^ Chapter 55 - Swirling Cherry Blossoms ^
^ Three Months Later ^
After the utter fiasco that occurred in Rome, the world was given a devastating shock about things that the general populace didn't know even existed. To say that the Roman Catholic faith was shaken would have been an understatement. With the Pope and all members of the Holy See who were present at the Vatican dead, the whole religion went into disarray for quite some time before it was able to finally stabilize. Reconstruction efforts in Rome were in full swing once people were able to wake up, with the road to completion far ahead in the future.
Rome wasn't built in a day though, as the saying goes, and builders were confident that they could restore the historic city to its former glory. It wasn't like this had been the first time the city had been extensively damaged before after all, the Visigoths could attest to that.
The real issues came from coming to terms with the fact that Humans weren't the only beings of their kind that inhabited their planet Earth. Kiriya and his sisters became center-stage for an incredibly long and arduous debate with the governments of the world over the existence of demons, with Amai and Yushirō being their foremost examples of ones who could live amongst humans without the need to devour any human at all.
World leaders were shocked of course by what had been living among them right under their noses, and some immediately called for them to be closely observed and possibly tested to see what made them tick. Kiriya not only shut them down rapidly, but warned them against thinking like that because another Torres could be spawned by their own greed and thirst for knowledge.
This notion was especially evident for the aftershocks that came from Torres meddling with the human race and using giant constructs of the Progenitor flower to do so. After each copy collapsed after the main one did in Rome, the pollen that they dispersed into the atmosphere, as well as what was generated by the smaller flowers that grew around them, eventually fell back down to Earth and began a staggering transformation. For some, nothing happened, but for a percentage of the human race, they too underwent a change in their physiology that turned them into demons too.
Granted extraordinary life forces and powers that made them special when compared to their human counterparts, almost immediately there were problems with this. Jealousy being the prime example, some people vied for the same kind of abilities these new Demons had obtained. And it became the duty of the Demon Slayer Corp to lead efforts in not only protecting those who did not develop a taste for human blood, but to either capture and hopefully rehabilitate those that did with Yushirō's help, or exterminate them if they were too far gone.
In an instant the world had drastically changed, not only because of the war that it had just finished waging. There'd be a long adjustment period for the world, nobody could dispute that, so the world couldn't sit around and dawdle. Communication and cooperation were going to be vital for the years to come.
For the victorious heroes though, in their own little pocket in the world, the only worries they had were to recover and rest. The fights against both Muzan and Torres had physically, mentally, and emotionally drained them, as well as robbed them of close friends and allies. For Tanjirō, he slept for practically the entire three months, only waking up within the past week just in time for the cherry blossom trees to be in full bloom.
"They're so pretty, aren't they, Onii-chan?" Nezuko asked with a warm smile as she sat next to her brother outside in the Butterfly Mansion's garden.
"Yea...they are." Tanjirō replied, putting an arm around his sister and holding her close. As he did he looked up to the bright, blue sky, and thought to himself about all that's happened. "The world is now a safer place without Muzan and Torres here. Those flowers will continue to turn people bad, but Oyakata-sama will work out a way to prevent those from happening often. In exchange for that though, we lost so many things…"
"Are you okay, Onee-san? What're you thinking about?"
"Just about...everything, really. All that's happened, the people we lost...the injuries the survivors took…"
He ran a hand over a scar that had formed over his eye from when he had gotten slashed by Torres, it being one of the many left over on his body that even his demon regeneration factor couldn't heal. He had been one of the lucky ones though, with all things considered.
Giyū had lost an arm in Tokyo, and Kyōjurō lost both an arm and a leg fighting toe to toe with Torres. He was being a good sport about it though, despite being berated by his father for being too careless in his approach. That was mostly a cover for how worried he had been for his eldest of two sons, and he only showed that side when he thought that no one was looking.
"I hope Oyakata-sama will be okay. For someone so young like him having to talk with all those big world leaders...it must be stressful." Tanjirō murmured to himself, Nezuko smiling softly as she hugged his arm.
"He's amazing, from what I heard. It will be okay, I know it." she said back, bringing back her brother's smile and a laugh from him as well.
"He'll actually be returning today, Tanjirō~ Even though you only woke up just this week, you should have known that!"
Tanjirō really perked up and turned his head, seeing Shinobu walking towards him with a soft smile on her face and her hair down. She was wearing a comfortable kimono rather than her uniform, something that Tanjirō hadn't had the pleasure of seeing until then. Standing up he greeted her with a hug, Shinobu giving back just as much and kissing him on the lips.
He was surprised just a tiny bit, but it was Nezuko giggling at their open affection that made his ears turn bright red and end the smooch quicker than Shinobu wanted because of his embarrassment. Nezuko then stood and gave Shinobu a hug, resting her chin on her shoulder as she did.
"I know you've been wanting to spend time with your brother an awful lot, but do you mind giving me and him some alone time?" Shinobu asked sweetly, rubbing Nezuko's head as she did.
Nezuko gladly nodded and turned to wave at her brother before skipping away to go find Zenitsu and Inosuke, who were on the tail ends of their own recovery process. When she was gone Shinobu turned to look back at the love of her life and embraced him again, this one lasting much longer than the first since there was no one else around to distract or interrupt them.
Frankly neither of them wanted to end the hug. After witnessing Shinobu disappearing when she was assimilated into Torres' consciousness, Tanjirō desired nothing more than to hold her so close that nothing could separate her from him. Even the little things put his tempered heart at ease, like the mere smell of her hair.
Shinobu was glad just to hug him again after losing all sense of self, even down to her very thoughts, during her merging with the neural network. It was one of the few times in her life where she was well and truly scared beyond belief, especially because the threat of losing herself and those she held dear was real and present, occurring right in front of her eyes. She honestly thought that was the end for her, so when she had woken up with Mitsuri and witnessed Tanjirō hug the both of them despite all of his injuries, it filled her soul with an overwhelming amount of relief.
Just being reminded of that experience brought tears to her eyes, which Tanjirō quickly took care of with his thumbs when he pulled away and cupped her cheeks. She smiled softly at him and messed with his hair again, it being tied in a ponytail that extended down to his lower back. His horns had also ceased growing, which she also touched a little bit as well and giggled.
"Are you gonna do that all the time now? You're going to make me self-conscious about them, Shinobu." Tanjirō laughed as he brought her hands back down, holding them in his coarse, rough palms.
"I can't help myself! You've just changed so much since the first time we met...in so many ways…" replied Shinobu gently, her heart-melting smile making Tanjirō blush.
"W-Well...you're not wrong…I guess I've just never really noticed, what with everything that's happened to us..."
"That's understandable, I guess~"
Shinobu and Tanjirō shared another laugh together before they both heard soft footsteps upon the wooden floor approach them. Mitsuri waved with a warm smile and rosy red cheeks as she walked up, wearing her uniform as opposed to Shinobu, with her sword still at her side.
"Gosh, the both of you are so cute together~! I can't stand it!" she squealed with excitement while bouncing up and down a little on her toes.
"A-Ahem...anyways, what brings you here Mitsuri?" Tanjirō asked with a slight stutter.
"Oh! I came to pick you guys up so we could go to Oyakata-sama's home. He's just returned and he's wanting to speak with all of the Hashira." Mitsuri giggled.
"We'll follow you then~"
Shinobu wrapped her arms around Tanjirō's arm, sandwiching it somewhat between her chest and making his ears turn red again, then followed behind Mitsuri after she turned to leave.
As they walked together Shinobu leaned her head up so that her lips were close to Tanjirō and whispered to him about Mitsuri and their unfinished business. Almost immediately he was reminded of the alone time that he and the Love Hashira almost had together before they were interrupted, and that since then they hadn't been able to pick it back up.
Gulping nervously he nodded his head and whispered that he'd keep it in mind, getting a small giggle out of his girlfriend before she let the matter rest. The walk to the Ubuyashiki Compound was a pleasant one, with the breeze, the brightly shining sun, and the sound of birds chirping. Unlike days before, they didn't feel any kind of tension or stress riding the wind. It felt like the world was finally at peace again, and they couldn't be any happier because of it.
Upon arriving at the compound of their young master they were greeted by Giyū, who had not only gotten his hair cut to a shorter length, but appeared to be cheerier than usual as well. He smiled at all three of them as he walked them inside after they had removed their footwear to the standard meeting room for the Hashira, finding a waving Kyōjurō inside.
With his monstrous recovery rate and good attitude over all he had already mostly healed from his grievous injuries.
While both he and Giyū had lost an arm each, Kyōjurō had a leg taken away from him as well, but that issue was quickly remedied thanks to a prosthetic leg he now wore. When asked about it by Tanjirō the Flame Hashira proudly said it came from the youth he had met in the Swordsmith Village, Kotetsu, which made Tanjirō smile from ear to ear.
"Oh! Now that you're here, I can't forget to hand this to you." Kyōjurō said as he handed Tanjirō a wrapped object while winking. "Wouldn't want that swordsmith of yours to freak out again, would we?"
"Why would he…" Tanjirō started before he grimaced a little when he understood him.
Quickly unraveling the wrapping he found his sword, which had been knocked free from his hand in Rome, resting within it completely intact. Sighing out of relief he then slid the scabbard under his belt right on top of Yoriichi's sword, which he now claimed as his own.
"Thanks, Rengoku-san...Haganezuka-san probably would have flipped out if he knew I nearly lost this sword…" thanked Tanjirō as he sat down with Shinobu and Mitsuri next to Kyōjurō.
"Don't mention it, my boy! This meeting ought to be a special one too, so be excited, hmn." Kyōjurō replied while patting him on the back. "We're just waiting for a couple more to arrive and then we'll start."
"Really, who are they?"
"You'll find out soon enough, Tanjirō-san. For now, please, rest. You've earned it."
Kiriya entered the room with a smile alongside his two sisters, the assembled Hashira all turning their attention to him and nodding their heads. The young master sat with his siblings across from them and he rested his hands on his thighs, waiting patiently with them.
Giyū remained standing since he was their room greeter and looked out for when the last few guests would arrive. He perked up when the door to the home was opened up and he left momentarily to lead the new arrivals over, returning moments later with just Kanao. When she met Tanjirō's gaze she blushed a tiny bit and sat down behind him, followed by the Water Hashira.
"Will that be everyone, Oyakata-sama?" Shinobu asked respectfully, the young master nodding his head.
"Our last guest said she had some business to attend to, so she'll be arriving late." he replied before looking over everyone in attendance. "I'll go ahead and begin this Hashira meeting."
Organizing his thoughts for a moment Kiriya then looked to every single person sitting before him and addressed them by their name and rank, until his eyes ended on Tanjirō, who he saved for last, and whom he gave the brightest smile to.
"Most of the other children have left us now, but thanks to your efforts, we managed to exterminate not only Muzan and his demons, but those 'Angels' too. Under normal circumstances, I would have disbanded the Demon Slayers as of today, but that won't be possible." Kiriya began, his tone of voice turning serious for a brief moment as he turned to his sister Kuina, who then stood up and handed out a series of papers to everyone in attendance. "These accords detail the agreement we in Japan have made with other world powers, along with the conclusion of the Great War. Because there is still a threat of people transforming from the pollen released by the progenitor flowers, our services are being requested from around the world."
"So...the Corps are going to be dispatched into different nations now?" Kyōjurō questioned after flipping through the first few pages of his copy of the accords.
"For the time being, yes. The government of Japan and I will be in close communication with other nations, helping them start up their own organizations similar to our own."
"I know this may be too much to ask of you so soon after the battles you all just waged. You've risked your lives for the longest time."
"You fought and devoted yourselves for the people of the world."
"But please," asked Kiriya as he and his sisters bowed their heads to the Hashira and Kanao. "We, the Ubuyashiki Family, humbly ask you to continue your service, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your sacrifices."
Almost immediately they were all told to raise their heads by practically everyone in the room, the loudest voices being Tanjirō and surprisingly Giyū. Surprised, Kiriya and his siblings did just that and watched in awe of how passionately they rejected their graces and substituted them with their own in return.
"The biggest reason why the Demon Slayers stayed together was because of the efforts of the Ubuyashiki Family, hmn. The honor should all be yours, Oyakata-sama!" proclaimed Kyōjurō with a confident smile, while also holding out his one arm to give them a thumbs up.
"If it weren't for your father's kindness, the fates of my sister and I could have ended up way different than what they are now...so really! You don't have to thank us! It should be us thanking you!" added Tanjirō, nodding his head in agreement with Kyōjurō.
"Kiriya-sama, you did a magnificent job as well. I believe that all of your ancestors in the Ubuyashiki Family, including your father, would be very proud of you."
Giyū smiled a tiny bit when his words, added on top of everyone else's words of thanks and encouragement, brought the three Ubuyashiki siblings to tears as they thanked them in return. Tanjirō and Shinobu both smiled as they held hands, before she nudged him and motioned to Mitsuri on his opposite side. Blushing and gulping a little again, he then nervously moved his other hand until it was on top of hers, surprising her a little.
Not knowing what he was doing at first she noticed Shinobu's wink and the blush he had, before she then giggled a little and blushed softly as he turned her hand over and held his hand. Once Kiriya and his sisters were able to compose themselves again, he cleared his throat and looked at all of them happily with a renewed vigor in their eyes.
"To help facilitate the rebirth of our organization as an international, and not internal one, there will be some additions made to the Hashira in the coming days." Kiriya stated as his gaze then settled on Kanao, who's eyes widened as he held out a hand towards you. "Kanao, you've proven yourself as a capable and fierce swordsman far beyond the expectations of your peers. Would you like to be given a place among the pillars of the Corps, as a Hashira?"
"M-Me? A Hashira?" Kanao asked with a light stutter. She looked around at her comrades and noticed Shinobu smiling happily at her.
"You earned it, Kanao-san. Especially after I heard about your fight with that demon." she said.
"As a recommendation from your master, we see it fit to grant you the title Flower Hashira, once held by Kochō Kanae. Do you accept?"
With really no other option for her to choose, with a teary eyed smile as she held a hand up to Kanae's butterfly pin that she used for her hair, she accepted Kiriya's proposal with a nod. Tanjirō, Shinobu and the other Hashira all celebrated her ascension to their ranks with cheers and applause.
There was then a knock on one of the sliding doors to Kiriya's right and he turned his head, smiling as the person who knocked entered soon after while puffing softly on their pipe. Tanjirō smiled greatly when he met Níngguāng's gaze, the demon business woman winking at him before taking her own seat nearby off to the side.
Seeing her alive and well after he managed to save her life with his blood brought him joy, because watching her get executed by Torres had been as much of a blow as all the other terrible things they witnessed. It was because of his blood that she was with them there now, and it was through his blood that, in a similar way to how Shinobu and Mitsuri were bonded to him, she was now too as 'his' demons.
"I apologize for appearing at such a time, Kiriya-san. There were some things I had to take care of, like facilitating the rebuilding of some of my facilities in Tokyo that were damaged." Níngguāng said to Kiriya before setting her pipe down next to her, keeping her gaze on Tanjirō for a second longer.
"It's quite alright. Everyone, from this day forward, Níngguāng here will be working extensively with our organization in order to help us build an extensive network that can help us gather intelligence to help stop any transformed humans before they get out of control."
"It'll be my way of thanking Tamayo and Kagaya for the sacrifices they made. Of course, I'm indebted to you all as well." Níngguāng added with a smile and wink.
"What of the other demon, Yushirō? He worked closely with Tamayo-san and Kochō to develop that drug." asked Kyōjurō while also raising his hand.
"He's elected to continue Tamayo's line of work as a doctor, alongside Amai, but will remain in contact with us. He has extensive knowledge on how to help revert people back to normal, after all."
The meeting didn't go on for much longer after that, so once Kiriya dismissed them, they filed out of the room one by one and retrieved their footwear at the front entrance to his family home. Kyōjurō departed after he suggested Tanjirō and Shinobu join him at his family's home, then Giyū departed once Urokodaki, who received a prosthetic arm to replace the one he lost, arrived to walk with him.
Tanjirō shared a warm goodbye with his sensei before the two Water Breathing users, one the current Hashira and the other a former Hashira, then walked away together. Kanao waited a little awkwardly next to Shinobu and Mitsuri, who were both clinging onto Tanjirō a bit with smiles on their faces. Unsure of what to do or say given the circumstance, Níngguāng then walked out with pipe in hand and put an arm gently around Tanjirō's shoulders and leaned down until her chest was level with the side of his head.
"You're welcome to come by my home any time so that way I can thank you properly for saving my life." she said after blowing out some smoke, before she then turned her head and planted her lips on his cheek for a soft little smooch. "Please, I insist. Don't be a stranger~."
Kanao gasped and covered her mouth while blushing profusely, while Shinobu and Mitsuri were left with surprised expressions after the business woman then giggled and waved as she wandered off. Tanjirō turned as red as a beet and held his hand over the cheek she kissed him on, thinking to himself how somehow managed to earn these sorts of things from the women he met.
He was teased about it by Shinobu and Mitsuri, albeit to a lesser extent from the latter, for most of the walk back to the Butterfly Mansion. The rest of the way was spent talking of Tanjirō inviting them to his family home, along with Zenitsu and Inosuke if they wanted to, after they had finished up everything they had to do for the day.
Shinobu agreed immediately when the suggestion was made, and Mitsuri happily did so after her. It took a bit of courage on Kanao's part in order to convince herself to agree as well, but by the time they reached Shinobu's home they were all in on the idea.
Instead of the peaceful tranquility they left behind though, instead it was filled with an argument between Inosuke and Aoi, who had followed him outside to the front garden, about him stealing food from her again.
"If you're hungry, then at least take this!" Aoi said firmly as she handed Inosuke a tray stocked full of fresh food that she had just made. "You can eat anything you'd like from this tray, whenever you'd like to. Just stop stealing food!"
"Fine! Just stop yelling at me!" barked back Inosuke as he swiped the tray away from Aoi, earning a disgruntled huff from her before she walked back towards the Mansion entrance.
Inosuke stared at her back as she walked away, grumbling to himself before he lifted up his boar mask and stared down at the tray of food. A light shade of red appeared on his cheeks as he sat down and took one of the rice buns, munching on it and then smiling a tiny bit.
"Aoi! Hold on for a second!" Shinobu called out to her younger ward, the girl turning around just before she walked inside.
"Kochō-sama? What is it?" Aoi asked as she walked over to them and put a hand on her hip.
"I'd like for you to watch over the mansion for me, okay? I'll be gone for tonight at most, but on the off chance of something happening...you'll be the new master of the house." Shinobu said to Aoi with a sweet smile, which completely took her by surprise.
"W-Wait, hold on a second! M-Me? What about the three girls?! You can't just trust me with all of that, Kochō-sama!"
"I can, and I will~ You've worked diligently as one of the caretakers here ever since first arriving, and I also know you've become quite the knowledgeable medical practitioner as well. You're perfect for the role."
"K...Kochō-sama…I don't know what to say…"
Aoi blushed softly from the praise and rubbed her arm bashfully as well, prompting a giggle from Mitsuri at her cute reaction. Tanjirō laughed as well and was about to follow after Mitsuri and Shinobu, before he was suddenly yanked off to the side by Kanao and taken away by her.
Shinobu glanced behind her and watched them go, smiling to herself and silently congratulating Kanao on finally doing something about what's been bothering her for quite a while. When Mitsuri asked where they went she played it off as something else and walked her inside, starting up another conversation with her about another matter.
Kanao meanwhile took a very confused Tanjirō around to another part of the Butterfly Mansion property, where in it was a smaller garden and a lone cherry blossom tree. He stopped himself from asking why Kanao had suddenly yanked him away when he was confronted by the beauty of the tree, Kanao smiling softly as she and him walked together up to the tree. The petals danced around them as they fell from the branches, creating a calming atmosphere around the two of them.
"This is the cherry blossom tree that the first Flower Breathing user planted, you know." Kanao said softly while gazing up at the tree. "It was given the name 'Victory'. I've been meaning to tell it that we won, and...wondered if you wanted to as well."
"Oh! Of course! That sounds neat, and sweet…" Tanjirō said in response, before he blinked as he got the first close look of Kanao in a long while and gasped. "Wait, Kanao-san! Your eye! What happened to it?!"
"You don't remember? Because I used Equinoctial Vermillion Eye when fighting Dōma, I lost the use of this eye." remarked Kanao while pointing at her right eye.
"O-Oh...I think I did forget about that. With everything that happened, I guess I just pushed it aside…"
"Don't worry about it, it's fine! And it's not like I'm completely blind."
Kanao gave him a sweet smile to help him not worry so much about her, and he nodded with a smile of his own. Looking back at the tree together again they offered their own silent statements to the cherry blossom tree.
When the breeze picked up a tiny bit, blowing the petals around them a tiny bit more vigorously, Kanao gazed a little at Tanjirō for a few seconds. She developed a light blush again and after another moment of silence, she coughed a tiny bit and swayed back and forth on her heels and toes with her hands behind her back.
"U-Um...my birthday was a couple months ago...I turned eighteen…" she murmured softly. Tanjirō turned his head away from the tree for the second time and looked her, congratulating her before he thought for a moment and asked her what month it was. "Um, July. Why do you ask?"
"July is when my birthday is! How old am I gonna be, uh...uhhh...I haven't thought about normal things like this in a while, so…"
"Tanjirō, can I ask you something?"
"Huh?" Tanjirō said, stopping in his thoughts. "What is it, Kanao?"
"Can you...turn me into a demon?"
Tanjirō blinked, caught off guard by her request. She wanted to become a demon? What for? What reason was there for her to want to become a demon, after fighting against them her whole life after she was adopted by Shinobu and her late sister, he thought.
Seeing his confusion written all over his face, Kanao lowered her head to hide her blush and spilled everything to him. She told him upfront the reason for her question was because she didn't want to leave his side, not after living alongside him and Shinobu at the Butterfly Mansion. Now that Shinobu was a demon like him, which guaranteed her a very long life ahead of her, she didn't want to be left alone again like when she had been a child. She was scared of that happening, and if it meant giving up her humanity to become a demon like them, it would be worth it to her.
"Kanao...are you sure you want to do that? I know it sounds like you've made up my mind, but I don't want to become another Muzan...stealing people's humanity away from them…" Tanjirō said as he turned himself away from her, looking down at his feet with a worried expression.
"I have made up my mind! I want to be with you, Tanjirō!" Kanao finally blurted out, her tone making him jump in surprise. When he stared at her after her outburst, she blushed but frowned cutely at him for a second or two before becoming shy again as she played with her side ponytail. "Ever since that day, with my coin...I saw you as someone who genuinely cared and had their heart open to anyone willing to have it...and the way you smiled and persevered...I could see why Kochō-sama and Kanroji-sama love you…"
"K-Kanao...you...I don't know what to say...this is-mpnh!" he was beginning to say before the new Flower Hashira yanked him into a kiss with her under the blossoming leaves of the cherry blossom tree.
Holding it for a few seconds Kanao then let go of the cuffs of his haori, blushing so much that one would think steam could come out of her ears any moment, before she smiled softly and held his hands in hers.
"I know they come first, and even if you don't return these feelings...just staying with you and Onee-san would be enough for me."
"Kanao…" murmured Tanjirō, blown away by how far the formerly silent and emotionless girl turned young woman had come.
"I'll see you later, okay? I can't wait to see your family's home!"
Kanao then took a few steps back and waved at Tanjirō before running off, hiding the fact that her face turned as bright as a tomato again. Left alone at the tree, Tanjirō blinked a few times as he processed what just happened, before he gripped the sides of his head and shook it side to side in total distress.
Shinobu by herself was perfectly fine. Both her and Mitsuri would be a little bit of a challenge but because they were close friends, he imagined it would be okay. Níngguāng's surprise smooch on the cheek was definitely uncalled for, and he hoped that was the extent of it, but even then he wasn't quite sure himself. And now there was Kanao confessing to him in such a forward manner, just not as aggressive as Mitsuri's was.
He had to wonder what kind of magic trick he pulled for this to happen, which would occupy him for a good while before he would eventually leave with Nezuko, Shinobu, Inosuke and Zenitsu to go spread flowers amongst all the graves of slayers who had been killed in both the past and in the present.
Seeing all the marked stones reminded them of the cost of their fight, and gave them an even deeper insight into just how amazing the Ubuyashiki family was. Kiriya could be seen with his sisters walking the stones in another part of the extensive graveyard, taking time to thank each and every person laid to rest by name without so much as even glancing at the name itself written in stone. It had been part of each master's duty to know and memorize every member of the Demon Slayer Corps by name, and Kiriya was determined to not let that tradition stop with him.
Once they had managed to place all of the flowers they had with them, Tanjirō asked his friends if they wanted to join him at his family home for some time together. Inosuke grunted and muttered something about possibly helping Aoi out that night and Zenitsu declined because he had something else to do. He was going to return to the home of his sensei and spread his ashes there on the property, and maybe spruce things up there as well. Of course he gave Nezuko the chance to come over too, but she told him it would have to wait for another time since she wanted to see her home too.
"Maybe another time we can all get together. I don't want this to be the last time any of us see one another." Tanjirō said with a smile as he stood with his sister at the cemetery's exit.
"Yeah! You and Inosuke can do things while Nezuko-chan and I can pick peaches at Gramps' place~" Zenitsu replied while making a kissy kissy face.
"Whatever. I'm hungry again, so...I'll see you guys later."
Inosuke grunted as he took a few steps to leave, before freezing. After a moment or two he then took off his boar mask and turned back too look at the three of them, smiling a bit.
"Thank you for being my friends...I wouldn't want anyone else." he said, before pulling the mask back down and sprinting off with another obnoxious laugh.
Zenitsu and Tanjirō shared their goodbyes with one another and hugged, before they departed, with Tanjirō and Nezuko returning to the Butterfly Mansion to finish packing up their belongings and get ready to leave for home. Shinobu and Mitsuri, already good to go when they got there, waited for them near the front door as Aoi helped Kanao pack her things.
Once everyone was ready they left as a group, waving goodbye to Aoi and Inosuke while he was bunching on another rice ball, and hitting the road. The journey was long, with the sun setting by the time they reached the foot of the mountain on which Tanjirō's home was, where they encountered someone they hadn't met for years now.
It was the older man that had offered a younger Tanjirō his home to sleep in until a storm had passed over back before he or Nezuko even knew what the greater world beyond was like. Memories came rushing back to the two of them as they ran to him, the man not recognizing them at first until they got closer. To say he was both shocked and relieved would be an understatement, and it took a lot of explaining from both siblings to catch him up to speed about what had happened. And all the while Kanao, Shinobu and Mitsuri watched on and giggled at the entire exchange until its conclusion.
By the time they finished it was already night, so like before he offered them all his home to sleep in until the morning. Accepting his hospitality they settled themselves in for the night, until everyone but Tanjirō and Shinobu was asleep.
With Mitsuri on his left, Shinobu was on his right, resting on her side and looking at him with a soft smile on her face. He was looking back as well, sharing the same expression, before he reached out a hand so that she could hold onto it.
They looked into one another's eyes for a minute or two in complete silence before, with the shuffling of her futon covers, she crawled out from under them and went over to Tanjirō's futon. Snuggling herself up underneath right up against his body, they would fall asleep together like that, with her head nestled against his in the crook of his neck.
Once morning came they packed up and said goodbye to the Kamado family's friend before they ascended the mountain, walking past the dense thickets as the morning breeze blew through them. The mountain air was fresh and clear, with it bringing back so many memories to Tanjirō and Nezuko of their youth.
For Shinobu, Mitsuri and Kanao, they were amazed by the peaceful serenity of the forest and landscape around them. This must have been one of the reasons why the Kamado family had chosen to live up here, they thought. Who wouldn't want to live in a place such as this?
"There it is! I see it!" Nezuko exclaimed as she left Tanjirō's side to run up the path. "We're home! We're finally home!"
"Yeah...we are." Tanjirō said happily, with a sense of accomplishment behind his tone, as they reached the top of the path and saw their family home nestled in its little clearing amongst the cherry blossom trees straight ahead.
For a brief moment the image of his bloody past appeared, but he dismissed it as he joined Nezuko in gazing at the home they had been born in and grew up in. Shinobu giggled with Mitsuri while Kanao smiled happily for the siblings at their triumphant return to their birthplace.
Before they could do anything though, there was one thing that had to be taken care of first, one thing immensely important to Tanjirō and Nezuko. Finding a dense patch of flowers nearby their house, the girls quickly realized what they were wanting to do, and gladly joined them.
For a few minutes the five of them kneeled before the flower patch and prayed for the well being of those who were buried there, the Kamado siblings shedding a few tears in the process. This was their family they were dealing with after all, it was only right. As soon as they were back on their feet, they were surprised by Shinobu, Mitsuri and Kanao all hugging the two of them at the same time as a show of solidarity for their feelings. It made Nezuko cry a little more out of joy and eased Tanjirō's wounded heart, replacing the pain he felt with jubilation.
Then it was time to go to work. With the five of them working together as a cohesive unit, they cleaned the Kamado family household top to bottom, making it absolutely spotless. Next came preparing a bath which, considering the size of the home, could only have one person at a time, so Tanjirō insisted that everyone, including Nezuko, went first before him. It took a little while, but eventually all five of them were cleaned and ready to enjoy the evening with one another by freshly made food.
"I didn't know you could cook like this, Tanjirō!" Mitsuri exclaimed after finishing her second helping, her praise making him rub the back of his neck bashfully.
"I always helped my mother out with food, so it just comes naturally I guess!" he replied, his humble explanation drawing a round of laughter from the girls and Nezuko.
"It's true!" Nezuko said, grinning ear to ear. "He really did!"
Finishing up their meals it was Kanao and Nezuko who offered to clean up everything, allowing the other three to make sure their sleeping arrangements were ready. At Nezuko's insistence she made Tanjirō accept her offer of allowing him, Shinobu and Mitsuri to take their parents' room, and so that's where they ended up as the moon made its entrance in the sky.
Tanjirō said goodnight to Kanao and Nezuko before the sliding doors were closed, separating them from his group. A single lantern lit up their space, creating a cozy and intimate ambiance for Tanjirō, Mitsuri and Shinbou as they fixed their futons. Sleeping was the furthest thing from their mind though, especially with how Mitsuri was already blushing and throwing quick glances at the other two people in the room. A whole lot of emotion was slowly coming to a head between the three of them, and as soon as they finished fiddling with their futons, it wasn't long before that peace and quiet would change.
"So, if I understand this right...the two of you never got to continue with your alone time?" Shinobu asked, sounding innocent at first until they got a glimpse of her expression. She was practically smirking at Tanjirō and Mitsuri when they looked her way, and when she saw their reddened cheeks she knew she had them totally cornered. "Well, luckily for you, we have this room all to ourselves...and I'll be here this time to make sure nothing goes wrong…~"
"S-Shinobu...what's gotten into you? Why're you acting like this?" Mitsuri asked nervously as the Insect Hashira crawled over to her with a soft giggle.
"I'm happy is all~! Happy for my best friend, happy for my boyfriend...happy for me…"
Shinobu looked Mitsuri dead in the eyes, putting on an extremely alluring tone of voice as she stroked her fingers along her friend's thigh, before shockingly planting her lips right on Mitsuri's. Tanjirō's jaw dropped to the floor and Mitsuri's hair practically stood on end when she received that kiss from Shinobu.
What happened next was nothing short of a once in a lifetime spectacle as the two women made out right in front of Tanjirō, acting like he wasn't even there. Taking the lead, despite being the younger of the two, Shinbou proceeded to relieve Mitsuri of her sleeping kimono while continuing to kiss her.
Tanjirō could do nothing but watch in silence as more and more of Mitsuri's skin was revealed, until Shinobu had stripped her completely bare. The last time he had witnessed her naked body was back in the old Swordsmith village, and even then it was only her upper half. Now he was getting the full picture, and he was all the more entranced because of it.
Her large breasts, bigger than Shinobu's, were as beautiful as the last time he had seen them, with pink nipples that had hardened because of her arousal. What really completed her image as a woman in the springtime of her youth was her athletic, hourglass figure, with shapely hips perfectly made for childbearing, and strong legs with thighs that could probably crack a watermelon apart with ease.
Unlike Shinobu, who was equal parts cute and petite with sexy, Mitsuri were those things, amplified two times over. She was an incredibly curvaceous woman, strong in both mind and body, with an adorable personality that nobody could be mad at. And thanks to the Insect Hashira, she was now laying there before Tanjirō, completely nude, ripe for the taking.
"Mm...so that's what its like to kiss a girl...not bad." remarked Shinobu with a light giggle after pulling her lips away, revealing a bright as a tomato Mitsuri with her lips slightly ajar.
"S...Shinobu...you…" Tanjirō uttered, once he was able to pick his jaw off the floor, but he was quickly silenced by a look from Shinobu.
"Now's not the time for talking, Tanjirō...tonight's going to be for Mitsuri, and for us. Don't count on going to sleep any time soon, okay~?"
^ One Year Later ^
"See you later, Zenitsu!" Tanjirō yelled over his shoulder after leaving his friend's home, the former home of his master that the yellow-haired slayer took over in his stead.
In his arms was a basket of freshly picked oranges from the groves surrounding the home, something that he was excited to bring back home and share with his family alongside one of their meals, or just as a snack. Today had been pretty eventful for the Blaze Dance Hashira, from seeing off new recruits at headquarters for the Corps, to visiting Urokodaki to see how his old master was doing, and just recently meeting with Zenitsu.
After the giant progenitor flowers had come down, spreading their pollen across the globe and transforming a vast portion of the Earth's population into demons, there hadn't been any major incidents yet thankfully. One person in Tokyo had gotten out of control though, becoming an "Angel" like Torres and causing some chaos, destroying an establishment in the process. Nobody got hurt thankfully, due to the timely arrival of Giyū that he was subdued and submitted to Yushirō's care for rehabilitation.
News came through Kiriya and Níngguāng about how, in the outside world, the countries who were first to adopt their methods were rapidly nearing the completion of their own organizations devoted to intercepting Angels before they could become stronger and potentially harm others.
After the brutality of the Great War and the devastation caused by Torres in the city of Rome, it really seemed like the world was on a fast track toward lasting peace and cooperation. Tanjirō hoped that it would stay like this, because he desperately didn't want that man's ominous words to turn out true.
"Maybe today I can go to Kobe and drop some of these oranges off with Níngguāng...but then again, she is working a lot these days. Maybe another time." he thought to himself while taking out one orange and tossing it a bit in his hand.
As he made the journey back home at a light jog, he thought to himself about how the Corps had come such a long way since when he first joined it. Originally seeking nothing else but the extermination of demons, namely the ones created by Muzan, they now were composed of both humans and demons themselves. Níngguāng was a consultant when she wasn't handling her business affairs, Yushirō and Amai were training doctors that could treat those afflicted with the "Angel Virus" as it was called, and of course there was himself, Shinobu and Mitsuri in their ranks.
One thing he was exceptionally happy for was the fact that thanks to Yushirō synthesizing his blood to make an antidote, it was helping demons across the globe conquer the sun so that they wouldn't have to live in fear of it, like Muzan and his demons had done for their entire lives.
It was late afternoon, approaching evening, when Tanjirō finally returned home to Kanao doing laundry outside. He smiled as he walked up to her and called out her name, tossing the orange in his hand immediately after.
"Ah! Tanjirō!" she exclaimed as she nearly dropped the orange when she tried to catch it. "Don't just do that all of a sudden!"
"I couldn't help myself! I'm glad you didn't drop it though, it came from Zenitsu's place." Tanjirō replied with a smile as he showed her the basket.
"Speaking of Zenitsu, Nezuko's been spending more and more time there lately...are you worried at all?"
"Not in the slightest. Zenitsu may be goofy, sometimes too much, but I trust him."
Kanao smiled at Tanjirō's earnest words and she gave him a kiss on the cheek, thanking him as well for the orange. Their relationship was still on the fence somewhat, even though she had been living there with him in his family's house for the past year now. She was comfortable knowing that he knew her affection for him, and he was careful not to make it seem like he wasn't open to it.
The only complicated factor that could affect where they went from there was the fact that Tanjirō was married, and his wives should be waiting for him just inside.
"I knew it. I thought I heard your voice out here~" spoke one of those wives, Shinobu being said wife as she appeared in the doorway to their family home.
She had her hair down instead of held back with her butterfly pin and was wearing a kimono with several shades of purple, lavender, and gold, as well as butterfly designs in the fabric. Her most noticeable feature of course was the baby bump she was so tenderly cupping the sides of with her hands, rubbing it every so often with utter joy in her eyes. She was already nearing eight months along in her pregnancy, but it didn't matter when along the timeline she was, just seeing her filled Tanjirō's heart with love and pride.
"Yeah, I just got back, Shinobu. I brought oranges from Zenitsu's that I thought we could eat!" Tanjirō said while strolling up to her, giving her a kiss on the lips before squatting down in front of her. "And how are you doing in there?"
"They're doing just fine, Tanjirō~" Shinobu said with a lighthearted giggle.
"Is Mitsuri still inside?"
"Ah, she actually went to fetch some water. You should be able to catch her on her way back. I'll go ahead and take these, thank you!"
Shinobu took the basket of oranges and shooed Tanjirō away, the young man laughing to himself before going off on his own to find Mitsuri at the nearby stream. It didn't take him long at all to find it, since he himself had been there many times before, finding Mitsuri struggling a little bit to dip the bucket she had into the stream.
Taking advantage of the fact that she was too focused on what she was trying to do, Tanjirō casually walked up behind her and bent down, putting his hands on top of her's to help.
"Eep! Who are you-" she started as she whirled around, coming face to face with Tanjirō, and almost instantly gasping in surprise. "Tanjirō! Don't scare me like that! If I wasn't like this I could've really hurt you!"
"You could still hurt me even if you are like this!" chortled Tanjirō as he put his arms around Mitsuri and hugged her.
"Mmm...I know, I know...but still! No scaring me, or the baby!"
"Whatever you say, Mitsuri."
Mitsuri smiled as she set down the bucket and returned the hug, pressing her body against his and giving him a loving kiss on the lips. Like Shinobu she was wearing a kimono, albeit a white and green one, and she too was nearing her eighth month with the child currently in her belly.
When they separated Tanjirō gave her baby bump a gentle rub, inciting a giggle out of Mitsuri, before taking the bucket and filling it with water for her. Then they walked back together while holding hands, chatting about their days and what Mitsuri and Shinobu had been up to while they were on maternity leave.
Not only had he married them both at the same time, but they both conceived at nearly the exact same moment as well. Tanjirō definitely freaked out when he heard from the two of them that they were pregnant, but he was overjoyed too. Nezuko and Kanao reacted the same way, and they ended up having a big celebration because of it. But that was almost eight months ago, it was the present, and from the signals that Shinobu's been giving him, it was going to be an interesting one to say the least.
"How she ended up becoming like that is totally beyond me...not that I'm complaining though. It does get pretty overwhelming though…" Tanjirō thought with a light blush as they arrived back home to an unexpected visitor.
"Níngguāng-san? What're you doing here?" Mitsuri asked when she saw the eccentric business woman talking to Kanao and Shinobu outside, giggling over something before she noticed them and waved.
"Just thought I'd might come and check up on how you're doing, considering we're all in the same boat. And I also brought some Sake to drink as well!"
Stepping out from in front of Kanao and Shinobu to come over and hug him and Mitsuri, Níngguāng showed off that she too was pregnant, though her belly was much more pronounced. Tanjirō glanced off to the side a bit after they hugged and coughed, the woman chuckling softly before she smoked a little on her pipe with a knowing smile.
"It's good to see that the two of you are taking care of yourselves. Kanao over there is wonderful to have around too." she said while exhaling smoke from her mouth, winking at Tanjirō. "But I'm sure Tanjirō here does all the heavy lifting for you while you're both like this."
"Oh, he's been amazing! He's been taking on all of these different jobs and such at the Headquarters, cooking for us even when he doesn't have to. He's an amazing husband~!" Mitsuri blabbered, cheerfully telling the business woman all about Tanjirō as if he were a trophy she were showing off.
"So I've heard. He certainly is dependable, that much I can attest to. Strong too...it's no wonder he swept all of you right off your feet."
Tanjirō's face turned red and he walked away to help Kanao and Shinobu out rather than stay and listen to the two pregnant women gossip with one another. Finding somewhere to sit together they did just that, up until it was time for Níngguāng to go. With the sun starting to set she bid farewell to them all with a wave and a special kiss that she blew in Tanjirō's direction.
Before she could leave though, Mitsuri jogged after her and invited her to stay since it was almost night time and she would be worried about the older woman walking outside alone at night. He tried to object but Shinobu elbowed him in the ribs, knocking the breath out of his lungs and making him double over in pain, the entire ordeal making Kanao cover her mouth and laugh.
"Well, I must say I wasn't expecting the hospitality. I can still handle myself after all, but thank you. I hope I won't be a bother." Níngguāng said with a smile after Mitsuri walked her back, her eyes hanging on Tanjirō for another moment before she let herself be escorted to their house.
"I'm not gonna live to see the morning tomorrow...tonight's the night I really die…" Tanjirō thought anxiously once he recovered from Shinobu's elbow.
The Sake that Níngguāng had brought turned out to be the catalyst for making the night exactly what Tanjirō had suspected it would be: him as the direct center of attention for four women, three of which were full of pheromones and very, very eager.
Once the bottle had been rendered empty by the five of them, all sense of rationality went completely out the window and it only went south from there. For Tanjirō, the only thing he hoped would happen was that he would live through the night.
Shinobu, acting as the ringleader of the posse of women, had been the one to strip Tanjirō of his clothes and pin him to the ground by sitting on him with a drunken grin, before she too got naked and turned herself around and planted her ass square on his face to keep him down. Kanao, Mitsuri and Níngguāng weren't far behind, and once they were all devoid of any shred of clothing whatsoever, they immediately clustered around his erect member and started to tend to it with Shinobu.
Muffled groans came out from under her ass, with Tanjirō feeling the stimulation of all four women's tongues covering every single inch of his shaft. It was a sensation like no other, something that a man could only dream of occurring to them. Not wanting to be left in the dust, and partly influenced by the sake, he brought his hands up and squished Shinobu's ass cheeks while he started to eat her out at the same time.
A shiver shot up and down her spine and a cute moan escaped her lips, but the stimulation in her nether regions only made her work harder with her tongue in conjunction with the other three women of the group. It wasn't until a minute had gone by that Kanao pulled away to catch her breath, with Níngguāng only doing so to bring her ample sized bust up and press it against the left side of their man's dick.
"Come here, Kanao, do the same on the other side…~ That way it will feel even better~" Níngguāng said softly.
"But mine aren't as big as any of yours…" Kanao said softly with a blush, still following Níngguāng's example with her chest until Tanjirō's member was comfortably sandwiched between their breasts.
"Oh, they'll grow, I'm certain of it…now, with me...move them up and down, at a steady pace~"
Moving in sync, Níngguāng and Kanao pleasured Tanjirō's shaft with their breasts, the former adding a little bit of spice to the mix by holding out her tongue above them and letting saliva drip off it down into the crevice. The warmth of their breasts made him throb and, but with them hogging it all, Shinobu and Mitsuri had to improvise a little.
Scooching over so that she was on Tanjirō's right side, Mitsuri then started making out with Shinobu once she had leaned back and squished her ass more firmly onto Tanjirō's head. Unable to grope it, he moved his right hand down and found his way beneath Mitsuri's belly, sliding his fingers gently up into her past her folds in order to finger her as she and Shinobu kissed. Their moans began to intermingle and grow progressively more lewd by the second as their orgy intensified, and it wasn't long until their first round of climaxes started happening.
With a hip spasm Tanjirō ended up cumming over Kanao and Níngguāng's breasts, getting some on their, and Mitsuri pulled her lips from Shinobu's just in time for her to squeal as she had her first orgasm of the night. Shinobu came at the same time from Tanjirō's tongue as well, her viscous lady fluids drenching his face and filling his mouth somewhat.
"Mmm….we can't let this go to waste…" uttered a drunken Níngguāng as she closed the gap with Kanao and started licking his semen off her cheeks.
"N-No fair...Níngguāng-san…" she replied shyly as she did the same, before moving to their chests and Tanjirō's dick, before finally ending it with a short make out session between the two of them as well.
Once they separated and sat up, Shinobu got up off Tanjirō and took her place straddling his midsection as the first wife of the group, grinning drunkenly at her husband as she held her belly and prepared to mount him.
With a cute moan she felt him enter her, reaching the depths of her uterus, until she was sitting comfortably on him with her hand resting on her pregnant belly and the other on his knee. Then she started riding him at a slow pace, her breasts, which were made larger by her pregnancy, softly bouncing up and down with her.
"Excuse me...Kanao…" Mitsuri whispered before she tugged her into a kiss of her own, the two women beginning to explore their bodies while a lonely Níngguāng crawled up next to Tanjirō and put his arm around her.
"You know what to do…" she uttered into his ear, biting her lip when he felt his hand spread apart her ass and find her folds to rub and play with. "I can't...thank you enough...for saving my life...I'm truly...indebted to you...my body is yours…that is the contract I've made...for myself…"
"You didn't have to do that you know...I just did what I thought...was right…" groaned Tanjirō when he felt Shinobu's walls tighten around his shaft.
"Ever humble to the end...silly boy…"
Níngguāng cupped his cheeks and kissed him deeply while he fingered her, her moans being muffled by his lips. This continued on until the next climaxes came as Shinobu felt Tanjirō's semen enter her, and Níngguāng orgasmed from his fingers hitting her sensitive spot over and over again.
Then it was Mitsuri's turn to have sex with him, where instead of cowgirl, he took her from behind as she was standing on all fours over top Shinobu, who helped herself to her big, milk-filled breasts. Mitsuri had lost her virginity when she and Tanjirō had done it that first night there in their home, and since then, like Shinobu, she had become accustomed to the feeling of her lovers' loins in her.
Kanao was on all fours next to her, receiving Tanjirō's right hand as a temporary fix for her growing need for him, and Níngguāng was standing with a lewd smile on her face on his left side, letting him feed from her own breasts.
The room only fell deeper and deeper into debauchery as the night went on, with Kanao going third after Mitsuri and Níngguāng going last. After that they took a break, with Tanjirō fetching them cold water to drink and to clean their faces with. The momentary peace didn't last long though, the five of them picking up almost exactly where they left off before they had their water break.
"The four...of you are gonna...kill me…" Tanjirō said as he stood on his knees thrusting his dick gently between Mitsuri and Shinobu's pregnant bellies, the pair giggling at him while they held one another's hips.
"You're not going to die, Tanjirō~ We'd kill you if you did~" Shinobu said before they felt something hot between their stomachs.
"O-Ooh, he came between our bellies…" Mitsuri said with a soft smile, embarrassed on one hand and happy on the other.
"I'm still hungry…" Níngguāng said while licking her lips as she gently pushed them apart, then put her hands on Tanjirō's shoulders to sit him down. "Won't you take care of me~?"
"It's not like I can stop you…"
"Great~!"
Níngguāng giggled as she sat herself down in his lap and bit her lip as her folds wrapped perfectly around his shaft, enveloping his manhood, before she started to rock her hips back and forth. She smothered his face in her large bust, her fingers digging in a little bit to his hair around his horns.
Her kidnapping of his attention would be the first of many to occur that night as the four women and Tanjirō nose dived into their deepest, most perverted desires and went on and on until they couldn't any more and passed out together in a heap.
The world was transitioning into an era of peace, and it was because of the sacrifices of many and the efforts of those who survived that children, like those currently growing in their bellies, would be able to grow up without worry and strife. Even if that world had become a fair bit demonic in the process.
^ Part 3 - A Demonic World ^
^ End ^
A/N *sniff* IM NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRYING. To think that this is it guys...this was the last chapter before the Epilogue. The next one is it, my dudes...the last ever upload I'll be making. Once that Epilogue gets uploaded, this story a year and a month in the making, will finally be complete. What a journey. Stuff like this will come in the next update though, so none of it yet!
This chapter was another doozy, a wholesome one though! The world is changing all around our heroes, and my my my that ending. IS IT GETTING HOT IN HERE OR WHAT. Sheeeeesh. For those of you wondering how Ningguang got added into that whole mix, if you had just been killed and your life was saved by a wonderfully caring and handsome man like Tanjiro, how would you react? Like come on guys, really XDDD. Aaaaanyways, horny aside, the two great evils in the world are dead. Our heroes really did deserve this.
Thank you guys again for coming with me on this journey. Leave a fav and a follow if you haven't already, and give me a review telling me what you guys thought of this stellar first part of the conclusion for Demonic World! Until the Epilogue guys, stay tuned!