Chapter 9 : The Blade of a New Beginning

1st comment :

"Me gusto mucho la historia, creo que es algo que todos nos hemos preguntado, que hubiese pasado si hubiese sido al reves

La verdad es que estoy esperando la interaccion entre Inosuke, Zenitsu y Nezuko, es algo que quiero saber como lo haras

No se me da bien el ingles al escribir, pero vi que respondiste otro comentario en español asi que lo intente

Espero el siguiente con ansias"

Ahh muchas gracias !! X"3

Soy bastante malo en español, así que utilizo el traductor de Google-- Disculpe si hay algún error :"DD

Yo también mucho MUCHO espero escribir las diferentes interacciones entre Nezuko, Inosuke y Zenitsu, tengo algunas ideas aquí y allá y espero escribir algo que me guste y que a ti también te guste :3

¡Gracias nuevamente por este lindo comentario! X3

Traduction :

"I really liked the story, I think it's something that we all have wondered, what would have happened if it had been the other way around

The truth is that I can't wait for the interactions between Inosuke, Zenitsu and Nezuko, this is something I want to know how you'll write it

I'm not good at writing in English, but I saw that you answered another comment in Spanish so I tried.I look forward to the next one"

Ahh thank you so much !! X"3

I'm pretty bad at Spanish, so I use google translate-- Sorry if there's any mistake :"DD

I also really REALLY can't wait to write the different interactions between Nezuko, Inosuke and Zenitsu, I have some ideas here and there and I hope to write something that will pleases you and me :3

Again, thank you so much for this kind comment ! X3

2nd comment :

"SomeKNYFan:This is an awesome role swap fanfic, great in originality(a lot better than some- though I've heard/seen much of this idea with Tanjiro-Tanjirou? Might just spell it how it's most commonly written- gaining energy, everything else is pretty good, and I'm just glad he's not sleeping) and unique in format. This is one of my favorites that I've found and I look forward to the future! I guess to review my thoughts on this... well, maybe, mostly on the final selection chapter, I was kinda bothered by how much (

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.) for spaces between scenes there was. It felt the smallest bit overboard for me I guess, probably most during Nezuko's battle with the final selection demon. I thought well if it gets to me a bit it might be worse for other people, like as a notice. Or it's just me. Oh, your thoughts on how blood demon arts work is pretty interesting. I always thought that the power was generated by how muzan's blood evolves/mutates inside a person, following that each is very unique due to the individual. Like, it mutates that different ability part of a person. Maybe like how an animal evolves to a specific environment the power molds from the traits of that human. There could also be a connection to the biology and physical abilities of them too, like an artist being very flexible with their hand and imagination leading to the blood demon art surrounding those skills(also maybe like how Tanjiro's sense of smell sharpens as a demon though that might just be because all demons get a small boost in scent tracking) or like how Akaza has his demon art in relation to his skills in martial arts before. That could be in relation to the structure in the body from the skill- or a place where the brain is strongly connected to or trained in action. Oi sorry for the long review- wait, if my thought on how it may have had an impact on Tanjiro's already keen sense of smell, does that mean Tanjiro's head would be twice as hard!? I feel bad for anyone to have an unfortunate conflict with Tanj leading to that... anyways have a nice day or night or possibly afternoon."

Wow ! This was a long one XDD

(This is your revenge for all the

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I put in my chapters, probably...)

Seriously, I can totally understand how annoying it can be to see all those points X"DD It's just the only way I found to put more "suspense" to the story in a chapter, because, if they weren't there, you could already read the sentences right down there and it would ruin the effect a bit...

But when I read the chapter again, I was also frustrated by how many they were at some moments-- I think I put too many of them in the chapter 7th, I'll maybe have to correct that X"0

In fact, the thing for demons to eat people to increase their powers isn't an idea of mine, but the explanation Sakonji is giving to Tanjiro in the manga/anime :3

(or maybe did I said it differently ? oof I don't know haha)

I think their powers can increase from both manners, but that Muzan's blood make them more powerful quicklier if he gives them a lot and in an even more powerful state than if they would just eat humans. But also, if I remember well, Muzan also said to Enmu in the last episodes of the anime "If you survive to that" when he gives him his blood. That means a demon might not survive by taking too much of Muzan's blood just like humans does :')

So the safest way to them to increase in power and strength is to eat human flesh x)

Tanjiro's sense of smell increased a bit because I think the demons have sharpen senses than humans :'3

Like, if a demon had weaker senses than humans does, it would be quite problematic for him x"DD

But since Tanjiro's sense of smell was already more powerful than an average human, then it would logically be even more powerful than an average demon when he transforms into one, which corresponds a bit to his sense of smell as a demon slayer who increased after his training, maybe a bit more powerful but it's approximatively equal

I never thought to Tanjiro's head that would be twice as hard tho- OH GOD QAQI don't think it's harder in my fanfic, but that could be possible if we think about it...

Oh my...RIP all the demons that were and will be headbutted by Tanjiro, we luved u :"(

[...]

April 11th 1914

02:09 PM

Wooden House

Fifteen days had passed since the end of the selection.

During this early spring, Nezuko simply took a rest alongside her mentor and older brother.

Rather well deserved rest after two years of hard work to become the one she was today.

It pleased her to spend time with the two men. Sakonji having almost become like a surrogate grandfather to her, she felt quite calm around him, even though during his training, he was rather rough.

However, even though she only lived quietly during that fortnight, she still tied her dark hair in a high ponytail, never wanting to undo it for any reason other than sleeping.

She really seemed to stick to the words she had said at the start of the Selection, and the two boys had understood it well.

A few moments earlier, at the end of the meal, the young girl had picked up her kimono and her checkered obi in her hands.

As the redhead moved around the corner of the room again as usual so as not to be in contact with the sunlight, she decided to sew the two fabrics together like her little sister; Hanako.

Checks had an important place in the Kamado family. Everyone wore them; whether it was her father with his haori as well as Tanjiro, although this one had a green one while the the old man's was in an orange color, or her mother and Shigeru with their kimonos, Takeo and his scarf...

Only Rokuta didn't wear one. She was planning to sew something for him with this pattern for his birthday, but unfortunately, she didn't have the opportunity to do so with the tragedy that occurred on that famous night.

Hanako, on the other hand, used to wear a plain dull pink haori, with a large line at its end bearing red and white checks like Nezuko's belt.

It had given her the idea to do the same for her kimono that she would wear as a haori now; as if to never forget her family and symbolize the ever-present bond between her brother and her who was still wearing his plaid jacket too.

But as she continued her sewing workshop, a door knock was heard at the entrance of the house, raising the heads of the three individuals present in the room.

《Ah- I'm opening !》She said, gently laying the fabrics on the floor to walk towards the door as Sakonji and Tanjiro watched her.

Once in front of it, the brunette opened it slowly, keeping a smile on her lips during the action.

She later discovered a man there... Or was it a woman ?

It was quite complicated to say since he or she had his or her head bowed and wore a large hat with sort of chimes hiding the whole face. But this fellow was quite tall, just a little taller than Sakonji in comparison...

So we're just going to refer to them by saying : The Person.

Therefore, The Person wore a black kimono top, topped with a brown haori patterned with sunflower flowers worn over light hakama pants.

Without further ado, the teenager bowed respectfully in front of them.

《Hello ! Be welcome...!!》She kindly said, before standing up.《How can I help you ?》

The stranger was silent for a few moments, then finally spoke in a serious tone.

《My name is Haganezuka. I'm looking for a certain Nezuko Kamado.》

The girl jumped slightly in view of the masked individual's deep voice.

No doubt this time, it was a man.

《I forged her blade. I'm coming to deliver it to her.》He continued.

《Ohh, so it's you...》She resumed, surprised, before smiling at him and bending down again.《I am Nezuko Kamado, nice to meet you, sir !》

《Hm... So you are Nezuko...》

POOF.

The man calling himself Haganezuka suddenly crouched down after turning his back to his client.

《This is your Nicchirin Blade. I forged it.》He told her, removing a large, pale cloth from his basket that seemed to encompass the sharp weapon.

The young girl looked at him surprised, then walked a little towards him, her hand outstretched.

《E-eh ?! Oh- No no ! It can wait, don't worry...! Come rather inside to have something to drink or to eat, you must be tired after such a long wal-》

《The materials needed to make such a blade are taken from the mountain that is the closest to the sun.》He ignored her.《Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore are the main ingredients. They are able to absorb sunlight.》

As he now pointed at the flaming star, Nezuko simply sighed in exasperation while smiling slightly. He wasn't going to give up his explanations anytime soon...!

《You see, Mount Yoko is bathed in sunlight all day long. Clouds and rain doesn't exist in there.》

《Mount Yoko ?》She repeated, thoughtful.《Hm, that tells me something... I think we didn't lived that far to this mount before, with my family...》

《Oh I see... Then, you're a child of the sun, aren't you ?》He told her.《That will be great for your saber...》

Immediately after these words, the man suddenly turned to Nezuko while getting a bit too close to her face, which had the consequence of making her jumping back slightly.

《Hmm... I see...》He said, as he contemplated into her face.

He had a mask covering his entire face.

Maybe it was something common in these places ? With Urokodaki and his goblin mask and this one with his jester mask, all she needed was to put the pieces of her fox mask back together and give one to her brother so that everyone could join the company...

《H-haha...》The teenager laughed nervously.《H-hum... So... what are you-》

But the masked man then pressed a finger on her cheek as he continued his monologue.

《Ohh I see...!!》He resumed, his voice having lost all the credibility he had when he met the young girl.《Your skin is clear, bringing out your pink eyes turning to dragee on the bottom of your irises... You look young, your strokes are soft, charming, and the light colors only bring out your goodness... Ah, the sun and the moon, one is the light, the other is the darkness, everything and its opposite, life and death... All are born innocent in these lowlands...》

He then straightened up, looking at the sky.

《A white color for purity ? Ah, pink would suit you best ! Your eyes, your ribbon, the thongs of your sandals, and the kimono over there on the floor... Of course, IT'S OBVIOUS !! Tell me, I heard your family works in the fire, right ??》

《Huh ? Uh, y-yes ! We were selling coal...》

《Ah I see... Pink is also a color similar to red, red being a color similar to orange, and both representing fire, the sun, LIGHT ! OF COURSE !》

The man then proceeded to push her out of the way in order to address Urokodaki, who was now sitting in the middle of the room, listening discreetly to them as well as Tanjiro, although the latter didn't want to risk to move forward.

《Tell me Urokodaki ! You think her blade will turn pink too, right ??》He asked euphorically.

《...Yes... It is possible.》He replied simply.

《YEEES ! I WILL SEE A BLADE TURNING TO PINK !》He exclaimed.

《Ahaha... C-come on, get in, we'll see it all inside if you don't mind...?》She said softly, approaching the masked man to hold his shoulder and encourage him to go inside.

As soon as the swordsmith entered the room, he seemed to notice the presence of the little demon in a corner, who gently raised his hand to greet him.

《Oh...? Is that the demon you told me about, Urokodaki ?》He asked, a little distrustful.

《Hm.》He nodded.《Do not worry, he is inoffensive.》

As their mini-discussion continued, Tanjiro sighed, smiling slightly. He then looked up at his sister, who was still standing at the entrance.

She smiled sadly at the scene, aware that her brother was now going to be feared by all. Despite everything, she was grateful for Urokodaki, who seemed to have accepted him and who had visibly become attached to him.

Feeling the gaze on her, the brunette turned her head back to her brother in the corner of the room.

She let out a chuckle as she saw him staring at her for a long time, but suddenly stopped at the call of the two adults asking her to sit in front of them.

《Here, take this.》Haganezuka spoke again, handing her her sword without the cloth, but still stored in its case.

Also, the latter was dark purple, still having a long and thin white-pink line along the length of the saber as a decoration, and the tip being in direct contact with the handle was golden in color.

The handle was also white, decorated with small pink diamonds as well as a small reddish rectangle in the middle and a kind of golden wheel attached to the handle which was located between it and the case to separate them.

《As soon as you will remove the sword from its case,》Said the man with the jester mask.《It will take on a very particular color that is specific to you... This is why the Nicchirin Blades are also called "Color Changing Swords"...!》

'So that's what he was talking about earlier...'She thought to herself, as she lowered her eyes again to the sharp object in her hands.

She tightened the holster a little bit at first, then gently began to separate it from the handle.

At first glance, the blade was silver, just like the sword from her training she had returned to Sakonji a few days earlier.

But once the blade was stripped of any protections or additional layers, fine particles began to form on the tip.

Nezuko let out a small scream of amazement, as the swordsmith waved his arms excitedly.

Even Tanjiro, was watching the once silver blade slowly change color.

When the colored particles had covered the entire sharp part of her sword, the girl's gaze was no longer that of someone surprised, but rather amazed.

It was unusual, we can admit it. It's not every day or everyone who receives a Nicchirin Blade at some point in their life.

But as she gazed at her now colored sword, Haganezuka suddenly stopped waving his arms in the air, looking astonished.

《...》

《...》

《...》

《Eh ?》

The man in the brown haori then let them fall on the floor in disappointment, as did his back which slumped forward.

《BLACK ?!》

《Black.》Commented Sakonji.

《Black, indeed...》The girl with the pink eyes spoke in turn.《Ah ! I-is it not okay ?? Swords... aren't supposed to turn black...?》

《No... that is not it...》Resumed the old man, as he turned slightly to the blacksmith beside him.

《AHHHH !!!!!》

Suddenly, the man leapt at Nezuko's throat, knocking her to the ground with him as he tried to strangle her.

《HEY WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ?!?!!? WHY DID YOUR BLADE TURNED BLACK ?!?!?!? I WAS SURE IT WOULD BECOME PINK !! EVEN WHITE !!! IT'S THE TOTAL OPPOSITE !!!》

He cried out, as the brunette struggled as hard as she could.

《S-shir... Y-you're shtranglin' me..!!》

《YOU MUST DIE TO HAVE DISAPPOINTED ME SO MUCH YOUNG GIRL !!》

But as he continued his masquerade, the teenager could glance at Sakonji, who remained calm despite the situation.

She could therefore deduce that she wasn't in danger of death despite the threats of the swordsmith if even her mentor didn't take any defensive measures, which reassured her a little.

But the old man's insensitivity to the scene wasn't shared by her older brother, who was growling furiously in his corner at the swordsmith, the sunlight currently being the only thing holding him back from intervening.

Noticeably, the man seemed to have caught sight of the demon's threats as he slowly turned back to him while loosening his grip a little on the victim in action.

The redhead then growled harder, which prompted the elderly man to stand up.

《IS HE REALLY THAT INOFFENSIVE, YOUR DEMON !?!》He screamed, sounding annoyed that they could have lied to him.

《As long as you do not hurt his sister, then yes he is.》Sakonji explained calmly.

While Haganezuka still seemed to argue with the old man, Nezuko simply laughed, then turned to her brother to check on his condition.

He still looked angry, his tiny hands clenching in fists from frustration at the thought that he couldn't reach whoever had hurt his sister in defense, which, honestly, in his small demon form was simply adorable.

Tanjiro would often get angry if someone lashed out at weaker ones, even more so if it was someone he cared about. His demon slayer younger sister had also inherited this trait of temperament.

The last times he was enraged happened two years ago, the first when Giyu attacked them, and the second when the demon of these lands had injured his sister; although he somehow managed to contain his anger either way.

In general, his anger had always been something pretty comical when he was human from Nezuko's point of view, except when he was really mad, and in this case, it was more of something we had to be afraid that something you might laugh at, even if it didn't happen often.

However, ever since he had become a demon, even he suspected that if he lost himself again in such a mad state of anger, he could have become dangerous, and even more so if he was hungry. That's why he had held back at the beginning.

But apparently, now that he was well fed, rested and healthy, his anger wasn't as dangerous as it could have been two years ago.

It was back to how it was before. Like when he was still human, long before this whole story.

The girl smiled at the thought. It reminded her of the good old days spent with her brother, and that he was still there with her. It did her good.

《CAW CAW !》

Suddenly a crow's cry was heard outside the wooden house.

The four individuals then turned to the window, to see the bird land on its ledge.

《Nezuko Kamado ! Nezuko Kamado !》Croaked the black animal.

《A-ah ?!》The respondent stepped forward slightly near the crow, a little surprised at the speed of the scene.

'Is that the crow that was assigned to me during Selection...?' She said to herself, thoughtful. 'So they can talk...? Wow... I thought they would only send the messages by papers or something...'

《Here are your orders, Nezuko Kamado !》He continued, once the girl finally crouched in front of him.《Go to the nearest town to the Northwest ! Young girls have been kidnapped night after night ! Hunt the demon responsible for these crimes, and kill him !》

《A-a mission, already..?!》Exclaimed the girl with pink eyes.《That was fast... I only got my sword a few seconds ago and...》

《Prepare well for this task, Nezuko Kamado !》He resumed.《This is your first mission as a demon slayer ! You will have to go today !》

At these words, the teenager took on a determined expression, tightening her fists slightly on her yukata.

Her first mission...

She had really become a slayer by now. If she would have told this to her "she" in the past, she surely wouldn't have believed herself...

With that, the swordsmith raised to his feet after gathering all his things.

《I have to go, now...》He began, before raising his head to the figure in front of him.《Nezuko...?》

Suddenly, the young girl widened her eyes a little before turning quickly.

《Ah- Yes !》

《I SWEAR IF YOU BREAK MY SWORD OR EVEN IF IT HAS ONLY A SINGLE SCRATCH ON IT I'LL SLAUGHTER YOU RIGHT AWAY, IS IT WELL UNDERSTOOD ?!!!》

Nezuko swallowed hardly as she nodded eagerly.

Geez, he wasn't kidding with swords...

But as soon as the blacksmith had said those words, the little demon in the corner of the room began to glare at him again.

The man in the brown haori therefore hastened to leave as quickly as possible, leaving the three friends alone with-

Ah, actually no, the crow had already left.

Only Sakonji had noticed his absence; the two children being too disturbed by the swordsmith then leaving the premises.

《Well...》The masked man began after a slight sigh.《You better get ready now, Nezuko. Go put on your uniform and come back here after, I have something for you.》

Immediately, the brunette nodded before getting up quickly and heading for the bedroom.

《Yes !》

She then took in hand her black sword again in action, then closed the door behind her.

Once inside, she opened the bag of the uniform that the two little girls had given her at the Selection, and took off first a white shirt, as well as a long-sleeved jacket bathed in purplish-brown tones, and a skirt of the same color that reached her mid-thigh.

On the top of her jacket were hung three small white buttons used to close it on her shirt, as well as a sort of white pocket on the left side of her chest.

Her neck was also covered by the uniform, the border of it being white as well.

Also, the uniform had to be accompanied by a belt, surely helping to carry the sword.

Once having put all this on, the young girl put on her black oversocks as well as her short white socks, and decorated them with her usual little white bows.

She then put on her brown sandals with pink straps, then finally walked out of the room, a smile on her lips.

《That's it !》She said happily.

The two men looked at her, one on who we couldn't see any expressions on his face since it was hidden by his goblin mask, and the other who smiled at the sight of her little sister in uniform before clapping happily in his hands.

《Haha ! You like it Big Brother ?》She smiled back at him as she crouched down to stroke his head.《This time, I chose the colors and measurements myself since our preferences were taken into account !》

While the little demon had his eyes lighting up as the younger spoke, the older man remained silent in his corner of the room, watching the two Kamados until finally speaking.

《Should I understand that the outfit I gave you back at the selection was not to your liking, Nezuko !?》

《A-ah ?!!》The young girl blenched at her mentor's comment, before waving her hands in panic.《N-no no !! Of course not, I-I... I didn't mean it like that !!》

Of course, the old man had felt and saw that she had liked his outfit for the Selection. He just liked to tease her every now and then, still remaining quite distant because he didn't really like showing his real attachment to the people he loved, despite the fact that he had done so a few times while cuddling the young girl and her brother on her return or when she had cut the rock.

Meanwhile, Tanjiro simply laughed next to his sister, having already felt the old man "joking" in his own way. (Still, the guy was convincing !!)

《Hum, ah ! One last thing...》Nezuko spoke again, seeming to change the subject in the meantime to free herself from the tight situation she had put herself in.

So she got up to walk towards the center of the room, picking up her jacket now ready over her shoulders.

Once she slipped it over her uniform, she looked up at Sakonji, a smile again forming on her sweet face.

《So Mister Urokodaki...? What do you think ?》

The elderly man was a little silent at first, then answered him in a calm tone at last.

《It suits you very well.》

The young girl let out a small sigh of relief after receiving her master's judgment, then turned back to her brother, smiling victoriously at him at having finally changed the subject while the young boy smiled at her in return.

But it was the truth after all. Her uniform fit her like a glove.

Meanwhile, Sakonji decided to show what he had for the teenager.

Walking towards the room to his right, he gradually took out a rectangular box, to which the brunette reacted by rushing to his side to help him bring it into the main room.

《Oh ! W-wait ! I'll help you...》She said.

《It is not that heavy, I can-》

《I insist !》

Nezuko exclaimed while looking him in the eyes.

The old man watched her for a moment, surprised. He didn't expect her to be so confident...

But in the end, it was a good thing.

Defeated soon enough, Sakonji lowered his head with a sigh.

《Hm... Alright.》

The two therefore returned to the central room, the box in Nezuko's hands under the gaze of Tanjiro, who watched them in the distance without being able to do anything.

Ah, if only the day had not risen or that the shutters were closed... He would have gladly helped them too.

But the boy will have to be content to contemplate the scene for the moment, to his utter despair for sure.

As she carried the box, the young girl realized that what her mentor had pointed out to her wasn't a simple excuse to take care of the movement of the object himself: It was incredibly light.

Once the chest was installed to Sakonji's right, teacher and student sat down around the extinguished fire, ready to start a new discussion.

《First of all,》The man in the blue haori began, as the younger one listened to him.《I need to inform you of some details regarding your uniform.》

Nezuko nodded, allowing the old man to continue his speech.

《It is made of a special fabric. As you may have noticed, it is flexible and light, but is also very resistant, not afraid of water or fire. An inferior demon will not succeed in tearing it apart; whether with its claws or fangs.》

《I see...》She said, looking thoughtful.

《Also,》He continued.《As Haganezuka said earlier, each sword takes on a color specific to the swordsman to which it belongs. However...》

He looked down at the girl's saber, returned to its holster and tied to her waist through her white belt.

《Black Blades are known to be quite rare, and we do not know much about them... But it is said...》

《That demon slayers with a black blade will not get very far.》

A morbid silence suddenly settled in the room.

Tanjiro; who had been listening to them for a while, turned his gaze to his sister who was back to him.

They wouldn't get very far...

They would die quickly...?

Nezuko...

...will die during her missions ?

No...

It was for him that she had become a demon slayer ... She suffered for two years, and it was far from being over.

He left her to fend for herself during an entire week, fearing for her life when he was utterly useless.

He wasn't going to let her die...

He couldn't let her die...

He wanted her to stay there, with him until the end...

He wanted to protect her, to make sure she was okay... He never wanted to leave her alone again...

But even though his will was strong...

Will it be enough...?

Will one day come, when they would get separated again as one of them will therefore die ?

《I see...》The young Kamado's voice broke the silence that had reigned for a few moments.

《I don't know... How long exactly I will stay in the Slayer army... Or what level I will reach...》She continued.《But...》

The teenager turned to the redhead that was still in shock at the old man's words, a soft smile now on her lips as if to reassure him.

《... But I intend to stay alive as long as possible to make Big Brother human again.》She said, as she gently lowered her eyes to the ground.《I wish that one day, we could both go home, hand in hand, staying together until the end... I don't want him to end his life as a demon, nor to transform himself again without me being at his sides... Even if he's the oldest, it doesn't change the fact that it would be a very sad and lonely life for him...》

《This is what... I'm fighting for... This is why I joined the Demon Slayer army. When this story is over, I want us to both make it alive, and my family's killer to be shot for his crimes.》

.

.

《Hm...》

Nodded Sakonji, who listened to her attentively before continuing.《... Even though I fear this rumor a lot, something in you tells me that you will manage to overcome it... I can not certify that, but I am sure that you will succeed in finding and killing the demon who bruised your family and that you will one day heal your brother.》

Nezuko lowered her gaze slightly to the floor, a small grateful smile forming on her lips at the thought of her mentor supporting her and believing in her abilities.

The old man then turned to the wooden box next to him, placing his right hand on the ledge to move it slightly towards his student to begin his explanations.

《But for that, he must be kept alive...! So you will need something to transport him during the day; something tough, unlike the bamboo and straw basket you made two years ago.》He explained.《This chest is made of light wood, called "Cloud Mist Pine"; so that should not cause you any problems for the weight except for your brother's, but I doubt he is very heavy in his child form. I coated it with rock lacquer to strengthen the exterior and make it more durable.》

With that, the young girl inspected the box in more detail. It would be in this box that she would carry her brother from now on...

《One last thing...》Resumed the old man, surprising the teen in the pink jacket a little by the way.《You will need a little more food so that Tanjiro can eat as well. I am therefore going to give you some extra snacks to start with, but it is obvious that this will not be enough for months yet...》

While rummaging in his pockets, he then took out a few onigiris which he immediately handed to the brunette.

《I know it is not much, but you should not burden yourself during your fights. You will also have to rely on your demon slayer remuneration to buy yourself something to eat later, although it is certain that you will not earn millions from your debut...!》

Nezuko saw her face lighting up at the sight of the onigiri in front of her.

《W-woaah !! Thank you so much !! ...You're doing too much... I don't know how to thank you...》

《Achieve your goal, that will be enough for me.》

These simple words made the young girl smile.

After placing two rice balls inside her old kimono and the few others inside the box, she took it in her hands before coming to lay it in front of the young demon in the corner of the room.

《From now on...》She started, while crouching down next to him with a smile on her face.《... We will always stay together Big Brother... I will never leave you alone again, I promise.》

《Also... Even though I'm your younger sister, I'm now the most experienced in the art of combat...》

The brunette looked down, avoiding any eye contact with her brother who was listening intently.

《... You've already put in enough effort like that... As much as when you were human and that you struggled to always be of service to everyone, that since you became a demon and constantly fight against your new nature... So, at least during this mishap, I would like to spare you... Give you time to rest without having to worry about anything... Since I know how to fight, you won't have to worry about me. As for you...》

The young girl then raised her gaze to the redhead, while stretching her little finger towards him to mark her future promise.

《You will have nothing to fear. I'll be there to protect you, no matter what.》

Tanjiro had rarely seen his sister speak to him in such a serious and direct manner; though she never let the soft tone in her voice.

It almost made him feel like he was completely safe by her side, which was exactly what she wanted him to understand.

And he wanted to believe her, to believe that she would have no trouble fighting, that she would do it on her own, that he could stay in his box and not worry about her while she fought with a demon...

He would have liked to believe it.

But he just couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to let his sister take care of everything while he was letting himself being protected while doing nothing.

Even though he knew that Nezuko's choice was right and logical that she put herself in a position of "protector" since he hardly knew how to fight, even if he accepted it, was aware of it and thanked her at the same time deep down, he couldn't and never will be able to help worrying about her.

Although she was more experienced than him in combat, she was still only human, not being immune to getting hurt and losing her life. He, wouldn't risk anything of injuring himself. The only real downside is that he'll get hungry quickly after the effort.

But he didn't care. He still preferred to suffer from hunger and temptation as great as it was than to see her leave him.

And if he hurt himself despite his sister's attempts to protect him, he wouldn't blame her in the least, because he would heal in a flash after eating a rice ball or two anyway.

All he cared about was that she was okay. And for that he would help her. Would protect her as best he could, even if that meant being seriously injured afterwards.

It was like that, he was her big brother after all. And like the good protective older brother he was, it was in his nature to want to protect his younger siblings and - or his family; especially since Nezuko was now all he had left of his old family.

However, he accepted that he didn't always have to protect her. Leave her to fight alone if he saw that she wasn't in big trouble. Give her a chance to show him what she was capable of.

But if he felt the situation was getting too dangerous, then he would intervene without hesitation.

The young boy therefore began to smile slightly behind his bamboo-muzzle before also raising his little finger to cross it with that of his sister.

Nezuko smiled even more at him, and so, the redhead slipped inside the box before closing the small door behind him.

The young girl smiled tenderly at the box, then placed it on her shoulders with the help of the thongs.

It had been a long time since she felt such a weight on her back, the last time being the first day of her training to pass the Selection. But unlike before, it didn't bother her.

Surely because she was strengthened physically thanks to her hard training; or because she wasn't as exhausted as when she started out... Or maybe even a bit of both, who knows ?

Once in front of her mentor, the teenager tightened the thongs slightly in her hands, looking confident.

《I'm ready.》

Sakonji nodded, muttering a small "Hm", then got up in turn to accompany his student to the front door.

At the first step outside, a strange sensation ran through the girl's body.

'This is it... I'm a demon slayer...' She told herself, as she gradually raised her head to the blue sky that brightened the day, looking thoughtful. 'It is now... that everything will begin...'

Everything she's been through so far was just preventive measures. Exercises to prepare her for her journey.

The real beginning of this story begins two years after its prologue.

It felt so strange... remembering everything she's been through so far.

Once again, if she would have told all this to her past self, she surely wouldn't have believed herself.

《Nezuko...》The deep voice of the masked man called out to her.

Surprised, the girl in the pink haori blenched slightly at the sudden return to reality that had just provoked his call, then turned to her master.

《Uh- Yes !》

《Your wound,》He continued, as he now pointed to the bandage covering the young teenager's forehead.《It must be healed by now, right ?》

With that, the girl took a surprised look.

《Ah ! You're right...》She said, as she slowly unrolled the white fabric that covered the top of her face.

After circling her head several times, she kept her bandage in her hand and looked up at the old man so that he could clearly see the state of her injury.

《S-so ?》

《... Oh...》Sakonji began, as he brushed aside the few strands of dark hair protruding from her forehead with his fingertips.《You do not have anything more on your left side, however, you have a nice scar on your right side... Alas, I do not think it will ever go away.》

Indeed, above her right eye was now a long and thin blood-red scar that could make think of a kind of flame, starting from the roots of her hair and descending along her eyebrow, creating a small arc around a skin that was still intact.

《Oh- I-is that true...?》She asked, looking surprised.

《Tell me, does it still hurt you ?》

With that, the young girl nodded "no", while smiling happily at the old man afterwards.

《No ! Not in the least !!》She said cheerfully.

Sakonji was silent for a few seconds, the time to think about what he was going to do.

Suddenly, he placed both hands on the shoulders of the young slayer, who then looked at him with astonishment.

《Nezuko.》He started, seriously.

The brunette didn't answer. Still wondering what the old man was going to say to her this time.

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《Good luck.》

These words were the last she heard from Sakonji before leaving for her departure.

Faced with this, Nezuko remained silent for a few seconds, being a little surprised by those two words her mentor had just said, then ended up smiling at him.

Not as cheerful as she did earlier. A gentle, calm smile.

《Hm.》She answered, before placing her hands gently on the old man's.《Thank you.》

Sakonji nodded, then slowly pulled his hands away from her shoulders so as not to be too abrupt.

And with that, the young girl set out on her new goal of reaching the nearest town to the northwest, walking quietly, carrying her brother on her back without ever leaving him.

Truth to be told, her own words were powerful too.

Her "Thank you" didn't only answered to his "Good luck".

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'Thank you, for having hosted me during these two long years.'

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'Thank you for having accepted my big brother's condition; treating him as an individual in his own right, and for taking such good care of him during my absences.'

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'Thank you for having taken the time to help me improve.'

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'Thank you for having trusted me.'

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'Thank you for worrying about me, believing in me and supporting me until the end.'

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'For everything that you had done, mister Urokodaki...'

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'Thank you.'

Swordsmith

• Haganezuka

1m83,5 (6'0")

76 kg (167 lbs)

07/07/76

(37 years old)

[...]

April 11th 1914

05:47 PM

Country road

Nezuko had been walking in the middle of the fields for a few hours now, still looking straight ahead, hoping to find the town she was looking for.

Since her departure, the bird had not returned to see her; she therefore assumed that she was in the right direction since no one was pointing her out otherwise. But even though she was, she didn't really have the means to be sure.

Still, the bird wasn't the only one showing no signs of life.

A heavy silence now weighed in her walk as her worry grew as she walked forward.

After all, it was the first time she had carried the chest on her back. Having never tested it before, she didn't know if there was any risk, however small they were, that sunlight could pierce the wood. And not hearing even a small hum from her brother only made her anxious a little more.

The situation becoming too unbearable, Nezuko finally began to utter the words that had been burning her lips for a while.

《..Big Brother...?》She started, as she turned her gaze to her back worriedly.《Is... is everything okay...?》

Another moment of silence hung in the air until she felt a small movement in the box.

《Hm-hm..!》The teenager replied afterwards, in a gentle tone as usual.

Relieved, the young girl exhaled a long sigh, while smiling tenderly at the box behind her back.

She had to get used to it... There was no good reason to worry. Against the sunlight, Tanjiro was safe inside that little box.

But just thinking about the risks he could take with even the slightest contact between the sun's rays and his skin made her die of anguish.

《Hm...?》The demon resumed in her back, worriedly.

《Eh ? N-no no ! It's nothing !》She said, waving her hands in the air a little.《I was just scared for a moment... But now that I know you're okay, I'm reassured...!》She then smiled at him, more serenely this time.

The redhead also smiled softly behind his muzzle, as the young girl spoke again, her gaze pointed in front of her again.

《Tell me, Big Brother !》She continued, in a more cheerful tone.《What do you think the city will be like ?》

Tanjiro looked up a bit, puzzled by her question.

《Will it be like the village below our mountain... but in ten times bigger ?》The cadet continued, her eyes lighting up at all her thoughts about the new urban world she would discover this day.《Or something totally different ?? Ah ! I heard that there were a lot of people and a lot of commotion in the big cities... I wonder if it will be the case for this one !!》

The little demon frowned, while raising his hand to his chin thoughtfully, also reflecting on what this place might be like.

In the end, we could think that this topic of conversation was mostly found to fill the awkward silence that there was between the two and to interact with one another. But in reality, since the two Kamados were children of the mountain, the only cityscape they had never seen was the small village present at the foot of their habitat - well, if only you could call that an "urban space"...!

Suddenly, the youngest was interrupted in her discussion facing the new setting in front of her eyes :

Indeed, only a few meters away was a long wooden bridge, leading to a sort of street with multiple houses on each side.

《Ah ! I think we almost arrived !》She said happily.《I'll tell you what it looks like when I get there, okay ?》

The little demon nodded cheerfully in his box, and so, the brunette resumed her walk.

Once the first steps on the bridge made, she could see more closely the city in which she was about to set foot.

In front of her was therefore an incalculable number of houses, all built of the same material as Sakonji's. They had (for the majority of them) roofs in midnight blue tiles, as well as numerous hanging decorations placed above the doors.

As for this bridge which she crossed, it surmounted a long river in which floated certain fishing boats here and there.

As she finally crossed the bridge, the young girl addressed her brother again.

《For now, it's quite similar to our village...》She said, still observing the surroundings.《The only difference is that there are a few more people in the streets and it's incredibly big...》

Tanjiro moaned in response, a sad little smile still forming behind his bamboo.

Them who expected something spectacular, it was quite disappointing. But honestly, this wasn't a problem for the young boy : He much prefered the peace and quiet of his mountain or the village to crowded and bewildering places everywhere.

Still, even if it wasn't extraordinary, he would have liked to admire the landscape with his own eyes too.

Resuming her walk, the young girl plunged a little deeper into the abyss of the city, until whispers reached her ears.

《Hey, look... It's Kazumi !》

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《Oh, poor boy... He seems in such bad shape...》

Even though she ignored what the locals said at first, the boy's unfortunate qualifications instinctively made her look around for someone in such bad shape.

She wasn't primarily here for that, but maybe she could help him, right...?

《He was with the little Satoko when she got kidnapped, wasn't he...?》

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Nezuko's eyes widened.

'... Kidnapped...?' She repeated that word in her head, as she turned back to the source of the sound.

《Hey... Do you think he-》

《..E-excuse-me...》

The inhabitants stopped their low masses at the call of the young slayer, their gaze therefore focusing on her.

《... I heard what you said about a girl who was kidnapped recently...》She continued.《Do you know more about this...?》

The three women looked at each other in turn, until one of them finally decided to answer her.

《You're not from here, are you...?》She smiled sadly.《Night after night, young girls are being kidnapped every evening for reasons that are still unknown to this day...》

《It's so... Frightening...》Another followed.

《I understand, but...》She began, before moving slightly towards the three old women.《.. weren't you talking about a man earlier...?》

《Ah... You're talking about Kazumi.》Said the third one, pointing to a passerby walking in the street just behind Nezuko.

Immediately, the teenager turned to him, but since she could only see him from behind, she couldn't really have any idea what he was like.

She then turned to the old women, looking puzzled.

《Is it him, Kazumi...?》

With that, the woman nodded, before speaking again.

《He was the only witness to the most recent kidnapping that happened yesterday, the one of his girlfriend, Satoko...》She explained, lowering her finger.《But be careful, if you wish to talk to him... He still seems in shock, and also, he's not in his best physical condition either...》

At these words, Nezuko mimicked a small "no" with her head, a slight smile forming on her lips as she answered her :

《Don't worry, miss... I'll be careful, I promise.》She said softly.

The three old ladies then greeted her with a small wave of the hand, returning her smile, and thus, the young girl went to meet the certain Kazumi.

As she gradually approached the young man, the girl with pink eyes was able to observe him a little more closely :

He walked in an unusual way, his head being a bit in the clouds when he seemed to be walking aimlessly.

His clothes weren't in very good condition either; slightly torn at the edges. And even though she could only see him from behind, he looked like he was limping briefly.

At his sight, the girl's eyes filled with empathy for the poor boy again. Who wouldn't have pity on someone so badly off, after all ?

As the old ladies had advised her, the girl with the ponytail began by speaking quietly, not wanting to scare him.

《Mr Kazumi...?》

To tell the truth, she didn't really know if she should address him by calling him "Mister" since he seemed to be barely 4 or 5 years older than her. But she told herself that it was better to do it so as not to risk anything.

Slowly, the young man turned to her, letting her see that his face wasn't intact either.

Indeed, he was covered in bruises, and his injuries were recent.

The girl widened her eyes slightly, before gasping at the sight of his face.

《O-oh my...》She whispered, before putting a hand on the boy's arm and walking a little closer to him.《Are you okay...?! What happened...??》

Astonished, the brown-eyed boy looked at her for a little while with a puzzled expression, then shook his head slightly.

《I-it doesn't matter...》He said softly, before continuing.《How do you know my name...? A-and- Why did you want to see me...?》

With that, the girl's traits gradually softened.

《Oh... forgive me, I should have started there...》She smiled sadly at him before slowly releasing his arm.《Actually, I'm here to sort out all these kidnapping of young girls happening every night in this town... You were there when Satoko got kidnapped, right...?》

At these words, the young man lowered his eyes sadly to the ground, not wanting to make any eye contact with the brunette.

《...N-no...》He murmured, in a monotonous tone.《Don't bother... you wouldn't trust me anyway...》

After a few seconds, Nezuko finally decided to move a little closer to him, while tilting her head slightly to the right.

《You can't say that before you even say a word to me, you know...?》She said softly, smiling.《Would you please try to tell me about it ?》

Kazumi looked at her for a moment, still a little hesitant about what to do until the young girl continued her monologue.

《But first of all...》She said taking one of his hands in hers.《It seems to me that you need some treatment... Will you allow me to take care of it...?》

The brown-eyed man looked at her, amazed at her so kind demeanor when they didn't even know each other.

But after a few seconds, he finally nodded in turn and led her to his residence.

[...]

April 11th 1914

06:01 PM

Kazumi's residence

Being a demon slayer didn't inculcate any duty to care for the wounded; even less if their injuries weren't of demonic origin. Nezuko was here only for the purpose of finding and beheading the demon responsible for the crimes that crop up every night in this city.

But the point is, it was still day. So she still had a little time left to do whatever she needed before nightfall; moment when the demon-kidnapper will finally dare to show the tip of his nose if he doesn't want to end up sunburned.

Besides, she needed the boy's information for her mission. Perhaps he would tell her some characteristics of the creature, or other clues allowing her to find and defeat him ?

But his injuries didn't leave her indifferent. If she had the time, she might as well spend it helping someone instead of stupidly ignoring them and doing nothing.

She used to treat more or less serious injuries of her siblings when she was younger and her mother was too busy. Of course, in Kazumi's case, it was all bruises, but the least he could do was put some ice on it, which he surely hadn't done.

A few minutes later, Nezuko returned from the young man's kitchen with a small pack in his hand, all smiles.

《You still hadn't put any ice on it, am I right ?》She asked him, kindly.

The boy in the blue kimono simply looked down at her remark, as she placed the ice pack over his right eye.

She whispered a little "There !" as the wounded man moved his hand up to the source of coolness to hold it in place on his face.

《Remember to move it to all the other painful places...》She said, getting up.《You'll heal faster and feel less pain.》

《Hm... I know, that...》

Nezuko let out a nervous little laugh before sitting down in front of him.

The boy was always spacing out a bit, never fully looking her in the eyes.

Even if he didn't want to tell her where his injuries were coming from, the teenager was really curious about it, and wanted to help him.

Either way, it didn't appear to be wounds of demonic origin. No demon would hurt humans just for the fun of it, if he'd attacked him, he should've ended up eaten. And although he would have defended himself, the young man didn't seem to have any scratch or bite marks, just punch marks. So his injuries were probably human-made.

《S-so...?》She started, a little hesitant.《What happened...?》

The brown-eyed man looked up at her for a moment, but lowered his eyes sadly to the floor afterward.

A little silence settled in for a few seconds before Kazumi's weak voice suddenly rose in the room.

《I-I don't really know... where to start...》He declared, as the teenager listened to him without a word.《It all went so fast... I wouldn't even know how to describe the scene...》

《Maybe you can start with the place...?》Nezuko helped him, kindly.《Do you remember where it happened ?》

《... the city, in the middle of the street...》Resumed the boy.《We were just walking together... everything was fine... until the moment when I no longer heard her laughs... her footsteps... And when I turned around...》

《She was no longer there...》

The brunette stepped forward slightly, her head tilting slightly to the side as she spoke again.

《And... you haven't heard anything suspicious ? Or even simple footsteps...?》She asked, looking concerned.

《No... nothing at all...》The young man sighed sadly.《It was as if... She had evaporated... She disappeared suddenly, without leaving any traces behind her except her lamp that fell to the ground...》

With that, the fourteen year old girl tightened her fists slightly on her skirt.

This demon... was that quiet...?

Maybe it was one of those who possessed powers as Sakonji had explained to her on her return from the selection...? He surely had one that allowed him to be unnoticed.

If that was the case, she would have to be extra careful to be able to defeat him, or even just to find him. It wasn't going to be an easy task, that's for sure...

But...

Even though the difficulty was high... Even though it was risky...

《... see, I told you you wouldn't believe-》

《Don't worry, sir...》

The young Kamado resumed, confident.

《I will find back your fiancée as well as the one who kidnapped her, I promise you.》

Faced with this, Kazumi stared at her a little, taking a slight look of pity on his face towards his young guest, then finally decided to speak out.

《T-that's very nice... But I don't think you can do anything about-》

《No !!》

The girl's voice echoed in the room, causing a slight effect of surprise on the part of the young man.

Suddenly she straightened up in front of him, clenched fists inked with determination.

《I am here to find and kill this demon once and for all !》She exclaimed.《I am here for this very reason, so I will do my job ! I promise you !》

《Because this is my duty as a demon slayer !》

The boy looked at her, astonished.

A demon slayer...? Like in the children's stories ?

Of course, he knew this legend of the humanoid creatures feeding on human flesh and the army of slayers who hunted them, but that was all just a tale... Right ?

... Well... now that he was paying a little more attention, he could notice that the girl with the pink eyes was indeed equipped with a long saber engulfed in a sheath attached to her belt.

So there really were demon hunters...? People killing these creatures and making it their jobs ?

While he was still trying to digest what the young girl had just announced, she looked to the front door, wide open.

'The sun should set soon...' She thought to herself before glancing again at the little wooden box she had placed next to her since entering the young adult's house.

《Mr Kazumi ?》

《Ah- Y-yes ?》He came back to reality.

《... Could you...》She waited a few more seconds, not wanting to rush him too much in this difficult moment.

《... Could you take me to the place where Satoko got kidnapped...?》

[...]

April 11th 1914

06:16 PM

Alley

Several minutes had passed since the end of their discussion.

During this allotted time, no exchange had taken place between the young girl and her eldest. Except when he was showing her the way to take because she had walked past him on the walk, no real interactions between the two young people had taken place.

However, this wasn't a problem for the slayer. She could fully concentrate on her stalking, which was a good thing. Also, since it was her first mission, she took it very seriously and tried to be as careful as possible; all the more so if we added the fact that the demon she was looking for was totally silent.

She was therefore always on her guard, and it only got stronger as night fell.

But the young man was beginning to worry about the teenager. He was willing to believe that demon slayers existed, and that the child had a sword, but from what he could see, she didn't look very... Professional ?

For a job where it was necessary to kill monstrous creatures, the young girl was a little too "cheerful", "fragile"... After all, she was still only a child. He supposed she was about fourteen; which was the case, but it was still very young to exercise this type of profession.

However, he also couldn't deny that when she stood up in front of his eyes, it was as if… she had suddenly gained strength. Her whole aura had suddenly changed. She hadn't done anything except getting back on her feet, but that simple action made her look so...

[...]

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《INCAPABLE !》

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At the same time, a vase broke.

《WHAT DO YOU MEAN "GONE" !??!?》The man yelled, as he held Kazumi tightly by his clothes.

《YOU JERK !》

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BAM !

How many hits had he received ?

He didn't know. He had stopped counting them.

Yet it had been a while since he had been locked up in this room, alongside the parents of his beloved.

As the man continued to swear at her, the old woman who happened to be his wife slowly walked towards the assailant, her arms shaking weakly at the touch of his haori.

《D-darling... stop...》She implored, tears in her eyes.《You'll kill him if you keep doing this...!!》

The brown-eyed man already had a cockade on his right eye, as well as many other ematoms all over his face. He also probably had a broken nose from the blood that was flowing from it.

But fortunately, following the words of his wife, the old man seemed to calm down. However, he didn't stop letting the youngest hang on the ground.

《You let her go...》He resumed, his voice trembling from the sobs that were choking his throat.《Crap, what the hell did you do of my daughter..?!?!!》

As a result, both parents burst into tears. Unable to take the pressure of the shock of the news the boy had just told them.

But as he looked away slightly from the scene, Kazumi could see out of the corner of his eye a small shelf, with, on top, a long red ribbon as a hair accessory.

This ribboon...

It was so similar to the one that was to...

'Satoko...'

[...]

《Is it there..?》

Nezuko's voice suddenly brought him back to reality.

He had unconsciously started to touch up his wounds caused by the blows of his partner's father. Ah, by the way, it hurt less than before. She had been right to put ice on it.

《Mr Kazumi...?》She resumed softly, while tilting her head slightly to the side.《You stopped showing me which direction to go... So... is it there..?》

The boy looked at her for a moment without saying a word, then, after a few seconds :

《Y-yes... It's here...》

With that, the slayer turned back in order to analyze the alley in which he had taken her :

There was nothing sensational. No crazy decorations, no very special objects...

It was a very mundane alley.

Nezuko narrowed her eyes a little before raising them up to the night sky as if to make sure it wasn't blue.

Seeing what she was doing, the young man imitated her, and soon realized that it might be time to go have a meal and go to bed.

《... You know... It's getting late, so maybe we could go back tomor-》

PAF !

Kazumi looked at her with wide eyes.

The brunette had just put the box she usually carried on her back to the floor.

《W-what... are you doing...?》He asked, confused as to what the girl was planning to do.

But he was only more surprised when he saw what happened next.

As she squatted in front of the small box, the young girl then gently opened the door of it to address the young demon who was inside.

《Big Brother...?》She said, kindly.《Can you go out for a moment ?》

Immediately, small hands rested gently on the floor, followed by an entire body appearing to belong to that of a little child.

'T-that's... her big brother...?' Kazumi noticed, as he watched the redhead slowly raise his head towards the slayer as he waited for her to continue with her request. 'Wait... H-he mustn't even be five...! A-and- why is he muzzled...?'

Meanwhile, Nezuko smiled tenderly at the sight of her older brother, but immediately spoke again as she stepped towards him a little.

《I'm looking for the demon that is capturing the girls of this city...》She explained, while the older one listened to her intently.《And he must have been there last night...》

《So tell me... Do you think you can help me find him with your flair...?》

The little demon didn't waste a second before nodding greatly, which made the young teenager smile triumphantly.

As he fully stepped out of the box this time, the young boy returned to his normal teenage size, as well as the streaks of his face that were gradually aging during the change in stature.

As soon as Kazumi found himself seeing the boy from behind, he immediately turned to the youngest Kamado after observing the boy with the red eyes a little more.

《W-what is... What's happening...?? Who is it...?! W-why-》

《This is my big brother; Tanjiro.》She answered him by getting up with a smile, as the demon lowered himself to the ground in order to detect any suspicious scent in the surroundings.《He's also a demon... But he does no harm to humans... You can believe me.》

While looking at her after these words, he could see the sweet smile on the lips of the young girl. A smile filled with love that she bore for her brother, but also tinged with a certain sadness which the source was still unknown to him.

It was... strangely beautiful to see.

Suddenly, as the boy in the checkered haori sniffed the floor intently, a certain scent hit his nose.

A demon...

But it wasn't an old scent. He had already smelled a very light one long before.

But there...

It was recent. But more importantly, perfectly identical to the other scent.

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The demon was there somewhere in town. And now that his scent was strong enough, he just had to find him.

In a flash, the red-eyed teenager stood up and made a big jump to a rooftop not far from there to begin his hunt.

《Ah- He smelled something !!》Nezuko exclaimed, resuming her serious air before taking Kazumi by the hand and dragging him along in her race.《Come on !!》

The two young people therefore began to pursue Tanjiro who was roaming the various roofs of houses under the night sky.

He who wanted to see the city with his own eyes at the beginning, he was still able to have this chance after a few hours.

However, he was far too focused on the overwhelming demon scent floating in the air to even care about any wall decorations on some buildings.

As for Kazumi, he just let himself be carried away in the teenager's race. Rather fast race. Very fast, in fact. She was running almost at the same speed as her older brother being said to be a demon, which surprised him a little at first, until he remembered who she was.

A demon slayer...

She surely had trained a lot to get there... Which would explain why she was so comfortable in the race for her young age.

And her hands...

The palms of her hands were so rough... Even though her touch was soft and kind, it didn't hide how damaged her hands were...

Geez... that girl must have been through a lot, without a doubt.

Suddenly, the demon with the green haori began to leap onto another rooftop a little further away, then continued his run over it, which, of course, didn't escape the gaze of Nezuko and Kazumi.

《Ah, he jumped...》The young girl whispered before starting to examine the surroundings, until she suddenly points to a corner of the alley while turning halfway towards her companion.《Mister Kazumi ! You can rejoin us if you take this street just to the right !》

The young man also looked at the street, a little perplexed.

《What about you...?》

Gradually, he felt the pink-eyed brunette's hand slowly release his as she smiled at him again.

《Don't worry.》She told him, before approaching the house next to them.

《Ah ! W-wai--》

Before he could even ask her anything, the brunette jumped in turn on the roof of the building, and thus continued the pursuit of the redhead under the astonished eyes of the young man who was now left all alone in the deserted street.

'This girl...' He thought to himself, as he watched her slip through the rooftops. 'She would really be...'

But he preferred to shake his head and started to take the path that Nezuko had shown him.

Speaking of the young girl, she noticed something peculiar during her pursuit of her brother :

'He's so... fast...' She told herself, as she looked at him admiringly.

He who had neither eaten human flesh even once, nor trained at all since his transformation, seemed to be already quite comfortable with his new abilities.

"Then, is Tanjiro considered as a weak demon ?"

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Now that she saw him in action again, comparing him to the demons of the selection, he didn't look like a very weak demon. On the contrary.

However, the one and only strength that the demons of Mount Fujikasane possessed was that they were on the verge of insanity, and attacked spontaneously with little strategy indeed, but with very great violence.

Tanjiro had a healthy mind. Not being hungry or exhausted both physically and mentally. He retained his human consciousness, and demonstrated quite a high level of self-control. So he wasn't going to attack or behave like other demons plagued by hunger madness.

But now that she thought about it, her brother didn't look weak in combat terms at the start of his transformation either. Even when considered starved, he still managed to fight relentlessly against the green haired demon, and caused him a great deal of damage - even though he was too exhausted to continue the fight soon after.

Nezuko always admired her brother. And this admiration only grew as they went on in their quest.

Ever since the young boy turned into a demon, it was as if he had grown even stronger to her eyes, both physically and mentally.

'Big Brother...' A slight smile formed on her lips, as her eyes shone brighter and brighter.

'You're amazing...!'

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On his part, the redhead suddenly felt that the scent was gradually reaching its peak as he approached a very specific alley.

He frowned a little at first, then leaped off the rooftop he was running from in order to land in it.

But when he finally arrived at the scene, something struck him :

The street was completely deserted.

Not a single person, no demonic trace, nothing.

And yet, there still persisted there and always that disgusting odor that haunted his nostrils, with, this time, another scent accompanying it :

A human.

More specifically, a woman.

He therefore moved closer to the center of the alley, sniffing the air around him a little more in order to detect the demon's position, but all his nose told him was that the creature was there without him noticing it so far.

Suddenly an idea occurred to him.

Slowly lowering his head, the redhead examined the ground for a few seconds before crouching down on it just as he had done a few moments earlier, and then began to sniff it.

At the same time, Nezuko made her way into the alley, landing on the ground in turn before running to join her older brother.

《Big Brother !!》She exclaimed.《What's going on ?? Did you find something ??》

The redhead looked up at her with a serious air, then pointed his finger at the ground.

The girl in the pink haori took a little while to understand, but ended up saying to him anyway :

《Here...? Are you sure ?》She asked, softly, lowering herself slightly towards the young demon.

Tanjiro nodded confidently, and so, the younger began to draw her sword so that it was pointed just above the finger of the elder who had kept it on the ground.

Once done, the red-eyed boy withdrew his finger, then readjusted the slayer's blade a bit according to the scent of the demon that shifted slightly from time to time.

He then looked at her with a smile, raising his thumb in the air as he let out a little "Hm !" as if to tell her it was good.

(Okay but this was adorable-)

《Thank you, Big Brother !!》Nezuko smiled affectionately back at him. She wanted to give him a little pat on the head, but she restrained herself so as not to lose her landmark with her sword.

The young girl then focused again on the demon she was chasing, looking down at the ground as she raised her weapon slightly to begin to drive it into the earth.

She took a deep breath first, mentally preparing herself for the attack, then suddenly...

SLASH !

As soon as the sword was inked in the ground, a thick black smoke slowly gushed out of it.

The young girl gazed at the smoke growing more and more in front of her, amazed, but she couldn't stay it very long because from the moment she lowered her eyes to the ground, she could perceive a small piece of fabric colored in a pastel green piercing the dark circle where the smoke was coming from.

This fabric was...

After widening her eyes slightly, Nezuko quickly grabbed the fabric and pulled it as hard as she could towards her.

'Come on...' She thought, her face scowling. 'I have to get her out of there...!'

'COME ON !'

SCRATCH !

A small noise, similar to a tearing of clothes echoed in her ears before Nezuko finally managed to make a big jump back, a young girl of her age in the arms.

Landing again on the ground, the teenager glanced at her : She seemed unconscious, but she was still breathing.

A small relieved smile formed on her lips, before she looked back to the black hole.

Fortunately, Tanjiro had also pulled away in time, and go kn the side where Kazumi will be entering the scene to make sure he didn't hurt himself.

But another detail caught her attention.

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A long arm protruded from the floor, gripping the torn end of the girl's green kimono in its claws.

Slowly, a head, followed by a torso emerged from the black circle.

His skin was white, covered with a black cloth that served as his clothes.

His eyes, on the other hand, were red without pupils, and he had long, bluish straight hair.

'There he is...' She said to herself, frowning at the sight of the creature. 'The demon...!'

As the wound she had inflicted on the demon's arm healed on its own, the demon slayer spoke again.

《Why are you doing this ?!》She asked, looking furious.《What did you do with the girls you kidnapped !??》

But instead of responding, the red-eyed creature preferred to gnash, creating a horrible sound for ears.

He then disappeared back into his hole, without answering a single question.

《What's going on ?? Who was this guy ?!》Kazumi's voice echoed behind her back, as he slowly walked towards her.

Slowly the brunette turned around.

《Ah-- M-mister Kazumi !!》She exclaimed, before taking a panicked expression on her face.《Wait !! Don't get too close !》

Immediately, the young man was stopped in his walk by Tanjiro, who placed one of his arms in front of him to prevent him from advancing further.

The dark-haired man looked at him for a moment in astonishment, as the teenaged girl approached him, the girl still asleep in her arms.

《Hey, mister...》She began, looking up at him.《Could you carry her for me...? It will be more easier for me to fight and protect you...》

The older man nodded softly, before taking the unconscious in his arms while Nezuko quickly thanked him.

《Big Brother...!》She resumed, turning to the questioned.《Please do your best to protect this girl and Mr Kazumi if the demon attacks them, I know you're capable of it !》

At her words, the demon with the checkered haori looked at her worriedly, stifling small moans behind his muzzle as he brought his hands closer to his younger sister's shoulders, though without ever touching them.

The cadet observed him for a few seconds in silence, then finally decided to smile tenderly at him before taking his hands in hers.

《No, don't worry about me Big Brother... Everything will be fine. I know how to fight, you know ?》She reassured him in the most benevolent tone she could do.《So you don't have to worry about me... Okay ?》

The young boy stared at her for a few seconds.

His eyes dropped slightly to the ground for a moment, but then lifted back to his sister, still looking worried but yet a little less than before.

He gave her a small nod, a sign that he trusted her with what she was doing.

The brunette's smile intensified a little more at this gesture : She was happy that her brother finally trusted her fully, that he was counting on her.

As the oldest son, Tanjiro often put all the responsibility on his shoulders. As much as when he was a human as since he became a demon. She wanted her brother to stop taking it all on him, she wanted to be the one that protected him for once.

She then left him, slowly letting go of his hands, then turned back to the deserted side of the alley again.

Sheathing her sword, she walked step by step down the alley, remaining on her guard the entire way.

'This demon is able to arise from anywhere... Furthermore, without any noise.' She reasonned in her mind.

'It will not be that easy...'

She tightened the hilt of her saber a little more.

'I must concentrate at all costs... Stay attentive... Detect the slightest sign of his appearances...!'

But as she continued to watch her surroundings, her older brother began to moan again, capturing her attention.

When she partially turned, she saw him point his finger at a part of the ground behind her in panic as he put his arm back in front of Kazumi so as not to let him move forward.

She quickly understood what it was.

Immediately, the young girl rushed towards the pointed area, her sword outstretched as she recited these words in her head :

'Water Breathing; Seventh form—'

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But as she was about to slice the ground, three demons identical to the first one she had encountered emerged from the earth, about to attack her.

At first a little unsettled, Nezuko stopped for a short time in her movement, but ended up finding an alternative anyway :

Using the force then injected into her right leg to run, she used it to perform a high jump in order to successfully dodge the demons.

While she was temporarily suspended in the air, she had to bend her legs a minimum so that the monsters didn't have too much facility to reach them, which was a fairly easy thing since she didn't have a very big size; but still a big enough to allow her to fight against demons.

On the other hand, now that she was high, it was more complicated to carry out perfectly the attack that she had in mind since she had no support anymore anywhere; especially since her jump wasn't prepared in advance and rather sloppy.

'Come on... Courage !!' She encouraged herself, as she frowned firmly. 'You can do it ! Big Brother and Mister Kazumi are counting on you !!'

"...Eighth form—"

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While she was holding her sword vertically, water began to gather on the tip of her blade as she prepared to knock it to the ground.

Once the movement was done, it was as if her sword had struck a large pool of water, creating a large splash falling on his opponents.

"Waterfall Basin !"

Author's Notes

- I did say I wanted do something with Nezuko's kimono and obi !

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- It was never specified anywhere that the Kamado family lived near Mount Yoko...

I made up this information a bit, but only half let's say, since I searched on the Internet where the Kamado family lived and that replied "Mount Kumotori", which is actually not very far from Mount Yoko haha !

(Even though I doubt this is a true information but just a guest, but still lol)

- After reading this chapter again, something strucked me :O

Haganezuka calls Sakonji by his last name, "Urokodaki", without a mister or anything QAQ

But the thing is, I went to check later in the episode, and Haganezuka does call him by his last name without "-san" or other suffixes...

A bit strange, I think it's quite frowned upon to call someone by their last name without any suffixes behind in Japan ;-;

And well, it's understandable : It's like calling your teachers by their last names without the "miss" or "mister", I don't think it's very polite with us too x")

But at the same time, I really didn't see Haganezuka calling him by his first name in my fanfic /

"Mister" was too formal, and "Sakonji" too much familiar since it's still an old pillar and an old one at all guys ;-;

So I left the "Urokodaki" very simple. It doesn't shock me that much considering that everyone calls him by his name in the anime and not his first name, but when we try to "translate" it and we know that it is his last name, that may sound strange x")

- Nezuko's sword is a little different from Tanjiro's as you may have noticed, but it still follows its shape, only the colors change (apart from the black blade) :)

In particular, I took these colors from Nezuko's clothes (her yukata, her kimono, her obi and I did the little foolishness to add something golden on it to recall the colors of Zenitsu, I know, I know BP )

- For her regular demon slayer outfit, hers is a bit different from her brother's.

Obviously, it's the female model, but the color changes !

The jumpsuit is no longer in dark red-brown tones, but more in brown-purplish tones ! (Always dark too)

There are always color variations in the uniforms of our heroes, and this is all the more supported in the anime haha

At first, I was hesitant to give it a dark brown color, more in orange tones for the continuation where Nezuko will have orange tips (you will see why...), because I have the impression that the uniforms respect the colors of eyes of the characters (red for Tanjiro, brown for Zenitsu, purple for Shinobu...)

But in the end, it depends on some (Inosuke has green eyes, yet he has a blue uniform, Mitsuri has green eyes and she has a pink one...)

And it still doesn't work for the hair because Tengen has white hair and a blue uniform...

So I tested both colors with Nezuko's kimono and found that it only went with brown-purple haha

I chose this brown-purple color compared to the haori that Nezuko wears in the anime :

In the manga, I think it's just black, having no variations anywhere; except maybe a certain bluish color but honestly I don't really like the final result with that lol

In the anime it's dark brown, which matches rather perfectly, and finally in the ref of Nezuko : brown-purplish ! (Still respecting the dark tones of the original manga)

I took the colors of the ref because in the anime, the color can vary depending on where the characters are in relation to the light etc... On the ref, it's more precise!

(Btw when I say purplish, don't imagine a total purple uniform huh ;v;It's dark brown, with a certain purplish tone, just like her haori but in a bit darker maybe ? X"))

For skirt length, so far we've only seen two girls in uniform in the anime/manga : Kanao; which has a rather long one (up to the knees), and Mitsuri, rather short this time (stopping towards the top of the thighs).

Nezuko usually has long clothes, but when she's a demon you still see her thighs quite often lol

So I put it in between, not too long nor too short... Besides, it's cute I think, just like the character of Nezuko herself haha !

- Tanjiro, he, would sacrifice his life for Nezuko, just like he does in the original work.

Here, I preferred that Nezuko would like to go home with her brother once this is all over. She wants him alive, but she wants to be alive too so they can go home.

WARNING SPOILERS END OF THE MANGA

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Just like she says in the penultimate chapter of the manga :)

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END OF SPOILERS

Nonetheless, even though she would like to stay alive until the end of her and her brother, she much prefers to be the one who is hurt.

- Nezuko will protect her brother as best she can. Even though he's older, taller and stronger than her, he's still less experienced in the art of combat, just like her when she's a demon in the original version.

She will therefore protect him from demons when he is in difficulty, from hunters if some want to kill him, but also from himself.

(Warning, literal copy and paste of the last notes of the author TWT)

Where Nezuko controls herself pretty well in the original version, I still think it should be a torture for Tanjiro and his overdeveloped sense of smell. I imagined in this fanfic that Tanjiro might have an easier time retaining his memories and his human consciousness than his sister (see the author's notes to chapter 1 to understand, EXCEPT if you don't want to be spoiled for the manga ), but I must find it inconvenient to be a demon, otherwise the guy is too OP it's not possible ;-;

First, he regains his strength by eating. He's hungry instead of sleepy. Well- he's sleepy, but it's not a way for him to regain energy like Nezuko, just a time he can rest, but it doesn't give him enough energy not to eat like Nezuko.

That's why Sakonji put a spell on him so that he could hold out at least just enough to find him something to eat after (or during ?) a fight.

Imagine... Nezuko has no more rice balls or other snacks on her... During an entire fight in which Tanjiro is badly injured...

Wouldn't that be a little dangerous ?

(The bamboo would perhaps serve a little more for the Tanjiro of my fanfic than for the Nezuko of the original version in my opinion XDD)

If one day Tanjiro happens to lose control of himself because he has been without food or other resources for too long, Nezuko vows to protect him and prevent him from harming anyone.

- I took the time to focus a little on Nezuko's scar, especially with Sakonji who seems surprised while with Tanjiro, he isn't.

Nezuko didn't have any scars on her forehead, while Tanjiro did. We can say that it can play.

WARNING SPOILERS- CHAPTER 75 TO 85 OF THE MANGA

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BY THE WAY, speaking of that scar...

I said in this chapter that it looked a bit like a thin flame, whereas normally...

This is not the case

(At least not yet oof)

In the cannon, Tanjiro does have his scar changed after the selection, but it wasn't until a certain battle (it seems to me it's the one against Daki and her brother ? But I don't read the manga even though I know a bit how the story unfolds x"0 If you know you can correct me haha) that his scar takes the form of a flame on his forehead and stays that way after.

In this fanfic, just like in the cannon, Nezuko does not yet have that well-defined flame scar, but only the scar she made during selection as Tanjiro in the cannon.

However, her scar is on her right side, and it's a bit thinner than her brother "

And in my reference to Nezuko that I did in a hurry, I find that her scar takes a bit of the shape of a flame :O

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END OF SPOILERS

- A small character sheet !

(Long time no see huh...)

Haganezuka (by the way, you noticed that in "Haganezuka", "nezuka" looks like Nezuko ? :D) was therefore born on July 7th, 1876 and measures 1m83.5 (6'0") for 76 kg (167 lbs).

(Yes, there are lots of commas in the sizes and weights of the sheet uvuSince I know that it's possible that a Demon Slayer character can have some like Zenitsu, I don't deprive myself anymore.)

But then...

Why did I choose all of these informations ? õ-ô

First of all, his name isn't mine as you might expect, neither is his age.

Only his height, weight and birthday are some of my many inventions UvU

WARNING SPOILERS- CHAPTER 101 OF THE MANGA

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Haganezuka was born on July 7th...

Why ?

Well, you have to know that our sword-lover is called "Hotaru".

(I don't know if I can consider this as a spoiler but I still decided not to put it in the character sheet since we discover it a little later in the manga O,v,O)

And so, his first name means "Firefly" in Japanese :

Fireflies often appear on summer nights in Japan, most notably in July. So I suppose his parents gave birth to him or that the man who adopted him idonotreallyknow found him one night in July when there were lots of fireflies ? Hence his name :0

Fireflies symbolize strong, passionate love (for sabers ? lmao) but also magic. They are also kinds of stars shining in the night, except that they are living stars, they, haha !

The number "7" deals with all that is magic, corresponding well to the symbolism of the luminous insects !

But in addition, July 7th is also the Star Festival in Japan ! Coincidence ? I don't think so ū3ū

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END OF SPOILERS

As for his height and weight, it's just an estimate compared to Tanjiro and Sakonji's height lol

- Regarding the character of Kazumi, I gave him the age of 18 or something.

On the other hand, the simple problem is that Satoko is 16 years old ._.

Well... We can take as an excuse the fact that we are an adult only from 20 years old in Japan...

Yes that has changed since 2015, but here WE ARE IN 1914 DAMMIT ! ;_;

Or we can still suppose that the family of the young girl knew the young man well... That's why her father also allowed himself to be so violent with him...? He was older than his daughter, had her under his care that evening and yet he let her get kidnapped...?

Oh and this is only two years apart, it's not a lot ! Ò, ,Ó

(Besides the women could get married around 16 years old at the time in Japan I think x "D)

- So yeah, I added a mini-scene !

I had to explain at one point what had happened during the kidnapping of Satoko, and then in addition, I especially needed Tanjiro's flair to find the fleeing demon !!

(And the poor boi couldn't get out of his box during the day, obviously...)

- Talking about this last scene with the Kazumi-Nezuko-Tanjiro chase and Tanjiro helping Nezuko find the demon's hiding place, I had this idea in mind for a long time haha !

(I can totally see this happening lmao)

- While translating this chapter to English, I wondered about the form Tanjiro/Nezuko wanted to make before moving on to the eighth :0

In the anime/manga, he plans to do the fifth...

Except that the fifth is the one he used when he chopped off the head of the spider demon mother so that she wouldn't have pain :")

(You know, one of the most beautiful deaths in Demon Slayer TT)

Except that... I don't see the connection with the thing he was planning to do to the kidnapping demons ;-;

So, I took the liberty of changing the form that Nezuko intended to make in the seventh, which is "Piercing Rain Drop"

It's a quick and precise stroke, also the fastest water breathing technique.

And I think that's exactly what could have served Tanjiro and Nezuko at that time X"D

I believe that the author hadn't yet defined all ten movements of the water breathing back at that time, we were only at the beginning after all, so they changed that later, but it therefore created some inconsistencies :")

- AHHH I can't wait to move forward in the story to be able to meet the other characters and finally write the important fights O,V,O

With that, see you later my dear slayers ! :3