Hello! It's OMG04 again!

I can't believe this story is only TWO chapters in and it already has FORTY followers at the time of this chapter!

I am so happy that so many people are interested in my story! That's why I'm happy to say that I will continue this story! Hooray ! ! !

Thank you all for the praise and advice, I greatly appreciate it! I will do my absolute best to give you all the best story I can make!

One review I'd like to address is from Rexmaster

I just want to say that your ideas were very intriguing. I had a completely different idea of where the story was heading.

To be honest, I was just going to have Tanjiro learn a bit about his powers, gain some solar energy, only to be captured by a Hashira at night and taken to Mt. Fujikasane as a demon for Final Selection.

Then Tanjiro would be helping future demon slayers by killing demons using sunlight, catching the eye of Kagaya who sends Giyu to investigate.

However, I think I like your idea more. Now, I will make some changes to that idea. Tanjiro will become OP, but it won't be as soon as you think.

Like I said in the last chapter, I will be giving Tanjiro some sort of limiter that keeps him from reaching full power so soon.

Also, Tanjiro will be able to use Hinokami Kagura along with a Blood Demon Art that can actually kill demons.

I think my idea for his Blood Demon Art is sick and I can't wait to show it in action for the first time!

Also, thanks for letting me know about wisteria still affecting Tanjiro.

As for preventing Kanae's death, I'm pretty sure that happens a few years before Tanjiro leaves on his journey. But…Eh, what the hell. It's a Fanfic, I can screw with the timeline a little, right?

Also, I don't have any ideas for romance right now. I'll have to get back to you on that.

Alright! I think that covers everything. Now, on with the show!

*I do not own Demon Slayer, Kimetsu no Yaiba. The Anime/Manga belongs to Ufotable and its author, Koyoharu Gotouge.

"Tanjiro" = Talking

"Tanjiro" = Thinking

Tanjiro - Middle Alignment = POV

Japan - Middle Alignment = Location

"Tanjiro" = Flashback

Crash! - Left Alignment = Sound effect

Water Breathing = Breathing technique/Blood Demon Art


Warning: This Chapter may contain incorrect interpretation of Shinto/Buddhist practices in Japan and/or Japanese mourning rituals. Please know that I mean no disrespect to those who follow Japanese religion and customs and strongly apologize if I offend you in any way.

Chapter 3 - What Now?

Takeo Kamado

Kamado Household

Takeo decided to get an early start on chopping firewood, instead of doing it in the afternoon. He hated doing work in the morning, but it was still better than trying to cheer up his younger siblings.


Their mom and Nezuko went down the mountain path to find Tanjiro. Despite them saying that everything was alright as sincerely as possible, Hanako and Shigeru were in full panic mode.

"Why aren't they back yet!?" "Was Big Brother hurt after all!?" "Where could they be!?" "Should we go down there too!?" These were all the things Takeo heard Shigeru and Hanako yell out loud while running around the house.

Meanwhile, Takeo was told to take care of Rokuta. However, the ten-year old was almost at his breaking point after an hour and a half of being bombarded with questions while trying to put a crying Rokuta to sleep.

Eventually, Takeo snapped. "THAT'S IT! I'm going to chop firewood!" He announced as he walked up to a shocked Hanako, Shigeru, and even Rokuta who was shoved into Shigeru's arms.

"You two! Take care of Rokuta! And so help me, if I hear that kid cry for even a second, after the firewood, I'm coming for your HEADS!" He said before walking outside.


Of course, Takeo would never hurt his younger siblings. Despite being older than them, Hanako and Shigeru liked to tease him along with Tanjiro. However, when Takeo wanted respect from the two, you better believe he was gonna get it.

Hanako and Shigeru always said that Takeo was kind of scary when he was mad. However, he doesn't compare to his two older siblings in that regard. Who would've thought that such kind people could be so terrifying when they're peeved.

This trait seemed to run in the family. Takeo remembered when he was little and a wild boar came and attacked Tanjiro and Nezuko. Mom was not happy and delivered a headbutt to the boar before it could hurt anybody. Their mother, like Tanjiro, had a very hard forehead and knocked out the boar.

Takeo never saw his father get mad, but Tanjiro said a few weeks before he died, Tanjuro killed a wild bear who had killed multiple people and was nearing their home. According to Tanjiro, their dad beheaded the beast in a second with nothing but an axe.

Then there was Nezuko, who once yelled at a man for bumping into a little boy and knocking him over and demanded that he apologize. Fortunately, there were other adults around so nothing bad happened, but it was still pretty scary for the young Takeo.

Last but certainly not least, there was Tanjiro. While he was ashamed to admit it, Tanjiro once headbutted a whole group of boys who had been bullying Nezuko and Takeo. He was scolded by their parents and punished by…not being allowed to spend time with their newest siblings at the time, Hanako and Shigeru. This turned out to be more than enough to teach Tanjiro his lesson.

Takeo had been chopping wood for about an hour now, and he managed to get quite a bit of firewood. He didn't get as much as Tanjiro, who was stronger than him, would, but it wasn't half bad.

That's when he heard the sound of quick footsteps coming from the front of the house. Takeo turned around to see Hanako come around the corner of their house.

"Takeo, it's mommy and big sis! They're back!" She announced with a bright smile of excitement. Takeo sighed, wondering what took them so long.

"Well it's about time." He said before putting down his axe on the cutting log and followed Hanako. They found Shigeru, who was still holding an excited Rokuta, in front of the mountain path.

Takeo and Hanako stood next to him as the former noticed two figures in the distance walking towards them. Takeo soon recognized the two and sighed in relief, babysitting was such a pain.

"Big sis! Mommy!" Hanako and Shigeru called out while waving to the two, Shigeru also put Rokuta down so he could wave as well. However, Takeo's smile started to fade as he noticed the looks on the two females' faces. Instantly, he knew something was wrong.

It seems his younger siblings noticed this as well, as their excitement died down as their mother and eldest sister got closer.

"Mom, Nezuko, what's wrong? What happened?" Hanako asked, gaining the attention of Kie who was previously looking down at the ground.

Takeo managed to get a better look at their faces and didn't like what he saw. They both looked like they just came back from crying their eyes out, as if they were heading to someone's funeral.

Kie looked straight up depressed, which did not fit her at all. Her eyes were filled with grief and guilt. She gripped Nezuko's hand tighter after looking at the younger children.

Speaking of Nezuko, she didn't look much better. She looked like she had just seen a ghost. She was extremely pale and had an expression that gave off rage mixed with loss.

However, what really got Takeo's attention was the all too familiar haori and hanafuda earrings which Nezuko held close to her chest like she was ready to absorb it.

Takeo had a sinking feeling after seeing the main pieces of his brother's clothing. "Mom…Where's Tanjiro?" He asked, causing a sob to escape Kie's mouth and Nezuko's eyes widened as if in disbelief.

After getting her bearings, Kie replied, "I'm so sorry…Your brother…Y-Your brother is gone…"

Takeo felt his heart stop after hearing those words, it took all of his strength to keep himself from falling on the ground. Hanako and Shigeru, who were stunned as well, stared at their mother in disbelief.

"W-What do you mean 'gone?' W-When is he coming back?" Shigeru asked with a forced smile, clearly hoping that this was a cruel prank.

Kie looked at the young boy with kind yet hopeless eyes. "I mean…he's gone like your father…and grandmother…as in…he's never coming back." She cleared up.

Takeo couldn't bring himself to terms with reality, he stared at Tanjiro's haori and saw tears dropping on it from Nezuko's face.

Shigeru and Hanako both fell on their knees as they were unable to speak. However, Rokuta was less willing to accept the facts.

"What do you mean 'gone like daddy?' What do you mean big bro isn't coming back?" Rokuta asked, worsening Kie's guilt.

"Big bro has to come back…he has to! He wouldn't leave us! Never! It's a lie, a big big lie!" Rokuta started throwing a tantrum as tears started falling from his eyes.

Hanako and Shigeru also broke down in tears, Takeo joining them. After a moment, Kie put all of the Kamado siblings, including Nezuko, together and the family had a mourning group hug.

"It's not true! Please tell me it's not true!" Hanako cried.

"Why?! Why, Tanjiro!? Why did you have to leave us too!?" Shigeru asked. Everyone had been sobbing uncontrollably, even Kie.

However, Nezuko was more quiet than the others. Tears still fell from her eyes, but she made no sounds.

It was at least another twenty minutes until the group hug broke off. That's when Kie told her children the last words of their brother.

"He…He said that he loves you all…and that he wants us to live a long, happy life and that…we shouldn't be sad and keep smiling for him instead…He said that he would be watching over us, alongside your father." Kie said, doing her best to keep her composure.

The three youngest siblings continued to sob while Takeo merely looked at the ground, still trying to comprehend the situation.

Tanjiro was gone, their big brother was dead. "I know it's hard…But like Tanjiro said, he doesn't want us to be sad." Kie continued while trying to give a reassuring smile.

"This is no different from when your father or grandmother died, they are all still with us…We must live on in happiness to honor their memory and we must never forget what good people they were and how much they inspired us in life."

The children all looked up at their mother, still sniffling. Kie's sad smile faded as she looked down at the ground.

"Sadly, there was no body recovered…We'll have to make do with his earrings and haori…Come…We'll hold a wake...say our prayers and mourn. After that, we have to try to smile for him…"

Kie wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve as she got up and walked back to the house. After a moment, the children all got up and followed her.


Tanjiro Kamado

Somewhere in Okutama, Tokyo

Tanjiro walked aimlessly through multiple green fields for about an hour when he stopped and sat against a tree on the side of the dirt road he was on.

"It's official…I have no idea where I'm going…" Tanjiro finally realized. The demon boy then crossed his legs and held his chin with his right hand. This was what most people would call a thinking pose.

"Okay, Tanjiro, if you're going to become human again, the first thing you need is information." Tanjiro thought to himself, trying to come up with a plan.

"I doubt that any people would know how to turn a demon into a human, and besides, being anywhere near other humans is out of the question. If I went crazy and accidentally hurt or even killed someone, I'd never forgive myself."

"I wonder how many demons there are in Japan. If there are a lot, I think I should be able to track them down with my nose. Perhaps I can ask one of them…Then again…"

Tanjiro thought back to last night, when that demon gave Tanjiro his blood and turned him. "If all other demons are like that, I don't think I want anything to do with them."

"But there's gotta be another demon who still has their humanity. If I was able to fight back for control, who's to say others can't as well?" Tanjiro thought hopefully, before realizing that it wasn't likely.

"But even if there are other good demons, how am I supposed to find them?" Tanjiro wondered, leaning back against the tree again and looking up at the green leaves.

"I'm surprised that this area has so much green, even though it's Winter." Tanjiro thought before sighing out loud.

"Am I in over my head? Did I make a mistake leaving home?" Tanjiro started to doubt his decision which seemed like a good idea at the time but…

"No…It's for the best, and it's too late to turn back now." Tanjiro told himself as he got up and continued walking down the dirt road.

"I'll start looking for demons when night falls. I don't know much about demons, but Grandma always said that they would only come out at night. I'm not sure why, though…" Tanjiro thought.

"At first, I thought that sunlight kills demons or something but that can't be it. I'm a demon now and the sun doesn't do anything to me, otherwise I'd be long dead by now."

"Actually, it seems to do the opposite…" Tanjiro thought as he recalled when his body was about to disappear.

Tanjiro had his head cut off by Mr. Tomioka, and his body started to fade away. Tanjiro didn't admit it, but he felt a bit of pain.

When his head was first cut off, he didn't even feel it. But, as he came back to his senses, Tanjiro felt the pain in his neck. He also felt very cold.

However, when the sun shined on him, the pain stopped and he felt warm. He felt safe, he wished that moment would last forever.

Then, the next thing he knew, he was whole and back on his feet without a single scar, excluding the one on his head.

"How do demons die exactly? Mr. Tomioka decapitated me, fully convinced that I was done for. Is that how you kill a demon? If so, how did I survive?Could it be that Mr. Tomioka made a mistake and not all demons can be killed the same way?"

It was at that moment that Tanjiro came upon a pond as he snapped himself out of his thoughts. He wondered what he looked like now that he was a demon. It's not like he ever got a chance to look in a mirror or something.

The demon boy walked up to the pond to stare at its reflection, what he saw was not what he expected.

There were the claws and fangs, but his eyes looked nothing like that tall demon from last night. They were completely pink with slightly darker circles for pupils.

However, the most surprising detail was the scar on his forehead. Gone was the graze Tanjiro got from shielding Takeo from a falling brazier. In its place was a strange flame-like pattern that looked more like a tattoo than a scar.

Tanjiro actually thought it looked kind of cool, he must've gotten it from when that other demon backhanded him into a tree.

Suddenly, Tanjiro heard his stomach growling. He looked down at his belly and frowned. "I just realized that I haven't eaten since breakfast…yesterday…"

Tanjiro told his mom that he had eaten lunch before heading to town to sell coal, but the truth was that he forgot and didn't want to waste time. Boy was that a mistake, one that he was paying for.

"I need to get something to eat. Maybe there's a fruit tree I can find…Oh, wait a minute!" Tanjiro thought as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a candy bar.

It was the same candy bar that he got back from a stray cat while stole it after Tanjiro tripped and it fell out of his basket.

He had mixed feelings about it, considering that getting that candy bar back was basically what led to his entire life being ruined. But, food was food and Tanjiro was anything but picky, especially when he was starving.

He peeled back the plastic to reveal a chocolate bar and decided to take tiny bites in order to savor it, but that was a bit hard.

For some reason, Tanjiro couldn't really taste the sweetness of the chocolate. It just felt…bland. He could keep it down but it felt almost as if his body was rejecting the candy.

After finishing the bar, Tanjiro pondered a possibility. "Could it be that since I'm a demon…and demons eat humans…I can't consume human food as well as…the other…stuff? If so, that's gonna be a big problem…"

As expected, the candy didn't quite do the trick, but it was better than nothing. Tanjiro decided to drink some of the freshwater in the pond, not wanting to go thirsty. He could smell that the water was clean and safe to drink.

The water went down a little easier, but it still felt bland. Granted, it was just water but even so…Tanjiro sighed. "Well, as long as I can keep it down and it keeps me from hunting people, the taste doesn't matter. The problem is finding food to eat."

Tanjiro checked his pockets and managed to find his wallet which he inherited from his father. His earnings from selling coal were left in his basket in town but he still had some of his own money saved up.

He had 573 yen, that should be enough to buy some fruit or rice balls or maybe even a bowl of ramen but it wouldn't last very long. Tanjiro doubted that anyone would be willing to hire a demon, and of course there was the whole "avoiding humans" thing.

Tanjiro would have to scavenge for food in the wilds. Tanjiro wasn't a vegetarian so he didn't mind eating animal meat, but directly hunting and killing them was another story.

His father always said that what's done is done and that they should never let animal meat go to waste, otherwise those poor animals died for nothing. At least this way, they'd be helping someone else stay alive.

His father also knew that sometimes, when you're attacked by a wild animal, you will have no choice but to use violence to protect yourself and your loved ones.

But, that didn't mean that either Tanjuro or Tanjiro supported killing a lot of animals, especially for sport. In other words, hunting was also off the table. Berries and fruits it was then.

Tanjiro walked down the dirt road again, moving away from the pond. "I should be able to use my nose to pick up any scent for fruits." He thought as he sniffed the air…Nothing.

Tanjiro's shoulders slumped as his stomach was already growling again. Tanjiro kept moving forward as he continued to sniff the air.


-Two Hours Later-

Takeo

Kamado Household

They wasted no time, it was customary to hold a wake as soon as possible after the death. The Kamado children stood in front of a dug up hole near their house next where the remains of their father, Tanjuro, were buried. In front of the hole, there was a dish-like object used to hold incense.

Kie stood with them, her face was covered with dirt from digging the hole. She held Tanjiro's haori, which had been washed of all blood and dirt, in her hands.

There was no body recovered, so this was the next best thing to bury. Nezuko had torn off a small piece of fabric from the haori before it was buried and tied it around her wrist like a bracelet.

The people from town showed up too, word about Tanjiro's death had spread quickly and they all came to pay their respects.

They offered the Kamado family some yen. It was also customary to give a mourning family money to honor the deceased. Kie politely refused, but they insisted and she was pretty much forced to accept the generous offer.

Everyone wore black only. The men donned black yukatas or suits, if they had them. The women all wore black kimonos.

Kie walked forward and gently placed the haori in the hole. She stared at it for a bit before getting up again.

Takeo's heart broke more and more watching this scene, and it was clear his mother and siblings felt the same.

As Kie got up from the ground, she put her hands together in prayer. Takeo and the rest of his siblings, even Rokuta after a little help, did the same.

Sadly, there was no priest that lived in the mountains, so they had to improvise.

"Just as the soft rains fill the streams, pour into the rivers and join together in the oceans, so may the power of every moment of your goodness flow forth to awaken and heal all beings, those here now, those gone before, those yet to come." Kie began the prayer.

"By the power of every moment of your goodness may your heart's wishes be soon fulfilled as completely shining as the bright full-moon, as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem." As she spoke, each child offered incense three times in front of the incense holder. The guests did the same in different incense holders around the area.

"By the power of every moment of your goodness may all dangers be averted and all disease be gone. May no obstacle come across your way. May you enjoy fulfillment and long life."

"For all in whose heart dwells respect, who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the way, may your life prosper in the four blessings of old age, beauty, happiness, and strength."

Everyone let their hands drop and opened their eyes. Takeo could feel the tears dwelling up inside him while hearing the light sobs of his younger siblings.

Hanako then stepped up with the flowers she had been holding. She held some Japanese camellia, plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, and Christmas roses which they bought from the local florist.

She placed the flowers in the hole around Tanjiro's haori, wiping away tears afterwards. Then, Kie came and kneeled before the "grave."

"Goodbye...Tanjiro..." Takeo heard his mother whisper before she began to fill the hole with dirt, burying both the haori and the flowers.

Takeo looked at his siblings, who all looked distraught. Shigeru and Hanako had tears in their eyes and let out the occasional sob, and Rokuta was being surprisingly mature for his age. He still cried, but it wasn't the usual loud crying he was known for, he was actually quiet.

Nezuko was also quiet...but not in a good way. Shadow covered her eyes, tears falling down from them. She made no sound and gave off an aura that sent chills down Rokuta's spine. That kind of presence seemed wrong coming from the sweet, compassionate Nezuko.

Takeo, who stood next to her, took her right hand with his left, catching her attention.

The shadow covering her face went away, revealing a heartbroken look on the girl's face. She attempted to give Takeo a sad smile to comfort him, but it was clearly forced and only made Takeo feel worse.


-Several Hours Later-

After the wake ended, the townspeople, including Old Man Saburo, gave their heartfelt condolences and left.

The Kamado children and their mother went inside the house to eat a meal together, as a family did after a funeral for their loved ones. The meal was paid for by some of the guests at the funeral who were grateful for what Tanjiro did for them.

After that, each family member threw salt over their shoulder as a ritual to ward off evil.

As of today, the family would go into a fourty-nine day mourning period. In Japan, this was the specified amount of time that a family had to mourn the loss of a loved one.

During this period, they would place fresh flowers on Tanjiro's "grave" and burn incense. They would also hold a short memorial service on the third, seventh, and forty-ninth day. It was no different from when their father died.

After their meal, they all went to bed, seeing no reason to stay up any longer. As Takeo got into his futon, he started to wonder how Tanjiro died exactly.

They never asked their mother or Nezuko what happened. This was partly because they didn't want to know what happened to their brother, and also because they didn't want to make neither Kie or Nezuko relive the memory.

Takeo still couldn't believe Tanjiro was gone, he looked over at Hanako who slept next to him. She had a book in her arms that she grabbed before going to bed. Maybe that made her still feel like Tanjiro was there.

Takeo saw tears in her eyes, it seemed that she cried herself to sleep. Takeo looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes, wishing he could do the same as his little sister.


Tanjiro

Some Farm in the Fields

It was midnight, Tanjiro picked up a scent and followed it to find a farm where there were rows and rows of crops.

Oranges, tomatoes, corn, cabbages, watermelons, you name it! Tanjiro couldn't help but drool as the growling in his stomach had become unbearable.

However, Tanjiro was not a thief. He found the house next to the farm and walked up to it, planning to ask if he could have just a few of their crops.

Tanjiro was nervous, this would be the first time he interacted with other people since leaving home. He had to make sure that he kept his demonic urges under control.

He remembered the faces of his parents and siblings, this always helped him calm down even before he was a demon. However, as Tanjiro got closer, he took an unintentional sniff of the air.

Tanjiro immediately stopped in his tracks as his body began to shake, he started breathing very heavily as he felt a weird feeling in his stomach.

"This smell…It's…the smell of blood!" Tanjiro realized as he tried to pull himself together. "Someone must be hurt…I…I have…to help them!"

Tanjiro ran towards the house, not noticing that he moved a tiny bit faster than before. He reached the slide door of the front entrance and moved to open it as soon as possible.

"Is everyone oka-!" Tanjiro said before stopping himself, nearly throwing up at the sight before him. There were two dead bodies, a man and a woman.

But, there was another person who was eating away at the male corpse. The stranger turned around to give Tanjiro a better look.

It was a demon, a demon with only slit pupils, ash-gray skin, two green stripes marking his upper arms and legs, spiky green hair parted at the middle of his forehead, and of course, fangs and sharp nails.

The demon wore a sleeveless blue tunic with a dark-turquoise-and white pattern outlining his chest, along with pale-colored bracelets around his wrists and ankles.

Tanjiro then brought his attention to the corpses that laid before him. He was scared and disgusted, how could demons just kill innocent people so easily. Human life is precious, it should be preserved, not taken away.

However, Tanjiro soon noticed that his mouth was salivating at the sight and smell of all the blood. "What's going on!? Why do I feel so hungry…all of a sudden?…I need to eat…I…need to…eat…now."

The demon looked annoyed as he glared at Tanjiro. "What do you want, punk? This is my turf, go find your own meal!"

Tanjiro was still preoccupied with the bloody bodies, trying to contain his hunger as his demonic side fought back.

The other demon then sighed. "A rookie, huh?" He mumbled, gaining Tanjiro's attention. "Damn it…fine."

The demon then tore off the human man's arm and tossed it towards Tanjiro, rolling it on the floor. "There. Consider it a gift from a senior, take it and get out." He said before returning to his meal.

Tanjiro looked at the arm and slowly reached down to take it, a smile starting to develop on his face as black slits appeared in his now plum red eyes.

"STOP ! ! !" Tanjiro scolded himself, immediately pulling his hand back. "What are you doing!? This is wrong, and you know it! You're better than this!"

Tanjiro broke into a cold sweat as he glared at his fellow demon. "S-Stop…Th-That…" He managed to get out, gaining the demon's attention once again.

"What the hell did you just say, brat?" He said with murderous intent. Tanjiro flinched at the scent of bloodlust he picked up but was somehow able to recompose himself.

"Y-You need…t-to stop! Eating humans…is w-w-wrong!" Tanjiro yelled, causing the demon to laugh hysterically which confused the demon boy.

"Hah hah hah! I get it! You're one of those guys, eh? Demons who pretend they're still human and try to resist their demonic desires." The demon assumed.

"Well, let me tell you something kid, that kind of thing is bullshit! Trust me, the sooner you let go of your precious humanity, the better!"

Tanjiro did not falter. "Even so…I c-can't l-let…you d-do this!" The enemy demon's expression changed from amusement to annoyance.

"Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it, you little shit! If you know what's good for ya, you'll take my generous gift and get the FUCK OUT OF MY SIGHT!" The demon threatened as he got up and faced Tanjiro.

Tanjiro vs. Farm Demon

(Shared POV)

Tanjiro stood there, not saying anything as the two engaged in an intense staring contest until…

"Could you please…n-not swear…It is…very rude and…unnecessary." Tanjiro stated as the demon looked at him as if he'd insane.

"Is this fucking kid for real…?" The farm demon thought before crouching down and leaping at the boy. "I'll show you RUDE!"

Tanjiro had no time to react as the farm demon crashed into him, sinking his claws into the boy's chest. The two went flying out the door to the outside.

"Damn it! That hurts!" Tanjiro thought in panic as the two crashed into the ground. The farm demon, who was on top of Tanjiro, pulled out his claws and started slashing at his face.

Tanjiro instinctively used his arms to block it, holding them horizontally on top of each other. However, it didn't stop the claws from cutting through Tanjiro's sleeves and skin.

"Yeah! Not so tough anymore! Are you, brat!?" The farm demon taunted as he continued to slash at the poor demon boy.

Tanjiro had had enough and fought back. "Get…OFF!" He grabbed both of his enemy's arms and reeled his head back as far as he could before slamming it into the demon's skull.

The farm demon was knocked off of the boy and fell on his back. His skull had been smashed and his brain bounced around his head. Were he not a demon, that blow probably would've been fatal.

"What…the…Fuck!? That kid's head…it's as hard as steel!" The demon thought while he recovered from his concussion.

Meanwhile, Tanjiro got back on his feet and observed the scratches on his arms. The sleeves on his black robe were in tatters as his arms bled.

"Damn it…! This…really hurts…! I have to be more careful!" Tanjiro told himself before realizing that the bleeding had stopped.

"Wait…The scratches…They already stopped bleeding…?" Tanjiro thought, not seeing that the farm demon had gotten back up, he was incredibly pissed.

"YOU! You're gonna pay for that, you son of a bitch!" The demon yelled at Tanjiro, already charging at him.

Tanjiro was ready this time, he sidestepped the charge to the right and threw a sloppy but strong right roundhouse the farm demon's back.

The farm demon's momentum worked against him as he was sent flying onto the nearby grass field. He hit the ground rolling on his side before coming to a stop on his belly.

Tanjiro was surprised at his feat. "Wow! When did I get so strong!?" Tanjiro wondered in awe as he looked down at his legs. However, he then noticed the scratches on his arms.

Not only had they stopped bleeding, but the wounds were already halfway closed. Tanjiro stared at his arms in amazement.

"What? You didn't know demons can regenerate, you fucking newbie!?" Tanjiro was brought back to the battle as the farm demon leaped into the air.

Tanjiro barely noticed the demon in time as he lifted his leg and slammed it on the ground as he fell. Tanjiro leaped backwards just before the attack could connect.

However, Tanjiro's leap went a lot farther than expected and his back collided with the front wall of the house.

"Crap! I didn't expect that leap to be so far!" Tanjiro thought as he groaned in pain from his back hitting the wall with great force.

The farm demon's attack kicked up a cloud of dust and dirt, which he soon leaped out of. His body flew at Tanjiro and pulled his right fist back, planning to smash his skull, like Tanjiro did to him, with a mighty punch.

"Eye for an eye, motherfucker!" The demon yelled out before Tanjiro moved his head out of the way of the punch as it went straight through the wall.

The farm demon tried to pull out his arm, only to realize that it was stuck. Tanjiro wasted no time, using the distraction to throw a powerful right cross to his face.

The attack connected, but the result was not what Tanjiro expected. The farm demon's head went flying off as his body went limp with its arm stuck in the wall.

Tanjiro jumped back and yelled in shock. "Oh my God! I…I just killed him!" Tanjiro tried to comprehend what just happened as he looked at his hands.

"I killed him! I killed a man with my bare hands! But…he's a demon so…" Tanjiro tried to justify his actions in an attempt to not go insane from guilt when suddenly…

"DAMN YOU!" The farm demon yelled, causing Tanjiro to look at the decapitated head. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU! I was just trying to enjoy my meal in PEACE, and YOU had to go and FUCK it up!"

Tanjiro had no words for what was happening. "Wha…How…How are you talking!?" Tanjiro asked. The demon head became even more annoyed.

"God! Are you that STUPID! Everyone knows a demon can't kill another demon! Only sunlight and those fucking sunlight-absorbing blades that Demon Slayers use!" The farm demon explained, too angry to realize he was literally telling this kid his weakness.

"Sunlight? What are you talking about? Sunlight doesn't kill demons…does it?" Tanjiro asked.

"Of COURSE, you fucking moron!" The demon head yelled.

Tanjiro pouted. "Hey! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth!?" He scolded.

"I PROBABLY ATE MY MOTHER, SHITHEAD! In case you CLEARLY forgot, we're fucking DEMONS!" The demon screamed as his head started rolling across the ground in rage.

"So vulgar…!" Tanjiro thought, stunned at the demon's vocabulary. Then, Tanjiro thought about what the demon said.

"Wait, so sunlight actually DOES kill demons? But that can't be, sunlight doesn't hurt me at all. Also, what are these 'sun-absorbing blades?' Is that what Mr. Tomioka used to 'kill me?' But that can't be right either, he decapitated me with a sword but I came back as good as new."

"Could that man have used the wrong sword? How did I survive, why did I survive?" As Tanjiro thought about this, he failed to notice the headless demon body start to move again.

The body got back up on its own and pulled its right arm out of the wall it was stuck in. Tanjiro picked up a dangerous smell and turned towards the headless body.

Tanjiro barely had enough time to block a right swing at his head from the headless body with his arms. Then, the farm demon's body threw a right knee into Tanjiro's gut, forcing him to bend over from the force.

Not giving him a chance to recover, the body kicked Tanjiro up into the air. As he fell down, the headless body grabbed Tanjiro's leg and swung him into the house wall before proceeding to swing him over where the farm demon's head was and slammed him into the ground with full force.

"Hah! That'll teach you to mess with me, dumbass!" The farm demon taunted as he watched his body beat the shit out of that brat.

Tanjiro's body laid on the ground, unmoving. "Huh…guess I knocked him out." The farm demon thought out loud as his body came over and picked the head back up.

After a bit of time, the head was reattached and the farm demon walked over to Tanjiro who was still on the floor. He kicked him a bit as he started taunting the boy.

"That's what you get, brat! It's time someone taught you some respect!" He said, not noticing the twitching of the demon boy's body.

"Heh, maybe I should tie you up and let the sun have the honors. How's that sound, you-?" The farm demon never finished as his face was met with the back of Tanjiro's right fist.

The farm demon was launched into a nearby tree next to the house. He struggled to get up. "What…What the hell was that?" He wondered out loud before looking back at where Tanjiro was laying.

Tanjiro was up on his feet again, but something was different. His face was covered in shadow, but his plum red eyes were still very visible.

His eyes were filled with rage and hatred, veins bulging from his forehead. His arms hung low as his torso had a slight slouch. But the most noticeable detail was the sick, twisted grin on his face.

Upon seeing this, any man would shit themselves. Even the other demon felt uneasy.

"What the hell? What's up with this kid? He's like a completely different person now?" The demon asked himself before Tanjiro leaped towards him and scratched his eyes out.

The farm demon screamed in pain as he held his eyes, Tanjiro landed behind him. In his panic, the farm demon started swinging and kicking at random.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" The farm demon yelled out before Tanjiro grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the tree he crashed against.

Tanjiro slammed him into the tree over and over and over again, enjoying it more and more with each slam. After having his fun, Tanjiro threw the demon against the side of the house just as his eyes finished healing.

Before the farm demon could recover, Tanjiro leaped at the demon once again before grabbing his face in midair and smashing it through the wall.

However, he was far from done. Tanjiro grabbed the demon's leg and pulled his head out of the house. "Eye…for…an…eye…" Tanjiro said before lifting the demon over his head and slamming him into the ground with full force, returning the last attack the farm demon threw at him.

The farm demon tried to get up, but was stopped when Tanjiro, who was still holding the demon's leg, stomped on his head.

Tanjiro then proceeded to pull the demon's body upwards while holding his head in place, it didn't take a super genius to guess his intentions.

After a bit of pulling, Tanjiro ripped the body of the farm demon away from his head. The farm demon tried to scream before Tanjiro stomped his head again, this time making it half stuck in the ground.

"What the hell's with this kid!? He's still a newbie, I can feel it! And yet, he's overwhelming me like it's nothing!" The farm demon thought, half of his face visible from the side as the other half was stuck in the ground.

Tanjiro, still holding on to the body, proceeded to slam the headless body onto the head like a hammer to a nail as the demon head was being driven further into the ground.

However, before Tanjiro could finish the job and bury the head in the ground, something started growing out of the side of the farm demon's head.

"Don't get so cocky! You fucking BRAT ! ! !" An arm suddenly sprung out of the demon's head which pushed itself out by using the ground above it.

As the demon head got out, it was revealed that the head now had two arms growing out from the sides. The head landed on the ground, holding itself up by its arms.

Suddenly, the farm demon's head leaped at Tanjiro who finally decided to let go of the demon's body. The head tried to throw a right punch before Tanjiro caught it with his left fist.

The demon immediately tried to punch with its other arm, but the same result occurred. Tanjiro then moved his own arms out, keeping a tight grip on the farm demon's head-arms and stretching them to the side.

Tanjiro then leaned back and tilted his head back, the farm demon knew what was coming. "W-Wait! L-Let's talk about this! Don't-!" The farm demon begged before Tanjiro launched his head forward and gave his fellow demon a massive headbutt.

However, Tanjiro wasn't done just yet. He let go of the demon's head-arms to let it float in the air for a second, only to bring his right leg up and bring it down onto the head, smashing it into the ground.

As the dust settled, Tanjiro stood over and looked down on his defeated foe who had been knocked out cold. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth as there was a huge dent in the middle of the demon's face.

Tanjiro

Tanjiro's smile never faltered as he stared at his enemy with glee. Tanjiro then remembered those bodies he saw and went back to the house. He was starving, it was time to enjoy his spoils.

But, before he reached the front door, Tanjiro noticed a piece of paper on the ground. His smile went away as he walked up to it and picked it up. It turned out to be a picture of a family. There was a man and woman, four boys, and two girls.

The family looked so happy, he wanted that…No, he once had that. Tanjiro stared at the picture which fell out of his pocket during the fight as a memory made its way into his mind.


"Big Brother, can we read this story tonight?" Hanako asked excitedly as the family was about to go to sleep. She held a book in Tanjiro's face as she got ready for a bedtime story.

"Huh!? But you said I could pick this time, Tanjiro!" Shigeru protested as he held up his own book. Tanjiro raised his hands to both children in defense with a nervous smile.

"He's right, Hanako. I did promise him that he would pick." Tanjiro stated, causing Hanako to pout.

"No fair! He already picked last time!" Hanako complained before Shigeru pointed an accusing finger at her.

"Yeah, because before that, you chose the last three times!" Shigeru shot back as he got up, Hanako following his example as the two engaged into a staring contest.

"Come on, now. No fighting, you two." Tanjiro scolded as he used his arms to keep the two siblings away from each other.

As Tanjiro tried to break things up while the two kids argued loudly, Takeo got up from his futon and yelled at his little brother and sister.

"Just pick something you both like and go to bed! We're trying to sleep here!" Takeo suggested. This time, both Hanako and Shigeru pouted.

"You're the one yelling Take…" Shigeru muttered. A tic mark appeared on Takeo's forehead.

"Hey! I heard that, jerk! I'm your older brother too, so show some respect!" Takeo yelled, shaking his fist in the air.

"Now, now, Takeo. I'm sure your brother was just joking." Kie said as she was preparing her own futon. Shigeru looked at her in confusion.

"No I wasn't." Shigeru said, earning a glare from his mother in response.

"Pardon…" She responded with ill intent present in her voice.

"I-I mean…Yeah! I was TOTALLY kidding, bro!" Shigeru quickly said before Tanjiro and Hanako started laughing.

"Hey! What's so funny!?" Shigeru whined. Soon, Nezuko and Kie joined the laughter as Shigeru hung his head in embarrassment. Even Takeo couldn't help but keep his laughter in.

It was such a nice night…


Tears fell from Tanjiro's eyes onto the picture. His eyes returned to its not so usual pink color as the slits disappeared from his eyes.

A gentle, sad smile replaced his malicious grin. Tanjiro took another minute to stare at the picture before putting it back in his pocket.

He walked into the house and carried out the corpses. The blood would've affected him before, but the mentality boost he got from the memory of his family kept his demonic urges in check.

After half an hour, Tanjiro buried the bodies outside next to the house before putting his hands together in prayer. "Rest in peace…" He said before walking over to the demon.

"What do I do about this? If I leave him alone, he'll end up hurting more people. But…how do I kill him…? Do I even have the guts to do so?" Tanjiro wondered what he should do.

Tanjiro looked back at the house and went inside to find some rope. After finding a good amount, he tied up the farm demon's body. He also tied the demon head to a tree, head-arms tied behind the back.

Sure that the knots would hold, Tanjiro helped himself to some of the crops on the farm. He didn't want them to go to waste and he was still starving.

He ate all of the corn and oranges, along with three watermelons, five cabbages, and ten tomatoes. Tanjiro let out a burp as he laid on the ground, satisfied.

"Excuse me…" He said to no one in particular. Tanjiro, his hunger problem solved, then got up and saw there were still some crops left. He went inside the house again to find an arm strap basket that he saw earlier.

Tanjiro placed whatever he could fit in it. Two watermelons, five tomatoes, three cabbages, thirteen blueberries, five pears, and ten carrots.

As soon as he was done, he heard groaning from the head of the farm demon. Tanjiro walked up to where he tied up the head as the demon woke up.

"Ugh…What happened…?" The demon head said before noticing Tanjiro right in front of him. Tanjiro instantly picked up the scent of anger as the demon tried to lunge at him.

"YOU! Come here, you BASTARD! I'll rip your fucking face off!" The demon screamed as Tanjiro flinched. Luckily, the ropes managed to hold the head in place.

The first time, Tanjiro was caught off guard when the demon head started talking, but Tanjiro then realized that he too once spoke when his head was detached from his body so he was prepared this time.

"Look, I know you're mad but you didn't leave me much choice. You're the one who attacked me." Tanjiro defended himself.

"You mean after YOU disrupted MY meal and spat out some self-righteous BULLSHIT about not eating humans!?" The farm demon shot back.

"And I meant every word! Eating people is wrong and I won't let anyone get away with it!" Tanjiro stated.

"We're demons! That's what we do! Stop talking as if you're still human, you're not!" The dark demon told Tanjiro who flinched at the reminder.

He knew the demon was right…He wasn't human anymore…He was a demon, a savage man-eating monster of the night.

Except, he wasn't that either. Tanjiro wasn't human anymore…But, he didn't eat people…he could still walk around during the day…he could eat regular food…He wasn't anything like the monster before him besides their appearances, and even that was slightly different.

Tanjiro stared the demon in the eye. "You're right, I'm not a human anymore. But…I'm not a demon either. I'm nothing like you." Tanjiro said, shocking the farm demon.

"I'm nothing like you demons, you eat and kill whoever crosses your path without hesitation or mercy. I would never do something so awful!" Tanjiro continued. Suddenly, the faces of Tanjiro's family flashed through his mind.

"My body may be that of a demon, yes. But, my memories, my feelings, my heart, my soul! Everything else that once made me human is still here! Demon or not, that will never go away!" Tanjiro finished as he put a hand on his heart.

A moment of silence followed until the farm demon broke it.

"That…was…the CORNIEST SHIT I've EVER HEARD!" The demon yelled before laughing hysterically.

Tanjiro's jaw dropped as he stared at the demon head stunned. "You gotta be kidding me…He didn't care at all…"

"WHO the hell raised you to be so fucking NAIVE!" The farm demon asked while still laughing. "It's like you're living in a different reality!"

Tanjiro was about to protest before noticing something light up the sky in the distance. He turned his head right and saw that it was the sun starting to rise.

"It looks like the sun is rising." Tanjiro whispered as the farm demon continued to laugh before hearing a bit of what the demon boy said.

"Wait…what was that about the sun?" The demon head asked before looking where Tanjiro was looking. Suddenly, a look of horror was placed on his face.

"KID! Untie me RIGHT NOW!" The demon commanded, startling Tanjiro who looked right at him.

"Huh…? Why?" Tanjiro asked, genuinely confused.

"Did you really forget what I fucking told you!? Demons and sunlight don't mix! How are you still alive!? The demon asked as the sun started to peek over the trees.

"Stop wasting time and untie before-!" Was the last thing the farm demon said before the sunlight shined in his head.

The demon started screaming in pain as his skin started to burn. The agony shocked Tanjiro to the core and he could only watch as the demon in front of him faded to ash.

Tanjiro fell back on his bottom as he tried to understand what just happened. "He…He disappeared! So it was true, demons really do die from sunlight!?"

"But how!? Why doesn't it do anything to me!? And he died from just that tiny amount!?" Tanjiro's mind was in overdrive, trying to understand what was happening.

"If I'm immune to sunlight, does that mean Mr. Tomioka used the right sword after all!? Now that I think about it, the demon didn't start fading away even after I decapitated it. But I could feel my body disappearing when I was beheaded." That's when Tanjiro remembered the words of a certain demon.

"Who knows, you may become the one who conquers the sun."

Was that it? Is that why that demon targeted him? But why, what made that demon think Tanjiro could "conquer the sun?"

He was just a thirteen-year old boy, born from a family of coal merchants. He wasn't special at all, quite the opposite in fact.

But, the more Tanjiro thought about it, the more it made sense. Unfortunately, it somehow made less sense at the same time.

"If I'm immune to sunlight, then there is a good chance I can survive those sunlight-absorbing swords the demon was talking about. But until I know for sure, I should still be careful. The last thing I need is to get reckless."

And with that, Tanjiro got up and put his hands together in prayer for the farm demon, feeling bad that he died in such a brutal way. "Rest in peace."

After that, Tanjiro grabbed the basket he put his food supply in, strapping it to his back, and continued walking down the dirt road.

"What a shame…I didn't get the chance to ask if there was a way to become human." Tanjiro realized as he let out a deep sigh. "Oh well, I doubt that guy would've answered me."

Tanjiro walked and walked, it was clear that this journey would not be a walk in the park.


Kie Kamado

Kamado Household

Kie woke up before any of the kids. She got up from her futon and looked at her six…five beautiful children. She noticed the space between Hanako and Shigeru where…he…used to sleep.

She also spotted Nezuko holding on to the piece of his haori she took in her left hand, she wrapped it around her right wrist throughout all of yesterday. Kie then looked at the wall where they put the hanafuda earrings back on display.

Kie stared at the display and lowered her head as she was reminded of her wonderful husband and their firstborn son.

Both Tanjuro and Tanjiro had hearts of gold. They seldom got angry or frustrated, they treated everyone fairly and kindly, they worked too hard for their own good, and their smiles could melt just about anyone's heart.

Kie went outside to their front yard and she swore she could see a small Tanjiro playing outside with Nezuko as Tanjuro watched from the front porch, smiling.

Kie's eyes blinked once, despite her trying very hard to keep them from doing so, and the memory vanished. Kie then moved to the side of the house where Tanjiro's and Takeo's axes were.

She pictured Tanjiro learning how to chop wood from his father. Tanjiro jumped for joy after chopping his first piece of firewood while Tanjuro patted him on the head with a proud smile.

Kie blinked again, and they were gone. Finally, Kie moved towards the front of the house again. She saw Tanjiro, a bit more grownup, standing in front of the mountain path with a basket of coal.

"I'll see you guys later! Bye!" Tanjiro yelled out as he began his descent down the mountain, smiling and waving at Kie. Her eyes widened as she rushed towards her son to stop him.

"TANJIRO, STOP! DON'T GO!" Kie yelled before grabbing for the back of his haori…only for her hand to pass through empty air.

She was too late…much…much too late….Tanjiro was already gone…

Kie gritted her teeth as the tears began falling again. "No…Now's not the time for that, Kie. Tanjiro wasn't your only child. Nezuko, Takeo, Shigeru, Hanako, Rokuta. They all need you right now, they need their mother."

Kie pulled herself together as she walked back into the house. As she stepped in, she finally noticed how different it felt.

The house felt colder, and seemed a lot darker as well despite the sun being up. To think that Tanjiro being gone made such a difference.

Kie let out a sigh before closing the door behind her, one question going through her mind. "What now…?"


And that's chapter 3! Sorry if it was a little long. I'm also sorry if I abused the M rating a little bit.

But damn, not to toot my own horn but I actually almost teared up writing some parts of this!

I hope it wasn't too depressing and that you enjoyed those parts!

Sadly, we'll have to step away from the Kamado family for a while. But don't worry, we'll check up on them again.

First of all, yes, Tanjiro does keep a photo of his family in his pocket…Are you really that surprised?

Secondly, yes, the farm demon was just the temple demon from canon, they just weren't at a temple so I couldn't call him that.

Third, I don't really know what they grow in Japanese farms, so please don't come at me about that.

Fourth, Tanjiro is not completely over his demonic urge yet. If he gets pissed off or knocked out, he's on demon time. It'll be a lot easier to control as he is exposed to and absorbs more sunlight.

Also, Tanjiro now knows he's immune to getting his head cut off but isn't 100% sure yet. He will still make sure to keep his head on. Same thing goes for limbs as he also isn't 100% sure if demons grow back limbs.

On the bright side, that means Tanjiro won't get cocky. After all, fear is one of the greatest motivators…That's…That's how the saying goes, right?

Now, I'd like to introduce a new feature to this story. After every chapter, I'll give a fair measurement of how much power Tanjiro currently has. For example…

Tanjiro's Solar Power Level:0.6% (No noticeable difference yet)

(Note: There were about nine hours of sunlight and the morning that Tanjiro transformed started off cloudy, therefore losing three hours of sunlight time for the day.)

I will be giving notes as to why Tanjiro does not achieve his average power increase and how Tanjiro's power has improved.

As always, thank you for reading and don't forget to leave a review or suggestion for me.

That's all for now, see ya!

(Update) So, about the funeral and prayer scene. It was originally a simple praying scene where the Kamado family gathered and prayed to god that Tanjiro would be safe in heave.

Seems harmless on paper, but there was a bit of controversy in it. If you read the reviews, you'll find someone saying that the scene was too American or someone talking about christians being a rarity in Japan.

I changed the scene due to the ignorance of the original. I looked up some Japanese mourning rituals along with a Buddhist prayer of healing.

If anyone still has a problem with this scene, please let me know. At that point, I'll probably give up and remove the scene entirely.

You'll find a similar update addressing this at Chapter 7 along with an apology for my laziness and stupidity. Anyway, thanks for reading! Bye now! (End of Update)

Next time: Chapter 4 - The Demon Traitors