Recently as I think about this story's plot, I realized something. We all kinda lump Muzan in as the main villain. While theoretically, he would be the main villain and hereby the final boss, I think I might want to change that.

How so? Well, still working on those details, but I don't wish to disappoint anyone so expect some things in the future. I'd also like to hear your theories on it too. What do you all expect?

This chapter will also mark the end of Tanjiro's Training, and although I did decide to skip through most of the training, it's kinda pointless as it will eventually become repetitive when more Demon Slayer stories are made, and we all watched the anime or read the manga.

With that in mind, we're going straight to the finale of Tanjiro's Training. Onto the chapter.

Chapter 7

Foxes

"Water Breathing, Eighth Form!" Tanjiro shouted as he jumped into the air above the giant boulder he was told to cut. "Waterfall Basin!" He slashed at the rock but it didn't make a crack, or anything.

The current goal was simple. Cut the rock without Haki.

He was failing.

It's been a little over 2 months.

Tanjiro didn't understand how this would even be possible. Not only was the boulder massive, but it was also incredibly hard. He didn't even know if Haki could break it and he didn't want to find out.

He also wanted to know just how strong Urokodaki was since he had to have carried the boulder down here somehow.

Tanjiro stopped and kneeled down onto the ground so he could rest for a moment. It was a hard task, and it tired him out. He took so many different actions, and nothing pierced the rock once. It was as though something was keeping the rock together. And to be perfectly honest, he wouldn't have doubted it if it was a ghost, or a legion that was doing it.

"Is that all?" A voice said before Tanjiro looked up to see a boy with long peach colored hair and a fox mask looking down at him from where he sat on the rock. "Come on, you can do better."

'Who is he?! He just appeared! Is he a Demon who can mask his scent?!' Tanjiro thought as he looked at the boy.

"Well? Take another swing," the fox masked boy said, before Tanjiro stood back up and pulled his borrowed sword.

"Who are you?!" Tanjiro questioned.

"More experienced," the fox boy said before jumping down and hitting Tanjiro around with a wooden sword. Tanjiro jumped back before trying to recollect his thoughts, and the boy charged after him still.

"Water Breathing Seventh Form!" The fox masked boy exclaimed before thrusting the tip of his sword forward and hitting Tanjiro in the stomach. "Drop Ripple Thrust!" Tanjiro then got sent flying into a tree. Eventually, Tanjiro stood up, before he had to block a slash from the fox masked boy yet again. "You're weak! You will never be able to make it far at this rate!" The boy said.

Tanjiro grunted before he activated his Haki and threw the boy back and got some distance between them. The boy was silent and didn't make any moves. He eventually stood tall, exiting his stance. "Like I said. You're weak," the boy said. "You used that Blood Demon Art because you couldn't press on and were outmatched. You're still a child."

""H-How so?!" Tanjiro questioned.

"Let me put it this way," the boy began. "I'm a super weak Demon but my Blood Demon Art lets me take the Blood Demon Art of other Demons to use for my own self gain, and I can also take yours as well despite you being human!" The boy crossed his arms. "See what I mean?"

"How in the world would that even work?!" Tanjiro questioned.

"Without your Blood Demon Arts, you wouldn't make it far in this world," the boy stated bluntly. "That's the reason for this whole test. You cut this boulder, not only will Sensei send you to Final Selection, but you will also be perhaps the strongest Water Breathing Slayer in the Corps."

"Sensei?" Tanjiro questioned. The boy scoffed, before going silent and walking back to the large rock and sitting on top of it.

After a few months of training, Tanjiro decided to try with the boulder again, and failed yet again, not that he didn't expect it.

He tried so hard each time, but he failed each single time.

Tanjiro tried one more time with all of his non-Haki strength and delivered another blow to the boulder, without it cracking. He was getting frustrated with it.

"Tanjiro, you need to calm down," the voice of Makomo, who Tanjiro was learning under while Urokodaki stopped training him and waited for him to cut the boulder. She was sitting on the sidelines while looking at him with a tranquil expression. "You're getting close."

"It doesn't feel that way," Tanjiro responded, before he took a few steps away from the boulder again.

"You need to concentrate on being one with the environment, and not letting anything get to you," Makomo told him. "Remember the opening thread."

The opening thread… right…

Tanjiro took a deep breath and saw the thread again as everything became unfocused, except for that thread that went from his sword, all the way to the boulder he needed to cut.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Tanjiro yelled as he rushed forward with his base speed and raised the sword. "Nrrrrraaaaaah!" He then slashed at the rock, before Sabito appeared and stopped Tanjiro with his own blade, an actual metal one this time.

Tanjiro was surprised before Sabito pushed him away with a kick and Tanjiro looked at Sabito. "If you want to cut this rock, you'll need to face me," Sabito said as he held his sword and pointed it at Tanjiro. "This is your final chance." His grip shifted. "And it's out final ma-"

Tanjiro was in front of him in a second and took a slash, before cutting the mask of Sabito in half. Tanjiro had no time to waste on some monologue. Not anymore. He was not only at his wit's end, but he was also unbelievably pissed off at how he got blocked. Tanjiro looked at Sabito, and saw the shock on Sabito's face, as if frozen on his face. "I… am done messing around," Tanjiro said, before Sabito smiled while Tanjiro took several steps back and turned his back to him.

"Good job… Tanjiro," Sabito said, before Tanjiro turned around and saw that Sabito and Makomo were nowhere to be seen, and that he had also cut the boulder in half. He could've sworn that he also had sliced the tree behind it in half too.

Did… did he do that?

It's exactly what it looks like.

I just didn't want to linger on this arc anymore, as this one just seems boring to me, and also because everyone else will too, so I don't want to linger here any longer.

I will incorporate big changes with Final Exams, and also make a call out to the manga if I'm being honest once we meet someone there.

I have also decided that since it was painful to write this chapter this week and most likely will continue that way, I'll be posting decent sized chapters. So 1200-2500 word chapters. If I'm feeling it or just don't fucking notice I'll go above that.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and I'll see you all after several more weeks!

Random Foreshadowing Line: "I have lost the ability to scream. My life no longer has a purpose…"