. Perhaps that sense of familiarity meant Muzan Kibutsuji had done something to him!

Muzan froze. Fuck!

So we're fighting the second we disagree?

Seeing Yoriichi spring off the lower branches to leap up toward him, Muzan hurriedly fled.

After all, he had raised the boy for five years. He could not quite bring himself to hurt him.

Besides, it seemed Yoriichi really had lost his memory. Muzan would have to hold back, but Yoriichi certainly would not, and he was already stronger than Muzan.

In the original story, he crippled me with a single slash. Lasting this long was already better than I had any right to expect!

Fight him, my ass!

Muzan immediately used a Blood Demon Art to flee, vanishing on the spot.

But Tsugikuni Michikatsu was still only Tsugikuni Michikatsu. With no need to worry about his older brother becoming a demon, Yoriichi relied on the Transparent World and immediately gave chase.

Muzan already had over a hundred demons under his command, so naturally, he had a wide variety of Blood Demon Arts. He had more than enough abilities suited to escaping, but the problem was that none could take him very far!

Only after escaping Yoriichi's field of vision did Muzan breathe a sigh of relief. He was already several towns away from the forest. Surely Yoriichi could not catch up now?

But the next instant, a wave of heat struck his face. Muzan's pupils contracted as a red blade, wreathed in the scorching heat of Sun Breathing, reflected in his eyes.

Muzan: "!!!"

Startled, Muzan instinctively jerked backward and twisted aside. A few strands of his hair slowly caught fire.

His eyes wide, Muzan slowly turned toward the battle-hungry Yoriichi, his heart still pounding with fear.

"Fuck!"

Is this fucker even human?!

Even though he had always known Yoriichi's strength was the absolute ceiling, he had still assumed the man was, well, human.

But this fucking...!

Is he human?!

Which one of us is the demon here?!

I only got away by literally "blinking" with a Blood Demon Art, and Yoriichi caught up instantly on foot?

Muzan no longer dared imagine whether Yoriichi might even catch him if he fled to the Infinity Castle.

Was Yoriichi always this strong, or was this some alteration caused by the legendary power of the plot?

Escaping never looked this hard for Muzan in the original story!

Yoriichi paid no attention to what Muzan was thinking. After catching up and missing his first strike, he immediately swung again.

Muzan scrambled backward, frantically retreating as his seven hearts pounded with tension and terror.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni radiated overwhelming pressure. With the Demon Slayer Mark on his forehead, murderous intent written across his face, and a long sword stained with traces of Muzan's blood in his hand, he was an imposing sight.

Compared with Muzan's miserable state, Yoriichi looked more like the demon.

Muzan could neither beat him nor escape.

Then Muzan failed to dodge in time, and a slash struck his arm. It left a deep gash down half his arm, stretching from elbow to wrist, with blood pouring out uncontrollably.

Muzan could not heal the damage inflicted by the Bright Red Blade. Forcing himself to endure the pain, he kept dodging.

Finally, after evading another slash from Yoriichi, Muzan seized the opening and fled again.

Then delight suddenly crossed his face. He had sensed Tsugikuni Michikatsu nearby!

He no longer cared what happened. Even if he had to take Michikatsu hostage, staying alive came first!

In a flash, Muzan appeared beside Tsugikuni Michikatsu. Before Michikatsu could react, a claw was already at his throat.

After becoming a demon, Tsugikuni Michikatsu would be Upper Rank One, the strongest demon apart from Muzan. But he was not a demon yet, and he had no way to oppose Muzan.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu instinctively tried to resist, but his sword was easily snatched away. A faint sting at his throat immediately stopped him from moving again.

With his life in someone else's hands, Tsugikuni Michikatsu dared not act rashly. He cautiously asked:

"What do you want?"

He did not even know who had suddenly appeared behind him, let alone understand what had happened.

"Your little brother is trying to kill me. I have no choice but to use you to save myself."

No sooner had Muzan spoken than Yoriichi caught up. Seeing Muzan holding his older brother hostage, his face darkened.

"Muzan Kibutsuji!"

At that, Tsugikuni Michikatsu understood what was happening, but it only confused him further.

He remembered clearly that many years ago, Yoriichi had told him about meeting Muzan after running away from home. Muzan had even saved him from a Half-Demon, and they had lived together for five years.

Yoriichi had also told him that the Demon King was not what he had imagined.

But what was going on now?

"Yoriichi, didn't you say Muzan saved your life? What's going on?"

Muzan was taken aback by Michikatsu's words too. Yoriichi had told Michikatsu about that?

Yoriichi only looked puzzled. Had he said that?

Besides, how could the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji, possibly have saved his life?

"He's lost his memory, and now he's chasing me down to kill me!"

Muzan suddenly understood the situation. Tsugikuni Michikatsu was his lifeline!

But afraid Yoriichi might rush over and slash him, he did not dare move his claws away from Michikatsu's neck.

Still being held hostage, Tsugikuni Michikatsu understood the situation as well, though he did not know whether it was true. He looked questioningly at Yoriichi and waited for him to speak.

Yoriichi merely looked confused. Frowning, he asked his older brother for confirmation. "Did I really tell you that?"

Seeing that Yoriichi was confused too, and that he had lowered his sword and no longer looked ready to fight, Muzan breathed a small sigh of relief.

He cautiously released Michikatsu from his hold and said:

"See! I told you he'd lost his memory!"