December 29, 1912
Mount Kumotori, Japan
How did this happen?
Her breathing frosting in the air as snow fell all around her, twelve-year-old Nezuko Kamado was carefully making her way down Mount Kumotori carrying her thirteen-year-old brother Tanjirō on her back. The boy was badly-injured, blood covering the elder-Kamado's clothing.
"Tanjirō...don't die," Nezuko pleaded to her unconscious-brother. "I'm gonna save you."
He was larger than his little sister, however she didn't let that stop her as she carried him.
"You can't die," Nezuko said. "Your little sister is definitely going to save you!"
December 28, 1912
Mount Kumotori, Japan
"Nezuko!"
Wrapped in warm clothing with a basket full of charcoal on her back, Nezuko Kamado turned to face her mother, Kie Kamado, who stood at the doorway of the Kamado residence holding a rag.
"Your face is pitch-black," the girl's mother said. "Come here."
Nezuko walked over to Kie, who knelt down in the snow to clean her eldest-daughter's face.
"You don't have to go," the Kamado family matriarch said. "It's snowing and it's dangerous."
"I know, but Onii-san's still hasn't healed yet," Nezuko replied. "And besides, I want us to have a great New Year's feast, so I'll go sel as much charcoal as I can...even if it's just a little."
"Thank you," Kie said with a small smile, grateful for the kind, caring children she had.
"Nezuko, are you going to town today," a voice called out to the second-eldest Kamado child as she and Kie turned to see Shigeru and Hanako, two of the younger ones, running over to them.
Behind them by the woodpile with a hatchet-in-hand was Takeo Kamado, the third-eldest child.
"I wanna go too," Hanako Kamado cried.
"Whaaaaa," Takeo exclaimed.
"No, you can't walk fast like Nezuko," Kie told the children.
"But Kā-san," Shigeru Kamado whined.
"No," Kie said. "She isn't taking the cart, so she can't pull you when you're tired."
"Takeo," Nezuko said. "I know you can't do a lot, but cut a little wood, today, okay?"
"I wanna go with you," Hanako cried to her elder-sister again.
"I will, but...since Tanjirō's still hurt...I was hoping we'd do it together," Takeo replied.
"Hurry back, okay?"
"Be careful!"
As Nezuko started heading down Mount Kumotori to Okutama, she ran into the two "bookends," the eldest-child Tanjirō Kamado and the youngest-child Rokuta Kamado. Little Rokuta was fast asleep on his eldest-brother's back, Tanjirō having a blanket wrapped around himself to keep his youngest-sibling secure. Thick bandages were wrapped around his left leg from his knee down.
"Nezuko," Tanjirō exclaimed when he saw his sister.
"Tanjirō," Nezuko said. "What are you doing up? You should be resting so your leg will heal."
"I know, but I was putting Rokuta to sleep while taking a little walk," Tanjirō replied. "It's starting to feel better, don't worry, Nezuko. Anyways, I heard the commotion and I thought I'd see you off."
Nezuko sighed, smiling at her brother before reaching out to give little Rokuta a soft-headpat.
"They've been so lonely since Otō-san died," Nezuko said. "So they've started clinging to you."
"Yeah, well, I'll see you later," Tanjirō said.
"See you, Tanjirō," Nezuko replied as she continued down the mountain. Our life isn't easy, but we're happy. But life is like the weather...it's always changing. It won't always be easy,,,and the won't always keep falling. When happiness ends there's always...the smell of blood in the air.
December 28, 1912
Okutama, Japan
"Oh, Nezuko!"
A woman carrying a bamboo-pole had been the first to spot the Kamado-girl when she arrived.
"You came down the mountain on a day like today," the woman asked Nezuko. The townsfolk of Okutama were aware of Tanjirō's injury and they were not surprised to see the younger-Kamado since she had been here plenty of times before. "You work so hard! You'll catch a cold!"
"Please give Tanjirō my thanks for fixing my shoji door the other day," one of the townsfolk called out to Nezuko while others called out requests for her to sell charcoal to her. Then, a man with a bloodied-face accompanied by a woman gripping his shoulder came out of a nearby house.
"Aaah, Nezuko," the man called out to the girl. "You're just in time!"
The second-eldest Kamado child turned as the fan held out a broken dish towards her.
"She says I broke a dish," the man cried out as Nezuko approached. "Help me! Smell it!"
Besides charcoal-production, the Kamado were also famous for having a great sense of smell.
Nezuko bent down over the dish, and...
Sniff sniff. Sniff.
"I smell a cat," Nezuko declared as she straightened up.
"A cat," the woman asked. "Oh, dear."
"Seeee," the man declared. "I told you it wasn't me!"
"Nezuko," another Okutama-townsfolk called out. "Will you help me carry some bundles?"
December 28, 1912
Mount Kumotori, Japan
Nezuko ended up spending most of the day in Okutama, and the sun was setting when she left.
Whew, it's getting late, Nezuko thought as she started making her way back up the mountain.
"Hey, Nezuko, you aren't going up the mountain are you," a familiar-voice called out to her after a while of walking. It was a man named Saburo who lived on the mountain. "It's too dangerous."
"I've got a good nose for trouble just like Onii-san, I'll be fine," Nezuko said as she continued on.
"You can stay here," Saburo assured her. "Please, come back."
"But...I can handle myself..." Nezuko replied. "...besides, I don't want to intrude."
"It's all right, you're welcome here," Saburo replied. "You don't want to run into any demons."
Eventually, once Nezuko was safely inside, Saburo made something for the girl to eat.
"For ages...man-eating demons have roamed these woods after dark," Saburo said. "So you shouldn't walk around at night. Eat, then sleep. You can get up and go home early tomorrow."
"But...can't the demons come inside houses," Nezuko asked as she laid down.
"Yes...they can," Saburo replied.
"But...then...why don't they eat everyone," Nezuko asked him again.
"Because Demon Slayers cut them down," Saburo explained. "Have for ages."
As she started to fall asleep, Nezuko thought about what Saburo had told her.
Saburo-oji-san lives alone because he lost his family, Nezuko thought. He must be lonely. But, I wonder, was it because of demons? Well, anyways, next time I'll bring Tanjirō and our younger siblings. But there's no need to fear. There's no such thing as demons. But now that I think of it, my grandmother said the same thing before she died. When happiness ends, there's always...
...the smell of blood in the air.
December 29, 1912
Mount Kumotori, Japan
The next morning, Nezuko ate a quick breakfast at Saburo's house before heading off, resuming her trip back up the mountain to where the Kamado family lived. However, as she got closer, the thick smell of blood reached her. Concerned, Nezuko ran the rest of the way up the mountain.
She stopped when she got to the house, her breath frosting in the cold air.
Laying out in front of the house were two bloodied-bodies, her brother Tanjirō clutching Rokuta.
"Tanjirō, Rokuta," Nezuko cried as she dropped the basket and ran to her fallen fell to her knees in the snow next to them, putting a hand on Tanjirō's side. "What...what happened?"
Nezuko's breath caught in her throat as she looked into the house. The door and part of the wall had been ripped away. There was blood everywhere, as were the mutilated-bodies of her family.
"Okā-san...Hanako...Takeo...Shigeru...Tanjirō...Rokuta..."
Several minutes later...
Only Tanjirō's body was still warm, Nezuko thought to herself as she carried her injured-brother on her back, armed with the hatchet. How'd this happen? Maybe a bear too hungry to hibernate?
Nezuko panted, her brother heavy on her back and the cold air making breathing difficult.
So hard to breathe, Nezuko silently remarked. The air's so cold it's freezing my lungs. I have to keep going! Move your feet faster! It's still a long way down. I won't let you die.
Unseen by Nezuko, her brother's fingers started to twitch, the fingers becoming claw-like.
I have to save you! Your little sister will save you!
"Grraaaaaah," Tanjirō roared as his snapped eyes opened and he threw his head back.
"Huh," Nezuko gasped, however she made a misstep and slipped, falling off of the cliff. Tanjirō slipped from his sister's grasp as the girl hit the ground below, knocking the breath out of her.
The snow...saved me...but it also...made me slip, Nezuko realized as she caught her breath.
Noticing that her brother was nowhere near, she sat up and called out his name.
"Tanjirō!" Then, she noticed him standing a few meters away, his head bowed. Somehow, his leg appeared to be just fine, the bandages having fallen away from the boy's leg as she carried him.
"Tanjirō," Nezuko exclaimed as she got up. "Are you alright?"
He didn't say anything and she started to run to him.
"You shouldn't be up," Nezuko told her brother. "Let me...carry you into town. Tanjirō!"
As she reached her brother, he snapped his attention up to her, and she gasped. His eyes were no longer red, but instead light-pink with slit-like pupils while his canines had become fang-like.
Tanjirō growled as he tackled Nezuko into the snow. She barely managed to take out the hatchet in time to jam the handle in between her brother's teeth as he pinned her beneath himself. Being larger than his sister, Tanjirō was causing Nezuko a lot of strain to keep her brother off of her.
A demon, Nezuko realized as she looked into her brother's eyes, struggling to hold the boy up. I thought of what Saburo-oji-san said. Is Tanjirō...a man-eating demon...? No, that's not possible.
Although she had of course not been there at her elder-brother's birth by virtue of being younger than him, however she had known him for his entire life, and Tanjirō had always been human.
But this Tanjirō...smells of blood and death, Nezuko thought as she struggled to keep her brother from biting or even scratching her. He can probably...smell it, too. But, regardless, Tanjirō...he couldn't have done all that. I found him...fallen over Rokuta, like he was protecting him. He didn't have blood on his mouth or hands. And there's yet...another smell... However, at that moment...
Whoomp.
Tanjirō grew much larger, starting to crush Nezuko as he gripped her shoulders.
"Mmmnnnn," Nezuko groaned, trying not to give in to the pain burning across her body. Nezuko felt like her arms were about to break, however she focussed all of the strength that she still had to keep Tanjirō from eating her, or at least just flattening her since he had to be bigger than ever their own father, Tanjurō Kamado. Whatever the reason...he's growing bigger...and he's getting stronger! While I was..safely asleep in town...something horrible...happened to my whole family.
Nezuko breathed heavily as she gritted her teeth, Tanjirō digging his claws into his shoulders.
How they...must have suffered, Nezuko thought as she struggled against the exploding pain that screamed for her to just give up while the younger-Kamado continued trying to stay strong. And I wasn't...there to help them. I have to save Tanjirō...if I can. But he's so strong! I can't push him!
"TANJIRŌ," Nezuko screamed as she brought up her knee into her brother's stomach, causing him to cough against the hatchet as Nezuko knocked Tanjirō's breath out. His size decreased a bit, and Nezuko took a deep breath, before exhaling. "Hold on, Tanjirō! Fight it! Fight for you life!"
"Be strong," the younger-Kamado continued. "Don't turn into a demon! You can do it! Tanjirō!"
As he caught his breath, the older-Kamado focussed on his sister as his size decreased.
Plip. Plip. Plip.
Wait...Nezuko?
Tears began spilling down his face as he recognized his precious little sister.
What...am I...doing?
He stopped struggling against Nezuko, decreasing back to his regular size, causing his sister to breathe a sigh of relief as the weight pinning her down diminished. However, her relief was only short lived as Nezuko looked up to see a man with a red-bladed katana bearing down on them.
Although her arms burned with pain, Nezuko grabbed her big brother and rolled away.
Fwsh!
The swordsman swung his sword, narrowly missing the Kamado siblings.
Who...who is that, Nezuko wondered as she looked upon the swordsman. He was a young man of tall stature and athletic build. He had long golden-hair with red-tops and gold-to-red eyes. Their attacker wore a brown gakuran-jacket, a white belt around his waist and brown-hakama pants.
Over his clothes was a haori with a white-yellow gradient pattern and red flame-like ridges. And on his feet, he wore red tabi-socks with yellow flames erupting from the bottom-up with a pair of white zōri-straps. Finally, there was his katana, which had a red-blade and flame-handguard.
A katana?
"You do realize that that's a demon, do you not," the golden-haired swordsman asked Nezuko, who nodded and he frowned, confused by the girl's judgement. "Then why do you protect him?"
"B-brother...he's my...big brother," Nezuko replied, and the swordsman seemed to relax.
"Graar," Tanjirō growled as he struggled to get away. "Graah! Raagh!"
"That's your big brother," the swordsman remarked thoughtfully. "But he's a demon..."
"I know," Nezuko said as she continued holding Tanjirō down while the boy struggled to get away and she took up the hatchet for good measure in case the swordsman attacked again. "But he hasn't killed anyone! There was a scent at my house...from someone I've never smelled before! That must be who killed everyone! Not Tanjirō! I don't know what's making him act like this..."
"Ah, yes, that's easy," the swordsman declared enthusiastically with a smile. "Demon blood got in his wounds, so he has transformed into a demon! That is how man-eating demons multiply!"
Is this guy usually this cheery in a fight, Nezuko couldn't help but wonder. However, she couldn't afford to let that distract her, otherwise it could cost Tanjirō's life. That man's katana had the kanji for "destroy all demons" engraved into the blade, meaning that he must be one of those Demon Slayers that Saburo had been telling her about the previous night, meaning that this swordsman was there to do just one thing — kill Tanjirō. "Tanjirō would never eat or hurt anyone, I swear!"
"Although he was just trying to eat you," the swordsman asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He was just scared and confused," Nezuko assured the swordsman. "And I'm sure he knows who I am! I won't let him hurt anyone! I'll find a way to cure him! I'll make him human again!"
"I appreciate your determination," the swordsman declared with a smile. "Your brother is lucky to have a sister like you, but he won't get better. A human who becomes a demon can't go back!"
"I'll find a way," Nezuko protested. "I swear! And I'll also find the one that killed my family!"
There's only one demon who could've done this, the swordsman thought with a frown. And that would be Muzan Kibutsuji... Finding, much less killing,Muzan was an almost impossible task.
On the other hand, there was another thought that rose to the forefront of the young man's mind.
What if this was his little brother Senjurō and himself?
What if Senjurō had been turned into a demon, would he protect his precious little brother?
And what if he had been turned into a demon instead, would Senjurō protect his big brother?
"I know you're here to kill Tanjirō," Nezuko shouted. "But I won't let you kill my big brother!"
She dropped Tanjirō to the ground and stood before him, brandishing her hatchet. But instead of taking the opportune chance to run away, the elder-Kamado stared up at his sister with awe.
"If you want to kill him, then you're going to have to get through me, first," Nezuko declared.
The swordsman recalled something else, his mother Ruka telling him how those who were born strong had a duty to protect the weak. The swordsman sighed, smiling as he raised his sword.
Tanjirō rose to his knees, watching as his sister ran at the swordsman, hatchet raised to strike.
"N-ne...zu...ko..." Tanjirō tried to say, the boy's voice sounding rough as if he were dehydrated.
However, instead of swinging his blade down on Nezuko, the man sheathed his katana. He then reached out a hand and gently placed it on the young girl's head, as if to hold the Kamado back.
"What...? Why...?" Nezuko looked up at the Demon Slayer in confusion.
"Your determination and will to fight are very admirable," the swordsman told her. "And your will to protect your brother...despite him having become a demon...I must say, it really moved me!"
"It...it did," Nezuko asked, lowering her hatchet as she took a step back from the Demon Slayer.
"Yes," the swordsman replied. "I also have a sibling, you see, a little brother."
"Oh, and if he became a demon, what would you do," Nezuko asked, voicing his thoughts.
Tanjirō shakily rose to his feet and walked to his sister's side.
"I wouldn't be able to bring myself to kill him," the swordsman admitted proudly, his tone coming as a surprise to the siblings. "He's my little brother, besides, the strong must protect the weak!"
"Y-you...g-get...it," Tanjirō did his best to ask the swordsman, who nodded.
"I do," the Demon Slayer agreed. "And if I were to become a demon, he would do the same!"
Then, he looked to Tanjirō, who took a step back.
"As would you if your sister was in your place," the swordsman surmised. "Tanjirō, was it?"
"Y-yes...o-of...of course," Tanjirō declared, almost defiantly, and the swordsman laughed.
"Oh, I love your fiery-spirits," the swordsman informed the Kamado siblings. "It's beautiful!"
"Thank you, I think," Nezuko asked. "What now, now that you're not going to kill Tanjirō?"
"You said you want to find a way to cure your brother and kill the demon who killed your family," the swordsman asked, and Nezuko nodded. "Well, I would be more than happy to assist you!"
"N-na...name...you...?" Tanjirō pointed to the swordsman. "...y-your...n-name?"
"Ah, of course, my apologies," the swordsman said. "I forgot, my name is Kyōjurō Rengoku!"
"I'm Nezuko Kamado," the younger-Kamado replied. "It's nice to meet you, Rengoku-san."
"H-hi," Tanjirō stuttered in greeting, giving a smile that showed off his fang-like canines.
"It's a pleasure to meet the both of you as well," Kyōjurō Rengoku greeted in return.
"H-how...you...h-help," Tanjirō asked Kyōjurō, before coughing since he was beginning to strain his vocal cords. It was possible for demons to speak coherently, but it required eating humans.
"Easy, don't hurt yourself," Kyōjurō advised the boy. "Anyways, I'll help by training your sister!"
"To be a Demon Slayer," Nezuko asked, and Kyōjurō nodded.
"Exactly, if that is what you wish," the Demon Slayer replied.
"I accept," Nezuko replied. "But first...we should bury my family."
Tanjirŏ nodded in agreement.
"Of course," Kyōjurō said. "Lead the way, Nezuko."
Nezuko and Tanjirō led Kyōjurō to the Kamado residence. The first thing that happened was that Kyōjurō fashioned a bamboo-muzzle to go over Tanjirō's mouth. Even though it was not needed, the Demon Slayer explained that it was better to be safe rather than sorry. Besides, in the end, it made the elder-Kamado look absolutely adorable. Then, a grave was prepared for the bodies.
Tanjirō watched as the grave was dug and the bodies placed into it, burying the dead-Kamado.
Nezuko and Kyōjurō knelt next to the grave, praying to Izanagi and Izanami, wishing the spirits of the descended Kamado eternal happiness in Yomi no Kuni. Then, the house was fixed up.
"Alright, let's go," Kyōjurō told the siblings as Nezuko took her big brother's hand.
"Right," Nezuko replied. "Tanjirō, are you ready to go?"
"Mm-hmm," Tanjirō said from behind his muzzle, nodding.
With that, the Kamado siblings left their house behind, following Kyōjurō onto this new path...