Yo! What's good my fellow readers and authors!

Sorry that this took longer than usual, I got stuck on certain parts and had to really think. I think I came up with something decent.

This chapter is gonna be pretty calm most of the time, so don't expect anything mind blowing.

Before we start, I want to celebrate reaching 160 follows and nearly 130 favorites!

I'm so happy that even more people are reading my story and I hope these numbers continue to grow. If they don't, well, I hope you guys will continue to read this!

Honestly, your praise really gets me through hard times. I've been stressed at school lately and now I have finals in two weeks. Hearing your support really helps keep my morale up and I thank you for that!

Of course, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate your criticism, I absolutely do. Once again, please don't feel like you're hurting my feelings by telling me what I'm doing wrong.

The only way you could actually hurt me is through rude comments or needless insults. I'll accept all reviews, good or bad.

Now, onto the reviews!

First off, I'd like to thank Hmm Xst and CrimsonStarBlade for their ideas on potential moves for Tanjiro's Blood Demon Art.

I thought they were very creative and interesting, the same goes for the names. I will most definitely consider these ideas in the future.

Next, a review from SentinelSlice. This user expressed their concern about Tanjiro's growth and how he appeared to be becoming op.

I just want to say that you have no need to worry. Learning to use Hinokami Kagura in battle will not be as easy as it seems.

Tanjiro has more stamina than in canon, but that won't be enough to get rid of the strain of Hinokami Kagura.

Not only that, but Tanjiro will have to learn to turn these dance techniques into fighting techniques.

Honestly, I always thought that it was weird that Tanjiro instantly knew how to use Hinokami Kagura in battle and didn't even question it in canon.

You'd think you'd have to adapt these dance moves to any situation before being able to use them for fighting unless you're a pro dance-fighter which I'm pretty sure Tanjiro is not.

Maybe there was a training montage that was never shown where Tanjiro learns to use Hinokami Kagura as a sword technique, but still.

The key thing, however, is that canon Tanjiro at that point had two years of training as a swordsman.

TTS Tanjiro at this point knows how to swing…that's really about it. The "Clear Blue Sky" last chapter was just a fluke and will not be easy to replicate.

I also made a change to the last chapter where Tanjiro performs the kagura to make it more believable.

You can reread the last chapter if you want to see the change unless you're new here and have already seen it.

That said, Tanjiro will develop faster than his canon counterpart. I'm not saying he'll be op by chapter 15, but Tanjiro will learn and master breathing techniques a bit faster than in canon due to his increased strength and stamina.

The second thing SentinelSlice talked about was my overuse and emphasis of percentages.

They claimed that it gave Tanjiro a clear limit which took one out of the story and suggested that I be more vague with Tanjiro's power level.

I see your point but the percentage is more for me than anything else. I have shit memory so I need to have the percentage in front of me so I'm always aware of Tanjiro's power level which helps me decide who should be his next opponent.

I know, I know, I could just keep the percentage to myself and write it down in some notes or something, but the percentages will be crucial to certain scenes that I have planned.

However, I'd like to propose a compromise. I will only give percentages at the end of each chapter so you don't always know what Tanjiro's power is at.

I will also no longer give power usage percentages for the moves that Tanjiro uses. I hope that this will add some suspense and mystery to his amount of power.

I also wanted to make a change to how I discern how much sunlight Sun Conqueror uses up.

I believe I made a mistake using fixed amounts of costs for each move Tanjiro uses. I prefer to think of it as "more energy = more power."

What I mean by that is the power of each Blood Demon Art Tanjiro uses depends on how much solar blood cells he uses in the attack, the stronger it is.

The truth is, Tanjiro's sunlight energy isn't quite as effective to stronger demons as regular sunlight. It can take care of weak demons no problem, but the amount he's used with his attacks wouldn't do much to a Lower Moon or a Hashira.

Say that Tanjiro uses Fire Claws. If he inputs 1% of solar energy into the attack, the attack would be capable of cutting through the neck of a demon at Yahaba and Sasamaru level and could even do considerable damage to a Lower Moon.

However, if he inputs 10%, Tanjiro could completely destroy a medium-sized house and easily decapitate any Lower Moon with one swipe. But, this would cause Tanjiro to instantly pass out for a week, at least at his current power level.

How much energy Tanjiro inputs into Sun Conqueror determines how powerful the fire he uses is and, for some cases like Exploding Blood or Red Hot Blade, how long those flames last before burning out.

Basically, from now on, I will decide how much energy each attack uses without telling you guys.

That said, Tanjiro doesn't know how to control his input nor does he know that he can actually do that, which means his inputs up to this point have been random.

I hope this all makes sense and satisfies those concerned. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Lastly, for hopefully the final time, I'd like to apologize for my disregard of Japanese culture and religion in Chapters 3 and the Author's notes in Chapter 7.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, let me enlighten you.

In the first version of Chapter 3, there was an emotional scene where the Kamado family mourns Tanjiro's "death" and prays.

At first, it seemed harmless, at least until someone complained in the reviews that the scene was too American and incorrectly interpreted Japanese wakes.

I addressed this in Chapter 7 and apologized…before saying something that I am just too embarrassed to repeat which is why I hadn't removed that statement as a reminder.

There is now an update disregarding that statement if you haven't seen it yet. I have also completely changed the praying scene in Chapter 3 that you can check out if you haven't yet.

I looked up Japanese burial traditions along with a Buddhist Prayer used during Tanjiro's "funeral." I can't be 100% sure my sources are accurate and I know one of my readers is well-versed in Japanese culture. I hope this person will check my work and tell me if it's acceptable.

If not, I'll completely scrap that scene and move on. I really just want to put this whole thing behind me and I hope you can forgive my blunder.

Alright, I think I've rambled long enough. Please enjoy the chapter!

*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


Chapter 8 - The Sword Hidden in the Dance

Kanae Kocho

Wisteria Family Safehouse

-Two Hours Ago-

Kanae had just finished changing back into her uniform after waking up as a sleepy Shinobu rose from her futon.

Kanae yawned as she attached her sword to her hip as she walked out of her room and into a hallway that led to all the other rooms and the backyard.

She walked towards where Tanjiro was to check up on him when she saw a light coming from the back door of the house.

Kanae went to the garden in the backyard of the safehouse to investigate, pulling the door slowly as she peeked through it.

She saw someone dancing. It was someone in a dark brown dress with red and yellow flame patterns. The dress seemed a little big for the dancer.

The person's face was covered with a blindfold which covered his entire face, but Kanae was able to recognize the ruffled burgundy-tipped hair.

It was Tanjiro, surrounded by lit torches and performing a beautiful, yet familiar dance. Tanjiro held a wooden seven-branched sword in his hand that he swung around gracefully.

Kanae walked onto the porch and sat in seiza as she observed the dance, completely mesmerized by each move.

However, she also took note of some of the techniques. She recognized the "Clear Blue Sky" that she saw in Tanazawa, but that wasn't all.

There were two techniques that Tanjiro performed that were quite similar to Water Breathing. She knew because Flower Breathing was derived from Water Breathing.

Hinokami Kagura - Fire Wheel

Tanjiro moved both his body and sword in a circular motion reminiscent of Water Breathing's second form, Water Wheel.

Hinokami Kagura - Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance

Tanjiro then made a continuous swing that reminded Kanae of the tenth form of Water Breathing, Constant Flux.

Hinokami Kagura - Setting Sun Transformation

Kanae then started noticing a similarity to Sanemi's Wind Breathing. Tanjiro did a backflip followed by an upside down, horizontal sword swing in midair. A more simple version of Wind Breathing's ninth form.

Hinokami Kagura - Burning Bones, Summer Sun

This technique was similar to a technique used by Kyojuro. Tanjiro swung his sword in a circular motion that was nearly identical to the fourth form of Flame Breathing.

Hinokami Kagura - Dance

The most simple technique Tanjiro used was a powerful downward slash which was also identical to the third form of Flame Breathing.

But, Kanae found that she focused less on the individual moves and more on the entire dance itself. The way each move connected to each other so beautifully, and how they held so much power.

Sometimes, Tanjiro would perform multiple high speed twists and turns of his body that even Kanae had trouble keeping track of until she completely lost him.

Hinokami Kagura - Fake Rainbow

One second, Tanjiro was in one place. The next second, he was in another.

As Kanae enjoyed the show, she realized that these weren't just dance moves that she was seeing, they were all breathing/sword techniques. That's when she had an idea.


-Present-

"Um…You want me to show you the Hinokami Kagura Dance…with my sword?" Tanjiro asked, a bit confused at Kanae's request.

"Yes," she nodded, "I would also like you to explain each individual move that you do, if that's not too much trouble."

Tanjiro tilted his head. "I…I don't mean to be rude, I'm just…a little confused on what that has to do with-." Tanjiro didn't finish as Shinobu appeared in front of him with the rod of her sword to his neck.

"You dare question the teaching methods of a Hashira, demon?" Shinobu asked in a threatening voice which caused Tanjiro to shrink.

"Do you have any idea how lucky you are to receive instruction from my sister? There are dozens, no, hundreds of Demon Slayers who would kill to be in your position." Shinobu lowered her sword, allowing Tanjiro to exhale in relief.

"It's fine, sister." Kanae put a hand on her little sister's shoulder before looking at Tanjiro. "I understand that it's an odd request. I promise that everything will soon make sense, just…humor me, okay?"

Tanjiro looked at Kanae with a thoughtful look before smiling and drawing his sword. "Alright, I'll show you." He said before putting his sword above his head.


Hinokami Kagura - Flame Dance

Tanjiro performed the final form of Hinokami Kagura. "That was 'Flame Dance,' (Enbu) not to be confused with the first form, 'Dance.' (Also pronounced Enbu)" Tanjiro began explaining.

"It starts with a vertical slash and is immediately followed up with a horizontal slash. It took me a while to get that one without accidentally throwing my sword into the woods." Tanjiro admitted while scratching the back of his head.

Kanae put a hand on her chin, her suspicions confirmed. "Just as I thought, Hinokami Kagura is actually a series of simple but powerful sword techniques combined with an advanced breathing technique."

She looked at Shinobu who seemed both shocked and impressed, it was clear that she saw what Kanae saw as well.

Kanae looked at Tanjiro again and smiled. "Thank you, Tanjiro. All doubts I had are now gone." She said, confusing the poor boy again.

"Doubts…? About what?" He asked before Kanae picked up the wooden boards she brought and handed them to Shinobu.

"Shinobu, could you please hold these for me?" Kanae asked innocently.

"Of course, sister." Shinobu replied as the two sisters gave each other a look which confirmed that they were on the same page.

Tanjiro looked more and more confused as Shinobu took the boards from Kanae. Kanae then looked at her demon friend.

"Tanjiro, I want you to show me the first form of Hinokami Kagura again." Kanae stated.

Tanjiro stared back at Kanae before complying. "Uhhhh…okaaay…?" Tanjiro replied a bit hesitantly.

Tanjiro got into his stance and prepared to swing his sword before breathing in and exhaling hot air. As soon as Tanjiro began to move his arms down, Shinobu quickly threw three of the wooden boards into the path of Tanjiro's sword like shurikens.

Hinokami Kagura - Dance

Tanjiro swung his sword downward, not noticing the wooden boards in front of him until he cut right through them.

The boards were cut clean in half partly due to Shinobu's timing and accuracy, but it was Tanjiro who cut them.

The halved boards fell on the ground after Tanjiro completed his swing. He looked at the boards and observed his work.

"Uh…W-What just…happened…?" Tanjiro asked before looking to Kanae for an answer.

"Tanjiro, do you remember that night in Tanazawa where you fought that demon and used Hinokami Kagura?" Kanae asked with a serious expression.

"Oh, you saw that?" Tanjiro answered with a question to which Kanae nodded.

"Well, yeah, I do remember. I actually kind of thought that it was odd. I mean, why would I use a dance technique in a fight?" Tanjiro asked.

"That's just it," Kanae replied, "I don't think that was a dance technique you used that night."

Tanjiro tilted his head. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean…I think you used Hinokami Kagura as a sword technique." Kanae answered.

"You mean, I turned Hinokami Kagura…into a sword technique?" Tanjiro asked again.

"Maybe," Kanae replied, "But I think Hinokami Kagura is actually a breathing/sword technique disguised as a dance."

Tanjiro's eyes widened after hearing that. "A breathing/sword technique…Like Flower Breathing or Insect Breathing?"

Kanae nodded. "Exactly." Tanjiro then started pacing back and forth across the backyard.

"But…that can't be true, my father told me that dance has been a tradition in our family for generations, and not once did he say anything about it being a sword technique." Tanjiro stated.

This is when Shinobu stepped in. "Perhaps one of your ancestors was a Demon Slayer who used this technique?" Shinobu suggested.

"But that can't be it, either. All of my ancestors were charcoal merchants, our family records prove it." Tanjiro counterclaimed Shinobu's suggestion.

"Well, this IS just a theory. There's a chance that Hinokami Kagura is simply a dance that can apparently be used in battle. I'm just saying, with how much potential your dance has in battle, it can't be a coincidence." Kanae explained.

"But, that's enough of that. The important thing is, I've already deducted how each of your forms can be used in a fight." Kanae stated, earning Tanjiro's full attention.

"I've come up with multiple ways to help you turn Hinokami Kagura into a proper sword technique, starting with 'Dance' as you just saw." Kanae said while pointing to the sliced wooden boards.

"I WAS planning on teaching you Total Concentration Breathing, but it seems that there's no need. Although, I might be able to teach more advanced versions in the future." Kanae added.

"But for now, Shinobu and I will help you utilize Hinokami Kagura as a full-fledged sword technique. What do you say?" Kanae asked while smiling.

Tanjiro stared at the boards before looking back at Kanae with a determined smile. "Alright, where can I start?"


Tanjiro and Kanae stood across from each other, the latter holding five wooden boards. Kanae quickly threw each of the boards consecutively at Tanjiro from different directions.

Tanjiro swung his sword in a circular motion to cut them all before they reached him.

Hinokami Kagura - Burning Bones, Summer Sun

…He missed every single one…

Tanjiro fell back on his bottom and dropped his sword after each board hit its mark on his body and knocked him back. Tanjiro rubbed the places that were hit, one being the left cheek.

Kanae walked up to Tanjiro and offered to help him up with a smile which he returned before taking her hand.

"I noticed that Hinokami Kagura has some techniques that are similar or identical to some of the main five breathing techniques (Flame, Water, Stone, Wind, and Thunder), making it possibly the most versatile breathing/sword technique I've ever seen."

"However, since it is a dance, each movement used is always the same no matter what. I knew that that wouldn't work in a fight, especially one where you have to constantly change your approach and/or fighting style."

"This means that I have to teach Tanjiro to adjust his forms to fit almost any situation to unleash Hinokami Kagura's full potential."


"This was easier said than done…"

Tanjiro stood a few feet away from Shinobu, who held a wooden board upright in her hands.

"Okay, Tanjiro." Kanae instructed from the sidelines. "I want you to try to catch Shinobu and cut that board in half using whatever techniques you think will help."

Tanjiro nodded before Kanae called out. "Annnnnd…GO!" She exclaimed as Tanjiro ran at Shinobu.

Hinokami Kagura - Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance

Tanjiro swung his sword in a continuous slash as Shinobu jumped away. Tanjiro followed her, still swinging his sword around.

However, Kanae noticed his swings were getting more wild and out of control with each second. It wasn't long before the inevitable happened.

Tanjiro swung at Shinobu for the fifteenth time, leaning forward into the swing too much. This resulted in him losing his balance, his sword, and control over his breathing.

Tanjiro hopped on his left leg to regain balance before it tripped on a rock, causing him to fall face first in front of Shinobu who lowered the wooden board in one hand to face palm herself. Kanae was honestly contemplating doing the same.

Shinobu picked the boy up by his hair, lifting him so that they were face to face and glared at him. "If you were human and this were a real demon attack, you'd be dead by now." Shinobu stated before letting go of Tanjiro and letting his face fall back on the ground.


"The main problem was that Tanjiro was still a newbie when it came to swordsmanship. I haven't really taught him that much aside from basic swings."

"The other problem was that, according to Tanjiro, he had no fighting experience prior to becoming a demon. I had been informed that Yushiro trained Tanjiro in hand to hand combat, but even his skills in that department were decent at best."

"I could tell from the moment I met him that Tanjiro was not a born fighter. That said, there have been many strong warriors who weren't born fighters, including me and Shinobu who never even thought of violence before the death of our parents. That's why I don't want to give up on him."

It hadn't even been an hour since Tanjiro started his training, and it wasn't going well at all.

Tanjiro, who was covered in dirt and light bruises, got pelted in the face by two wooden boards after failing to use "Flame Dance" in time.

Kanae noticed that Tanjiro had been slowing down for the last half hour. Was he actually tired? That had to be impossible. He's a demon, they don't usually get tired, at least not so fast.

At Tanazawa, Tanjiro went through an entire afternoon of sword training without showing any sign of fatigue.

"Tanjiro, are you alright?" Kanae asked as Tanjiro looked at her while rubbing his bruised forehead. "You seem to be getting slower."

"Sorry, Kanae. I thought I could handle the side effects of Hinokami Kagura since I was a demon, but…" Tanjiro said, confusing Kanae.

"Side effects? What do you mean?" Kanae asked.

"The breathing technique used for Hinokami Kagura allows one to never get tired…but at the cost of the user's stamina. Every time I tried to use Hinokami Kagura as a human, I always ended up on the ground unable to move or breathe properly."

"The first time I was actually able to perform the full dance from sunset to sunrise left me bedridden for a week, and I still took breaks to catch my breath. Even doing it last night was taxing, it's a miracle I only collapsed on my knees. And I was only able to do it both times by pushing my body past its limits." Tanjiro admitted.

Kanae suddenly felt very guilty. She said to Tanjiro that she would train him roughly since he was a demon. But, she had to remember that he was also a boy.

Tanjiro was only thirteen years old, about the same age as Kanao. Kanao was able to endure the harsh training because she had lived a hard life but also because Kanae took it easy on her at first, slowly building up to the more advanced training which Kanao was doing well in.

Kanae couldn't expect anything greater or equal to that from Tanjiro, he was a child from a family of coal merchants. He wasn't some sort of prodigy or natural fighter, he was, by all other meanings of the word…human.

Kanae sighed and smiled at Tanjiro. "I'm sorry, Tanjiro. Maybe I pushed you a bit too far. Let's take a break and then just focus on regular swordsmanship." She suggested.

Tanjiro looked like he was about to say he was fine but instead breathed a sigh of relief before sitting down on the ground, his sword in his right hand. "That sounds like a plan…"


-Later-

Tanjiro was back in his white pajamas and washed his face in the backyard pond while Kanae washed his hakama. As she did, she thought about Tanjiro's training.

Despite it ending abruptly due to physical fatigue, it still yielded some results.

Tanjiro understood what he had to do, it would just take a while for him to master. Kanae estimated that it would take at least six to nine months of training before Tanjiro even became Tsuchi-noto level (5th Rank in the DSC).

She also knew Tanjiro couldn't perform the Hinokami Kagura technique consecutively too many times or else his body would start to wear out.

Tanjiro told her that back when he was human, he could barely use two techniques without becoming immobile if he lost control of his breathing, which happened quite often.

Fortunately, his stamina greatly improved after becoming a demon, allowing him to use Hinokami Kagura. Kanae remembered that Tanjiro began to slow down after using Hinokami Kagura eight times at the start of training, she assumed that that must be his limit. But it seemed that he could recover if given time to relax.

However, that would put Tanjiro at a disadvantage against a stronger opponent who wouldn't give him a second to rest and he might have to rely on his Blood Demon Art. Perhaps, Kanae would have to teach the boy Total Concentration after all.

Maybe learning Total Concentration would help increase Tanjiro's stamina, allowing him to use Hinokami Kagura without worrying about the side effects.

But, that was easier said than done. It took both her and Shinobu almost a year to master Total Concentration which could also put strain on the body if done incorrectly.

Not to mention the extra months it took to learn Total Concentration Constant and Recovery Breathing. And before Tanjiro could even begin learning, he had to improve his swordsmanship.

The disastrous training that morning was her fault, she knew well that it was never a good idea for an inexperienced swordsman to pick up a breathing technique. Yet, she tried to force Tanjiro into mastering a technique that she knew little to nothing about.

On top of that, Tanjiro had poor reaction time which was a shame given how sharp his nose is. Not to mention that he was still a child and had yet to fully mature.

Yep, they had a lot of work to do…Both of them.


Tanjiro Kamado

- A Few Hours Later-

Tanjiro's body had recovered from his fatigue after only half an hour. It was nearly noon as Tanjiro was practicing his regular swordsmanship after his training with Hinokami Kagura didn't go as well as he expected.

"I have to get stronger so I can use both Hinokami Kagura and Sun Conqueror without worrying about my body wearing down." Tanjiro said in his head as he practiced his sword swings.

He brought his sword up and down and up and down, he was to do this one thousand times everyday until his form was perfect.

If he wanted to learn to use Hinokami Kagura in battle, he had to learn and master the regular sword techniques.

Tanjiro was still a complete amateur in swordsmanship, the fact that the color of his sword hadn't changed yet was proof of this.

Kanae told Tanjiro about Nichirin Swords. Not only did their metal absorb sunlight which was what allowed a Demon Slayer to kill demons, but they were also known as "Color-changing Swords."

When a swordsman or woman reached a certain level of sword mastery unique to each person, their Nichirin Sword would change color to reveal which Total Concentration Breathing technique suited them best.

For example, a light pink color meant you were suited to use Flower Breathing. A lavender-blue color made you a natural user of Insect Breathing.

Blue signified Water Breathing, red signified Flame Breathing, green signified Wind Breathing, etc.

One could also invent a new breathing technique which would cause your blade to change colors again.

If your sword hadn't changed color, it meant your skills as a swordsman were still lackluster and you should probably refrain from learning any breathing techniques until your swordsmanship was at the appropriate level.

Tanjiro got lucky with those two demons in Tanazawa who clearly underestimated him. If they fought hard from the start and broke his sword or something, he wasn't sure if even Sun Conqueror would've helped him as his body was already tired then. Those kids most likely would've died.

Once again, Tanjiro had to acknowledge the benefits of being a demon as he swung his sword. If he was human, his arms would've fallen off by now. But as a demon, this was nothing.

Of course, the problem with the task being too easy was that Tanjiro would start to daydream once he got comfortable with swinging the sword.

Tanjiro thought about ways he could utilize his abilities without wasting his energy as he slowly began to drop out of form.

"Tanjiro." Kanae called out, snapping Tanjiro back to reality. "You really shouldn't lose focus while practicing, I'm afraid I'll have to add another five hundred swings."

"Huh!? Five hundred!? But I'm only at…I…I'm at…uh." Tanjiro replied before realizing something too late.

Kanae still smiled at him. "You stopped counting, didn't you?" She asked.

Tanjiro lowered his head in shame. "Yes…"

Kanae sighed. "Then you'll have to start over…and do one thousand and five hundred swings." Kanae said as Tanjiro nodded solemnly.

"Yes, ma'am…" Tanjiro replied before resuming his stance and continuing his swinging from one. This time, he decided to count out loud.


-An Hour Later-

Tanjiro finished swinging his sword and stopped for a lunch break. He sat outside on the back porch of the Safehouse and enjoyed one of the bento lunch boxes that Kanae bought.

Kanae sat next to the boy as she ate from her own bento box. She even convinced Shinobu to eat with them, even if she sat as far away from the demon as possible.

Tanjiro and Kanae chatted about sword tips and possible training regimens. Shinobu added the occasional comment but mostly kept to herself.

As they finished eating, they saw crow land in front of them. "CAW! The boxes for demons, Tamayo and Yushiro, have arrived! The arm-strapped boxes have arrived! CAW!" The crow yelled, causing Tanjiro to give a disturbed look at the bird.

"Well, it's about time." Shinobu said before getting up and putting her hands together. "Thank you for the meal."

Tanjiro and Kanae did the same and followed Shinobu to the front of the house. Kanae walked out first and was followed by Tanjiro until Shinobu grabbed his collar and yanked him back, causing him to choke.

"Stay." She ordered, glaring at him. "The last thing we need is some Kakushi accidently blabbing out about a demon walking in sunlight."

Shinobu said nothing more before turning around and leaving out the front door. Tanjiro followed orders and waited.

After a few minutes, the two Hashira came back with two wooden boxes with shoulder straps on their backs.

"So, how do we look?" Kanae asked.

"Great!" Tanjiro answered with a shut-eye smile, earning an eye roll from Shinobu.

"Let's just grab Tamayo and Yushiro so we can get moving." Shinobu said. "I'll inform Yushiro while you two fetch Tamayo."

"Sounds like a plan!" Kanae agreed while Tanjiro nodded.


Sakaecho, Tachikawa

Tanjiro and Kanae walked up to another small building with the Wisteria Family Crest. They were greeted by the staff and guided inside to the lab where Tamayo was.

They found her mixing multiple samples of demon blood when she heard the door open and turned to see Tanjiro and Kanae.

The older woman greeted them with a smile. "Hello, Tanjiro. I'm happy to see you up and about again. You had us worried there for a bit." She stated.

Tanjiro felt a hint of guilt. "I'm very sorry, Miss Tamayo. But, I promise that it was an emergency." Tanjiro swore as Tamayo kept smiling.

"I know, Lady Kanae told me how you protected those children. You should be proud, Tanjiro." She said, earning a flustered smile from Tanjiro.

"Thank you, Miss Tamayo!" Tanjiro exclaimed with joy.

Tamayo nodded before noticing the box on Kanae's back. "Ah! So they've finally arrived. Good, we should be able to get to Asakusa in no time, then." Tamayo said, pleased.

Kanae took the box off of her back and placed it in front of the older demon. "That's correct, that's why we'd better get moving." She said back as Tamayo nodded.

Nothing could've prepared Tanjiro for what came next. Tamayo looked focused before her body began to shrink. She continued shrinking until she was but a child half of Tanjiro's size.

". . . . . . . . . . . . . ." Tanjiro said nothing, mostly because he had nothing to say. His mouth hung open as his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

The short Tamayo looked at Tanjiro. "Ah yes, I forgot to tell you that demons can change their appearance, didn't I? Well, now you know." Tamayo said with a voice that belonged to a small girl.

Tanjiro was still dumbfounded as he closed his mouth. "Um…yeah…" Tanjiro replied as Tamayo stepped into the box and Kanae closed the door.

Kanae put her arms back through the straps and carried the box on her back. "Alright, time to meet up with Shinobu!" She announced as she began walking out of the house, followed by an astounded Tanjiro.


-Many Hours Later-

Koganei

It was now around midnight when the group finally reached the village of Koganei. Tamayo and Yushiro had been let out of their boxes to walk beside them.

Tanjiro had the viewing pleasure of seeing a small Yushiro and Tamayo, it took almost every ounce of politeness in his being not to say anything.

It wasn't long before the two demons were their original sizes again. Kanae and Shinobu didn't seem tired yet, so everyone unanimously agreed to keep moving.

But, they did have a quick break for dinner. The two Hashira and Tanjiro went to a small ramen restaurant while Tamayo and Yushiro stood by.

Tanjiro had two bowls of Shoyu ramen while Kanae and Shinobu had Miso ramen. After thanking the shopkeeper, the group moved out again.

As they walked in the streets of Koganei, Tanjiro noticed a strong smell coming closer. It didn't smell like a demon, nor did he smell danger. But, he felt uneasy.

"Tanjiro, hide." Kanae said out of nowhere, looking at him with a serious expression.

"Huh, why? What's-?" Tanjiro was interrupted when Yushiro slapped a talisman onto Tanjiro's forehead.

"This talisman will hide your body. Go find an alley and don't make a sound." Yushiro instructed the confused Tanjiro.

"W-Wait a minute, what's happening!?" Tanjiro asked before being pushed out of the way by Shinobu before he completely disappeared.

"There's a Hashira coming, numbskull. Now shut up and hide, already." Shinobu ordered him.

After hearing that, Tanjiro ran back towards the nearest alley and hid behind it while viewing the backs of his travel partners walking forward before stopping.

Tanjiro saw someone in front of them, but their features were hidden by all of the people walking by. Tanjiro was then able to get a good look at the stranger and his eyes widened.

"That's…That's Mister-!"


"Giyu! How have you been?" Kanae greeted the Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka.

Shinobu Kocho

Tomioka stared blankly at Kanae. "Fine…" He said before going silent.

He then looked at Shinobu who glared at him. "Shinobu…" He said to her in that same monotone voice.

"Tomioka." She replied before giving a sneer at him. "I assume you still haven't made any friends yet?"

"Sister!" Kanae scolded the Insect Hashira before Tomioka made his comeback.

"And it seems that you still haven't had your growth spurt yet." He shot back, resulting in a tick mark on Shinobu's head.

"You son of a-!" Shinobu was about to curse out her fellow Hashira when she heard a stifled laughter behind her.

She turned her head to see Yushiro chuckling silently while Tamayo and Kanae turned their heads away, their bodies shaking thanks to their held laughter.

Shinobu glared at all of them before sighing and looking back at Tomioka, whom she swore was just smirking at her.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked impatiently.

"I'm just coming back from a mission in Koshigaya in the Saitama Prefecture. Now I'm on my way to Okutama." Tomioka answered.

"Okutama?" Kanae asked after recomposing herself. "Is there a demon there?"

Shinobu knew that Okutama was where Kamado lived, specifically, on Mt. Kumotori.

"Not exactly, it's a…personal matter." The Water Hashira said with a slight hesitation.

"'Personal?' What does that mean?" Shinobu asked, a little suspicious.

Tomioka looked at her with his usual blank look. "Simple. 'Personal' means that it's none of your business. Goodbye." He said before walking past a very pissed off Shinobu.

He turned his attention to Tamayo and Yushiro. "You must be Tamayo, Master Ubuyashiki told us about your collaboration with the corps."

Tamayo nodded. "A pleasure to meet you, Lord Tomioka. I hope that we can work together in the future."

Tomioka returned the nod before walking off towards the direction they came. Then suddenly, he came to a stop.

He turned his head to his right towards a dark alley and stared at it for a while. Kanae called out to him.

"Giyu, are you alright?" She asked, clearly trying to take his attention away from a certain somebody.

Tomioka looked forward again. "Yes…just thought someone was watching me is all. I'll see you around." He then continued walking.

"Okay! Bye! And if you ever get injured, you're always welcome at the Butterfly Mansion!" Kanae yelled happily while waving.

"THE HELL HE IS!" Shinobu yelled at Kanae who laughed nervously.

After Tomioka was out of sight, the group waited a few minutes to be sure.

"Tanjiro, you can remove the talisman now." Yushiro called out. Soon, a shaken Tanjiro stepped out.

"That was scary…I thought he might've heard me or something…" He said before looking at the direction that Tomioka went and smiled.

"Tanjiro, why are you smiling? Do you know that man?" Tamayo asked. Tanjiro turned around and nodded, catching everyone's attention.

"He's the one who 'killed' me."


Giyu Tomioka

-Two Days Later, Afternoon-

Mt. Kumotori

Giyu walked up the mountain, hiking through multiple trees before finding a campsite where a group of Demon Slayers were sitting by a campfire.

Giyu made a request to Master Ubuyashiki to deploy more Demon Slayers around Mt. Kumotori, at least until it was confirmed that they would be safe in which Giyu alone would check in on them. He told Ubuyashiki the full story of what happened.

For some odd reason, the master seemed amused upon hearing Tanjiro's name. But, he agreed to Giyu's request before Giyu showed his gratitude.

One of the slayers, a young man with brown eyes and black bangs, noticed Tomioka and notified his fellow swordsmen who all stood up and bowed.

"Lord Tomioka, it is a pleasure to have you here." Said the eldest of the slayers, another young man with blue eyes with a scar over the left and combed black hair.

Giyu nodded. "Status report on the Kamado family." He said with a blank face as another Demon Slayer nodded in response.

This one was female and had pink eyes and a black ponytail. "Sir! There have been no sightings of demons anywhere near the mountain or the Kamado household."

"There are four other Demon Slayer camps spread out across the mountain, along with multiple Kasugai Crows surveying the area, prepared to alert us if any demon shows up." She finished.

Giyu nodded again. "Good job, thank you for all of your hard work. I understand that this is all very odd. All this security for one family." He addressed all of the present swordsmen.

"We understand, Lord Tomioka." The first Demon Slayer stated. "When it comes to demon attacks, there is no such thing as 'too careful.' We must always be prepared for lightning to strike twice."

The others nodded in agreement, causing Giyu to look at all of them. "I can't believe how selfish I'm being." He thought.

"These guys might die protecting this family, and they have no idea that they're doing this for a promise I made…and for a demon of all things."

"That said…" Giyu remembered that fateful day which happened not even four weeks ago.

"If…you can, please…watch over…m-my family…I don't know…if the d-demon who turned me…will come back."

"That boy was anything but a demon. He seemed to have full control over his demonic desires. Sometimes…I can't help but wonder…what if…?"

"What if I gave him and his sister time to explain? What if he dodged my blade and was given a chance to prove himself? What if I had just let him go…?"

Giyu then remembered the words of Tanjiro's little sister, Nezuko…

"DAMN YOU ! ! ! You had NO RIGHT ! ! ! You hear me!? NO, RIGHT ! ! !"

"Was she right?" He wondered. "Did I actually slay another demon that day? Or did I ruthlessly murder an innocent person…?"

"Lord Tomioka?" Giyu was snapped back to reality as one of the Demon Slayers called his name. The swordsmen and women all had looks of concern. "Are you okay? You seemed to zone out for a bit."

Giyu recomposed himself and nodded. "I'm fine. I was just lost in thought." He said before turning around and walking away from the camp.

"I'm gonna head to the Kamado house, stay here until further orders." Giyu said to his subordinates.

"Yes, sir!" They responded.


As Giyu neared the household, he managed to clear his thoughts. "I can't keep doubting myself like this, I did what I had to. There was no other way…I'm sure of it…"

The Water Hashira finally made it to the entrance of the mountain path, the house in full view. This was his first time directly visiting the house.

The area consisted of a very humble cabin with a log for chopping wood next to it, a storage place for charcoal, some buckets for water, and two lumps of dirt, one with fresh flowers and incense burning.

In front of the grave was a little girl on her knees, praying. Giyu had gotten some information on the Kamado family and assumed that this was the youngest daughter, Hanako.

Hanako lifted her head and looked at Giyu, likely hearing his footsteps in the snow. She got up and brushed the snow off of her knees, and walked towards him. Giyu softened his gaze so as to not scare the little girl.

"Hello, mister." Hanako greeted the swordsman. "Is there something you need?"

Tomioka got on one knee so he was nearly eye-level with the girl. "No, I just arrived here and heard what happened. I wanted to give my…condolences." Giyu said, nodding to the graves, one of which he assumed were for Tanjiro.

Hanako looked where he looked and frowned before looking at the ground. "…Thank you…We appreciate it…." Hanako replied solemnly.

Giyu held out his hand as if to pat Hanako's head. Seeing no resistance, he placed his head on her hand. "I'm very sorry…I actually know what it's like to lose a sibling to this cruel world, so you're not alone." Giyu admitted.

Hanako looked up at the older man in surprise. "Really?" She asked, to which Giyu nodded sadly. Hanako also looked sad. "I'm very sorry…"

"Don't worry about it, it was a long time ago. It's hard to lose your loved ones…but it's important to stay strong for the people around you." Giyu stated.

"What would your brother think if he knew that you were sad without him? Do you think he'd be able to rest in peace?" He asked as Hanako looked down.

"N-No…I guess not…" She answered.

"Exactly, we have to try to be happy despite our losses…otherwise, they won't be happy either." Giyu said before feeling guilty.

"Yeah, like I'm one to talk…" Giyu said in his head, knowing fully well that he was almost never happy these days.

Fortunately, it seemed to cheer Hanako up as she gave a small smile. "You're right, mister! I'll do that!" She exclaimed.

Giyu almost felt himself give a smile of his own before…

"Hanako, get away from that man." Hanako jumped at the sound of a voice behind Giyu. They both looked towards the source and they immediately recognized its owner.

It was an older girl with an empty basket on her back who wore a pink, hemp-leaf patterned kimono along with a dark brown haori over it. Her kimono was secured by a red and white hanhaba obi with an orange-threaded obijime and a green obiage.

The girl had two changes to her appearance. One was the small, green and black checkered cloth tied around her right wrist…and the two hanafuda earrings dangling from her ears.

Nezuko Kamado, the newest head of the Kamado Clan.

"Big sis! You're back!" Hanako yelled before running to hug her older sister who dropped her basket and crouched to hug her back.

Giyu got back on his feet and turned to face the two girls. Nezuko then broke the hug and held Hanako's shoulders with concern.

"Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Nezuko asked, her worry clear in her voice.

Hanako shook her head. "No, we were just talking." She explained, earning a sigh of relief from Nezuko.

"Look, how about you head inside, Hanako? I'll read you a story later, okay?" Nezuko said with a warm smile on her face.

Hanako seemed a little hesitant, but made up her mind at the mention of "a story." "Okay!" She said before heading back inside, but not before bowing to Giyu.

"Nice to meet you, mister…uh…" Hanako scratched her head.

"Tomioka, Giyu Tomioka. It was nice to meet you too." He replied with a slight upward twitch of his lips..

Hanako nodded and ran inside the house, leaving Giyu and Nezuko alone.

Nezuko's kind demeanor was gone almost immediately. In its place, a hateful glare of grief and burning anger. One that Giyu was all too familiar with, it was the same one that many swordsmen held after losing their loved ones to demons…or in this case, a Demon Slayer.

He himself had that same look…when his older sister died protecting him from a demon.

Giyu knew that Nezuko wanted to attack him, to make him suffer for what he did. He could feel the murderous rage coming from her, maybe not actually "murderous" but it was similar enough. Yet she held back, probably not wanting to stoop so low.

Either way, they both knew that she wouldn't be able to touch him if she tried. This girl was smarter than Giyu thought.

"So, you've already become the new head of your family." Giyu stated, trying to break the ice. But, that only made Nezuko's glare harden even more.

"Yes," she replied. "I suppose I have YOU to thank for that, huh?"

Giyu had nothing to say to that, so Nezuko continued. "What are you doing here? Do you honestly think you're welcome here after what you did?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, but there was no other way. If I had let your brother live, he would've suffered. I've seen people destroy themselves trying to cling onto their humanity, what I did was mercy." Giyu tried to justify his actions, even if it was more for himself than for Nezuko who scoffed.

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night." Nezuko responded.

"…I made a promise to him…to protect you." Giyu stated.

"Oh…did you?" Nezuko asked, her face slowly becoming more sad than angry.

"He asked me to watch over you in case you were ever attacked by another demon. I intend to keep that promise to make up for what I did." Giyu stated.

"So…you regret what you did, then?" Nezuko asked, a slight twinkle of hope I'm her eyes.

Giyu guessed that despite her words when they first met, Nezuko wanted to forgive him, because she knew that's what her brother would want.

Saying that he genuinely regretted what he did would likely make it easier to forgive him. But, Giyu was not a liar.

"I never said that." He said as Nezuko's glare hardened again. And just like that, any chance of her forgiving him went straight out the window.

"I see…then why would you go so far to grant the wish of a 'demon?'" She asked coldly.

"…Before he died…I saw your brother's true nature. He was completely different from any demon I've ever met. Not only did he hang on to his humanity to the bitter end, he also made me do something l swore I'd never do." Giyu answered.

"And what's that?" Nezuko asked with more curiosity in her tone.

"I told him my name." Giyu answered again, earning a raised eyebrow from Nezuko.

"I don't ever tell demons my name. Names are things that must never be shared with an enemy." Giyu explained. "But…I didn't see you brother as an enemy."

This caught Nezuko's attention as her eyes widened.

"Every demon I killed gave me a look similar to the one you gave me, a look of pure hate. When your brother looked at me, there was no hate or anger in his eyes."

"It was amazing, I just ended the kid's life and he bore no ill will towards me. In fact, he actually looked more relieved than sad."

"My guess was that he knew that he might hurt someone if he continued to live as a demon, he would obviously never forgive himself if that happened. That's why he accepted his fate."

Nezuko looked down and clenched her fists, her lips starting to quiver as shadows covered her eyes.

"I know you're furious at me, and you have every right to be. But you know I'm right when I say that there was no other way. If I didn't kill Tanjiro, he would've only suffer-."

"Shut up…" Nezuko interrupted the Water Hashira. His face betrayed no emotion, but he couldn't help but be shocked by the girl's boldness.

However, he WASN'T shocked when she walked up to him, looked him straight in the eye, and slapped him in the face.

Giyu could've easily dodged, but he simply stood there and took it, wanting to let the girl let out her frustrations on him. There was now a red handprint on his face.

"Don't…say his name in front of me again…" Nezuko said, looking down again while trying to keep her voice low. "'Furious'…doesn't even begin to describe my feelings towards you…"

"You took away my brother before you even gave us a chance to prove his innocence…I didn't even get to say goodbye, and you say there was no…other…way."

Nezuko looked up at the swordsman. "I'll say it again…I hate you…If you think I will ever forgive you, don't hold your breath. Don't talk to me or the rest of my family, you are NOT welcome here." Nezuko glared at Giyu, who stared at the girl silently.

"Nezuko, that's enough." Giyu heard another familiar voice and turned around. At the entrance to her house, Kie Kamado stood.

She looked at Giyu with a mixed expression before looking at Nezuko with a sad smile. "Why don't you go ahead and start the bath? I'll handle our guest here, okay?"

Nezuko looked down and frowned. "Yes, mother. Sorry…" She said before heading towards the wooden buckets Giyu saw earlier and walked off in another direction with them.

Now, Tomioka was left alone with Kie. After a moment of staring at each other in silence, Kie spoke first.

"I'm very sorry about Nezuko, I promise that she wasn't always like this. Losing Tanjiro…really did a number on us…" Kie hesitated upon mentioning her late son.

"There's no need to apologize, miss." Giyu responded. "She has every right to be angry at her brother's killer…"

Kie made no reaction to that comment. "Well, not only that, but she's a little on edge because she was unable to fully perform the Hinokami Kagura." She stated.

"Hinokami Kagura?" Giyu repeated, confused.

"It's a special dance performed by the head of our clan to the Fire God at the end of each year from sunset to sunrise near the top of the mountain for protection against threats and disease." Kie explained.

Giyu hid his surprise again. Dancing from sunset to sunrise outside in the winter on top of a mountain, the amount of air you'd have to intake would freeze your lungs after just one hour, maybe less. He was unsure if he could even accomplish something like that, let alone a young girl.

"I know what you're thinking. Dancing outside for an entire night in winter should be impossible, right? Well, I won't tell you but…we have our ways." Kie explained again, clearly stating that she would go into no further detail.

"Nezuko tried very hard, but it was nearly impossible for her. She kept messing up techniques, tripping, losing her grip on the sword she's supposed to hold." She looked down as she told the story.

"She kept having to take breaks because her body became exhausted way too fast. She was distracted by her brother's death which is why I asked her to wait until she's had some time to mourn but…We Kamados are very persistent."

"Every time she had to take a break, she cursed herself out and begged Hinokami for forgiveness before starting again."

"By the time the sun came, I had to carry Nezuko back inside after she collapsed face first into the snow. She was bedridden for four days straight."

"Nezuko was better at performing each form of the kagura individually, even better than her brother. But, when it came to putting the dances all together, Tanjiro had the edge." Kie finished before looking up at the swordsman.

"Don't misunderstand, Nezuko wants to forgive you…She simply can't bring herself to do it right now, and that's made her feel guilty."

"Tanjiro was a very forgiving person, in fact, he rarely got mad at someone unless they were hurting an innocent person. Even then, he held nothing against people like those as long as they apologized. Nezuko, on the other hand…" Kie looked down again.

"She has a big heart and is very sympathetic and caring to others, but she always found it hard to forgive someone who hurt others, especially her family."

"While Tanjiro was more willing to forgive and forget, Nezuko would not be as easy to please." Kie smirked as if remembering something.

She then looked up at Giyu again, her smirk replaced with a slight glare. "To be honest, I don't forgive you either. I understand that Tanjiro… c-couldn't be allowed to…live as a…demon." Kie's voice became shaky as she struggled to get through that sentence.

"But even so, I just can't forgive what you did…I'm very sorry." She bowed.

"I understand, like I said, your daughter had every right to be mad…and so do you. And…for what it's worth…I truly am sorry." Giyu returned the apology as Kie raised her head, her glare remaining.

"I know, which is why I'm letting you off with this." She said while walking towards the Water Hashira until she was right in front of him.

"Another slap?" Giyu thought before Kie looked up at the sky.

"The sun has almost set, I wonder what the stars will look like." She thought out loud as Giyu looked up with her, knowing full well he was walking into a trap.

What he didn't know was that Kie was about to grab him by the shoulders and smash her forehead into his, which she did.

Tomioka stumbled backwards and fell forward on one knee, dazed by the sudden headbutt. He was definitely going to get a serious headache later.

Kie then crouched beside him and handed him a cloth to clean the blood falling from his forehead. "You might want to wrap your head in bandages, there's a slight chance that you have a concussion."

Giyu took the cloth and held his head with it to stop the bleeding as Kie kept talking.

"You want to make it up to us? Protect my family and make sure this incident never happens again. Only then, will I forgive you. Can you promise me that?" She asked.

Giyu stared at her with a blank look once again. "You have my word, I'll make sure your family is safe. I swear my life on it."

Kie nodded and stood back up. "Good, thank you. But, I understand that you can't always be here. I don't know much about demons or 'Demon Slayers,' but I assume that you can't stay here forever."

Giyu nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid so. There are thousands of other people who could be attacked by a demon, but I will visit often. In the meantime, I've got some of my comrades to watch over you." He assured the woman as he got back on his feet.

"I see. Once again, thank you." Kie bowed her head before walking away. She was about to enter the house when she stopped and turned her head to Giyu with shadow-covered eyes and quivering lips.

"You're absolutely sure that there was no other way…?" Kie asked.

Giyu stared at her with a softened gaze. "Yes…" He answered. After a moment, Kie nodded and walked inside. Giyu was barely able to see the single tear falling from her left eye.

After another moment of silence, Giyu walked towards Tanjiro's "grave" and kneeled down.

"You had a good family, Tanjiro Kamado. It's clear that they loved you very much. I swear…I'll protect them with my life to make up for ending yours." Giyu swore in his head.

He put his hands together and prayed for the poor boy. After that, he got up, still holding the cloth to his head and walked back down the mountain back to camp as night came.


Shinobu

-Two Days Later, Night-

Shinjuku

The three demons and their Hashira escorts had just made it to Shinjuku, a series of villages and towns.

They all stood in the middle of the streets, none of them noticing the newest development.

"Alright, everyone." Shinobu called out. "It's easy to get lost in a place like this so stay close."

Shinobu turned her head back. "You got that Kama-…Kamado?" Shinobu only saw Yushiro, Tamayo, and an imaginary blinking outline of the third demon.

She turned her gaze to Yushiro, trying to keep her calm. "…Where's Kamado?" She asked, earning a confused look from both demons.

"What are you talking about? He's right…here…" Yushiro and Tamayo looked to their left to see no one there.

They both simultaneously gasped as their faces turned white. Kanae also gasped upon the realization.

A tick mark appeared on Shinobu's head as she grit her teeth and then yelled out. "SON OF A-!"


Tanjiro

To say Tanjiro was overwhelmed would be the understatement of the century.

The young demon's eyes bulged out of his head, his mouth hung open as he was completely paralyzed.

Shinjuku was one of the more modern locations in Japan, the entire village was filled with so many lights that one might've thought it was still daytime.

He got separated from the group a while ago as every step he took had him end up in a completely different area.

Tanjiro walked through multiple streets with his head down low, he looked like someone recovering from a hangover.

"…so…bright…" Tanjiro thought as he began to feel dizzy. "…so…many…people…"

The poor boy was clearly out of his element here, being from a simple cabin in the mountains, and ran into the nearest dark alley for refuge. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll just hide here until the others find me…" Tanjiro thought before hearing a "chu" sound to his right. "What's that sound?"

Tanjiro turned his head to the darker part of the alley and saw a couple making out with each other, completely unaware of the boy's presence.

Tanjiro's face turned bright red as he backed out of the alley. "Gah! I-I'm really sorry! I d-didn't mean to interrupt! Please don't mind me, I was just leaving!" Tanjiro turned around and ran as fast as he could.

Suddenly, the loud noises and brightness started to get to him. Everywhere he went, he got more and more lost. Everyone kept giving him weird looks which did not help. Soon, Tanjiro began to feel his demon side being affected as well as he found it really hard to calm down.

"I gotta get out of here! I'm starting to lose it again!" Tanjiro thought in panic.


Tanjiro ran all the way to a park in the town. He sat on a bench and let his head hang down.

"Ahhhh…Fresh air…" Tanjiro sighed, relieved to finally be out of the hundreds of bright lights.

"I was so excited to explore Japan, but I didn't think it would be so…different from my home. I can only imagine the amount of coal I'd have to sell to live here…" Tanjiro thought out loud.

Tanjiro tried to keep his mind occupied with other thoughts as he regained his composure.

"We've almost made it to Asakusa. Once we arrive there and get everything settled, I'll soon receive orders from Ubuyashiki and go with Kanae on my first mission as a Demon Slayer in training." Tanjiro began to summarize the next few months.

"I'll go on multiple missions with Kanae supervising me, so there's a good chance she'll have me fight on my own unless I really need help. Once she thinks I'm ready, I'll become an official Demon Slayer."

"I've been training at every chance I get. I practiced my normal sword swings, they've slowly been getting better. Kanae said she wants to teach me disarming techniques in case I encounter a hostile Demon Slayer or a demon with a weapon which is less likely."

Tanjiro unsheathed his sword to see that it was still its normal metallic color. "I'm still not skilled enough to change the color of my sword. My swordsmanship is still below average at best. Hinokami Kagura training isn't any better. Actually, I'm way worse off in that category." He resheathed the blade and sighed.

"I can only use Hinokami Kagura techniques eight times at full strength. If I go any further, my body starts to get weaker, making it much harder to train."

"I can't even train myself in using my Blood Demon Art, which drains me even faster than Hinokami Kagura. God forbid I have to use both in a fight again."

"Can I really do it? Can I protect other people with my power? What if I mess up, what if I'm too slow or too weak, what if…?"

Tanjiro took out the picture of his family from his pocket, he stared sadly at it. "What if I lose control and hurt someone again…?"

"THERE YOU ARE!" Tanjiro jumped as he heard a familiar voice, fumbling the picture before someone else caught it between their fingers.

Tanjiro looked to see Shinobu standing in front of him with one hand on her hip and the other holding his picture.

She gave the boy a glare that sent a chill throughout his entire body. "M-Miss Shinobu, I-!" Tanjiro said while shaking.

"SHUT IT!" Shinobu interrupted Tanjiro. "We've been looking for you FOR OVER AN HOUR!"

"I-I'm sorry! I just got lost and with all the bright lights and crowds, I guess I got turned around!"

Shinobu facepalmed with her free hand. "Damn it! You are by far the most IRRITATING demon I've EVER MET! I think I'd actually PREFER you trying to eat me, CAUSE AT LEAST THEN YOU'D BE LESS LIKELY TO GIVE ME A HEADACHE!"

After a moment of silence, Tanjiro lowered his head. "I'm really sorry…I know that you'd rather be doing anything else than babysitting a demon. Ever since we met, all I've smelled from you was anger and hatred. It's directed towards me, right? Because I'm a demon?" Tanjiro asked, hearing no response.

"I know you hate me for what I am…demons took away your family, it's only natural that you don't trust me. Hell, sometimes I don't even trust myself…"

"I'm sorry I'm such a burden. You're right, I can understand how I'd be irritating. I pass out after almost every fight, I have multiple demonic episodes and create commotions, and I get frustrated over the dumbest things."

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you and Kanae…I'm sorry you both have to deal with me."

"Is this your family?" Tanjiro heard Shinobu speak as he looked up to see her looking at the photo of his family.

She turned it for Tanjiro to see. "Y-Yes, that's the picture we took before my dad died." He answered.

Shinobu turned it over again to look at it. "You seem really happy." She said as Tanjiro picked up a scent of…sympathy?

Shinobu turned it once again and pointed to Tanjiro in the photo. "This is you, right?" She asked as Tanjiro nodded.

He looked at his old self, smiling wide while kneeling in the snow with his siblings by his sides and his parents crouching above them.

"I've been thinking…" Shinobu said as Tanjiro looked up at her. "This whole time, I thought you were just another lying, piece of shit demon."

"…language…" Tanjiro said quietly.

"Huh?" Shinobu glared again.

"…nothing…" Tanjiro replied as he moved his pupils to the left.

Shinobu sighed. "Anyway, after seeing how much Kanae seems to enjoy your company, and hearing that Tomioka of all people, a guy who probably hates demons more than I do, saw the humanity in you…I couldn't help but wonder if I was…wrong."

Tanjiro's eyes widened. "And so, I've decided to give you a chance and not kill you." Shinobu stated before smirking at the boy. "Congratulations, Kamado. You're off my shit-list."

Tanjiro blinked. "Uhhh…thanks…?" He said, having no idea what to say to that. Shinobu didn't seem to appreciate it.

"'Thanks?' That's it? I give you my word that I won't kill you and all I get is 'thanks?' Good grief, Kamado, you really are something else." Shinobu said while raising a hand to hold her forehead.

"Well, whatever, I guess it doesn't really matter. Come on, get up." Shinobu offered her hand to Tanjiro, who, after a moment of confusion, hesitantly took it and got up.

Shinobu faced away from Tanjiro and put her foot shoulder-length apart, telling Tanjiro to do the same. Tanjiro did as told and mimicked Shinobu's stance.

"Alright, now take a deep breath. You can do that much, right?" Shinobu asked as she glanced at the boy who nodded.

"Yes, but what-?" Tanjiro asked before being interrupted.

"Save your questions for later, now breathe." Shinobu ordered. Tanjiro decided to give up and do what Shinobu told him.

Tanjiro closed his eyes and inhaled deeply and exhaled. . . . . . . . . . . . Before being knocked onto the floor by a leg sweep.

Tanjiro hit his head on the ground and sat up before looking up at the Insect Hashira. "M-Miss Shinobu, w-what was that for!?" He asked, feeling a little betrayed.

Shinobu looked down at the boy. "First off, I didn't kick you that hard, man up." She stated. "And second, you didn't brace your legs. Try again, but brace your lower body this time."

"And you couldn't have told me that before!?" Tanjiro said in his head before calming down and trying again.

He inhaled with his body braces and exhaled again before…

"Too stiff!" Shinobu chopped Tanjiro's right shoulder, causing his body to lock up as he felt the pain spread to his lungs.

"You have to keep your upper body relaxed, as well your lower body embraced." She stated. Tanjiro gritted his teeth in frustration before trying again.

This time, Tanjiro braced his lower body while relaxing his upper body. Then he inhaled and exhaled again, not noticing that he relaxed his stomach, earning an immediate roundhouse kick from Shinobu.

Tanjiro fell on his knees while holding his stomach. "You stopped bracing your stomach upon exhaling. I've noticed that you do the same thing when using that Hinokami Kagura of yours." Shinobu stated.

"My sister is an excellent swordsman trainer, but I'm better with training that relates to breathing techniques. The problem was that Kanae tried to get you to learn how to use an extremely advanced breathing technique as soon as possible."

"One has to take baby-steps before they can use a specific breathing/sword technique. Every future Demon Slayer must start from the bottom with basic swordsmanship and Total Concentration Breathing. I can help with that last part."

Tanjiro was confused at what Shinobu was implying. Shinobu seemed to notice this and sighed.

"What I'm saying is while Kanae can teach you swordsmanship, I can help teach you Total Concentration Breathing." Shinobu explained.

"Now, it won't be easy, most Demon Slayers take almost a year to master Total Concentration. Six to eight months if you're talented enough." Shinobu gave a smirk.

"However, with your demonic stamina and experience with breathing techniques, I think you may be able to learn, perhaps even master, Total Concentration in half that time." Shinobu claimed.

Tanjiro's eyes widened at the hood statement. "But, that's only if you put the work in. There will be no slacking off, got it?" Shinobu said in a serious tone.

"So, what do you say? Will you let me train you?" She asked.

Tanjiro looked at Shinobu, studying her scent. "She smells nice, I sense curiosity and no deception. I also don't smell any anger…only sympathy…I can trust her." Tanjiro smiled.

"I would love to train under you as well, Miss Shinobu! I promise to do my best!" Tanjiro swore.

"Good." Shinobu responded. "In that case, I will be your secondary master alongside Kanae. Just to remind you, we are NOT friends, so I expect you to address me respectfully."

"Yes, Master!" Tanjiro replied, causing Shinobu to look a bit uncomfortable.

"Hmm…since I'm only three years older than you, that wasn't as satisfying to hear as I thought. Oh well, I already have another person your age who calls me that so I'll get used to it." Shinobu thought out loud, peaking Tanjiro's interest.

"Oh? And who's tha-?"

"That's none of your business." Shinobu glared at the boy, resulting in the boy's words getting caught in his throat.

Tanjiro looked down again. "I'm sorry, Master. You're right, I shouldn't have asked." Tanjiro said as Shinobu's gaze softened. She sighed once again

"Never mind, let's go. Kanae and the others are probably waiting at the Wisteria house we found, they're probably worried sick." Shinobu claimed before taking Tanjiro's left hand with her right and pulling him along.

"We can train more tomorrow. For now, you can just spend the night practicing what Kanae and I showed you while we get some shuteye."

"Yes, Master!" Tanjiro exclaimed as Shinobu looked at him with an unamused look.

"Okay, let's lower the enthusiasm a bit." She said, causing Tanjiro to blush.

"R-Right…" Tanjiro answered before seeing a small smile form on her face only for her to look forward again.

Tanjiro picked up a tiny trace relief. "Wait…Is Miss Shinobu happy that I'm no longer sad? No, that can't be it, right?…Even so."

"Master." Tanjiro called to the Hashira who turned her head to him. Tanjiro put on the brightest smile he had at his disposal.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, you're a really good person." He said, surprising Shinobu who stopped walking and stared at him.

Soon, Shinobu turned her head back around and scoffed. "How do you know? We've barely known each other for a week." She stated with a hint of doubt.

"I can tell how much you care about Kanae by your smell whenever you're around her. It's the same scent I smelled when my mom and dad would put me and my siblings to sleep." Tanjiro stated.

Shinobu looked at the boy with more kindness than annoyance. "You make it really hard to dislike you, you know that?" She muttered, barely audible to Tanjiro.

"What was that, Master?" Tanjiro asked.

"Nothing, let's just go." Shinobu said before continuing to walk while pulling Tanjiro along. Tanjiro kept his smile as he felt the distance between him and Shinobu close, slowly but surely.

"By the way, Master, I've been meaning to ask. Why do you not like Mr. Tomioka?"

"Talk again and I'm poisoning you."

"HUUUUUH!?"

Emphasis on the "slowly" part.


Finished!

I've done it again! A long chapter!

I hope you all enjoyed it, this one was pretty tough to figure out.

First thing I want to address is the subject of Nezuko becoming the new head of her family.

I understand if a female becoming the head of her clan at this time period is not historically accurate.

However, this detail is crucial to a bit of the story so I won't change it just because a few people complain.

Plus, this IS a fanfic. The whole point is that this is an alternate universe based on another universe different from our own even if only slightly.

If I find ten people who have a problem with it in the reviews, I might change it. But, for story purposes, Nezuko will be the new head of the Kamado family.

It seems the next few months are gonna be pretty busy for our boy, Tanjiro. He's gotten pretty far, but he still has a lot to learn.

Before I go, I'd like to once again thank those who gave their own ideas for potential moves for Sun Conqueror. That is why I'd like to share some ideas of my own.


Phoenix Flash - This move is taken straight out of Hinokami Chronicles, a Demon Slayer fighting game.

Tanjiro envelops his entire body in fire before completely turning himself into a barely visible haze of steam made of his blood, seemingly vanishing in a flash of fire.

Tanjiro manipulates his blood to move quickly in front of or behind his target. The speed of the haze and the distance traveled will depend on how much solar energy Tanjiro uses.

Tanjiro reappears in another flash of fire as his body solidifies, this entire process happens in the blink of an eye. To those with poor observation skills, it will seem as though Tanjiro teleported.

This move can be a great setup for Tanjiro to use Hinokami Kagura's Dance, Solar Heat Haze, Clear Blue Sky, or Setting Sun Transformation as he can choose what position to reappear in.

Devil's Horn(s) - One or two black horns pop out of Tanjiro's forehead which he can set ablaze at will. Tanjiro can charge his opponent head on and pierce their body with his horns. This move is most effective for moving large enemies away from allies or civilians.

Hellflame Propulsion - Fire Force, My Hero Academia, and One Punch Man fans may get a kick out of this one.

Tanjiro can summon his solar blood cells to his hands and feet and shoot out fire to propel himself in whatever direction he desires depending on the position of his hands, allowing him to fly.

Any demon caught on the wrong side of this move is in for a fun time.

Scorching Blast(s) - Tanjiro can shoot out streams of fire from his hands at his opponents to burn them alive or even create large holes in their body. This can be an alternative to Dragon Breath in case something prevents him from using it.

Demon Torch - I was gonna call this one "Human Torch" but Tanjiro isn't human. Marvel fans can pretty much guess this one, Tanjiro lights his entire body on fire to act as armor to demonic opponents.

Anyone weaker than Tanjiro cannot hope to touch him in this state lest they wish to crash and burn.

Sun Crown- Tanjiro sets his hair and forehead on fire to increase the power of his headbutts and/or burn a demon grabbing his head.

Heatstroke- Tanjiro releases solar blood cells in the form of hot air to increase the temperature of the nearby area to the point where his enemies start to get heatstroke, hindering their ability to fight.

This move is most effective in closed areas. This move also affects humans so Tanjiro should be careful when using it near allies.


That's all I've got for now, what do you guys think? I wanted to put my own ideas out there in case someone had a similar one.

I know I pretty much just covered almost every base, but I hope some of you are willing to come up with new ideas while I do the same!

Thanks for reading, I'll see you next time!

OH! What's that!? You want to know why Shinobu doesn't like Giyu?

Ok, ok! Twist my arm, I'll tell you! Here's a little bonus scene!


Bonus Scene!

Demon Slayer Headquarters, Meeting Area

-Three Years Ago-

After their last meeting concluded, Kanae stood in front of her fellow Hashira, Uzui, Sanemi, and Gyomei with Shinobu by her side.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to my Tsuguko and little sister, Shinobu!" Kanae announced as Shinobu stepped forward.

She donned a clear, white haori and had shorter hair than her older counterpart. She bowed respectfully to the Hashira.

"Lord Shinazugawa, Lord Uzui, Lord Himejima, it is an honor to be in your presence. I hope to work with you all one day." Shinobu stated.

"Greetings, young Shinobu. I am delighted to hear that you and your sister are doing well after your tragic loss." Gyomei said in response.

"You're Kanae's sister, huh?…Well, it's a pleasure…I guess." Sanemi muttered unenthusiastically.

"Hmm…Not a very flashy introduction. But, I guess I'll allow it. Nice to meet you." Tengen greeted the young Demon Slayer.

A bit underwhelmed by the greetings, Shinobu stepped back and bowed again. That's when she noticed someone leaning against the wall to her left, a young man about Kanae's age with messy hair, blue eyes, and a split haori.

Shinobu walked up to him. "You must be Lord Tomioka, I am Shinobu Kocho, Kanae's sister. It's a pleasure to meet you." She politely.

Giyu simply looked at her and nodded without a word. After a moment of awkward silence, Shinobu spoke again.

"Sir, if I may ask, Sister tells me you don't really talk with anyone unless you have to. Is there a reason for that? Communicating with others is a great way to get to know your comrades as well as to make friends." Shinobu stated to which Giyu stared at her.

He looked at Kanae who was observing the conversation. "Kocho, your child is bothering me."

"Huh?" Shinobu was speechless as she stared at the Water Hashira. As she comprehended the young man's words, tick marks began to appear on her head.

Suddenly, laughter could be heard from Uzui. "Hah hah hah hah hah! A truly flamboyant insult, Tomioka!" He said before continuing his laughter.

Meanwhile, Sanemi was trying to hold in his own laughter. "Sh-Shut up, Uzui *pfft* it's *krrt* not that *pfft* heh heh…that f-funny!"

Kanae also let out a strained laughter as Shinobu snapped her head towards her. "Sister!?" She yelled, betrayed.

Shinobu took a deep breath and spoke to Giyu again. "Lord Tomioka, I believe you misheard me. I'm Kanae's little sister, not her daughter. Also, I'm only three years younger than you."

Giyu stared at Shinobu again. "I'm sorry to hear that. Life can truly be cruel sometimes, I hope you get your growth spurt soon." He said genuinely.

"Gah…You…You…!" Shinobu fumbled her words as Uzui broke into a full-on laughter, this time joined by Sanemi.

Shinobu's face turned red from anger and embarrassment. She seethed as she looked at the two Hashira laughing at her. She then glared at Tomioka.

"WELL, ENJOY THIS WHILE YOU CAN! THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE CLOSEST YOU'LL GET TO HAVING FRIENDS, IDIOT!" Shinobu snapped before running out of headquarters.

"Shinobu, wait!" Kanae called out before following her sister who seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Sanemi and Uzui continued to laugh while Gyomei and Giyu watched. "Namu Amida Butsu." Gyomei chanted.

-Present-

"Wow, that's so horrible…" Tanjiro said with tears in his eyes as he sat in front of Kanae. The two sat in a room at the Wisteria Family House.

"I know…Shinobu wouldn't come out of the Butterfly Mansion for a week after that. It was truly heartbreaking to see her in such a state." Kanae said while wiping a tear from her eye.

Suddenly, the door to the room was pulled open to reveal a very angry Shinobu. Tanjiro and Kanae looked at her in shock as Shinobu took out her sword and pointed it at Tanjiro.

"You're dead!" Shinobu yelled, causing Tanjiro and Kanae to scream in comedic terror.

Later, Shinobu was seen chasing Kanae who had Tanjiro in her arms around Shinjuku. "Master, please! Let's just talk about this!" Tanjiro yelled out.

"It's hopeless, Tanjiro!" Kanae yelled back. "There's no stopping her when she's like this!"

Bystanders gave the trio looks of both astonishment, due to their monstrous speed, and looks of confusion.

"You bastards! How would YOU like it if I told people about your most embarrassing moments!?" Shinobu yelled with murderous intent in her eyes.

"Hey, Kamado! Want to hear about how my sister got drunk by accident and tried to make-out with the Love Hashira!?" Shinobu called out with a devilish grin.

Kanae's face turned bright red. "Ahhh! Shinobu, you swore we would never speak of it again!"

Meanwhile, Tanjiro's horror turned into confusion. "She 'got drunk?' What's that, a new kind of soba?" Tanjiro asked.

Both Hashira were caught off guard by the innocent question and tripped and fell on their faces. Tanjiro was dropped onto the ground as the two girls slid past him.

"KANAE! MASTER! ARE YOU OKAY!?" Tanjiro asked as he ran to them and shook their bodies, not aware that he caused this.

"This kid…" Both sisters thought simultaneously.


Next time: Chapter 9 - First Mission Part 1