Natsu had gained his Demon Slayer uniform, which was in a white bag. After the exams were over, he temporarily bid farewell to both Tanjiro who was critically injured and Zenitsu who was happy to survive the Final Selection Exams.
After going on their separate ways, Natsu didn't want to waste any time walking, so he ran his way back to Rengoku Residence from the Final Selection Exams. He would sometimes take two minute breaks, then run again. It only took him a couple of hours for him to make it back to his town. He slowed down a bit as he had made it within his village, carefully moving pass a number of people within the streets. He happily gasped as he saw the front doors of Rengoku residence.
"I did it! I passed the exams!" Natsu shouted as he had burst through the doors of the Rengoku Residence. The first person to respond to Natsu's outburst was his older brother, Kyojuro, who dressed in his Demon Slayer uniform and was waiting for Natsu's arrival. He crossed his arms and smiled at the door for half an hour prior.
"Big bro, you're early!" Natsu said.
"I am! There's no way I would ever miss my own brother's arrival." Kyojuro said bluntly with a smile on his face.
"Thanks! That means a lot to me."
"Did you catch the name of the first demon you encountered?" Kyojuro asked.
Natsu nodded. "I did. His name was Oda." Natsu informed his brother Kyojuro about the demon he fought during the Final Selection Exams.
"Oda, you say? That's great!" Kyojuro let out a fist. Natsu saw this and quickly bumped fists with him. "Try on your new uniform, so I can see how it fits."
"Eh?" Natsu looked at the bag. "Oh yeah. Right!" Natsu responded as he looked at his bag. Five minutes later, Natsu had undressed from his clothing and into his Demon Slayer uniform. "Wow! They gave me the perfect size!" Natsu was surprised that the Demon Slayer corps had given a uniform without taking measurements of him.
"It looks fantastic on you." Kyojuro said as he stared at Natsu in his Demon Slayer uniform.
"Oh, thanks!" Natsu stretched his arms a bit. "This is really exciting."
"What's making you really excited?" Kyojuro asked.
"I'm just thinking. The thought of me and big bro going on missions together, fighting demons side-by-side. We'll be the perfect tag team together." Natsu optimistically fantasized about himself and Kyojuro being surrounded by a group of demons big and small, then wiping them all out in the night. They were both dressed in their uniforms, their katanas were out and had courageous smiles on their faces. "This is going to be awesome!"
"Well, I'm glad you feel the same way." Kyojuro smiled at him.
Senjuro suddenly walked from another room to where Kyojuro and Natsu were chatting at the front door. "Hey, Kyojuro. Is that-" He stopped and gasped as when he saw Natsu make it in.
"Senjuro!" Natsu called.
Senjuro gasped. "Natsu, you're here! And you're dressed in your uniform, too!"
"Heh." Natsu chuckled as towards Senjuro. "What do you think?"
Senjuro paused for a second, then immediately ran towards Natsu with joy and happiness. They shared high fives together. "Congratulations."
"Thanks, bro! I'm an official Demon Slayer now. Which means that I can hunt down demons with big bro now!" Natsu and Senjuro shared high fives with each other.
"That's great. I'll start making dinner so we can celebrate." Senjuro said as he looked to his brothers, then proceeded to walk to the kitchen.
"Be careful not to cut yourself." Natsu said, as Senjuro left the hall.
"I will. Thanks." Senjuro responded as he left.
"Hey, Natsu. Let's talk more on the training ground." Kyojuro said, catching Natsu's attention.
"Oh. Right." Natsu followed Kyojuro to the Rengoku training grounds, where the sky was still blue.
"Now that we're here and alone, I want ask tell you something."
"What is it, big bro?"
Kyojuro moved closer and placed his hands on Natsu's shoulders. "Now that you're an official Demon Slayer, how would you like to be my Tsuguko?" Kyojuro asked.
Natsu's eyes widened and his teeth were closed. After hearing that question, Natsu's heart had stopped for a moment. Ever since he was little, his dream was to become a Hashira, like his father and brother. His heart started to beat faster and faster, as he was flowing with excitement. "Would I!" Natsu responded with joy.
"Excellent! That's exactly what I want to hear! Now as you know, being a Demon Slayer is not an easy job. Our goal as Demon Slayers are to hunt down and kill any and every demon that come across our path."
"Yes!" Natsu replied.
"And that's not all. These demons are being mutated or made by menace. A menace who has unleashed demons in Japan for a number of centuries. Right now, we Hashira are currently hunting this menace named is Muzan Kibutsuchi." Kyojuro explained.
"Muzan, huh?" Natsu paused.
"Right now, we still do not know of his whereabouts. But with you on our side, I believe we can locate and defeat him." Kyojuro was filled with confidents.
"Okay!"
"I'm going help you become the strongest Tsuguko there is, by training you." Kyojuro added.
"Alright! So when do we start?" Natsu asked.
Kyojuro suddenly walked to one side of the training grounds and picked up two wooden katanas meant for training. He then threw one of them towards Natsu from a long distance without warning, whom had caught it. "Right now." Kyojuro then took his swordsman stance in front of Natsu.
"Training starts right now." Kyojuro told Natsu.
Natsu smiled, then took a swordsman position as well. "I've gotten stronger during the Final Selections Exams." Natsu chuckled.
"I'm glad you did. And I am about to witness how strong you are, first hand. Don't hold back. Give me everything you got." Kyojuro encouraged.
"Right!"
Natsu and Kyojuro smiled and stood a yard or two from another on the Rengoku training grounds, as they were to spar with wooden katana. Everything around was quiet. No one was around. Nothing was making noises around them. A leaf had suddenly fell from a tree and slowly flew and towards the training grounds. Natsu and Kyojuro stared at one another, until the leaf had touched the training grounds.
Less than a second later, Natsu made the first move by dashing towards his brother and putting Kyojuro on the defensive. He made the first attack with the wooden katana. Kyojuro blocked the attack without the smile on his face wavering.
One Hour And A Half Later...
The sky was turning from light blue to an orange-ish color. Kyojuro stood victorious and unfazed. Kyojuro did get some dirt on him, but didn't receive a scratch, as Natsu's body was stretched out on the ground defeated, with a few bruises on his body. Natsu was panting heavily on the ground as he had barely landed a blow on his brother.
"Well done, Natsu. You managed to last longer than last time. But you still have a long way to go." Kyojuro complimented Natsu.
"Aw man! Even after passing the Final Selections, I still can't land a blow on big brother!" Natsu pouted as he leaned his back upwards.
"Don't worry, Natsu. You still have time to get stronger. And one day, I'm sure you'll be able to surpass me." Kyojuro had walked towards Natsu.
Natsu sat his back up. "Really? You really think so?"
"I know so." Sparkle and glammer surrounded Kyojuro's face. He offered a hand to help Natsu up.
Natsu smiled back and felt a bit more of confidents. "Okay!" He gladly took Kyojuro's hand and stood up. Natsu the wiped the dirt of his Demon Slayer uniform.
Flashback
Kyojuro wore his Demon Slayer uniform with his Nichirin sword at his side. He roamed the halls of the Rengoku Residence until he had encountered his father, the Flame Pillare then, Shinjuro. Kyojuro was set to go out on his first mission until his father had opened up in conversation.
"You're heading off on your first mission, aren't you?" Shinjuro asked.
"Yes. I am, father." Kyojuro answered.
"What do you hope to accomplish?"
"I plan to save people and to become the next Hashira." Kyojuro said with optimism and without convictions.
"You can't do it." Shinjuro said plainly.
Kyojuro stopped for a moment.
"Both you and your brother Senjuro both lack talent. So, you shouldn't harbor impossible dreams. You can't take my place as Hashira."
Kyojuro remained silent, then walked outside within the training grounds. He spotted both Natsu and Senjuro practicing swings over and over with wooden katanas.
"Forty-seven! Forty-eight! Forty-nine! Fifty!" Natsu counted out loud. He did not break a sweat.
After fifty strokes, Senjuro collapsed on his knees and panted. He dropped the wooden katana as his hands hurt and bruised. "Huff... huff... huff..."
Natsu looked at his hands and kind of saw them being red. He walked over and patted Senjuro's back. "You did great, Senjuro. You're starting to catch up."
"Thanks, Natsu..." Senjuro panted less.
"Hm?" Natsu looked over at what Senjuro was staring and spotted Kyojuro. "Big bro!"
"Uh?" Senjuro spots Kyojuro as well.
"I see you two are working hard now." Kyojuro said as he approached them.
"Yeah, we are. Senjuro and I managed to do fifty strokes without stopping." Natsu bragged.
"I'm kind of embarrassed..." Senjuro blushed.
"Don't be. You both managed to train really hard. That's outstanding!" Natsu laid a hand on Senjuro's shoulder.
Both Natsu and Senjuro gasped in happiness as they were just acknowledged by their older brother.
"I'm leaving for my first mission, now. So protect the house when I'm gone." Kyojuro grinned and placed his hands onto Natsu and Senjuro's heads.
"Okay!" Both Natsu and Senjuro easily replied.
"See ya!" Kyojuro then decided to run off, but was stopped by a cry.
"Big bro! I decided what I want to do with my life. I'm going to be a Demon Slayer, just like you. And then I'm going to become a Hashira, just like dad!" Natsu yelled.
"Yeah, what Natsu said! I want to be just like you, Kyojuro!" Senjuro shouted.
Hearing that almost made Kyojuro's eyes water. He then gave them both a thumbs up and a grin. A grin that Natsu would remember, until after the Final Selection Exams.
End Flashback
While fist bumping and grinning, Kyojuro could see the brightness within Natsu. 'Natsu... I truly believe that you could surpass me one day.'
"Dinner's ready!" Senjuro yelled as he ran towards the training grounds.
Both Natsu and Kyojuro then turned to and stared at Senjuro who had just appeared on the training grounds. Then rushed inside the residence as they were both hungry after sparring. The three young Rengoku lads had quickly sat at the family table, with a spread of cuisines on the table.
"Thank you for the food!" The Rengoku brothers had prayed to the gods, then ate the food. The boys enjoyed the rest of the night.
Sixteen Days Later...
"Sixteen days had now passed since Natsu had passed the exams. Kyojuro kept his word by training Natsu to become the best Tsuguko he could be, physically and mentally. They both would continue practicing with katanas to be better swordsmen and practice Total Concentration Breathing at night. The only time Kyojuro wouldn't train Natsu is when he leaves to take missions as a Demon Slayer. Natsu would try and continue this routine on his own, until Kyojuro would return from his mission."
There was a female swordsmith that had approached the Rengoku Residence door. A woman in fact. She had worn a dark brown kimono, over a white haneri inside with a yellow otaiko wrapped around her waist. She had worn a light pink hyottoko mask with a peach fuzz on it and the eyes were squint. Her hair was tied in a short ponytail. She had also worn long white socks and brown sandals. She also wore a dark brown ponytail. Her name was Chiyo and she is twenty-two years old.
"Is Natsu Rengoku home?" Chiyo asked.
Senjuro paused as he stared at the swordsmith. 'It's a woman...' He heard the feminine voice from her then bowed his head towards the swordsmith. "I'll get him. Please excuse me!" Senjuro then closed the door, leaving the swordsmith outside his residence.
Chiyo paused as Senjuro politely closed the door.
Meanwhile, Natsu was dressed in his Demon Slayer uniform, training with a wooden katana. He grunted repeatedly as he practiced swings over and over for ten minutes within the Rengoku Residence training grounds, until Senjuro had ran outside catching his attention.
"Hey, Natsu!" Senjuro called.
Natsu stopped swinging with a wooden katana for a moment as Senjuro had caught his attention. "Did something happen, Senjuro?" Natsu asked.
"The swordsmith's outside our residence. We can check out your Nichirin sword!" Senjuro had informed Natsu the news.
Natsu paused for a moment as he thought about his newly forged Nichirin sword. He dropped the wooden katana in his hands, grabbed Senjuro's shoulders. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"Right!" Senjuro responded.
Natsu and Senjuro then rushed inside the house and decided to rush to the front door. As they had opened it, they saw the swordsmith standing and looking irritated. She tapped her foot repeatedly and crossed her arms.
'It's a woman...' Natsu thought as he gazed upon the swordsmith.
"You may address me as Lady Chiyo. I am the one who forged Natsu Rengoku's Nichirin sword." Chiyo said.
"I'm Natsu Rengoku." Natsu introduced himself.
"May I come in?" Chiyo asked.
"Sure." Natsu opened the door wider to let the swordsmith in.
After closing the family door, the three had all walked in the living room and sat down. Both Kyojuro and Shinjuro were absent at this time. Kyojuro is currently taking an assigned mission and Shinjuro was currently at the liquor store.
"I apologize for being days late. As a swordsmith, it is my job to make sure that my baby was extra special and durable..." Chiyo said as she opened the box.
"B-baby? What baby?" Natsu asked.
"This." Chiyo took the Nichirin sword out of the box.
"Your baby turned into a sword?" Senjuro asked.
"No, silly. That's what I call all the swords I build. My babies. My creations." Chiyo answered Senjuro's question. "You see, it takes two people to make a normal baby. But it only takes one swordsmith to make a sword and call it their baby. I forge these Nichirin swords with love, care, kindness and compassion. They are precious to me, like how human babies are precious to people."
"So, you're like the sword's mother..." Natsu had caught on.
"That's right." Chiyo nodded.
"Like many swordsmiths, Chiyo is very prideful and protective of her forged weapons. She loves her weapons more than she loves her own parents, whom had introduced her to Swordsmithing. Chiyo loves her weapons so much, that she call her masterpieces her babies. She does not have kids of her own."
You must be a bright kid." Chiyo said.
"Bright?"
"Yes. Your name, Natsu. It means... Summer. And that bright red hair of yours... You must come from a household that works wit fire. You must have great fortune, though."
"Sorry, but I don't know what you mean. I was raised by Shinjuro and Ruka Rengoku." Natsu proclaimed.
"Oh," Chiyo removed her hat. "Well since you born with red hair and the fact that you were trained and raised by the Rengoku Family, I suspect that your Nichirin Sword might turn red." Chiyo assumed. "Go on, draw your sword."
"Yeah, do it, Natsu." Senjuro said feeling a little excitement.
"Okay." Natsu then looked at his sword then drew it from its sheath. Natsu held the long katana by the hilt and stared at its silver blade.
"It's also called the color changing katana. Depending on the emotions the wielder is feeling." Chiyo added.
Seconds later as Natsu is holding it, he notices that the back of the blade started to turn to a certain color. He and Natsu gasped as the blade had suddenly turned jet black.
"Whoa..." Natsu gazed at the jet black color of the katana.
"Your sword, Natsu. It's black!" Senjuro pointed out.
Natsu glance towards Chiyo. "Um, miss Chiyo? Does this mean anything?"
"Hmmm..." Chiyo thought for a minute, but couldn't think of anything. "Honestly, I don't know... I've never witnessed one of my babies turning black before... I guess you could think of it as a sign of good luck..." Chiyo said.
'Good luck...' Natsu closed its sheath. "Okay. I wish Kyojuro and pops were here. They probably know what this means..." Natsu thought about his brother and father for a moment.
"And don't break my baby." Chiyo added.
"Right. I can imagine how much effort it took for you to make this baby- I-I mean, sword. I don't want to dishonor you by breaking it."
"I see that you like to respect other people's property. That's good. But just to be fair, I may as well warn you what would happen if you do..." Chiyo walked close to Natsu's face to where part of the hyottoko mask nearly made contact with Natsu's nose.
"M-Miss Chiyo?"
"If you do break, snap, chip or even crack my baby... there's going to be SEVERE consequences." Chiyo said in a dark edgy voice. Red aura had surrounded her body, and both Natsu and Senjuro could feel the tensions. Natsu wince a centimeter when he heard the word SEVERE.
"Caw! Caw! Caw!" A Kusagi crow had squawked.
"Hm?" Natsu, Senjuro and Chiyo all hear the sound of a bird squawking outside of the Rengoku Residence.
"Is that a bird outside?" Senjuro walks to the door and opens it. Natsu gasped as the squawking crow immediately fly pass him and into within the residence, passing Senjuro and flying towards Natsu.
"It's a Kusagi crow..." Chiyo stared at the crow.
'Wait a second...' Natsu had a small flashback within his mind and remembered at the end of the Final Selection Exams. He was given a crow as soon as he received his Nichirin sword. 'That's right. We were giving crows at the end of the Final Selection Exams.'
"Natsu Rengoku! You are to head far east! Far east! Far east! There is an ominous demon that has invaded the Tszumi Mansion! You are to travel there and slay the demon, immediately!" the talking crow informed Natsu.
"I-it talked!" Senjuro jumped a bit, as he hadn't heard of a crow talking before.
Natsu paused as he heard the crow correctly. A smile had slowly formed on his face as he gets to go on his first mission. "Alright! I get to go on my first mission!" Natsu jumped up and stretched his arms out in the air.
"Um, are you ready to go on your first mission?" Senjuro asked Natsu.
"Yeah. I've been training for a long time for this." Natsu answered, then ran to one of the closets in the house and opened the sliding door. He looked at the number of different styled haori and picked out a black Haori with orange flame patterns and picture of an orange phoenix on the back. He took it off a hanger and immediately put it on.
A few minutes later, Natsu, Senjuro and Chiyo the swordsmith stood outside the Rengoku Residence. Natsu was about to be sent off on his first mission.
"What do you guys think, Senjuro?"
"You look fantastic." Senjuro noted as he checked out Natsu in his Demon Slayer attire, plus his flaming haori. Also giving him a thumbs up.
"Thanks. Well, I better get going, now-
"Hold it!" Chiyo yelled before Natsu could out the door.
"Uh, yes miss Chiyo?" Natsu stopped and turned.
Chiyo pointed towards Natsu. "Remember what I told you about if you damage my swords! I'm not kidding!"
Natsu bowed his head towards her. "Thank you for the warning. And thank you for the Nichirin sword! I promise to special care of it." He said as he gripped the hilt on his side.
"You better give it the best care, too, you know! I will find out!" Chiyo yelled with worry and expectations.
"Thanks for the advice! I'm already heading off now!" Natsu started running with his flame-like haori and his new Nichirin sword.
"I'll tell Kyojuro and father everything!" Senjuro happily yelled as Natsu departs.
"Thanks! I'll try to make it back in one piece!" Natsu said as he started running off towards the mansion.