^^^PLEASE READ FIRST^^^

Hey there guys! This is the first time ive posted anything at the top of a chapter before, but this is important to me! I have posted a poll on my profile page, DemonLordGalm, its my name that you can click on when you view the story, Im sure all of you are super duper smart and know how to find it! It is at the very top, can't miss it. Next to POLL. It starts with "What pairing..." and it will have four answers!

It's a question that rather I figure out for myself, I wanted to see what you guys thought of it first before making the final call! Pretty please, it would be amazing if all of you wonderful people would do this for me and put your answer in the poll. I want to include you guys in this, and if it goes well, then the winning choice will be implemented! Please, be honest with it, and answer truthfully! I'll leave it up on there for the foreseeable future, so again, please take a couple of minutes to answer it! Please and thank you, very, very much! Back to the story! (NOTE: Tanjiro x Shinobu will still be the official ship of this story!)

^ Chapter 40 - Asserting Dominance ^

Muzan stood alone in the central sanctum of his infinitely expanding and changing fortress, gazing out at nowhere in particular. His fingers were balled up tightly into fists, but they held no anger within them. He was actually surprised that he wasn't angry over the information he had received from the deceased Hantengu.

Clear as day, through their shared vision and experiences, he had seen both his former servant and his sister standing under the sunlight without any visible injuries or difficulties. Within the first few seconds of receiving the premonition from his servant, he had reacted as anyone in his position would. Not with anger or rage, but excitement. After all of these years of spreading his kind throughout all of Japan, he had finally gotten what he had been searching for.

It wasn't the Blue Spider Lily, but he could hadly are about that now. Arguably he had discovered something even better than the flower; a pair of demons who had managed to conquer the sun.

"There's no need to search for the Blue Spider Lily anymore...not any more. This is why I've continued spreading my kind even though I didn't want to." Muzan thought as a wicked smile stretched across his face from ear to ear. His plum-colored eyes were vibrant with equal parts excitement and malice. "If I eat either one of them and absorb their body, I can finally defeat the sun. Finally, after so long!"

Muzan, unable to contain himself any longer, clutched the side of his head and started to laugh. His voice bounced off the many walls and corners of his ever-changing sanctum, echoing a newly invigorated Demon Lord who had finally found what he had been searching for.

His laugh persisted for a short amount of time, his elated feelings of a new-found purpose and glee at seeing the end was in sight being replaced by a bitter taste of reality. Muzan could hear the footsteps approaching from one of the walkways up and to the left of where he stood, and the presence that came along with them left him with a sour taste in his mouth. That man had come here himself for a reason, and he already knew what it was.

"It would appear that somebody is in chipper spirits...I wonder why that is?" asked Muzan's mysterious benefactor, the one whom he had an argument with at an earlier point in time.

"Nothing that you need to be concerned with." Muzan replied coldly while not even bothering to turn and look at the figure.

The memories and the words of what that man had told him about his prior human life and his origins were still fresh in the back of his mind, and no amount of joy or good news could erase that. Thinking that he, of all people, the true ruler of Japan, was nothing but a pawn in another person's game made him sick.

He refused to believe that the Blue Spider Lily had just been a normal lily tainted with the essence of some "original flower". He despised the notion that everything he had done was not of his own doing, and in that moment, the anger he had previously pushed aside for joy came rushing back to the forefront of his mind. Last time he had been caught off guard by the figure, he wasn't going to let it happen again.

"Are you sure about that? Does it have something to do with the two siblings that can resist the sun, thanks to a mutation that evaded you for years?" the figure asked. His black amorphous body bubbled somewhat as he held his arms behind his back, eyes settled firmly on Muzan.

"Even if that was an attempt to anger me, you've already done that just by being here. Leave my domain, I have no further use of the relationship we have." Muzan replied with the mere wave of his hand over his shoulder.

"Is that so? I regret to tell you this, Muzan, but there is no backing out of this. You were apart of Salvation from the very beginning."

"Silence. I am not one of your puppets. Everything I have done up until this point has been my own actions, done according to my will."

Muzan finally turned around and faster than even the sound of the wind he made when moving he was right in front of the figure, staring him dead square in the eyes with hatred radiating from his gaze.

Veins were bulging from both his forehead and his hands, but the show of aggressiveness did hardly anything to phase the figure. Muzan felt confident, though. He was the Demon Lord of Japan, after all. There was nobody alive today that could pose a challenge to him. Even if he had been caught by surprise by this person before, whoever or whatever he was, Muzan was in no way considering letting it take place again.

When he had realized that he would die if he got hit by sunlight, after recovering from the disease that would have killed him, he resented that fact. Craving for human flesh didn't bother him in the slightest, because eating people solved that issue. But to restrict his movements in the afternoon and never step foot outside during the day again had made him angry. He wanted a body that could survive in sunlight more than anything. He wanted to be immortal.

"Muzan, Muzan...you disappoint me...I thought after our previous discussion that you would have changed even slightly, but it's occurring to me now that thinking that was a fruitless cause." the man said as he moved his arms to his sides, catching Muzan's attention. In a split second the demon lord was several meters away, fangs showing after he had repelled a jab directed right at his heart by the man. "I'm going to have to teach you a lesson on who really is in charge here, mutt."

The man then held out a single arm to the side and from his own amorphous flesh formed a staff about as long as his body was tall and then some, gaining an extra foot over him before stopping. Its blackened sheen morphed into that of pristine white as it took on an appearance almost like that of pure marble, the end farthest from his body developing another extension that gave it the appearance of a cross.

"You think something like that will be of much use against me?" questioned Muzan as various flesh tentacles emerged from his back, their ends tipped with razor sharp bone spikes that could easily make short work of flesh.

"Again, you cannot see past your own pride. This tool is not for killing you, instead...it is to make you understand."

In the blink of an eye, the two opposing forces disappeared, the Infinity Fortress becoming their battleground as they fought for dominance. Every step they took caused great havoc to their immediate surroundings, the mere shock waves alone upturning wooden flooring and shattering walls. If anyone had been there to witness such a brawl, they'd be hard-pressed to catch even a millisecond of the action because they were practically invisible to the naked eye.

Black sludge and blood were splattered across any surface that wasn't immediately destroyed by their ferocious battle, the two dominant titans not even bothering with dodging most of the time because they knew they could recover in a flash.

What Muzan didn't realize though, behind all of his pride and arrogance, every single time he let himself be slashed by the dark figure, he was putting himself at a greater and greater disadvantage. It was to be expected when the student went up against the master.

Kokushibō sat in seiza alone by himself in the woods, meditating silently before he felt the air around him shift from a refreshing cool to nothing at all. Without even opening his eyes he knew exactly where he was, but as for why, that he was uncertain of.

He cracked open an eyelid, seeing the familiar layout of the Infinity Fortress around him, before he lightly gripped his sword and stood up. Upper Moons could come and go as they please from the home of their master, so the only reason they would be called here would have been due to something serious. The last time they had been gathered was when the former Upper Moon Six had been killed and replaced by that boy he had trained in his breathing technique.

It erred him slightly to know that his unique breathing techniques were now with another person, but he found solace in knowing he had only taught him a few of his Moon Breathing techniques. To know all of the techniques would truly bring out the strength of Moon Breathing, and that boy had only but a fraction.

"However, there is no time to think of trivial matters. Muzan-sama must have summoned us for a reason, and it is our duty to meet him." Kokushibō thought to himself before he started walking down the hallway before him, his eyes never leaving the scenery in front of him.

He sensed the presence of the other Upper Moons, but pondered when he only felt that of Akaza and Dōma. Where were Gyokko and Hantengu? Had they not heeded the call of their master? As he emerged into the central-most sanctum of the Infinity Fortress along with both the two lowest demons beneath him, all three of them were stunned with who they saw standing where normally there master was.

The blackened figure stood with his arms behind his back facing them, his eyes clear as day from the mass of black sludge that comprised his body. And at his feet, no, under one of his feet, was none other than Muzan, the feared master and ruler of all demon-kind in Japan, the cross-tipped staff pierced through his lower back. Despite this shocking revelation, however, the three Upper Moons were quick to react, immediately surrounding the figure.

"Touch me, and your salvation shall come swiftly and without mercy." remarked the man calmly, even when his voice froze the Upper Moons in their place.

Kokushibō had only heard a voice like this from one other person, and that was Muzan. It hid a great power behind it, enough to make even the Upper Moon One rank holder hesitate on the defense of his master. He expected Muzan to lash out at them for their insolence, but uncharacteristically of their master, he was silent.

Glancing down at him actually made Kokushibō loosen his grip a small bit because of what kind of state Muzan was in. The staff was certainly implanted into the floor through his lower back, most likely severing his spine, but that shouldn't have been an issue for him. What was concerning was the vast amount of black corruption oozing out from his body, and he knew there was only one source of the strange substance.

"What did you do to Muzan-sama, bastard?" Akaza questioned with a snarl, his fists shaking from how tightly they were clenched.

"I was merely reminding him of the true hierarchy here. You demons are lower than that of the angels, and above them is that which the voice of God speaks through." answered the man as he turned his head and glared at Akaza when his body started to stabilize. The black sludge began to gain some tone and definition to it, eventually morphing into the long white robe of a clergyman. There was a golden cross patch stitched into both of the sleeves that were long enough to hide the man's hands, and around his neck hung a hood that was lowered. The man's face remained black and sludge like, but the appearance change was enough to make the Upper Moons cringe somewhat. "You three have just lost another two members. As of now, the only Upper Moons left are who is around me right now, and rather than do something about it, you would fight the only person capable enough to actually achieve your desires? Pathetic."

"It was Hantengu-dono and Gyokko-dono, it would seem...oh dear, to think I won't be able to admire Gyokko-dono's art any more!" said Dōma without hardly any kind of remorse in his tone.

"So what are you even getting at? Are you trying to say we should listen to you now?" Akaza asked, paying no attention to the demon ranked one above him.

"That is precisely what I am saying. Your master has led you by the nose for far too long, searching for a flower that didn't even exist. Now when he gets word of two demons capable of withstanding the sun, one of which was previously here among you, he was ready to sacrifice all three of you just to get what he wants."

As the man talked to them about Muzan's deepest desires and thoughts, some of which may or may not have been the entire truth, it was Kokushibō who seemed to be the only one who didn't lower their guards. Akaza dropped his fists slightly and lost some of his edge, while Dōma had already started gleefully smiling while holding a hand up to his cheek.

Even though he cared little for those who had always been beneath him, the demon swordsman, to see the apathetic demon already cease all hostilities with their master's attacker caused him to feel his first emotion of anger towards him. He wouldn't let that distract him though, and he kept his gaze on the robed man.

"Allow me to be brief. I am the real reason you all are here. Your master wouldn't be who he is today if it weren't for me, and by extension, you as well. All of your existences would not have been possible without God's will." explained the man rather pompously as he turned his head to glare at Kokushibō and his still-drawn blade. "I would suggest you lower your blade. As much as I despise seeing you in God's realm, I still need you to accomplish his call for Salvation."

"I remember your servant talking about that to Muzan-sama, but what exactly is it?" Dōma asked with mild intrigue, his rainbow-colored eyes looking the figure up and down.

"The freeing of all men's souls from this wretched world...ascending to God's desired perfect form, where there is no such thing as pain, no hunger, no worry. That is the Salvation I seek...and if you assist me, I promise you that for even you, God will have a place for you."

He continued his explanation, promising the three Upper Moons true eternal life over what Muzan had given them, as well as power and knowledge beyond their wildest dreams as part of becoming part of God's Salvation, an idea that interested Dōma moreso than Akaza and Kokushibō. When the Upper Moon Three started paying more attention to it than to the state of their master, that was when Kokushibō finally acted upon his inner thoughts and in a flash removed both the man's leg from the knee down and Muzan out from under him.

The unwarranted attack did nothing to phase the man as he quickly regained his balance and regrew his leg and the part of his robe that had been lopped off, his gaze moving to Muzan and Kokushibō as his staff was pulled out the former's back. The demon lord whispered something to his closest confidant before turning back to Akaza, Dōma and the man and wiping his arm off of the black ooze.

"You will not tempt my subordinates with your promises. Half of what you said to them about me isn't even true." Muzan hissed, yet with less fire behind his words than earlier.

"Even after what had just occurred before their arrival, you still hide behind that pride of your's? Coward." rebuked the man with a sneer.

Muzan snarled at him, with his veins bulging out from his temple, and despite having been beaten twice now by this person, Dōma swiftly stepped between them both his arms outstretched and a smile on his face.

"Please, let's not fight here! Muzan-sama, there's no reason to discount him just yet, I actually find what he's talking about to be interesting! To achieve a perfect form? Isn't that what you've been trying to seek this whole time?" Dōma said while looking first at his master and laughing a bit. "And Akaza-dono, my friend! You've always talked about trying to get stronger and beat me, right? Maybe you can actually do that with this guy's help!"

While Akaza gave his senior by one rank a death gaze, Muzan gnashed his teeth together at how right Dōma was. Even if the Blue Spider Lily was a fraud and there was no guarantee that devouring the Kamado siblings could give him a resistance to the sun, it was always a safe bet to have a failsafe.

And if what this man really can deliver what he's been claiming he could do all this time, perhaps it really was time he stopped treating him as beneath him and as an actual partner. After calming himself down with several breaths, he reminded himself of who he was and straightened himself out. The man watched him leave Kokushibō's side and approach him, eventually stopping a foot away from him and extending a hand out.

Taking this as a sign of a truce, the man chuckled and firmly shook Muzan's hand without removing his gaze from that of the demon lord's. Kokushibō closed his eyes and sighed as he finally sheathed his blade, and Dōma clapped his hands happily much to Akaza's displeasure.

"I appreciate you finally coming to your senses, Muzan. I always keep the promises I give to others, I guarantee it." the man said after ending their handshake.

"There's one thing I want you to do for me before I agree to work with you. No, two...first, I want to know who you are. I'm sick of looking at that blackened ooze you call your face." Muzan replied while crossing his arms. His response got another chuckle out of the man as he withdrew his staff from the floor and dissolved it into the black sludge that merged with his body.

"I suppose that's fair. As long as we won't have any more quarrels...I don't see why I can't do this."

The man's head then gained a human appearance as the black sludge turned into skin and hair, finally showing the four demons what he really looked like underneath that facade. Kokushibō and Muzan didn't react hardly at all to the reveal, as did Akaza who only crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at what was so special about his appearance. Dōma was the only one who actually showed any kind of reaction, with a light gasp, as well as a bout of gleeful laughter.

"Now that you know my face, what is the second request you have of me that will prove I am willing to work with you to achieve your Salvation?" he asked while raising an eyebrow, a slight smile present on his face.

"Because I lost two of my followers, I want you to pay the Demon Slayer Corps back. I want you to find a Hashira, any Hashira at all...and kill them."

With that Muzan turned his back on the man and walked off with Kokushibō by his side. Akaza glared at Dōma for a few moments out of hate for the one who had superseded him in the rankings, before he leaped away to leave the Infinity Fortress on his own. This left Dōma alone with the man who, after meeting him properly for the first time and getting to hear him speak, had taken an interest in him.

So much that before the Upper Rank Two could depart for where he had been called from, Dōma was asked to stay for a minute or two longer by the clergyman. He wanted to get to know the man better, and perhaps...even offer him something more.

- Butterfly Mansion -

Tanjirō was sitting up in his bed taking a sip of water after having finally woken up from the heavy slumber that he had been preoccupied with. Aoi, who had brought him the water a few minutes earlier, had told him it had been a whole additional week since he first woken up after arriving at the Butterfly Mansion from the Swordsmith Village.

Once he recognized he now had horns atop his head and he remembered the events of what had transpired, he figured that all of that sleep really was needed. Two weeks had been the longest time he had ever slept before, but it gave him an idea of what it must be like for Nezuko to have to sleep all the time just to regain her energy.

"Haha, Aoi looked so upset with me...even when she knows that I'm not that easy to kill, she still worries about me…" Tanjirō thought with a soft smile on his face before a knock was heard on his door. He set the cup down and straightened the bedsheets out a little before resting his hands in his lap. "Come in, I'm awake!"

"Yoohoo~ Guess who~?" said Shinobu as she opened the door and waved happily at Tanjirō, who's eyes widened as much as his smile did.

"Shinobu!"

The Insect Hashira gleefully walked into his room and sat down on the edge of Tanjirō's bed, throwing her arms around him and hugging him for at least several minutes. He smelled her hair for the first time in a long while and he instantly felt himself at ease, enough to pull away from her and planted a kiss right on her lips.
Shinobu's cheeks flushed red as her eyelids fluttered, but she let their lips stay connected for a few moments longer before she was the one to pull away and lightly shove him with a giggle.

"Mou, I was wanting to do that first! You jerk!" she said while puffing her cheeks out a little at first, before giggling again and smiling softly. "I'm so glad you're safe, Tanjirō…Mitsuri-san told me everything that she was able to see."

"I'm sure...but don't worry, I'm never gonna break the promise I made with you, Shinobu." Tanjirō replied with his warm smile, which made Shinobu's cheeks dimple up as she gave him a smile back.

"So you killed an Upper Moon...and Tokitō-san killed a second one too...that's two more members of the Twelve Kizuki down."

"Yeah, it's still a little hard to believe…I didn't think I was able to do it..."

Tanjirō rubbed the back of his neck bashfully while glancing off to the side, his humble nature despite all that he's achieved up till now making the Insect Hashira cover her mouth with her hand as another attack struck her.

This reaction made Tanjirō blushed out of embarrassment for a second or two before he laughed as well with his girlfriend for a time. After they both calmed down though, another hug was shared between the two young lovers before the door was then opened suddenly and a vibrant Nezuko came running in.

"Uwa, Nezuko-gah!" coughed Tanjirō when his younger sibling jumped onto him and hugged him, nuzzled her face against his neck affectionately.

For the entire week he had been asleep, Nezuko had been without her mouth-guard since it had been burned away during her initial time in the sun after Hantengu's death. Now that she had recovered a bit of her lost humanity and could walk with him in the sun, it was deemed acceptable for her to no longer wear one again.

After finally giving her all of his attention, Tanjirō was able to separate his sister from him and let her sit down next to him and Shinobu. She smiled happily at him and he felt another wave of joy flush through his body from his heart to the very tips of his veins.

"I'm so glad that you're safe Nezuko, especially after seeing what had...happened…" murmured Tanjirō as the memory of his sister turning to ash before his very eyes haunted his vision.

"So glad. So...glad. Safe." Nezuko repeated in a slightly childish manner, keeping the smile on her face as she did.

"She's been picking up words while you've been sleeping, Tanjirō. Mimicking what others have said, it's almost as if she's an infant right now." said Shinobu while affectionately rubbing Nezuko's head. "But what happened is no fluke...Nezuko's been able to play with the girls outside many times already."

"Thank the gods...she doesn't have to hide in that box any more…"

"Oh, before I forget, I got this letter from a certain somebody that you may like to hear from again."

Shinobu pulled a sealed message out from her haori and set it down on Tanjirō's lap while winking, her boyfriend blinking as he picked it up and looked it over a few times before opening it up.

After unfolding the parchment and he began to read, his eyes widened when he figured out immediately who the "certain somebody" that Shinobu referenced was. It was a letter from Tamayo, and as he read its contents, his expression morphed from joy and surprise to serious concern.

When Shinobu asked if she could read the letter he handed it to her and looked at Nezuko again, hearing her whisper each sentence under her breath before closing her eyes. She didn't like what she had read just like Tanjirō hadn't, but there wasn't a way for them to ignore how truthful it was.

During a short period where Tanjirō had been awake during his long week of rest, he and Nezuko had gotten their blood taken at his own request and had it delivered to Tamayo, to help in her quest to find a serum to turn Nezuko human again. She had written back to them, using Shinobu as a medium because they knew one another now, and talked about what she had managed to discover. At first she told them how the man Muzan turned into a demon in order to escape Tanjirō during their first meeting had managed to recover his consciousness, and that it had been thanks to their blood. Thanks to them, he could live a normal human life with his wife on just a small amount of blood.

She had been surprised by the changes in not only Nezuko's blood, but in Tanjirō's blood, even when that had been the first time she had seen it. In a short time span, the components of their blood transformed countlessly over and over again with little to no outside influence. The only way she could account for this was by saying they were beyond just two ordinary demons, and it was proven true when they had now both been able to conquer the sun. Their blood was able to mutate, rapidly. Tanjirō was even more of a valuable target because of what his blood had been able to do to Mitsuri.

What this meant for them was that they had now become even more of a prime target for Muzan than ever before. He had Tanjirō in his clutches once before, and if it were to happen a second time, then there was going to be no chance of escape.

"Tanjirō...you know what this will mean for you and your sister, right? They're going to target you both even more now…" Shinobu murmured after she set the letter aside and placed a gentle hand on top of one of Tanjirō's.

"I know, Shinobu, but I can't let that deter me...I still have to turn Nezuko back to normal. And I still have to make Muzan pay for what he did to our family...what he did to everyone he's ever hurt…" Tanjirō replied as his free hand balled up into a fist and shook lightly, the anger in his eyes causing him to growl a tiny bit.

"As long as you remember that it's not just you that you and Nezuko any more...there are more people that are counting on you come back…"
Shinobu's hand wrapped around Tanjirō's and held it, a scent of nervousness coming from the Hashira and rifting over to his nostrils. One whiff was enough to make him lose his anger and stare Shinobu in the eyes before smiling softly and pulling her in for another hug. She smiled and put her arms around him as well, the pair hugging right in front of Nezuko.

"Cute. Together...cute." Nezuko said in a broken sentence, her child-like innocence causing both her brother and Shinobu to separate with visible blushes.

"We're going to have to get used to that…"

"Yea...hehe…"

Tanjirō eventually got himself out of bed and clothed himself back into a fresh uniform and fully patched up haori that was waiting for him by his bedside. Holding Shinobu's hand as they walked out of the room with Nezuko, he learned about everything that had transpired during the two weeks he had been out of commission.

Mitsuri and Muichirō were already back in fully working order doing assignments again for the Corps, although for the former it took her a tad bit longer. Since the secret about her heritage had been revealed, that issue had to be resolved with the other Hashira and Ubuyashiki before she was allowed to do anything else. Much to their surprise, their leader had known about her since the first day she had come into the Demon Slayer Corps, and without much arguing at all from any possible dissenters, she was allowed to keep her position as Love Hashira and continue fighting with them.

If the need to defend her did arise though, Shinobu told Tanjirō that she and Kyōjurō were ready to step in and be her shield. Surprisingly enough even Tengen had told them after the fact that he probably would have defended her as well. That had been three days ago.

"Where's Zenitsu and Inosuke? Are they out on missions right now too?" Tanjirō asked as they walked to Shinobu's office and stopped by the door, letting go of one another's hands for a moment.

"They are, but they should be back sometime soon~ I'm sure you want to see them after-" Shinobu started to say before she stopped when somebody started shouting her name at the end of the hallway.

"Kochō-sama, Kochō-sama!" yelled a Kakushi who sprinted right at her, Tanjirō stepping aside just in time to avoid being knocked over flat.

"What's the matter? Is there a-"

"It's Uzui-sama! He needs urgent medical treatment, now!"

Shinobu's smile dropped almost instantly and with a single gaze at Tanjirō, she threw open her office door and tossed her haori inside onto her stool before sprinting away with the Kakushi. He didn't even have time to ask what had happened or if he needed to be there before she and the Kakushi were already gone.

Rather than bother her though, despite him wanting to see Tengen and see if he was okay, he took Nezuko by the hand and walked into the office to await her return, hopefully with good news. He figured that Tengen being a Hashira, he would be able to pull through whatever was afflicting him, especially with the help of a trained medical professional like Shinobu and her assistants there to help.

But as time dragged on and the time she was gone grew longer and longer, he started to worry more and more. As he sat there in one of the chairs twiddling his thumbs while Nezuko examined all of the hung up butterflies in their display boxes, feeling the minutes go by with the ticking of the clock, the doorknob finally jiggled. He quickly stood up and faced the door as it opened up, only for him to nearly fall right back down as he saw the state Shinobu was in when she walked in.

The Insect Hashira had put on protective gear like gloves and an apron over her uniform, but Tanjirō had imagined they were originally white before going to see Tengen. The gloves and huge portions of the apron were covered with blood splatters, as well as some kind of dark black substance mixed in that gave off a rotting smell that stung Tanjirō's nostrils. What made his heart sink like a stone right into the pit of his stomach was the look she had on her face. He didn't even ask her. He couldn't. Shinobu met his eyes and with the bite of her lip she shook her head as she slid down the door right until she hit the floor, where she took off the gloves and held her head in her hands.

"No…" was all Tanjirō could say before he was at her side in an instance, an arm going around her shoulders to comfort her.

The Hashira were all assembled together with one another in the Ubuyashiki estate, sitting in their usual meeting place. They were silent, unable to say anything to one another. Shinobu sat next to Obanai, who was on Sanemi's right, with the three of them across from Mitsuri, Muichirō and Giyū. Gyōmei and Kyōjurō were sitting adjacent to the two rows of Hashira, with the former to Sanemi's left and the latter on Giyū's right.

Kyōjurō had his arms crossed over his chest and appeared to be deep in thought, while both Mitsuri and Shinobu were looking down at their hands in their laps. The others were in different kinds of moods outwardly, but they all felt the same way on the inside. To lose a Hashira was a severe blow to the Demon Slayer Corps, and in Tengen, they had lost a brother.

None of them were planning on being together like this so soon after already having met to talk about Mitsuri, and they certainly didn't want it to be over something like this. When Gyōmei put his hands together in prayer and began to cry to himself, Mitsuri almost lost her composure if not for the small Muichirō putting a hand on her knee and smiling a tiny bit.

Mitsuri felt comforted by the Mist Hashira and she nodded her head before the doors across from them were slid open and they all turned themselves to face that direction. Instead of Ubuyashiki coming to meet them, it was instead his wife and caretaker who walked out along with two of their children.

"I apologize for the wait, but I, Ubuyashiki Amane, will be attending in place of Ubuyashiki Kagaya." spoke his wife as she and her children sat down across from the Hashira and bowed their heads softly. "Kagaya wanted to come, but the disease affecting our master has gotten worse. He sends his apologies for being unable to attend this meeting in front of you all."

Without a word the assembled Hashira all bowed their heads out of deep respect for the wife of their master, with even Gyōmei stopping his prayer and ceasing any tears in order to cast his full attention towards her.

"Understood...I will pray for Oyakata-sama's flickering flame of life to last a bit longer, even for just a day. And for you to stay strong, Amane-sama." he said to speak for all of them, Kyōjurō backing him up with a firm nod of his head.

Amane closed her eyes and nodded back in return, before sitting back up straight and resting her hands on her knees along with the Hashira. They all knew what was going to be discussed, and it wasn't just going to revolve around Tengen's unfortunate end.

"Uzui Tengen, as I'm sure you are all aware of by now...is no longer with us. He was the first among us to fall, and any one of us could be next. We have to remain strong for not only his sake, but for the whole of Japan." Amane stated calmly without betraying a single emotion, showcasing how her role as the wife of the Corps' leader had turned her into a worthy second-in-command. She was sure they knew she had felt pain as well, but in front of the Hashira, she could not show any kind of weakness. "I'm also sure you are aware that we now have not one, but three demons who have conquered the sun. Kibutsuji Muzan has most likely realized this, and has altered his goals to go after them so that he can conquer the sun himself. The time for an all-out battle is approaching."

Her eyes had fallen on Mitsuri when she had finished her sentence and the Love Hashira gulped a little bit when she realized that she was talking about her and the Kamado siblings. Joining the Hashira had certainly put a target on her back, but now the threat against her was even more amplified now that her demonic heritage was on full display.

Amane continued on with her report, eventually moving her gaze from not just Mitsuri, but to Muichirō and Kyōjurō as well, talking of how in the battles they have participated in, strange marks had appeared on them against their battles against the Upper Moons Four and Five for the first two, and the Upper Moon Three for Kyōjurō.

"Marks? What do you mean, Amane-sama?" Mitsuri asked with a light blush, before Kyōjurō turned his head somewhat to reveal his closed left eye and pointed to the flame tattoo inscribed over his eyelid and upper cheek.

"I believe this is what she refers to, Kanroji-san. Am I right, Amane-sama?" asked Rengoku of their master's wife, who nodded.

"During the Sengoku Era, there were some swordsmen of the First Breath who were one step away from ending Kibutsuji Muzan. They all had marks that resembled demon crests." Amane revealed, causing all of the Hashira to gasp.

"Is there some kind of connection to these marks, Amane-sama?" questioned Kyōjurō. The woman nodded her head and he lowered his head, once again entering his own thoughts. "Could this have been something mentioned in my father's texts?"

"This knowledge was passed down since then, but a lot of information about the marks became hazy with time. Maybe because it was never laid out in stone back then, and the Demon Slayers were on the verge of annihilation countless times, so perhaps the succession died out at some point." Amane continued as she addressed all of them again as a whole, the three who she specifically called out paying exceptionally close attention to her because they were related to it. "But we do have one piece of consistent knowledge about them. 'Once one person has that mark on them, it starts spreading to others as if they're resonating.'"

"That was how one of the swordsmen of the first breath put it, here in these old texts we found." spoke up Amane's child with black hair while holding up the specific texts he referenced.

"And as of now, the person who first had this mark was not any of the pillars here...but Kamado Tanjirō. Which is why…"

Amane stopped talking when there was a light, respectful knock on one of the adjacent sliding doors to the room, which the child with white hair then stood up and walked over to. When she pulled open the door, it was none other than a meek-looking Tanjirō standing there waiting to be let in. Amane motioned for him to enter and Sanemi and Obanai watched him with careful gazes as Kyōjurō gave him a friendly smile and patted the spot to his right for him to sit down at.

Tanjirō did as he was directed, being separate from the Hashira, but part of the conversation once Amane's daughter returned to her place by her mother's side. When both she and Tanjirō were comfortable, Kagaya's wife then looked at the latter with the same cool stare she had been giving the Hashira and talked to him.

"Kamado Tanjirō, that mark on your forehead. Do you know where, when, and how you got it?" Amane asked, the young slayer gripping his pants somewhat before taking a breath.

"Originally it was a scar I had received when I was young, but as to when it turned into what it is now...the first time I noticed that it looked different was after Final Selection." Tanjirō replied with a nod, Amane's only son nodding his head as he quickly scribbled it down onto some paper he had with her. "How I got it, well...that's where I can't really place it...my whole body just felt super light, but on fire at the same time."

Amane was satisfied in some regards with his explanation and she moved on to Kyōjurō, who went on to give her a fairly accurate and detailed telling of his body's reactions during his battle with Akaza.

He spoke of how in comparison to when he normally fought demons, the sheer threat of losing his life while fighting the Upper Moon had made him feel so extraordinarily hot and pressured that he could have sworn that he was going to pass out at any moment. The world had also appeared to slow down somewhat for him as well, and every motion he made was as light as a feather, even when his body had been beaten and broken by the demon's attacks. He told her that was how he had gotten the mark over his eye, and he made special note to include that Tanjirō was there at the battle as well.

"What's more, something else happened to my sword as well, Amane-sama." added Kyōjurō as he set his weapon down in front of him and unsheathed the flame-emblazoned blade, the crimson sheen glinting from the light of the sun coming in through the open screen doors to the home's back garden. "Normally, my blade was colored red, but during the battle as I felt the temperature of my body increase, the blade changed colors from that red to what it is now...crimson."

"A-Ah! I remember something else!" blurted out Tanjirō, accidentally interrupting Kyōjurō and earning the attention of everyone in the room. Sanemi of course gave him a death stare, but Tanjirō paid him no attention as he looked at Amane and became serious. "A similar occurrence with my sword occurred during my battle with the Upper Moon Four, but in a different manner. My sister's Blood Demon Art, it can harm demons but not humans, but when she used it on my sword...it was able to temporarily turn it crimson too."

"But what does having a crimson Nichirin blade even do? Is there some kind of special property that it gains? And I thought once a sword changes color, it remains that way." questioned Shinobu after raising her hand respectfully, a teasing wink being sent towards Tanjirō to make him blush.

"That I may be able to answer as well. Ever since my sword was stained crimson, with every subsequent demon I've faced, I have noticed that their regeneration properties are extraordinarily slowed down. Even against the creature who was with Kamado Tanjirō, its blackened body reeled from it."

Amane turned to her son and double checked that everything they had said was written down and accounted for, before she turned back to Kyōjuro and thanked him for his input, as well as Tanjirō's added claim.

Feeling more confident now that he had contributed something important he flashed Shinobu a tiny smile and she responded with a thumbs up. Seeing the exchange made Obanai roll his eyes and Sanemi grind his teeth somewhat, but they said nothing and held their tongues because of where they were.

When it was Mitsuri and Muichirō's turn to provide what they knew, Mitsuri in a very hyper manner talked about how he had experienced something similar to those who came before her, but only made herself out to look like a fool. She apologized and bowed heavily to them all, before Muichirō thought for a moment and gazed at Amane.

"I wasn't really aware of any marks. But looking back at the previous battle, I became aware that a number of things were different. It was all really close to what Rengoku-san said, so...I do think there's a pattern. If we can fulfill these conditions that I'm thinking of right now, then maybe everyone can get these marks." he explained with a sense of urgency behind his voice, a stark contrast to his usual cold demeanor before meeting Tanjirō in the Swordsmith Village.

Muichirō then gave everyone in attendance the background for his claims, where he recounted being poisoned by Gyokko's attacks and had been rendered paralyzed. For Tanjirō it was the first time he was hearing of Muichirō's battle with the other Upper Moon he had learned was at the Swordsmith Village, and he felt his chest tighten up when the Mist Hashira told of when he was trapped and how the boy Kotetsu nearly died.

"All of my old memories came back, and I got so angry that I lost complete control of my emotions. My heart rate went over 200 BPM, and my body became burning hot." Muichirō stated while nodding his head, the slightly sweating Mitsuri still embarrassed from her failed explanation glancing back at him. "If I had to guess, I think my body temperature went over 39 degrees."

Another gasp of surprise echoed through the room, with Shinobu as the medical expert of the group being the most shocked out of all of them. There was no way any human could possibly live under that kind of condition.

"Are you sure? A temperature and heartbeat rate that high would've been life-threatening." she said with wide eyes, but Muichirō shook his head.

"It has to be that. That's why I think it can be used as a screening test. Will you die, or will you not? That's probably the difference between those who have had the mark appear, and those who do not."

"I concur with Tokitō-san. When I was fighting the Upper Moon Three, I had a smashed left eye, shattered ribs and damaged internal organs...at that point, I could hardly stand on my own two feet. Mmn." Kyōjurō added with a nod and a confident grin.

"A heart rate over 200 BPM, and a body temperature of around 39 degrees...are you sure, Tokitō-kun?" asked Amane just to confirm as her son wrote it down in his notes.

"Yes, I am. When Kochō-san was treating my wounds, I apparently had a fever. The thermometer was about 39 degrees. My guess is that I had the same body temperature when the mark appeared." Muichirō replied with a nod.

"Tch, so it really is that simple, huh?" Sanemi said while gritting his teeth, the aloof Giyū shaking his head somewhat.

"I envy those simpletons who can say this is simple." he murmured, drawing the ire of Obanai and Sanemi in the blink of an eye.

"So I guess getting this mark to appear will now be a high priority for the Hashira." Shinobu said with a light smile, the largest Hashira in the room nodding his head once now that everything had been said.

"Agree." said Gyōmei. "Please inform Oyakata-sama that we will do something about it, so he can be at ease."

Amane thanked him with the bow of her head and the Hashira plus Tanjirō returned the gesture in kind. After requesting of them one final thing in regards to the training they will help organize, she then held her hands in her lap as her daughter with white hair then stood up and went to retrieve something.

"There's one last thing to discuss, and it concerns the loss of Uzui Tengen. A vacancy in the Hashira is a severe detriment to the Demon Slayer Corps, and if an all-out battle is to come, then we must all be at full strength." Amane stated as her daughter returned with a long slender object carefully wrapped inside of a folded up blanket.

The Hashira were intrigued by the object, but after a moment of thought Kyōjurō smiled from ear to ear and laughed a little to himself. Tanjirō was confused like everyone else, before Amane then turned right towards him, causing him to suck in a breath and stiffen up.

"Kamado Tanjirō, you have made great strides since first joining the Corps. Not only have you shown mastery over Water Breathing, but you have shown promise in being able to utilize a second breathing style akin to Rengoku Kyōjurō's Flame Breathing. Furthermore, you have been credited with killing not one, but two Upper Moons."

Tanjiro's eyes began to widen and his heart beat doubled when Amane then turned to Kyōjurō and nodded, allowing him to stand up and receive the wrapped object from her daughter and take it back to his seat.

"From this day forth, Kamado Tanjirō, you are no longer just a mere Demon Slayer. You are now a pillar of the entire corps, you are now Hashira."

Tanjirō's heart leapt out of his chest as Kyōjurō, the man who proclaimed him to be his Tsuguko, then stood and motioned for him to do the same. Shinobi and Mitsuri beamed at the young slayer as he then received the package from the Flame Hashira and instantly recognized what it was.

Carefully removing the blanket revealed a brand new sword, the one that Muichirō had thrown him from Haganezuka that enabled him to kill Hantengu, with the handle's grip wrapping black with a red undertone and a handguard he saw was clearly Kyōjurō's. Lifting his gaze to meet his, all he got from his role model was a wink as he patted his own sword at his hip, showing that he already had a replacement.

"Unsheath your blade, Kamado, my boy. Let us see the fine craftsmanship of your swordsmith in person." Kyōjurō said proudly, Tanjirō nodding his head and taking hold of the blade.

When he unsheathed it, the crisp sound of the metal sliding out of the scabbard rung in their ears. Pointing the blade upward, Tanjirō was amazed by the level of care put into the blade by Haganezuka, from the inlaid flame design running down the blade to the pitch-black leading edge. It was spectacular.

"This...I…" Tanjirō uttered, completely speechless that he was to be the wielder of such an amazing sword. "Your handguard, why…"

"Your original new one got damaged during the attack, so I took the liberty of gifting you with mine and having a new one made. This is what your swordsmith told me to tell you about this blade, particularly of this." Kyōjurō explained as he brought a hand up and pointed at a singular character etched into the blade near the base. "The character 'Metsu', for destruction...apparently the Demon Slayers hierarchy was established after this blade was made. It's why only the Hashira get the characters 'Akki Messatsu', or 'Destroy all evil demons' on their blades."

"Wow...incredible…and it's okay for me to have this?"

"It is, my boy. You've done it. You're one of us now. All you have to do now is announce your name...and it's official."

Kyōjurō patted his former Tsuguko on the shoulder before taking a step back with his arms crossed over his chest, he and the rest of the Hashira waiting for Tanjirō to follow through. He thought for a moment in trying to understand what the Flame Hashira had meant by name. Did he mean his own name? Or was it some other name?

After mulling over it a few times, he finally realized what Kyōjurō meant and he smiled happily as he sheathed the sword and slid it through his belt on his side. He then turned towards the expectant Amane and bowed his head respectfully, as a show of thanks and acknowledgment.

"Thank you, Amane-sama. I promise that I'll fulfill my duty with the role entrusted to me! And as for my name...my name is Kamado Tanjirō! The Blaze Dance Hashira!"

A/N AND SCENE! YEAH BABY IT HAPPENED, WHOOP WHOOP. Also your boy is done with finals, haha! Time to get back to writing! And what better way then to drop this bombshell on you guys!

Both good and bad things happened here in this chapter...but you and I both know what's coming. Shit is about to hit the fan boys. Buckle up!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a fav and review telling me what you think, and please allow me to repeat myself! VOTE IN THE POLL! I want to know what you guys think! Pretty please and thank you!