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Muzan Kibutsuji.
An unfortunate human who struggled with his illnesses throughout his rocky life until 19, learning then a disease would apprehend his life genuinely. Because of his struggle he developed a fear of death. Not looking forward to his end a doctor came to help him, using a special medicine to ware down Muzan's frail state.
Soon the man grown angry when it failed, when he doesn't have a treatment reacting well on his decaying self, by impulse he accidentally killed off the doctor. It gave the young man a scare at his cruel action, escaping the premises altogether.
Over the course of that event, he could feel himself get better physically and an odd craving for humans. It was a wrongdoing like his first, but he couldn't let his opportunity to live wash away now. The longer he embraced human flesh, the stronger he'd get.
Then came another problem.
If he stayed in the sun, burns severely scatter on his newly stead physique, almost crumbling it ashes. He truly shouldn't have killed the doctor for giving him this chance, he in fact wanted a way to revive him. Therefore, the second demon to roam was the doctor himself.
By snatching his corpse, he fed the doctor his blood and his body repaired itself, including the doctor coming alive once again. When he does see who helped him, he was clearly frightened and questioned why and how Muzan revived him. The demon gave his explanation and asked the doc to whip up a medicine for him again, to which he responded on what happens if he refused, all his former patient said was his life would befall him, except under the sun where he'd fade away.
Since of the doctor's revival, he learned about a blue spider lily and its rarity on when it would appear. For a year he continued to consume flesh, and the doctor upsettingly done the same, but he didn't plan on expanding his demon army until after the medicine should've been made.
His doctor exposed Muzan, furthermore giving his life under the sun to condone all his consumptions and escape upon his demonic companion.
So as he was exposed, soldiers are sent to stop the man who stood alone. There was no way he'll let his life be diminished, the life he tried to keep above his illnesses. He annihilated these soldiers and felt no shame over it, just a regret of not seeing past the doctor's intentions, let alone his intended death under the sun.
As Muzan succeeded in his save, he would have to live in any way he can, still unable to face the sun's light. He'd start his demon army there and scout for the blue spider lily years to come, because that doctor of his kept the location sacred.
If we talk about family, we talk about Muzan's past wives. And you know what, he had a good enough mindset to be empathetic when he wanted to be. For being sensitive it stayed hidden, he was around a society of men who hide their sensitivity, a way of fitting in.
Although he didn't once feel a genuine love feeling, it just came off wrong. He couldn't maintain his human act for resisting the sun, and it seemed love to him was an excuse for bringing new mortals into the world. He has seen multiple couples who came across partner issues, it was worse to see the results upon their children. For what he knows, you have to reciprocate an understanding and compassion to keep a stable relationship.
Muzan done it twice to his past wives, if they trusted him, they'll accept him. In return though were horrified faces, his nature hadn't been pleasing in their eyes; It was a matter of killing them to keep it a secret. The rest he'd abandon when they hit a certain age, or for other reasons to seek a blue spider lily longer.
Apart from his failed love lives, he met about a family mother known as Tamayo.
She had a lovely life with children and a husband, yet an unfortunate disease similar to his own misfortune. She asked for a blessing around it so she can watch them grow, the lady wanted the fortune to live just like himself. To her request, Muzan offered her his power.
But as he did, he explained the downsides and its real extent, one Tamayo couldn't believe of. Regardless, she claimed on her resilience and some kind of antidote above it. A bit wary of her confidence, it was given anyway.
Tamayo hated how wrong she was. Later with the feeling of demonic power, she had eaten bystanders and a family in difficulty resisting, lastly on her husband. The children were watching and fled to safety as she teared up, furious on what she possessed and furious to Muzan.
Her hatred, her resentment, couldn't be said for herself. It's that man and his demonic blood, she dared to kill him for it. Muzan couldn't be surprised, he didn't care enough to see how horrid her predicament was, it was only a matter to sympathize. Even if she did ask for it.
During confrontation, he told her what she didn't want to hear. It being her fault, that she didn't love the husband nor those innocent civilians to resist, doing it mostly for a cure of a disease she suffered from. Tamayo verbally bit back on what Muzan would know of love, how insufferable the power felt. In her eyes was a cruel, unjust man. He can't blame her, but oh... a love for a husband can only go for so long. It didn't occur that love was meant to have flaws, she still cared for his loss.
Eventually the lady settled down, Muzan decided to, no matter the hatred or how repulsing he was to her. For the better, Tamayo managed her outbursts for a rampage for her time being. While the demon king did nothing more to mention her family or regrets, he was cruel when needed to be.
His journey brought him to his first ever uppermoon, finding a powerful slayer who slayed his demon kind risen long ago; Michikatsu Tsugikuni.
He was an interesting case. Before having met him, Muzan gained the knowledge of Demon Slayer's on the rise, developing these "breathing styles" to defeat the king's demon threats. The young man had a mark deriving from his legacy of slaying. Although Michikatsu was the opponent, he found my presence and wanted to give up his legacy. His reasoning? The mark affected his, and others lifespans, he would die if he kept fighting for the good of people.
With the slayer's legacy difference, he had another reason above his legacy; the man wanted to compete over one other like him.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
He never explained much of him, only of his status as another powerful slayer, his brother nonetheless. Envy and jealousy were sensed by Muzan, Michikatsu's tone made no move to hide it either. To live and compete were two goals with him, and he dared to relish the opposing side of Demons.
So Muzan gave him his power, somewhat long but worth the process for the former slayer. Now Michikatsu had been renounced to "Kokushibo" and embraced his strengths unlike lady Tamayo, whom is disappointed at the revelation. And this doesn't bother the king.
Speaking about Kokushibo's brother, he should handle that man. Losing a lot of his subjects isn't a pleasing feeling, and he's sure uppermoon one would want him gone anyway. He brought Tamayo by to aid him per usual. As they met one to another, they each can sense one's emotions. For all the king knew, he never met anyone who could outstand his own status, what difference does it make for a human?
Nevermind. Yoriichi did outstand him, he was way more experienced and quickly taken out his extra seven hearts, (removing the ridiculous five brain factor) almost dying by his sword. Nothing could've prepared him for such a human! Sitting in blood, in a weakened state like his human self, standing above the demon slayer ready to take his life. No, this won't do, he didn't live this long to die!
At the height of his demise, he barely escaped the sun breathing user. Oh what luck... he can't have someone possess a breathing of this power, he took upon his and Kokushibo's hands to rid of as much with the power. It won't do, he had been bested by a human, especially when his life was on the line.
But... why. Why was Muzan going to die there? Sure, he had planned on eradicating the demon slayer, of course he'd defend and naturally defeat him. Though there's a bigger picture around it.
The people.
Those demon slayers don't just kill his kind, they solely do it for the people. Whether they were people they knew like friends to family, or ones that mean nothing like strangers to enemies. They were saved for the sake of... something. He had to see what was the source, in disguise and in background.
Ah, he knew this already. Empathy.
It's easy to understand sympathy, Muzan knew. He did it with the Doctor, until he left him. He did it with Tamayo, until she fled his side and aimed for the purpose of helping herself. He did it with Kokushibo, who at least stood his ground and didn't flee nor die of his wrongdoings.
Now empathy has a greater difference. You don't just feel sorry, standing around people he ruined or not. You have to understand more around a person's feelings, their thoughts, why they are what they are. He did not acknowledge what made his Doctor help him, only that it was his job. He did not acknowledge Tamayo's reason for a family, nor what love there meant to her.
Or maybe he has known.
When it was the doctor, he told him what it meant to care for a person’s wellbeing. His job was a lifestyle for him defined by character, Muzan hinged for a similar path so he understood.
When it was Tamayo, she was yearning for a blessing outside her disease. Muzan knew what torture it is to have a disease against his physique, yearning for the same. He understood. Though the family feels are less likely, he was practically abandoned by his real parents in the beginning.
When Kokushibo met with him, he knew what it meant to feel jealous and envious of others. If the demon mark counts, it was similar to his disease that both ceased to exist.
Then with Yoriichi… Muzan doesn’t have much to say. It’s only clear that his declared enemy wanted to distinguish his army and the source of demons himself, without relatability it was less empathetic to learn how meaningful he was.
Apart from the dangers he’d face, he needed to understand more of this empathy and what it means to be a human being, see what the world offered during his exploration for the blue spider lily.
And as he searched for his answers, Muzan reflected on his character, decisions, what was missing from his life. Life.
His life had him on edge for 19 years, he was glad to be freed. His life as a demon was on edge from the Sun, he was focused on finding the relief to live under the sun. Live.
What has Muzan been living for?
This isn’t right. This makes no sense. He remembered working and studying as a human in disguise, surely he had the plans outside his status on what he could do for a living.
But after his lifelong experiences, it seems he didn’t think far ahead of his dreams. None of his decisions led up to a life for himself, it was only a matter of preserving it.
All of this for a reason to simply, exist.
So what does this mean? What will it mean to find a purpose after all his aimless wandering for a flower? Had Muzan truly been mindless of his decisions to harm humanity with his curse?
Heartless to not consider lives better than his own consumed? On the young ones who were striving to find meaning unlike him? They too were consumed.
And to put the worst, he possessed no power of reversing any of this. There was a system, a revolution of his kind still swarming in their own minds and demon blood arts. On top of that, he doesn’t believe in the idea of redemption.
No second chance around it, so he came with a conclusion.
Muzan must bring about a war on himself. Give his uppermoons a challenge against a demon slayer corporation, to go beheaded in tainted victory. Furthermore, seek a person of great potential and power, willing to bring an end on his life.
Someday he’ll come across the person, reforge their paths to cross his own, and let them brew in desperation to defeat an unjust king fit for his downfall.
Someone who will be known, as Tanjiro Kamado.
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