Demon Progenitor Development Project

Despite being injured by the Crimson Blade, Kokushibo struggled to his feet. He would rather die than become stronger!

Yuan looked at his elder brother's six big eyes, which were full of resistance to his ideas.

"Yoriichi, don't impose your ideas on others, and don't assume that your ideas will be accepted and become reality by others as a matter of course."

Looking at Yoriichi, who was completely bewildered by the current situation.

So naive.

Shugo commented that the more you analyze these twin brothers, the more you can feel their differences.

Yoriichi's ideas are sometimes really naive. He seems to have never changed, just like the child who once told his brother that he wanted to become the second strongest samurai in the country, and naturally assumed that his brother would not change.

But Kokushige has changed; he is now Kokushibo.

"Yoriichi, I don't think I did anything wrong. I'm walking my own path, and I don't need you to tell me what to do!" Kokushibo roared in a low voice.

The crushing defeat just now actually made Kokushibo more clear-headed.

If he doesn't become a demon, he'll never catch up to Yoriichi in his entire life! He'll never be able to reach the highest realm of martial arts!

“Brother, you have fallen. Becoming a demon is a path of no return.”

After his wife and daughter died, and his own happiness was shattered, Yoriichi wanted to protect the happiness of others.

"You mean—the world would be happy without cannibals?"

Hiiragi's lips twitched as he thought of all the things that the ghost and his silly, cute self had witnessed.

People living in the Warring States period were anything but happy!

Farmers paid heavy taxes every day, townspeople worried about being used as test subjects by samurai, and both groups were afraid of being conscripted. If they won a battle, they could at least enjoy war benefits (i.e., legally robbing and massacring residents of occupied territories).

I would rather be a peace dog than a person in troubled times.

"If you want to protect everyone's happiness so much, why don't you end the war?" Shugo asked Yoriichi, who had such a loving heart, with surprise.

I support you!

Tsugikuni: Demon Slayer version of Hashirama Senju - Yoriichi!

War also made it inconvenient for him to do business.

As for the issue of ghosts eating, aren't there human slave traders?

Yoriichi: ...

"Ubuyashiki wanted to break the curse, and the Demon Slayer Corps members wanted revenge. Only Yoriichi was truly righteous!"

Yoriichi: ...

"You mean to say that the idea of ​​ghosts eating people is wrong, right? In the end, what's the difference between ghosts eating people and people eating chickens, ducks, cows, and sheep? They're all killing other life forms to survive."

If it were livestock that were eaten by humans, they would probably be happy to form a human-killing squad.

"Ghosts don't want to go hungry, so they eat people; people don't want to be eaten, so they rebel."

No one is righteous.

There is no justice in racial conflict.

Who's righteous? Look at where you sit on the ground!

The cowardly Muzan cat peeked out, waving its paws. Well said.

Yuan Yi, caught up in a long conversation, didn't know what to say for a moment.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni has never been one to speak.

If he could speak properly, he wouldn't have such a bad relationship with his biological brother.

Yoriichi was interrupted again just as he was about to say something.

"Let's not talk about that. I want to ask you something, Yoriichi-kun." Shugo composed himself and asked seriously, "When you went to Higashidani Castle, was it because of the Demon Slayer Corps' orders?"

"Yes."

Yoriichi Tsugikuni didn't understand why the other person asked this question.

Shugo's expression became subtle. At that time, there were only three demons in Higashidani Castle: himself, Muzan, and Nakime. How could the information have been exposed?

Muzan's mimicry was almost indistinguishable from a human's. Nakime used her Blood Demon Art to hide underground, while he never entered the city, instead wandering around the Misty Valley outside the city, chopping down trees as he pleased.

The Demon Slayer Corps is not capable of tracking them; otherwise, Muzan wouldn't have been able to roam freely for so many years.

Unless, they were being targeted from the very beginning.

"Yoriichi, before heading to Azuma Castle, you—no, I mean the Demon Slayer Corps—hadn't found any trace of demons for a long time, right?"

Shugo made up his mind: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni remained silent; he had indeed been staying at the wisteria house for some time.

Or they might be on the road, only to find the scene of the incident and then discover that there's not a single ghost in sight, just empty houses.

Otherwise, it's about solving cases, catching murderers, and then being 'harassed' by local powerful figures.

"There are only three ghosts in Donggu City, and none of us have been looking for food."

"Where did you get the information about the Demon Slayer Corps?"

Before anyone could answer, Shugo dropped another bombshell.

“Mr. Yoriichi, your wife and daughters were killed by demons. However, according to Kokushibo’s description, Muzan had no recollection of this demon. Moreover, at that time, most demons gathered together and would not move out without orders, especially since they had already eaten their fill in the fishing village.”

Since the arrival of Nakime, the mobility of the demons has greatly improved, and when they hunt in groups, almost no one is left alive, let alone in remote coastal fishing villages.

Yoriichi wasn't stupid; he understood Shugo's subtext.

"I've heard Kokushibo talk about that tragedy from back then. Don't you think there are too many coincidences?"

Shugo smiled knowingly. Regardless of whether the story of Yoriichi's wife and daughter being murdered was true or false, the fact that he had said it today meant it was true.

He's caused him a lot of trouble, so can't he cause some trouble for that hidden mouse too?

"You just happened to be absent, Kokushibo wasn't there, the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen weren't there, which conveniently allowed us to bypass the Hidden Members' defenses..."

Do you believe in these coincidences?

Shugo watched helplessly as Yoriichi's aura grew heavy.

Seeing this, Shugo smiled with great satisfaction; it was a volcano that had been suppressed and had not yet erupted.

"The person behind it all clearly wants you to kill Muzan Kibutsuji, doesn't he? Or perhaps he'd rather you and Muzan Kibutsuji die together?"

"After all, you are also a significant threat."

For example, if Yoriichi focused on assassination, it would be difficult for anyone to stop him. His charisma, which blends into the world, makes him a force to be reckoned with when he tries to stealth.

A competent leader doesn't consider motivation; they only consider your ability to do it. Motivation? That can be manufactured.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Given the level of village brawls during the Warring States period, it seems Yoriichi could have easily killed everyone there.

If Yoriichi joined a reliable and powerful force, helped it quickly unify the country and end the war, saving the people from displacement, wouldn't that be far more meritorious than being a demon slayer?