December 29, 1912
Mount Kumotori
Thirteen-year-old Tanjirō Kamado breathed heavily as he carried two badly-injured unconscious twelve-year-olds on his back, one being his little sister Nezuko who had only just turned twelve the day before and the other being a boy named Naruto who had come to stay with the Kamado family a week ago. Tanjirō may have been strong, but carrying the both of them was not easy.
How did this happen, Tanjirō wondered as he thought back to what he had stumbled upon earlier this morning when he came home from selling charcoal in town yesterday. "Please...don't die..."
While he could have left Naruto behind to just save Nezuko, Tanjirō was not that kind of person, instead being a very kind and caring person who would never leave anyone behind. Not ever.
"Nezuko...Naruto...please...please don't die..." Tanjirō said as he walked down the mountain. "I'm gonna save you...you...you can't die...neither of you...I'm...I'm definitely going to save you both!"
December 28, 1912
Mount Kumotori
The previous day, Tanjirō had loaded up his basket with charcoal to take down the mountain just as he did once-a-week. His family made charcoal that they then sold to the Okutama-townsfolk, Okutama being the town that was at the base of the mountain. It had been on a return-trip when Tanjirō had come across a peculiar-boy dressed in strange-clothing named Naruto Uzumaki.
The boy had been on the run from a man named "Mizuki" who wanted to kill Naruto because of a reason that he later revealed after becoming more comfortable with the Kamado family. Tanjirō had brought the exhausted-boy to his family's home where he was welcomed with open arms. It had surprised Naruto to be accepted so quickly, but soon enough he began to feel right at home.
"Tanjirō," Kie Kamado called out to her eldest from the doorway of the Kamado house as the boy was about to leave once his basket was full of charcoal. "Your face is pitch-black. Come here."
Tanjirō walked over to his mother who knelt on the snowy ground as she cleaned the boy's face.
"You don't have to go," Kie told her son. "It's snowing and it's dangerous."
"I want us to have a great New Year's feast," Tanjirō replied. "So I'll go sell as much charcoal as I can...even if it's just a little."
"Thank you," Kie sighed, giving her eldest child a small smile.
"Tanjirō, are you going to town again today," a young voice called out to the eldest Kamado child, who turned to see Shigeru Kamado and Hanako Kamado running towards him. Shigeru was the second-youngest of the siblings while his older sister Hanako was the third-youngest of them.
"I wanna go too," Hanako pleaded with her eldest brother.
"Whaaaa," exclaimed the third-oldest Kamado sibling, Takeo Kamado, who was standing next to a pile of wood along with Naruto Uzumaki, the former resting a hatchet against his left-shoulder.
"No, you can't walk fast like Tanjirō," Kie informed Shigeru and Hanako.
"But Mom," they complained.
"No," Kie affirmed. "He isn't taking the cart today, so he can't pull when you're tired."
"Takeo, I know you can't do a lot, but cut a little wood today, okay," Tanjirō requested.
"I want to go with you," Shigeru complained as he gave his eldest brother a big hug.
"I will...but...I was hoping we'd do it together," Takeo replied in disappointment.
"Hey, if you'd like, I could help you out," Naruto offered and Takeo shrugged.
"Okay."
"Hurry back, okay," Shigeru called to Tanjirō as he left.
"Be careful," Hanako added as the eldest Kamado sibling smiled and waved goodbye to them.
Heading down the mountain towards town, Tanjirō crossed paths with the second-eldest of the Kamado siblings, a twelve-year-old girl dressed in a pink-kimono, a pair of zōri with pink straps and white tabi socks wrapped with thick pieces of black material that seemed like leggings. She had dark-pink pink eyes and black-hair tied back into a bun by pink-ribbons. This was Nezuko.
She had a blanket draped around her and on her back she carried the youngest Kamado sibling.
"Nezuko," Tanjirō greeted his sister.
"I was putting Rokuta to sleep," Nezuko told her elder brother. "But I heard all the commotion."
Tanjirō reached out and gently placed a hand on Rokuta's head, the small child fast asleep.
"They've been so lonely since Father died, so they've started clinging to you. See you later!"
Their life wasn't easy, but they were happy. But life is like the weather...it's always changing.
It wouldn't always be easy...and the snow wouldn't always keep falling.
When happiness ended there was always...the smell of blood in the air.
December 28, 1912
Okutama, Japan
"Oh, Tanjirō," one of the townsfolk, a woman, greeted the Kamado boy as he arrived. "You came down the mountain on a day like today? You work so hard! You'll catch a cold!"
"Thanks for fixing my shōji door the other day," another one of the townsfolk called out to Tanjirō.
"Hey, sell me some charcoal," a third person exclaimed.
"Give me some charcoal, too," a fourth person requested.
"Aaah, Tanjirō, you're just in time," said a man who appeared to have been punched in the face, and the eldest Kamado sibling turned to face him and a woman who was gripping the shoulder of his clothing. The man held out a broken dish. "She says I broke a dish! Help me! Smell it!"
Tanjirō, who had an enhanced sense of smell, walked closer to the couple and smelled the dish.
Sniff sniff. Sniff.
"I smell a cat," Tanjirō reported as he stood back up.
"A cat," the woman asked. "Oh dear."
"Seeee," the man exclaimed. "I told you it wasn't me!"
"Tanjirō," another person called out to the Kamado boy. "Will you help me carry some bundles!?"
December 28, 1912
Mount Kumotori, Japan
By the time Tanjirō finished in town and started heading back up the mountain, it was evening.
Whew, it's getting late, Tanjirō thought as he walked up the snow-covered path.
"Hey, Tanjirō," a man named Saburō called out to the eldest Kamado child as he passed by his house. "You aren't going back up the mountain, are you? It's too dangerous!"
"I've got a good nose for trouble," Tanjirō assured Saburō as he turned to face him. "I'll be fine."
"You can stay here," Saburō replied as Tanjirō turned to continue. "Please, come back."
"But..." Tanjirō tried to argue.
"It's all right, you're welcome here," Saburō said. "You don't want to run into any demons."
Once Tanjirō was safely inside, Saburō began to explain the cause of his concern for the boy.
"For ages...man-eating demons have roamed these woods after dark," Saburō 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," Tanjirō asked Saburō.
"Yes...they can," Saburō replied.
"But...then...why don't they eat everyone," Tanjirō asked.
"Because Demon Slayers cut them down," Saburō explained. "Have for ages."
Saburō lived alone because he had lost his family, and Tanjirō wondered if he must be lonely. As he fell asleep, Tanjirō decided that next time he visited "Old Man Saburō" that he would bring his siblings and maybe even Naruto with him. Regardless, there was
"Old Man" Saburō, as he was often called, lived alone because he had lost his family and Tanjiro wondered if he must be lonely. As he fell asleep, Tanjirō decided that next time he visited that he would bring his siblings and maybe even Naruto with him. However, there was no need to fear...
...there were no such things as demons.
However as he thought about it, his grandmother had said the same thing before she died.
When happiness ended...there was always...the smell of blood in the air.
December 29, 1912
Mount Kumotori
The next morning, Tanjirō bid farewell to Saburō and continued heading back up the mountain.
However, as he got closer to his home, he soon began to detect a certain scent in the air...
"...the smell of blood..." Tanjirō exclaimed with worry and he ran the rest of the way home.
It was there the he found a horrific sight that made his breath catch in his throat.
Laying outside in the cold snow were three bodies all piled on top of one another. On the bottom of the pile was little Rokuta, Nezuko clutching him in her arms while Naruto was draped over her as if they (being Nezuko and Naruto) had each been trying to protect who they had fallen over.
Tanjirō gave a terrified gasp and ran to them, kneeling down in the snow when he reached them.
"What the..." Tanjirō exclaimed. "Agh! What happened!?"
Tanjirō looked up and towards the house and his heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest as he took in the carnage. Inside were the bodies of his mother and his three youngest siblings.
"Mother...Hanako...Takeo...Shigeru...Nezuko...Naruto...Rokuta..."
Only Nezuko and Naruto's bodies had still been warm, so Tanjirō hoisted them both oto his back and began his descent back down Mount Kumotori. He hoped that a doctor could save them.
How did this happen, Tanjirō wondered as he trudged through the snow, the cold air freezing his lungs and making it hard to breath. A bear? Maybe a bear too hungry to hibernate?
His breathing began getting heavy, the weight of the unconscious twelve-years-olds on his back not helping. It was still a long way to town, but he had to keep going and he had to move faster.
I won't let you die, he silently promised Nezuko and Naruto. I have to save you! I will save you!
Unnoticed by Tanjirō, Nezuko's fingers started to twitch and then her eyes snapped open as she threw her head back, giving a throaty-growl. Nezuko's sudden movement caused Naruto to slip, but Tanjirō just barely managed to grab the unconscious boy before he could fall off. However...
"Grraaaaaah," Nezuko growled, her canines lengthened as if they were fangs.
"!?"
Shwf.
Tanjirō misstepped and began to fall.
"Oh no," Tanjirō exclaimed. "I'm slip—!"
The three children fell off of the ledge on which Tanjirō had been walking and down into the snow.
Fwumph!
The impact knocked the breath out of Tanjirō and caused Naruto to wake up.
The snow...saved me, Tanjirō silently remarked.
"What...? Where..." Naruto sat up, looking around in a daze before he saw Tanjirō. "Hey, Tanjirō!"
"Ugh..." Tanjirō groaned slightly as he sat up. "Oh, good...you're okay...but where's...?"
"I don't..." Naruto started to say, however they then noticed Nezuko standing nearby.
"Nezuko," the boys exclaimed as they both got back up to their feet. Or at least Naruto tried to, but he was still injured and it was hard for him to stand so he had to lean against a nearby tree.
Nezuko, on the other hand, was looking downward with her face hidden by her long hair.
"Are you alright," Tanjirō asked as he started to run to his only surviving sibling.
"Wait...Tanjirō...something's...not right," Naruto warned Tanjirō, but his words fell on deaf ears.
"You shouldn't be up," Tanjirō told his little sister. "Let me carry you into town! Nezuko..."
She looked up at Tanjirō and the eldest Kamado survivor saw that her appearance had changed.
Her eyes were now pale-pink and the pupils looked like vertical-slits while her canines were long like fangs. Veins bulged in her face as she growled at Tanjirō before launching herself at him. As she tackled Tanjirō into the snow and tried to bite him, he quickly took out the hatchet that he had brought with him from the house and jammed it between Nezuko's teeth as she tried to bite him.
"Nezuko...stop..." Naruto cried out as he tried to run to help the Kamado siblings, but instead he fell face-first into the snow. Running wouldn't work, so Naruto tried to crawl. What is going on?
A demon, Tanjirō realized as he held Nezuko back from hurting him while Naruto tried to reach the Kamado siblings despite his severe-injuries. Tanjirō thought about what Old Saburō had said.
Was Nezuko...a man-eating demon?
No, that's not possible, Tanjirō silently affirmed as he recalled moments in the past. Nezuko has always been human...since the day she was born. But this Nezuko smells of blood and death.
However, Tanjirō then thought back to when he found Nezuko and Naruto back at the house.
But Nezuko couldn't have done all that, Tanjirō silently continued as he struggled to hold Nezuko back. I found her fallen over Rokuta like she was protecting him...and I found Naruto fallen over Nezuko like he was protecting her. Besides, she didn't have any blood on her hands or mouth.
"Stop it," Naruto shouted again as he launched himself at Nezuko and tackled her off of Tanjirō.
"Naruto..." Tanjirō called out to his injured-friend as the two twelve-year-olds rolled away into the snow. Nezuko grabbed Naruto and quickly pinned him down to the ground. "No, Nezuko, stop!"
"Nezuko...please..." Naruto pleaded with her. Tanjirō jumped back up to his feet and ran over to them, grabbing Nezuko and pulling his little sister off of Naruto before she could injure the boy.
"Hold on, Nezuko," Tanjirō urged Nezuko as she growled and thrashed wildly in his arms. Then she grew larger and twisted around to push Tannirō back down to the ground. Tanjirō scrambled back to grab the fallen hatchet and jammed it between his sister's teeth again as she pinned him to the ground. "Fight it! Fight for your life! Be strong! DON'T TURN INTO A DEMON! NEZUKO!"
And then, it was as if something snapped...
...Nezuko stopped struggling, her eyes watering. She was crying, tears spilling down her face.
Tanjirō breathed a sigh of relief and Naruto smiled. However, this moment was short lived...
Naruto's attention was turned off to the side and the boy's eyes went wide.
"What? Hey, guys, look out," Naruto called to the Kamado siblings as he forced himself up to his feet. Nezuko and Tanjirō turned to see what had caught Naruto's attention and saw a dark-haired man wearing a mismatched-haori over a black-uniform bearing down on the siblings armed with a katana. Naruto surprised their katana-wielding attacker by slamming into the dark-haired man.
Even though the Uzumaki was in a weakened-state due to his injuries, he was still able to shove the katana-wielder away from the Kamado siblings, using the man's momentum against him as he collided with him. However, the dark-haired man managed to stop himself from falling over.
Tanjirō took the hatchet from his sister's mouth and held her in his arms as he scrambled back.
Who...who is that, Tanjirō silently wondered as he looked at the dark-haired swordsman. Naruto positioned himself between the Kamado siblings and their attacker, who looked unimpressed...
...or maybe emotionless, it was hard to tell, but it reminded Naruto of someone from his past.
"Why do two you protect her," the dark-haired man asked the boys as he stood up straight.
"She...she's my little sister," Tanjirō replied.
"Graaar," Nezuko growled as she squirmed in her brother's arms, clawing at the air.
She's really scared of this guy, Naruto noted as he glanced back at Nezuko. Can't blame her...
It was clear to Tanjirō and Naruto that all Nezuko wanted to do was get away from their attacker.
"Graah," Nezuko growled as she continued to struggle in her brother's grip. "Raagh!"
"That is your little sister," the dark-haired man asked doubtfully.
"This guy..." Naruto grumbled, glaring at the swordsman, who charged again. "Oh no you don't!"
As the dark-haired man raised his katana again and tried to get around Naruto, the Uzumaki ran forward and collided into him once again, throwing all of his weight into the attack this time so he could knock the dark-haired swordsman to the ground, even adding a punch to the stomach.
The katana-wielder was shoved back again and he gritted his teeth as he took the boy's punch.
"You're not...gonna hurt...my friends," Naruto declared as he stood before the swordsman.
"You're acting foolish, attacking me in your state," the swordsman said. "Don't get in my way."
"Not on...your life...believe it..." Naruto replied, starting to feel faint from his injuries. "I...I won't..."
The dark-haired swordsman swiftly knocked Naruto aside as he charged at the siblings again.
With Naruto on the ground, Tanjirō held Nezuko close to him as he bent over to protect her. But the swordsman was too quick and easily snatched Nezuko much to the elder Kamado's horror.
Tanjirō gasped from shock when Nezuko vanished and he looked up to see the dark-haired man standing where he had been originally. He held Nezuko while Naruto lay on the ground nearby.
"Nezuko," Tanjirō exclaimed, fear for his sister's safety surging through the boy.
"Graah," Nezuko growled as she tried to get away from the dark-haired man.
"...ugh...let...her...go..." Naruto groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground to grab Nezuko from her captor, however the dark-haired swordsman kicked the Uzumaki back into the snow.
The blow from the man's kick had been strong enough to render the injured-boy unconscious.
"Don't move," the swordsman instructed Tanjirō as he lept up to his feet. He held Nezuko's arms behind her with his left hand and he held his katana in his right. "Killing demons is my job. So of Killing demons is my job. So of course, I'll take your little sister's head too."
"Wait," Tanjirō cried out in protest, pleading with the dark-haired katana-wielder. "Nezuko hasn't killed anyone! There was a scent from someone I've never smelled before! That must be who killed everyone! Not Nezuko! I don't know what's making her act like this...but..."
"That's easy," the dark-haired swordsman scoffed as if it was obvious. "Demon blood got in her wound, so she's transformed into a demon. That is how man-eating demons multiply."
"Nezuko would never eat anyone," Tanjirō again protested.
"A moment ago she almost ate you and your friend here," the swordsman reminded Tanjirō.
"No," Tanjirō shouted. "I'm sure she knows who we are! Neither of us will let her hurt anyone. I'll find a way to cure her! I'll make her human again!"
"She won't get better," the swordsman said. "A human who becomes a demon cannot go back."
"I'll find a way," Tanjirō promised as the man began to raise his sword. "I swear! Please don't kill her! I'll also find the one who killed my family! I'll do all that, so...so...so...STOP!"
I can't lose Nezuko too, Tanjirō thought as he went down on his hands and knees. "Please stop. Please don't kill my little sister! Please...please..."
"Never leave yourself so defenseless in front of an enemy," the swordsman suddenly shouted at Tanjirō, surprising him by the man's change in attitude. "Stop bowing so pitifully! If that worked, your family would still be alive! Your friend wouldn't be severely-injured and your sister wouldn't be a demon! How can a weakling like you who bows down when it's time to fight, to kill or be killed...how can such a man cure his little sister? Or even find his enemy?"
Tanjirō sat up, the swordsman's harsh words cutting right through the Kamado boy like a sword.
"If you want something...you must fight for it," the swordsman continued, before gesturing to the unconscious Uzumaki using Nezuko since Naruto was to the swordsman's left. "Look at your friend here. Even though badly-injured, he was still trying to fight to protect you and your sister."
"The meek have no power and no options," the dark-haired man said as he turned his attention back to Tanjirō, who had glanced at Naruto when he had been brought up. "The strong will crush them in every way. Demons might know how to cure your little sister, but no demon will respect your whining and begging! And for that matter, I don't respect you either! That's reality!"
Speechless, Tanjirō sat there as the dark-haired swordsman pointed his katana at the boy.
"Before...why did you cover your sister," the swordsman demanded. "Did you think that would protect her? Why didn't you throw your hatchet? Why did you show me your back? That's how I was able to take her! I should have skewered you both!"
"Before...why did you cover your sister," the dark-haired swordsman asked. "Did you think that would protect her? Why didn't you throw your hatchet? Why did you show me your back? That's how I was able to take her! I should have skewered you both!"
"Graaah," Nezuko growled in protest as she kicked and struggled against the swordsman.
Don't cry, the katana-wielder thought as he looked at Tanjirō. Don't despair. Those things will do you no good. Your family is dead and your sister has become a demon. Your heart is crushed. I know your pain, how you must want to cry out, the swordsman silently continued. If I'd come half a day sooner...your family might have survived. But there is no turning back time. Fill your heart with anger. Strong pure anger that gives no quarter. Anger that becomes the unwavering force that drives your lives. Weakness and empty promises cannot protect your sister or find her a cure. And they certainly cannot avenger your family.
"W..." Tanjirō gasped as the swordsman jabbed his swords into his little sister's shoulder, what seemed to be a pained-expression on the man's face, causing the poor girl to cry out in pain.
"Nooo," Tanjirō screamed as he jumped up to his feet, hurling a rock at his sister's captor before running behind the trees, the hatchet in hand. The swordsman deflected the rock with his sword.
Nezuko managed to bite the swordsman's haori, grabbing it between her teeth.
"Aaaah," Tanjirō shouted as he appeared unarmed from behind the trees and threw another rock at the swordsman, who tilted his head to the right to dodge, the rock hitting the tree behind him.
Then, Tanjirō straight towards the dark-haired man and Nezuko.
A simple head-on attack relying on pure emotion, the swordsman silently noted. What a fool!
He took his katana and slammed the hilt down onto Tanjirō's back, knocking him unconscious.
Now both boys were out of commission.
Nezuko stopped struggling as she looked at her unconscious brother with a concerned-look. As the swordsman looked down at Tanjirō he noticed that the boy's hatchet was not with him...
Where is his hatchet?
Whoosh!
Fwip! Fwip!
The swordsman looked up to see the hatchet spinning down from the sky towards him.
Thok!
Fortunately for him, he dodged just in time and the hatchet embedded itself into the tree.
Just before passing behind the tree, he threw a rock, the swordsman recalled. And while hidden by the tree he threw his hatchet. He hid his hand so I wouldn't see he was unarmed. He knew he couldn't win against me, so his plan was to strike me down after I killed him. This kid.
"Graaar!"
Whok!
Nezuko twisted out of the swordsman's grip and kicked the man away from her. Then, she ran to where Tanjirō and Naruto lay, the boys having each fallen not too far from each other.
No, the swordsman thought as Nezuko ran to them. I'm too late! She's about to eat them!
His katana raised, the dark-haired swordsman moved forward as Nezuko reached for the boys.
"Nezuko..." the swordsman recalled Tanjirō having said as Nezuko turned towards her attacker, crouching down in a protective stance. "Not Nezuko! Nezuko would never eat anyone!"
He wouldn't be the first to say that and then get eaten anyway, the Demon Slayer thought as he ran at Nezuko. Starving demons will kill and eat their own parents and siblings because they need the energy. I've seen it countless times. This girl is injured. It costs her strength to heal that wound...not to mention the strength it took to transform into a demon. She must be doubly starved right now and must want to eat human flesh as soon as possible. But she's protecting these boys..her brother and friend...and focusing her anger on me. These three may be different.
The Demon Slayer sheathed his katana as Nezuko lept at him to protect Tanjirō and Naruto...
Whak!
The dark-haired swordsman gave a quick hand-chop to her neck, rendering her unconscious.
As Tanjirō and Naruto lay unconscious, five forms appeared around them, the slain Kamado.
"I'm so sorry I had to leave you Tanjirō," Kie said as she bent down. "Take care of Nezuko, and Naruto, please help my children and stay by their side...you three all need each other..."
Skfff.
Tanjirō awoke sometimes later, panting, clutching the shoulder of his sister's kimono. Laying in the snow next to him was his sister, sleeping peacefully with a bamboo-muzzle over her mouth.
"You're awake," the Demon Slayer noticed and Tanjirō snapped up. He quickly gathered Nezuko into his arms as he turned towards the katana-wielder, a nervous look on Tanjirō's face. He was standing not too far away near a tree against which Naruto was resting, his wounds bandaged.
"Go see an old man named Sakonji Urokodaki," the man said. "Tell him that Giyū Tomioka sent you. Your sister should be fine because the sun isn't out, but don't let her into direct sunlight."
And with that, the Demon Slayer...Giyū Tomioka...vanished as quickly as he had come.
When Nezuko and Naruto eventually awoke, they accompanied Tanjirō back up the mountain to the house where the boys buried the Kamado family and Nezuko's haori was retrieved. After the burial was complete, Tanjirō knelt down next to the graves to pray to the kami while Nezuko just stood next to them. Eventually the boys stood back up, Tanjirō taking his little sister's hand.
"Let's go," Tanjirō told his sister and his friend.
"Right," Naruto agreed as Nezuko reached for his hand as well and they linked hands.
The three children took one last look at the house and the graves before heading off.
A new chapter was beginning in their lives, which had already been changed forever...