Chapter 1: Armour

*Clank Clank Clank* The clanking of metal wasn't an unusual sound to hear for Tanjiro. He would often hear pots and pans clanging when walking past restaurants. But rarely would he hear clanking in the middle of a mountain. It was loud and getting louder as Tanjiro raced to the centre of the noise, the smell of demons growing stronger. As he got closer he could hear laughter as well, not laughter of joy but more manic.

'There's two of them! Are they fighting each other?' He thought to himself. 'I was told of only one demon on this mountain! Why are there two?'

Eventually the two demons came into view. One had large claws protruding from in between its fingers. It looked weak from its figure and torn clothing. The other demon wore what looked to be full plate armour and a cloak with constellations and a hood attached. The hood was covering what seemed to be a helmet with a horizontal slit for the eyes. Tanjiro had never seen or heard of demons wearing armour, never mind armour not made in Japan.

Tanjiro stopped and watched the two demons fight behind a bush while he kept his sword out just in case. The claw demon was agile and fast, using hit and run tactics on the armour demon. Slashing at him and bouncing off trees for another slash. Meanwhile, the armour demon wasn't even moving. The claw demon continued his manic laughter, thinking that he's winning. The armour demon finally began to move. He moved his right arm and placed it atop the hilt of a longsword resting on his left hip and began to unsheath it, despite the onslaught of slashes. He raised the sword to his side, pointing it straight up towards the sky. As the claw demon bounced from a tree straight towards the armour demon, the armour demon slammed the longsword straight down the middle of the claw demon, cutting it in two.

The armour demon sheathed his sword as the claw demon fell to the ground in two. "Wha-what?" The claw demon stuttered out. The armour demon walked up to the claw demon and grabbed both pieces by the neck. As they were lifted both pieces began trying to claw and scratch the armour demon.

"Miserum." Was the only thing it said. Tanjiro didn't know what it meant but they way it said it made it sound like it was mocking the claw demon. Tanjiro then watched as the claw demon began to melt into the armour of the demon.

'Was it absorbing it!?' Tanjiro never heard of a demon absorbing another demon. His teacher Urokodaki taught him about a lot of things but not this. Demon's usually just kill each other over territory and prey, not absorb them.

After the demon finished its meal it began to shrink from its 6 ft to 5.6 ft, the armour shrinking with it. 'It's like Nezuko! Maybe it knows how to turn her back!?' He wondered. It was a long shot, demons didn't usually cooperate but the smell this demon gave off was different from others. It was kinder and held less bloodlust. Tanjiro wasn't stupid though, he wouldn't go out there without expecting it to attack. He took a deep breath before jumping out from behind the bush, blade drawn and pointed at the demon. "Hey! Do you know how to change a demon back into a human!?" He shouted.

The armoured demon turned and looked at Tanjiro, drawing his sword in response and growing to 6ft again. Tanjiro tightened his grip on his sword as the demon scanned him up and down. The demon took a low offensive stance, foreign to Tanjiro but the smell was enough to tell him that this demon was looking for a fight. Well, he tried. He'd just have to hope his sword would pierce its armour.

The demon started to run towards Tanjiro as he himself rushed the demon. Both swung their swords at each other as they connected with a clang. The weight of the longsword would overwhelm Tanjiro's katana, causing Tanjiro to jump back. The demon however continued its assault and chased him down, going for a wide swing with its blade. Tajiro ducked it and took a breath and pulled his sword back. "Water Breathing Seventh Form: Drop Ripple Thrust!" Tanjiro pushed his sword upwards, aiming for the demon's exposed neck. *Clang* as the sword thrusted into the demon's neck it was brought to an abrupt stop as it hit chainmail. Tanjiro's eyes widened as he was kicked in the stomach, sending him rolling away.

Trying to get a hit in while Tanjiro was still recovering, the demon went for a slash attack at his back. Suddenly the box on Tanjiro's back shot open and something kicked the demon in the gut, earning an audible "GAH!" from him. Nezuko climbed out of the box growling at the demon.

"Nezuko!" Tanjiro rose to his feet, tightening the grip on his sword. "Careful, he's dangerous." He warned his demon sister. Nezuko hummed in acknowledgement, the bamboo muzzle dripping with saliva.

The demon was surprised at the new combatant. He thought the box was just for storage, much like the bag on his own hip. He wasn't expecting it to be a box with a demon in it. He'd have to be careful, the girl dented his armour with that kick of hers. It's not often an attack gets through his armour. Not to mention that boy almost pierced the chainmail protecting his neck. He got back up and brandished his sword once more, but this time he took a different stance, a defensive one.

Tanjiro and Nezuko observed the dent in his armour as it slowly began to fix itself. Now that Tanjiro thinks about it, the slashes the claw demon made disappeared as well. If they wanted to beat this demon they would have to strike hard and fast at one spot. Tanjiro took a breath. "Water Breathing Fourth Form: Striking Tide!" He and his sister then began their attack. Tanjiro delivered a series of slashes at the demon while the demon deflected them. Meanwhile as the demon was busy deflecting Tanjiro with his sword, Nezuko took any opening she could to try to kick it in the head.

Every now and then an attack would break through the demon's defences. It could be a slash at its chest plate or a kick sending it backwards allowing for more slashes at its chest plate. If the demon wasn't wearing a helmet Tanjiro might have seen it smile with joy. With another kick by his sister opening the demon up for another flurry, Tanjiro switched forms. "Tenth Form: Constant Flux!" Tanjiro began to spin while slashing at the chest, each slashing increasing in speed and momentum, cutting deeper and deeper into its armour, not allowing it to deflect a single attack. The demon swore it began to see a dragon of water form at the tip of the slayer's sword. He began to laugh.

"HAHAHA!" The laughter did not stop Tanjiro's assault. The demon was able to grab his sword in both hands again and was prepared to slash it down onto Tanjiro's head. Nezuko saw this and quickly sent a kick to the demon's hands causing the sword to get knocked out of his hand and leaving his neck wide open. With the extra force from the spinning of Constant Flux Tanjiro spun once more and aimed it at the demon's chain protected neck.

The demon was highly impressed by the display before him. Demons don't work together usually and he doesn't get alot of 2v1 action, but when he did he never saw teamwork as good as this. "Blood Demon Art: Demonic Armour." The water dragon made contact with the target, only to then shatter the blade. The demon clenched his hands together and brought it down onto Tanjiro's back as Nezuko watched. Tanjiro was instantly knocked out. Nezuko in a rage lunged blindly at the demon only to get grabbed by her head and slammed into the ground head first, leaving a crater and two siblings lying side by side.

Hey fellas and fellets. Lexunn here writing for a whole new anime/manga. Not entirely sure where it's gonna end up or even the path it will take, but I do expect it to deviate from the manga. I got a few ideas for this fic I thought up only hours ago. If you guys have some ideas for a couple of OC Demons or Slayers you want in then I'll consider it.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and I also hope to see you back in chapter 2 but I won't blame ya if you don't show. Let me know what you think in the comments if you have any advice, do try to be nice though.

Luv ya you skelebones!

Lexunn