Chapter Text
Tanjiro jolted awake, disoriented, and uneasy. A voice was calling his name, pulling him from the last memory he had--talking with his siblings about their father, hoping that he was watching over them from the afterlife. Now, he found himself seated in a chair, which was strange, considering their home didn’t even have one. The confusion deepened as he realized something was off--very off. He looked down at his hands and noticed they were large, adult-sized. He wasn’t in his own body.
"Tanjiro Kamado," the small voice called again, drawing his attention. His eyes widened as he saw a white bird with burning red eyes perched nearby, holding a letter in its beak. The sight of a talking bird confirmed it--he had to be dreaming. But the vividness of it all made him uneasy. He tried to reach out, but his movements were slow and unfamiliar like he was inhabiting a body that wasn’t his own.
"Hello?" Tanjiro managed to say, but the sound of his voice startled him--it was deep, mature, nothing like his usual tone. He was undoubtedly in the body of an adult. A wave of anxiety threatened to wash over him, but he forced himself to stay calm. He was the man of the family now, after all. He had to keep it together.
"You are Tanjiro, are you not?" the bird asked, its voice clear and knowing. Tanjiro swallowed his fear and responded, "Yes, I am Tanjiro Kamado." The words felt strange coming from this unfamiliar voice, but he kept his focus. He needed to understand what was happening, even if it was just a dream.
"Tanjiro here is a letter that will explain everything," the bird said, placing the letter down before taking flight. Tanjiro watched it go, his mind racing. He carefully reached for the letter, testing his new body’s coordination. As he opened it, something fell out--his father's earrings.
"Dad?!" Tanjiro gasped, staring at the earrings. His father had worn these every day, and now they were here, in front of him. But something was wrong. The moment he saw them, his body reacted violently--his heart raced, his breath quickened, and a primal fear surged through him. It made no sense; these were his father’s earrings, symbols of his family’s legacy. Why was this body so terrified of them?
Fighting the panic, Tanjiro forced himself to focus. Whatever this fear was, it didn’t matter. These were his father's earrings, and he would not dishonor his memory. With trembling hands, he picked them up and placed them on. The fear didn’t subside, but he stood firm, determined to see this through.
He looked down at the letter, desperate for answers. Why was he in another man’s body, and why was this body so afraid of something so precious to him? He opened the letter, hoping it would explain the bizarre situation he found himself in.
“Dear Tanjiro Kamado,
I am deeply sorry for pulling you away from your family without giving you the time to grieve for the passing of your father. This was my only chance to take out that evil soul from that body and place a pure-hearted one in his stead. I know that you are very confused right now, but you need to understand two things. You have a very severe sun allergy, so never go out during the day. Second, don’t ever try to look for me since I will make sure that I will never be found. I fully believe that you will be a better Muzan than the last one could ever be. Goodbye.”
Before he could fully process his thoughts, a small voice interrupted his spiraling mind.
“Good morning, Daddy.”
Tanjiro froze, turning to see a little girl running towards him, arms outstretched. Without thinking, he bent down and picked her up in an embrace. It was instinctual, the way he held her close, the way he tried to comfort her. If Muzan was this girl's father, then Tanjiro had no choice but to play the role, at least until he could figure out what to do next.
“Good morning, my… little girl,” Tanjiro said, his voice gentle despite the chaos in his mind. He didn’t know her name, didn’t know anything about her, but he could see the love in her eyes, and it made his heart ache. How could Muzan, a creature of such evil, have a daughter who looked at him with such pure affection?
Tanjiro knew he was a terrible liar, and it was only a matter of time before she--or someone else--realized that he wasn’t who he appeared to be. But for now, he decided to go along with it. He needed time to think, to figure out how to navigate this impossible situation.
“What’s your name again?” Tanjiro asked, trying to sound playful, hoping she would say her name and help him out of this uncomfortable spot.
The little girl giggled, completely unaware of Tanjiro’s inner turmoil. “It’s Kimi! You’re so silly, Daddy,” she said, nestling her head against his shoulder.
“Kimi,” Tanjiro repeated softly, committing the name to memory. He held her close, his mind racing. He didn’t know what the future held, but for now, he was determined to be the best father he could be, even in this surreal and terrifying new reality.
Tanjiro's heart raced as the woman approached, addressing him as "Muzan." He knew he had to be careful, not only to avoid suspicion but also to figure out who she was without giving away that he didn’t know her name. When the idea struck him, he decided to act on it.
“Kimi, do you know Mommy’s name?” he asked playfully, giving the little girl a warm smile, hoping she would help him out.
Kimi giggled, delighted by the game. “Of course I do, Daddy! Mommy’s name is Uta!” she said, laughing as if it were the silliest question in the world.
“Uta…” Tanjiro repeated in his mind, storing the name away. He turned to the woman--Uta--and smiled, doing his best to appear natural despite the unease twisting inside him.
“Good morning, Uta dear,” Tanjiro said, trying to sound as normal as possible, though the word "dear" felt foreign on his tongue. “You’re up early too.”
Uta smiled softly, seeming content, and Tanjiro felt a small wave of relief. For now, it seemed like his charade was holding. But he knew he would need to tread carefully to keep it that way.
It felt almost like old times for Tanjiro--like when he was the eldest brother of the Kamado family, playing with his siblings while his mother prepared meals. This strange situation, though baffling, seemed oddly comforting in its familiarity. He thought about what a wonderful dream he was having and couldn’t wait to tell everyone about it when he woke up.
But as time passed, the vividness of it all began to gnaw at him. This didn’t feel like any dream he had ever experienced. Everything was too real, too tangible. Despite the growing unease, Tanjiro decided to push those thoughts aside for now and just enjoy this dream-like scenario where he was surrounded by a loving family.
When Uta announced that breakfast was ready, Tanjiro, now in Muzan's body, felt a surge of delight. He loved playing the role of the father, even if it was just in a dream. But as soon as he took a bite of the food, something felt off. His body seemed to resist the meal as if rejecting it on a fundamental level. He wasn’t one to be picky or complain, so he forced himself to eat, determined not to make a fuss and hoping it was just part of the dream's strangeness.
To learn more about the life he was inhabiting, he turned to Uta, trying to sound casual despite his confusion. “Uta, I don’t want to be rude, but remind me again--what do you do for a living?” He asked, hoping to glean more information without raising suspicion.
“I’m just a housewife, silly. You’re our breadwinner,” Uta said with a lighthearted laugh, but her words sent a cold wave of panic through Tanjiro. He didn’t know anything about what Muzan did for a living or even where this mysterious job was. How could he provide for this family when he was completely in the dark? The thought of being unable to support them filled him with dread.
His mind spiraled into self-doubt. If he couldn't take care of just two people, how could he ever be enough for his own family? He felt useless, a failure who hadn’t even been there for his father’s funeral. The weight of his inadequacy bore down on him, making him question whether he could truly help anyone, or if he was just another burden.
Swallowing his fears, he forced a smile. “Of course, you’re too beautiful to get your hands dirty,” he said, trying to sound playful. Uta blushed at the compliment, but inside, Tanjiro was lost. He didn’t know what Muzan did, where to go, or even what to do after breakfast. He was just an 11-year-old boy trapped in a man’s life, desperately trying to play a role he didn’t understand.
“I think your ride should be here by now. Don’t want to be late for school,” Uta said with a gentle smile as she prepared to leave. Tanjiro waved goodbye and wished her good luck, trying to keep his voice steady. As soon as she and Kimi left, the reality of his situation crashed down on him. He had no idea what Muzan did for work and the thought of losing a job he didn’t even know how to do terrified him. Even if this was just a dream, the feeling of being completely useless was overwhelming. If he was failing here, what did that say about him in real life?
“No!” Tanjiro shook his head fiercely, refusing to give in to despair. His mother always said that his father was watching over them now, and Tanjiro needed to be the new bedrock for his family. When he woke up, he’d have to take care of his mother, Nezuko, Takeo, and Hanako all on his own. He had to be strong, to figure something out, even in this strange dream.
He reread the letter, but it offered no clues about Muzan’s job. Desperate, Tanjiro decided to search the house. It was much larger than he had expected, with several rooms and long hallways. Muzan had to be a wealthy man, which meant his job was important--far more important than anything Tanjiro felt capable of handling.
He wandered from room to room, feeling like a lost fly buzzing aimlessly. Finally, he entered what looked like an office. It had the air of a place where serious work was done, and Tanjiro hoped this was Muzan’s workspace. He sat down at the desk, his mind racing.
What would his father do in this situation? He’d show the letter right away, Tanjiro realized. But why hadn’t he done that already? Was he afraid of failing? Was he proving that his family would be better off without him, that he couldn’t feed them or protect them? The weight of those thoughts pressed down on him, and he sank into the office chair, feeling utterly drained despite having just woken up.
He needed to focus, but his mind was clouded with doubts. He wasn’t smart enough to figure this out on his own, and the fear of failure gnawed at him. He made a promise to himself: the next person he met, he would show them the letter. He didn’t care if it was against some unwritten rule--he hadn’t asked to be part of this strange game, so why not cheat a little?
Closing his eyes, Tanjiro tried to calm himself. What would his father do? Meditate. His father would meditate to find clarity. So that’s what Tanjiro did. He focused on his breathing, pushing away the confusion and fear. He replayed every memory he could, concentrating deeply.
As he meditated, a vision flashed before his eyes--an empty room with bare walls. It was a place he had never seen before, yet it felt strangely familiar. Tanjiro opened his eyes, his heart pounding. First, he woke up in an adult body, then there was the strange white bird, and now this mysterious room. Nothing made sense, but he knew he couldn’t ignore what he had just seen.
Tanjiro concentrated again, focusing on the vision of the large room that had appeared in his mind. As he delved deeper, the memory became clearer, as though he was seeing through someone else's eyes. He caught a glimpse of a knee, indicating that the person was kneeling, and they held some sort of instrument in their hand. The sensation was strange; it was as if he could feel what this other person was feeling, yet he couldn’t fully comprehend it.
He was beginning to understand that maybe he wasn’t even in a human body. This couldn’t be a memory because Tanjiro knew he had never been in that room before. And with the strange, talking white bird earlier, he realized that he needed to open his mind to the possibility that something far beyond his understanding was happening. Why had he been placed in this body?
“Hello, I need to see you face to face,” he thought, trying to reach out. Why him? He now had his father's earring, and this body he was in seemed to fear it. Could it be that the person whose body he was inhabiting was a leader of some kind of monster or something equally terrifying?
He needed to be more like his father, to embody the strength and resolve his father had always shown. He couldn’t afford to be the sickly boy who couldn’t even attend his father’s funeral because he had fallen ill. He had to be strong.
“Master, is something wrong?” a voice asked, startling Tanjiro. The person--no, he was in front of her now. Tanjiro found himself in the same room he had seen in his mind, and he was looking at a woman dressed in a black kimono. He realized with a jolt that he was seeing through her eyes, experiencing the world from her perspective.
“Here, I need you to read this,” Tanjiro said, handing her the letter. With each passing moment, the reality of the situation became more and more tangible. Was this real? It felt real, too real. Yet, everything around him was surreal, as if he was straddling the line between dream and reality.
“Hold on!” the woman in the black kimono exclaimed as she read the letter again. Tanjiro strained to remember her name until he heard a voice in his head whisper, "Nakime." He could only hope that was correct.
“Master, is this real?” Nakime asked, her voice filled with disbelief. Naturally, she didn’t believe it. Who would? Even Tanjiro had trouble believing what was happening.
“Yes, I’m deeply sorry, but someone ripped out your master’s soul and forced my soul into this body,” Tanjiro explained, feeling a pang of guilt. Was he cheating by telling her the truth? Was he supposed to keep this a secret?
Nakime read the letter over and over, her single eye, located in the upper center of her face, focused intensely on the words. Tanjiro wasn’t even surprised by her appearance anymore; all he wanted was to understand what was going on.
“Please tell me, is this a loyalty test or something?” Nakime asked, her voice filled with uncertainty. Tanjiro could see that Nakime was just as confused as he was. The emotions, the anger, the confusion--it all felt too real. He had heard stories of people waking up in another world, and now he was beginning to understand that this might be what had happened to him.
“No, about an hour ago, I woke up in this body. I think someone who hated your master took out his soul and put mine in its place. Nakime, please help me. I just want to go home to my family, to my actual body,” Tanjiro pleaded, hoping he had gotten her name right.
“If you’re not my master, then how did you know my name?” Nakime asked, her confusion mirroring Tanjiro's own.
“I… I think I read your mind,” Tanjiro admitted, realizing he could somehow sense Nakime's thoughts. It was as though he could see what she had seen and understand what she was thinking. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I could do that,” he added, bowing deeply in apology.
When he looked up, Nakime was staring at him, clearly unsure of how to respond. She glanced between the letter and Tanjiro, struggling to process everything.
“Okay, I understand that you don’t believe me. Please, tell me something that Muzan would never do, and I’ll do it,” Tanjiro said, clasping his hands together and bowing again, desperate to prove his sincerity.
“There’s something inside me that will kill me if I say my master’s name. Please remove it,” Nakime requested. Tanjiro had no idea what she was talking about, but he knew that if he couldn’t fulfill her request, she would never believe him.
“Alright, just so you know, I’ve only been in this body for less than an hour,” Tanjiro said with a light tone, trying to ease the tension as he placed his hand on Nakime. Immediately, he felt an overwhelming connection to every part of her being, as if her body was an extension of his own. It became painfully clear that whoever this Muzan person was, he was far from human.
Tanjiro focused, trying to sense the dangerous presence within Nakime, and was surprised to find that he could locate it. It was like a knot of dark energy tangled inside her, something foreign and menacing. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated, willing the energy to dissipate, imagining it untangling and melting away. He could feel the resistance, but he persisted, driven by the need to help her.
After what felt like an eternity, the dark presence slowly unraveled and dissolved. Tanjiro pulled his hand away, feeling drained but hopeful.
“There, I… I think I did it,” Tanjiro said, his voice wavering slightly. He had no idea if it had worked, but he had given it his best shot.
"So if I say your name now, I won’t die?" Nakime asked, her voice tinged with both hope and fear. Tanjiro could feel the intensity of her concern. The idea that simply uttering a name could result in death seemed completely absurd to him, yet he could sense the gravity of her belief. It was as if something dark and twisted had been buried deep within her, a curse that defied logic.
"Muzan!" Nakime blurted out, the word leaving her lips almost desperately. Tanjiro watched her intently, his heart pounding. The seconds that followed felt like an eternity, but nothing happened. Nakime stood there, unharmed. A wave of relief washed over Tanjiro, easing the knot of tension that had been tightening in his chest.
"Muzan Kibutsuji," she said again, testing the waters with more confidence this time. Still, there was no reaction--no pain, no suffering, nothing that signaled the deadly consequence she had feared. Tanjiro had succeeded.
In that moment, a small but powerful sense of accomplishment filled him. He had failed to save his father, failed to attend the funeral, and yet, here he was, in the most bizarre of circ*mstances, managing to do something right. It was a small victory, but it was his. For the first time since waking up in this body, Tanjiro felt a flicker of hope. He might not know how to get back to his family, but he knew one thing--he could make a difference, even in this twisted reality.
"Muzan... I'm not dying," Nakime said in utter disbelief, her voice trembling with a mix of shock and relief. The letter had been right--Muzan was a monster, the kind of person who would curse someone to die just by saying his name. She knew now that whoever was in front of her couldn't possibly be the same evil being she once served.
"Nakime, I’m certain Muzan has plenty of enemies. One of them must have ripped out his soul and put my mind in this body," Tanjiro explained, hoping she could see the truth in his words.
"That's impossible. Even if a demon had a blood demon art capable of swapping minds, Master would never allow that demon to live," Nakime replied, her voice tinged with both confusion and a trace of disgust at the thought.
"He would kill someone just because they had a power he didn’t like? That’s horrible," Tanjiro said, his heart sinking. The more he learned about Muzan, the clearer it became that this was a truly evil person. But surely, there had to be some good somewhere, right?
"Yes," Nakime said solemnly, "so if we were to switch back, he would kill you... and possibly me too, for removing the curse."
"But my soul was dragged into this body against my will," Tanjiro protested. "I never asked or wanted to be here."
"That doesn't matter to him. No matter how loving or devoted you are, one slip up and you're dead. He’ll never forget that you were in his body. The second he switches back, he’ll kill us both," Nakime warned, fear creeping into her voice.
"What if that never happens?" Tanjiro asked, determination hardening his resolve. He couldn’t let Nakime die. She had done nothing wrong, and he knew his family would never forgive him if he let an innocent woman suffer.
"As long as I stay in this body, Muzan can’t come back," Tanjiro continued. The thought of staying away from his family was painful, but he knew what he had to do. There was one option, one terrible option, that could ensure Muzan never returned.
"Nakime, what if I kill myself? That would destroy this body permanently," Tanjiro suggested, his voice steady. If Muzan had nobody to return to, the evil would end here.
"No!" Nakime cried out, her voice filled with alarm. "That will kill me too." Her words left Tanjiro confused, but he quickly realized the gravity of what he had suggested.
"You... you were actually willing to die for me? For someone you’ve only known for a few minutes?" Nakime asked, her voice softening, disbelief coloring her tone.
"Yes," Tanjiro replied without hesitation. "I won’t let Muzan kill you. I’d rather die than let that happen. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep that curse from ever returning to you."
Nakime looked at him, her eye wide with a mix of emotions. This was no act--she could see the sincerity in his eyes. "You're seriously not Muzan," she said, more to herself than to him.
"No, never," Tanjiro said firmly. "I’ll never be like him. I will be better." His goal was clear. He couldn’t return to his family yet, but he could use this twisted power he’d been given to protect those who needed it.
"Wait, what do you mean you'll die if I die?" Tanjiro asked, his voice filled with concern as he sat down in front of Nakime.
"Well," Nakime began, her tone matter-of-fact, "you are the link to all demons. If you die, all demons will die with you."
Tanjiro’s heart raced at the revelation. The lives of every single demon were in his hands--he could end them all if he chose to.
"Nakime," he said slowly, trying to grasp the enormity of it all, "I can feel everything happening inside your body, like it’s a part of mine. Is that normal?"
"Yes," Nakime replied calmly. "You are the Demon Lord."
Demon Lord. The title felt alien to him, like a crown too heavy for his young shoulders. He was just an 11-year-old boy, suddenly thrust into a position of godlike power, with no idea how to wield it.
The thought of the curse he had removed from Nakime flashed in his mind. He had felt like he had reshaped her very being. If he had the power to change that much in a demon’s body, a chilling realization struck him.
"Does that mean I could... kill you with just a thought?" Tanjiro asked his voice barely above a whisper, the weight of his words heavy in the air.
"Yes," Nakime confirmed, her expression unchanged. "Anytime, anywhere."
Tanjiro felt a shiver run down his spine. He was, in a sense, a god among demons. All of them were bound to him, forced to treat him with reverence, knowing that he could end their existence on a whim. The sheer magnitude of his power was overwhelming--an incomprehensible burden for someone so young and innocent.
But he knew one thing for certain: this power, however terrifying, had to be used wisely. He couldn’t let it consume him or turn him into the very monster he now inhabited. He had to be better, to find a way to use this power to protect those who needed it, even if it meant keeping Muzan from ever returning to his own body.
“Nakime, does Muzan have any enemies? Someone had to have put me in this body,” Tanjiro asked, his voice tense with determination.
“The Demon Slayers are his main enemies, but they’re all human. None of them could have made the switch. I did hear the name Tamayo once. She betrayed Muzan and fled, but that’s all I know about her,” Nakime explained.
The thought of the switch being reversed terrified Tanjiro. If that happened, he and Nakime would die, and his family would be left in an even worse situation. He knew his father would do anything to keep everyone safe, and he was determined to do the same.
“Okay,” Tanjiro said, trying to focus, “do you know any demons that have human employees?”
“Daki and Douma,” Nakime replied.
“Can you tell them to go find Tamayo?”
“No, they won’t listen to me. You need to go to them and ask them yourself,” Nakime said.
She was right. As the leader of all demons, Tanjiro had to start acting like it. Tamayo was the only lead he had so far, someone who might know who swapped his mind with Muzan’s and why. He couldn’t waver; his only goal was to get back to his family, and that couldn’t happen until he completed this mission.
“I understand. Please, take me to Douma,” Tanjiro pleaded, his resolve solidifying. Nakime strummed her biwa, and in an instant, Tanjiro found himself in a different place. He stood inside what appeared to be a temple, the air thick with an eerie stillness.
"Find Tamayo," he reminded himself. That was his mission. But as the thought crossed his mind, another worry crept in--by now, Nezuko had likely woken up and noticed his absence. Did they even miss him? Was he just the useless older brother who couldn’t save their father or even attend his funeral?
He shook his head, trying to dispel the doubt gnawing at him. He couldn’t afford to think like that. His focus had to remain on finding Tamayo, learning how the switch happened, and ensuring that Muzan never got back into this body. After that, he could return to his family--his real family--in his original body.
But then a darker thought surfaced: What if he didn’t have to go back? This body held immense power; he was like a god. Would it be so bad to stay in this form? Wouldn’t that be better than returning to a body that had always felt so powerless and weak?
Tanjiro clenched his fists, fighting the temptation. No, he couldn’t let himself think that way. He had to stay true to who he was--a protector of his family, not a tyrant likeMuzan. His mission was clear, and he had to see it through, no matter thecost.
