Chapter Text
More than a thousand years had passed since Muzan had felt so helpless. Demon slayers had managed to last until dawn. Tanjiro did not want immortality. He felt life leaving his body. And as he took his last breath, he abruptly began to fall.
He cried out in fear, trying to soften his fall. To no avail. He fell right onto the sidewalk, somewhere unknown. Red rays shone from above. But the light did not burn him.
"Where am I? Is this hell?"
Brushing off the dust, his gaze tried to latch onto something. But there were unintelligible words. He knew it was English. When the barbarians came to Japan, he became interested. He liked their clothing and perhaps medicine. But everything else he considered useless.
Now he was ready to admit that he should have been more interested in their culture.
Suddenly, a creature resembling a dog touched him. It was speaking, but he didn't understand a word. But when the creature tried to strike him, Muzan effortlessly destroyed the insignificant being.
Everyone present turned to look at the scene of the bloody battle, and recoiled in fear. He smirked. Insects. They were all pathetic insects.
But they were not running away from him. Some bird-like creatures with wings and spears were heading straight towards them.
"How boring."
Using the art of his blood, he whipped them. But they effortlessly cut through his attack, and aimed their spears right at him.
Dodging them, he made a mistake. The tip of the spear cut off two of his fingers.
"Trivial. I will quickly regenerate."
But the fingers did not want to grow back. No matter how hard he tried, regeneration did not work.
"Impossible! Even after Yoriichi's blows, I was able to recover!"
Animalistic fear enveloped him all over. Fear of death. He cannot die again.
Using all of his demonic speed, he disappeared.
****
He hid like a dog, cursing himself for such behavior.
Everyone else should look at him that way. With fear. And he should not be the one to experience fear.
He touched his severed appendages, where his fingers used to be. Using all his strength, he tried and tried, but could not regenerate them.
"So there is steel much better than Nichirin? I need to investigate this."
Of all things, he hated change the most.
And here's another hateful change. Unknown steel prevented him from regenerating his limbs. Some bird-like creatures that were able to injure him effortlessly had made him feel death's closeness for a second time.
A very loud bell rang out. He covered his face with his hands, but caught a familiar language on the edge of his ear.
-You don't see, this is my prey!
~Oh, no, my dear~ -The voice sang. ~That's where you're mistaken~
A second voice. It seemed to know him. His eyes widened in amazement as he remembered.
****
-Fall on your knees, as is fitting! -He took on the appearance of his beloved mother, whom he loved madly.
Five demons fell before him. The scent of fear emanated from four of them.
-Why are you so weak? Rui, the fifth lower moon, has been killed. The more you eat, the stronger you become. Only the higher moons kill Hashir. Their composition has not changed for over a hundred years.
Not hearing a response, he decided to read the thoughts of one of the servants.
"No matter how much he tells us about it"
How dare that worm think like that about him!?
He didn't remember further killing the four demons. But he remembered his decision to give the final word to the first lower moon.
~My lord~ The demon raised his head and waved his hands. -Thank you for leaving me last! I am glad to die at your hand~
He spared this demon and gave him a second chance. What almost never happens
****
-Enmu!? -He emerged from hiding. The demons turned to him. The stranger realized it was time to run. Only the first lower moon remained in place.
~My.....lord? Could my eyes be deceiving me? Is that really you?~ -Recognition appeared in Enmu's gaze. ~Oh, what a joy! My lord, you're here! We've all been waiting for you!~
One thought pounded in Muzan's head.
"Are all the demons here?"