Demon Slayer Chapter 178

Demon Slayer Chapter 178, titled "Even If You Reach Out Your Hand," delves deeper into Kokushibo's tragic past as Michikatsu Tsugikuni, revealing his enduring regret, the indelible legacy of Yoriichi, and the final moments of Michikatsu's torment. Michikatsu, consumed by the desire for Yoriichi to die, believes his brother's existence defied nature. He learns that Yoriichi disappeared without a trace, fulfilling his wish. For ten years, Michikatsu lives peacefully, marries, and has children, but he recalls time crawling. Then, his camp is attacked by a demon, leaving him the sole survivor. As time accelerates, Yoriichi appears, effortlessly striking down the demon. His brother, once a child he pitied, has now mastered the sword, easily defeating inhuman opponents. Seeing Yoriichi shatters Michikatsu's serenity, and his stomach boils with jealous hatred as Yoriichi kneels, apologizing for his lateness and the death of Michikatsu's subordinates in the thrilling narrative of the Demon Slayer manga.

Witnessing Yoriichi's seemingly faultless nature, Michikatsu resolves to acquire his skills at any cost. He abandons his family to become a Demon Slayer. During this time, Yoriichi attempts to teach his peers Sun Breathing, but when none can match him, he modifies the style to suit them, giving rise to various Breathing Styles. As Demon Slayers grow stronger, more individuals awaken the Demon Slayer Mark. Michikatsu eventually gains a mark similar to Yoriichi's, but he cannot master Sun Breathing, instead developing Moon Breathing. Frustrated by his inability to match Yoriichi, he watches as marked Demon Slayers die in droves, realizing the mark exchanged lifespan for power. The Golden Era of Demon Slayers ends, leaving Michikatsu without a future or the means to surpass Yoriichi.

It is then that Muzan Kibutsuji appears, tempting Michikatsu with immortality, promising him mastery of his Breathing Style as a demonic swordsman. Michikatsu, seeing the path he truly desired, embraces the offer, believing he can finally be free. However, sixty years later, Yoriichi reappears, a stark reminder that some shackles remain. His twin, who transcended nature's laws, defeats him once more in death, forever robbing him of victory. Enraged, Kokushibo slashes Yoriichi's body in half, demanding to know why he must always suffer. To his shock, he sees the flute, recalling Yoriichi's words: "I think of this flute you gave me... as you." Kokushibo weeps, attempting to force hatred upon him, crying, "Just seeing your face makes me sick. Just hearing your voice makes me so angry my head hurts." He laments that Yoriichi's face, the one he most wished to forget, remains vivid after centuries, while his parents', wife's, and children's faces are long forgotten. Yoriichi was the sun, and humanity, writhing in agony, could only yearn for him until they faded. As Kokushibo's body crumbles, he laments his inability to hold onto anything, having abandoned his home, family, humanity, and even his ambition to become a samurai. He questions Yoriichi's earlier statement that those who master their paths reach the same place, realizing he never saw the world Yoriichi did. Even after Yoriichi's death, when he and Muzan eradicated Sun Breathing users, the style persists. Finally, as Kokushibo fades, leaving behind the flute he cherished for 400 years, he questions his entire existence: "Why could I not leave anything behind? Why could I not become someone? Why are we so different? Why in the world was I ever born? Tell me... Yoriichi." This poignant end encapsulates Kokushibo's profound regret and his eternal struggle to escape his brother's shadow in the climactic Infinity Castle Arc of the Demon Slayer manga.