Muzan's Sun Breathing Nightmare

Summary

The first Breathing Technique, Sun Breathing, is the most powerful and effective against demons due to its connection to sunlight.
Muzan fears Yoriichi Tsugikuni and his Sun Breathing technique after almost being killed by him.
Muzan targets Tanjiro and his family to eliminate any connection to Sun Breathing and prevent its resurgence.

Originating as the initial and potent form of breathing methods, Sun Breathing – the source of techniques like Water, Flame, and Thunder – was a primal power utilized to vanquish evil spirits. This technique’s approach mirrored sunlight, rendering it highly effective against such malevolent entities.

In the Heian period, an unfortunate mishap with a medical experiment turned me into a demon, bestowing upon me immortality. Since discovering this unique gift, my ambition has been to achieve everlasting existence. This was prior to my encounter with Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a formidable Demon Slayer who came close to ending my life. After that fateful meeting, I’ve harbored a deep-seated fear of Yoriichi and his Sun Breathing technique.

The First And Foremost Breathing Technique

Sunlight Is The Kyrptonite To All Demons

Despite being incredibly powerful, much like any other demon, Muzan had a vulnerability to sunlight. Encountering Yoriichi, the creator of the initial Breathing Method known as Sun Breathing, Muzan was confident he could easily vanquish him. Given his past victories over numerous Demon Slayers, Muzan felt overconfident about defeating Yoriichi too. However, Muzan misjudged Yoriichi’s abilities and found himself swiftly defeated by the Sun Breathing Technique. Before Yoriichi could deliver the finishing blow, Muzan exploded into a thousand fragments of flesh to evade defeat and regrow his body at a later time.

The true monster is that man. Not me. -Muzan Kibutsuji

Following a narrow escape from Yoriichi’s Sun Breathing and encountering fear for the first time, Muzan lived in constant apprehension upon discovering that a Demon Slayer came close to ending his life. It wasn’t until he learned about Nezuko and her unique sun-walking ability that Muzan resurfaced, dedicating himself to eliminating any potential Sun Breathing users. After Yoriichi’s death, Muzan sought to prevent the rise of other Demon Slayers with this power and swore to exterminate anyone who possessed it. From then on, Muzan avoided direct encounters with Demon Slayers, instead delegating tasks to his demons, demonstrating the profound impact Yoriichi had on Muzan’s existence.

Muzan Encounters Tanjiro For The First Time

He Realizes His Worries Are Far From Over

The first time I encountered Muzan was in Akasuka, Tokyo. Upon recognizing Muzan’s distinctive odor, I confronted him, but he feigned ignorance and swiftly transformed an innocent passerby into a demon, creating a diversion for his escape. Later on, Muzan gathered his lower-rank demons and commanded them to eliminate the Demon Slayer with the Hanafuda earrings – that was me. As the battle unfolded, Muzan experienced a flashback of his past, recalling his intense struggle against Yoriichi. It seemed as though Muzan had recognized the Hanafuda earrings I wore, which were identical to those worn by Yoriichi in their fateful encounter. This revelation stirred up old memories and instilled a sense of fear within him, as he now faced his long-buried dread resurfacing.

Because the Kamado family unwittingly preserved the Sun Breathing technique through their dance rituals, Muzan considered Tanjiro a significant danger to his existence. Another factor that alarmed Muzan was the Sun Breathing Technique’s ability to bypass demon regeneration and delay it. After investing considerable effort in eliminating this sacred technique and preventing its users from appearing, Muzan had ultimately failed. Muzan targeted Tanjiro’s family for elimination because he aimed to eradicate those who knew anything related to Sun Breathing or were associated with Yoriichi. Since the Kamado lineage had a personal relationship with Yoriichi, Muzan intended to annihilate the Kamado bloodline to prevent any new practitioners of the Sun Breathing Technique from emerging and to safeguard himself against its power.