The Good Demon [KNY]

Part 67: The Truth

Akai expected a million other things. He knew that nothing that came out from this bastard's mouth would keep him from swinging for his stupid face. Yet here he was, jaw dropped, speechless.

"Care for a little story?" Muzan asked.

"I-I..." Akai couldn't answer.

"...Perhaps this would be easier." In an instant, Muzan was next to him. Grasping Akai's hand. Akai tensed, but he didn't feel any malice.

His touch...

Felt...

Gentle.

"I felt it when you defeated Daki and Gyutaro. You have it, don't you?" Muzan asked.

"..." Akai stared up at him. Far too many thoughts were going through his head for him to formulate any sort of speech.

"Your mother's blood demon art." Muzan answered for him. "This will explain everything better than I ever could." Muzan pulled Akai's hand upwards, and placed Akai's hand on his forehead.

Everything went black.

Akai woke up in the mirror room once again. He got up and stared at the wall. It was ginormous, the room. The room had to be a mile wide, the wall studded with the memories of a man who had lived one thousand years. Akai steeled himself and went to make contact with the wall of memories. He had to see what his life was like. He had to know if what he was saying was true. He raised his hand and touched the wall, and all went blank once again.

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Approximately One Thousand and Forty Years Ago:

My sibling was the first to be born, a daughter. There were no complications with her birth. I, on the other hand, was at death's door even before I was given a chance at life. My heart stopped three times before I was born. And when I was finally birthed, the complications that came with my deliveries nearly killed my mother. Even then, I was not breathing. After the doctors did all they could to resuscitate me failed, they decided nothing could be done to save me. But just as I was going to be hauled off to be cremated, I took in my first breaths of air and cried out. This would not be the last time I showed my indomitable determination to live.

My sister and I grew up in a wealthy household. And we were both loved dearly by our family. My sister was beautiful and healthy. I, on the other hand, was plagued by weakness and disease my entire young life. I couldn't count the times I almost died of sickness. When I was twenty years old, it seemed I would finally be claimed. But a doctor my father had hired had come up with a miracle drug. An experimental concoction that he claimed would have me cured of all of my blights. He claimed it was made from the extract of a blue spider lily. I took his offer, and began taking his treatment. But not soon after, my condition worsened. My flesh would be seared if it made contact with the sun, and I had unimaginable cravings for something, but no matter what I ate did nothing to satiate it. In a fit of rage, I went to strike the man who I had assumed poisoned me. I still remember the feeling of my hand pulverizing his flesh. 

His drug had worked. And it was even better than he had hypothesized. I had ascended beyond humanity. My strength was far beyond any man. But I had killed him. I frantically scrambled to find any notes or recipe for the concoction. But he had nothing. In an act of fury, I utterly pulverized his body, screaming for an answer. I found out what I had been craving all that time after some of his blood splattered into my mouth. My new body came with inhuman strength, senses, and heightened regeneration. Nothing could ever hope of hurting me again. But there was a flaw. I required the blood and flesh of other humans to live, and the sun's light was capable of killing me. Then began my quest of trying to find the path to true immortality. I only had a single clue, that being the knowledge that the miracle concoction was derived from the blue spider lily. After experimenting with my powers for a time, I was able to discover that I could turn others into demons.