Here comes a new chapter! Nice to see you all again! I'm truly grateful for all the support this story has gotten.
Now, before we begin, I'd like to address some things from the reviews.
First off, RadBman21 asked why no one else knows about Total Concentration. I didn't really think of this, to be honest.
So congratulations RadBman21, you found my first plot hole!
I've tried to come up with an excuse for this, and here's what I got so far.
Most Demon Slayers all come from Japan, very few of them are foreigners.
It was mentioned in chapter 2 that there'd been some bad blood between Japan and the rest of Remnant.
Things are a little more peaceful now, but that peace is as fragile as the peace between the other four Kingdoms.
The other kingdoms called the Japanese people cowards for not helping in the wars, which made most of the Demon Slayers a little salty.
They risked their lives in secret every day and had watched both their families and comrades die at the hands of demons and received nothing but pain in return.
Meanwhile, Huntsmen got all the glory despite a large number of them doing little to nothing.
These accusations were not only a disrespect to Demon Slayers, but also to the brave Huntsmen and Huntresses who gave up their lives trying to save others.
The Demon Slayers accused most of the Huntsmen and Huntresses of living in a fairytale.
Although their leader at the time was hesitant, as were the future leaders, it was decided that Japan would keep the secrets of Total Concentration to themselves.
Of course, over the years, there had been Huntsmen who had learned and accepted their cruel reality, earned the trust of the Corps, and were taught Total Concentration Breathing.
I'll go into this again in future chapters, but I hope this is enough to lift any confusion. If not, I'm very sorry.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention and for being respectful about it.
Another user named shared an idea for a future fan-made arc, based on the campaign from RWBY: Grimm Eclipse.
For those of you who don't know, Grimm Eclipse is a video game made by Rooster Teeth for the RWBY series.
The campaign takes place between the end of Volume 2 and the beginning of Volume 3.
A mad scientist named Dr. Merlot captures and experiments on Grimm, creating more powerful Grimm while trying to find a way to control them.
Team RWBY and Team JNPR go to his personal island and put a stop to his schemes.
had an idea where Dr. Merlot wants to fuse Grimm with Demons and, with the help of a Lower Moon, kidnaps Nezuko for his experiments.
I assume the general idea is to have Teams RWBY and JNPR meet and work with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke to stop Merlot and save Nezuko.
I thought this was a neat idea, I will definitely consider doing this in the future.
That said, there is a chance that I'll do it differently than some would expect. There is also a chance that I just ignore the idea entirely.
I'm happy to receive ideas and suggestions from you guys, but some things are easier said than done.
If I don't really like an idea or think that it's too hard to write or that it contradicts the story I want to tell too much, I'll most likely just do something else. No hard feelings.
I'm not saying that will always be the case, but nothing is ever set in stone.
Finally, I got a PM from Otakuguy68with a hypothetical question. Would Cinder become a demon if given the chance?
When a human becomes a demon, they become bloodthirsty monsters with no sense of morality or humanity.
While becoming a demon makes you more powerful, it makes sunlight fatal and you lose access to both Aura and Semblance.
While Cinder has shown that she has no problem turning herself into a monster for power, I doubt she would take up the offer to become a demon.
Of course, I do see her taking that chance if she's cornered and desperate. In that case, Cinder would likely jump at the chance in order to survive.
Alright, now that I've addressed everyone's ideas and concerns, let's get on with the show! Enjoy!
*I do not own RWBY or Demon Slayer. Both shows/manga and all their characters belong to their respective owners.
"Tanjiro" = Talking
"Tanjiro" = Thinking
Tanjiro - Middle Alignment = POV
"Tanjiro" = Flashback
Crash! - Left Alignment = Sound effect
Water Breathing = Breathing technique/Blood Demon Art
Chapter 8 - Leaving the Nest
Yang Xiao Long
Guest House - Vale
Yang paced back and forth in front of the front door of the house. Her dad, Tai, and their corgi, Zwei, were sitting on the couch in the living room with the tv on. The man had a cup of coffee in his hand.
Yang noticed Tai turn his head back to look at her. "Yang, calm down, I'm sure she's fine." He said.
Yang stopped and looked at him. "She's been out for over an hour, she won't respond to her scroll, and there are reports of a dangerous robber waltzing around in Vale. Do NOT tell me to CALM DOWN!" Yang yelled to Tai's surprise.
Ruby had left earlier, probably to buy those stupid weapon magazines. Yang wanted to stop her but decided to trust her for once, a decision she was now regretting.
"Look, Ruby's not a little girl anymore. She's gotten a lot of training from your uncle and can handle herself if someone dangerous tries to harm her. I know you're worried, and so am I. But, you should learn to trust your sister before leave for Beacon tomorrow. Otherwise, you'll just worry yourself to death, literally." Tai stated.
Yang knew her old man had a point. She's going to fight monsters, huge and deadly monsters. Yang wasn't worried about her safety, she had been trained by Tai since she was thirteen and had experience fighting Grimm.
However, if her mind was constantly on Ruby's well-being, she'd likely get distracted and killed. That would be a really lame way to die. She could see the headstone now.
Yang Xiao Long
Beloved Daughter and Sister
Died to a Beowolf while thinking about her adorable little sister
Yang shook the thought out of her head before staring at the front door. Despite that last thought, she continued to worry about Ruby.
Her dad started talking again. "Look, Yang. I'm glad you two care about each other so much and that you're always there for each other. But, you can't protect Ruby forever. Eventually, she'll have to experience the real world without someone holding her hand."
"If you ask me, you two could both use some time away from each other. Ruby needs to learn to be more independent. As for you, Yang...you have to admit, you can get a little clingy when it comes to your sister."
Yang pondered that statement. She knew her dad was right but...
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Yang perked up at the sound of the house phone ringing.
"I'll get it." Tai said as he got up from the couch. Yang followed Tai in the hopes that it was Ruby calling to tell them she was on her way home.
Her dad picked up the phone and put it to his ear, Yang leaning in to listen with little success. "Hello?" Tai said before Yang heard a voice but couldn't make out the words.
"Yes, this is he."
"Uh huh..." Tai took a sip of coffee.
"..."
"..."
Pfft!
Yang recoiled from the sudden spit take from her old man, who looked like he had seen a ghost.
"She WHAT!?"
Ruby Rose
After the Dust shop incident, Ruby was taken to an interrogation room at the local Vale police station. In the room was the blonde Huntress who saved her.
"Before we get started, I must admit that I am impressed." The Huntress, whom Ruby recognized as Glynda Goodwitch, said.
"Roman Torchwick has been a thorn in our side for months, being the top suspect in a series of Dust shop robberies in the city of Vale."
"Despite our efforts, we have been unable to either prevent these crimes or capture Torch-wick. The man has run circles around even some of our more experienced Huntsmen including myself."
Ruby was surprised, she had no idea who this Torchwick guy was nor did she know he was that big of a deal.
What shocked her even more was the smile that Goodwitch gave her. "And yet a girl as young as yourself bravely defied this man and saved Dust Til Dawn from financial ruin."
"Even if you failed to apprehend Torchwick, your actions tonight were quite heroic and deserving of praise."
Ruby found herself blushing at the compliment and smiled nervously. "O-Oh no, not at all! I just did what anyone would do! It's really not that specia-!"
"At least...that WOULD be the case if you were a licensed Huntress..."
Ruby froze, her smile becoming more nervous. Glynda's complimenting smile turned into a furious glare. "But you are not a licensed Huntress...are you?"
"Uhh-."
Goodwitch took out her scroll and pulled up what seemed to be Ruby's Signal Academy profile page.
"No, you are a Signal Student in their second year. And yet, you took up arms against a criminal who, I must recap, gave EXPERIENCED HUNTSMEN a lot of trouble."
"Are you not aware that someone could've been hurt or killed in the crossfire, are you not aware that that someone could've been YOU!?"
Ruby shrunk more and more in her seat while imagining devil horns coming out of Goodwitch's head. "You may consider what you did to be courageous, but I consider it reckless and foolish!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am..." Ruby squeaked.
"If it were up to me, you'd be sent home…," The woman began, "With a pat on the back…," Ruby's big smile returned before the Huntress snapped her head back at her, "And a slap on the wrist."
Crack!
"Eeep!" Ruby yelped as her body leaned back, barely moving her hand out of the way before the lady's riding crop whipped the table.
"But…," The blond continued, "There is someone here who wants to meet you." The Huntress stepped next to the doorway to the room as a middle aged man walked in.
The light revealed his appearance as he got closer to the table and Ruby's eyes widened as she immediately recognized him. He had tousled silver hair, black eyebrows, and brown eyes.
He wore shaded, round glasses just below his eyes. He had an unzipped black jacket over a dark green, buttoned vest and green shirt.
He also had brown trouser shoes and long, dark green pants. In his left hand was a white coffee mug, in his right hand was a plate of…COOKIES ! ! !
. . . . . . . . . A plate of cookies.
This man was Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy. A.K.A., the school of Ruby's dreams.
"Ruby Rose…" the man said as he walked towards the red hooded girl and sat down at the table across from her.
"H-Hello, sir! It's an honor to-!" Ruby straightened her posture and bowed stiffly before the man put his hand up to stop her.
"Now, now. There's no need for the formalities, you're not in trouble." Ozpin said to Ruby's relief before he leaned forward.
His eyes stared into hers, "You…have silver eyes."
"…Uhhhh…" Ruby had no idea how to respond to that as she leaned away from the headmaster, clearly uncomfortable.
"So!" The man backed off as the blond Huntress pulled up footage from a surveillance camera, it showed Ruby mopping the floor with those thugs from the Dust shop.
"Where did you learn to do this?" He asked, addressing the girl's feats.
"S-Signal Academy." Ruby responded, still a little uncomfortable.
"They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" The silver-haired man said with a hint of doubt.
"Well, one teacher in particular." The girl corrected.
"I see…" The man said before setting the plate of cookies on the table in front of Ruby.
She looked at the man before quickly snatching a cookie from the plate and stuffed it in her mouth.
She looked up again to see Ozpin smile and wave towards the cookies as if saying "go ahead," so she started stuffing her face, cookie after cookie.
"It's just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before," The man continued as Ruby scarfed down most of the cookies, "A dusty, old crow."
"Hmm! Thash muh unkul!" Ruby realized that she was talking with her mouth full. She quickly swallowed and wiped her mouth.
"Sorry, that's my Uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal! I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing, no pun intended." Ruby said, not wanting to follow in her sister's footsteps too much.
"Now, I'm all like…HOOOO! WAHHH! WitchAAAA!" Ruby made a bunch of chopping karate poses.
"So I've noticed." The man said with a small smile. He placed his mug on the table and leaned on the table. "And what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?"
Ruby decided to ignore the "adorable" part. "Well…I want to be a Huntress." She stated proudly.
"You want to slay monsters?" The man asked.
"Yeah! I only have two more years of training left at Signal. And then I'm going to apply to Beacon!" Ruby started rambling, looking between the Huntress and the silver-haired glasses wearer.
"You see, my sister's starting there this year, and she's trying to become a Huntress, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people."
"Our parents always taught us to help others, so I thought, 'Hey, might as well make a career out of it!'" She continued rambling.
"I mean the police are alright, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are just so much more romantic and exciting and, JYAHH! You know!" Ruby squealed.
The blond Huntress had a look of concern on her face while the man was unfazed. "…I assume you know who I am?" He asked.
"You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster of Beacon." Ruby responded. The man named Ozpin gave the girl a warm smile.
"Hello." He said.
"Nice to meet you." Ruby responded, doing her best to contain herself.
Ozpin leaned forward, "You want to come to my school?" He asked.
"More than anything." Ruby said as she leaned forward as well. Ozpin looked at the Huntress next to him. "Hmmph." She rolled her eyes and looked away.
Ozpin looked back at the smiling young flower, "Well okay then." Ruby's smile grew, excited for what's to come. This was way better than an autograph!
Sakonji Urokodaki
Back at Urokodaki's house, some salmon were on sticks and frying next to the fire in the middle of the living room.
Over the fire was a hotpot, filled with meat and vegetables and other ingredients. Tanjiro's mouth was almost watering.
"There's so much food!" He stated, not knowing that it really wasn't that much food. Clearly, he wasn't used to having this much food. "What's the occasion?"
"You have completed your training, so we are celebrating." The old man said as he poured some of the soup into a bowl and offered it to the boy. "Go on, don't be shy."
Tanjiro happily took the soup into his hands, "Thank you, I'm starving!" He took his chopsticks and began eating the broth-covered vegetables.
"Tanjiro," Sakonji started thinking to himself, "I'm afraid there is nothing more I can do for you. After today, you will be facing unimaginable hardships."
"Your training will seem like a walk in the park compared to what's to come. But, at least for tonight, you can rest well and sleep soundly one last time."
Tanjiro finished his serving and held his bowl out, asking for seconds. Urokodaki obliged, enjoying seeing Tanjiro so happy. He didn't know he had such a bright smile.
After eating his fill, Tanjiro began cutting his hair with a pair of scissors while Urokodaki prepared a blue haori similar to his own.
He looked back at Tanjiro and remembered his past students. Specifically, Sabito and Makomo.
He raised those two as if they were his own children, he recalled how excited they were after cutting their boulder.
Sabito acted like he wasn't surprised, but had a sparkle of pride in his eyes. Makomo's reaction was less subtle, she gave her teacher the biggest hug, laughing like she was playing with a pet.
Urokodaki thought about and missed each and every one of his students every day. Giyu had been the only one in over a decade that came back to him.
He hoped Tanjiro would break the cycle, his training was a lot more intense than the others, he had unlocked his Aura on his own, and on top of everything else, his boulder was the biggest out of all his students.
But, Urokodaki was still worried. Even if it was against the rules at the time, his students weren't fools.
They must have used Aura Enhanced Total Concentration if their lives depended on it, even if it meant they'd be kicked out of Final Selection.
If only he was able to activate the Water Breather Semblance back then. "…Wait." The old man remembered something. He could do something for Tanjiro that he wasn't able to do for the others.
"Tanjiro…There might be one more thing I can do for you after all." The masked man said in his head.
"Tanjiro," he called out, causing the fifteen-year old to turn around. He had just finished cutting his hair. "Did you enjoy the hotpot?"
Tanjiro smiled, "Of course! I haven't feasted like that in a while." He said as Urokodaki nodded.
"A growing boy with an appetite like yours will get bigger and stronger, the bigger your meals are." Urokodaki said before pausing.
"The same applies to demons as well." After that statement, Tanjiro understood that this was serious and listened intently.
"Remember that. While a Grimm grows stronger with age, a demon grows stronger with the number of people it eats." He stated.
"So if a demon eats a lot, they'll be tough to beat?" Tanjiro asked as Urokodaki got up and walked towards him.
"That's right. They not only get stronger, but their physical traits also change, and some even gain supernatural abilities." Urokodaki responded.
"You mean, like Semblances?" Tanjiro asked. Urokodaki shook his head.
"I'm afraid that these spells are much more powerful than an average Semblance. These abilities, which are called Blood Demon Arts, can go through Aura with ease." Urokodaki stated.
Tanjiro's eyes widened in shock, and who could blame him? "But, how is that possible?" Tanjiro asked, trying to wrap his head around this.
"Another good question. The truth is, demons don't have Aura, but instead have advanced regeneration. Do you know why that is?" Urokodaki asked.
It was Tanjiro's turn to shake his head. "All demons were once human, meaning that they have souls. Therefore, they should have Aura since it is the manifestation of the soul."
"But they don't because of their demonic blood." Urokodaki informed, Tanjiro listened intently.
"When a human is exposed to demon blood, the blood cells of the demon regenerate inside their victims and spread throughout their entire bodies, destroying the normal blood."
"But somehow, these demon blood cells can actually make their way into the soul of a person, erasing all traces of who that person once was until they become a man-eating monster."
"Your sister was able to stop this process, but the same can't be said for everyone else."
"Once the soul is tainted by the demon's essence, those demon blood cells become your own. The transformation into a demon is complete and they lose the ability to use or awaken their Aura or Semblance."
"In return, they gain superhuman regeneration, heightened physical prowess, and special abilities created from their demonic blood."
"Because these spells use soul-tainting demon blood, they can negate Aura and Semblances which both come from the soul." Urokodaki finished, leaving the poor boy in front of him stunned.
"Once your sense of smell is more developed, you'll be able to tell how many poor souls a demon has claimed."
"So, since these demons don't have Aura," Tanjiro began, still recovering from the shock, "Can demons use these abilities as much as they want?"
Urokodaki taught the boy many things about Aura and Semblance, including how you can no longer use your Semblance once your Aura reserves are depleted.
"I don't think so," Urokodaki assured Tanjiro, "There have been reports of demons hesitating to use their Blood Demon Arts too much, there must be a limit."
"Also, these spells can be negated by sunlight and Nichirin weapons, if the wielder is strong enough, that is." The old man explained.
That fact seemed to relieve Tanjiro a bit as he relaxed his shoulders. "That is why a Slayer's Semblance is a lot harder for a Blood Demon Art to negate." Urokodaki stated.
Tanjiro tilted his head as he had a curious look, "What do you mean 'Slayer's Semblance'?"
"As you know, every Semblance is unique to the individual, with a few exceptions like hereditary Semblances." Urokodaki recapped while Tanjiro nodded.
"Some Demon Slayer's have these kinds of Semblances, but there are also those who have a Slayer's Semblance."
"Put shortly, they are Semblances that are directly related to your chosen breathing technique. These Semblances can help make your forms even more powerful."
"There have been many different types of these abilities over the centuries, and new ones are discovered with each newly created breathing technique."
"An example of this is Water Breathing. When one utilizes the Water Breathing Technique, their bodies and souls are slightly altered to fit the forms."
"That allows them to be able to awaken the Water Breather Semblance through specific circumstances that are the same for each person with the same breathing technique."
"How is the Water Breather Semblance unlocked?" Tanjiro asked as Urokodaki continued to speak.
"By activating your Aura underwater and attempting to use Total Concentration Breathing. Many have drowned trying to unlock it." Urokodaki explained.
Tanjiro's face paled. "That doesn't seem very safe…" Tanjiro said. That's exactly what Makomo said to him once, neither she nor Sabito could do it before they had to come up for air.
"There is another way, however. You know how someone with Aura can awaken someone else's Aura?" Urokodaki asked, earning a nod from Tanjiro.
"Well, a few centuries ago, the Demon Slayer Corps had found a way to unlock a Slayer's Semblance." Tanjiro was once again stunned.
"When two Slayer's share the same breathing technique, one of whom has already unlocked their Slayer's Semblance," Urokodaki began explaining.
"Both must activate their Aura while maintaining Total Concentration, this is 'Aura Enhanced Total Concentration Breathing.'"
"After that, the process is not so different from how one would unlock an Aura. The only difference is the chant you utter while doing it." Urokodaki finished.
"Wow, that's…A lot." Tanjiro said, looking as if he had a hard time following. "Are you able to awaken the 'Demon Slayer Semblance' Mr. Urokodaki?"
"Yes, it took many…many years, but I've finally mastered the technique." Urokodaki stated, holding his hand out to Tanjiro. "Would you like me to awaken yours?"
Tanjiro took the old man's hand as he got up. "I won't force you into it, but I think this will help you a great deal." Urokodaki said.
"I trust you, sir. Please awaken my Semblance." Tanjiro pleaded with determination on his face.
"That boy trusts you, you know…" Urokodaki remembered Qrow's words to him. "But trust is a two-way street, old man."
He would never admit it, but that really hit the man where he lived. Tanjiro was no fool, he knew not to rely on outside help like Aura.
Tanjiro was strong, probably just as strong, if not, stronger than any of his former students, excluding Giyu.
Tanjiro was also a hard worker and over the years, he had developed an indomitable will. Combine that with AETCB and the Slayer's Semblance, and Urokodaki instantly knew that Tanjiro would become a force to be reckoned with one day.
That is why he decided to return the boy's trust, "Very well, let's start by activating your Aura." Tanjiro nodded.
"Now, concentrate. Close your eyes, and imagine a light covering your body."
Tanjiro closed his eyes, and made a face that indicated that he was focused. It took some time and effort, but it wasn't long before a shining green light covered his body.
Tanjiro had read a few books on the subject of activating Aura in case he unlocked it some day, he practiced his focus every day through meditation.
"Good, now use Total Concentration." The masked man instructed. Tanjiro did just that, causing his Aura to shine even brighter.
"Excellent, now maintain both your Aura and breathing until I say otherwise." Urokodaki activated his own Aura and used Total Concentration.
His body was covered in a white light. He placed his right hand on Tanjiro's chest and the other on his right cheek. Urokodaki's Aura turned an ocean blue as he activated his Water Breather Semblance.
Water began to rise from the cracks of the floor, each drop hovering around the old man until there were multiple rings of water around him. Urokodaki began to recite the chant which went with the awakening.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death."
Tanjiro's light green Aura started flashing an ocean blue color as Urokodaki chanted. The water rings began to fall apart and slowly reform around Tanjiro.
"And through the acceptance of reality we become one with the soft, gentle water which can penetrate the mountains but also help bring relief to those at death's door."
The water rings were fully formed around Tanjiro, his Aura now completely ocean blue.
"Fill your veins with the liquid of life and become the blade that destroys demons. I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee."
Urokodaki stepped back and watched as the water rings slowly lowered back into the cracks of the ground. "You may open your eyes now."
Tanjiro did so and the first thing Urokodaki noticed was the blue color of Tanjiro's eyes before they reverted back to their usual dark reddish color. The ocean blue glow became green again and faded away.
Urokodaki suddenly felt very tired and had to lean against the wall for support. "Mr. Urokodaki!" Tanjiro called out as he ran up to the man. "Are you okay?"
"Y-Yes…I'm fine." Urokodaki huffed, "Awakening an Aura or Semblance can be very tiring, but I'll recover. How do you feel?"
"I feel great," Tanjiro replied, "My body feels so light and full of energy now. Does this mean it worked?"
Urokodaki nodded, "Yes, you have awakened the Water Breather Semblance."
"What exactly is the Water Breather Semblance?" Tanjiro asked.
"It has another name. Water Blade." Urokodaki informed the boy. "This Semblance affects your chosen weapon more than the body, there are quite a few Semblances which can only be utilized through one's weapon."
"You are able to summon water around your sword to further strengthen your strikes, your sword can absorb Aura as well as sunlight which is what allows this." Urokodaki explained.
"As you grow stronger, you will be able to summon larger amounts of water to your attacks, you may even learn one day how to shoot out blades of water from your sword." Urokodaki stated.
"Of course, there are other uses of this Semblance that I will explain at another time."
"To use this Semblance, you merely have to activate your Aura while using Total Concentration. Then whatever form you use, water will surround your blade in different ways depending on the form."
"This is because the forms make you visualize water around your blade to make them seem more effective."
"Your Semblance will make the water around you take the form of what you imagine it to look like." Urokodaki finished explaining.
After recovering from the sudden fatigue, Urokodaki made his way to a cabinet in the corner of the room and pulled out a handmade fox mask which all of his pupils once wore.
This mask has red accents on the eyes, ears, and spots on each corner of the mouth. On the upper-left corner of the mask was a sun-shaped design.
He walked over to Tanjiro and handed it to him. "What is this?" Tanjiro asked.
"This is called a warding mask," Urokodaki responded, "It's enchanted to keep you from harm. I know that most people do not believe in such things, but there's nothing wrong with being safe."
"Now it makes sense." Tanjiro announced. "Thank you, Mr. Urokodaki." He smiled at the man in front of him.
"Hmm, get some rest," Urokodaki suggested, "You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."
Tanjiro nodded and took his mask, and walked into his room. He smiled at the man before closing his door.
After a while, Urokodaki checked on Tanjiro to make sure he was asleep. He was snoozing peacefully next to his sister who had still not woken up.
The masked man closed the door and went to put out the fire, not before making a short prayer.
"Sabito, Makomo," Urokodaki called out, "I hope that you and the others will watch over him, from the great beyond."
Urokodaki then put out the fire and went to bed.
Yang Xiao-Long
-The Next Day-
"Oh, I can't believe my baby sister's coming to Beacon with me!" Yang squealed as she hugged Ruby with monstrous strength, causing Ruby's head to be buried in Yang's chest, "This is the best day ever!"
The two sisters were on the airship to Beacon Academy. When Yang found out Ruby was accepted into Beacon two years early, she was stoked.
"Mmph!...Please...stop…!" Ruby begged Yang as she backed off, allowing her to gasp for air. "You almost suffocated me, sis!"
"Heh, sorry." Yang said while scratching the back of her head before pinching her sister's adorable cheeks. "I'm just so proud of youuuuuuu ! ! !"
Ruby smacked the blonde's arms away in frustration. "Really, sis, it was nothing…" She insisted, but Yang merely responded with a "pfft."
"What do you mean?" She asked, "You took on Roman freaking Torchwick, the most dangerous criminal in Vale!"
"Now, you get to skip two grades! Everyone's going to think you're the bee's knees!"
"But I don't want to be the 'bee's knees,' okay!? I don't want to be any kind of knees," Ruby said while pointing at her knees, "I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees."
"What's with you? Aren't you excited!?" Yang asked ecstatically. Ruby was looking down to the floor.
"Of course I am, I just…" Ruby sighed, "I got moved ahead two years…I had to leave all my friends behind."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be here but...I wanted to be here with all my friends. That and...I don't want people to think I'm special..."
Yang looked at her sister sadly. "Ruby..." But, she then immediately brought her sister in for another loving hug, much to Ruby's dismay.
"Even when you're down in the dumps, you're just too darn cute!" Yang exclaimed while smothering her baby sister.
"Mmph! Mrrrrgh!"
Translation: "Cut it out! People are gonna start starring!"
Ruby managed to fight her way out of Yang's embrace and glared at her.
Yang chuckled and put an arm around Ruby's shoulder. "Look, sis, you are special. Whether you like it or not." Yang said.
"If anyone else has a problem with that, I'll beat the crap out of them!" Yang flexed her other arm, noticing a small smile from Ruby. Before she could say more, a holographic TV appeared nearby.
On it were mugshots of a well dressed dude with a bowler hat and orange hair. A news reporter was talking out of the screen.
"…the robbery was led by the nefarious criminal, Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities." The news reporter said.
"If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa." He said before the screen cut to a silver-haired woman with yellow eyes, Yang assumed that was Lisa.
"Thank you, Cyril," Lisa said. "In other news, this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony."
The screen showed a picture of Faunus holding up picket signs, and then switched to an image of the White Fang symbol, a scary looking beast head with three scratch marks behind it.
"The once peaceful organization has now disrupted a movement dedicated to their own cause, preferring a more violent method."
"Meanwhile, the number of missing people in Japan has increased over the last few months. Huntsmen and Huntresses have been sent to investigate, only for half of them to go dark as well." The lady continued.
The screen switched to a map view of the Kingdom of Japan. "Wonder what that's all about." Yang thought out loud.
"Maybe it's demons." Ruby joked, looking at Yang with a smirk and her hands raised like claws as she tried to scare her. Yang just laughed it off.
"Nice try, sis, but that joke's getting real old. We had some good laughs but, demons don't scare me anymore because they're not real." Yang stated.
"And even if they were real, they'd be no match for this 'hottie.' Eh, get it?" As she said "hottie" she flashed her eyes red and gave off a little heat from her body. Ruby did not acknowledge the joke.
"If you say so." Ruby rolled her eyes as she put her arms behind her head. The reporter lady on the screen continued talking.
"…leaving people wondering if this small continent is as safe as its natives believe-."The holographic screen turned off.
It's replaced by a hologram of a blonde woman with glasses..
"Hello, and welcome to Beacon." The woman said.
Yang tilted her head towards Ruby "Who's that?" She asked.
"My name is Glynda Goodwitch." The hologram said, almost as if she heard Yang's question.
"Oh." She responded. The woman continued to talk.
"You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy." It looked like she was doing a speech
"No duh." Yang said in her head, speeches weren't really her thing. They can get pretty slow and boring, Yang was more of a fast-paced action girl.
"Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it."
"You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now, it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world."
And with that, Goodwitch's hologram disappeared. "Wow!" Ruby said before running to the windows and looked down to see Signal Academy below us. Everyone else joined her in pointing out familiar buildings.
"Look, you can see Signal from up here!" Ruby called out, Yang couldn't help but smile at her little sister's excitement. She was just too cute sometimes.
"I guess home isn't too far after all." Ruby said with a sad smile before Yang came in and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Beacon's our home now." She said, trying to cheer Ruby up before they both heard strange noises.
They turned around to see a blonde boy with a sword on his hip and armor holding his mouth with his hands. He held his stomach and started grunting with his mouth held shut.
Suddenly, he ran past the two girls and into the nearest bathroom to throw up. "Well…I guess the view isn't for everyone." Yang said awkwardly.
"It was a nice moment while it lasted." Ruby said as the two sisters smiled at each other, excited about what's to come as they were approaching their new home.
"I wonder who we're gonna meet." Yang said.
"I just hope they're better than 'vomit boy.'" Ruby answered back. "Oh, Yang! Gross, you puke on your shoe!"
"Gross, gross, gross, gross…!" Yang repeated while trying to find the restroom to clean up.
"Ew! Get away from me, get away from me!" Ruby yelled out, trying to avoid the panicking blonde. This was going to be a fun year…
Tanjiro Kamado
Tanjiro had just finished putting on his clothes as he got ready to leave. Replacing his dirty green haori was a blue samue-styled kimono with a cloud pattern identical to Mr. Urokodaki's.
He still wore his white robe and black pants underneath. He also donned the warding mask Urokodaki gave him on the left side of his head.
As Tanjiro finished tying his kimono, he walked towards his room and opened the door to reveal a sleeping Nezuko.
Tanjiro kneels next to her, looking at her with sad eyes. It had been two years and she still hadn't woken up.
"Nezuko…" Tanjiro whispered to himself as he took her hand with both of his own, lowered his head, and held his little sister's hand in front of it.
"I promise, I'm going to come back for you." He swore to her before setting her hand down and closing the door before he left.
Urokodaki
"There's no need to worry about your sister," Urokodaki assured Tanjiro as they stood in front of his house. "I'll take good care of her for you."
"Thanks! For everything." Tanjiro expressed his gratitude before starting his departure.
He looked back and waved to Urokodaki. "I guess I'm off, see you later!" Urokodaki returned the wave. Tanjiro continued to run into the distance before stopping.
He turned around and waved again. "Oh! And tell Sabito and Makomo I said thanks!" Tanjiro yelled out, causing Urokodaki to flinch in shock.
"Huh?" Urokodaki made his confusion clear. "Tanjiro, that's impossible. How does he know the names of the dead?"
Urokodaki continued to think to himself as Tanjiro ran out of view. "Sabito, Makomo. Have you already BEEN watching over him?"
And that's the end of Chapter 8. I hope you liked it!
I know there wasn't much action in this chapter, and the same will probably go for the next chapter.
But hey, next time, our favorite Huntresses in training will finally meet!
I hope I did a good job explaining the Semblances for Demon Slayers, or "Slayer's Semblance" as I plan to call them.
I'm so excited to show off more of these for Thunder Breathing, Beast Breathing, Flame Breathing, etc.
I have a good idea of what those Semblances are going to be, but if you guys have some ideas, let me know. If I think it's better than mine, I might use that instead, with credit and permission of course.
Before I go to the preview, here's some food for thought. I just realized that both Nora and Zenitsu have been struck by lightning.
Although it's odd that one lightning bolt unlocks someone's Semblance while another changes someone's hair color. Lightning is just weird in this world.
Anyway, make sure to leave a review and follow id you can. I appreciate all of your support, until next time!
Preview
*Play Taisho Kosokoso Gossip (a shout out to for telling me the name)
*Manga flips to a page where Yang and Nezuko jump out of two separate panels
Yang: I still can't believe Ruby got into Beacon two years early! They grow up so fast!
Yang wipes the tears of joy from her eyes with her arm sleeve. Nezuko nods in return.
Nezuko: Mmmm!
Yang: Oh that's right. Your big bro's coming into his own too, huh?
Nezuko: Mmmmm mmm!
Nezuko nodded happily to Yang's question.
Yang: Aren't siblings just the best?
Nezuko: Mmm hmm!
*Cuts to a closeup of Yang's face
Yang: Now it's time for a Taisho Era Secret!
Yang leans with her hand next to her mouth and a mischievous look on her face.
Yang: After Team STRQ went their separate ways, Uncle Qrow got really drunk and ran into a demon in Mistral. He was nearly killed before Urokodaki came and saved him, talk about a close call!
*Cut back to Yang and Nezuko
Yang: Man, demons really are scary…N-Not that I'm afraid tho!
Yang made a -_- face while looking to the ground. Then immediately scratches the back of her head with a nervous smile.
Nezuko: Mmmm…
Nezuko was sad, slightly hurt by Yang's comment about demons since she was one herself. But she also knew that Yang was right.
Yang realized her blunder and held her hands out in defense.
Yang: No no no! I didn't mean you, Nezzy! I was talking about the bad demons! You're not scary at all!
Nezuko:Mmmmmm…
Nezuko was not convinced.
Yang pointed her index finger upwards like she had an idea.
Yang:Here! How about a joke to make you feel better?
Yang put her arm down.
Yang: Knock knock!
Nezuko looked up at Yang.
Nezuko: Hmm mmm?
Yang: Orange
Nezuko: Mmmm hmm?
Yang: Orange ya glad you didn't kill your brother by accident?
Nezuko:. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nezuko's eyes turned beady as she went silent.
Yang: Too soon?
Yang's awkward smile returned.
Nezuko nodded her head.
Both girls look back to the audience.
Yang: Next time! Chapter 9: Nice to Meet You! Let's support our family with everything we've got!
Nezuko: Mmmm mmm!
Yang: Until next time, out with a Yang!
*Music stops
To Be Continued
