"So, ready for episode 4?" Meliodas asked. "Yeah man, Tanjiro can finally start training to be a Demon Slayer! I wanna see what he does! Maybe I can even add some of it to my own training!" Kirashima exclaimed, fired up. "Me too. Hey Tanjiro, do you think you could give me some training too?" Izuku asked. "Um," the burgundy-haired teen rubbed the back of his head, "sure, I can try I guess. I mean, with you guys fighting dangerous people all the time, my training might come in handy" Tanjiro replied, slightly uncertain. "Awesome!" Kirashima cheered, a few others echoing his feelings. Then the screen turned on.
The episode started with Tanjiro writing in a book with a lantern lighting the space. Nezuko was shown to be sleeping in her futon.
"Hey, there's Nezuko. How long had she been sleeping by that point Tanjiro? A day?" Yaoyorozu asked. "A few Months" the younger boy replied. "Wait, WHAT!?" Many people exclaimed, making Nezuko look around in confusion. "She'd been sleeping for a few months straight?!" Uraraka cried, just as shocked as everyone else. "Yeah, I was really worried about her during that time, but it turns out, that instead of eating human flesh to recover and regain her strength, Nezuko just needs to sleep. She had just been badly injured and turned into a Demon. Now that we were somewhere safe, she was finally able to sleep off her starvation" Tanjiro explained.
Izuku, though shocked, quickly added this information to Nezuko's page, though he had a suspicion that it may turn into several pages.
Tanjiro looked over at his sister, before placing his brush down and closing the book, shown to be labelled: JOURNAL Tanjiro Kamado. Blowing out the lantern, the teenager went to the door to the room he shared with his sister. Tanjiro watched Nezuko worriedly as the light behind him turned off. Urokodaki was then shown standing up, "let's go" he said. Tanjiro's sad look turned into a determined one and he slid the door to the room shut.
*Scene change*
A black cloth was shown, with the white Kanji for 'Destroy' on it. "The Demon Slayer Corps. We number in the hundreds. An organisation completely unrecognised by the Government," Urokodaki narrated as the screen panned out, revealing that the cloth was the back of a Demon Slayer's shirt and that there were many faceless Demon Slayers all standing in a group in front of a mountain.
"Wait a second, your organisation doesn't work with the Government?" Aizawa asked, tone suddenly sharper than normal, 'does that mean that it's illegal to be a Demon Slayer, and all of these people are breaking the law?' the Erasure Hero thought warily. "According to my Master, it would be impossible to actually convince the Government that Demons really exist and are a threat without showing an example. And that's something that could get people killed. So, it's easier and safer to just do our jobs out of the public eye, so as to avoid disruptions from local authorities, and mass panic" Tanjro explained.
Aizawa frowned. While he agreed that it was easier and caused less problems to work in secret than to have everyone panicking about Demons, or being too scared to ever leave their homes, the thought that what the Demon Slayer Corp was doing was basically Vigilantism made him uncomfortable. But, then again, this was a different world and at a different time. There were no Hero's in Tanjiro's time to keep the peace and be recognised by the Government. If the Demon Slayers wanted to protect people, they had no choice but to do it themselves. He sighed and tried to relax, it was just like the original Hero's, who started working to protect people before Quirk Laws were put in place.
If he thought of it like that, then technically the Demon Slayers weren't breaking the law, since there was no law let.
"Since ancient times, we have existed to hunt down Demons." Several shadowed people were shown, Giyu being among them, "however, the identity of the Demon Slayer Corps Leader has always remained a mystery". The screen faded to black, before an eye opened, "Demons. Their staple food, humans. They hunt and kill them. It is unclear when or where they first appeared." A Demon was shown covered in blood, growling silently and trembling with ferocity, "Incredible physical prowess, their wounds heal almost instantly. Flesh completely restores itself, severed limbs, regenerated. Some can shapeshift, some have other powers. They can only be killed by sunlight, or decapitation with a special sword".
Izuku's pen flew over the paper, trying to write down every bit of information that was being given. 'So, some Demons can get Quirk-like abilities? That must make them even harder to kill' he thought worriedly. After he'd finished writing everything, the green-haired teen turned back to the screen again.
Several Demon Slayers were shown, covered in blood, and cutting down Demons with their swords. "The Demon Slayers fight these Demons with mere mortal bodies. As humans, wounds are slow to heal, and their lost limbs are unable to grow back. Never-the-less, they fight, to protect and defend, humanity".
The title for the third episode was then shown: Sabito and Makomo.
Tanjiro flinched, remembering how he'd found out what had happened to the two other swordsman who'd helped him train during Final Selection. At least he'd managed to let his fellow students Souls rest in peace. "Hey Tanjiro, what's wrong?" Tsuyu asked, concerned. "Oh, n-nothing. Just, thinking about some things" the 15-year-old replied, looking down sadly. A few people, along with the adults turned to give each other concerned looks.
Tanjiro was heard panting as he ran down the mountain. "I am a Trainer. My job is to teach new swordsman" Urokodaki explained as he was shown on the screen. "There are many other Trainers. Each one is different. They all educate their students using their own methods." Tanjiro listened to what his Master was saying, "to complete your training and join the Demon Slayer Corps, you will have to survive the Final Selection process on Mt Fujikasane. And I decide weather you'll undertake that challenge or not" Urokodaki explained.
Back in the present, Tanjiro jumped over one of the trip ropes of a trap, 'as of today, I'm going to start keeping a journal for Nezuko.' The screen zoomed in on the teen's face, teeth grit in determination, 'I'm descending the mountain again today. I'll train so that I can survive through the Final Selection.' He thought, as a log tied with a rope swung at him. Tanjiro gasped, managing to dodge the trap, before another rope trap sprung up in front of his feet. The boy leapt over it as well, 'day after day, I've made my way down the mountain, and I'm starting to learn how to avoid most of the traps.' He continued to run, 'because, I'm much stronger now, and somehow I've gotten even better at picking up subtle scents than I was before. However,' Suddenly another trap activated and several short swords were launched at Tanjiro.
"WHAT THE HECK?! Is Urokodaki actually trying to kill you?!" Hagakure exclaimed, worried. "Oh, no, but I had to be ready for deadly attacks at a moments notice. So that part of my training was actually really helpful" Tanjiro explained. Nezuko still pouted and wrapped her arms protectively around her big brother, "hm!" she huffed.
'The traps are getting more difficult' he thought, as he barely kept himself from falling into a pit of knives. 'I'm starting to think, he wants me dead!'.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro wrote everything down in his journal, glancing over at Nezuko worriedly again.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro again ran down the mountain, 'Today, I carried my sword with me down the mountain. But it made moving a lot harder'. He jumped over another trap while Urokodaki watched, his jump significantly lower than before. As he ran, his foot got caught in a rope snare, pulling him up into the air as he let out a yell. Urokodaki watched him from the ground. 'The weight's throwing me off. I get caught in every trap,' the teenager waved his arms around in annoyance. Tanjiro swung his sword, counting as he did: "991! 992! 993!" 'today, I swung the sword. Actually, not just today. That's been everyday' "996! 997!" 'As soon as I'm back down the mountain, I swing it 'till I feel like my arms'll fall off!' "1000!" the boy cried triumphantly. Urokodaki slid into view, "no do 500 more" he ordered, making Tanjiro groan as he lost all colour.
"Damn, your training really was brutal. But I'm up for the challenge! A real man doesn't quit!" Kirashima exclaimed. "Yeah. I hauled huge piles of trash for three months, but your training is intense" Midoriya said, impressed. "Give it your all Tanjiro! For your sister's sake, you have to go beyond, Plus Ultra!" All Might cheered. The Demon Slayer looked confused, "plus ultra?" he asked. "It's my motto. You always have to keep pushing yourself in order to reach your goals. No matter how impossible it may seem, never give up on yourself. Give it your all, more than your all. That's what it means to go Plus Ultra!" the former Pro Hero cheered. Tanjiro thought for a minute, before smiling, "I like that. Do you think I could use that Mr All Might Sir?" he asked. "Go ahead!" the blond man replied, giving a thumbs up.
*Scene change*
It was nighttime and Tanjiro was shown sitting at his desk again, having been writing but had now fallen asleep sitting up.
*Scene change*
Urokodaki was shown again, "swords are fragile weapons." He said. 'That's how my sword training started' Tanjro narrated. A sword was shown, 'though strong along the blades edge, it's very weak on the sides.' The sword's tip was shown cracking and breaking off. Urokodaki sliced through a bale of hay, 'so obviously, you have to apply the force where it's strongest' the boy explained. 'The direction the blade is facing, and the direction you swing, have to be exactly the same. Otherwise it'll break'. Tanjiro watched his Teacher as he demonstrated. 'Urokodaki told me, "if you ever break your sword, I'll break every bone in your body". He sounded just like that too, very ominous'. As Urokodaki spoke, Tanjiro frowned, before his pupils shrunk due to fear.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro was shown back in his and Nezuko's room, dozing off again, before waking up and rubbing his eyes, "Nezuko, I have to work hard for her" he said, trying to get his determination up again. He continued writing.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro was standing across from Urokodaki with his sword. The screen showed his perspective, before it went sideways. Tanjiro hit the ground hard with a grunt.
"So, what are you doing now Tanjiro?' Izuku asked curiously, having been writing all of the teen's training down into his notebook. "Practicing how to fall down" the said teenager replied. "Huh? Why would you need to practice that? It sounds weak" Bakugo asked. Tanjiro gestured to the screen and everyone watched to find out the answer.
'Today I fell down. I'm training to do it as softly as possible, so I can get up quickly from any position.' Tanjiro stood, charging at his Master with his sword above his head.
Uraraka giggled, "sorry Tanjiro, but your face looks funny there" she explained, still giggling. "Still, it might be a good thing to learn. If a Villain throws or knocks you to the ground, the few crucial seconds it takes you to get back up again might mean your death or someone else's. Getting up quickly in such a situation could save lives" Aizawa nodded. Izuku nodded along, "yeah, I get it. Okay, we'll do that too. Can't really train with swords back home, though if we got a permit, maybe. Still though, that doesn't mean that we can't adapt the different parts of Tanjiro's training to our own-" he continued to mutter under his breath, making the siblings from the past stare at him in confusion before shaking it off.
'I raise my sword, and charge Mr Urokodaki, try to kill him. Meanwhile,' the Trainer got into a bracing stance, 'he's unarmed, bare-handed,' Urokodaki shot forwards and grabbed Tanjiro by his haori, making the boy flinch, 'but he's ridiculously strong!' he then tossed him over his shoulder like the teen was a stick. 'He throws me over his shoulder every time and I roll to the ground'.
*Scene change*
Nezuko continues to sleep as Tanjiro enters their room, "Nezuko, I'm home" he says softly, though he knew he wouldn't be able to wake his younger sister up with volume alone. He watches her sadly, before going back to his table and continuing to write in his journal.
"Geez, how much stuff did you need to write in that journal?" Ashido asked. "Well, Nezuko had been asleep for so long. She'd missed a bunch of stuff. I wanted he to be able to know everything that had happened to me during the time she was asleep. So I wrote it all down" Tanjiro explained with a small frown. Remembering the worry and fear he'd felt during those two long years that Nezuko had been sleeping. He'd been afraid that she'd die in her sleep, and that he wouldn't find out until it was too late. Feeling Nezuko take his hand, he looked over at her. The young Demon cuddled up to him more, sad that her brother had been so scared.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro and Urokodaki were now in the forest. 'Today's lesson was about Breathing Techniques and fighting forms' the teen narrated. "Total Concentration Breathing?" Tanjiro asked, confused. "That's right. Also, I'm going to teach you how to use all 10 Water Breathing forms" the older man replied. "Start by taking a long, deep breath, so the oxygen flows into every cell of your body. This will enhance, your healing ability, and stabilize, as well as energize your spirit" Urokodaki explained. Tanjiro was shown standing there, "now relax your arms and shoulders," he began, Tanjro relaxing, "but keep your lower body braced." The boy then bent his knees slightly. "Good. Now breathe" the Trainer instructed. Tanjiro did as asked, taking a deep breath and releasing it. But then a smacking sound was heard, and the teenager bent over, clutching his stomach in pain.
"Next, the forms," Urokodaki instructed. "Right! like this?" Tanjiro asked, getting into a stance, "how am I doing?" he asked. "All wrong" the Trainer said. The boy took another stance, "how 'bout now?" he asked. "Still wrong!" his Teacher replied. "Now?" Tanjiro asked, moving into a different position "again!" "now?" "terrible". Urokodaki then hit the boy multiple times in the stomach 'I get yelled at for not bracing my stomach, and clobbered to a pulp!' Tanjiro cried out in pain.
*Scene change*
The screen panned up a waterfall, 'my next lesson? I had to become one with the water'. Urokodaki and Tanjiro were shown standing at the edge of the cliff. "Get in already" the man said nonchalantly, kicking his student off the edge. As he fell, Tanjiro could be heard yelling: "I'm doing this for Nezukoooooooo!" When he looked down into the water, the adult could see the boy floating lifelessly in the water.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro, now without his haori stood under the gushing water, "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! Nezuko! I am water!" he yelled, only to be pushed downwards by the pressure.
A few people chuckled at the scene.
Nezuko was shown laying on a green checked mat, cherry blossom's littered here and there on it, 'as of now, Nezuko's been asleep for 6 months' Tanjiro narrated. 'the entire time'.
*Scene change*
Urokodaki, Tanjiro and a Doctor were shown checking up on the young Demon girl. 'Urokodaki sent for a Doctor to come look at her, but he couldn't find anything. So, why are you still sleeping?' Tanjiro walked up to his sister, before kneeling down and placing his hand on her head and the blanket. 'I'm scared. I'm worried that, one morning I'm gonna wake up and she'll be dead. Everyday, that thought haunts me'.
"She was okay though, right? I mean you said that she was, ribbit" Tsu asked worriedly. "Yeah, she was fine eventually" Tanjiro replied, smiling at Nezuko kicking her feet back and forth as she was watching, just like a little kid. "Well that's good, I'm glad" All Might replied.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro was shown running down the mountain again, 'coming down the mountain's even tougher now. I start higher, so the air's even thinner' the boy slid down a steep path, before being shown inching his way around the side of the mountain, the cliff being very steep and the ledge that Tanjiro was on was extremely narrow. He reached out for a small tree that was growing on the side of the cliff to have a steadier hand-hold, only for the rock under his feet to break.
Many people yelped and flinched when the teen almost fell and Nezuko yelped and gripped onto her brother worriedly. "I'm okay Nezuko. I'm right here" Tanjiro soothed, rubbing his younger sister's back and trying to calm her down. The young Demon looked up at Tanjiro with worried eyes. The older boy just smiled at her, making her sag against him. "Damn it, you've had way too many close calls since all this started" Kaminari sighed, shivering, "I'd probably be dead by now" he muttered.
Tanjiro managed to catch hold of a part of the cliff with one hand, 'more than a few times, I thought I was gonna die' he narrated.
*Scene change*
A flat piece of wood with sharp pieces of bamboo swung down at the teenager, but Tanjiro managed to cut it in half with his sword. Next several tanto's were flung at him from a trap, but the 13-year-old deflected each one with his sword, just as the sun rose in front of him and over the mountain.
"Dude! That shot was so manly!" Kirashima cried, a big grin on his face. "Yeah, the way the sun framed you as it came up would make an awesome album cover!" Jiro exclaimed, having summoned her own notebook and was quickly sketching the basics of the scene. She then turned to Meliodas, "Meliodas-Sama, when this episode or whatever finishes, can you put that scene back on so that I can finish sketching it?" she asked. "Sure, we can take a break and you can sketch it then, okay?" the blond Demon asked. Jiro nodded excitedly.
*Scene change*
Back with Urokodaki the man stared down at his student, "that's it, I've taught you all I can" he said. Tanjiro was bent over on his hands and knees, having just made it down the mountain again. 'I'd been on Mt Sagiri for a year, and suddenly this' Tanjiro narrated. "The rest is all up to you. You have to prove you're capable of advancing to the next level" the Trainer explained. Tanjiro finally caught his breath and stood up, as Urokodaki turned, "come with me" he instructed.
*Scene change*
The snow fell lightly as the two walked, before the adult stopped, making his student stop with him. Tanjiro looked in front of him to see a huge, round boulder. "If you can cut this boulder in two, I'll allow you to enter the Final Selection" Urokodaki explained.
"Cut the, boulder in half? With a sword!? What the heck kind of final test is that?! Is he trying to get you to fail?!" Sero demanded incredulously. "Yes actually" Tanjiro replied, making everyone look at him curiously. "Wait, you're saying that he sabotaged you!? Why?! You're his student!" Sato exclaimed. But Tanjiro pressed his lips together and looked down, remembering the two who had helped him, and why he fought so hard during Final Selection, 'I really hope you and all the others were able to rest in peace after that, Sabito, Makomo' he thought hopefully. Seeing that the Demon Slayer wasn't going to say anything more, everyone sighed and returned their attention to the screen.
Tanjiro turned to look at his Teacher, then back at the boulder speechlessly, 'is that really, even possible? Can a sword cut through that?' he thought, 'I'm gonna fail. My sword will break' he thought, reaching up and grabbing it. As Tanjiro stared at the boulder, the masked Teacher turned and began to walk away, "Urokodaki?!" Tanjiro called, having no idea how to do this. "Hang on a second! Urokodaki!" he cried, trying to make the man come back. But the Swordsman had already walked off into the trees. 'After that day, that was it, he never taught me anything again'. Tanjiro was left standing in front of the boulder, alone. He looked down, before drawing his sword and taking a stance. Then, with a cry, slashed at the rock. This did nothing other than send harsh vibrations all though the 14-year-old's body.
Grimacing, Tanjiro checked his sword, smiling in relief when he found that it was still intact. Then he took his stance again and once again tried to cut the boulder.
(Timeskip)
'From then on, I spent everyday practicing what I'd learned from Urokodaki' he narrated. Tanjiro drew his sword and cut some bamboo in half. He was then shown with his head in a basin of water, struggling to increase his lung capacity by holding his breath. Eventually Tanjiro had to lift his head to gasp for air. Then the boy was shown doing various exercises, 'all the basics like holding my breath and staying flexible. It's a good thing I wrote it all down in this journal'.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro lunged at the boulder, but he still couldn't even make a scratch on it. Eventually he tossed his sword down, 'but still, even after six more months,' and collapsed to his knees, 'I can't cut through the boulder.' "It's frustrating. Not enough! I'm not training hard enough!" he groaned, hands having torn skin all over them from all the blisters he'd gotten. Despite that, he clenched his fists tightly, in frustration and determination.
Nezuko whined and grabbed one of Tanjiro's hands. Everyone watched as she examined her brother's palms, finding them to be hard and worn. The young Demon stroked Tanjiro's palm, before bringing his hand to her cheek, watching him with worried eyes. The Demon Slayer smiled gently, "I'm okay Nezuko, my hands are fine now, okay?" he asked, but he let his sister cuddle his hands, knowing that she was feeling guilty. "No matter what I have to do, if I can protect you, make you human again, then I'll do anything for you Nezuko" he said, making the young Demon smile. "Awe! You two really are adorable, Demon or not!" Ashido said happily.
*Scene change*
Tanjiro ran down the mountain, 'I've gotta do more. More!' he thought.
*Scene change*
The sun was setting and Tanjiro was seen again attacking the boulder with his sword. He panted in exhaustion, 'unless *pant, pant* am I no good?' he thought. Tanjiro thought of Nezuko, asleep in her bed still, 'will Nezuko die just like this?' he wondered fearfully. "Aaaaaaahhhhhhh! I'm about to give up! It's impossible!" the teen yelled. He then began head-butting the boulder, "come on Tanjiro! You can do this!" he cried, trying to motivate himself, before head-butting the rock a second time. Suddenly a voice called out, "silence!" it ordered. Tanjiro gasped and stepped backwards before looking up. A young man in a fox mask with reddish-pink hair sat on top of the boulder.
"Who's that?" Shoji asked. But Tanjiro was no longer listening, his sole focus was the screen.
"It's unseemly to whine, so knock it off" the teen ordered. Tanjiro stared at the masked teen in confusion, 'who's this guy? He has no scent, and, what's with the mask?' he thought in confusion.
"I think we'd all like to know who this person is and where he came from" Aizawa said, looking at the only person in the room who'd know. But Tanjiro had his mouth shut tight, and wasn't saying a word. Almost everyone sighed in annoyance at the 15-year-old's silence and continued watching, hoping to get an answer soon.
"A Demon Slayer bares his suffering in silence," the mysterious young man stood up, "isn't that what you want to be?" he asked, shown to be carrying a wooden sword. The masked boy leapt down from the bolder, "then start acting like it" the boy ordered again, attacking Tanjiro with the fake sword, making the burgundy-haired teen block with the handle of his. Then the masked person kneed him in the head, knocking Tanjiro back. The boy tumbled head over heels before landing on his hands and knees on the ground. He groaned as he pushed himself up, "You're slow, weak, and immature. That's not what I'd call a Demon Slayer" the masked man said.
"So who the heck is this extra anyway?" Bakugo demanded, annoyed. "He's a friend" Tanjiro replied with a sad smile. A few people looked at him weirdly at that comment. "But he's attacking you! How can he be your friend?!" Ida asked incredulously, chopping the air with his arm. "He's not really attacking me. It's more like- training" the burgundy-haired Demon Slayer explained, as Nezuko looked at him. She nodded, if her brother said that they were friends and were just training, then she wouldn't scold the older boy too much if she saw him in person. Maybe just a light smack on the head.
Tanjiro still knelt on the ground in front of the masked teenager. "What do you think you're doing?!" he yelled angrily. "Trying to figure out what you think you're doing" the other boy replied boardly. "What do you mean? I'm training" Tanjiro replied firmly, as though that was obvious. "How long do you plan to keep sitting on your butt? Take a fighting stance" the masked swordsman ordered. The teenager gasped slightly, before standing up and doing as directed. The boy gestured for Tanjiro to attack him, "come one then, give me your best shot" he said. Tanjiro looked worried, "but, your sword's made of wood. I could hurt you" he replied in concern. The masked swordsman lowered his arm and began to laugh, confusing the other boy, "how thoughtful of you. I greatly appreciate your concern, but do you honestly think you'd be capable of giving me a scratch?" he asked, before blurring in to attack.
Tanjiro again blocked with the handle of his sword, struggling against the older teen's strength, "rest assured, there's nothing to worry about. I'm far more powerful than you are! I've already cut through my boulder!" he cried.
"why are you blocking with the handle? There's less surface area to block that way, and more of a chance that that extra could hit you" Bakugo asked calmly, surprising most people there that he hadn't yelled his question. "Well, I didn't want to hurt him, although at that point in my training I wouldn't have even been able to get close to actually injuring him" Tanjiro explained, blushing at remembering just how big of a gap there had previously been between himself and Sabito. Looking back, his thoughts at the time had been silly. It had taken him half a year to get strong enough to defeat him. The Explsosive user scowled, "tch. If you hold back against someone stronger, you'll never get stronger. That's why you've gotta blow them to hell with everything you got! Understand?!" he demanded, quickly returning to his usual volume.
Tanjiro nodded, "yes, I know that now, don't worry" he replied with a serious look on his face. After a moment to take in everything that had just happened, everyone returned their attention to the screen.
'So it is possible!' Tanjiro thought, as the masked swordsman suddenly leapt into the air, hitting a tree before launching himself off of it. He spun down towards his opponent, kicking Tanjiro's sword out of the way before touching down on the ground. Then he shot off with astounding speed.
"Incredible! This is just normal human speed?!" Iida exclaimed in awe. "Well, it is enhanced though our breathing techniques" Tanjiro explained. "I see. In that case-" the tall boy stood up, turned towards the Demon Slayer and bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle, "I'd like to learn this 'Water Breathing' as well please" he asked. "Yeah! Maybe I can add some of the footwork to my own moves! Then I could be even more flexible and fluid in my movements!" Ashido called excitedly. "Yeah man, it looks awesome!" Kaminari cheered. "Actually, you'd probably want to learn Thunder Breathing instead" Meliodas added in. The Electric Quirk user sun around in excitement, "there's a 'Thunder Breathing' style too?! Sign me up for that one!" Kaminari demanded, eyes lighting up. The Demon smiled, "we'll see what we can do" he replied.
The masked swordsman shot through the tree's, Tanjiro unable to keep up, before he appeared right in front of him and knocked him down with his wooden sword. The teen with the green-cheackered Haori tried to push himself up, "you obviously haven't learned anything. You haven't mastered any of your training!" the masked boy yelled. "Especially not Total Concentration Breathing. Didn't Urokodaki teach you?" he asked, distracting Tanjiro from struggling to get back up, 'he knows Urokodaki?' he thought in confusion, lifting his head to look at the nameless teenager, 'who is he?' he thought. The burgundy-haired teen managed to get back into a sitting position so he could see the other boy, "all you've done with your training is memorise the information." The other boy pointed his wooden sword at Tanjiro, "your body still has no clue what it needs to do" he explained.
Tanjiro finally managed to stand, "what the hell have you been up to for the past year and a half?!" the strange teen demanded, before Tanjiro was forced to block another strike with his sword, "all of it has to be hammered into your flesh!" the masked teen yelled, before sending a barrage of sword strikes at Tanjiro, "more! More! You have to make sure you never forget any of the secrets Urokodaki taught you! Pound it into the marrow of your bones!" he cried, continuing to attack. "I'm trying! I'm giving it all I've got! Everyday!" Tanjiro replied, fighting back with his sword. A flashback to Tanjiro staring at the boulder at night was shown, "except! I'm not getting anywhere! I don't think I can do it!" he yelled, extremely stressed out about everything. "You can! Man up!" the masked teenager yelled, attacking again, "don't you wanna be a Demon Slayer?! There's nowhere else to go but forward!" he yelled. The two continued to clash, again and again, "give it your all! Show me just what you're capable of!" he yelled as Tanjiro went to attack him with a cry.
But he dodged the attack by spinning around it and hit the younger teen under the chin, knocking Tanjiro's head back and finally rendering him unconscious.
"Dude-" Kirashima muttered, but he, like most everyone else was shocked by the result of the fight. When no-one else said anything, the screen continued.
The pink-haired teen stood up, as a girl in a red kimono with flowers on it walked up behind him, she also had a fox mask, but hers had blue flowers on it and was worn on the side of her head. The girl nodded in understanding with a small smile on her face.
(Timeskip)
It was now night time and a crescent moon was up. Tanjiro frowned before waking up, finding the girl crouching over him, "are you alright?" she asked softly.
"I just noticed, she has square pupils" Izuku said upon noticing the phenomenon. "Oh yeah, I guess she does" Tanjiro replied, only just realising that himself. "Who cares what shape her pupils are?! Just play the damn thing already!" Bakugo yelled. "Now, now. There's no need to be rude. My Wife may not want me to hurt any of you, but I would prefer it if you wouldn't yell" Meliodas said forcefully, his eyes turning reddish black and a strange symbol appearing over his eye. A massive amount of power blasted out of the young man, causing everyone to shut up in fear. The blond Demon smiled, the aura fading, "good, let's keep watching, shall we?" he asked cheerfully, a bright smile on his face. No one questioned him.
Tanjiro sat up, turning to the girl, "please tell me you saw that?" he begged. "Hm?" the girl asked. "The way that guy hit he! His swing didn't lose an ounce of power! It was just beautiful. I wanna be able to do that! What do you think? Is that possible?!" Tanjiro asked, exuberantly and full of awe, while the girl watched him, before she smiled.
"Wow, looks like we've got another fanboy in the room you guys!" Ashido called with a giggle. Tanjiro blushed at his past selves gushing, "w-well, if you were a swordswoman in training, you'd probably feel the same." He muttered, embarrassed. "I don't think there's anything wrong with how you acted at all. I agree that it was an extremely precise move. While it may have looked simply on the outside, the fact is, that all of us tend to use very impractical movements, ones that waste a lot of energy. So being able to minimise that is very impressive, and if we do learn swordsmanship, then it would be best to imitate a technique like that" Midoriya replied, noting down the style. Aizawa nodded, "true, unnecessary movement can exhaust you faster than a Villian itself could. Because you move more, you use more energy than what you need. So you get tired quicker." Many people noted it down, mainly, Izuku, Yaoyarozu, and Kirashima.
"I'm positive it is. Because I'll be their to look after you" the girl replied, before closing her eyes and continuing to smile at him. Tanjiro stared, open-mouthed and with a blush on his face, "I'm sorry, who're you?" he asked.
"Finally. That should have been the first thing you said kid" Aizawa muttered.
*Scene change*
The boulder was shown again, and Tanjiro's voice could be heard narrating, 'the girl told me her name was Makomo. And the name of the guy who'd beat me up was Sabito. Makomo helped guide me by pointing out everything I was doing wrong' Makomo was shown demonstrating how to properly raise his sword as he held it out in front of him, 'she corrected my unnecessary movements, and, all my bad habits.' Makomo sat on top of the boulder, a newly made flower crown in her hands, which she placed on top of her head, 'but when I asked her why she was helping me, and where she came from, she wouldn't say- "Sabito and I- we both love Urokodaki very much" she said from her place on the boulder. 'She said that a lot. Almost like a catchphrase' Tanjiro explained.
The screen then showed Makomo and Sabito's masks, 'She and Sabito weren't siblings, they were orphans, and Orokodaki raised them.' Makomo was then shown standing in front of the boulder, "we're not alone though, there are lots of other children too. They're always watching you Tanjiro" she explained with a gentle smile.
"Huh? If there are so many people watching you, then where are they?" Mineta asked, confused, "I don't get it" he whined. Tsu's tounge whipped out and smacked the small teen over the back of the head, "maybe watch, then it might explain" the frog-like student replied. Tanjiro stared at the green-haired girl, still so unused to these children's unusual abilities. Meanwhile, Izuku wrote down Sabito and Makomo's names in his notebook.
'She is cute, but Makomo's a strange girl,' Tanjiro thought, tilting his head to the side in confusion. 'Her speech is so abstract and dreamy'. Makomo was then shown again, with two fingers on her face; one below her left eye and the other below and to the side of her mouth, "with Total Concentration Breathing, your blood circulation accelerates, because your heartrate is faster than normal." A painted image of the human body was shown, red lines representing the blood flowing through the person's body, with the heart beating faster, "that causes your body temperature to spike as well, allowing a human to fight with the strength of a Demon," Makomo explained, a man shown holding a sword, with his veins along his arm and neck to bulge. "So it's crucial to expand your lung capacity. By introducing lots of air into your blood stream all at once, your blood gets excited, so your bones and muscles start to heat up. And you can grow stronger" Makomo explained. Tanjiro looked completely worn out after trying to understand the explanation given to him, 'and, none of that makes sense' he thought.
Izuku paused in his note-taking and turned to look at the Nurse in the room, "is that really how it works?" he asked Recovery Girl. Almost everyone turned to look at the old woman curiously. "Yes Actually. Breathing properly can help you with a myriad of things, including sleep, endurance, healing and many other things" she replied. The green-haired teenager looked down, 'I might have to add this to my training regimen then' he thought, writing it down in his notebook. "It can also help with nausea" Recovery Girl added, making Uraraka perk up, "I'd like to learn it then too, it might help when I use my Quirk" the brown-haired girl turned to Tanjiro, "can I learn Total Concentration Breathing too?" she asked. "Uh, sure, if you have problems with nausea, then I'd be happy to help" the Demon Slayer replied with a smile. Uraraka cheered.
"So how do I, learn that?" Tanjiro asked. Makomo smiled at him, "train until it kills you. Because really, when it gets down to it, there's nothing else you can do" she replied.
"WHAT!? SERIOUSLY!" Mineta exclaimed, shaking in fear. "She didn't mean literally. Just until you feel like you're gonna die really" Tanjiro explained. "HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER?!" The purple student cried. "DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU'RE A GHOST?!" Mineta demanded. "What? no! I just said that she didn't mean it literally!" the burgundy-haired teen replied. "Alright, enough! Let's just keep watching" Aizawa demanded, shutting the short Hero-in-training up.
Tanjiro's hand was shown holding him up, barely above the ground, while sweat dripped onto the dirt from the 14-year-old's face and he gasped for air, 'so I trained. Until my arms and legs wanted to fall off. Until my lungs and heart felt like they were going to burst. I swung my sword. But still-' Sabito was shown defeating Tanjiro again, 'Sabito kept beating me'.
(Timeskip)
A view of the mountains could be seen as snow fell, '6 months later, that changed'. Tanjiro was shown, dirty and with ripped clothes. His hair was also longer and messy. He stood with his sword facing Sabito, who now held a real sword. 'once again, I challenged him to a duel. But this time his sword was real'. The masked boy slowly drew his sword, "it took you 6 months, but you look like you finally belong" he said, taking his stance. Tanjiro also stood ready, his sword drawn and a determined look on his face, "this is the day I win!" he said firmly. Makomo stood back, watching the two of them with a stoic look on her face. 'A head-to-head fight like this is simple. Whoever's stronger and faster comes out on top' he thought, watching Sabito for any movement, before he took a deep breath through his mouth, although it wasn't opened very wide, only a small amount.
Tanjiro braced himself, before both swordsman vanished.
"Ah! So fast! Even my brother could never hope to match that kind of speed!" Iida cried, astonished, adjusting his glasses as though they could help him see the two teens on the screen.
Tanjiro and Sabito could be shown slowed down, the pink-haired teen with his sword raised above his head, while Tanjiro held his laying flat on his shoulder, 'it was all over in an instant' he narrated, before slashing his sword in an attack straight at Sabito's face, 'today, in a fraction of a second, for the first time, my blade struck first'. Sabito sopped his attack as his mask fell off, split in two straight down the middle, the two halves now hanging around his neck by the red rope that had wrapped around his head. Tanjiro gasped in shock, as a fog began to roll in. Sabito smiled sadly, but also happily. His face was then finally revealed. Along with the pink hair, he had a long, wide scar going from near his mouth, up near his ear, but his bangs covered the rest. Sabito's eyes were a soft grey, with a highlights at the bottom of them, giving him an exotic look.
"Wow, I didn't expect such a rough guy to be so handsome or have such gentle features for the most part. The scar also adds a bit of ruggedness to his look too. Too bad he's from another universe, this guy is totally my type" Ashido moaned.
'As soon as I'd won, Sabito smiled. He looked happy, but also sad. It was a smile of relief'. Makomo smiled as well, "Tanjiro" she called, drawing the boy's attention, "you did just great. Never forget about this. Keep winning for me Tanjiro. The next one too" Makomo said, as she turned to the side and the fog swallowed her up. Tanjiro looked in confusion at where the girl had been standing, before looking back ahead of himself. 'Next thing I knew, Sabito was gone.' He gasped in shock. 'I was sure, what my sword cut through, was his mask', the scene panned out from the 15-year-old's eye to the boulder, now cut clean in half, from top to bottom, Tanjiro's sword in the new gap in between the two halves. 'But no, it was the boulder'.
The screen then faded to black.
"Holy- well done dude, that was awesome! You actually managed to cut through something like that!" Kirashima cried, wrapping an arm around Tanjiro's neck. The Demon Slayer smiled slightly, "yes, I did. I couldn't have done it without Sabito and Makomo's help. And the next part too. if it hadn't been for them, I wouldn't have made it through Final Selection either" he replied, smiling sadly. Even then, he almost hadn't made it. If it hadn't been for Shigeru's spirit helping him during Final Selection, he would have been killed by that hand Demon. He would have either gone to join his family in the Afterlife, or been stuck of Mt Sagiri until someone else managed to kill it. but his younger brother saved him that time, and for that he was truly grateful. He and Nezuko had the best family, looking out for them, even from the afterlife.
Tanjiro was silent for a while, so Aizawa went to get the boy's attention, but was stopped by All Might. Looking over at the Number 1 Hero, the blond man simply shook his head. Understanding not to pry, the Homeroom Teacher of Class 1-A, settled back into his chair, "is everyone ready to continue?" he asked. "Actually, I need a Bathroom break Sensei!" Ashido called. "Yeah, me too" Sato added. "I will do some stretches if you don't mind Sir!" Iida called, standing up. "Alright, we'll take a 10-minute break so that everyone can do what they need to do" Aizawa replied. As the teenagers got up to leave, Tanjiro looked down at the floor, deep in thought. Nezuko reached over and touched his shoulder, making her brother jump. He looked up, only to sigh softly upon seeing her, "sorry about that Nezuko, I was just- thinking about the past, what's coming up next. I almost didn't survive Final Selection" he said.
The young Demon frowned, moaning slightly through her gag. "Okay, I guess I could tell you what happened" he replied quietly.
To Be Continued