Tanjiro's expression changed abruptly. He whipped out his Nichirin Blade and lunged at Muzan, bringing it down toward him.
"Muzan!"
Just then, a voice came from the distance.
"Stop, Tanjiro!"
"They're my subordinates now."
Hearing this, Tanjiro abruptly halted, his blade suspended in midair.
He froze in place and turned toward the voice, disbelief written across his face.
"Mr. Zongyan... didn't you say back then that Muzan was already... already dead?"
Uchiha Zongyan approached slowly, his steps unhurried.
He walked up to Tanjiro, took hold of his wrist, removed the Nichirin Blade from his hand, and returned it to its sheath.
"Yes. As far as your world is concerned, Muzan is dead."
Tanjiro's expression grew somewhat strange at those words.
"What do you mean?"
Zongyan withdrew his hand and turned to look at Muzan and the Twelve Kizuki standing in the sunlight.
Muzan was watching them with a faint, ambiguous smile, his expression that of someone enjoying a show.
"Exactly what I said."
Zongyan began reintroducing Muzan and the other demons to Tanjiro.
"In your world, we killed Muzan Kibutsuji. That is a fact, and no one will change it."
Tanjiro's breathing quickened. He looked at Zongyan, then at Muzan, anger beginning to rise within him.
"Then why is he still standing here?"
"Because he no longer belongs to your world. He's now a subordinate of my Uchiha Clan. I took him away from your world, so in your world, he died."
"But here in our Shinobi World, he's alive."
Tanjiro's lips moved, but for a moment, no words came out.
Nezuko stood behind him, clutching the hem of his clothes tightly, her eyes fixed on Muzan with hatred.
"But..." Tanjiro's voice grew hoarse. "He killed my parents. He killed so many other people, too..."
"I know."
Zongyan cut him