The Demon Slayers were in a perplexing situation. None of them had planned for Naruto to be able to stand in the sun's rays, to be resilient against the burning death that so many other demons fell too. Not even Muzan was able to withstand the light of day. They stood in a tight crescent shape around the visibly confused blonde.

"Did I do something wrong?" Naruto askes. He lowers his arms from behind his head and seems to shrink even more into himself.

"No, it was just something we did not expect to happen. It appears there are even more layers to our dear guest." Shinobu takes a deep breath, like she wants to steel her nerves for whatever the future might hold. Her purple gaze moves to the two kakushi figures still waiting beside her. They too have a mixed look of astonishment and fear in their visible eyes. "Please let the Master know and the others that we will be there shortly"

"Understood," the kakushi bow respectfully towards the Insect Hashira then turn on their heels and leave. Still carrying the large woolen linen sheet between them.

"Well, let's get started then." Shinobu waves to the younger boys to follow her. "Nezuko will be safe in the room, that is if you want to leave her there,"

Tanjiro looks over into the darkness of the room and stares at where his sister is sleeping in her wooden box. "Will the kakushi watch her?"

Shinobu nods her head.

"Then I feel safe with leaving her there,"

"Do we really have to come?" Asked Inosuke, his boar mask turned towards the fidgeting spiky haired blonde.

"Yes."
-

The walk towards the meeting room was quiet, the polished wooden floors gleaming their distorted reflections back. The normal sounds of the estate were absent, like the small chatter of the servants, and helpers. Even the sounds of training were gone. It was too eerily quiet.

Shinobu took the lead with the younger Demon Slayers in the back, leaving Naruto in the middle. He was still walking with a strange limp, his gait was uneven and his steps unsteady. It seemed to Inosuke, who was watching him with intense focus, that Naruto might not be used to walking on two legs. The beast breather could see the slightly stumbling blonde tense at every slight misstep. It was awkward and displeasurable to see a sun-withstanding demon walk in such a fashion. Was he faking it? No. It wasn't obvious.

The usually open doors were closed, shoji doors showing slow moving shadows that danced across the rice paper screens. As they turned down corridor after corridor, Naruto had drifted back to almost being within reaching distance of the trio of young demon slayers. Tanjiro could see a glimpse of his face as Naruto glanced at each closed doorway, he looked sad. The strange ozone smell that Tanjiro had come to realize as the beginning of a summer storm was lingering about the smaller blonde. He looked troubled. Naruto was one of the few expressive demons Tanjiro had come to know. It didn't help him feel any better about this situation.

Zenitsu chewed on a hang nail as he trailed behind his burgundy haired friend; Naruto the strange demonic boy was too human. His heart skipped with fear or excitement, like that of normal people. Zenitsu could hear him take deep calming breaths, trying to ease back something maybe it was fear? Naruto's pulse was too quick. It strangely made Zenitsu worry. Why would he care what a demon feels?

They entered a large room, all the walls were made from thick wooden panels, the floor like the rest of the estate was polished so that their reflections were shown back in a strange distorted way. Shinobu led them to four small cushions that were placed on the floor. The boys all knelt on their knees, and in doing so they faced eight judgemental faces. Shinobu continued forward before also kneeling beside a young boy, whose hair had mint green tips.

"Kamado Tanjiro, was it not just a few weeks ago that we judged your demon sister. And, yet here you are once again with another demon, this time one that you don't even know. An unknown demon that you swear is not evil. A demon you want to protect for some mysterious reason. You have already put the Demon Slayer Corps in danger by having your…sister here. With one more demon here, Kamado, we have reason to believe it is best to let you go, and release you from the corps." Gyomei's voice rang out in the massive wooden room. Even though his sight was gone, it felt like those white eyes were judging them. Looking for something foul.

Tanjiro curls his already tight fists into his pants. He bows his head. He had a feeling it would come to this, it was only natural given what he has done. Defending his sister was difficult enough but trying to plead a case for an unknown demon that could walk in the sun? It would be impossible.

"Excuse me?" It was Narutos' voice that drew everyone's attention. He had a small tanned hand up in the air. "I don't understand anything that is currently happening, and I doubt I have any right to say anything. But, I don't appreciate the way you are talking to Tanjiro-kun. He hasn't done anything wrong, in fact. He has been the nicest person I've seen. Well… considering that I've only seen six people total here, he is the only nice person I've seen."

A rough laugh escapes the wind, Hashira, Sanemi leans forward in his crossed leg position. His mouth was wide in his wild mirth. He squinted his light purple eyes at the blonde demon. "You, a demon, want us to be kinder to Kamado?"

Naruto frowns slightly, he isn't sure if he is being made fun of or not. "Correct"

"You are hilarious! But also," In a blink the white haired Hashira appeared in front of Naruto, his katana was out, blade suddenly wet with fresh dripping blood. A burst of wind surged through the room, blowing hair into eyes and pulling at their clothes.

"Naruto!" Tanjiro yells into the sharp winds. Zenitsu and Inosuke both brace their forearms over their faces to keep the winds from hitting them.

When the winds fade away, a quiet plop, plop echoes in the silent room. The trio of friends looked to the left where Naruto was sitting. The younger blonde demon was hunched over, hands pressed against the gushing wound that cut his white linen garments apart and soaked the rest in the deep ruby red of his blood.

"Hmm, for a demon that can walk in the sun you're pretty weak." Sanemi jokes, he wipes his blade clean by using Naruto's bowed shoulders. The linen smeared the still warm blood from the blade.

"SANEMI! We were told not to harm the demon" Yelled the flame Hashira. Rengoku had not moved to stop the attack, nor had any of the other Hashira. They all could have if they so desired. Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke all knew this.

Were they testing the blonde demon?

"My bad. To be honest I did us a favor, this guy is the weakest demon I've ever seen." Sanemi snears, his harsh scars twisting his already cruel looking face.

-

Naruto coughs blood up and he spits it onto the polished wood. "Naruto," he rasps.

"Excuse me?" Sanemi questions, eyebrows furrowed.

"I said my name is Naruto. You fucker!" Naruto snarls, his head naps up. Blood was smeared at the corner of his mouth, but he still bared his bloody teeth. Fangs sharp and long in the bright room. His blue eyes were swirling into the molten red that Tanjiro was slowly getting accustomed to. Those burning red eyes stared into Sanemi's light purple ones, "Remember it."

Rengoku laughed, a deep belly laugh that made everyone jump. "NARUTO! What a strange name for an even stranger demon! I like it!"

"Oh shut up Kyujuro! You are not meant to like this… monster!" Sanemi, on his fault, had turned his head as he retorted to Rengoku. Naruto used the opportunity to strike. He lunged forward, stretching his already healing wound, he stood up. His clawed hands snagging into the standard Demon slayer uniform that Sanemi was wearing and putting his weight into his movement, he swung Sanemi over his head and slammed him down on the wooden floor. Sanemi twisted out from under Naruto, fist flying for that whiskered face.

Sanemi's fist was blocked by a bone shattering grip, those tan fingers digging to Sanemi's pale skin. Sanemi tried to tug his hand free but was unable too, he could feel his bones grinding against each other under the demon's hold. "Fuck"

Naruto grinned wildly as he pressed forward. The wind Hashira tried to go for his sword but Naruto was too close, he wasn't even able to unsheath the blade before Naruto threw another powerful punch at his torso. Sanemi wasn't used to close hand to hand combat, the only thing he could do was control his breathing to help stop the blow from damaging his organs.

A kunai flew through the air, just as Naruto was landing one more hit. Sanemi was able to push himself away in time before the kunai was grabbed mid-flight by a bare handed Naruto. His hand grabbed the wrapped handle of the kunai, flipping it mid-air he spun the metal weapon around on his finger using the ring before sending flying back towards the sound hashira.

Tengen snagged his kunai before it could be impaled into his stomach, a strange look crossed his face. He pulled another kunai out from one of his many pockets and sent it flying once more towards the red-eyed demon. As soon as the kunai left his hand, a dozen shuriken followed shortly. The sharp stars flying in different directions towards the demon.

Tengen watched as Naruto once more grabbed the kunai and this time used it to deflect the spinning metal stars.

"Hmmm. How interesting. It seems our little demon boy might be familiar with the ninja arts." Tengen comments.

Shinobu, who sat a few spots away from Tengen only nodded. "I had a strange feeling. When we first ran into the boy, he was fully demonized. His movements reminded me of you and your wives Tengen. Very aerodynamic and he was doing that thing you ninja's all do."

"Oh? And what is that?"

"He seemed to read us instantly. It was unnerving to look into those burning eyes and feel your soul laid bare"

"I like him," Rengoku said, slapping his open palm onto his leg. "We shall keep him!"

"Rengoku, you can't keep him…" Tengen and Shinobu both said.