~ Prologue ~
The Precipice of Death
The final hour had reached its peak.
The battle which was thought to be impossible to win had been brought onto the surface, freeing everyone from the depths of the spiraling Infinite Fortress.
All stakes were set, but dawn had yet to rise from the horizon.
"Chaaaarge! Get in front of them!"
A young Demon Slayer bellowed as he pressed forward into the battlefield, mustering up every courage and valour into his muscles even though fear and dread kept clawing at his back. Beads of sweat trailed down his forehead as his feet carried him ever-so forward.
To the monster that slaughtered his comrades one by one.
"Become a shield for the Pillars! Use your bodies and protect the swordsmen who can stand against him!"
"Don't lose courage! We were saved by the Pillars so many times in the past and if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here now!
"Fiiiight!"
Their screams were instantly silenced as each of them was carved up and sliced into chunks of flesh, their limbs severed and their organs ripped apart easily like paper - the latter only littering the battlefield and marking their tombstones. They couldn't see it; the attacks were merely but a blur to them as it only took a few seconds for a multitude of brave warriors to be thinned down quickly.
"Stop! Everyone, please stop it!" Kanroji Mitsuri screamed into the air from the wayside, tears pricking the edges of her eyes as she pleaded for her comrades to stop advancing.
But it was completely futile when she could only cry in frustration but not act.
'Don't lag behind! Keep the pressure on him!'
Grasping his sword tightly, Tanjiro pressed forward, not letting the injuries in his body shackle him from contributing to the fight. Ignoring the searing pain in his body as well as the slit on the right eye, he purposefully kept moving, fuelled by the thought of all other members of the Demon Slayer Corps who selflessly sacrificed their lives to protect the Pillars.
Including his.
How could he let that happen?
'If we throw everything at him, then we can—'
Steps became few as Tanjiro's vision spun, his world beginning to invert and warp, thus causing him to fall to the ground - and start coughing out uncontrollably.
"Water Breathing: Eight Form – Waterfall Basin"
"Serpent Breathing: Third Form – Coil Choke"
"Love Breathing: Second Form – Anguish Inducing Love"
Giyu, Iguro, and Kanroji unleashed their techniques together, but like before, it had no effect. It did not graze or faze him whatsoever and the more they weaved through the flurry of blinding attacks, the more wounds they were subjected to.
'These things are too fast!' Iguro stated in a panicked tone in his head, steering away from the sharp whips by a slim margin. 'Even with the three of us here, there's no room to breathe at all!'
Giyu was faring no better than Iguro as he was being overwhelmed to an extreme degree every second with each jump and dodge. 'This is bad. I need a sword from a Water Breath User that's not broken, but there's no opening!'
"Persistent…" Muzan muttered simply, flinging his blade-like arms around with little to no effort. "Those who have been killed right away are fortunate, but those who didn't will still meet their inevitable end."
"Just take a look over there."
The King of Demons glanced briefly in a certain direction, prompting the three Pillars to take a glimpse of someone amongst the rubble – their eyes suddenly widening in horror on the person writhing in great agony.
Particularly, Giyu felt as if his heart lost the ability to give life to him when he saw the gruesome sight of Tanjiro Kamado – whose entire right half-face mutated into a large tumor of flesh while he clutched his throat in desperation, copious amounts of blood spilling out of his gaping mouth.
"My blood is mixed into my attacks," Muzan noted. "Though, he won't become a demon. It'll work as a poison instead, slowly killing his cells before he dies."
The fight seemed to stop in just a nanosecond; to acknowledge another loss, but it felt different. Somehow, this was something… more painful to witness, especially for Giyu. Memories started blaring in his mind as those fleeting moments seemed to scrape his insides like a rasp; from the time he first met him in that snow with his demon sister to the point he became one of the Demon Hunters – being the one of many who saved his life during their battle against Upper Moon 3.
Frustration plagued the Water Pillar's mind and when he heard these words, he felt his heart shatter.
"Tanjiro Kamado… is dead."
"Mmh… Uugh…"
Tanjiro groaned softly as he awoke, his head throbbing; thus making his expression scrunch up. Despite the fact his eyes were still closed shut, he could feel something bright shining on his skin, the warmth of it somehow easing him, allowing him to take in steady breaths and wait for the mild pain in his head to fade.
His nose twitched when he tried to smell his surroundings - but for some unknown reason, there was no scent.
Compelling himself to crack his bleary eyes open, it took a moment before everything came into view, revealing the fact he was lying on his back and staring upwards to a tree overhead – one that provided him some shade from the small streaks of sunlight glimmering through the leaves and branches.
"Eh?" Tanjiro murmured, confused momentarily. It took a while for him to properly register what he was seeing before he decided to sit up and place a hand on his mildly aching forehead. "Mn… Uugh… W-Where-?"
He stopped in his words when he caught sight of a structure in front of him; a wooden cabin that closely resembled his home when he lived in the mountains.
'Is this… my home? It can't be; it's similar, but it's different.'
Begrudgingly standing on his two feet, Tanjiro attempted to ponder what had happened to him before he decided to bring his gaze down to his hands. The rough texture on the skin forged from his severe training was still there - and to his surprise, his clothes were none other than his Demon Slayer uniform, all covered in his signature checkered black-and-green haori.
'H-How am I…? What is this place?' Tanjiro mentally asked himself, trying to process the situation he was in. Everything was strangely tranquil and the feeling was both relieving and worrying. He vaguely remembered something very painful; a feeling that choked the life out of him when his vision turned upside-down. Before he could ruminate with his thoughts any further, a voice reached out to him; one which he had never heard before.
"You're here."
Tanjiro perked up to the sound behind him, startling him for a moment as he turned around. Under the shade of a tree stood a man who wore a red haori over an orange kimono, carrying a sword that was strapped to his waist on his black hakama. He had wavy hair and the black hue with red tips was identical to his – and what caught Tanjiro's eye was the flame mark on the left side of his forehead.
They simply looked to each other, the stillness between them seemingly stretching out into eternity until Tanjiro managed to find the voice at the bottom of his throat.
"Y-You're—"
"Yoriichi," the man finished in a simple tone. "Yoriichi Tsugikuni."
The young Demon Slayer widened his eyes, practically taking in the revelation that the person who dimly appeared in his visions was standing before him.
'Y-Yoriichi? The first Breath User?'
The marked man spoke again. "I see that the earrings I gave to Sumiyoshi have been passed down and preserved for centuries."
'Earrings? Sumiyoshi? Centuries!?'
Confusion spread across his features as Tanjiro tried to comprehend the spiraling thoughts through his head. What was he talking about? And just where on earth were they?
"You must be confused as to why you're here," the swordsman noted, beginning to tread forward towards the unknown house. "Come. There is enough time for both of us here."
Unsure whether he was in the position to ask his own questions, Tanjiro conceded, watching Yoriichi walk past him, subsequently following him from behind as they approached the wooden cabin. As both of them took a seat on the front porch, silence reigned for a little while before Tanjiro managed to speak his piece first.
"Yoriichi…"
The man turned his head to him respectively, somehow expecting the question.
"Am I…" Tanjiro placed a hand on his chest as he paused, inhaling and exhaling carefully before he craned his neck toward him and asked the word that rolled out of his tongue. "Dead?"
Yoriichi simply looked at him, his gaze falling for a few seconds before he blinked once and lifted his head, not attempting to sugarcoat the truth. "I'm afraid so," he said. "The poison Muzan Kibutsuji inflicted on you circulated through your system at an alarming rate, thus killing you before anyone could come to your aid."
Half-expecting the answer, Tanjiro laid his hand back down on his lap and brooded over at the unsurprising disclosure of his circumstance, casting his crestfallen expression to the ground, a deep frown finding its way to appear on his lips. Despite wanting cry out in frustration, he tried his best to keep silent, all but clenching his fists in a fit of despair and regret. It felt like the quietness lasted for eternity while he wallowed in self-pity, the gentle breeze of air and falling leaves punctuating the tranquil setting.
"We are human beings, Tanjiro Kamado."
A voice seized his ears, prompting him to lift his foggy eyes to the man next to him, somehow noticing his quiet sorrow.
"Strength can only carry us far in life," Yoriichi muttered sagely, not making eye contact with Tanjiro but solely staring at the patch of trees ahead. "Do not be disheartened by the mere fact you died at the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji. Untold lives of people have been slaughtered by him as well and even if you come to pass one day, the other Demon Hunters will surely finish the deed."
With that said, Yoriichi fixated his eyes on him, the solemn but firm expression reflecting in his next words. "I believe a person does not become a Demon Slayer without experiencing the feeling of loss and without needing to fulfill the reason of why they chose a path full of pain and struggle. To prevent innocent lives from disappearing and to protect the happiness of others; it is the reason why we swing our blades and why we are obligated to do so."
Tanjiro listened intently to every word that held substance and essence, knowing full well himself why he picked up a blade in the first place. Every mission where he was sent out to exterminate demons in certain areas was a testament to how far he traveled down the path of strength.
"Even now…" Yoriichi mused further. "The Pillars of your generation are fighting for their lives to keep Muzan at bay."
Tanjiro's eyes bulged at that. "Th-They are?"
The marked swordsman nodded once at him before turning away, gazing once more to the ground in front of him, proceeding to speak out his thoughts. "You and I are no different from each other, Tanjiro. We became demon hunters for the sole purpose of avenging the lives taken away by demons. We went through the pain of losing someone in our lives and to avoid that cruel experience again, we did what we could for others when we could not do for our own."
The young Slayer was completely attentive to what Yoriichi was saying, and regardless of not knowing what kind of past the man went through, the words, tone, and expression were far too genuine to deny that too many things happened in his life.
The First Breath User resumed. "For the longest time, Muzan hid away from me. Perhaps… I was too concerned about what I needed to know from him back then."
"Why did Muzan hide from you, Yoriichi?" Tanjiro inquired with thinly-veiled eagerness.
A moment of pause ensued – and that was when the century-old Slayer finally spoke.
"Because I was the one who nearly ended his life."
Tanjiro raised his brows in shock before he realized who he was talking to. 'Oh, that's right. The letters Senjuro sent me contained the First Breath User's conversation with the Flame Pillar when he clashed against Muzan, whom he nearly defeated, so Yoriichi must be talking about that.'
"When you want to avoid someone who can kill you, it is only common sense to hide until that person's life expires," Yoriichi elaborated. "But… I failed," he added, bowing his head more and projecting a subtle tone of guilt. "I failed to put an end to him. I never meant for him to escape. I only wanted to ask what lives are to him, but I was foolish enough to think that someone who kills without reason could understand. After that, I was exiled from the Demon Hunters for failing to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji and people even shouted that I should commit suicide. Because of me, countless people have perished for years, and that pains me up until this day."
'E-Exiled?' Distraught by his inability to fathom his story, Tanjiro sat silently as no words of solace could bring comfort to what Yoriichi had gone through. Losing someone in his life and being banished from the Corps because of his failure; it was nothing short of distressing and heart-wrenching to hear from the most powerful swordsman and Demon Slayer in existence.
"It wasn't your fault, Yoriichi," Tanjiro murmured, hoping at least to alleviate the pain. A momentary paused occurred and while he tended to his thoughts trying to think of ways to console him, a voice muttered into the air.
"Tanjiro…" Yoriichi said gently.
"Y-Yes?"
Once again, the man paused before he looked his way and began. "Ever since you joined the Demon Slayer Corps, fate started to create a new path when you and your friends defeated an Upper Moon Six for the first time in a hundred years. The barrier in which the Demon Hunters have been trapped for so long was broken down when you came into the picture, and even if you died, I believe this fight will end in your generation tonight so no more people have to suffer because of my mistake."
Tanjiro merely stared at him with melancholic red eyes, a small frown creeping onto his lips as he felt his heart sink at those words.
"And if you're worried about your sister, don't be."
The mention of his sister suddenly turned the gears on his head, almost making his blood rush into his veins. "N-Nezuko!?" Tanjiro sputtered out, nearly jumping on his two feet and sending him in a frenzy as he realized his situation. "I-I can't go back, can I? If I'm dead now, then I can no longer turn my sister back into a—"
"Before you and the other Pillars left for the Ubuyashiki state…" Yoriichi intervened calmly before Tanjiro could start panicking all the more. "The prototype medicine created by Tamayo to turn a demon back into a human was completed and it was given to Nezuko thereafter by your master Sakonji Urokodaki. I may not know the result of this drug, but there is a chance your sister is already turning back into a human as we speak. If that happens, then Muzan's goal of turning immortal and conquering the sun will fall apart."
Tanjiro heard this, somehow removing the pressure from his shoulders as if two boulders had been removed. His pulsing heart gradually stopped pounding like a drum in his chest, the uneasiness settling down as he breathed out a sigh of reassurance. 'Tamayo was able to do it! She managed to find a cure for Nezuko! Thank the gods.'
"Seeing how that woman committed herself to end Muzan's reign once and for all after my passing, I was right to let her go," Yoriichi elucidated, earning Tanjiro's interest. "When I encountered the progenitor of demons that night, Tamayo seemed to have been an ally of his, but after I nearly finished Muzan off, she hated him all along. In the end, I asked for her help and it would seem my actions were not fruitless at all."
The peaceful sway of leaves from the trees was the only sound that came after, as both of them basked under the pleasant light of the sun for some time.
"Yoriichi."
A soft voice graced the Demon Slayer's ears, breaking the silence and persuading him to turn towards the sound, only to meet a young boy's tender expression.
"Thank you." A smile as warm as sunlight curved on Tanjiro's lips, the sincerity in his visage almost too endearing. "For believing in Tamayo. If it had been any other Demon Hunter who met Tamayo in your place, we wouldn't be able to corner Muzan now and I wouldn't be able to cure my sister without her."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni merely stared at him with a blank expression. Like always.
Deciding to ignore it, Tanjiro continued. "I know you've been through a lot, but…" he paused, turning to the side for a few seconds before clenching his fists and swiveling his head to him, his deep red orbs burning firmly with genuineness. "Your life is not without value. You may think that you didn't accomplish anything, but that's not true at all. If you hadn't saved my ancestors during your time, my family and I wouldn't have been able to exist. We are the lives you protected and I am forever indebted to you."
Silence.
No more was said and whether Tanjiro hoped those words reached the man's heart or not, he expressed his genuine gratitude to him nonetheless. He muttered out everything he wanted to say and even though hundreds of years had already transpired, he wished Yoriichi was still able to find even a little peace.
"Tanjiro."
The young Demon Slayer was interrupted in his reverie, prompting him to look to the marked swordsman to his side. "W-What is it, Yoriichi?"
The First Breath User seemingly contemplated in his thoughts – and it was until those words were voiced out of his mouth that caused Tanjiro's eyes to widen in response.
"If you were given a chance of life, would you grab it?"
The offer somewhat rejuvenated a vigor inside Tanjiro as his thoughts raced through his mind at the prospect of returning to his own life; seeing his sister again or even helping his friends finish off Muzan Kibutsuji.
"Y-You mean I can go back?" Tanjiro asked, assuming hastily. "Is there a way I can go back and help my friends?!"
"I'm afraid that is not possible now," the man responded plainly. "Once you pass away, you can no longer return to your world."
Hopes fell and shattered at the condition of the offer, but Tanjiro was quick to notice the man's choice of words at the end. "My world? What do you mean, Yoriichi?"
The marked swordsman lifted his arm and pointed his finger in front of him. "You will find your answer beyond the woods," he replied. "Walk the path from here and the entrance will appear."
The young Demon Slayer stood on his feet and took a few steps forward where Yoriichi was telling him to go; to a place he knew not where. What he could perceive now were trees that lined up on the sides – and in between rested a dirt pathway. Strangely enough, it compelled his soul to walk across it, and even if he knew it will never steer him back into his world, this was one opportunity he particularly and oddly cannot refuse.
"Maybe in that world…" Yoriichi spoke, laying his hand back down on his lap. "You might be able to help someone in need and find what was lost to them."
Without taking a single glimpse behind him, Tanjiro grasped those words in his mind and heart. Who was in trouble? Did someone lose a loved one? Were they lost? More importantly, where was this path going to take him to get to that person?
The young boy swiveled his attention to him, eager to ask. "What kind of world is this, Yoriichi?"
"A world where the elements flow and coalesce…" the man replied meekly.
'Elements?' Tanjiro mused, lifting a single brow.
"And a world where peace is yet to be restored."
That made Tanjiro anxious. Stepping into a new world he did not know of was a bit terrifying when he was given little information. Along with the fact that he stated this world was in some kind of chaos and disorder, it made it even more daunting to him. Swallowing the lump in his throat and taking one deep breath, Tanjiro was prepared to set out and venture forth into the unknown – but before he could do so, there was one more priority.
"Yoriichi," he announced confidently. "Thank you once more for teaching us the breathing forms from the beginning. Without you, we wouldn't have been able to protect the people who were helpless against the demons. Thank you for lending us your strength to protect innocent lives throughout the years."
After stating his thankfulness, Tanjiro bowed his head deeply to him. No amount of appreciation or respect was enough to return what Yoriichi had passed down for centuries, but that was all he could ever offer. Afterward, he twirled around and went ahead on his way – only for a voice to stop halfway.
"Tanjiro."
Instinctively, he spun to the sound that called his name, only seeing the First Breath User with the same vacant expression on his face – or so he thought. Even from a distance, Tanjiro swore he saw the man's lips morph into something he never imagined to see after all this time.
A smile.
A beaming smile from Yoriichi himself.
"Thank you."
All of a sudden, a strong gust of wind fleetingly brushed past Tanjiro, forcing him to put his arms up and cover his face. When the wind died down, he lowered his limbs and opened his eyes – only to find Yoriichi absent in front of the wooden cabin's porch. His eyes darted left and right, bewildered at the man's sudden disappearance, and only when his vision focused ahead again, something rested on the place where the Sun Breath User once sat on. Approaching the cabin cautiously, Tanjiro got near enough to find out what exactly laid on the front porch.
His eyes bulged and his jaw dropped slightly at the sight of the object, or rather, weapon.
"My Nichirin blade?!" he whispered to none other but himself, clutching the steel weapon with his hands. The sword was sheathed into place and it was the same black sword that was forged for him to cut down demons, and rather than wanting to know how it ended up in his possession even after he died, he dispelled the thought lest he wanted to be confused more. His mind screamed in astonishment when he instantly saw the familiar flame-like handguard near the base of the weapon.
One that once belonged to the Flame Pillar.
'Rengoku's hilt!' Gripping the handle, Tanjiro proceeded to unsheathe the sword to see if the blade itself was in mint condition. A sharp sound whistled through the air as he brought the black blade out, sunlight gleaming on the sword's surface.
It was indeed in perfect shape; not one chip or crack that would even make the hot-blooded Haganezuka chase him down to the ends of the earth without trying to take his life.
The young Slayer placed the blade back into its sheath, subsequently securing it on the left side of his waist. Lifting his head to the sky, a small smile carved on his lips before finally turning to the course of his next life and pushed on to the place Yoriichi told him to go, never stopping.
Minutes bled by, the sound of rustling trees and bushes accentuating the gentle environment, along with the dirt and leaves crunching underfoot.
'I wonder what kind of entrance Yoriichi was talking about. Is it something I need to find? Is it going to show up in front of me? I'm feeling a bit excited.'
Tanjiro mulled over what Yoriichi parted with him. Whatever kind of 'entrance' he needed to find in the forest, he hoped it wasn't too far from where he started or wasn't too hidden for him to notice. He continued down the small clearing, going a little bit further, pinning his hopes of coming across something other than the wall of trees and bushes to his sides. However, what proved to be a little tiresome on his trek was the fact the route forced him to climb on multiple occasions; the uneven terrain of land being quite numerous if he cared to remember them all.
Perhaps Yoriichi wanted him to have a little exercise.
'Hmm…' The boy hummed worriedly, placing a palm over his nose as he took a small turn. 'I still can't smell anything yet. That's strange. I wish I could use it to find the—'
His thoughts came to an end when Tanjiro saw something to the side of the path. There was some sort of cliff – and some structures beyond it. Besides the flora and fauna he came across for many minutes, this was the first of many. He jogged ever-so forward, the feeling of being drawn towards it was something that can be compared to a person brimming with unhinged curiosity and eagerness.
Once Tanjiro finally arrived on the mass of vertical rock, what laid beyond the cliff took the breath from his lungs and caused his lower jaw to fall in amazement.
Towers soared high under the infinite expanse of the blue sky, structures that were completely new to his eyes; nothing like the ones in his world as they stretched out far for miles without end. Clouds loomed and drifted by overhead – and somehow, below as well, as if one was in between heaven and earth. Tanjiro stood there, attempting to take in every detail of the surrounding before him as he felt lightheaded for seemingly being at the edge of the world. His mind was struggling to comprehend the view, but when he caught his breath after a while, his senses returned.
Now, his consciousness told him the path was gone and that sent off alarms in his head.
'W-Where do I go now?' Tanjiro ruminated, overreacting as he paced around feverishly. 'The path led me here, but I don't see anywhere I can go now! Is it somewhere around here?! Do I jump from the cliff? Do I go back? Please give me a sign, Yoriichi!'
The young Demon Slayer continued to ramble in his thoughts and he was prepared to backtrack on his steps - before a short blow of wind swept through him, prompting him to look back to the cliff. His red orbs briefly took in the breath-taking view of countless towering stone pillars again before something laid at the bottom of his vision.
Somehow, he never noticed a short stone platform, one that seemingly appeared out of nowhere at the end of the cliff.
Since when was that bridge there? And where did it emerge?
Uncertain of where it came from, Tanjiro took a few steps forward, dimly concerned of where it was positioned. Leaning his head further to the side, he noticed the path itself was floating.
Floating.
In air.
Tanjiro already had second thoughts as he grew doubtful whether or not this new path was going to fall the moment he stood on it. Taking a few short breaths and praying silently to the gods, Tanjiro placed himself on the bridge while his heart thundered continuously in his chest. One step forward became two, two steps became three, three became four, and when he took the fifth step, a new set of stone platforms materialized, the bridge extending ahead into the open air.
This mitigated the throbbing sensation in his body, the heightening pulse slowing down to the point Tanjiro can sigh in relaxation. Mustering enough courage in his muscles, he strolled on his new route without pause, the suspending stone bridge continuing to shake and surprise him.
A minute transpired as the young Demon Hunter continued to move forward, straight into the vast space where towers stood on his sides. Tanjiro marveled at how gigantic and phenomenal they were, never failing to pique his interest every time, wondering as well what rested beneath the clouds under him. Both the sunlight and the cool, light wind kissed his face, blowing onto his hair as he savored the divine sensation all the more – and it was until something materialized ahead of him other than a walkway of stone.
An ivory round stone door with an arch at the top, the bridge seemingly ending here.
"Maybe this is it," he said, begrudgingly stepping forward before the stone door emitted a white light from the center, startling him a bit. It glowed with an eerie aura, the audible hum it gave off somewhat beckoning Tanjiro to enter – and shockingly for him, a faint scent welcomed his nose for the first time and he could trace it coming from the entryway.
Taking one last look behind him again, the cliff was far off into the distance, almost covered in a sea of clouds and the stone bridge removed the platforms he treaded across moments before.
No turning back now.
Twisting his head to the entrance, Tanjiro inhaled deeply, gulping down any inhibitions and doubts before pushing forward, crossing from death to life.
Towards a new fate.
A/N: Welcome to a segment of 'where the hell have you been?' Frankly, I was busy with life since I entered college last August, and believe me when I say I am nearly drained from the plethora of requirements that I couldn't even bring myself to write a few paragraphs in "Dawn of a New Age." To be honest, I never planned to make another story until I finished my Azur Lane x Avengers crossover story.
But ever since Genshin Impact was released, things got a bit too hectic on my schedule.
I didn't want to be led astray from what I was currently working on, but I couldn't help myself. We see a Traveller (I chose Aether :P) whose sister was taken away by a very familiar Herscher from another game and with Emergency Fo-, I mean Paimon by his side, they travel through Teyvat to find the Seven. Considering this was a FREE game, I just had to have it and boy have I been forgetful of the hours I'm playing on it ever since.
With 1.1 on its way, the story begins to unravel - and at the back of my head stirred up another story.
One that involved a certain Demon Slayer.
At this point, I know I'm juggling between two stories with a long storyline, but I'm sure as hell going to try.
In the meantime, I like to hear what you guys thought of this story and I'm eager to know what kind of guesses you have that I planned for the story.
See you all later!~